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Nessie POV
It's been two days since I last saw Jake. I'm really worried about him. He's never been away from me for this long before. I don't like it. Something is wrong. Did I do something to make him upset? I don't think so. What could I have done? I haven't done anything that may have bothered him. Unless, maybe, it was the Josh thing. Why would he care about Josh? He's just a guy. Unless Jake thinks of me in another way, instead of just friends like I always had. But, what would I do if he did?
I starred out the window, covered with my thoughts. An old truck pulled up in the driveway. It was Josh. We had agreed on Friday night at six and it was Friday night at six. I felt my heart speed up. A cold hand landed on my shoulder. I smelt Bella's scent. "You'll do fine," she whispered.
"It's not that," I replied softly, fighting the tears that threaten to spew out of my eyes.
"I know." Her hand started to make circles on my shoulder. "It's put me on edge, too. I'm going to call him once you leave."
My sharp eyes flickered to her. "Can't you wait till I come back?" I needed to talk to him. I must have shown worry on my face, for she smiled.
"I need to talk to him," Bella said, her hand still making circles on my shoulder, "he needs a friend right now."
"Why?" I asked. This puzzled me. Why would he need a friend now? Is something wrong with the pack?
"We'll talk later. You have a date. We'll go hunting tomorrow morning to get the human food taste out of your mouth. Ick. Don't worry about Jake. It will all even out. You have fun tonight. I know it's hard but try not to think about him. You should enjoy yourself, even if he is eleven years older than you." She got a wicked smile on her face. It was the smile that if she or Alice wore, everyone ran and hid because they were planning something. The worst part was, Bella's shield was so strong now, she could shield her emotions from Jasper AND her future from Alice if she wanted to. Her mind was evil genius full-proof. Lucky.
"I don't know if it would be possible to try not to think about Jake." I walked toward the door and suddenly stopped. "Wait, is Dad going to threaten to break Josh's neck like all of the other father's do on their daughter's first date?" Bella burst into laughter.
"Yep." I groaned. "He will be acting as older brother, though. He's got Emmett in on it, too."
"Great. I'm the only girl in the entire school who has her brother threaten her boyfriend. That helps so much, Mom."
"Sweetheart, I know you refer to us as Edward and Bella in your thoughts. You can call us that, if you want to. We don't want to be called Mom and Dad for the next two hundred years. It makes us sound old." This made me crack a smile. I look out the window to Edward, Emmett AND Jasper standing with crossed arms in front Josh. Edward really doesn't look friendly. Oooooo… evil face.
"What are you three idiots doing?" I asked as I walked out the house. "Trying to chase him away?"
"Yep."
"Uh-huh."
"You betcha."
"Your brothers scare me."
"Get in the house," Bella said, "Let the pathetic fool take Nessie on a date."
"Fool?" I ask raising an eyebrow.
"Of course, anyone who takes you out must be a fool." She smiled, making what she said funny, like sibling rivalry. I knew she meant that the person was a fool to take me out because if he hurt me, he would have to deal with seven vampires and a werewolf. Under her breath, so low that Josh wouldn't hear, she said, "I would say human but that would sound weird."
Edward, Jasper and Emmett walked to the steps as I climbed in the car. As the car pulled away, they didn't move the harsh looks on their faces. There was only three, but I could see a tall, black-hair Indian standing next them, with the same expression on his face.
OoOoO
Bella POV
"Hello?" His voice was low and warn.
"Jake?" I said. I tried to sound perky. "How are you?"
"Like shit."
"Nice to see that you feel well."
He didn't laugh. "Bella, I feel like she is never going to realize how much I love her."
"She will. Jake, she cried herself to sleep last night. She can't stand being away from you, even if she doesn't know why. She loves you. Not only as a friend, but more. She says your name at night."
"You did, too."
"I'm not Nessie."
"But the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, Bella. Like mother like daughter, right?"
"I had someone else, she doesn't."
"He could be. What if he does become more? What if she can't live without him?"
"Then you will be waiting for her. He'll die, just like every other human does. You'll wait for her in the shadows. You'll be her best friend."
"What if she feels she has to turn him? What then? I'll have no chance whatsoever, then. I'll still be here, thinking of what could have been, thinking of should have been. The little part of you that could be mine would be lost to me forever."
"You still…" I whispered it, shocked.
"No. Bella, you are my best friend. She was the part of you I always longed for subconsciously. If that is taken away…"
"Jake, you have to stop dwelling on the 'what if's. There were a million 'what if's when I was human and in the end everyone turned out happy in the end. This will turn out fine, too."
"I'm not totally happy yet and you don't know that."
"No, I don't. What I do know is that she loves you."
"I hope it's enough."
"I know, get some sleep. You'll need it for tomorrow."
"What is that…" I hung up.
Edward's arms were wrapped around my waist, his breath at my ear. His lips were soon on my neck. They were like satin, and made me crave more. "What was that supposed top mean?" he asked for Jacob, against my neck.
"I promised you seven years until I told her, didn't I?"
"Yes, you did." His lips went up my neck and met mine.
"I'll have to take a year off," I whispered. He stopped, and grabbed my shoulders.
"Bella, you promised I could go seven years until you told her about the imprinting, so I didn't have to hear them thinking about each other. Please don't go back on you promise. I never go back on mine."
"I have several reasons. Number one: He's suffering. I can't do that to Jake. Number two: If I wait another year, Nessie' relationship with this human may go as far as ours have. Jake will be miserable. I can't do that to him. Number three: I now know how to block thoughts. I didn't then. Now, you don't have to hear them. Number four: with the teenage human hormones, their relationship will move faster than ours ever did. You have seen his thoughts. You know I'm right. Teenage Human hormones; strange wolfy hormones; think about it." He stiffened.
"I agree. Better Jake than some teenage human." I wrapped my arms around him.
