Author's Note: I've decided to fast forward the story a bit because it would be very boring if I included every single detail. So anyways, I'm excited about the next chapter!! It will be mostly Jacob and Cora fluff, which by the way I love fluff. You will soon figure that out later. ;) But then I promise to include some sort of drama. You'll see. But in this chapter I wanted to include Kim because Cora later own grows close to her and Emily. So here it goes…

Disclaimer: (Man these things are annoying.) I do not own anything from the Twilight series.

10. Second Chances

CPOV

I had been in La Push for only two weeks now and it has seemed as if my entire life took on a whole new turn. Emily and Sam as well as the rest of the gang had taken me in as their family. I knew I would never be able to forget my past. It had damaged every fiber in what was left of my heart. But the longer I stayed here the more I seemed to heal. It was as if I had literally died but was brought back to life and given a second chance.

Jacob and me became pretty much, best friends. He never pressured me into anything I wasn't comfortable with though I could tell he wondered often about what I was hiding. Each day we would find something to do and one evening he even took me to his house. Jacob, Billy, and me ended up playing various different card games including black jack. (Since we were broke we only gambled with monopoly money.) I really liked Billy he was nothing but kind-hearted. I could see it in his eyes. He really loves Jacob. I enjoyed watching them as a family even though they were a small family.

Being friends with Jacob seemed so natural. Before I knew it I was even talking about my sister to him. I have never said anything about her to anyone since the accident. But I remembered Lori's personality and sharing some of my favorite memories of her with Jacob. The craziest part about the whole thing was that it didn't hurt to talk about her. I couldn't really quite figure that part out. I remembered seeing the unanswered questions in his eyes that day while eating ice cream.

(Flash back)

"Your sister sounded like a really great person." Jacob said with gratitude for opening up to him for the last half hour while I talked about Lori.

"She really was." I looked off and was ready for some kind of pain to come. But as Jacob sat beside me it never came. I smiled to myself knowing it wouldn't come back as long as I had Jacob. He turned his head to look at me and he bit his lip.

"What it is?" I asked.

"Nothing. I shouldn't ask you to talk about it."

I smiled at him a bit as I realized what he was talking about. "You want to know what happened?"

"It's ok. I won't do that to you. It's to painful." He said shaking his head.

"Actually I think it's time I did. Will you listen for me?" I asked. I really needed him to help me talk about this even if he only listened and never said a word.

"Of course I will." Jacob said gently but I could see the sincerity in his dark eyes. I looked into them for a while mesmerized. I remembered feeling this way whenever I first really saw him and noticed how beautiful he was. It seems as if I have felt something like this before, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I looked away collecting my memories.

"To someone else the accident wasn't one that you would easily remember. There was no drunk driver, Lori wasn't doing anything she wasn't supposed to, and there wasn't a four-car pile up. Her car didn't even flip over. She merely hit a slick patch in the pavement that made her stir of the road a bit. As you can see, there was nothing that would exactly go down in the book of 'Worst Tragic Incidents'. She had everything under control, so say the witnesses, but for some unexplained reasons her tire blowed whenever she went off the road for that split second. Lori then lost control of the car and its left side rammed into a cliff.

Lori had her seat belt on and everything. She was going ten miles under the speed limit. But one of the rocks that were sticking from the cliffs happened to be the precise spot in which she crashed into. It busted through her window killing Lori instantly. It was as if everything had lined up perfectly. The officers do not even have a clue of how she hit that rock like that. Who knew that a rock could change my life forever?"

Jacob watched me as the tears welled up in my eyes about to spill over. I didn't notice at first but when I looked down Jacob had his hand wrapped around mine. I blinked and stupid tears went down my face. I looked away embarrassed even if Jacob was considered, at the moment, my best friend. He pulled my face toward him and he wiped my tears away with his fingers like a mother would do to a child. Even though he was only comforting me I didn't want him to stop but he did.

"Thank you." He whispered. "That meant a lot to me that you would tell me that."

"I should be thanking you Jacob. You're the first person that I've been able to talk to about pretty much anything. It doesn't hurt anymore." I told him as honestly as I could. Jacob deserved to know more about my past. But what I had just told him was enough for now anyways. I dreaded the day I would have to tell him the rest.

He patted me on the back knowing that hugging me would probably make me uncomfortable. "Was it hard to tell me that?" He asked.

"No." I said shocked. "I'm actually relieved that I'm finally able to talk to someone. Thank you for listening."

"Anytime." He said punching me playfully in the arm.

He was about to take a lick of his ice cream cone but then I shoved his arm upwards causing it to smash into his nose. He pulled his hand down and ice cream was splattered all across his face. He pretended to give me a glare but I started cracking up. He immediately gave up on pretending to be angry and his laughter boomed over top mine.

"Earth to Cora." Kim said melodically as she watched me stare at precisely nothing in the mall. I then realized I was standing right in the middle of the store we had gone in about fifteen minutes ago.

"Oh, sorry." I blushed.

"It's ok. What were you thinking about? I for one do not think that you have been staring at those socks for ten minutes because you think they're cute." She whispered at me.

"I was just thinking of how much I'm enjoying myself. Not just by the whole shopping thing, which I am enjoying, but just by living here. It makes me feel...happy." I told her in shock at my own self for telling her how I actually felt. Emily was standing next to Kim with some clothes in her arms. She was smiling almost in shock with one skeptical eyebrow raised.

"Oh." They both said at the same time.

Kim embraced me into a big hug. "I've only know you for a couple of weeks, but it feels as if we've been friends for years. I'm so glad you're enjoying yourself." She said excitingly.

"Me to." Emily agreed patting my hair. "I'd better go and pay for this. Kim, sorry but I have to go home early to work on the 'plans' for tomorrow. Why don't you and Cora go find something 'special' to wear. I believe I've already found something." Emily said holding up a purple blouse and a black skirt. Why were we finding something "special" to wear and what was these "plans" Emily was referring to? Kim grabbed my arm and we headed off to another store. This one had mostly dresses.

"Um Kim. What's going on?" I asked confused.

"Emily didn't tell you? We're throwing Jacob a birthday party!" She said excitingly.

Yes! Whether I had anything to do with it or not Jacob was going to have a birthday party. "So is it a surprise?" I asked hoping that it was.

Kim rolled her eyes as we browsed through the store. Like everyone else, Kim was very easy to get along with. She was different though than anyone else that I have come to be friends with at La Push. Kim had a vibrant nature. There was never a dull moment around Kim.

"Unfortunately, the guys have a hard time keeping secrets from one another. It's embarrassing sometimes." She said with amusement. But also as if she were a little annoyed. "I swear they're like gossiping old women."

We laughed and then Kim suddenly pulled out a white cotton, one piece dress, with little green flowers stitched into the trim at the bottom and all across the top. It also had a light green band going around it just above the stomach. It had no sleeves but straps and it also came with a green sweater that had only one button to hold it together at the top.

"It's perfect!" Kim exclaimed.

"It will look great on you Kim." I said happily.

"Not for me, silly. I was talking about you." She laughed.

"Uh, I can't wear that." I said uncomfortably while holding the dress out.

"Why not?" Kim asked with a frown.

"It's to pretty. I'm not used to stuff like that." I was a jeans and t-shirt type of girl nothing to fancy.

"Your being ridiculous. It will look great on you."

I frowned and whined a bit.

"Just try it on to see if you like it." Kim said reassuring me.

I got the dress and headed toward the dressing room. I changed into the dress awkwardly not even bothering to look in the mirror fearing that I would lose half of my self-esteem if I did. I walked out of the dressing room and Kim squealed with delight.

"it looks great Cora!"

"Are you sure? It feels a little tight." I said pulling at the beautiful dress that I was probably making look hideous.

"No its perfect. Jacob will love it!" she said enthusiastically.

"Why would Jacob like it? I thought I was getting the dress." I said confused again.

"You really are silly Cora. You wont even have to get Jacob a gift. All you have to do is show up in that dress and he will gladly take you as a present." She said in an obvious tone.

"I don't understand."

"Honey, Jacob likes you. You merely walk into a room and his whole face over flows with happiness." She said smiling like I had missed something obvious.

"And you're saying I'm being silly? Kim, Jake and me are just friends. We don't think of each other like that." Of course not! Jacob would never see me as more than a friend. He deserves someone better than me and I don't think I want that anyway. Especially considering what happened last time.

"Maybe not now. But you can't stand there and tell me you don't care about him. I see it written all across your face whenever someone mentions Jacob. It's as if you just start to glow. You love him." She said simply.

"What?! I do not love Jacob!" I shrieked. Everyone in the store looked at me as if I had gone mad.

"Jeez. Relax. I didn't say you were in love with him. I said you love him, as a friend of course. Though I think you might change your mind." Kim stated smiling.

"Jacob is just my friend and no. I've been down that road before and I'm not going back." I told her without a doubt in my mind. There was no way I was going to fall in love again.

"Have it your way." She said as if she had lost interest in the conversation. But while she said it she smiled even more. I rolled my eyes. Jacob and I are just friends. And yes, I did over the last two weeks grow to love him. Only as a friend though.

While Kim looked for an outfit for Jake's party I began to think about him. I know now that I had a ton of friends. There was, especially, Emily. Emily was like my big sister and also my life saver. There was also Kim, Sam, Jared, Paul, Rachel, Quil, Embry, Seth, Collin, Brady and possibly even Leah. But for some reason Jacob was different, more special to me. It was as if he knew and understood every part of me. He didn't make me feel afraid to be myself. He made me feel safe and secure instead. This wasn't the only reason why I loved Jake. (As a friend). But also I just loved him as a person. There wasn't anyone like Jake.

Kim came back and stood in front of me waving her hand up and down in front of my face. I giggled because Kim had to reach pretty high up to even reach my nose.

"What do you keep thinking about?" She asked with a sly expression.

"Nothing." I replied giving her no info.

"Sure." she answered sarcastically.

"Are you ready?" I asked.

"Yeah. We need to give Emily a hand for tomorrow. All the boys will be expecting food."

"Which roughly translated means that we need to make enough food for an army." I joked.

"Pretty much." She laughed.

We paid for our dresses and I quickly ran into a store to get the supplies in which I would make Jake's birthday present. I didn't just want to buy him something that would just so happen to work as a decent present. I wanted to make him something special. It was the least I could do.

Tell me what you think and what you would like to happen in the next chapter. You never know, I might just use your ideas. But enough pestering you all about reviewing and I would just like to say Happy Halloween!! Woo Candy!! Lol.