Chapter Seven: Truth, Covered In Security

BelPOV

Cedward and I got back around noon. I was glad Jacob looked jealous because, first of all, it made Cedward jealous and I was assured that he liked me.

Cedward and I weren't the only ones to get home around noon. Harry and Ginny also arrived with a pink bundle in their arms. Ginny was a lot thinner, and she was beaming. "Eight pounds, two ounces!" she said proudly, displaying the child for us all to see.

Cedward muttered something, but I only caught the first part: "Fil - " and then he disappeared into the next room.

Harry told Jacob and I, "We're having guests for dinner, so could you all get to cleaning?"

Jacob went into the kitchen. I followed him and shut the door. "Show me magic," I said. "Really cool magic." He tried to act confused, but I said, "Go on."

Finally he took out his wand and pointed at the sink, full of dirty dishes. He jerked his wand at them and a sponge began to scrub them. Then he pointed at a couple of sad-looking dishtowels and muttered, "Tergeo." And they were clean.

Jacob showed me how to cook by magic too. He pointed his wand at a pile of russet potatoes and they shot out of their skins. He jabbed his wand in the direction of onions, and they cut themselves up with a nearby knife. He waved his wand and a pot filled with water from the sink – and all of the potatoes plunked into the pot, one after another, with no splash. He opened the refrigerator with his wand and got out butter, which fell into a saucepan, which was immediately filled with onions, and they sautéed themselves…

"Amazing," I muttered. "It's nothing," Jacob said modestly.

"You're amazing," I said. "I like your hair long, but not too long," I added, and his hair shot up a few centimeters. He didn't think I noticed. He just said, "I like your hair how it is."

So he could change his appearance at will, and I knew he was a wizard.

I decided to test the other 'fact' Cedward had mentioned.

"Where do you go on the full moon?" I whispered, embarrassed to ask the question. My voice came out too husky; I realized I sounded quite like someone pretending to be someone else on the other end of the phone.

"Away," he answered. "Did Cedward tell you about that too? Or did you want to know?" "I wanted to know," I lied. They had lied to me… an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth…

Jacob grinned.

I was about to kiss him; I really was, when Cedward came in. He looked at Jacob coldly. "Get away from my sister," he growled.

"Cedward!" I shouted. "We were talking!" Cedward looked as if it were otherwise. "His thoughts say otherwise, Bella," Cedward said.

Okay, I wasn't going to ask, but I could guess. It probably wasn't right, but Cedward had kept this away from me too. He could read minds.

"I happen to love him, Cedward," I said frostily. I was glad when his eyes misted over with rage. "That dog doesn't know what love is, Bella," he said. "Leave it to people who know what it is."

Apparently Harry had heard the squabble. He came in. "Bella? Jake? Cedward? Everything okay in here?" I knew my brother wasn't dumb, he knew exactly what was going on…

"Don't go near her," Cedward told Jacob, fuming. "She's mine."

Harry's eyebrows shot up.

"I am mine, Cedward," I corrected him aggravatingly. "And I love Jacob." I walked over to Jacob and hugged him. Cedward's face was in pain, and he left the room. I heard a number of loud, obnoxious clatters and the front door slam.

"O…kay, then," Harry said uncertainly.

CedPOV

I detest him. I abhor Jacob Black. He is taking my Bella away from me. She's my Bella. Mine.

I ran out of the house and went… somewhere… to vent my feelings… but I didn't know where I was.

I wasn't looking with my eyes; I was looking with my other senses. I was in a forest, and there were animals… Naturally I must have hunted, because there was a sweet, sticky substance on my teeth when I came to…

The animal blood helped me think. Was Bella still 'fighting jealousy', as her thoughts had told me, or was it gone? Was there any jealousy? Why was she jealous? Because Cho and I had an awkward encounter? I didn't love Cho. I loved Bella more than I had ever loved anyone.

I came to a conclusion. I'll keep fighting jealousy, until it's gone, I quoted Bella's thought. I would keep fighting it. I'd keep fighting Jacob Black.

JacobPOV

It's pretty embarrassing but also pretty good for a guy's self-esteem when a girl rejects another guy for you, right in front of the other guy. That's what Bella did. And that dumb Cedward thought he had a chance, he really did… Now maybe I'm going a bit overboard.

So, when Cedward returned, it was dinnertime. Ginny had her niece Victoire come over for dinner along with Bill and Fleur. (Bill is Ginny's brother, and Fleur is Bill's wife. Fleur is… I don't like her, but she's pretty. Victoire is their daughter. She's a knockout.)

I like hanging out with Victoire. It's kind of creepy because she can be happy and laughing with you one second and the next yelling her great head off at James or Albie for spilling milk or something. She hates kids, in other words, but she's nice to me and only a year younger than me (she's seventeen). I don't see why Harry, my uncle Ron or aunt Hermione don't like her. She could give Rosalie a run for her money. But there's no way I, or anyone else for that matter, would say that. She'd bite my head off.

At dinner we sat at the table. Bella decided to hold my hand again, and I was totally okay with it because Cedward was fuming during dinner. It was cool.

I was jerked out of my stance of being enthralled that Cedward was mad when Ginny said (baby Lily in her arms) "Pass the salt, Jacob, please." I cursed Wrackspurts silently and handed her the saltshaker.

Victoire smiled at Cedward. Uh-oh. "Hi," she said to him. I cleared my throat. "Cedward, this is Victoire." He looked at me as if I were something Rosalie had called me earlier (it was related to a pile of dog poo left on the sidewalk.) Then he looked at Victoire and gave her what was probably an attractive smile. She smiled back. Cedward glanced at Bella, who was ignoring this, and said quietly, probably just to embarrass Victoire and maybe make Bella mad, "Sorry, I'm not single."

Victoire's face turned red and she excused herself, mumbling excuses about a powder room. Carlisle looked at Cedward. "That was uncalled for," he said to him. "You know better, Cedward."

Cedward shrugged. My aunt and uncle (Victoire's parents) would have been angry if they'd heard. Especially Fleur, since she was most likely the prom queen or something once and had the same thing in mind for Victoire.

Bella helped me clear the dishes. I was showing off a pretty good piece of magic for her in the kitchen (the plates flew into the sink, clattered inside of it, and appeared in the cabinets, clean and dry), when stupid Cedward came in.

"Bella, I need to speak to you immediately," he said. Bella gave him the Death Glare. I was thinking How great it would be if I could just give him one good kick – when he said, "What, Werewolf?" Someone was looking for a fight.

How did he know I was a werewolf? That was so not cool! Bella was not supposed to find out…

Bella spoke up. "Well, at least he's a werewolf, and a wizard, and he can change his appearance. All you are is a stupid vampire-wizard, dumb - " That's when I interrupted her. "He's a wizard and a vampire? Bella, why do you live with these people?" "That's just what I was thinking," Bella said coldly, shooting out venom and the words stinging Cedward. "I never felt safe there, especially not with his room across from mine. He could kill me any night and suck my blood."

Cedward's face fell, apparently taking this hard. "Bella, I would never hurt you. You know that, don't you?"

I was totally not ready for her to burst into tears. "Oh, I don't know what to think anymore, Cedward."

I was also not ready (and I got pretty mad) when she flung herself into his arms. "Cedward, I believe you," she wailed.

So. Not. Fair. Ugh!

BellaPOV

So Cedward and I didn't want to murder one another any longer. He confessed he had been jealous, that he had dated Cho in a past life when he was human and not a vampire, and she was a backstabbing… bad woman that had dated Cho the year after he had 'died'. I would have to scold Harry for that one. And I admitted I had been jealous, and that I was just using poor cute Jacob to make Cedward jealous…

Poor cute Jacob. He looked so sad, and I liked him, I really did. He could change his appearance (he could look like Cedward!) and he could change into a werewolf and kill vampires for me… but… I don't know why I liked Cedward more.

After dinner was over, I went to go watch a movie with everyone. I didn't know where Jacob went, and I felt so bad for being mean. He was so cute and sweet, and he could even date Victoire if he wanted to.

Before the movie started, Victoire came in and sat by Cedward with a bucket of popcorn. I think it might have been an accident, but I daresay it was on purpose that she dumped the steaming hot popcorn with extra hot grease all over him. Then, as Cedward and I were holding hands during the movie, she left to go get a glass of water and it somehow drenched me.

I was dismayed when she started begging her parents to let her stay the night. She had somehow befriended Alice (my wardrobe of great expensive horrible clothes were squealed over by the two) and I don't know how Victoire convinced her mother to let her stay.

"Please, Mum, only for tonight. I'll be back by five tomorrow," she was saying by the door. "No, Veectwarr, you don't 'ave any of your theengs with you," Fleur said in her harsh accent. "Mum. Alice has so much stuff – I could borrow something -" Victoire persuaded. Alice nodded enthusiastically, jumping up and down gracefully but energetically. Fleur eyed Alice's dress abode – perfectly matched knee-length brown skirt with a tan tank top and a turquoise scarf, not to mention the perpetually torturous heels on her tiny feet. "Eef she ees okay with that…" Fleur gave in. "No boys, Victoire," her father, Bill, joked, his mutilated face from an accident (Cedward told me he was attacked by a werewolf) But I wasn't so sure Bill was joking.

I brushed my teeth, put up my hair and dressed in my pajamas in the bathroom. "Geez, what's taking her so long?" Victoire whined outside of the door to no one in particular, though I had been in the bathroom for a grand total of a whopping three minutes. "I'll be right out," I called with sarcasm.

I walked towards the door, and I hadn't locked it. Bad idea. Victoire had flung it open and it cracked me on the nose. Hard. Blood gushed out.

Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, Carlisle, Esme and Cedward stood in the doorway. "Lock the door, Bella!" I heard Jacob yell. "Lock yourself in!" I wasn't about to argue. Cedward's face was livid and hungry, and I was scared. His words echoed in my mind… I wouldn't ever hurt you, Bella… You know that, Bella… I wouldn't ever hurt you… Yeah, right.

I slammed the door shut and locked it. While I waited for whatever it was that I could open the door again, I cleaned off my bloody nose, periodically rinsing the rag in the sink and letting the blood go down the drain, and I pondered why I was locked in.

This I knew, now. Cedward was a vampire and he was hungry. He smelled my blood. The others were vampires too (all of the Cullens) and naturally…

"Open the door now, Bella," Jacob said. I did. Cedward stood there, nodding. "I'm okay, no danger…" Cedward opened his arms. Jacob nodded at me, telling me what Cedward said was true. I ran to Jacob, tears running down my face with the guilt of what I had done still lodged in my heart.

"I'm sorry, Jake, I'm sorry." I stated, casting my head down. "I can't forgive myself for this." Jacob shook his head. "It's okay, I think," he told me. "I get it." "But you shouldn't have to get anything," I said. "It's my fault. I'm so mean and evil…"

He half-grinned. "It's okay," he said, walking toward the stairs. I watched him go down the stairs. His features transformed into Cedward's. "Watch out," he said, as Victoire slipped into the now-unoccupied bathroom. "Now I look just like him." It was too bad that Jacob was better-looking as Jacob. Cedward was, I was starting to realize, not that great-looking. Even this surprised me.

I laughed as Jacob went back to his old self, glad he didn't hate me for what I did to him. Cedward patted my shoulder, and then commanded seriously, "Go to bed. Now."

I sighed and went to my room, falling asleep content for the most part. Except for stupid Victoire messing up everything. Cedward's relationship with me, for instance. It could get muddy.

I slept in the spare room on my bed. Victoire slept on Alice's bed, and Alice didn't sleep. Instead she was on her laptop all night shopping online. Victoire thought Alice eventually dozed off, but I knew the truth. Alice didn't need sleep. No vampire needs sleep.

I don't know what's happening. At breakfast, Cedward didn't look quite as handsome as I thought he did… Jacob looked a lot better than him. I started noticing Cedward's flaws, he had a bit of a belly (too much blood-drinking, I suppose) compared to Jacob's six-pack that I accidentally saw as he was hanging Christmas lights on the tree in the foyer. Cedward had a bit of an attitude towards children ("Filthy little mudbl - " he always started to say near children, especially James) and he was so ornery. ("I need to leave now and go order something online. I don't have time to hold the fil – little Lily. I've got things to finish.")

Whereas on the other hand, Jacob was always there to help out Ginny and Harry; I watched him cook lunch with magic, and he distracted James and Albus while Ginny was feeding Lily and Harry was at work… I didn't know what was up. I guess getting to know Edward wasn't so great after all. Being his… okay, girlfriend was even worse. He was so territorial and wouldn't let me go near Jacob without his express knowledge. He would even flip out when I spent too much time with James. I mean, really. James is like, four. Sheesh.

I realized the problem, and how to fix it.

JacobPOV

I was totally surprised that while I was making dinner, who else but Bella comes in and shoots me a 1000-watt smile. Why does she do this to me?

"Hey, Jake," she said. "Hi, Bella," I returned politely, sending Brussels sprouts soaring through the air into a saucepan. "Look," she says, approaching me as I started cutting carrots with a knife no one was holding, "I'm really sorry." "It's okay," I said, a bit exasperated as I sent the cutting board with the chopped carrots on it over to a bowl. "I thought we already made up." I made the knife scrape the carrots into the bowl, then the cutting board and knife land into the sink with a quiet clatter. "I know," she said, sitting on the counter, "This is different."

"Really?" I said, scrubbing the sinkful of dishes without hands (or effort). "What is it?"

"Well…" she began. "I don't think I like Cedward. He is a jerk sometimes." She figured that out now, of all times. "Oh," I said, veiling my thoughts. Bella put her face in her hands. "I'm just so confused. I don't like Cedward anymore. At all, Jacob. He's mean to the children-"

Yep, I had heard him call James a filthy little Mudblood plenty of times. Filthy little Mudblood calling the children filthy little Mudbloods… It was ironic because Ginny was a pureblood and Harry was a half-blood…

Bella shook her head. "I'm afraid I'm not making much sense," she said shamefully. "The point is, Jake, it's not him I'm in love with." I waited. "It's you."

I shook my head. "Bella, this has already happened, you've already broken my heart -" Whoops. That wasn't supposed to come out. I sounded like a weak sparrow. You've already broken my heart, a little annoying clown voice taunted me in my head. You've already broken my heart and I go home and cry and feel bad for myself…

"No, Jake. I've thought about it. You are a much better person. You can cook, and you aren't mean to children. You appreciate me… Cedward used to be nicer, but then, once he thought he had me fooled, he turned out to be a complete and utter jerk."

"I see," I said, nodding once, pointing my wand at the trash and Vanished it, replacing it with a new bag. "You're not faking this time?" Bella looked down, then back up. "I can prove it," she said, jumping down from the counter and coming over to kiss me.