Disclaimer:All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Story Notes: Will Bella continue being angry with Jacob or will she give in and forgive? Find out what else lies around the corner as the mysterious unknown continues to plague her.
Who can hope to be safe? who sufficiently cautious? Guard himself as he may, every moment's an ambush. ~Horace~
CHAPTER 4 :::Safety:::
We pulled into my driveway, Jacob and I both at a loss for words. We had ridden in complete silence all the way to my house. I hadn't even cared to try and make conversation with him. I was still mad. He had glanced my way a few times acting as if he were going to say something and then would change his mind. He had kept both hands on the steering wheel and eyes focused on the road the entire ride. He was probably just giving me time to cool down and collect my thoughts.
I finally turned to face him and spoke. "Are you still going to come in and check my room out?" I tried to hide the fact that I was still worried, and scared.
He sighed, shifting his gaze to the radio and didn't answer. The light from the clock casting a green glow on his face.
I frowned at his silence. "Jacob, you promised."
Now I really felt guilty for using his promise against him. Maybe he was mad at me for what had transpired at the beach. I went back through the previous conversation and couldn't think of anything I'd said or done that would have set him off. I offered an apology just in case I was wrong.
"Jake," I reached out and touched his arm. "I...I'm sorry."
He looked up at me without a hint of any emotion on his face and then quickly let the facade fall. A look of guilt and regret emerged in it's place.
"Bella, stop apologizing. You didn't do anything wrong. I'm the one that screwed up. I'm the one that had to go and open my mouth and hurt your feelings."
He took hold of my hand on his arm with his left, bringing it up to his lips and kissed it gently.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for saying something I shouldn't have You didn't deserve that." He sighed letting our hands fall into his lap. "Now let's go in and see if I can pick up a scent in your room." He shot me a wary smile and made a sniffing sound to back up his comment.
I laughed "Okay, but as long as you don't make that sound when you do it!"
He flashed an overplayed toothy grin, ear to ear. "I'll try, but it's hard for me to contain myself!"
I shook my head laughing and pulled my hand back. I climbed out of the car and walked around to the drivers side, waiting patiently while Jacob took his time. He squeezed himself between the two front seats as he reached for something in the back. I noticed how the car shifted it's weight as he hopped out holding my bag in his hand.
"Here, you forgot your bag." He smiled and handed my bag to me.
I took it from him. "Thanks! I'd loose my head if it weren't attached!"
We laughed and made our way to the porch. I stopped on the top step as I dug my keys out and turned to face him.
"Hey Jake, thanks for doing this f--" His strong hand came down on my shoulder with a force cutting me off. I jumped and looked quickly at his hand then back to his face, puzzled.
"What the--" I was cut off again as he pulled me into his side.
He looked down at me as he put his fingers to his lips. "Shh!" He shifted his focus back out to the wood line and stood quietly watching and listening. I followed his gaze trying to figure out what he was searching for, I couldn't hear or see a thing. Just the quiet sounds of Mother Nature as she slept through the night. I don't know why I even tried, I was only human, no special abilities here. Besides, I couldn't do a thing if Victoria attacked me while I was alone, I couldn't outrun or outfight her. I could try and sing her to death, heaven knows my singing voice would bring sheer torture to anyone. I'd have to keep that option in my back pocket for future reference, just in case.
A low guttural growl escaped from Jacob and broke into my thoughts. I turned to look up at him and noticed his face was veiled in anger. His eyes stayed fixed on one particular spot in the wood line.
"Jake? What is it?...Is it Victoria?" My body began to tremble at the thought.
He looked down at me with a pained expression, slowly pushing me towards the door. "Hurry up and get inside, I'm right behind you."
"But...but is it her? What's wrong Jake...What's going on?" I asked frantically, turning to open the front door.
He shook his head without answering me and rushed us inside, shutting the door behind him. He fastened the locks then turned, leaning his back against it folding his arms across his chest and sighed. "No, it's not her." He walked slowly towards me
I raised a brow in confusion. "Then who or what was it if it wasn't Victoria?"
He put his hands up in defeat, then quickly dropping them to his sides. "I'm not sure, but it wasn't her."
"What do you mean, you're not sure?...You obviously have some idea, I saw how angry it made you!"
A look of shock flashed across his face before he managed a quick half smile. "You're trying to read too much into things Bells, I know for a fact it isn't Victoria, I'd know her scent anywhere. But I do think it may be a buddy of hers. I'm going to have to bring it to Sam's attention as soon as I leave here tonight."
"Now, come on, let's get up to your room." He motioned towards the stairs. "I don't want to wake Charlie."
Jacob and I crept up the stairs holding our breath like teenagers sneaking back in the house after curfew, trying not to wake up their parents. Well, that was sort of what we were doing but that was besides the point. We muffled our giggles as Jacob's heavy frame caused each step to squeak from the torture. He finally gave up and skipped a few before meeting me at the top.
Once we were safely in my bedroom, I shut the door quietly and fumbled for the light. Before I could even get the light switch in the up position, Jacob's voice broke through the silence.
"Uh...Bells?" I couldn't tell if his voice was laced with worry or fear.
I flicked the switch up and turned around to face Jacob. He was staring at my window. I silently gulped as I followed his gaze.
"My window is open again!" He bolted towards the window as I followed right behind him.
"No, stay back. I'll check it out." He said sternly.
I spun around and sat on the edge of my bed, crossing my arms like a scolded child. "Well it's not like my window is going to harm me."
He snipped. "Whatever." and continued peering out my window for the longest time.
I rolled my eyes and sat in a miffed silence as I observed the window. I noticed that this time the curtain was hanging outside of the window, as if someone had left in a hurry and didn't care to be bothered with details. I wondered why someone would have left so quickly, and then it dawned on me that whoever this was, heard us coming up the stairs and had bolted. There was no way they could have left while we were outside because we would have seen them. Or, I had hoped Jacob would have seen, had it been a vampire.
Speaking of Jacob, I shifted my focus to him. He was still peering out of my window and had his fists balled up at his sides. What was with him?
"Um, Jake?..You're doing it wrong!" I laughed silently at my upcoming joke.
He turned to face me, his face painted with displeasure. "What am I doing wrong Bella?"
"You're supposed to be peering from the outside-in, not inside-out!" I threw my hand over my mouth in an attempt to stifle an escaped laugh. "You suck at being a peeping tom!"
"Bella!" he roared. He looked towards my bedroom door remembering Charlie and sucked in a deep breath pulling himself together. "I don't have time for games!"
I looked up at him in horror. "I was only kidding around, I was just trying to break the tension. I wasn't trying to make you mad!" I covered my face with my hands and sobbed quietly.
He hastily made his way to my side. "Hey..Bells..I..I'm sorry! Please don't cry, I didn't mean to upset you!" He reached up and pulled my hands into his lap folding them into his. "I'm sorry, I'm just tense from everything that's going on. My mind was focused on what was out there and I guess your humor just caught me off guard. Again, I'm sorry."
I freed my hands from his lap and wiped the tears from my face with the back of my hands. "I'm sorry for kidding around when you were trying to be serious. I'm just so tired of being scared all the time, and it helps when I laugh. Laughing helps smother the fear, so I don't have to feel it."
"Sorry Bella." Jacob reached over and took me into his arms, squeezing me tightly. "You don't have to explain yourself. I just need to watch my temper, I tend to misplace it sometimes."
I scoffed. "You're telling me!"
He chuckled and pulled from the embrace, cupping his hand under my chin. He lifted my face so he could read my eyes. "Can I make this up to you? Please?"
"How do you propose to do that?"
"Let...let me take you out tomorrow." He said hesitantly as he moved his hand to my cheek.
I was a bit confused as to what he meant. "Take me out? You... took me out tonight!"
"Not like that..I mean..out out..like..." He drifted into silence as he moved his hand from my cheek and started absentmindedly playing with my hair, twirling it around his fingers.
"Like on a date?"
He nodded, looking hopeful.
"A date date?"
"Yes Bella, a date date."
"Oh" I bit at my bottom lip in contemplation.
"So... no?"
"No, what?" I didn't know who was more confused now, me or him.
Jacob laughed nervously. "I don't know! You're confusing me Bells!"
"I'm just debating, sorry." I didn't know what to say. Yes I did, I wanted to say no. I wanted to scream NO! at the top of my lungs. The feelings of guilt and betrayal were still tugging at me from earlier. I felt like I was betraying Edward for some reason and I just couldn't shake it My heart just wasn't there with Jacob, I mean I loved him but I wasn't in love with him, not like I was with Edward.
I closed my eyes and imagined Edward's face, that he was the one sitting next to me on my bed at that moment. Then slowly his beautiful image started to fade, until it was shrouded with darkness. My heart began to pound at the loss, I wanted to cry.
Jacob's voice broke into my thoughts. "Are you still with me Bella?"
I opened my eyes and looked around the room as if I had lost something.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I uh...just got lost in thought, Sorry."
"So? Did you decide?" He smiled and cocked his head to the side squinting his eyes at me.
I looked up at him and realized that he was the only one in that room with me. He was the one who was with me right now. The one who had been there for me through all of this and had comforted me when my heart had needed it the most. And sometimes without even asking. I would be crazy to not give him a chance. To give him his date.
"Sure, Jake...I'll go with you on a date tomorrow." I smiled up at him hoping it reached my eyes.
He grinned from ear to ear. I thought he was going to pop from excitement."Yes! It's a date then. I'll call you later on with the details."
"Are you leaving me already?" I didn't want to be left alone tonight. Too much was going on, and I needed Jake here with me.
Jacob frowned. "I honestly hate to leave you Bells but, I really need to go talk to Sam. Let him know what's been going on, he'd be furious if he knew I'd kept this from him"
"You're coming back though, right? Please?" I settled closer to Jacob, so that I was leaning against his arm. He was so warm. He made a little sound of contentment in the back of his throat and rested his cheek on the top of my head.
"I'll come back tonight. I promise. I'll be outside guarding you all night" He kissed the top of my head before standing up.
I looked up at him with curious eyes. "Are you using the window or the door on your way out?"
He chuckled his low throaty laugh. "I'll take my chances and use the window, just make sure you close it behind me." He leaned to kiss my forehead, and then he was gone.
I closed the window and quickly changed into my pajamas before turning out the light. I crawled into bed from exhaustion, pulling the covers up to my chin. I was ready to put today behind me. I had a date to look forward to tomorrow and had no earthly idea what Jacob had planned. I posed different ideas thinking that there wasn't too much he could come up with around this town. Hopefully he would surprise me. At least he was happy that I had said yes. Maybe we could have a 'no strings attached' date, where I wouldn't have to commit to another one. And, I didn't have to kiss him unless I wanted to of course, though we could hold hands, I wasn't against that. I should clarify my new terms to him tomorrow when he called so he wouldn't get the wrong idea.
Knowing Jacob he would want to get married the day after and have furry babies on the weekend. I didn't want anything serious, and I surely was not going to make any commitments. I had given myself to Edward and we see how that worked out. I refused to deal with heartbreak again, I wasn't going to allow it. Heaven knows it would be years before I'd even want to deal with a man again in that fashion. Maybe in five years I would consider it. Nah, who am I kidding, let's give it ten.
I had begun to doze off into thoughtless oblivion when my cell phone started vibrating. I lazily pulled myself off the bed and removed it from the back pocket of my jeans. I flipped it open, 'Incoming Call' I moaned. "What the hell?" This was starting to get on my nerves. Not to mention these calls came in at the most random of times. I let the phone wear itself out until all was silent again. I jumped back in bed turning my cell phone off and threw it under my pillow. I yanked the covers back up over me, closed my eyes, and kicked around until I found a comfortable spot.
Buzz Buzz ....Buzz Buzz I jumped straight up in bed and looked around half crazed, trying to figure out where that noise was coming from. Buzz Buzz...Buzz Buzz It took a moment for me to collect my thoughts as I realized it was my cell phone going off again. I lifted the pillow up to retrieve it, but it was missing. Confusion set in. I distinctly remembered turning it off and putting it under my pillow.
Buzz Buzz...Buzz Buzz I looked around and climbed out of bed following the sound, the vibration leading me to my window sill where I picked it up. How in the hell did it get there?. I flipped it open, 'Incoming Call'. I yelled at the phone. "ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME??" I heard Charlie's snoring stop abruptly. Ugh! I turned the cell phone back off and peered out of the window.
My body trembled as I attempted to steady myself, fear shooting through me like a frayed live wire. I dropped my face into my hands and sighed hopelessly, there was no doubt in my mind that there would be no going back to sleep for me tonight.
Chapter End Notes: Thank you for reading Chapter 4! I really hope you've enjoyed the story so far. Please don't forget to leave me a review, I really appreciate it! :)
Influence for this Chapter: Song 'Whatya Want from Me' by Adam Lambert
Coming Up... Chapter 5 'Date' Bella and Jacob go on their date! Find out what Jacob has planned for Bella. Will she like it? See if she tells Jacob about the constant phone calls and the mysterious displacement of her phone. Will the mystery be solved?
