DECISIONS
"You're the man Jacob!" Jacob inwardly congratulated himself as he waited for the elevator doors to open at his floor.
He just went to meet his agent and was subsequently hired by an advertising agency for another print ad gig. This one is bigger than before, with a chance of actually touring abroad to sell the line to international distributors. This is his chance to get more clout, to know more people, to go beyond just print ad modeling.
He was so busy planning for his future that at first he didn't even noticed a small lump curling in front of his hotel suite. As he noticed a figure by his door, his steps became faster.
"Bella? " he asked as he realized who the figure was.
Bella looked up from her curled position and slowly sat up. Jacob gave his hand to help her up.
Bella took it.
He quietly opened his door and allowed Bella to come in first.
"Can I stay here for the night?" Bella asked.
"Of course, take the bed. What…."
Before he can finish, Bella raised her palm up towards him warning him not to ask. Jacob nodded and went to get some water. He gave it to her and quietly observed Bella as she drank.
"Have you eaten?"
"I'm not hungry."
"Does Alice know you're here?"
"I think so"
"Do you want me to call her?"
"No!" she screamed adamantly. "No Jacob, please don't," she quietly said.
"Why, did you have an argument or something? Bells, you know that you can tell me" Jacob insisted
"No, it's not Alice. It's……….her brother Edward."
"I see." Without any word spoken, Jacob knew exactly what she meant. He have hurt her the way that she hurt him before when he realized that she doesn't feel the same way towards him as he to her.
Bella might think that she is a pro in hiding her emotions toward Edward, but Jacob knew better. Every glance, smile, or touch, he knew that it meant more to Bella than she let Edward or anyone else know about.
That is also one of the reasons why he hated the guy so much even if they really didn't have any prior altercation.
If only Bella would look at him the way she does Edward………
"Bella, he's not worth it. You should move on……… the way……I have" Jacob said as he gathered her hand.
Bella looked at him and smiled
" I'm sorry Jacob." Although Bella really meant that she was sorry about her previous lie, Jacob took it as something else.
" It's not your fault. It's just the way it is. Sometimes we cannot choose who we love, but we can choose to move on and find someone who loves us" he said.
"When did you start to become so philosophical?" Bella said with her failure attempt of humor.
Jacob humorlessly laughed.
"Take it from the dude who've been there, it's not easy but it can be done. It's just a matter of making the decision, Bella", he said looking at her straight in the eye.
"Have you found someone who loves you?" Bella asked.
"Mmmmm, I dunno yet, maybe……" he said smiling.
"I'm glad" Bella replied.
"Why don't you lie down and have some rest"
Bella silently obliged. She sat on the edge of the bed, took her chucks off and lay down under the thick comforter, curling her body into a small piece of lump underneath.
As she closed her eyes to a dreamless sleep, Bella decided that tomorrow, she'll face Edward. How, she doesn't know yet. Maybe she'll talk to Alice first. But she knew that she has to face him. Find out what's going on. Then she can move on wherever that maybe.
It was around 10:00 p.m. when Bella finally stopped tossing around. She now lay quietly under the comforter sleeping, although, as Jacob noticed, still carry the sad expression on her face even during sleep. He stood up quietly and went to the bathroom. He dialed Bella's landline.
"Helloooo?" came in Alice's chimes-like voice.
"Oh, hi Alice it's Jacob. Just want to let you know that Bella is staying the night with me so don't worry"
"Oh, I'm not worried….." Alice replied full of insinuation.
"How's our girl?"
"She's doing okay, just tired I guess"
Alice giggled.
What's wrong with this girl?
"Well, I just called to let you know so that you won't go looking for her"
"Take care of her Jacob." Alice said seriously.
"I will"
After Jacob ended the call, he went on the table and turned his laptop on. While waiting for the system to run, he contemplated what he told Bella.
"Sometimes we cannot choose who we love, but we can choose to move on and find someone who loves us"
"It's just a matter of making the decision, Bella"
He took a deep breath as he opened his email and went straight to one of the many old mails coming from the same email address.
Dear Jacob,
Well, I can't really tell how many emails I have sent to this address but here I am. I'm wondering if you do read your fan mails because I think I have sent more than a couple as well. Just don't mind Seth's grumbling. He's just unhappy that he is stuck with me instead of you. But he still loves you, you know. Although he kept on telling me that this is a lost cause. That you're big time now and you don't remember us anymore. I don't believe that. I hope I'm correct. Take care and write back if you ever read this. Promise I won't be mad even if this is the nth letter already (I am not rubbing it in).
Leah
P.S.
I got a free poster of you when I went to the city. Unfortunately, Seth and your cronies saw it and made it into a dartboard. It's fun trying to hit your abs though. You should see what they did to the poster with all those drawings they made around it. They miss you as I do.
After reading it numerous times, he pressed reply.
__________________
Edward was walking towards the corner of the coffee shop to meet Victoria, still full of disbelief and confusion.
"That dog Jacob! And why did Bella do this? Am I just really for practice, or worst was it just all for pity's sake?"
He didn't even manage to finish his self-contemplation for as he pushed the door open, the sight of Victoria enveloped him. He waited to feel any pain or anger.
There was none.
Victoria smiled and motioned for him to come over.
" I got you your favorite—Caffé Macchiato with whip."
Edward ran his fingers through his tousled hair as he murmured "thanks".
For a minute or two, they just sipped their drinks quietly, making glances to each other, thinking that the other wouldn't notice.
"Victoria"
"Edward"
They both said at the same time.
Both sighed.
"You go ahead." Edward said
Victoria took a deep breath before she spoke.
"What ever happened yesterday was a mistake. You shouldn't have seen that."
"So now it was my fault because I caught you?" Edward seethed.
"No Edward, it's not that. It is my fault; it was James fault. We should have told you the moment we realized what's going on. But you also have to take some of the blame Eddie. I might have not said anything, but I know that you don't love me".
Edward hated that nickname but he let it go because he truly understood where she was coming from.
"So if you knew, why didn't you tell me?" he asked.
"I dunno. Maybe because I thought you would change sooner or later. Maybe because I feel secured with you. I really can't say. "
"I didn't plan this you know. I was really planning my life to be with you, but then as you became distant, James was there. We really didn't know what happen. It just did. The first time it happened, he wanted me to tell you, but I was scared. I was confused" Victoria added.
"He should have talked to me, man to man. Not like a coward hiding under a lady's skirt. I trusted him."
Victoria sighed.
"I'm pregnant"
Edward's head bolted up. Victoria smiled.
"It's James. Yesterday I was contemplating of telling you that it's yours but James cornered me at home on my way out. He noticed something different in me when we last hang out together, you didn't" she smiled.
"I finally told him and well, you saw what happened after…"
Again, Edward waited for the pain of betrayal. There was nothing.
He actually felt relieved that it was not his baby she is carrying.
"Are you going to be okay?" Victoria asked.
"I don't know"
"Is it Isabella?"
"Why on earth would you think it's her?" Edward suddenly became defensive.
"Edward, let's stop playing around the bush here. You have feelings for her. Why do you think I hated her so much?" Victoria said
"Of course I have feelings for her, she's my best friend and now my only best friend" he insisted, at the same time thinking that that might not be the case anymore.
Victoria just looked at him. She put her hand on his. He took her hand and gently kissed it.
"All the best for you Vicky" he said.
Victoria smiled.
As Edward bowed down to take another sip, he saw from the corner of his eye that Victoria was staring out at the glass window.
"What is it?" Edward asked as he turned to inspect himself.
"Oh, nothing I guess. I thought I saw someone" she replied.
They then spend half an hour more, talking about random stuff.
As they bid goodbye to each other, Victoria asked Edward if she could call Alice to apologize. Edward said that it's up to her.
When Edward reached home, he heated the leftover pizza from yesterday for supper. After eating a tasteless supper, and a couple of hours of random shows he sluggishly went to his room and lay down.
He can still smell her in his sheets. Scenes from last night came flooding in again, along with the realization that Bella is with Jacob instead of with him.
Realizing that he cannot just give in without a fight, he started dialing Bella's number. He should talk to her and find out what's going on. Then he'll decide.
"Hellooo?"
"Alice, it's me. Bella there?"
"She's spending the night at Jacob's. He called to let me know" Alice said with a yawn.
Edward hanged up. He dialed Bella's cell.
"Hello?" came a groggy but distinctly male voice.
For the second time in a row, Edward hanged up.
He doesn't need to decide. Bella decided for them.
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Thank you to those who included the story to their favorites! The story is moving towards a new angle soon and I'm just trying to set it up, so to the Jasper and Rosalie fans out there, don't worry. They are coming.
Suggestions and reviews are appreciated.
