Chapter Four - Surprises
"I have to go at least for today," I told Jacob. "I want to tell my only human friend that I'm pregnant and engaged, I wouldn't feel right if I didn't."
"That idiot is going to try harder than ever to get you if you tell him you're not coming back," Jake grumbled. He hadn't forgotten about what I showed him about Anthony the day I'd been kidnapped.
"Who cares? Besides, once he hears I'm pregnant, I'm sure he'll lose interest. I'll just have to be careful not to smile at him," I joked, flashing my teeth and dazing Jacob.
"Alright, I guess we better go then," he said when he could speak again. His anger was replaced by complete blissfulness as he drove me to school in under five minutes. He hugged me and kissed me good-bye, and asked if he could drive my new ride around for a few hours. I, of course, told him yes.
"Nessie!!!!" Brittany screeched as I walked into my first class. She uncharacteristically threw her arms around me. "I was worried about you before break started!! Where were you?"
"Ummm.... well.... I was kind of out of town," I told her, partially truthful. "But I kind of have some big news to tell you about."
We sat down at our usual seats and she waited patiently for me to tell her what I needed to.
"Well, this is probably going to be my last day here."
"Why?!?" she asked, bewildered and almost angry.
"Because, I'm pregnant. And engaged."
Her mouth dropped open and she gawked at me. Then she stood up and gave me another hug. "Are you okay? I mean, is that what you want?"
"Yeah, I'm happy. It was unexpected, but not a bad thing. I'm going to have Jacob's baby, so at least I already know it will be beautiful," I joked.
"Yeah, tell me about it. You two are the best looking couple I think I've ever seen. No offense, I'd never think of Jake that way, but he is extremely good looking."
"None taken," I smiled only slightly, trying not to dazzle her too much. We threw ourselves into passing enthusiastic notes back and forth, talking about babies and wedding stuff. The last line she got out before the bell rang was "So are you going to tell Anthony?"
My next few classes flew by dully as I ignored people's stares and nice comments to one another on my appearance. It was annoying being looked at so intensely by everyone around me, even if they were thinking good things. I did not like being under a spot-light.
I walked into the cafeteria and filled myself a tray with food for the first time before sitting beside Brittany. Anthony spotted me when he walked in, and his face washed with releif.
"Renesmee!" He pulled me up out of my seat and threw his arms around me. "I thought I'd never see you again," he mumbled.
I pulled myself out of his grasp and he sat down on the other side of me. "Yeah, well you might not after today. I'm leaving school."
"Why?" he asked very sadly.
"Because, I'm pregnant and engaged."
His eyes grew wide and his mouth dropped open just like Brittany's had a few short hours ago. "You don't have to leave because of that! No one would say anything bad to you, and if they did I would punch them in the face."
I giggled, turning my head away so he didn't go all super love on me again. "No, that's not really why I was doing it. I just have so much other stuff to worry about now. I have to get ready to start a family, and it's just too much stress if I have to worry about school too."
He sighed. "So Jacob gets to keep you forever? And that's that?"
I looked down. "That's how it always was. I always knew I'd be with him forever."
"Yeah but now it's like you don't even have a choice. Even if you wanted someone else at some point, you'd be married with kids and it would be too late."
"That wouldn't happen anyways. I learned that one the hard way....." I trailed off, remembering Jerrick and realizing I'd said a bit too much.
"How's that?"
"It's hard to explain...... I had a really crazy week before Christmas."
He cocked an eyebrow waiting for me to explain. Oh well, what bad could it do?
"I met this guy on Thanksgiving, and he thought he was in love with me. A few days before Christmas, he kidnapped me and took me to Seattle where he trapped me in this hotel room and hit me and tried to force himself on me. Jake and my family rescued me the day before Christmas Eve," I blurted out in one breath. I realized that everyone sitting immediately around me had fallen silent.
Anthony looked like he was angry and in pain.
"Why didn't you tell me?!" Brittany whispered from behind me.
Oops..... shouldn't have let all that slip. "I don't know, I don't really want to think about it anymore."
"I'll kill that guy!" Anthony growled, standing up like he was going to do so at this very second.
"He's already....in prison," I said quickly, switching 'dead' for 'in prison'.
"I'll go there and kill him, then," he said as he sat back down a bit calmer. "Jacob should have killed him."
"He rescued me, and that is enough."
"If you were my girl and somebody did that to you, I'd snap their neck off."
I stayed quiet after that, and throughout the rest of the school day. At the final bell, I hugged Brittany and Anthony, promising to send them wedding invitations when I had the plans settled.
As I walked to my car, there was a flock of boys surrounding it looking like they wanted to touch it but were afraid to, not knowing who it belonged to. I started pushing my way through them, but there were so many it was getting very difficult. Jacob came through the group, pushing them all aside like they were bowling pins.
"Move!!" he yelled to the ones that lingered. They all looked like they wanted to heed his advice but were frozen stiff from fear. He knocked two boys completely over and grabbed me. He pushed his way to the other side of the car as the group began to dissipate and placed me into the passenger's seat before getting in on the driver's side.
"Gosh, Jake, angry much?" I said once we were both in the safety of the vehicle.
"It's so rude to not even allow the owner of a vehicle to get close to it," he replied with a smile. "You shouldn't have to fight your way through groups of boys, especially not when you're pregnant."
"Yeah, true. I'm pretty sure I'm indestructable enough to handle it though," I laughed.
We arrived at my house quickly. Jacob came around and opened up my door for me, and a gust of wind brought a slightly familiar scent to my nose. I burst through my door, and Nahuel was standing there with a large smile on his face.
"Nahuel!!!!" I yelled as I practically tackled him. He was strong enough to stay on his feet as he gave me a bear hug.
"Nice to see you again, too, Renesmee," he said quietly into my ear. He held on to me for an entire eight minutes before we released eachother.
"I'm so sorry, I forgot to write you again after my first letter got stolen," I explained as I remembered.
"That's okay. Your mom explained everything to me." His expression turned to one of concern. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." I glanced at Jacob; he was leaning against the wall beside the door looking very angry. I turned to him. "What's up Jake?"
"Nothin'," he muttered. He must not like how friendly Nahuel and I were.
"Yeah, I'd say so," Nahuel said to the thought I'd just sent him accidentally. Jacob looked even angrier at our exchange. Nahuel wrapped his arms around me again, probably just to egg him on further. "So I hear you're going to be having a little one soon?" he asked only me.
"Yeah," I smiled, dazzling him completely. "Looks like it is possible after all," I said once the serene look replaced the blank one.
He put his face close to my neck and inhaled, releasing his breath with a slow "Ahhhh". I blushed a little.
"Well, Renesmee," he said very slowly. "I'd really like to take you out somewhere this evening. That is, of course, if Jacob doesn't mind," he threw in.
I looked over at Jacob's angry face again. He shrugged his shoulders and muttered, "Whatever".
"Sounds good," I smiled accidentally again. "Just let me go get ready first." I left him standing there, looking like the happiest man alive.
I went to my room and rifled through my closet until I found something suitable for an evening out with a friend. I threw on my little strappy black dress and heels. My eyes ran over the makeup case Jasper had gotten me for Christmas.
"Nahuel?" I said from the doorway.
"Yes dear?" he joked.
"Where are we going?"
"Dinner. Someplace nicer, your parents told me how big your appetite has gotten."
I picked up the makeup kit and sat down at my mirror. I decided to go easy with it - I had never applied makeup to my own face, and if I tried too much at once, I'd end up looking like a clown. I put on a little eyeliner and mascara, remembering that Alice always did that to me. I dusted a light shimmery pink over my eyelids, and then a pale gold into my creases. I examined myself brutally; Not bad for a first timer.
"Okay, I'm ready!" I called as I went back into the livingroom. Jacob and Nahuel's eyes ran over me multiple times. Jake's eyes got huge and his face reddened a little, and Nahuel smiled widely. He stood up and held out the crook of his arm for me to place mine in.
"Do you want to take my car our yours?" he asked when we got outside. His car was hiding on the other side of my house; he had planned this to be a surprise for me.
"Either one is fine with me."
He chose my car, excited that he would get to drive such a thing. His life wasn't quite as luxurious as mine could be. He drove us all the way to Tacoma in a little over a half an hour and parked in front of a nice looking steakhouse.
"My lady," he said sweetly as he opened up my door and led me by the hand up the few stairs. A pretty hostess with lovely blonde curls greeted and seated us when we came in. Her eyes kept flying between me and Nahuel as if she was trying to decide which of us was better looking. Other people at tables began to stare at us.
"Look at you, attracting all of this attention," he laughed as he saw me looking at all the people looking at me.
"Hey, who says it's me? I bet it's the both of us."
"Nahh, people can't help but look at someone as beautiful as you."
"They are just as attracted to you and you know it," I laughed. Half the people sitting around us got the blank look, making me blush a little bit. One girl who was sitting with her dazed boyfriend shot me an angry look and got up from her table, storming out of the restaurant in a huff.
Nahuel laughed once he could again. "See. They agree with me," he whispered.
Our waitress came over then with her little notepad. She looked about twenty years old or so, with a dark auburn shade of hair and interesting blue and green eyes. She was very pretty. Her eyes ran over me quickly and then gaped at Nahuel.
She sparkled a lovely smile at him. "What can I get to start you off?" she said only to Nahuel. He looked over at me and waited.
"I'll have a raspberry tea, please."
"I'll have the same," Nahuel said, his eyes not leaving me for even a second. The waitress left and returned in less than a minute with our drinks.
"Can I get you an appetizer?" she said only to Nahuel again. She was starting to get on my nerves.
"What do you want, Renesmee?" Nahuel asked, his eyes still not straying from me.
"Let's just get the combo plate so we can try all of it," I said sweetly to him.
The pretty and annoying waitress left again, and this time she had to wait for our food to cook before coming back again. Nahuel reached across the table and took my hands in his.
"You look absolutely gorgeous tonight, Renesmee."
I blushed a little but held back my giggle. "Thank you. You always look amazing, and tonight is no exception."
"Who? Me? Nahh," he said. "I am nothing compared to your beauty."
"Really? Why don't you ask our server, I'm sure she'll tell you just how nice you look."
"Huh?" he asked with a puzzled expression.
"You didn't notice? She's totally into you," I giggled, but turned my head away so that we could still have a normal conversation.
"She could never hold my attention. Especially with you sitting right here," he said softly. My heart fluttered slightly at his words, making me feel very confused. I tried to push it aside.
"Are you sure? She's very pretty...."
"No way," he said matter-of-factly. "How could you think she's pretty when you get to look at yourself in the mirror every day?"
I blushed and my heart fluttered again. This was extremely strange....
The waitress came back just in time with our plate of appetizers. She set it down on the table and turned to Nahuel yet again. She sparkled another lovely smile at him, making me oddly very angry. Why doesn't she just give it up already? He was here with me, not her.
Nahuel shot me a puzzled glance, reminding me that my hands were in his.
"Are you ready to order yet?" she smiled again. I had the urge to snarl at her, but thought better of it. She might think it was a little bit strange, at the very least. Nahuel laughed a little to himself as he heard my thoughts once again.
"I'll call you over when we're ready," he told her, his eyes still on me. She stalked off, looking completely defeated.
"What was that all about?" he asked when she was a few feet away.
I blushed a little, not knowing how to answer. I had no idea what that had been about.
Nahuel got a gleam of mischeif in his eye as he called our server back over. This time, he dazzled his beautiful smile at her and looked her straight in the eyes while he still held tight to my hands.
"Hello.... Callista," he said as he read her nametag. She looked like she might melt at some point, and a low growl rumbled up in my chest. "I was just thinking, maybe I would like a peach tea also," he smiled again.
I was pissed. I was even more pissed because I had no idea why I was pissed in the first place. All I knew was that if he kept looking at her and smiling at her like that, I was very likely to beat her to the ground. I also knew that he was listening to every thought I was having in my angry moment, but I did not care.
He laughed loudly as the server girl walked away to get his drink, and then looked me dead in the eyes. "This is turning into a very good night."
"Sure...." I said slowly. What the hell was wrong with me? I never got jealous, not over Jacob at least, and girl's checked him out all the time. So why would I get jealous over some girl trying to flirt with my friend? He wasn't even mine!
"Hmmmm...." Nahuel said thoughtfully. "Have you decided what you want yet?"
"Yeah, I'll have the porterhouse. Well done."
The girl came then with Nahuel's second drink. "Decided on anything yet?" she asked only him again. He smiled at her sweetly, making me angry yet again. My eyes narrowed into slits.
"We'll have two porterhouses, well done."
"What would you like for your side dishes?" she dazzled a smile at him again. He looked over at me and waited.
"I don't care," I mumbled, trying my hardest to push my anger aside.
"How about the Texas Toast?" he asked me.
"Okay," I smiled, dazing him. The girl wrote it down and flew back to the kitchen to give them our orders. I felt oddly triumphant for taking his attention back to me. I'd like to see her have that effect on him.
"Oh, Renesmee...." he chuckled lightly. He pulled up my hands and kissed the backs of both of them, sending another flutter through my heart. What the hell was wrong with me??
"So how long are you staying?" I asked, trying to concentrate on something besides my own stupidity.
"I'm not sure..... I have a feeling I'll be sticking around for awhile," he smiled.
"Will you be staying with us?"
"Yes, your parents said I could have the couch as long as I wanted."
I finally pulled my hands away from his and started stuffing my face with the contents of the appetizer plate. I ate exactly half of everything, leaving the rest for him.
"Help yourself," he said, pushing the plate closer to me. "I got it for you."
"That's okay, I better save some room."
He shrugged and ate a few things off the plate here and there. When he noticed our waitress coming back with our plates, he took both of my hands again.
"Here you are," she smiled at him as she set our food on the table. He locked eyes with her and smiled as she looked like she was completely trapped in his gaze.
Look at me!!! my brain screamed, throwing me off once again
"Umm, can I get you anything else?" she asked in a trance like voice. I did not want anything else, not from this girl.
"No, thank you." Nahuel smiled widely again at her, making it take her some seconds before she could walk away. I pulled my hands away again and began to cut up my large burnt steak.
"So, you and Jacob are getting married?" he asked politely, trying to make small talk.
"Yeah, after the baby is born. Probably not for at least a year," I answered, my mouth still full of food. He chuckled at me as he piled food into his own mouth.
"And you're not going to school anymore?" he asked after he'd swallowed his large bite.
"No. I have enough on my plate as it is....."
"That's understandable. Renesmee?"
I looked up to see his face twisted with concern again. "Yes?"
"I'm very sorry for what happened to you. I'm glad your mom killed that horrible thing."
I looked down at my plate. "Yeah, me too."
"Are you really alright? Your parents are still worried about you."
"Did they tell you that? What are they worried about?"
"They're worried that you're jumping into everything with Jacob and not getting out all of your feelings about what happened to you," he said softly. "You know you can always talk to me, right?"
"Yeah," I sighed. "I wouldn't really know what to say though. Of course I hate what he did to me and wish that none of it had happened, but it did. He's dead now, so what's left to say about it?"
"What exactly did he do to you?"
I placed my hand in his and gave him a run through of my time in the hotel room with Jerrick. His expression turned angry, something I had never seen before.
"That bastard," he rumbled. "If he wasn't dead, I'd go find him right now and kill him."
I laughed and remembered Anthony saying something similar at lunch.
"Who is he?" Nahuel asked as Anthony flashed into his own mind.
"A guy from school that thinks he's madly in love with me," I laughed.
"Thinks he is?" Nahuel asked blissfully once the blankness wore away.
"Well, he doesn't even know me, he just gets dazzled when I smile at him. I'd say it's more lust than love."
"Human boys do have that problem....."
"Only human boys? I think all boys have that problem."
"No, vampires don't. They feel things very intensely, and usually never confuse the two. I'm like that."
"Have you ever been in love before?" I asked leaning closer to him across the table. He picked up my other hand and held them together again.
"Before? No......" he said thoughtfully.
"Have you ever been in lust before?"
He chuckled. "I suppose I have. Of course, I've never done anything about it. But maybe I will someday."
"Who was she?" I asked, jealousy rearing it's ugly little head once more.
Nahuel's eyes were bright before he spoke. "You should have seen her.... the most beautiful girl I've ever known. She has perfect bronze ringlets, pools of melted chocolate for eyes, and her body......"
"Hey! That's me!" I laughed. "Don't you talk about my body," I said with mock anger. "It's going to be pretty funny looking in a few months."
"It will be different, but you'll be just as beautiful and perfect as ever."
I blushed again. He was being so sweet tonight..... I was suddenly overcome with joy that he had come back so soon. Another wave of happiness hit me when I thought about him staying with me for awhile. I almost hoped he would never leave.
A/N: What a twist! Haha, leave me some love, please. Or some hate if you prefer, any feedback is welcomed.