Chapter 11 - Erica Tells The Truth
Erica and Jacob stood there looking at each other. Jake finally broke the silence and said, "So...I hope you're feeling better." Erica smiled softly and said, "Yea...I guess it just took someone forcing me home kicking and screaming to make me wake up and realize, It wasn't my fault Max was killed by the Volturi, but it also made me realize something else." Jake said, "Yea...What's that?" Erica said, "I was never in love with Max...I just thought I was. He wasn't my first boyfriend, but he was the first guy I dated who was like me...I guess it was just nice to know he understood what I was going through when I started phasing...I know I come off as a big bitch and a know it all when it comes to the phasing and hunting and learning to control my temper...but the truth is...I have a terrible temper, I just try to throw it off by laughing and joking and so far it's worked." Jake chuckled as he crossed his arms over his chest and said, "And here I thought you were an expert." Erica said, "I'm only an expert in a few things...Keeping my cool is one of them...Everything else is a crap shoot."
Jake dropped his arms to the side and pushed off the wall and walked around Erica in a half circle said, "You didn't really give up on your faith for what we do did you?" Erica ran a hand through her hair and said, "I think sometimes my faith falters. Not because of what we do, but because I see how all of this effects everyone's lives...I mean look at Emily and Sam...Had Sam not been one of us, he never would've imprinted on Emily, he wouldn't have phased on her and scared her for life and they wouldn't have been together...He'd still be with mega bitch Leah...Yea he loved her but her attitude is...Like she's one of those preppy girls and you just want to shove her face first into mud."
Jake laughed hard and said, "Yea...I do on occasion feel like throwing something equally disgusting at her when she's in human or wolf form." Erica laughed and said, "I feel like doing it every time she talks to Sam like he's a piece of crap...Like it's his fault he imprinted on Emily and fell in love with her...ya know...It can't be helped...The heart wants what the heart wants...You can't help who you fall in love with...No matter how hard you try. I mean look and you and Bella." Jake physically winced at the mention of her name. Erica said, "Sorry...I know it's a sore subject...But if you wasn't one of us...you wouldn't have the knowledge to know who Edward Cullen is or what he is...You wouldn't fight so hard to protect her. But at the same time...I think you already know what's going to happen to her in the back of your mind...You know she's going to become one of them...Because that's what she wants...Because that's how much she love's Edward...She's willing to give up everything to love him forever...And I know it hurts...It hurts really bad...But it's something you're going to have to face...You can't make her change her mind and you can't stop her from loving who she loves..."
Jake growled a little and said, "If they break the treaty I'll be forced to kill them all...Well be forced to kill them all...Even...Bella." Erica said, "At this point they are already a liability...Any second, minute, hour, day, week or month...They could all just decided to hunt the easy way...Just go after a helpless human...someone who can't fight for themselves...Why the ancestors made such a mundane treaty with them is beyond my rational thinking. They are soulless animals hell bent on killing everyone or making everyone like them." Jake said, "The Cullen's are different...I don't defend a lot of filthy bloodsuckers but I know they hunt animals because they refuse to live like monsters." Erica said, "They had another choice...At one point all of them were dying in some form and someone gave them a choice...die as a human or die and be a vampire the rest of their lives...They chose being a monster instead of dying with grace and dignity."
Jake could feel his tendons slowly rippling under his skin and said, "Can we change the subject please?" Erica said, "No...because you need to understand something...Mine and Jaci's telepathic abilities only work if you touch the person...And when you kissed me at the cliff...I saw what was in your head...I know you wanna basically kidnap Bella and take her away from here. You think if you force her to leave that she'll just stop loving Edward Cullen...It's never going to happen Jake. You should know that more than anything...Edward knows he fucked up when he left her...He's not going to make another foolish mistake like that again...He was smart enough to realize he almost lost her once to you, he's not about to let that happen again...Sometimes I think Sam should take a lesson from Edward and realize if he doesn't marry Emily soon, he's going to lose her forever...And it may or may not be someone else in the pack...or it may be to a human...to someone who can't protect her at all."
Jake said, "I don't want to talk about Bella anymore." Erica said, "Jake...I wanna show you something." Erica walked into her room and Jake followed behind her...She had a small box sitting on her desk and she picked it up. Jake said, "What is that?" Erica said, "Remember when you and Edward took Bella up the mountain to protect her from the newborns...(Jake nodded)...After you guys came back...It was the same time I came back from Europe, Jaci and I were patrolling in forks and I found this behind Charlie Swan's house." Jake opened the box and his heart fell to his feet...The dream catcher he'd given to her for her 18th birthday lay in the box smashed and pulled apart, he could smell Bella's scent on it, that's how he knew it was the dream catcher he gave her...Jake's breathing was heavy and said, "Where did you get this?"
Erica said, "Jacob...She chose Edward...Clearly if that's how she feels about you, then you're fighting for her for no reason. She doesn't want you, she never did...It's always been Edward...Everyone knows it...Everyone but you." Jake whispered, "Shut up Erica." Erica said, "No...When are you gonna realize you was never in her heart...You saved her life mentally and physically because she was slowly dying without Edward...She used you...She doesn't love you...she never will...She's going to love Edward until the day the earth explodes...But she will however never love you...I know the truth hurts and it sucks...but eventually you're going to have to realize it doesn't matter if you kidnap her and force her to run away with you...When you finally do bring her back she'll go running back to Edward Cullen...She's never going to love you like she loves him...They are like a drug to each other...And you're nothing but food to the both of them."
Jacob dropped the box and walked out...Within seconds of leaving the front porch he phased and took off into the woods...Erica heard him howling once he disappeared within the trees...She really did hate being that forward with Jake...But she had to be honest with him...She had to make him see, Bella was never going to love him the way he wanted her too.