AN: I'm tried of Bella's anti-Edward agenda and therefore I'm hurrying through the next few scenes so I can finally get into something fun to write about. So if this chapter seems rushed, I'm sorry, I can go back and elongate it later if you think it needs that treatment. Honestly I just had to set up a few things before I could move on and I want to thank everyone who read this far! Today I ended up finding an old story I wrote, and man, I used to have a sense of humor- years ago- ha-ha. The way Bella's been going on about, well it's frankly depressing me so without further ago…
Chapter four: Nightmare (part two)
Since my foot wasn't going to allow me to participate in gym I sat on the sidelines like I had before. This should have been a good thing, at least no one was getting injured, but it was just another in the list of bad things that today brought. Now there was no way I could stop my preoccupied mind and the worst part was sitting here reminded me of how happy I had been that first day.
The only good thing about gym today was I didn't have to change my clothes and therefore could leave quickly. I was worried I would run into Edward again. What really pissed me off was the fact that only yesterday I had 'prayed' for that exact thing. How fast things changed.
--
Emmett was already sitting in the truck when I got in, "You look anxious," I commented.
He grunted, "I want to check on Rose." He paused for a moment, "I'm going to drop you off at the Black's place. I'll pick you up at six."
"You don't have to," I replied, though I really didn't want to give up time with Jacob. He was the only person who could brighten this day. "I can call and cancel, Jake will forgive me."
Emmett shook his head, "Jake would never forgive me," he chuckled darkly, no smile touched his face. Maybe I was reading too much into this, he was probably just worried about his girlfriend, maybe wanted to bring her chicken soup; if she was sick which I didn't know for certain, she was. It was a normal reaction, wasn't it? "Plus I have some business down in La Push with Sam anyway."
--
"Emmett's not coming out?" Jacob asked as we waved my brother off.
Jake's smile encouraged me enough to be honest, although lacking detail, "He has some business." I brushed it off, "So what did you want to do?"
He laughed, how nice to hear his good nature. "I was just going to ask you the same thing."
"Something distracting," I murmured.
Jake looked down at me quizzically, "What's wrong?" I was starting to hate those words, so overused lately.
I really didn't want to get into it; I wanted to use Jake like I had used the others today, as a means to forget. "It's nothing," but he wasn't the kind of person to allow me to get away with an 'its nothing', I rolled my eyes, "Just Emmett."
Thankfully Jake didn't press it, just reached his right hand to take my left. "I would suggest taking a walk but your bum leg has successfully ruined that," a smile played on my lips, "Want to just sit in the garage?"
"Sure," I agreed. It would be nice and quiet there, calming.
--
Jake let my hand go once inside, I leaned against his almost finished Rabbit while he got two cans of warm pop from a flat that lay in the corner. He passed one to me, "Sit?" He asked as he swung the driver's side door and motioned for me to go in. I responded as he knew I would while he walked around and got in the passenger side.
"It's really coming along I see," I said in-between sips.
"Yeah, the Rabbit's mostly finished, just needs a part or two."
Like at First Beach a comforting silence blanketed around me while we sipped our sodas. The memory of the last time I had been here played in slow motion in my mind; Jake and Emmett 'talking car', their laughter. I sighed, "When did everything get so complicated?" I surmised.
He laughed softly at this, "When you moved to Forks, maybe before that?" I mirrored his laughter, "What makes you ask?"
"Remembering Emmett."
He full out laughed at this, "Yeah Emmett's always been a joker; hasn't he," It was clear Jacob had missed what I was getting at but the direction he took our conversation was better, "The first time I met your brother he fell in the lake. We were fishing with Charlie and Billy and he wanted to show me that it was possible to catch a fish with just his hands," I laughed at the image the story brought up.
"Sounds like him."
"That's not even the worst of it," he added, "What he did to the worms, now that's a story…"
Jacob launched into story after story in-between some of my own. We were laughing hysterically when Emmett's hand knocking of my window startled me. I opened the door, still laughing, "It's six," Emmett remarked. His tone was unemotional and it was enough to sober me up.
I nodded, "I'll call you," I told Jake as I walked back to reality. I would return soon, I could tell La Push was the only thing that would keep me afloat and though I could stay under for extended amounts of time I would come here to resurface; breathe.
--
"How was Rosalie?" I asked while we drove just above the speed limit down the darkening roads.
"Fine, better," He stated vaguely. I turned up the background radio, knowing that I wouldn't get much more from Emmett in way of conversation. With nothing better to do I let my eyes roam about the small truck. I noticed the glove compartment wasn't quite closed and I reached out and pulled it the rest of the way open.
A brown paper bag lay inside; an odd bulge filled it out, the opening end pointed away from me "What's this?" I asked more to myself then anything.
Emmett's head whipped around and his arm reached over to smack the compartment closed, "Nothing, don't ask."
Every time I talked to Emmett I found myself leaving him his space and this time was no different. I was curious but I trusted him. I let the music engulf me as I watched the road and trees move past me for the rest of the way home.
--
I made vegetable soup from a can while Emmett watched a game from the living room. I was starting to believe Charlie and him used television to distract them from, well, from everything. I wished it was like that for me. "Hey, Emmett, Bella!" Charlie called as he entered the house, "Something smells good," He added.
"Good timing; I just finished." I filled three bowls and set them on the table. Charlie looked ecstatic upon eyeing the food as he passed into the kitchen. Since I had moved in I had mostly taken over the cooking. I had also taken over a large majority of the laundry and grocery shopping but I didn't mind, it was familiar. Honestly, I had started to wonder how they had managed to feed themselves before me. I took three spoons out of the drawer and handed one to Charlie.
Emmett meandered in and I gave him one as well before starting in on my own bowl. "So have you heard from Renee?" Charlie's question was directed at me.
I swallowed, "She called the other day."
"And she's good?" He was trying to be casual but I knew he'd never gotten over her. Emmett looked up at me, as if to agree to my thoughts.
"I guess." I shrugged.
"She just misses you kids."
"I guess," I repeated unsure what else to say.
Charlie changed the topic, "So Emmett the game…"
Emmett's mood gradually turned less oppressive as the night went on but I didn't hesitate at the first chance of escape. I hurried upstairs, grabbed my toiletry bag, my sweats and an old t-shirt before getting into the hot shower. I examined my foot as the water cascaded down my aching back, it was bruised but that didn't say too much about the injury, I was like a peach. Usually I forgot what caused the cut, scrape or bruise before they healed.
The water ran cold by the time I let myself get out and dry off. I didn't want to sit downstairs and listen to my family talk about sports, act happy and whatever else made them feel normal but I also didn't want to go to sleep. I dreaded the possibility of dreaming of Edward again but it was evitable.
And I was right to dread, the dream replayed in agonizing detail three times before morning released me.
--
In the three months that followed Emmett, Sam, Jacob, Emily and my 'friends' from school and I grew closer. It was to be expected, time has a way of bonding people. Rosalie and I were fine with each other but she held herself at a distance and I had no intention of broaching her barriers. She was around often, even stayed over for dinner, but we barely spoke, Emmett talked enough that it didn't seem notable.
I ate with Jessica and her gang at lunch again; there was only one main change. Tyler had joined out table along with a few of his friends. I started to worry that I had gained a new 'fan' but mostly ignored it like I did with Mike and Erick.
Edward and I hadn't spoken still. When we were forced to do labs I refused to acknowledge him and he didn't seem to care either way. I didn't dread biology but I wasn't excited for it either, it was as it always should have been. The dreams grew worse the more I tried to deal with them on my own but I found Jacob's presence in my life seemed to help. He and I had quickly become 'best friends' and although I wanted to deny it I knew there was something else there, or at least something else there for him. He was keeping me happy, I was using him, but I returned to La Push practically every other day regardless, selfishly.
Since so little was going wrong I should have seen the unsteady waters coming closer, coming quickly. My luck had never been of the good persuasion after all…
AN: So good and bad news
Bad first; the happy ending I had been planning to write doesn't feel right anymore and it leaves too many questions unanswered so now I don't know how this is going to end. Another mystery to add to the growing list I have about the loose ends in this story.
The good; room for suggestions ;) ha-ha.
I just really wanted to thank anyone who has been reading my story, and I mean that in complete sincerity. It means a lot that anyone would take their time on this :D :D!