CHAPTER 4 : FIRST KISSES ARE BETTER THAN FIRST DAYS OF SCHOOL

Renee was furious with me for making her worry and staying out so late.

After reminding her I was just days away from being 18, I apologized profusely and we put it aside, grabbing a couple hours sleep, which,

" YAAAWWWNNNN" right now, felt like none at all.

" I heard you had a late night, darlin." the office secretary grinned at me.

"Yeah..." I returned the smile halfheartedly. Why did Renee have to tell everyone, everything.

"and with Jacob Black!" she gushed even further, handing me my class schedule.

"He's really a beautiful young man. Inside and out. Hundreds of hearts will break the day he finally takes up with some lucky girl." She winked at me.

"Thanks, for helping with my schedule." Walking out of the office, I realized how lucky I was to get everything I needed.

"Thanks again" I waved, more appreciative this time.

So, Jacob Black hasn't ever "taken up with anyone" Her words ran thru my head then my heart, confirming what I had chosen not to believe last night.

I couldn't help smiling at the thought of him, and I could barely focus on the schedule I just received as I scanned the crowd for Jake.

Renee whisked out of the office clutching her brief case. "Okay, all ready?" she asked kissing me "bye" wished me a "nice day" and a firm, "don't be late" as she ran off for her first class.

I leaned against the wall outside the front office next to the Information/Sign In Desk. Just needed a minute to pull myself together and get the building figured out. The building was fairly new, the nicest rez school I'd ever been in, but its small. K thru 12. I think there was only 50 kids enrolled in 12th grade. The Senior High wing was in the back of the school.

Right now, all the little kindergartners and their mommy's we're hugging goodbye at the classroom across from me. It didn't seem like it was that long ago, me and Renee, were saying goodbye for kindergarden. I thought wistfully.

There would probably be a lot of these moments this year..senior year.

The flow of kids coming thru the front door had slowed dramatically and still no Jake. Glancing at the clock, I worried if he was even up yet, given the events of last night.

I felt a smile take over my face and a warm flush move to my cheeks at the thought of him, of us, last night. I never, ever guessed I'd think about him like this.

I remember Charlie telling me I called him "My Jake".

Apparently, when we were just little kids I yelled at Rachel once for being mean to him and she said, " He's my brother! I can do what I want to my brother!"

and I said: "Well, Rasho...he My Jake! Be nice to My Jake."

My thoughts were disrupted by a loud bang! as a door flew open too far hitting the wall.

The near silence was broken with a chorus of girls giggling, and the brash, cocky, deepening, loud voices of senior boys.

A group of about 15 poured through the front door laughing, pushing, groping...totally engrossed in each other. Two familiar faces took up the back of the "pack" obviously entertained with a very young looking girl they were sexually harassing.

The shorter guy caught my eyes on them and recognition flashed instantly in his.

Punching the other boy's shoulder, they detoured immediately for me, hushing their crowd that now turned and stared.

"Bella!" they boomed in unison. I felt my face flush in embarrassment.

"So! we meet again!' The shorter one cooed smoothly as he wrapped his arm around me.

"Quil? Right?" I asked, smiling hesitantly. He may be the smaller one of them all, but he was still a big guy...they're all so muscular!

It must be a Quilette thing.

"See! Em! She remembers my name!" he jabbed at his buddy, grinning.

"Lets see." Embry nodded at my schedule, taking it gently from my hands when I hesitated.

" Beauty and brains." he grinned, apparently surprised, then throwing to Quil..."Honors classes."

"We heard you and Jake disappeared off radar last night down at First Beach. What was THAT all about?" Quil questioned with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"Uh! Excuse us Quillers." Embry said pulling Quil's arm off me.

"Bella and I have first period Trig together. You're not gonna make us late the first day. Come on Bella, he's a bad influence." Embry teased pulling me to come along with him.

Quil shot us a silly face as we walked away. "Be careful. You gotta watch Him, Bella! " he shouted after us.

"Wanna walk with me?" Embry smiled warmly, pulling me protectively to him as we started down the hall leaving Quil to resume his antics with the young one he walked in with.

"You'll have to excuse Quil." Embry chuckled, shaking his head. "he can't help himself. He's a walking penis."

"Well, that explains a lot." I smiled uncomfortably, glancing back at the group behind us that had begun whispering suspiciously.

"Where do you think Jake is?" I asked casually as I turned my attention back to Em.

"I don't know Bella, you kept him out pretty late last night...is he still in bed, did ya wear him out?" Embry laughed, pulling open a door to the side, and guiding me in the classroom by the arm.

"I can promise you this, he won't be in Trig class with us." he whispered loudly, chuckling even more.

Embry cut in front of me and led the way up the aisle to the seats in the back diving into one next to a really beautiful Native American girl. I took the seat in front of Embry.

"Leah, you should meet, Bella. Bella Swan...Charlie's daughter." Embry introduced us casually.

"Bella," he said tapping my shoulder. "this is Leah Clearwater. Her dad was good friends with your Dad, and Billy. She and her little bro, Seth are part of our...family." Embry said, cheekily...looking back at Leah and shrugging slightly.

I caught Leah rolling her eyes at Embry.

"Nice to meet you Leah." I said, turning back quickly as the teacher called the class to order.

Settling into my seat, I couldn't help feeling something was weird. Maybe they were just feeling me out. I mean, my dad is the Chief of Police and that freaks some people out.

I settled into the drone of first day class lecture, doodling away on my notebooks.

Embry and Leah whispered and carried on for the entire class. They were obviously very close.

Family as he had said. But something "bothered" me about Leah. She looked older than us, way older than a senior.

"OK! seniors," the teacher changed subject.

"If you haven't done any community service, you need to work on a project. Its a requirement of graduation from here, as you well know and most colleges require some form of community service on your applications. If you have any problems with this get help early.

Don't wait till after Christmas, or spring break, or heaven forbid, the week before graduation. There are specific requirements and it can't be done in a rush. Nuff said."

Leah perked up and spoke excitedly to Embry about her community service plans.

"My friend Audrey, has a beauty shop, so I called University of Arizona Hospital, and got the names of three native girls that are just beginning chemo treatments. I'm organizing a Locks of Luv drive to get the hair to make them wigs for after their treatments." she gushed proudly.

"That's cool." Em replied shaking his head in agreement.

I turned in my seat to Leah." That's a great idea. I love doing community service projects. If you ever need any help, don't hesitate to gimme a call."

Leah rolled her eyes and turned back to Em, whispering again.

Turning back around, pulling the daggers out of my back she just shot me with from her eyes, I wondered why people always had to be such assholes to the new kids?

Leah was beautiful, obviously smart. Yeah, she could afford to be nice to a new girl.

Sighing, I settled into my seat, shifting for comfort, my eyes drooping heavily from the lack of sleep, begging for just a moments rest. Behind tired, heavy lids, images of Jake flooded my mind making me smile.

Then, other images fought their way forward. His bare chest, his kisses, the way he held me tight against his body.

I gasped, startling myself into a more wakeful state, I shot up straight in my hard seat.

Leah and Em giggled softly. Probably laughing at me.

The principal at my last school told Renee about people who were putting my name in for a special scholarship to the University of Arizona, for recognition of all my community service in the Native American Community. If I got a scholarship to college, I wanted to be a Native American social worker.

What Miss My Shit Don't Stink. Leah, didn't know about me was I was a community service "expert" in our age group. I loved finding projects that needed to be done, everywhere we went.

It gave me something to do at each new place. It became my sense of belonging and purpose.

My freshman year in Arizona at The Hopi Reservation, I organized a clothing drive in Flagstaff and Phoenix for the rez's back to school. It was such a huge success, I was able to stock an entire shop, and I had a whole separate boutique for the for proms and graduation items. The mission is called: " Hope Closet for Hopi Children".

Its still huge 3 years later. I'm still council chairwoman.

Sophomore year at the Lower Sioux Rez in Minnesota, I organized a children's library and research center.

Huge donations rolled in from and all over Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa.

Junior year at the Pueblo rez in New Mexico, I organized a summer employment program for 16 to 21 year olds that arranged housing, employment and transportation for Pueblo kids to go and work outside the rez.

They ended up working in California and Arizona at national parks and tourist locations.

Grand Canyon National Park and Yellowstone are the largest employers. The kids are setup with housing and entertainment. It became a really big deal.

But, how did I want to leave my mark here? This would require some thought.

The bell rang loudly jerking me awake.

Embry tapped my shoulder, "English Comp?" I nodded, following him and Leah to my next class.

I hoped I see Jake soon.

Again, we took the seats in the back. I was used to sitting in the front. Only the "popular" kids sat with their clicks in the back of the class, at the back of the bus...and at lunch. Of course, being new every year I was never included in that crowd, no matter what.

Which was fine with me because I knew I'd be leaving. Besides, I learned more and stayed out of trouble that way.

Leah sat on one side of EM, I sat on the other side this time, completely avoiding Leah.

We needed space from each other.

The late bell rang and the teacher stood up. My heart sank. Still no Jake. Now I was officially worried.

"OK, take out a piece of paper and start writing... about anything.

Whatever is on your minds...write non stop for 15 minutes."

Hmmm, shit! An assignment that allowed my mind to wander. Didn't need that right now.

Then, I grasped an idea and started writing furiously, actually amusing myself with the subject.

I vaguely recall hearing the door open and the teacher talking to someone.

"Well Mr. Black...we're glad you decided to finally join us." teased while he was fumbling with his late pass.

" I know how hard it is to recover from those bad habits of summer vacation."

Jake just tossed his pass at and all his blablabla and turned making a beeline straight for me while the teacher was still talking at him.

He was wearing rugged jeans, a white T-shirt, and a smile that lit up the room as he sauntered up the aisle towards me.

My heart was pounding...I couldn't stop smiling...I knew I couldn't form intelligent words.

My face flushed, I knew it was bright pink...so this is what IT felt like!

He slid his huge frame into the seat next to me and shuffled closer, noisily.

"Hey beautiful" Kissing me on the cheek, and giving Em a "fist-bump" at the same time.

He grabbed my hand and whispered. "Did you hear what he called you, Bella?"

"Who? What?" No one had said anything.

"Mr. Miller" he nodded towards the teacher. 'He called you a bad habit left over from summer."

"Very funny." I went back to writing my paper knowing the time was almost up, and I didn't want to seem like his mom questioning him about where he was this morning.

"Did you get any sleep?" he questioned sincerely.

"Not enough..." I grinned still writing.

'"OK! Time's up! Now, hand your paper to the person on your right.

People on the ends, stand up and give your paper to the person at the beginning of your row."

Jake shrugged at Leah, taking my paper from me.

shit! shit! shit - how fucking embarrassing.

"Read over the papers real quick, then I want a volunteer to read theirs first, well to read your neighbor's paper for them I should say"

Jake laughed out loud. I could feel my face turning red, recalling the words I wrote:

The freshmen girl, oh so shy, sits and watches the sophomore guy.

The sophomore guy, with his head in a whirl, sits and watches the junior girl.

The junior girl, in her red sedan, sits and watches the senior man.

The senior man, all hot and wild, secretly loves the freshman child.

I looked over at Jake, he was grinning.

Turning to me, he scribbled something on the paper and held it up.

"Am I a freshman?" I shook my head, rolling my eyes at cornball Jake.

Leaning into me, he nuzzled into my neck, whispering, "What made you write this Bells?"

I shrugged. "Quil"

Jake laughed again and jumped up, waving his hand impatiently.

"OK! Mr Miller, I'll read my neighbor, Bella's paper."

He volunteered grinning at me.