JPOV
It's nine in the morning. Edward was getting dressed, yelling at me for some reason. Edward. My Edward. He was so flawless. Even when he was being an annoying, clothing-obsessed, late, vampire.
"Hurry up, Jacob!" He screamed from the bathroom for the umpteenth time. I was still standing naked in front of the closet. I hadn't been listening when he was explaining what I was supposed to wear so I was extremely confused by the vast collection of clothing I could choose from.
"We are going to be late for the wedding and it's going to be your fault!" I smiled guiltily at him as he threw a shirt, tie and pair of dressy slacks at me. "Get them on." I just stood there. His hair was wild, the way I loved it, almost like angry flames on top of his head. As usual, he was breathtaking—an absolute dream of a best man in his three piece navy blue suit with the purple silk vest. Each color offset his pale skin and made me want to skip the wedding altogether.
He heard me. He winked. "Later, I promise" he whispered.
Looking up from his cufflinks, he said, very calmly, "If you do not get dressed and in the car in the next five minutes, Seth will probably never talk to us again." So I grabbed a pair of underwear and threw my clothes on, smoothing down my hair with one hand as I ran to the car, Edward close behind me.
I drove fast, tires almost slipping on the slick roads, the rain was tapering off though and as we neared La Push, I felt an icy hand take mine.
"Thank you." He was beaming at me. I knew this wedding meant a lot to him, he had remained close to Bella all this time and seeing her married was close to his heart. I gave him a reassuring smile and drove a little faster. Seth is a stickler for being on time.
-----*
August 29, 2007
I had been miserable the entire day. First, Edward's halfhearted plea for me to leave, then Seth Clearwater's first phase a week ago--fate not sparing him from the hard life we led--I guess I was feeling rather emo.
I ran the woods, in wolf-form, surprised to find Jasper scaling a tree. I barked a greeting to him and he waved. The Cullens had warmed up to me over time, except Queen Bitch Rosalie. But she didn't count. You have to have a brain to count as a person. Or vampire.
Jasper leaped down without warning, nearly on top of me. He chuckled at what I imagined must be the sarcasm rolling off of me. Sitting on the ground he spoke. "We need to have a talk, Jacob." Fuck.
I phased back, pulling on the jeans I had tied to my left leg. Leaning on a tree about 5 feet away from him, I waited.
"Edward wants me to tell you that he is infinitely sorry." Tears threatened to splash over my sheeks as I pictured him saying those words. No doubt his brow woud be furrowed, eyes in pain. "If there was any way you could be together, he would comply in a heartbeat." Jasper reached out to me. I flinched at his icy touch but allowed him to leave his hand on my shoulder. "He doesn't think he can leave Bella without tragic consequences." I nodded and swallowed thickly, whispering a broken thank you before running back towards La Push.
Heading towards Emily's, I saw Seth in the kitchen. He was scarfing down food like nobody's business. Quickly making myself decent before entering, I sat next to him, piling fresh rolls onto my plate. He grinned, mouth full of food. I couldn't help but laugh, he was so childlike, the dimples in his face crinkling as he cackled gleefully. After he swallowed, he motioned for me to hurry up.
"Can you take me in to Forks?"
"Why, Seth? You could've headed down with Quil. He just left an hour ago." I faked exasperation. He didn't get it. His lip nearly quivering, he replied.
"I know, but I just wanted to go with you instead."
I sighed. "I'll be back to pick you up in half an hour. You better have your shit together cuz I will leave without you."
"okay!" And he sprang up from the table, overturning his chair in his haste. Yelling a 'thanks, the food was AWESOME' to Em, he ran for home.
Little did I know, this was going to be a rather strange day.
As it turned out, we were only going to the gas station. For Icees. I almost strangled Seth as he told me but I restrained myself, calming the vibrations that were racking through my body. Once we got there, Seth wanted to buy junk food.
"No."
"Come on, please?"
"No." He wanted me to buy him a huge-ass bag of Flamin' Hot Cheetos that I knew he wouldn't eat.
"Fine." So he stormed up to the counter. Mike Newton was off doing some shelving so Bella was at the register. She looked lovely, thick chocolatey hair, wide brown eyes… the epitome of bashful. The ring that encircled her left ring finger brought back unwelcome memories. Then Seth looked into her eyes as she told him his total. $5.27. The world stopped for an agonizingly long time. He grinned like a man seeing the sun for the first time, or a drowning kid who's seen the brink of death and survived. "I'm Seth." He spoke.
"I'm Bella."
He was still smiling. The kid had gone and imprinted. On Bella Swan. Who was engaged.
I knew there was a reason I liked Seth!