Hi all! So so sorry for the long wait, it was only a few days ago I realized it had been a MONTH since I had updated. Shame on me! I had a busy November. My husband and I actually went on a cruise so that took up some writing time lol. I enjoyed writing a lot of this chapter and I hope it shows. Thanks to Jennifer for beta-ing cuz my use of Notepad screwed up some things and she spotted them. Also to quote her, she said "this was like the best chapter EVER!" so I hope you share in her enthusiasm. This is a great compliment from her considering she's Team Edward...yet, I love her anyway :) Also, my husband is a sweetheart for letting me bounce ideas off of him as he drives, which I know can be completely annoying having to listen to stuff you're not even remotely interested in. But that's what marriage is about right? LOL. Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 13- The Aftermath and Unforeseen Incidents

Instead of facing everyone at the beach and being the coward that I am, I sent "I'm staying" text messages to all of my friends. I had no doubt the news would get to my dad considering he was right there with them. I would have been happy to tell them in person, but the thought of so much attention just didn't appeal to me at the moment. I guess it felt bitter sweet.

I trudged my way back to the house. It was dark enough now that I had to rely on the wee bit of moonlight that shown through the trees to guide me. Once I was in my own backyard again, I climbed the porch steps and made my way to my bedroom. Even though I was happy to be staying, it was still distressing not knowing when the next time I'd see my mom would be. I hadn't been away from her this long before.

I decided to get ready for bed, but before I could even find pajamas, I heard the front door crash open. My first thought was, Oh great, someone has decided to break into the house when I'm the only one here. But after a few seconds, I heard not only one person, but several.

"Isabella Marie Swan! Where the hell are you?" I recognized Leah's voice as she shouted from the living room. I was actually a little scared to face her and whoever she was with.

I timidly opened my bedroom door and poked my head into the hallway. I looked toward the front room and saw that all my friends where piling through the door, Leah in front with her hands on her hips. Upon further inspection, I saw that she had a smile on her face.

"I can't believe you're staying!" She squealed as she ran down the hallway towards me. She grabbed me into a huge hug and I could have sworn she was close to tears.

"It's not that big of a deal," I said, trying to make her feel better.

"What? Are you kidding me? This is a huge deal!"

Just as she said this, Angela came running down the hallway as well. We all ended up tangled in a three-person hug. If anything, this solidified my decision to stay. I hadn't realized until La Push the female interaction that I needed, and now that I knew what it felt like, it would have been hard to leave my best girlfriends.

My phone rang around that time and Leah and Angela went back towards the front of the house while I answered the dreaded phone call.

I flipped it open, "Hi, Mom."

"…Is this what you want?" She didn't sound angry. She didn't even sound sad. She sounded genuinely as if she could be okay with this if this was what I wanted.

"I really love it here and I can't imagine leaving it now. I'll miss you a lot, but I have to do what I fell is best…for me." It was hard to get those last two words out. All my life, I couldn't remember ever saying those two selfish words, but I knew it was time.

"As long as it's for you and not Charlie, like your voicemail said, I'm fine with it. But, honey, he's a grown man. You don't have to take care of him."

"I don't want to take care of him, mom. I want to spend time with him. I think I could really be happy here."

"All I ever wanted was for you to be happy." I heard her sniffle as she said this. Great, now I made her cry.

"I know. And now you can travel more with Phil. It'll be fun." I tried to sound cheery and it seemed to work a little.

We talked for a few more minutes and I explained what I would need sent here from her house, which made her cry even more. After assuring her that I loved her, I had to hurry off the phone since I heard more house guests arriving and I was curious as to who they were.

The kitchen was completely filled with my La Push buddies who had brought all the food from the beach plus more. Charlie straggled in a little later with pizza and ice cream. Apparently, my staying was cause for celebration. I hadn't seen my dad so happy since the day he met me at the airport. Over the summer it seemed as if the light in his eyes was dimming. But now that I was staying, he looked like the cheerful guy I had always loved.

Charlie was in such a jovial mood, he even let Seth play his music loud. Everyone was dancing and having a good time, but about a half hour into the "party" I noticed something seemed off. After a few minutes of searching, I realized this party was one guy short. Jake. He wasn't here. My best friend wasn't here. Didn't he care that I was staying? After all, he was the one trying to convince me that La Push was my home. Yet, here I stand in the middle of all my friends without the one I spent the most time with this summer.

I quickly found my dad. Maybe he would have the answer. "Dad, have you seen Jake around?" I asked.

"Jake? He left the beach right after you did. I thought he had followed you."

"No, I haven't seen him."

"Maybe he went home."

After I confirmed that Billy didn't know where Jake had gone either, I attempted to call him numerous times. After about the thirtieth time, I hung up and felt my eyes start to burn. No one around me seemed to notice my mood and they continued to sing, dance, and eat. It was like being on a merry-go-round when you were sick. You want to find a way off, but it's not as easy as it seems. So instead of being rude, I slipped away from the group to the one place I could hope not to be interrupted. The bathroom.

As I sat on the edge of the tub staring at the bathroom door, I started to question my decision for the first time. I guess with how passionate Jake had been about me staying here, I had expected a little more reaction out of him. What I didn't expect was for him to be completely missing.

I stayed perched on the tub for another five minutes listening to the sounds going on in the house. I could guess each person as they took turns for karaoke, I heard shouts every now and then for Seth to play a certain song, and I heard each time the front door was opened. After one particularly loud entrance from someone, I decided it was time to come out of my safe zone. It was rude to be missing from my own party. Enough with the sulking.

I stood up to look myself over in the mirror, making sure there were no traces of puffy eyes or a red nose. As I was reaching for the door knob, someone lightly tapped on the other side.

"Bells? Are you in there?" I heard him ask. I guess he decided to finally show up.

"Yeah," I responded.

"What are you doing?"

"Two guesses," I said back sarcastically.

"You aren't using the bathroom, I can tell. You're too close to the door." Damn. Why didn't I think of that?

"Can I help you?" My plan was to just change the subject.

"I came over to see you."

Maybe I could make him give me answers first. "Where have you been?"

"At home in the bed. I didn't answer my phone because I thought it was one of the guys. I just ignored it. I'm sorry."

"Why were you sleeping, it's still early?" I wondered.

"I wasn't sleeping. There was too much on my mind. I didn't feel like talking to anybody because I was upset about you leaving tomorrow." His voice steadily got lower as he finished talking, like he was afraid to admit this to me.

I don't know what made me do it, but I unlocked the door and stepped back. Jake turned the handle and pushed open the door. He must have just ran over here because all he had on were a pair of sleep pants that had the Big Dog logo emblazoned all over them. His hair was down and his bare chest was heaving like he was out of breath.

His eyes locked with mine and he spoke in a whisper that I could barely hear, "You're staying?"

I slowly nodded my head and before I knew it, he was across the bathroom lifting me up into a huge bear hug. I couldn't help but laugh at his theatrics, but deep down I was elated to get this response from him. My best friend was glad I wasn't leaving after all.

As my feet once again found purchase on the floor, I looked up into his dark eyes. My hands were resting on his biceps and his were placed on my hips now. I could feel his breath on my face and how warm his chest was against mine. This interaction had suddenly turned dangerous. I didn't know what to do next. We had been this close before, but never with this nervous hum in the air. Any words I could have spoken were caught in my throat but I didn't know what to say anyway.

"What made you change your mind?" he asked in a deep yet quiet voice. I saw how his eyes flicked from my eyes to my mouth. I had seen those gestures before, only with a different person, and I knew what they meant. There was no way Jake wanted to kiss me. Or was there?

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious. Jacob Black probably had the best lips I'd seen up close so far. They were big and wet and juicy…I wonder how they taste…Snap out of it! He's like your freakin' brother for crying out loud!

I opened my mouth to answer him, but my mind couldn't form a response. I shook my head to remove the fog surrounding it. "I didn't want to leave Charlie, my friends, the garage…" Should I say it? "You." The last part was said in a whisper. I knew it was the truth, but why was it so hard to say?

I had taken up looking at his neck, which was eye level, to keep from looking at his face. After I finished speaking, his breathing started to pick up and I was afraid I had made him upset or something so my evasion of eye contact was no longer possible. I had to look at him to know how he was feeling and when I did, my eyes flicked to his lips. Oops.

Jacob's hands tightened on each of my hips and he pushed me roughly against the bathroom wall. I opened my mouth to protest as my back hit the wall, but all that escaped me was a slight moan. I felt heat pool between thighs and I was taken aback at the effect this guy was having on me. My stomach was in knots and I suddenly felt light-headed.

He put each of his hands flat against the wall on either side of my head. But my gaze was on his abs, which I now took full notice of. I wanted to touch them and see how his skin felt under my fingers, so…I did. When I glided down past his pecks onto his abs, I watched as his eyes rolled back and he shivered. I bit my lip at the intensity of his reaction. He seemed so vulnerable, yet when he opened his eyes, I saw no vulnerability. I saw pure hunger.

Jacob crashed his lips into mine before I even saw it coming. I felt one of his hands glide down my side and clutch my behind so he could pull me flush against him. His other hand grabbed a handful of my hair and pulled it back so my neck was exposed to him. Again, I let out a moan I was completely powerless in stopping.

As his lips attached themselves to my neck, he took both hands and hoisted me up so I could wrap my legs around his waist. Even though we still had our clothes on, it was a relief to have any friction he could give me. I rocked against him a few times and when he adjusted his stance, I could feel evidence that I wasn't the only one enjoying this.

I dug my nails into his back and relished in the unfamiliar feelings that were coursing through my body. I wasn't an expert at this kind of thing, but this had to be pretty good. I could barely breathe and my body seemed to have a mind of its own. My legs pulled Jake even closer, my hands touched every bare area I could find, my breaths came in gasps, and my lady parts were enjoying this entirely too much.

I felt him pull the left strap of my shirt down and nip and suck at my shoulder and collar bone. This drove me absolutely crazy. My legs embarrassingly spasmed around him and I made high-pitched squeal that I didn't think I would be capable of before now. He caught it with his mouth and our tongues tangled for what seemed like hours. Our moves collided perfectly and I melted into the savor that was him.

"Jake," I said, whispering the only thing on my mind at this point in time. He was all that surrounded me. His heat was all I felt. His skin, his hair, his muscles, his lips, his taste encompassed everything else.

"Bella," fell off his lips. This confirmed that he, too, felt the intensity of this. We were caught up in our own little world, just this once. No garage, no responsibilities, no parents...

Wait. Parents. Friends. The other room. Oh my gosh...

It took all the will-power I possessed to detach Jake's lips from mine. And when I did, he wasn't angry or hurt, he just leaned his forehead against mine.

He lightly laughed, "I was wondering when we'd come back to our senses."

"Thankfully, soon enough. Before we did something even more stupid." I didn't mean it to sound so harsh, but it probably came out that way.

I slowly retracted my legs from around his waist as I was lowered back down the wall that I was still pinned up against. When I was safely standing on my own two feet, (a little wobbly, I might add) I attempted to straighten my clothes and hair as Jacob attempted to deal with other things. He was staring at the opposite wall taking deep breaths and chanting something that sounded like "dead puppies, dead puppies." I couldn't help but notice that the foot of space that was in between us was almost completely bridged by his erect member. Meaning, from the looks of it, it was way above average length.

I swear I hadn't meant to stare, but from the amused look I received from Jake, I'm sure he didn't mind my curiosity.

"See something you like?" he quipped.

Blushing, I responded, "Oh, shut up."

"Was there a reason you were staring?"

Duh, just wondering if they're supposed to be that huge. "I wasn't staring, just...curious."

"I can quench your curiosity, if you'd like," he said playfully, reaching towards his waistband.

"No, no, no. I just thought it looked..." I really didn't want to finish my sentence.

"Looked what?" His eyes held a twinkle that let me know he knew full well what I wanted to say. He just wanted to hear it come out of my mouth.

"Never mind." I shook my head. "We shouldn't even be talking about this."

"You're right. Sorry." He cleared is throat. "I'm not really sure what just happened here...," he trailed off.

"I think we were both just caught up in the moment. We were excited that I'm staying in La Push and things just got carried away. It would probably be better if we forget this ever happened."

"Yeah, I mean, you see it in movies all the time. Friends usually end up making out somewhere completely random and don't remember it the next day. Except in our case, it'll be by choice. Not by alcohol or drugs or something," he joked. I could tell he was trying to act like this was no big deal, but we both knew it was. Neither one of us chose to mention that in movies, those friendships he mentioned were never the same again.

I'll admit that I lay in bed that night wondering why all of sudden I was attracted to Jake. I came to the conclusion that I had come so close to leaving him tomorrow that the feelings of relief I felt by staying had been somewhat confused as attraction. He was my best friend in all senses of the word and now I was scared we had ruined the great camaraderie we had developed.

Again, I was wrong. The days went by in the garage like always and we never once mentioned our bathroom extravaganza. Maybe I should rephrase. Everything on the outside was the same, but I looked at Jake in a whole new way now. The first day that we saw each other after our "incident," he wore a tank top which displayed deep red scratches on his back and shoulders. I had no doubt they were my doing and that he didn't wear that shirt by accident. Even though it was a subtle reminder of that night, it still made my heart beat faster at the sight of it.

Ignoring the elephant in the room became our specialty. We settled back into the light conversations we had before the "incident" (as I've decided to call it) and kept it our little unspoken secret. I had even made a second date with Emmett once he found out I was staying in town, but it came with a price to pay.

I had went to the grocery store on Charlie's request a few days before to pick up some things that he hadn't had time to get. I saw Jasper collecting carts outside and Emmett came into view as soon as I walked through the sliding doors. He and Rosalie were goofing off and trying to create a pyramid with the soda display.

Instead of interrupting, I made my way through the aisles to get the items I needed since I'd probably speak to him when I finally made it to the cash register. I said finally because I'd never been in here before, so I had no idea where anything was. I walked down each aisle searching like a lost puppy for each specific thing on my list. What I didn't expect was to see Edward sweeping the floor on aisle seven.

"Okay, I officially need help," I blurted out.

He looked up and his crooked smile spread across his face when he realized who I was. "Mental or physical?" he asked.

"Well, not personal help. Just help finding everything Charlie needs. I feel like I've been up and down every aisle already." I was beginning to sound like I was whining.

Edward laughed. "No problem. Let me see your list." I handed it to him. "This'll take us no time."

He was right. Edward found everything like a pro, which didn't surprise me. He'd probably stocked these shelves hundreds of times. We talked about school starting soon and the fact that I decided to stay. He seemed very interested in why I made my choice. It was hard to explain, but I simply stated I wanted to spend more time with Charlie. No use telling him I basically had no friends to go home to, besides my mom.

I had never found it easy to shop, in any store, with a male. Though surprisingly, it had been a breeze to shop with Edward simply because he understood a lot of my preferences as he escorted me throughout each aisle. I had learned that he, also, enjoyed cooking and appreciated the art of culinary satisfaction. Some of the things on Charlie's list were for mediocre cooks, so I knew better than to buy them.

As we approached the checkout counter, it kind of got awkward. Emmett was running the cash register and when he spotted me he ran around the counter and scooped me into a hug.

I glanced at Edward who gave Emmett a questioning look. I tried to light-heartedly laugh and said, "Hi to you too, Emmett."

"It's good to see you Bella. I've been expecting a text telling me you were heading back to Phoenix," he responded.

"Nope, I've decided to settle down in La Push with my dad."

His eyes got huge. "No way! That's awesome!" He held his hand up for a high five which I returned. "Too bad you won't be going to our school, you'd love it."

"I've got a lot of friends on the Reservation, so hopefully it won't be too bad."

"Now you'll be around to watch me finish my last year of high school football." Emmett jutted his lip out like he was pouting.

"So you're a senior?" I asked, feeling stupid that I didn't know this before now.

"Yep, so is Rose and Jasper. Alice and Eddie, here, are juniors," he clarified.

"Don't call me Eddie," Edward said through clenched teeth. Obviously, this wasn't the first time Emmett had called him that.

"This Friday everybody who's anybody will be at the old drive-in on Saunders Street," Emmett rambled on without paying any attention to Edward's comment. "It's kind of a back-to-school bonfire for the high school kids around here. The owner of the drive-in usually has some kind of event every month or so, probably to keep all the teenagers out of trouble." He laughed. "But if you want to go, I'd be glad to take you. We pretty much eat, hang out, and catch a flick or two. It's a blast."

Again, I glanced at Edward who was pretending to bag my groceries, but I could tell he could hear every word that was said. I guess I felt bad that Edward had spent the past half hour helping me, but here I was getting asked out by another guy. Not that Edward had even given any hint that he was interested in me.

"Umm, I guess that sounds fun. Maybe I'll meet some more people I'll be going to school with in a few weeks."

"Great! I'll pick you up around seven."

The deafening silence between Edward and I as he carried my bags to my truck was awkward to say the least. The ease with which we spoke earlier was now gone and it kind of made me sad. Our earlier chat seemed to have drifted away at the checkout counter.

When he finished loading the bags onto the bed of the truck, I decided it was time to say something. "I'm sorry if Emmett made you feel uncomfortable in there."

He shrugged his shoulders. "No, it's not that…I just…he kind of stole my thunder."

"Your thunder? What does that mean?" I said, barely able to hide the giggle that was lodged in my throat.

"You know, like he did something before I could, taking the focus off of me and putting it on himself." Edward's eyes were glued onto the ground and his face flushed a little.

I was completely dumbfounded. I was afraid to say anything because it might be the wrong thing. His feelings were hurt and he was embarrassed, which in turn, caused me to be embarrassed for him. It was one of those moments where you want to give someone a hug to make them feel better, but you don't think you should because it might make things worse. What. A. Dilemma.

"Umm..." was all I could manage.

He looked up at me and quickly spoke. "I wasn't going to ask you to go to the drive-in or anything. There's just this thing…and I know you like food…I mean, making food…and I wasn't going to go, but if someone were to come with me…," he trailed off. This had to be the longest five minutes of his life, because I know it was for me. "Never mind. I'll see you around."

Before I could say anything else, he spun around on his heel and walked back towards the entrance of the store. I had to pull myself out of the stupor I was in and once I got in the truck, I glanced in the rear-view mirror. This was the price I had to pay: hurting a great guy's feelings just to go on another date with Emmett. If I had known dating would be this hard, I doubt I would have started in the first place.

Apparently, the drive-in was even bigger news than I thought. In the couple months I had been here, no one had even mentioned it. But the "Back-to-School Bash," as they were calling it, seemed to be on everyone's radar. Jake confirmed that the whole gang would probably go, which furthered my second date dilemma. I'd rather not have Jake watching my entire night with Emmett, thank you very much.

Unfortunately, my knowledge of the drive-in sparked Jake's interest and he pried it out of me that I had a date.

"You sure are weighing all your options aren't you?" he asked, smiling arrogantly.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, this is the second person you've went out with in less than…what? Three weeks."

"Actually, it's still the first person," I shot back. I didn't like him assuming I was some trashy girl who'd just go out with anybody. Okay, so maybe Emmett wasn't my first choice, but he'd asked me out first and those were the rules. He was still a great catch.

After Jake comprehended what I meant, I watched his jaw tighten and he turned back to the task he was doing on the Lincoln we were servicing.

"Don't go all pouty face on me just because I'm going out with Emmett again. You said you'd back me up as my best friend," I reminded him.

His face softened. "I'm sorry. But you better promise me I won't catch you two making out behind the refreshment stand or I won't be responsible for my actions." By his tone, I could tell he was only half serious.

"What kind of person do you think I am?" I laughed. "PDA isn't one of my specialties. And neither is kissing for that matter." I blushed at my admission.

"What do you mean?" Jake had suddenly become interested in this conversation. He had even laid his tool down.

"What part of that didn't you understand?"

"The kissing part. You don't think you're good?"

I tried to focus my attention on the bolt I was tightening, but my face felt red-hot. Ignoring him crossed my mind, but this was Jake, he'd badger me until I answered.

"I just doubt I am. I've kissed a whopping two guys in my whole life."

"Who would they be?" Wow. He was really enjoying this. Jake was now propped next to me with his arms crossed and a smug grin on his face.

"Shut up."

"Well, maybe you should ask them if you're any good. If it were me, I'd like to know if I sucked at it or not. I mean, you don't want to embarrass yourself if Emmett wants a little sugar Friday night."

My head snapped up to his face and I could see he was fighting back laughter. I took a greasy cloth and threw it at his face as he busted out into a fit of giggles.

"You are such a moron," I said as I walked over to the workbench and plopped down on it. I wasn't in the mood to work anymore.

He slowly walked over to me and crouched down so we were eye level. He leaned his arms on the top of my legs and his face was inches from mine…yet again.

That annoyingly cute and cocky smile spread across his face again. "You could kiss me, for example. I don't mind if you want to use me to experiment," he said in his deep, sultry voice.

I felt and heard my breath catch in my throat. It was an enticing idea, but I think he was just toying with me. Before I could accidentally-on-purpose glance as his perfect set of lips, I jumped to my feet, effectively throwing him off of me.

"I think I'll take my chances," I said striding over to the tool box.

He smirked and shrugged his shoulders. "Suit yourself, but don't say that I didn't offer."

And we continued on with our work as if nothing ever happened. What exactly our relationship was turning into, I had no idea.

That Friday, Leah and Angela were at my house two hours before we were scheduled to leave. Our friends would all be meeting at Jake's house also at seven to head to the drive-in. I was jealous that I couldn't tag along with them, but my night would be spent with God-knows-who besides Emmett.

Leah made me try on at least ten different outfits before she was satisfied with my denim skirt and yellow halter top. She reminded me that I'd be the star quarterback's date and I had to look hot. This reminder did nothing to calm my nerves. Tonight would possibly be a vital stepping stone in the next two years of my life. Over the summer I hadn't worried too much about making an impression, but now that I was staying, my image was at stake. Tonight could most likely decide if I'd be accepted by my peers or deemed as one sitting at the loser's table at lunch.

At a quarter 'til seven Emmett showed up in his infamous Jeep. I waved goodbye to Leah, Angela, and the rest of the crowd who were piling into three cars in front of Billy's house. The smug grin that Jake shot me made me roll my eyes as Emmett helped me climb into the passenger's side.

As we were riding down the road, we made small talk as usual. We discussed football games, classes, how everyone reacted to my decision, and what movies we would be watching that night. The drive-in would be playing "What Happens in Vegas" and "Grown Ups," which I was super excited about. Comedies rocked.

While we talked about the movies, Emmett tuned the radio to the station we could hear them on as they were playing. I watched his big paw-like hands skim through the channels and marveled at how giant they seemed. What I didn't see coming was him placing his hand on my bare knee. Surprisingly, it didn't make me uncomfortable or nervous, which was weird. As big as Emmett is, he could easily take advantage of me and I'd have no say in it, but I knew I had nothing to worry about.

The drive-in seemed to be fashioned like the one in the movie Grease, just without the speaker boxes at each car. As soon as we parked, Emmett opened his door to get out. I reluctantly followed. He grabbed my hand and held it again like he had done at the fair, which wouldn't have been so bad if everyone hadn't seemed to be looking at us.

I felt my face blush as Emmett led us by this group of girls (probably cheerleaders) whose faces reflected that of shock and jealousy. I kept my face looking forward and saw he was headed towards a group of guys sitting on the tailgate of a blue truck. I didn't recognize any of them, but they all smiled when they saw our clasped hands.

"McCarty! 'Bout time you showed up," a tall, slim guy with blonde hair said.

"This must be the legendary Bella," said another guy who jumped off the back of the truck and made his way towards us.

"Yep, guys this is Bella. She's Chief Swan's daughter, so you have to be nice to her regardless." We all laughed at Emmett's announcement and he proceeded to go around the group and introduce me to each person, even though I probably wouldn't remember them all.

I kind of felt like the odd-man-out for the next half hour. Emmett and his football buddies discussed this upcoming season, teachers they hoped to get or not get, and other miscellaneous stuff that had me bored out of my mind. I had spotted Leah about ten minutes ago about six cars away, but I thought it might be rude to go searching for a friend when I was supposedly Emmett's date. Don't get me wrong, Emmett tried to include me in some of their discussions, but my lack of familiarity with Forks and Forks High wasn't helping my case.

Thankfully, Emmett decided he wanted to grab some snacks before the movie and we made our way to the concession stand. Once we got there, I wished I would have stayed in the car. Jacob and Quil were standing at the counter waiting on nachos. Quil spotted me first and he nudged Jake and pointed in our direction. I shot Quil the filthiest look I could muster. I had thought we were buddies, but here he was, throwing fuel into the fire. Ass.

Jake's eyes met mine. "I knew you couldn't stay away from me too long Bells."

I scoffed and glanced up at Emmett who gave me a questioning look. "He's kidding. He's just being a douche."

Emmett plastered his trademark smile on his face and grabbed my hand again. "Well, in that case, let's get some grub."

The best thing about Emmett was his ability to never let anything piss him off or make him uncomfortable. He stepped up to the counter beside Jake who didn't seem to intimidate him. He ordered what he wanted, asked what I wanted, and nodded his head as we left to the two Quileute guys who seemed dead-set on messing up my date.

Not gonna happen today fellas. I smugly waved at them as we walked out. Asses.

As we snacked on popcorn and candy and watched the opening scenes of Grown Ups in the front seats of the Jeep, I couldn't help but steal glances down the row of cars in search for my La Push friends. I tried to convince myself it was for no one specific, but who was I kidding? I actually witnessed tall, dark-skinned, chesty girls approach Jake, as he and a few of the guys were spread out on the cab of Embry's truck, and I felt my temperature rise just a few degrees. Whatever, he can talk to who he wants. I was such a hypocrite.

The movie was funny, or at least the parts I could focus on. I was starting to wonder if people came to watch the movie or just hook up with hot La Push guys. I'd have to go with the latter if I was judging the majority of girls walking around here. Sluts.

Geez, what was up with the name calling tonight? I chalk it up to PMS.

During the twenty minute intermission, I made my way to the restrooms which were surprisingly cleaner than I thought they'd be. There was a massive line, but when you gotta go, you gotta go.

Upon exiting the bathroom, I noticed the commercials for the next movie had started and in my haste to get back to the Jeep, I crashed into a rock-hard chest and fell back onto the gravel. My hands and my butt caught the brunt of the fall, but my ego took the biggest hit. Without even looking up, I began apologizing.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't even paying attention," I mumbled as I tried to pick the rocks off the heel of my hands. Damn, that hurts.

"Are you alright? I didn't mean to knock you down." My collision buddy said as he crouched down beside me. "Bella?"

I looked up and realized why his voice sounded so familiar. Edward's concerned green eyes were staring down at me. How do I always run into him? This time, literally.

"I-I'm fine. I'm just clumsy. Clumsy and oblivious to your surroundings apparently do not mix." I tried to laugh it off, but my chuckles caught in my throat when Edward grabbed me around my waist and hoisted me back up to my feet. I, then, muttered a small "Thanks."

We stood there for a few seconds, neither of us sure what to say next. After our last encounter, I kind of assumed he would do his best to avoid me. I guess it's kind of hard to do that when I run into you. I glanced up at his face which looked pained, like it hurt him to just stand here in my presence. That made me feel just great.

"Are you here with anyone?" I decided to ask.

"Yeah, just a few friends." His eyes were cast down towards the ground. "Did you enjoy the first movie?"

"Yeah it was hilarious. Sandler's one of my faves." I tried to sound upbeat, maybe get him to smile a little bit, but it was to no avail.

He just nodded and his gaze only landed on my face once or twice. I didn't know what to do so I just told him I'd see him around and made my way towards the Jeep.

"Feel better?" Emmett asked.

"In some ways," I replied back cryptically.

He raised an eyebrow. "Care to elaborate?"

"I hurt my hands." I held my palms up to show him my battle wounds.

He inspected them and said, "Here, I'll make them feel better." He took both my wrists into his giant hands, palms up, and kissed them lightly where the rocks had scraped them. Emmett looked up and when we made eye contact, we both burst out laughing.

"That was so corny," I said while still giggling.

"Hey, it was worth a shot," he laughed.

As we got into the second movie, I kept getting distracted by the slight movements Emmett would make. For some reason, after the hand kissing incident, my nerves were on edge. I had this sinking feeling this date would go further than just a goodnight hug, and now all my insecurities were flying around in my brain like bats.

At first, he would just shift in his seat a little. He eventually angled his body towards me, but his eyes were still looking at the movie screen. After a few more minutes, he lightly grabbed my hand and kissed the back of it this time. His eyes met mine when his lips touched my skin. Oh gosh, he's making a move.

I gave him a slight smile so he would know I didn't think he was a complete idiot. Or so he wouldn't think I was one, for that matter. Taking advantage of the fact that he had my hand, Emmett lightly tugged me over to him. I leaned the top half of my body towards him and he gave me a smile, one I had yet to see. It was kind of like a seductive, sexy smile. He worked it well, but something was off.

When my closeness sufficed him, he released my hand and moved his behind my neck. His other hand found purchase on my left thigh. I pushed all thoughts of insecurity and doubt to the back of my mind and persevered though. I was about to have my first kiss with Emmett McCarty. Our lips touched lightly at first. It was nice. His lips were pretty good and he seemed to know what he was doing. As we kept kissing, the kisses kind of stayed the same. Soft and innocent. I didn't really feel the need or want to do anything more.

When the kissing ceased, he rested his forehead against mine, his blue eyes boring into mine.

"Am I a bad kisser?" It was out of my mouth before I could stop it. My curiosity was getting the better of me. But thankfully, my outburst seemed to lighten the mood dramatically.

Emmett threw his head back and laughed so loud I actually jumped. "What? No! Why would you say that?"

Cue the blushing. "I-I don't know. I just don't kiss, you know, a lot of people. I didn't know if that was the reason...we just...you know..." I really didn't want to finish that sentence.

"The reason what? We stopped kissing?"

I nodded.

His voice was now calm, like he was having to assure a five-year-old. "Hey, hey, look at me." He lifted my chin. "Tell me the truth. Do you want to kiss me more than that?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"I felt your hesitation, but you have to let me know, Bella. I can't read your mind." Emmett gave me a small smile to reassure me.

"You're a great kisser, Emmett, it just felt weird. Not physically, just in my head. Like I shouldn't be doing it. Kind of like kissing..."

"Your brother?" he asked.

"Well...yeah." I didn't want to say it because I felt like I was hurting his feelings. I also knew I was turning beet red. Hopefully the darkness in the Jeep was somewhat covering it.

"I felt the same way."

My head shot up and I gave him a bewildered look. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, but you were doing so good I wasn't gonna complain. What guy complains about a hot girl making out with him? Not me!" His huge smile was now back in place.

I punched him in the shoulder. "Shut up, this is serious."

"Aww, Belly, no it's not. This is a good thing. Now we don't eventually have to go through the nasty break-up stage. We can go into being friends and it won't feel as weird, right?"

I thought about what he said. Are jocks supposed to be this smart? "I guess you're right." I said.

"Of course I am. C'mere." He pulled me over the seat so he could give me a big, bear hug. I couldn't help but laugh and hug him back just as much.

On the ride back home, the tension in the air had completely disappeared. We both sang along to The Plain White T's and it felt good. I was free from the dating rules now. I could be myself and not have to be nervous or awkward. Emmett was simply my friend.

He walked me to the door of my house again like a perfect gentleman and I clasped his hand thankful for how the night had turned out. When we reached the porch, I gave him another hug.

"Thanks for tonight. I had fun."

"Me too. Be sure to put something on your hands so they don't get infected," he reminded me. I looked down at the wounds on my palms. They still sort of stung. "You never told me how you did that."

"Oh, I ran into Edward, literally, and landed flat on my butt without even fazing him. The rocks weren't so nice," I scoffed.

He chuckled. "Speaking of Edward..." He gave me a pointed look.

"What?"

"I think you know that he has a little crush on you, so I'll go ahead and let you know I'm okay with it. If you like him, I give you my approval. He's a great guy. Don't let the fact that he and I are friends effect any decision you make about him, okay?"

That was totally unexpected. "Ohhh-kayyyy..."

Just as I was saying that, a truck pulled in swiftly next door and I heard hoots and hollers coming from the vehicle. Some of the boys must be home. I rolled my eyes.

"Have a good night, babe. Text me." He winked and made his way down the steps. At the bottom, he stopped and turned around. "Oh yeah, I forgot." He trotted back up the steps, grabbed me around the waist and neck, said "One for the road," dipped me, and kissed me. It was like that scene from The Mask when Jim Carrey kisses Cameron Diaz at the end of their big musical number in the nightclub. My eyes probably looked just like hers too. Wide-open and confused.

As he lifted me back up and detached himself from me, I said, "What was that about?"

"Just something to remember me by," he quipped with that Cheshire cat grin across his face. I watched his back retreat to his Jeep and I just stood there staring. Why can't I be attracted to him? He's such a great guy.

I chanced a glance over at Jake's front yard, and there he was, shooting daggers from his eyes at Emmett. Then at me when he realized I was looking. I gave him a self-satisfied smile and an arrogant wave just to piss him off as I walked in my front door. I leaned my head back against the closed door and replayed the night in my mind.

"You okay, Bells?" I opened my eyes to find Charlie coming out of the kitchen, probably making his way back to the TV in the living room.

Before I answered him, I just looked at him. His face had more color to it than when I first came, his smile was bigger, and he radiated an aura of happiness. That was how he had become since I told him I wanted to stay. That thought had made my heart swell. Even though it would have made my dad happier if I were to stay, he still had never mentioned it once. He wanted me to make my own choices and not push anything on me, putting aside his own feelings in the matter. Maybe that's what makes a real parent. Selflessness. Don't get me wrong, I loved my mom, but she had always been more of a friend. I had always sacrificed my happiness for hers, not the other way around like it should have been. I guess I inherited that from Charlie.

"Yeah, I'm great dad. Thanks," I said smiling.

"Good. Just making sure." He turned and walked towards his favorite chair.

When Charlie sat down in his recliner, I realized I now looked at him in a whole new light. I walked over to him and leaned down to hug him. He seemed surprised at first, but eventually gave in and hugged me back.

Whew! What a roller coaster ride, right? Well, one guy is romantically out of the picture so we're making progress. Where do we go from here? What do u want to see next chapter? Give me a quote or challenge to make it interesting. Drop me a line, good or bad, i'll take either. I know somebody has SOMETHING to say. I appreciate you sticking with me thus far. I'll try my hardest to update sooner next time. Your reviews will keep me writing, especially if they involve ideas on where to go next. Oh by the way, who spotted the Jacob quote from the actual book? Bye!