Chapter 6: Bella Who?

Jacob's heart beat wildly against his ribs and the sound of it drowned out the conversations around him. Who is this girl? Jacob managed to think to himself. He felt like he never wanted to look away, not even Bella had this power over Jacob. He felt drawn to her like a magnet. And he was drawn to her for reasons he could not explain even if he had the words.

"Earth…to…Jake!" Embry said waving his hand in front of Jacob's face. The silence of the moment faded and buzz of the cafeteria came back into Jacob's focus. Reluctantly removed his eyes off of Lily and stared at Embry blankly.

"What?" Jacob mumbled incoherently to Embry.

"I said, I'm going to invite Lily to the bonfire on Friday. Should I get on her good side and invite her kid brother?"

"Yea, sure, sounds great." Jacob agreed blindly not fully listening. He turned his attention away and looked back to Lily's direction but she was no longer staring in his. Like Embry, Lily's friends had pulled her out of her momentary stupor. Jacob's eyes followed Lily intently has she passed him with her friends. Lily looked at him again and a shy smile spread across her lips. Jacob swore he saw her blushing as she passed. Jacob's and Embry's heads followed her as she made her way to a table. Embry hit Jacob on the shoulder excitedly.

"Did you see that?" Embry said smiling brightly.

"See what?" Jacob replied without turning around.

"She was staring at me the whole time." Jacob turned and looked at Embry as if he were from outer space.

"What?! She was." Embry said in defense as he turned back to his food. "I'm definitely asking her to the bonfire. I don't care how many times I have to ask her out. I'll even suck up to that little dweeb brother of hers."

"I don't think her brother is going to be your main problem." Jacob said thoughtfully.

"And what exactly would be my main problem?"

"Are you forgetting the week of detentions the principal, her father, just gave you. I'm sure he will be so happy to have you and your 'shenanigans' dating his daughter." Embry pursed his lips together at Jacob's sarcasm.

"Yea, well, I see him as a minor obstacle in my way of dating the hottest girl in school. I think it is safe to say that I've been up against more formidable opponents than a high school principal" He replied with confidence, but Jacob disagreed. Dr. Matson was a formidable opponent in a league entirely his own. "And honestly, what self-respecting man uses the word 'shenanigans' in a serious conversation? Who does he think he is? A leprechaun?"

"Leprechaun or not, try to keep your nose clean. We don't need him on our case all year." Jacob said and Embry nodded in agreement for once.

"Man, she's the hottest girl in school." Embry said as he turned to look at Lily one more time as did Jacob.

She's more than just hot, Jacob thought to himself. After a moment, he reluctantly took his eyes off Lily and turned to his food, but he was no longer hungry. Jacob could hear Embry chattering in his ear about the bonfire but he wasn't interested in listening. He frowned to himself realizing that he and Embry having interest in the same girl would be problematic at best. Jacob knew better than anyone that if both of them vied for her attention; at least one of them would lose. He silently admitted that the last thing he wanted was someone else to restrain his friendships with the pack just when things seemed to be getting back on track, but he couldn't shake the feeling that Lily wasn't just some girl. He had never even spoken to her but she felt like she was the girl. When they stared into each other's eyes, Jacob felt like his soul had somehow intertwined with hers; he wondered to himself if she had felt the same.

He looked at his tray and pushed the food around with his fork as he tuned Embry and the others further out of his consciousness. Lily's face was seared into his brain and all he wanted to do was turn around and look at her so he could memorize her face. But he didn't dare turn around again, for some reason he was afraid to draw attention. He figured gawking at her in a crowded room would scare her off before he ever got to know her and he felt like he wanted to tell her everything.

Jacob kept his back turned for the duration of lunch trying his best to pay attention to his friend's conversations and answering their questions, but he never gave more than one word answers. Like with other events that had happened today, Jacob just didn't want to draw attention to himself. He had done enough of that over the past few months. As he sat quietly, a tingling sensation crept up his neck and over his scalp; he smiled softy. He could feel Lily's eyes on him from her table.

The bell rang with a loud jack hammer meets psychotic woodpecker like sound, and the boys groaned as they hurried to shove a few last forkfuls into their mouth mumbling something about wasted food. But Jacob was disappointed to have to leave to room for one reason only. He remained seat as Lily passed. He could he the soft tone of her voice. It sounded sweet and melodic though he couldn't make out the words of her conversation. Lily and her friends giggled and blushed as they passed him. Clearly, she didn't object to Jacob's gaze and he watched her as she emptied her tray as she gracefully left the cafeteria.

He lost sight of her in the hallway as he followed, but he was slightly grateful. Jacob realized if he wasn't careful, he would have followed her and be late for his own class. Dr. Matson already seemed to have a watchful eye on Jacob and the others, and Embry clearly wasn't doing much to change his opinion. Jacob didn't want to give him anymore reasons to be extra vigilant. He walked quickly to Art class without stopping at his locker.

The room was half full when Jacob arrived but thankfully there were still seats open at one of the back tables. The art room was unusual for its purpose. Instead of having long tables to support numerous projects or easels spread out throughout the room, it was a converted old chemistry lab. There were two rows of high counters big enough to fit two at each table. Remnants of old gas lines, which were no longer working, stuck out of the top, hardly a convenient space for painting and drawing. Jacob looked around at the art work and posters on the wall. Clearly, the art teacher had gone to great lengths to camouflage the room as much as possible.

His eyes swept over the walls and towards the doorway and he froze as he watched her walk in. Lily entered with another girl at her side engrossed in conversation and didn't notice Jacob. Both girls looked up to survey the room for open seats and Lily stopped in her tracks as she locked eyes with Jacob. Lily whispered something to her friend with a soft smile and without removing her eyes from Jacob. She followed her friend to the back of the room. The girls sat at empty counter on Jacob's right and Lily blushed as she returned her gaze to her friend.

Jacob's attention to Lily was diverted as Mrs. Demorest entered the room brightly greeting her students.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen. Good afternoon and welcome to painting and drawing 102." She sang in a high voice. She was a short, round woman with short, wavy black hair cut in a blunt bob which made her face appear even rounder. Underneath her smock, her bright ensemble complimented her handmade earrings which all reflected her somewhat eccentric personality. Mrs. Demorest was always bright and chipper, one of the few teachers who still loved their jobs after years of dealing with teenage hormones and educational politics, and her students loved her.

Mrs. Demorest flitted around the room passing out the syllabus as she talked. "Now, I'm going to be sending around a sign in sheet, please make sure you print your name legibly. When attendance is taking care of, we are going to begin with some warm up exercises so have your pencils ready to create art!"

Jacob sighed when he realized he forgot to stop at his locker and sheepishly raised his hand.

"Mr. Black," Mrs. Demorest smiled softly. "I'm glad to see you back in another art class. What can I do for you?" Jacob smiled sheepishly.

"I forgot a pencil."

"I have one you can borrow," A soft voice said. Jacob turned to see Lily holding out an extra pencil.

"Thank you, dear." Mrs. Demorest said with a pleasant smile. "Not a very good start to the year, Mr. Black. Try to remember to come prepared." She added but unlike the reprimand he received from Dr. Matson in the morning, Mrs. Demorest's had no hint of reproach. She simply looked up Jacob and smiled as she turned. Jacob heart hammered in his chest as he smiled at her sheepishly.

"Thanks." He said as he leaned over to take the pencil. Jacob felt like his body was in slow motion as he finger tips grazed Lily's. It felt an electric current travel through his body as their fingers connected for that brief second.

"No problem." Lily smiled and slowly withdrew her hand. Their eyes lingered on one another. Lily's blue eyes seemed even brighter when she smiled.

"All right class," Mrs. Demorest boomed dramatically. Lily jumped at the sound of her voice and blushed. "I want you to draw the emotion you feel in the music. Pencils at the ready! Go!" A fast paced classical song resounded from the stereo. Jacob flashed a wide grin and chuckled. Lily looked at Jacob from the corner of eye and laughed softly as she put her pencil to paper.

Author's Note: Chapter 7-10 will be up soon, very soon. I'm having a lot of fun writing this story and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you think.