Disclaimer: Only the plot is mine. Anything else you recognize from the Twilight Saga belongs to Stephenie Meyer. The song belongs to Pat Benatar.
You go around tellin' lies
And now you want me to compromise
You better run!
You better hide!
-Pat Benatar, You Better Run
Chapter 4: You Better Run
Bella
"Hey, guys. What's up, Bells?" he said causally, giving no hint that he had sensed the tension in the air. Jake had been my only friend throughout the school years, thought we'd failed to keep in touch after graduation, due to his father's sudden death.
"Uh, hi! I'm fine, Jake." I said quickly, hoping to mask the angst in the air. I forced a smile. "How are you doing?"
"Well, to make a long story short, I got married, am now working in New York, and opened my own business."
"Wow, Jake." I said. "You, married? Who's the unl-, er, lucky girl?"
He looked sheepish for a second. "Uh, remember Seth Clearwater?"
I nodded. He had worshipped Jacob, following him around like a puppy for year or so, until he branched out on his own. He had talked to me, which was more to say for some people.
"Well, I ran into him a while ago, and turns out he's a principal of an elementary school somewhere in North Carolina. Anyway, he introduced me to his sister, Leah, and we hit it off. She's expecting in June." He looked so proud as he said these last words, his chest puffed out.
"A dad? Wow, Jake, I've missed too much! Do you know if it's a boy or girl?"
"Nah, we'd rather be surprised. Besides, I don't want it to turn out to be wrong, and a boy has all these girlie clothes! That would be bad. Or vice- versa," he added as an afterthought.
I had been so engrossed with Jacob, I hadn't noticed that Edward had left, and someone else had sat down at our table. James, another one of the former hottest guys in our class, had pulled up a chair.
"Do I know you?" he asked, looking at me.
I decided to play a bit. I deserved it; he had made fun of me and Jake since pre-school, the ring-leader of all the little schemes.
"No, I don't think so," I purred, leaning forward a bit. "You're James, right?"
He stared at me, transfixed. Meanwhile, Jake, was silently cracking up, shaking with laughter.
James reached across the table. "Hey baby, how 'bout you, me, Saturday night?" He seemed to have gained some confidence back, saying this with a swagger in his voice.
"No, I don't think so." I withdrew my hand. "You see, I'm Bella Swan. Remember her? You know, the one you teased, bullied, made cry in the bathroom? Well, that's me. And if you think I'd ever so much even think about dating you, you're more of an idiot than you were ten years ago."
His mouth dropped open. "You- her- no-" He was unable to form a coherent sentence. Deciding he needed some help, I gracefully picked up his wine glass, and threw it over him.
"Oops," I said sweetly. "It seems I've spilled something. I'm so sorry; I suppose you'll have to go home and change. Good-bye."
When he didn't get the hint, I added, "Adios! Ciao!" I sighed impatiently. "Leave now!"
He got up, in a trance and walked out of the restaurant. Everyone turned to watch him, laughing, and then went back to their respective conversations, talking more animatedly, about James, I guessed.
Jake was unable to hold it in any longer. He finally exploded, laughing the laugh I had missed so much, smiling my favorite smile.
Once he recovered, he gave me a high-five. "Wow, Bells. You sure have changed. That. Was. Awesome."
I grinned. "It felt good." Then, I added, "Do you think I should have slapped him, just for good measure and all?" I paused, pondering the now lost possibility. "The handprint would've good nicely with the stain on his shirt!"
"Nah. He would have just gotten more pissed. But that look on his face," chortling, Jake trailed off helplessly into more laughter.
I joined in, laughing my new trilling laugh I had perfected over the years. I knew it rang high and clear over everyone's voices, causing them to look at me, wondering about our private joke.
But in the back of my mind, a part of me wondered where Edward had gone, why he had left. I kept laughing, pushing it out of my mind. He probably went outside to get a breath of air, I thought. The party was still on for another two hours or so. There was no reason to leave now.
I would find him later. For now, I would bask in everyone's stares, enjoying what I should have gotten long ago.
