{Author's Note: First of all I want to send a super huge thanks to ..Coaster for her wonderful review. I knew people were reading but as my first reviewer, you seriously inspired me even more so to continue the story and update as soon as possible. Thank you so much for that, and I don't think it's "corny" at all, you feeling the emotion through the words of the story is –exactly- what I was aiming for. And another big thank you to the people who have favorited or added this story to their alerts. You guys are awesome. None of the characters belong to me – I only wish I owned them. No copyright blahblah intended. [; }
The week had flown by pretty normally. I'd been invited (politely forced) to sit with the same group of kids each day at lunch, it seemed I'd been accepted automatically into their group of friends. The school had been nothing but welcoming and friendly since my first day. I stayed on top of my assignments and homework extremely easily, and slipped flawlessly into a rhythm at home.
I'd come home from school each day, hang out in my room finishing up homework and then tidying up a bit around the house. Charlie always made it a point to tell me that I didn't have to worry about that kind of thing but I really enjoyed it. He'd been spending a lot of time at the station and I was glad to lessen the workload for him, considering all he'd done to help me adjust.
After I finished my homework I usually started preparing dinner and by the time Charlie came through the door between 5:00-6:00 it was ready and we'd sit at the kitchen table eating, making a bit of conversation about or day. I could already feel our relationship growing stronger and I felt good about it. I'd missed him more than I'd realized until now and was a lot more thankful for the time we were able to spend together, than I thought I would be.
When my mother's fiancée Phil had gotten word that he'd be traveling with his minor league baseball team, she'd felt absolutely torn about what to do. I knew she wanted to keep me with them but I also understood how much trouble that would create for my schooling and stability. I didn't want her to have to worry about those things so instead came up with the idea of staying with Charlie for a while, allowing her to enjoy a bit of alone time with Phil, as well. I'd concluded that I was doing it for her and the idea of reconnecting with my father didn't really cross my mind until I'd already arrived back in Forks. I was glad things turned out the way they did, my new life was really coming together and I was happy.
After dinner I'd usually shoo Charlie out of the kitchen in order to clean up, but he'd make a fuss about helping me with the dishes at the very least. We didn't talk a whole lot but it was nice all the same. I think we were both grateful for one another's company. I was sure he'd been lonely all of those years living by himself. He had Billy, and his friend Harry Clearwater, but I even get a little bit lonely sometimes when I'm home alone for the few hours before dinner. Our house was bigger than the one I'd shared with my mother back in Phoenix, which became more noticeable without Charlie there, or when Jacob would take off after hanging out until my Dad had gotten home from work.
Jake and I had spent most of our free time together over the last week, and I was looking forward to introducing him to my "pale –faced" friends, as he referred to them, tomorrow afternoon. I was sure hanging out at the beach would prove to be very relaxing, and I was excited to visit our old hang out spot again, since I hadn't been down there yet.
He started coming over the day after Charlie and I had dinner with him and his Dad. He'd called me after school that day asking me how good I was at Math. That was my last class of the day and I'd always done pretty well in it. He said he'd been struggling a bit and asked if there was anyway I could help him with his homework. I'd obviously agreed and he came right over, textbooks in hand. Our study sessions became a regular thing and after that he'd spent every afternoon at my house after school. He was a year and a half younger than me and should've been in the grade beneath mine, but he'd done exceptionally well in his studies from middle school on, so they moved him ahead two years ago, making him a Junior like me.
Charlie seemed glad that I had a friend to keep me company, welcoming Jacob warmly after returning home each day. Most of the days I asked Jake to eat with us and sometimes he agreed, other times he'd explain that he needed to get home to help his own dad with dinner, and he'd hug me goodbye before promising to see me the following day. I was overjoyed to have my friend back, vowing to myself after that first study session that no matter what happened, I'd never abandon him or our friendship again.
There were quite a few people back in Phoenix that I'd spent my time with, most of them more like acquaintances than friends, and spending so much time with Jacob made me realize how big of a difference there was between the two words. Toward the end of the week we didn't spend half as much time talking about our studies, but I always made sure to avoid the topic of Sarah, his mother.
I hadn't even mentioned his sisters or asked how they were doing, afraid that if I did it'd remind him of that summer and the events that followed. I knew from Charlie that neither of them lived on the reservation and rarely kept in contact with Billy, much less Jacob. He didn't seem to think they were doing it to be cruel, more so because when Sarah had passed away... They were much older than Jacob and the reminders were too difficult for them to deal with. Both of the girls had been extremely close to their mother and I suppose they felt like Jake was old enough to fend for himself and Billy, that their help wasn't necessarily needed. I could tell that he missed them, though. He'd made vague comments that told me that much, but I figured it would be wise to wait until we'd reestablished our friendship a little more before I brought up a conversation like that. I thoroughly enjoyed happy-go-lucky Jake, I wasn't sure I wanted to meet another side. Sounds selfish, I know, but I still remembered how hollow and distraught he'd been that summer... and honestly, that wasn't something I ever wanted to witness again.
I glanced over at the clock sitting on my nightstand, and stood up, reaching across my bed for the end of my sheet. Ever since I could remember I woke up every morning with my bed looking as if it'd been run through by a tornado. I moved around a lot in my sleep, and often times woke up with unexplainable bruises because of it. I had to remake my entire bed every day, it was that bad. I laughed aloud wondering how I'd ever be able to share my bed with another person. Somehow my brain made a bridge between that thought process and Jacob, and I felt the heat rush to my cheeks, shaking my head in attempt to remove the mental image that'd planted itself in my brain.
There was no denying that he'd grown up… a lot. Mother Nature and genetics had definitely been on his side, but still – I should never allow "Jacob" and "sharing a bed" to exist in the same thought.
"Friend, Bella." I said to myself aloud, pulling the corners of the sheet up over the edges of my bed, tucking them securely under the mattress. I'm almost eighteen; I was not going to think of the sixteen year old long lost best friend in that way, even if he was beautiful. Besides, I hadn't even kissed a guy, let alone shared my bed with one. Whoa... moving right along, brain.
Placing the loose sheet and comforter over my bed, I fluffed my pillows a few times and moved toward my computer desk. The moonlight was shining through my window, the light casting pretty glowing shadows across my carpeted floor. It was such a peaceful night, the window was open but the wind was calm and to me it was the perfect temperature outside. It was almost fall and I'd been enjoying that "not too cold, but not too hot" weather we'd had throughout the week.
As much as I dislike cold weather, I was looking forward to winter this year. I hadn't seen snow since I lived here with both my mom and dad, having only spent summers here after they'd separated. I had very faint memories of jumping into piles of snow and making snow angels with Jake and his sisters, though the one I cherished the most was of my last Christmas morning in Forks. My parents and I had gotten up at the crack of dawn, after I'd begged and pleaded until they woke up and let me see what Santa had left, of course. I didn't even remember the presents, just what took place in our front yard afterward. Seven o'clock in the morning and the three of us were out there yelling and dodging the onslaught of poorly constructed snowballs we were throwing at each other. That had been the perfect day.
I looked toward the beginning of the forest at the far end of my backyard, thinking I'd have to take a stroll through there sometime, before it became covered with snow. Maybe I'd ask Jake to join me, I thought. I was not nature-girl by any stretch of the imagination, but I wasn't like my mother either. I could appreciate and enjoy the calm of a quiet forest, I was just afraid I'd never make my way back out of it.
I'd become so lost in thought I'd forgotten the reason I'd gotten up and sat at my computer in the first place. Moving the mouse and typing in a few things, I looked over the weather report for the next day. I wanted to see if our good luck was going to run out or if the sun would be shining nicely for our little beach gathering. I'd made sure to mention to the group earlier that week that I went ahead and invited Jacob. None of them seemed to care, all displaying a "the more the merrier" attitude.
I really liked these people, aside from a few almost-rude comments from Lauren, everybody was exceptionally nice. I couldn't really ask for more from a group of high school students. Jessica had suggested I tell Jacob to invite a few of his own friends, and I thought the idea over eventually agreeing that it was a good one. She'd added afterward that all of the La Push boys she'd met were "super gorgeous", which made me laugh. I hadn't met any of Jake's other friends yet, but I had seen some around town and on the way to his house Monday afternoon. There was definitely no arguing with what Jessica had said, that tribe was known for their good looks. Truth be told I felt incredibly plain standing next to Jake, and I wondered idly if there was anyone living on that reservation that wouldn't make me feel that way in comparison.
Satisfied with the sunny weather report for the following day, I moved from my place at the desk and headed toward my closet. I pulled out my "beach" tote bag and threw a few things into it, most important of the items being my sunscreen. I'd unfortunately been cursed with the type of fair complexion that after five minutes out in the sun, my skin was sun burnt and peeling for a week – something I'd learned the hard way after a trip to the beach for a family reunion my mother and I had attended a few summers ago.
Nobody had really discussed the specifics of our plan tomorrow, so I threw in a few extra things as well; bathing suit, change of clothes, and beach towel. I thought about picking up things to build a sand castle just to see the look on Jake's face when I presented them to the group, but decided against it. I didn't want to embarrass him in front of his friends; sixteen-year-old boys were always so worried about looking cool. I did know that we were all meeting up at the east side of the Beach around noon, so I was heading to bed fairly early, having already had my nightly dinner with Charlie and ensuring the house was cleaned up before going up to my room.
Pulling my flip-flops out from the bottom of the closet, I set them next to the bed when my cell phone began to jingle from where I'd left it on the desk. Charlie had gone out and gotten us on a plan together on Wednesday, insisting that he'd feel better being able to reach me at any time. I'd smiled and thanked him when he'd handed me the gift, wondering if it was overprotective-dad-mode or him being the Chief of police that had caused him to come up with the idea.
Sliding the keyboard phone out, I put it to my ear and greeted the caller on the other end. Charlie had also insisted I have one of those "cool keyboard phones that make text messaging so much easier" because I was a teenager and apparently that was "all the rage" with kids my age. It was that comment that led me to believe it was more so him trying to be a good dad. He'd come a really long way in five days, and even my mother had said she was surprised and proud when we spoke about it over the phone earlier that week.
"Hey, Bells. What're you up to?" Jake spoke in a tone that told me he was tired, and I assumed that was from all of the extra work he'd been doing to his "baby". He talked about that car a lot when we spent time together; it was incredibly endearing how passionate he was about it.
"Nothing really, packing some things up for tomorrow, getting situated before I head to bed. What's up?" I asked him, curious about the call. He didn't use the phone much, not a big fan of technology he'd said, so I assumed there was something he wanted to talk to me about that couldn't wait until tomorrow. I wasn't big on cell phones or technology either, and wouldn't even have had one if Charlie hadn't forced it on me. In fact, he and Jake were the only two people I even had programmed in my contact list.
"I wanted to know if you wanted a ride out to the beach tomorrow. I have to head into town to pick up a few things from the hardware store and figured I could swing by and swoop you up on my way back." He suggested. His plan made more sense to me than adding more miles to the truck. We'd already made plans to head over to the Clearwater's for a barbeque after spending the afternoon with my friends from school, so I figured I'd just ride with him on the way back from the beach.
"Sounds good, except Charlie's working tomorrow night so he's skipping the cook-out." I explained. I'd already planned to catch a ride with one of my friends from school, but when Charlie took an extra shift to cover for one of his guys, it left me without a ride home.
"No problem, I got'cha covered, I'll just drop you off at home afterward." He stated, a muffled yawn escaping from his lips.
"All right, I'll see you tomorrow then. Thanks. Oh, I meant to ask you, I've got plenty of leftovers and things here, is there anything I can bring tomorrow?" I asked.
"I think Sue might actually get offended if you tried, she's all about hospitality." He laughed. "I'll be by around 11:45, see you tomorrow. 'Night, Bells."
"Goodnight, Jake."
I slid the phone closed and climbed into bed. Tomorrow was going to be a good day, I thought, before I set my alarm for eleven and snuggled up to my pillow. Noticing that I hadn't stopped smiling since the phone call had ended, I drifted to sleep.
Please review, they make my day and speed up my writing by tons. Any questions/comments appreciated. P.s – I'm already half way through the next chapter, I promise to have it posted by the end of the night. :]