"Our dark girls
Are setting fire to our suns."
- Helelyos, Sexwitch
()()()
The rest of the ride was quiet and peaceful, scenery blowing by us as I held on tight to Jacob. He'd put on cologne for the date, a stark, artificial one that I would love on anyone except for him. Jacob reminded me of a forest after a storm, not the men's department of JCPenny.
Glancing down at him, I noticed that he hadn't dressed up for this near as much as I had. He was in jeans and a tight fitting, thermal shirt with a duck jacket thrown overtop. For Jacob, at least, this was a lot of clothes.
"Where are you taking me?" I asked, leaning in close as we edged towards another stoplight.
He'd taken the back roads, as Sam had mentioned, and we found ourselves in the suburbs surrounding Port Angeles.
"To an Italian place," he said, his booming voice straining to be heard over the motor. "It came highly recommended by a friend."
The way his voice sounded, I knew it could only be Bella.
I reminded myself what Sam said, about how Jacob's feelings towards her were nothing compared to what he felt for me. I tried to ignore the fire that burned at the back of my throat, the urge to say something I would regret, to cast a spell, to do anything at all in retaliation.
Before I realized I had nothing to retaliate against, a streetlight across from us popped, and went dark. Luckily, Jacob didn't connect it to me, and we continued on in silence. If he could feel my anger, which was unlikely, he said nothing.
We pulled up to the restaurant soon afterwards, Jake parking the bike in a spot directly in front of the little mom and pop place. Despite my dislike of most Italian food, I was more than willing to give this place a try.
"I feel a little overdressed," I admitted, blushing as I looked down at my velvet ensemble. There would probably be families here willing to burn me at stake for little more than the fact that I showed too much leg.
"You look amazing," Jacob said, wrapping an arm around me possessively.
I was never too fond of that, of men acting like I was property, like I was something that belonged to them - but with Jacob, it was different. He meant no disrespect, didn't do it to demean me or to ward off other men. The way Jacob placed his hand on my lower back was less of a warning and more of a pledge: he was ready and willing to do my bidding.
"If you don't like it, though," He added. "We can go someplace nicer."
"I'll like it." I nodded, smiling briefly.
I didn't like, though. Pasta was never my friend and their pizza had too much grease, so I found myself munching on a loaf of free bread while Jacob ordered entree after entree, waiting patiently for me to find something I liked on the menu. I distracted him with conversation, bringing up anything under the sun - movies to music to cars.
I learned he loved action flicks and a good fight, he drove an ancient Rabbit when he wasn't on his bike and had a similar affection for my hand-me-down Wagoneer. He learned I'd watch just about any movie as long as it wasn't about witches, because they were always flawed, and I loved heavy metal music. I told him my favorite band was Sexwitch, only half-joking.
It took Jacob a full hour to realize that I wasn't going to order a dish, and he sat back, feeling like a fool, and asked for the check.
He didn't scold me on the way out, though, only guided me to the bike. He had a serious look on his face and he kept his hands to himself way more than I would've liked him to - I was beginning to worry that I had upset him. Before we headed off, I leaned forward to pepper the half of his neck I could reach with kisses. He responded how I imagined he would, leaning back, allowing me access to his lips.
Then my stomach growled, and he became stoic once more, starting up the bike.
We didn't return home the way we came, though, and he stopped about twenty minutes later in a little town further from Port Angeles. The sign a few miles back had read 'Sequim.'
He cut the engine, turning to look at me, a smile on his face as he nodded towards an IHOP on the corner.
"How did you...?"
"I remember hearing about your love for good breakfast food," He smiled. "I only wish you would've told me you didn't like Italian."
"It took you a little longer than it should've to figure that one out," I laughed, leaning up to kiss him. "I really thought you were mad at me."
He shook his head, leaning forwards to kiss me gently on the lips.
"Never," He whispered before taking my hand and guiding me into the diner.
This was the type of guy I needed in my life.
I was surprised when Jacob got an order of steak and eggs to go with my pecan pancakes.
"Jesus, Jake," I rolled my eyes. "Please, don't make me roll you home. You had about five starters at that italian place."
"Increased appetite," He shrugged, smiling and mouthing 'wolf thing.'
I nodded at him, my eyes lighting up as I saw the waitress returning with my waffle.
"So," Jacob continued. "Popping the streetlamp on the way over here, was that a witch thing?"
"Not so loud," I scolded him lightly.
"Serena, we're at IHOP in the middle of the night, nobody's here to listen in."
"Still, Jake. I don't know what people are going to think of me here - I have to be careful."
"Remember what I said?" He raised an eyebrow in question.
"That you'll keep me safe, that you'll keep Ivy safe, I remember. But, I don't want you to have to." I smiled at him. "And, for the record, that wasn't me. Sometimes light bulbs go out on their own."
"Sure they do, Serena." He rolled his eyes, polishing off his steak and starting on the eggs.
"Ah, guess what I did today?" I said quickly, changing the subject.
"Raised a demon?" I kicked him in the shin, hard, but it didn't seem to hurt him. If anything, my foot was a little sore. He feigned pain, for a moment, to entertain me. "I was kidding! What did you do today, Serena?"
"I got a job!" I said, grinning happily.
"Very nice," Jacob nodded, raising his glass as if toasting me.
"Don't get too excited now," I teased him. "I'm only a subsitute secretary for the Quileute Tribal School. It's nothing too glamorous, Emily helped get me in when we went today to enroll Ivy."
Jacob stared for a moment, and from the look on his face I could tell he was happy for one reason - having a job would keep me in La Push.
"Maybe I should go back to school," He grinned cheekily. "I'd definitely have the hots for my teacher."
"I'd just be your secretary," I rolled my eyes, leaning back. "You'd be what, twelfth grade now?"
"Barely," He scoffed. "I'm still sixteen."
"Seriously?" I said, nearly choking on my water. "You look like you could be buying me beer, Mr. Black. Is that another wolf thing?"
"You bet," He said. "Just think, in a couple of months I'll be jailbait. Isn't that kind of hot?"
"It would be," I nodded, looking him up and down from his ancient eyes to his tree trunk legs. "If it wasn't so unrealistic sounding."
He chuckled, crossing his arms as I slurped down the last of my coffee.
"What time is it?" I asked, pulling out my wallet to pay the waitress. Jacob reached out a hand to stop me. "What? You paid for the Italian place, I'll get this one."
Reluctantly, he let me place a ten dollar bill on the table.
"Sam would kill me if he knew I let you do that," Jacob scoffed. "It's eleven-thirty."
"Sam will kill you if you don't get me home in half an hour."
"We're two hours away," Jacob groaned.
"Do you want to explain that in person, or using wolf telepathy?" The waitress gave me a strange look, but I waved her off.
No one knew us here, we were in no danger.
Jacob started to answer, but my phone began to ring.
