Author's Note: I am soo sorry yet again about the wait for this. School is doing my head. I'll leave it there because I know you're rather be reading what's going to happen ;) Thank you SO much for the reviews, alerts, & favorites!

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Chapter Four
Stymie

Jacob took a deep breath as he spread his arms apart. The sun gleamed brightly on his face as it made one of its very rare appearances in Forks. With his eyes closed, he leaned his head back to take in the rare warmth, the scent in the air billowing and circling his body. He bent his knees slightly and before he knew it his clement body was being engulfed by icy cold water. It took a few moments to adjust to the new temperature and once he did, his brown eyes snapped open to accommodate their new surroundings.

Memories of learning to swim flashed in his mind. Everything was so simple then, that's why he came here to get away. If there were two things Jacob knew he was going it, it was definitely swimming and running. But sometimes he grew tired of running and that's when he would go to appreciate La Push beach. That is until he got out of the water, ready to climb back to the top of the cliff only to find Edward standing there.

He had on a simple gray t-shirt and black jeans and stood in the shade of the trees behind him.

"What are you doing here?" Jacob growled walking towards him.

"Just...wondered around," Edward said casually trying to keep his eyes focused on Jacob's face.

"How do you just 'wonder around' and find yourself here? You're not supposed to be here, remember?"

"The treaty has been changed, remember?"

"You wanna help me with something?"

"What's that?" Edward was careful not to sound eager.

"Leave."

"Excuse me?"

"Leave. This is my territory and I'd like some peace and quiet."

"What were you just doing?"

"Are you deaf? I asked you to leave," Jacob bent over and picked up a towel he had left near the shade where Edward was standing.

"Don't you ever get tired of it?"

With his back to Edward, Jacob asked, "Tired of what?"

"Hating me?" Edward held back the bleakness that tried to creep out.

Jacob bit his lip and paused. Slowly, he turned around, looked Edward in the eye and cautiously said, "I…I don't hate you."

Edward took in those four words slowly, savoring them in a way, "…you don't?"

"No." He finished drying off and went to stand a couple of feet in front of Edward, "I just hate you have something I want. But I'm starting to realize it's a hopeless situation…"

"Then do you think we possibly to try get along…honestly?" Edward ignored what he said about Bella. He held out his hand.

Jacob stared at it and against his better judgment accepted it, "Okay."

Edward liked this. That with only a few words, things possibly were set in motion to resolve themselves. With Bella, it took hours and hours of discussion making things way more complicated than they actually were. This was nice. Simple but so complex at once.

They stood in an awkward silence, hearing the rushing waves clash violently below and the whistle of the wind around them.

Jacob cleared his throat, "I was cliff diving."

Edward snapped out of his daze. "What?"

"You asked what I was doing?"

"Oh right…I didn't know you were an adrenaline junkie."

"There's a lot you don't know about me."

"Likewise."

Another pause, "Have you ever done it?"

"Cliff diving? No I never saw the point."

"The point is to feel and not think for a few moments before you hit the water…try it." Jacob walked backwards back into the sun, the rays highlighting some drops of water the towel hadn't gotten.

Edward hesitated, "What? Right now? I'm hardly suited for swimming right now."

"You decided to go commando today?" Jacob's eyebrow's shot up.

"Ahh…what?"

"Cullen, if you haven't noticed I'm a guy – "

"My name is Edward," he interjected sternly.

"Whatever. Unless you're an alien, I'm assuming your junk looks a lot like mine…except slightly a lighter color and…wrinkly-ier."

"Wrinkly-ier? Is that even a word?"

"It is now."

They shared a small and awkward chuckle before Edward asked, "What's commando?"

…

Edward decided getting his underwear wet wasn't a good idea. And going 'commando', as Jacob had suggested, was an even worse idea. What had really shocked Edward was the Jacob had even suggested it. Then again he remembered that teenagers tended to change in front of one another constantly during their gym class in school, so it wouldn't be anything new for Jacob.

But still – no but still nothing!

He wouldn't let his mind go where it wanted. He currently found himself in the situation where hiding certain emotions had become very difficult. He and Jacob were standing on the edge of the cliff. Jacob was laughing at Edward's sparkling skin, "I feel like we should be listening to disco."

Edward retaliated by pushing the young wolf unexpectedly into the water and soon followed. It took Edward several seconds to hit the water gracefully and saw Jacob's legs dangling in the water.

Jacob saw Edward's head break the surface of the water, his expression half annoyed and half amused.

"What's with the face? I'm the one who just got pushed over a seventy-foot cliff."

"This is pointless. I didn't feel anything."

"You thought about it too much. Come on, let's climb back up. I'll teach you."

"Teach me what?" Edward asked apprehensively.

"How to fall."

They climbed back up and Edward returned to the very edge of the cliff.

"Okay, spread your arms out, close your eyes, and tilt your head back," Jacob instructed.

"This isn't going to work. I know how to jump from these distances, it's instinct now."

"Just shut up and do what I tell you."

"Yes sir."

"No that'd be you. Okay, your eyes are closed? Okay good." Jacob went and stepped behind Edward, "Relax your shoulders," Edward nearly jumped off when he felt Jacob's hands on his bare shoulders, "Take in the air, the smell of the salt, the humidity, take in everything. The warmth of the sun, the sound of the trees. You're not in your body anymore. Just fall." He whispered the last part, his breath tickling the back of Edward's neck.

He wasn't sure if he had jumped or if Jacob had pushed him but this time the first thing to enter the water were his arms, then his torso, and lastly his legs. It felt amazing. Exhilarating yet relaxing. Every thought in his mind had strayed as they were replaced by a silent rush of peacefulness. Yet he was still fully aware of the person next to him in the water.

…

The night had come and Edward and Jacob were down at the beach now, sitting on the sand with a fire burning brightly between them.

They weren't alone. Some of Jacob's friends had planned an outdoor rave and reluctantly, Jacob had invited Edward to stay. Their afternoon together had been...decent.

Jacob sat with a small green blanket around his bare shoulders and a bottle of vodka in one hand. He laughed at some of his friends attempting to dance. Edward just sat with his legs crossed looking at Jacob. Until Andrea and another dark haired girl came over.

"Jake, let's dance."

So Jacob got up and danced with her and left Andrea and Edward at the fire. Surprisingly, Jacob was an okay dancer. Not great but not anywhere near as awkward as Bella.

Edward frowned at himself. He really needed to stop comparing him to Bella.

"Vodka for your thoughts?"

Snapping back to reality, Edward turned to look see Andrea offering him a bottle, "No…no thanks I don't drink."

The fire crackled between them and they both sensed a type of tension as they watched the group of teenagers dancing.

"Okay…Edward, right?"

"Yeah."

"…not to be presumptuous or anything but I get the feeling you don't like me and I think it has something to do with Jacob…"

Edward's eyes turned to the size of plates, "Why…why do you say that? And I do not have a problem with you, I'm sorry I've given off that impression I – "

"Edward don't lie, I can see right through you," she sipped the vodka after her statement. She spoke calmly, as if the fact that Edward didn't like her didn't faze her a bit.

"Okay…it's not like that exactly…" he stuttered trying to tune out her thoughts, so they could have the conversation properly but she often thought before speaking.

…needs to stop lying…

"I'm not twelve. You have a thing for him, don't you?"

"WHAT?!" Edward nearly shouted baffled, "No! You have it all wrong –it's Bella – "

No I have it right…you wouldn't have freaked out otherwise.

She was going to make it really hard to respond only to what she spoke not to what she thought, "Look, it's fine. Jacob is great I get what you could see in him – "

"Are you listening? I don't have a…a…thing for – "

"I've seen the way you look at him."

"And how's that?" Edward asked austerely as he tried to control his shaking hands.

She confidently said, "With hunger. You look at him like you're hungry."

Edward stared at her, astounded. He really needed to stop underestimating humans. He cleared his throat and spoke, "I'm not gay – "

"Didn't say you were – "

"I'm with Bella," he continued, "I'm going to marry her. She's the one I'm going to be with."

"Funny, I haven't heard you say anything about loving her. You said she's the one you're going to be with – not the one you want to be with. Not that you want to marry her," a knowing glint flashed in Andrea's eyes.

"Why are you trying to push me on your boyfriend?" Edward questioned.

"He's not my boyfriend. And I'm not trying to push you on him. I wanted to know what was bothering you about me and now I know."

"Then why are we talking about how I may or may not feel about Jacob?"

"Because I can't stand lies. And you were about to spill lies. So I stopped you," she sipped the last bit of vodka in the clear glass bottle and stood up. She put her hand out, "Come on, Edward, let's dance."

"I don't dance to this kind of music."

"There's a first time for everything."

Reluctantly, he got up and headed towards everyone else. It took him a while to get it, but soon he picked up how to dance to electronic music and it was more fun than having Bella trip all over his feet. Edward looked to his left and saw Jacob jumping and dancing to the music with a girl. He had never seen Jacob smiling or laughing this much, so obviously enjoying himself.

Late morning approached and they were finally beginning to go home. Two in the morning, and Jacob had gone from drunk to wasted to buzzed, the alcohol started to wear off but not completely. Once the last stragglers left, Andrea told Edward of a short cut through the forest to get Jacob home.

"I don't need a babysitter! Especially this old dude," Jacob protested.

"Jake, he's only two years older than you," Andrea chuckled.

"Actually –"

Edward quickly interjected, "I'm not babysitting. Just making sure you make it home safely. You had a lot to drink."

Eventually they made their way into the woods and were on their way to Jacob's house. If it hadn't been for the luminous full moon above the sky, both boys would have been almost blinded in the dark. Edward noticed this part of the forest was very wet, with crickets chirping in the background as he and Jacob made their way in the humidity.

In what seemed to be the middle of the forest, came a clearing with a pond between it and the other side of the forest. Over the pond was a stone bridge connecting both sides. Below the bridge, the green/black water reflected the large moon above.

They made their way over the bridge at an achingly slow pace because Jake was on the verge of either vomiting or falling asleep – he couldn't tell which.

Jacob stopped at the center of the bridge and leaned against the thick stone railing. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back, wishing nothing more than to be able to magically be in his bed.

"You okay?" Edward broke the surprisingly comfortable silence.

With his eyes closed, Jacob smiled, "Yeah I just think I over did it a bit tonight…"

"I've…I've never seen you like that," Edward said leaning against the bridge on the opposite side of Jacob.

"You mean having fun?"

"Yes…"

"Things are too tense when it's you, me, and Bella."

"So when it's just you and me…it's less?" the vampire asked, almost hopefully.

"We both know that's not what I meant," Jacob said through another smile.

Had he opened his eyes, he would have noticed Edward quietly stepping closer to him.

"Then I don't understand…what was different about tonight?" Another step.

"I decided to give you a chance…" and another, "and drank a bit too much," he added with a chuckle.

Edward now stood a mere two inches away from the younger boy. His hair, which was growing back, was partially stuck to his face from sweating. His facial expression and body more relaxed than Edward had ever seen it. And his scent. Oh god his scent. Edward couldn't put his finger on it but it smelled so good it took everything not to ravish in it. At some point his scent had stopped being horrendous and had become Edward's new fixation.

Edward closed the last bit of remaining distance between them as he put his hand on Jacob's jaw and pressed their lips together. Edward could have sworn Jacob kissed back, maybe it was wishful thinking, but it wasn't long before Jacob registered what was happening. He dug his nails into Edward's shoulders forcefully, cutting both the shirt and skin beneath before hissing out, "What the fuck are you doing?" He pushed Edward back harshly, rage filling his eyes.

The older boy stood bewildered at himself…what had he just done? What in world had made him think Jacob was drunk enough not to realize what he had done? Edward gulped, not sure how to respond or even if to respond at all.

"Cullen! What the fuck?" Jacob shouted angrily.

He didn't want to be a coward, but it was too much too soon. So instead of answering, Edward ran.

…

Jacob rolled over jadedly on his bed. He felt a gross and grimy mess all over his body. Yeah, he over did it. And what the hell had Edward fucking Cullen been thinking? Jacob groaned loudly as he remembered the kiss.

He pushed it out of his mind as he prepared for the day. Showering, brushing his teeth, it all never felt so good. Jacob's mood started to lift around eight until he remembered he had agreed to meet up with Bella to go eat. And sure enough, minutes later Jacob received a text reminding him. He prayed Cullen wouldn't be there.

But of course that was way too much to ask for. A couple of hours later, he found himself sitting on a booth across victim number one and pedo. Jacob was victim number two. Even the normally lovely-dovey-yet-somehow-angsty couple seemed tense. Had Edward told her?

No…he wouldn't….would he?

Jacob took the opportunity to ask when Bella went to use the restroom, "What's wrong with you two today?"

"That doesn't concern you," Edward spat sternly as he rubbed his temples.

"If it's about the fucked up shit you did last night, then yeah it kinda does," Jacob spat back just as harshly.

"Just…forget it. It was a weird mistake. Let it go – "

"You expect me not to tell her? You're –"

"That's exactly what I expect you to do," Edward said in an angry and dangerous whisper.

Jacob didn't have time to react or respond as a waitress came to ask if they needed anything and Edward suddenly decided he want to 'eat'. Clearly, he didn't want to discuss the issue. By the time he got done ordering, Bella had gotten back to the table.

…

A few hours later Edward lay on his floor, staring at the ceiling. How could he have been so irrational and impulsive the previous night? He wasn't rash! He always planned things out, approached them cautiously, and most of all considered the consequences.

But no, the night before, all that flew out the window when it had been him and Jacob alone on the bridge. It had just been them two and the surrounding forest, nothing could possibly get in the way. Except for each other. And that's exactly what happened.

He let the sight of Jacob letting his guard down lure him in. When he had approached Jacob, it had almost felt like a magnetic pull. His limbs had had a mind of their own.

He sighed exasperated from over analyzing a moment that had only last a mere twenty seconds. Yes somewhere in the back of his mind, he had counted. It was then when he heard the door ring. Lazily he got up to answer.

…

A/N: Gahhh lame! I'm sorry the last couple of scenes were very choppy but more will be explained in the next chapter. I hope you guys were at least mildly entertained. Please do review, I've been have a rough couple of weeks and reviews would make me smile :) Thanks for reading!