Chapter 9
AN: After averaging about 10 reviews per chapter, it was incredible to get 25 after posting the last chapter. 100 reviews! Just… Wow! Thank you guys so much.
I drove, the green trees rushing past my window. Jake and I had drifted a little since high school but I always knew I could trust him, and he'd always be there to support me. We'd found 'our spot' back when we were twelve. It wasn't until we were older that we realised it how special it was to have a place to ourselves. When Renee left me and Jake used to spend a lot of time there, sometimes bringing a tent and having a sleepover when Charlie and Billy let us. It was an escape. Which is precisely what I needed right now. An escape from the crazy world of the Cullens which I expected I would rarely be able to leave for the next few months.
Entering La Push, the Quileute reservation just outside of Forks, I turned right to take me towards the beach. I remembered then the times we used to come here with our different friend groups, and how it would end up with me sitting on the beach with the Quileute boys listening to their stories while my friends used to chase eachother around the water's edge and mess about. Simpler times.
I stepped out the truck and immediately wished I'd dressed warmer. The cold air on the beach swept through me as if my layers were thinner than paper. Forks wasn't a warm place at the best of times, but the beach in Washington was incredibly cold: especially in November.
Walking down the coast, I was approaching 'our spot'. It was a cave, though most people didn't know it was a cave. The entrance was almost always so darkly lit that you couldn't even see there was an opening, it just looked like part of the rock. It wasn't until me and Jake were playing alone on the beach (without permission), that the light hit the part of the rock just right and I could see there was a gap. I remember hitting Jake on the arm and pointing at it, my mouth wide. His eyes lit up in glee and we ran over. I think we spent the entire day in there, picking up little shells and pebbles and worn down glass from the beach and putting them in the nooks and crannies of the little cave. By the end of the day we had our own emporium of unwanted things. That was a good day.
I could see it now, the dot gowning into a small rock, then into a large one, and then it was in front of me. I could hear movement from inside as I placed my hand on the rock face by the entrance. It was cold and slick, buffeted by the wind and the rain day in and day out. Luckily it wasn't raining, because when it was the inside of the cave was often more of a rock pool. I'd found that out the hard way before.
"Jake? You in there?"
"Bells? Yeah, come on in."
I round the corner of the stone and slip through the gap. I was a bit surprised that Jake could still fit through in all honesty, the gap wasn't that big when we were younger let alone now.
"Oof," I said as I squeezed my way through.
"I know, bit tight isn't it?" Jake grinned at me from inside the slightly gloomy exterior.
"No kidding," I replied as I looked around our little haven. Jake had brought a blanket and a little electric lantern, to which I was eternally grateful.
I settled myself on the blanket next to him, and shivered slightly.
"Coffee?" He asked, pulling out a flask from behind him.
"You're a fucking life saver, Jake," I smiled at him, gratefully taking a sip of the warm goodness.
"I know," he winked to me.
I sighed contently, happy to be back in the bubble of our friendship. I leaned my head on his shoulder, suddenly weary from the events of the last week or so.
I breathed in and out, inhaling that scent which was just Jacob Black. Musky, warm with a hint of something like cinnamon. Feeling more at ease I look around our spot and take in all the things I hadn't seen for a few years and smiling.
Nudging me, Jake said, "It's nice to be home, isn't it?"
I nodded against his shoulder, knowing that he didn't just mean Forks, he meant in our home - when we used to play house here as kids. He used to want to be the husband but I used to insist that I wanted to be the man because it was 'much more fun'. Men got to do whatever they wanted whereas the woman had to stay at home. I never liked being a damsel in distress or to have to be taken care of all the time, and to me the role of a housewife (even in pretend-land) didn't appeal.
"What's going on with you, Bells?"
I shook my head. "Can't I just enjoy this?"
Jake sighed and picked up the flask to take a large gulp of coffee.
"Please just tell me if your life's in danger."
I think for a moment. Edward may not like me but I didn't believe he would kill me. I was, as he liked to remind me, just an "innocent girl".
"It's not."
Jake breathed out, the relief evident. "Are you going to tell me what is going on?"
"I don't think I can do that," I told him, frowning.
"Nothing at all?" Jake said, dragging his hand through his hair in frustration, a move that reminded me immediately of my least favourite mafia boss. Damn it, Swan. I hated to think of him, or his beautiful hair, in my happy spot.
"Telling you anything would put you in danger," I said with more conviction. I knew that the less he knew the better it would be if anything went south. I couldn't risk the chance of a slip up.
"Then why did you invite me here, Bells?! What am I supposed to do if you don't let me help you?" He groaned.
"You're helping me just by being here with me." I said quietly.
Jake just groaned louder at that, "Don't play sweet with me, Bells. I don't care if it puts me in danger, I need to help."
"I can't tell you much, Jake. You know I'm working for the Cullens. I promise you that's a good thing, and it's only temporary. I'm not in danger, so long as I don't break their rules."
"What rules, Bells?!" His frustration with me increasing.
"They hate betrayal, and if they found me here with you or knew I'd even told you anything at all, then that could put me in danger. I know first hand how much they hate it."
"First hand?" He asked, more annoyance creeping into his voice. I nodded, cringing as he huffed.
"Look, Bells, I'm done with this cryptic shit."
I shrug helplessly, "That's all I can give you."
He looked at me in my eyes then, his eyes evaluating me. I felt like a criminal being checked against the profile. My eyes dropped from his gaze.
I'm the fucking chief of police. If anyone can help you, I can." Jake told me confidently, lifting my chin up.
"This is bigger than you," I replied, while trying to give him a thankful smile for the suggestion. It didn't work, my lips quivered as I spoke, "I don't think you can help me, and even if you could your help might land me or others in even more trouble."
Jake let out another aggravated groan and took another angry swig of the coffee.
"Okay, okay fine. Just please, I need some sort of job or else I'll go mad," Jake begged me.
"I don't know what you can do against the Cullens."
Jake leaned back on the blanket, and his face anguished, clearly thinking furiously. "Let me think about it this week, okay? I'll get back to you with anything I have."
I scrunched my face up a little in displeasure. I wasn't happy he was getting involved but there didn't appear to be a way to stop it. "Fine," I said.
The rest of the evening passed at the cove in relative ease. We relaxed, we finished the coffee, and Jake updated me on his life. There wasn't much going on with him, but his partner Quil just got married to a younger girl which was a subject for controversy in the town. It was nice to just relax and gossip about things that didn't really matter for a while.
We left the cove at ten o'clock just as we were beginning to freeze to death. The wind on the beach was so fierce I couldn't hear him to speak to him anymore so I walked him back to his house in amicable silence. At one point he grabbed my hand and pushed me into the dunes just like he used to do when we were little, and we fell down laughing.
I waved him goodbye at the house, promised to call him in a few days and made my way to my car. As I went to let myself in I noticed something in the mirror that made me stop in my tracks. The blue car from the motorway was parked just a few spaces from mine.
Was it possible that I was being followed by the Cullens? Was I just being paranoid? It's possible that this wasn't the same car as on the motorway, that had followed me back to Forks, but at the same time I was certain that it was. I slowly got in and sat down, pretending to fiddle with my radio.
Had they hired someone to follow me? I was panicking now, sitting in my truck, darting looks back through the wing mirror. Should I go over there and ask who they are? What if I know them? What if it's Mike or Ben and he's just hired to look out for me?
The questions swam round in my brain. I decided that I couldn't get out and go see. The windows were darkened and the engine was off - there could be no-one in there. Or it could be a serial killer stalking me that didn't know I was on to them yet. Calm down, Swan. It's probably just a resident that happens to have a similar car to the one on the motorway. And if it is the Cullens then they are probably just following me to make sure I'm okay.
As soon as I think that though I almost laugh out loud, because why the fuck would they care about my welfare? They don't care about whether my mom lives or dies, and they don't care about me. Edward could find a replacement for my job in a second. So they must be keeping an eye on me. But why?
I realise then that if this is a Cullen car then I am completely screwed. They would hear my phone call pretending to shut down Jake, then they would see me coming here for an obvious meeting with the same guy. They are never going to trust me. I'm probably going to be fired and then they'll kill my mother. I start to hyperventilate.
My hands are shaking on the wheel. I need to leave. Swan, start the car.
Swan.
I have to tell myself to do it a few times before my body responds. The man in the car, if he's even there, doesn't know that I know he's there. I can just drive home, pretend to be ignorant of him following me, then sort this the fuck out.
I turn the key in the ignition. The truck falters. Come on, baby, please not now. I try it again, and almost cry with relief when the engine starts up. I start to drive, darting looks in my wing mirror every few seconds. No movement from the car. I still couldn't tell if anyone was actually in it. I keep driving, letting out a huge breath when I was completely out of sight and there was still no stirring from the car.
Maybe I really was just being paranoid. All the same, my buzz from earlier had been completely destroyed. I was now incredibly tense, feeling enemies and suspicion around every corner. God I needed a massage. My shoulders were so tense and I thought I could break the steering wheel from the force of my grip; my fingers clenched white around the black faux-leather.
When I reached my home I went inside, relieved that Charlie had already gone to bed. That was one less hassle I had to deal with, Charlie would be insufferable if he knew I had seen Jake He still held out this misguided hope that we would be together.
I dropped my coat and keys near the door in preparation for the next day and dashed upstairs. Again, I retrieved my newly purchased phone and called Jake once more. As it rang I looked out of the window, watching for the blue car.
"Bells? Couldn't get enough of me, eh?" Jake joked as he picks up.
"What would you do if you thought you were being followed?" I asked slowly.
"What? Explain," Jake barked, serious again.
"I saw this car behind me on the motorway and I think I saw the same one parked near me at the beach."
"Are you sure?" Jake asked slightly doubtfully.
Did he not believe me? Maybe I was being ridiculous after all. I'm not important enough to be followed by the Cullens. I was a small case as they said, my business lost to Emmett in a game of fucking poker.
"No, I'm not sure.. But I'm pretty confident," I said, expressing anything but confidence.
"Hmm," Jake replied, "Can you give me the number on the plate?"
Fuck. Nice one, Swan. Instead of panicking you should have written down the plate number. Some fucking cop's daughter.
"I-I didn't get it." I said, on the verge of tears now.
"It's okay, Bells. There's just not much I can do with just 'a blue car'."
"I know, I know. I'm being stupid."
"No you're not. You're scared for your life, and you're in some shit with the Cullens. I'd be paranoid, too."
I sighed as I moved the curtain and confirmed for the fortieth time that the car had not appeared outside my house, "So you think I'm just being paranoid?"
Jake thought for a moment, "Well even if it's true, you don't want to go in guns blazing accusing the Cullens of following you. Am I right in assuming they wouldn't be too happy if they knew you were seeing your friend the Police Chief?"
I nodded, then realised he couldn't see that, "You're not wrong, yeah."
"Then don't tell accuse them and put yourself in more shit when this could just be any random car, okay?"
I bit my lip, realising that he was right. I couldn't ask the Cullens about this. What if I was just being paranoid and I ended up giving them actual cause to start following me around?
"Okay. Thanks, Jake."
"Don't worry about it, Bells. You know you can talk to me about anything anytime."
**TLoU**
I left for work the next morning, pretty tired. It had been a fitful night, tossing and turning as I panicked about faceless men watching me all the time. I couldn't escape from my fears in my dreams. It all just got so much worse.
When I arrived I pulled into the garage and parked my car, feeling a little zombie-like having not had time for a morning coffee.
I wandered to the elevator, pressed the button and waited.
"I promise I'm not following you."
I span around to see the person the voice belonged to. Edward. Standing in another beautiful suit, he looked at me with a small smile.
"What?!" I spluttered. How could he know? I didn't ask them. Edward narrowed his eyes at me in a confused way.
"We keep meeting like this," Edward said, sweeping his arm in gesture of the elevator. I caught on, and the power of the relief nearly gave me another heart attack. He didn't mean about the blue car. He meant about the elevator.
"Oh. Yeah. That."
The elevator dinged from behind me, and the shock of the noise made me jump. I was so paranoid, today. I stepped in and Edward followed, the impasse from yesterday forgotten in my panic. I moved the furthest corner from him after pushing the button. He gave me another weird look, but it looked slightly apologetic. Too right.
"Are you okay, Isabella?" He asked, and for a second I could almost mistake his voice for being concerned.
I looked at the floor and responded with a quiet but cold voice, "It's not like you care."
An intake of breath from him. But no response. As soon as it reached my floor I stepped out, noting that he was only going one floor further up.
He didn't say anything to me as I left either. I don't know why that kind of hurt. I know he didn't care, but to hear him not deny it was a bit cruel. It wasn't like I'd done anything to deserve it.
"Morning, Bella." Kate said to me as I walked through, causing me to jump again. I turned and nodded at her politely.
I moved towards Emmett's office and sat down my desk.
Edward hadn't shot me, and he hadn't been too cruel either. He can't have had me followed or I would probably be fired at this point for talking to Jake in person and deceiving them with the phone calls. Unless he was playing some kind of longer game. Shut up, Swan. I had to stop my paranoia because it consumed me.
That blue car was nothing. I had to believe that.
So why was I finding it so difficult to let it go?
