Chapter Eleven

Jasper

I hadn't expected Bella's response to my statement but it was fun to see her tear into Jake for all that. Now I had to find a way to re-establish contact with her, I had a feeling my e mails would go unanswered. I suppose I should have realized how much it would hurt her to be reminded of that night three years ago but I needed answers. I couldn't go on like this, following her, trying to settle for being close without touching or speaking to her. It was hard but I'd set back my progress more or less to the start again. I sat with my head in my hands trying to calm her but she was so angry I was being repelled violently. Why was she so angry and hurt if Edwards tale were true? I picked up my phone and made a call.

Bella

I felt dreadful when I got up, glad that Charlie had to work today, it would give me time to get over the shock of last night. I was ashamed of my reaction in front of Billy and Harry not to mention my dad but even more ashamed that I'd let Jake get through to me. I went downstairs when the door bell rang, ready for another confrontation with him but it was a delivery guy standing there with a huge bouquet of purple hyacinth,

"Miss Swan?"

"Yes"

"Boy, somebody must have really upset you"

"What?"

"These babies symbolize sorrow over a situation and beg forgiveness"

"How do you know that"

"I heard the guy in the shop telling a trainee as he made the bouquet up"

I took them from him and went inside, Jake sending me flowers to say sorry? I wondered if the delivery guy was just spinning me a tale so I turned on my tablet and checked, he was right but how did Jake know that?

The chat box popped open,

"I'm so sorry Bella, please forgive me"

"Go to hell Jake"

"Please, I'm not Jake"

"Then who are you?"

"A friend"

"No name, no more conversation and you can stuff your flowers."

"Please meet me. I'll be at Starbucks in Port Angeles at midday. Please Bella."

I turned my tablet off, if he really thought that some stupid ploy was going to get me to drive all the way to Port Angeles just so he could pop up and say sorry he was very much mistaken. Besides I didn't have a car and I certainly wasn't bussing it.

I heard a knock at the door and groaned, what now? A truck load of pansies or something? Opening the door ready with a rebuff I was surprised to see Jake standing there looking really downtrodden.

"What do you want now?"

"Bella I want to know what I did last night. I've thought about it over and over all night and I don't know"

"Then lets forget it shall we."

"Can I come in?"

"Its Charlies house so I can hardly stop you can I?"

I walked through to the kitchen putting the kettle on and noisily banging two mugs down on the counter. As I poured the boiling water into the mugs I saw Jake looking at the hyacinths and waited for a comment but he looked upset.

"What's the matter?"

"Some one is sending you flowers? I thought Jude wasn't the romantic type?"

"HE isn't."

"So who are they from?"

"No idea Jake why don't you tell me"

"Me? I don't even know what they are. My knowledge of flowers stops with a bunch or a single one. I can just about tell the difference between a daisy and a tulip."

I looked searchingly into his face but saw nothing but honesty there.

"I wondered if you'd like to go out today, to La Push or somewhere?"

"I have a meeting in Port Angeles"

The words were out before I knew it.

"Oh, you need a lift? I can wait and bring you back if you like."

I didn't want Jake with me but a lift was certainly tempting.

"Could I borrow your car Jake?"

"Why don't you want me to go with you? Meeting someone I wouldn't approve of?"

"Yeah my bank manager."

"Oh right. Well I guess so, I have my bike back at the Res. You sure you don't want me to go with you?"

"Positive. I may be some time anyway, I have to sort out the rest of my student loan and open a new account for my job"

"The one in Phoenix?"

"That's the only one I have Jake, so yes."

After he left, saying he'd hitch a ride back to the Res I sat looking at the keys, why had I said I had business in Port Angeles? If Jake wasn't my mystery flower lover then who was? Who had sent the flowers saying please forgive me? I wasn't sure whether to go and if I did whether to be excited or apprehensive. I went back up to my room and turned my tablet back on but the screen was clear, no more messages. Now was that because Jake had been lying and it was him, he could hardly e-mail me while he sat in my view or was it because my mystery man had already left for Port Angeles, or something else? My head started to ache and I washed down a painkiller with the rest of my cold coffee, still undecided. The phone rang and I jumped, my nerves were bad today, it was being back in Forks, the place made me nervous and unsettled these days.

"Swan residence"

"Bella I'm gonna be late home honey, we have a search party to organise, hikers got lost somewhere in the woods. They never go properly prepared."

Well that made my decision for me!

"That's OK dad I'm going to Port Angeles to do some errands"

"How are you getting there?"

"Jake's leant me his car"

"You and Jake OK now?"

"Yeah, it was a misunderstanding."

"Good, you two used to be good friends and I don't like to see you arguing. Any idea what time you'll be back?"

"Not really but I'll make sure I drive back before dark"

"Good."

As I drove away from Forks I still wasn't sure whether I was going to meet my secretive friend but I would be close enough to make a snap decision. I parked up and went to browse my favourite bookshop, I wasn't looking for anything in particular but it passed an enjoyable hour and I came out with a couple of new books and a replacement copy of Pride and Prejudice. My old one had finally decided to fall apart and I had thrown it away with much regret. Looking at my watch I saw it was 11.30. and I had a dilemma, did I go or did I not? If I did should I arrive early so I could see my secretive friend before he saw me and decide whether to meet or not, or did I breeze in at 10 past 12 as if I hadn't a care in the world? As I mused on this my feet made their own independent decision and I found myself outside Starbucks just before midday. Looking through the window I didn't see anyone I recognised and suddenly decided it was a really bad idea to be meeting a stranger here, but then what if it weren't a stranger but Edward or even Jake who could have got here by now.