AN: I love my reviewers. Okay, so I am going to be busy tomorrow and I thought maybe I'll just post it tonight. Make be proud by leaving a review.
I don't own anything except the plot. Enjoy.
Chapter 9 What if . . .
By the time it was English I was in better spirits. If Jacob was dating someone, anyone, then his eyes won't be on me and my new status of "available." I was able to relax and enjoy my singlehood.
My mom had been unnecessarily strict about me coming home right after school this week. I had to listen to her whine about what happened to my dad—why he hadn't called. I no longer tensed when speaking with Jacob, so it made school a place of respite. I ran to it, with its easy conversations and unhindered subject learning. I still studied at home with my friends—each one taking their turn.
Today was Friday, so it was with Jacob. We were going through my notes as we wrote an essay that was due Monday. It was about two hours in, when he yawned.
"I need a break."
"Oh, but we're almost finished."
"My brain is fried. I need some food," he suggested.
We got up and headed for the kitchen. My mother was sitting there crying.
"Mom what's wrong?"
"You don't love me!" she wailed. "I've been asking for you to get me some pasta for half an hour now."
I looked at Jacob and he was clueless as I was."When? We didn't hear you at all."
She paused. "Wasn't I calling? I could have sworn I was. This baby is making me crazy. It's sitting on my bladder so I have to urinate all the time. You guys hungry?" She wiped at her face as if she wasn't just weeping just a few minutes ago. I think my mom has finally gone bipolar.
"Actually Mrs. Swan we were just trying to take a break," Jacob explained.
"Oh, good idea. You should go out and get some fresh air." She started shoving us out of the kitchen.
"You just said you wanted pasta, Mom."
"Go, Nurse's orders!" She pointed to the front door.
"Okay, okay."
We grabbed our coats and went outside. I thought we were just going to take a walk, but he hopped on his bike. "Hey you want to go for a ride?"
I looked at him as he turned the key in the ignition. I shook my head.
"Come on. It's been a while since I had a passenger." He lifted his body and kick started the engine.
The sound of him revving up the engine was so loud; it gave me confidence in my words. "You don't take your new girls for a ride?" I teased.
He snickered. "No. You know there are only two girls in the whole world allowed. Now hop on."
"Fine." I hiked up my pink denim skirt a little and jumped on. I caught his slight smirk as his eyes caught the hem lift. "Where are we going?"
He passed back his helmet. "Around."
My arms snaked around him quickly as he pulled out of the driveway. He thundered through my neighborhood at increasing speed. I held on tight, hoping I wouldn't fall off. This was one of the reasons why he refused to have a passenger. He loved the speed only motorcycles could reach and the risk-taking was a deterrent. He would never be that hazardous with a passenger. The exceptions were his sister who loved speed as much as he, but was too young for her own bike, and me. I had gotten a free pass on it during our first date. He was trying to scare me, thinking I was only interested in a date to win a nonexistent dare. Afterward, he became addicted to my arms around him, though he would always keep the risk low by not speeding. I had a feeling he amped up the danger this time, so I wouldn't let him go.
We ended up at his house. "Jacob, what are we doing here?"
"My sister wanted to say hi," he replied.
"Oh." I hadn't seen Rebecca since he and I split and I missed her too. She called me once to see how I was doing a few weeks ago, but it wasn't the same as seeing her face-to-face.
We stepped into his house and his mother greeted us.
"Where's Beck? I brought Bella for a visit."
"Sorry she went over her friend's house," Mrs. Black stated.
"I guess you should just take me home Jake."
"No, you don't have to leave. Stay awhile. I'm sure she'll be home eventually."
"Come on Jake."
"No, we could . . . I don't know, play video games."
I knew he was just grasping at straws. "Video games?"
"Yeah. I have a Playstation somewhere around here. I used to play a lot in elementary and junior high. I'm probably really rusty, so I don't think I'll beat you too quickly."
Beat me? "Oh those are fighting words," I giggled. "Challenge accepted."
His mom went off to run her errands and left us to set up the Playstation in the living room. We sat side-by-side playing Space Invaders on his couch. It was a comfortable feeling to allow myself the ability to relax and to just have fun. I clicked the button on the right, but it was the wrong move and I was shot. The melody echoed claiming "game over."
"Jake." I had been wondering something over and over in my head and I figured this moment had enough levity to ask.
He started his turn so he was focused on the screen. "Yeah?"
"When you said you were proud, did you have a plan?"
"What are you talking about?" he asked as he killed another column of aliens.
"For the baby," I said staring into my lap.
He paused the game. There was silence, so I lifted my head to face him sheepishly.
"Yeah, I was gonna give you my mom's ring." My jaw dropped slightly. "Of course the actual ceremony would have been after graduation."
"Your mom's ring?"
"Um-hmm. I even spoke to her about it. She was very disappointed with me," he said furrowing his eyebrows in thought. "But she said at least it was with you. She claimed you would give her really smart grandchildren." His eyes slumped to the carpet. "That's plural because . . . well you know." There was a small grin manifesting by his lips.
"You were going to marry me," I whispered.
"It didn't exactly work that way, did it?" he mumbled. My heart thumped at the realization. If he was telling the truth, I would be engaged right now wearing Mrs. Black's beautiful but common diamond solitaire.
After a long silent moment, I spoke not looking at him. "I would want my own ring Jake. It wouldn't matter to me the size, just something you would have seen and thought of me. And at the right time, not because you had to, but because you wanted to." I peeked at him from the corners of my eyes. He nodded.
He stared at me for a second and lifted his hand to touch my face. I moved away before he could make contact. His hand froze in mid-air, clenched into a fist, and lowered.
"So Bella how's that guy of yours?" he asked breaking the tension.
"Um?"
"Demetri."
"Yes, he's fine." I sighed. "I thought you were pretending he doesn't exist?" I shrewdly stated to change the subject.
"I am," he said. There was a smirk on his face.
Rebecca finally showed up and it felt like a big reunion. She pulled me away to her room to get my opinion on its new design. To her it was as if I had never left.
AN: How did you like this chapter? What do you think is going on in Jake's head? Send your comments by clicking review.
~g2r~
