Chapter 10: Hallelujah!
Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight
Billy came to the door in answer to my knocking. He didn't appear to be too happy to see me. "If you're looking for Jacob, he's not here."
"Do you know where I can find him?"
"He didn't say. He waited for quite a while for your phone call, and when it didn't come, he took off."
"Oh gosh. I tried to call, but your phone must be out of order."
His face reflected surprise. "Is that right? Well come on in for a minute."
I followed him into the kitchen. Wheeling over to the land line, Billy laughed. "No wonder—the jack is pulled out of the wall. That must've happened this afternoon when I accidentally ran over the wire.
"Hmn … My son thinks that you went back to your boyfriend when he didn't hear from you. You can understand why he would think that, eh?"
"Good grief. Poor Jake, he must be so heart broken. I've got to find him, Billy."
I stopped off at Embry's. He told me, "I saw him go by a while ago. He was on Bigshot. So just follow the trail of horse patties, and you'll find them both."
"Thanks, Embry."
"Hey, wait a minute. Before you go, can you tell me who won the bet?"
Grinning at the wolf boy, I touted, "Can't you tell? I'm here to pay up. Jake won, hands down! Now, if I could just find him, I could tell him too."
"Woo hoo! I knew it. No one has more fun than the wolf pack. Oh man, wait'll I tell Quil. He owes me ten bucks."
The trail of you-know-what led to the beach. I parked my truck on the rise, and set out on foot.
I caught site of Jacob, astride Bigshot, galloping along the shore, and waved, screeching at him to stop. He glanced over his shoulder for a split second, and kicked the horse's flanks, spurring him on faster.
Running toward the water's edge, I shouted, "Don't go … I told him goodbye, Jake. And I choose you."
He pulled at the reins and Bigshot halted all at once. Jacob turned him around, barreling toward me. As he got closer, he slowed a bit, and with one arm extended, lifted me bodily into the saddle, seating me behind him.
I know it sounds corny, as Jacob would say, but we rode off into the sunset—Jacob at the reins, and me … hanging tightly onto my love, my life … my air, my sun.
JPOV:
How stupid could I possibly be, thinking that Bella would ever become the girl of a penniless boy like me? The cool breeze off the ocean whipped across my face with a slap that woke me up to that realization.
I knocked myself out this past week, and for what? It was all just a wasted effort. Good ol' dumb Jake, in love with a girl who thumbs her nose at her own humanity. I sighed. Forget her, my heart whispered.
Bigshot was galloping along, the spray from the water splashing about his fetlocks and splattering me with the salty liquid. I tried to free my mind of Bella as I rode, but just when the pain seemed to lessen one measly micrometer, her scent drifted toward me, the familiar fragrance hammering my brain with her memory. I heard her screaming at me, and glanced back for an instant. Damn, why did I have to look? I wasn't ready to face the inevitable yet, so I goaded the animal onward at a running gait.
We nearly flew over the frothy sea water licking at the shore. We couldn't run fast enough to evade her voice telling me that she said goodbye to that tick, and had chosen me. Wait a minute … she left that louse and chose me? Jeez, did she really just say that?
I jerked the reins tight and headed in the opposite direction—toward my girl, only slowing enough to lower my arm and hoist her up behind me. With her arms at my waist, I felt my heart unclench and settle in its proper space.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"On an adventure," I said, "for the rest of our lives."
EPOV:
As I neared La Push, I spotted a horse galloping by. On it were two figures that I was well acquainted with.
Jacob had won the bet, won the girl, and won a life worth living. I felt a jolt of sadness pierce my unbeating heart, but strangely, instead of bitterness, I couldn't feel any resentment toward him at all. I only wanted her to be happy. I knew he loved her and would protect her with his dying breath. Bella would no longer be caught in the crossfire of our battle for her heart. I surrendered, leaving her in good hands, and for that I would be grateful for as long as I existed.
The End