Chapter 2: Her Ex

AKA: Can You Feel the Tension Tonight?

Jake being home explained why the elders had come to this meeting. For one, his father was an elder and of course would want to see his son. For another, the elders all loved Jake, and they respected him. I mean he was still alpha even though Leah was currently running the pack in his place. The bonfire dragged on. The legends seemed to be taking longer to be told. I'm not sure if the elders were talking slower, but I think time seemed to pass slower due to the eyes I could feel upon me.

He always had a certain presence that only I seemed attuned to. I could feel it now on every inch of my body. Jake was watching me, and as much as I instinctively wanted to look his way, I forced myself to train my eyes on the elder speaking. It was turning out to be much more difficult than I had thought.

Finally the legends ended, which meant everything would turn into a more relaxed setting. Food would be passed around and everyone would talk to each other at leisure. Or at least, that's what normally happened. Instead, Billy, Jacob's father, decided it was going to be sharing time.

"We held this bonfire to specifically welcome my son home from overseas. I happen to know I want to hear about what's been going on with him, and I think it would be nice if we all shared what's been happening in our lives." Dammit Billy. I don't want to talk about my life to a man I have no intention in making a major part of my life. "Jacob, would you be willing to start, please?"

"There's not much I can talk about. A lot of it, like the missions, are confidential. All I can say is after I finished basic training, I was stationed overseas in Afghanistan. I saw…" Jake took a shaky breath and looked a little pale. I instinctively leaned closer even though he was across the fire from me. He blew out a breath and continued, "a lot of…nasty, horrible things. Things you couldn't imagine. I lost… some comrades, some friends. I'm thankful I'm home, and you're all here, safe. Now, I'm stationed at the base in Sappho. After something that happened in Afghanistan, they sent us back here to work on training and equipment as a break. I have to be on base for about 10 hours a day, three days a week, or the equivalent of that. So, I have some freedom here."

Wow, I wondered what happened. He couldn't talk about any of it. Jacob was one of the most open people I know, and he looked like he might be sick if he talked about it. I knew war was gory and usually left a lot of people broken, but I never imagined it happening to Jacob Black. He was always a constant, someone to be strong for me when I was upset. Now, as I looked over at him, I saw him in a different light. He held himself with pride, but at the same time there was something in his posture that spoke of something lost. Perhaps, a piece of him was left in Afghanistan. If so, I only hoped that piece could be replaced. Even though, we wouldn't be an item, I still didn't want him troubled.

"Wow, man. I'm sorry for everyone you lost. That sucks." Seth, ever the sweetheart, spoke up. Jake just nodded in response.

"Okay, on to the next person." Billy turned the focus away from Jacob and what he'd been through. "Ren? How about you go next?"

"M-me? We aren't just going around the fire?" What the hell are you doing, Billy? I'm not getting back together with your son. I know you want me to, but, just, no.

"I suppose we could, but you've had a lot going on the past couple of years. A lot of really great stuff. I think Jacob would like to hear about it, if I'm not mistaken."

"Love to." Jacob again looked up from the place in the dirt he had been staring at me.

"Uhh, well, I graduated high school with honors. That was a bit of a difficult time. Got sick a lot my last two years. Got accepted to the University of Denver, Princeton, Stanford, and um, University of Washington at Forks. I obviously ended up at University of Washington. Claire and I became best friends." Jake looked down when I said that. "Now, we're rooming together, and yeah, here we are." I awkwardly played with the sleeve on my sweater.

"Oh, come on, Ren! You've got more to say than that!?" I glared at Claire.

"No, I think that's it," I ground out.

"Well, what about James?" Claire gave me a pointed look.

She's trying to make Jake jealous, or she's trying to get herself killed. Maybe both. Why else would she poke the wolf. After Jacob's growling at Seth hugging me earlier and his constant staring, it was obvious he still had a thing for me. He's not going to want to hear about James, and, honestly, I wasn't bringing him up because we've been on ONE, count it ONE, date. Dammit.

"Who's James?" Seth looked half worried, half insanely curious.

Jake leaned closer as I stammered, "Uh, well, he's this guy I met last week. We've been out, like, once. Nothing serious." I ended in a whisper.

"And how old is this James?" Oh, Lord. His voice was extremely calm and controlled which could only mean one thing: Jacob was fuming.

I took a deep breath and looked straight at Jake's cold gaze. "He's a junior, so 20. He'll be 21 in a few weeks."

"What's he like?" Why? Why must you do this? We're over, Jacob. That was your choice. Why must you torture both of us with these questions?

"I don't think that's any of your business, Black." I snapped.

"I beg to differ. I have every right to know about your life since your my-" Jake cut himself off, and everyone looked stunned. What was he going to say?

"Your girlfriend? Is that what you were going to say? Because I'm not your girlfriend, Jacob! I could've been," Jake looked up, surprised. "But you decided I was better off single while you were off putting yourself in harm's way! This was your choice! You have not claim to me."

Jacob looked pissed now. "I do have a claim to you!"

"Oh, yeah? What claim, huh? Please enlighten me!"

"You're my i-"He stopped short again, as if he caught himself before he said something he wasn't supposed to. "I, uh," he paused and sighed, "Nevermind."

"You've got to be kidding me! You're unbelievable, Jacob!"

"Ren! Stop!" Leah was suddenly standing with her alpha face on. "That's enough. Let it go." I felt a brief desire to burst into song when I heard those words, but quickly pushed it down.

"Why does everyone keep calling you Ren, Ness?" Jake was back to addressing me calmly, but this time he used a tone he usually only saved for me when we were alone. And he used his nickname for me. I gave up that nickname when he left because it hurt too much that he wasn't around to call me Ness or Nessie, so I switched to the first part of my name, Ren.

"I go by Ren, now." I said quietly. "I think it's best if I go back to my dorm."

"Wait! Ren, c'mon! You both released that tension you've had between you two all night with that spat! Stay!" Seth pleaded.

"I don't think- "I took a deep breath. "I don't think that tension will ever go away. I- I just can't do this right now. Sorry."

I walked away as quickly as I could without running. I reached my car, unlocked the door, and paused. I leaned my head against the driver window while my hand rested on the handle. Hot tears began to slide down my cheeks out of frustration. I took a shaky breath and picked my head up. Just as I was about to pull open the door, I felt a hot touch at my waist.

"Seth, I'm going back, okay? I miss you, too. You should just come down to the school and visit, okay?" When I got no response, I realized that presence was there again. The one I hadn't felt this close to in two years. I slowly turned around.

"Hey," he raked a hand through his hair. "Can we talk?" I opened my mouth to answer, but before I could, he kept talking. "Please, Ness, er, Ren? I just want to talk to you about the past two years and everything that's gone on between us. Please? You're the only one I can talk to. You always have been." He looked desperate…and lost. Jacob slipped the hand resting on my waist to my lower back and pulled me slightly towards him. Then he dropped his head, resting his forehead on mine. "Please." His brown eyes bore into mine.

I'd still do anything for this man, wouldn't I? "Okay, let's talk. Would you like to come back to my dorm with me?"