Friendly reminder since I have been asked: this is an old story posted as new because it was deleted for personal readings. Some people like to reread and others don't which is fine, but if I'm taking the time to repost, I hope some of you still enjoy. If everyone thinks it's lost its feeling, feel free to let me know or even better, spare me the truth. LOL! Seriously, readers, I have had a hellious six months of life and I still do my best to write and share because I love it.

Chapter 6:The Key to My Heart

Bella POV

"Do you know why I brought you here, Bella?" Jasper said in a very friendly manner.

Her stupid eyelashes were fluttering a million miles an hour. She cleared her throat, and thought she'd give it a guess. "We have something to work on here?" Please, let that be the end of it.

He laughed and took his hat off. He had wavy, honey brown hair underneath, but she rarely saw it. He had it slicked back at the wedding, but it was untamed at the moment. "Ah, dear sweet Bella, what could I possibly put you to work on in an old hay barn?"

She shrugged and continued to act innocent. The orchard was her primary work area. He said she was sweet, so hopefully, she still wasn't in trouble. He motioned for her to follow him around to the side to one of the barrels they used for trash. He asked her to take a look and she leaned over. There it was...all the leftover snacks and a partially consumed bottle of wine along with some old newspapers. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a match which he struck on the side of the barrel. They stood there and watched the whole thing go up in flames. She took a few steps back from the heat and flames.

Her hand had unconsciously covered her mouth. "I'm sorry, it's just me and Jake...we like to spend time together and Mr. Black doesn't like it, so we hide. Please...did you tell on us?"

He walked back around the barn and had a seat on the bench. He patted the other side for her to join him. "No, all the evidence is gone, turned to ash. Now that I know the truth, I don't see a reason to go off tattling. If you say this was all good teenage fun and no one is making you do things against your will then, the secret's safe with me. I've got my own secrets."

Oh, thank goodness, now she could breathe again. "Mr. Hale," he frowned. "Jasper, I mean...what did you mean against my will?"

He explained he thought Jacob was an honorable young man, but he needed to be sure and talk to her first since he found the wine bottle.

"Oh, we barely drank any, I promise. It was only for the special occasion and you're right; Jacob is the most honorable young man I've ever known. He takes care of me and protects me. He's my very best friend. I just wish Mr. Black thought better of me."

Jasper said he couldn't figure that out either because he was such a fair man...strict, but honest and fair in all his business dealings. She should be thankful that he was turning a blind eye, but she couldn't help but wonder why. She didn't want to be rude and pry, but after a few minutes of awkward silence he let her in on his own little secret. She never let on she knew some of it.

"I feel like if you're trusting me, I can tell you that I know what it's like to not be accepted. Promise, this doesn't leave here."

"I promise."

"Miss Brandon...Alice, your music teacher holds the key to my heart, but we can't be out in the open either."

They were both single, near the same age, so Bella asked the obvious question, "Why? I love Alice...I mean Miss Brandon, by the way. She's the nicest teacher at school."

Jasper told her the entire story. Alice was from a wealthy family in the Seattle area. Her father was not a reasonable man. Both of Alice's other siblings had married into the exact families their father expected them to. He had pretty much forced a courtship between Alice and a young doctor who also happened to be from a very wealthy family. Problem was those two had nothing in common. "This man is stuffy and boring according to Alice. Peter's his name, and he doesn't seem to care they don't belong together; he proposed in the summer."

"Oh, what did she do?"

"She said 'yes', but she doesn't mean it. I hope I'm not casting her in a bad light. She has her reasons."

Bella wasn't sure why Alice, a grown woman with her own job couldn't be honest? She knew why she and Jacob's hands were tied, but she still didn't want to think poorly of her. Mr. Hale told her the rest. Alice's father was very ill and not expected to live much longer. "She's merely abiding by his wishes to not cause her parents any more grief. If the doctor's are correct, then he wouldn't live to see the wedding that she never actually planned on being a part of. So you see, Bella. I too have a secret relationship and we didn't plan it. Alice tried...before the engagement, she brought me around and introduced me. She was trying to see if her father might be able to respect her choices. It didn't go well. He threatened to cut her from the will for taking up with a drifter like myself. He didn't want to hear how I had a respectable job now. It's true I wandered for nearly a decade. I left home at 15."

"Wow, 15? How'd you get by?" He must have been very brave. She knew there must be a story behind why he left at such a young age.

Jasper pointed to his head and held out his calloused hands, "And these. My father was killed in the war and my mother remarried. He had a heavy hand and no tolerance for kids, especially opinionated ones like myself."

Hearing about his problems made her realize she was nothing special. Lots of people endured hard times. You never knew until you asked. She felt relief and happiness that she had a new friend and he wasn't just a boss any longer to her. Bella told him if he really didn't need her to work, she should be getting home.

She thanked him again, and swore her lips were sealed once more. She hoped everything worked out for him and Miss Brandon. She knew how miserable it could be to not be able to love who you truly wanted without being judged.

"We're square, my dear; but your beau's still getting a talk from me. Now don't have that worried look. I'll go easy on him, but I need to make sure he knows how to treat a fine, young lady, like yourself. I'll catch him in private one day this week. Have a nice evening."

She was about to leave, but one other question was gnawing at her. "Pardon me, but Jasper, you didn't by any chance follow me for a ways the other night after the wedding, did you?" She had to ask since he was at the barn sometime that night. She knew he didn't mean anything by it if that was the case, but she still didn't know why he wouldn't answer her.

"No ma'am, I heard something about that. Rest assured, I'd never give you a fright. I would have said something if it was me. Oh, I have an idea...maybe you should ask that English fella if he saw someone."

"Um...Mr. Cullen? Why?"

"Well, he and Alice are pals and he provided the distraction for us when he escorted her out to the pathway, so she and I could have some privacy."

"The one with all the lights?"

"Yep, that's where we left him. Maybe he saw your mysterious party guest that was lacking proper manners."

Bella's stomach flip flopped. Mr. Cullen had been on the lighted path. She and Jacob danced out there. He'd even kissed her there before they realized they were pushing their luck. They hurried away to make sure they weren't spotted, but now it was looking more and more like they were. Had he seen everything, heard them? That was so humiliating for him to intrude on their private moments. She felt violated, like she'd had a peeping Tom or something.

Bella and Jasper eventually parted ways after he unknowingly created all kinds of dilemmas for her. Jacob asked her to promise to tell her everything about Mr. Cullen. She had to tell him, but she was afraid. They probably had a busy week. She decided that it could wait until the weekend. Like Jake had previously said, what could he do about it anyway? He wasn't likely to visit Mr. Black and tell him he followed young girls around in the dark. It was a one time event she imagined. Maybe it was all a huge coincidence. That's what she kept telling herself until the events the next day at school showed her it wasn't that simple.

Jacob POV

Jacob watched her from the side. He got wound up every morning just by holding her hand under the bookbag. Bella's skin felt like silk to him. He especially liked it when he could hold her hand out in the open. He thought their contrasting skin tones looked poetic wound together. He loved it and he hoped attitudes and perceptions continued to change. People were just people. He hated all the things that divided groups: color, wealth, religion, politics, etc.

He knew his mom liked her. Sometimes, he thought about spilling it all to her and getting her to back them, but he knew her loyalty was to his father before anything else. She might eventually accept them, but she wouldn't hide it for them. He continued to remain silent as long as he needed. Speaking of quite, Bella hadn't said a word. She looked tense and nervous. Jacob never had a chance to ask why she had to work in the orchards the day before. He could read her moods pretty well. Something was bothering her and he hoped to catch her alone later that day and find out what.

"You okay, honey?" he asked her as soon as they sat down for lunch. She said she was tired and had a lot on her mind. She then shocked him completely by telling him how it was Mr. Hale that had cleared up their little party in the loft. At least they had the promise that he wouldn't rat them out. He would have already done it if that was the case.

The two of them finished lunch and were off on their separate ways until that last couple of classes. English started off like always, Mr. Cullen was giving a lecture about one of their reading assignments. He guessed he should be taking notes. Bella always was. Jake loved to look at her when she was busy. She was so focused and adorable. He also glanced up front at the teacher. He should toss his book up there, hey you don't get to look. He was looking her way too often.

"Isabella, could you be my assistant today?" Really, where was that brown-noser, Newton?

Jacob watched as Bella went up to his desk. She was fiddling with her skirt, pulling it down, making sure it was straight. She was nervous again. He handed her a stack of papers.

"Please pass those out." She nodded and walked around the classroom. He usually recorded grades at the bottom and folded it, so no one else saw the grades. Jacob guessed it was a courtesy, but most the kids in that class either bragged or complained about their grades, so it didn't matter. When she got to his desk, he cracked a smile and she returned one.

"Jacob."

"Bella."

She handed him the quiz. He made sure his fingers grazed her skin. However brief, the contact felt so good to him. He knew he aced that one. He unfolded the bottom...93. He was right, but when he saw the essay was attached to the back, he was expecting a similar grade. When he revealed that grade, he was completely stunned. In bright red was the letter F. What? He did a double take, had he mixed his up with Quil's? Nope, the top said, Jacob Black and he recognized his own writing. He thumbed through the three pages of the essay and nothing else was left to clue him in on why he'd made such a terrible grade. It was the last person he ever wanted beg and plead with but there was no way he could have grades like that in English. Essays made up 50 percent of the grade. Bells had checked it...she thought he deserved an A. She wouldn't have said that if she didn't believe that. He completely trusted her.

Jacob didn't have a clue what went on for the rest of the period. All he could do was picture his father's face when he checked his grades at the end of the week and he would. Every Friday, he always asked to see. There was no waiting around until report card day at the Black residence.

He'd never been so relieved to hear that bell. Em called, "Jake, man come on."

He told him he'd catch up. He walked to the desk.

"Excuse me, Mr. Cullen. I'm confused. You gave me a failing grade. I...I'm not sure what I did wrong. Is there some sort of mistake?"

"No, I don't make mistakes. You made a poor effort and your grade reflects that."

"Poor effort, I spent a long time on it and I think it's exactly what you asked for."

"I don't care for your tone. Perhaps, you weren't paying attention in class that day. I might have noticed you seem distracted in here recently."

"Distracted?" He raised his voice a little more. Was he hinting at something? "Sure that isn't you?"

As soon as the words were out, he knew he couldn't go back and he was in serious trouble.

A tender voice cut through the tension, "Jacob, we need to leave. Our ride's here."

"Please step out Isabella. Mister Black and I have things to discuss."

She continued to stand there. He turned around. She mouthed "please don't" but he already had.

"I'll be out in a few minutes, Bells."

She looked like she was about to cry. She didn't even know what was happening, but she must have heard enough that they were in a standoff and that Jacob had disrespected him.

He said he had no choice but to call for a meeting with his parents. He didn't put up with that sort of insolence.

Although he didn't deserve it, Jacob apologized, "I'm very sorry sir, I didn't mean to be so disrespectful. Please don't call my father. Is there any way, I can improve my grade?"

"You have one chance, completely rewrite it and turn it in by Friday morning and I'll consider improving your grade since your other essays were much better."

"Thank you, I will."

"Of course, it will have at least 20 points off for being late."

"Late? You just said by Friday," and Jacob was back to having an edge to his voice.

"And the original was due Monday; so yes, it's late. Another thing, that's three times you've questioned me, so your parents will be receiving a call."

He was fuming. It was obvious to Jake he was being provoked. Mr. Cullen wanted him to lose his temper. The only thing that was stopping him was seeing her face and her lips begging him when she said please don't.

He went back to his desk and grabbed all his stuff; the quicker he got out of there, the better.

Jacob found Bella sitting by the big oak tree. She was shivering, hidden inside her coat.

"Where's Mom?"

"I told her we wanted to walk."

He pulled his jacket from his bag and covered her shoulders. "Come on...before he comes out."

"You're in bad trouble, aren't you?"

They headed to the path they took home. "Maybe, but it's not your fault. Quit worrying."

"What happened?"

"He failed me...that's what. He gave me an F on that essay."

"That's crazy I read it. It was very good. "

Jacob told her everything they said back and forth as he walked her home quickly. "I think he knows and he's sticking it to me for being your boyfriend which further proves how disturbed he is."

She stated she was wrong to wait to tell him. She should have told him all of it at lunch. "Oh, he knows alright, he saw us on the pathway and he followed me after the barn."

Good she was finally admitting it to herself, but she had one more revelation. "Jake, there was a witness...it was Jasper. He told me for certain, he'd been out there near the same time we were together. That's what I hadn't revealed to you."

Jacob and Bella stopped and he hushed her crying, "It's going to be okay."

"No, things are going to get even harder for us, especially for you. I know your father expects you to get a scholarship," she cried more.

He wiped off every last tear and gave her a tender kiss. "Nothing is every going to come between us, permanently. You hear me?" He pulled her face up. "Say it."

"I believe you...even if we have to runaway; I'll follow you anywhere, Jake."

He put his arm around her for the rest of the way. He would soon get his ass chewed out and he might even flunk English, but she was his girl and she always would be.

~Thanks for reading.