Smile

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A/N: I love Bella and Edward together, but I felt like Jacob needed to find the love of his life too.

Chapter 3

Trying to calm my shattered nerves I look down at my watch. I'm about ten minutes late for work but I know Mr. Sampson won't be too upset because I always do more than my fair share and in half the time it takes the other guys to do theirs.

I've been working at the cannery for a long time and I really like my job. Mr. Sampson is great too, a lot of the other shop owners give him grief for hiring us guys from the Reservation, but he always says we're hard workers and honest to boot.

I smile to myself as I get my uniform out of my locker, yea he was a good old guy and I didn't want him to think I was slacking off or anything. Especially seeing as the day he hired me I had shown up teary eyed and disheveled barely twelve years old. He'd taken me into his office and given me an application form.

Now another person would have just blown me off seeing as I was just a kid. But he'd taken me seriously and only asked that if my schoolwork started to suffer I'd let him know so he could lessen my hours. He had been a lifesaver and a dear friend ever since.

After putting on my yellow overalls I slipped my timecard into the slot and heard the familiar clicking sound it makes. I could hear several voices coming from out back so I knew the trucks were waiting to be filled.

"Hey Jake, nice of you to show up".

I grimace slightly at the nasal sounding voice and fake a smile in George's direction. Now George is an alright guy as far as weasels go but he never knew when enough was enough. He was always making these snide remarks and slacking off, plus we thought he might be dipping his hand into the till. But we weren't one hundred percent sure and until we were we weren't going to blow him out of the water.

The other fellows and I exchanged hellos and got down to it. We were supposed to load the trucks up then do a general check and cleanup of the grounds. The tins were pretty heavy but where most of the guys could only manage three or four at a time, I usually carried seven or eight. That was still pretty easy but I don't need any more attention drawn to me and my bizarre strength.

I chatted with the guys but Anan was on the forefront of my mind. Picturing her black lashes curled against her cheeks as she'd closed her eyes waiting for me to kiss her. I shudder slightly and try to get back into the conversation around me.

But it was useless; I sigh and shake my head trying to regain focus on my task. Nope I could still hear her voice replaying our conversation from this afternoon. There was no way I was going to be able to wait until after 11 to hear its sweetness again. I finished up quickly earning a couple of knowing smirks from the guys.

"Guess someone's got a hot date tonight"! Jeff grins at me and playfully punches me in the shoulder. The others laugh and wink letting out several cat calls and whistles much to my embarrassment.

"Yea we heard all about your little show this afternoon Jakey"! Milton, an older guy from off the Res puckers up his lips and pretends to swoon.

"Hey come on guys", I plead off grinning back and enjoying the attention more than I should. We all laugh and hive fives are given all around as we say goodnight to Mr. Sampson and head home.

"Jake you need a ride"?

I see my good friend Seth hanging out of the window of his truck waving me over. He was a couple years younger than me and I loved him like a brother. Him, Quil, Embry and I were nearly inseparable and most of my best childhood memories involved the four of us running wild in the woods surrounding La Push getting up to all the mischief kids get into. Man those were the days, worry and carefree.

"Seth my man how you doing"?

"Pretty good, you know same shit different day". His grin is infectious and I can't help but smile back. Seth was good like that he was always the upbeat one, always thinking positive.

I climb into the passenger's seat and he peals away laughing as I hang on to the roof through the window looking at him like he's gone nuts. As we hit the long strip to home we drive in amiable silence both nodding our heads to the tunes coming from his stereo system.

"So I heard you finally worked up the courage to talk to Anan".

"Yea". I look off into the distance squirming in my seat anxious to get home and shower. I already knew there was no way I was going to be able to stay home tonight let alone sleep until I saw her again.

"Soooo"? He drags out the word wriggling his eyebrows at me and I bark out a laugh.

"What does everybody know about it"?

""Everybody and their brother and their all sharing. So that equals pretty much everyone on the Res I think". His face changes and he puts his hand on my arm.

"Hey I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I didn't just show up to see your pretty face".

I can feel the tension rolling off him despite his joking manner and brace myself for the worst. It would take a lot to change Seth's bright outlook on life and I cringe to think what could make him so bleak.

"I mean it's nothing new really, just thought I should tell you that Anan's dad found out about your little, ummm, conversation and needless to say he isn't real happy about it".

I knew this was bound to happen if her dad got wind of any kind of relationship between us. There was a lot of bad blood between him and my dad but I never got the full story from him. I had hoped that over the years their animosity would have faded, but I guess me being happy was too much to ask for.

"What happened"? "How'd you find out her dad knows"? I knew I was talking fast and firing questions but I was nervous. I really liked Anan, hell if I was being completely honest my feelings went way beyond anything I'd ever experienced before.

"Well I heard from Quil that after you left her dad went into the store all friendly doing some shopping. I guess he got to talking to some of the other customers and well he came back out not so happy anymore".

Seth looked at me in sympathy as he completed his tale. I took a big shuddery breath and tried to think. My head was spinning and I felt like I was going to lose it. My body began to quiver ever so slightly then more and more violently.

"Woo man calm the hell down. You know my car isn't insured, plus I like the way I'm filling out. Girls think I'm studly".

I turned my head and looked at him like he'd grown two heads then started laughing uncontrollably. Tears were actually leaking out of my eyes.

"Studly huh"? My body still shook except now it was in mirth not anger.

Seth laughed along and patted my shoulder again.

"Look I know you really like her don't let them ruin it for you. You can still talk to her and see her and stuff, you'll just have to be sneaky about it".

I knew he was right but I didn't want to sneak around. I shouldn't have to lie or feel like a hypocrite for wanting to see my girl. I pondered it over and came to a decision just as we reached my driveway.

"Hey Seth thanks for the 411 man, I really appreciate you coming to get me and all". This was why I loved him, he was a good kid and he looked out for me. We all looked out for each other.

"No problem, so what are you going to do"?

"I need to talk to her face to face, see how she feels. I mean I wouldn't blame her if she didn't want to see me again, but……I need to see again".

"Good luck".

"Thanks again I owe you big".

I climb out of the truck and he gives me a last wave. Heading towards the front door I notice my dad sitting on the porch. Before his hospitalization he'd sat on the porch almost every night talking with the neighbors and communing with nature, or so he said. I thought he probably was just so bored of staring at the same four walls that he needed to breathe some fresh air.

But he hadn't been out for awhile so I got a little nervous at seeing him there. As I got closer I could see his face more clearly and my stomach took another nosedive. He didn't look to happy and I could guess what he'd heard to make him look so sour.

"Hi dad, nice night huh"? I tried for nonchalance but my voice wavered a little.

My dad and I have a great relationship; he was strict but fair and he never rode me to hard. He could see that I was mature for my age and equaled with my contribution to the household he never really interfered with my life. He gave me fatherly advice sometimes but wasn't offended if I didn't take it. This was going to be rough on both of us.

"It is a nice night, sure hate to ruin it fighting so I'm just going to say this and leave it be, alright"? He looked as nervous as I felt and I knew he was feeling pretty bad about his upcoming speech.

"Ok Sir". I respect my dad, a lot. He'd been through hell and had had a lot of hard knocks in his lifetime, but he always landed on his feet.

"Jacob, I know you've been carrying around a torch for Jimmy's daughter I'm not blind. But son, you got to know this can't end well. Now I'm not going to tell you can't see her anymore or any of that garbage, I just want to let you know I support you in anything you do. I understand the attraction she's a beautiful girl, she looks a lot like her mama. Anan's real sweet too, so I get it. I just want you to be careful, go slow. Jimmy's a good man Jacob, just stuck in his ways. So all I'm saying is be happy, because if she's the reason you've been smiling so much lately I love her already".

My dad has said a lot of things to shock me and he's told me he loves me a million times. But nothing he'd ever said or done has affected me as much as this has. I went up to the porch and leaned over to envelope him in a bear hug.

"Your blessing means everything to me dad".

He hugs me back then wheels his chair slightly away from me scrunching up his nose.

"But if you're planning on seeing her tonight might I suggest a shower first? You smell like a cannery"!

I give out a loud whoop and hug him again before I race into the house to the bathroom.