Toni's P.O.V.

I placed the phone back on its receiver when all I got was the voice of the answering machine. I sighed and turned away from the phone, walking to the table and sitting down on one of the chairs. I hadn't heard from Jacob in weeks and it was starting to grate on my nerves. I thought we were having fun hanging out with each other, but I guess I misinterpreted the situation. Quil hasn't heard from him either, apparently. I called Quil about a few days ago and he said that Jake was even missing school. I was nervous that Jacob was flaking on Quil and I like how Embry flaked on Jake and Quil. The way he's been M.I.A. recently was too similar to the way Jake described Embry's disappearance. The three of us had such a good thing going, and I didn't want it to end so soon.

Billy told me not to come over the last time he picked up the phone, but I had no choice now. I wanted to know what was going on with Jacob. The lame excuse I was given was that Jake had mono. I mean, sure he had a fever the last time I had seen him, but it's been weeks! There was no way Jacob was still sick with mono. I got up from my seat and grabbed my car keys before I left the house. I made it to Jacob's house in record time. When I arrived, the sky was dark and it looked like it was about to rain. I cursed myself as I forgot to bring my jacket, but none of that mattered.

I walked up to the front door and knocked as hard as I could. There would be no excuse that they couldn't hear me. I waited a couple minutes before Billy opened the door. He looked at me first with surprise and then with a guarded expression. He rolled out of the house and shut the door behind him, making it so that I couldn't see in the house.

"Are you sure you want to talk out here?" I asked Billy. "It looks like it's about pour."

I was concerned for him getting wet and cold, but I also wanted to see Jacob, himself. If Billy had closed the door to prevent me from peeking in the house and going in, then there was a huge chance Jake was inside.

"I'm fine out here. What can I do for you, Toni?" he asked with an easy going smile on his face. His form was still tense, though, and it put me a little on edge.

"I just wanted to visit Jacob, is all. I heard he's still not feeling good and decided to see him to cheer him up," I answered. Whether it was truthful or not wasn't the point. The point was trying to suggest to Billy that I wanted to see him now.

"Jake's fine. He'll see you when he sees you," Billy replied with a grim look on his face.

"Look, I know it's not my place to pry, but Jake's one of my good friends and I'd hate to lose him over something small."

Billy's face grew in anger as he said, "This is no small matter, Toni. It's something you can't even begin to understand. Go home, and when Jake's ready to talk, he will."

I was hurt that Billy talked to me that way. He and my dad were friends way before I was born, and I had known him and his family since I was born. I was close to him and Jacob, and I felt cheated, for some reason, because they were distancing themselves from me. I felt my eyes water and it took all of my willpower to hold the tears back. A tear escaped from my ducts, so I turned my back on Billy and clenched my hands into fists. I was so upset that I just wanted to scream, but there was no dignity in that.

"I need to see him, now, Billy. And if you don't let me in, I'll invite myself in," I grounded out. "I'm done playing these games."

"Don't make me call your dad," Billy warned.

"Call my father if you want," I said as I brushed him off. "But, like I said, I'm done playing these games."

I turned so I was facing the house and rushed past Billy as I entered the house. It was still the small, homey place I had visited just a few weeks ago. I strode through the living room and didn't bother to knock before I opened Jacob's bedroom door. Fully intent on screaming at him about how he was ignoring me, I stopped in my tracks at the sight before me. His room was a mess as there were clothes everywhere and there was a hint of mustiness in the air. He was laying on his stomach, fanned out on his too small of a bed. I smiled down at him at the innocence displayed on his sleeping face. He looked so peaceful. I instantly felt bad about storming into his room and silently apologized to him. I closed his door and walked out of the house. Billy was still outside, sitting quietly and so still that someone could think he was sleeping.

I stood in front of him with a sheepish smile and faced his stoic and disappointed face. I coughed and said, "I'm sorry for brushing you off and for not listening to you. It's just that I've been hanging out with Jacob and Quil for awhile now and me and Quil were so worried when Jake stopped talking to us for so long. I'm worried about him, is all. You understand, right?"

"I understand that you may be worried for Jacob, but I don't understand why you wouldn't take my word for anything," Billy said. "I'm so disappointed in you, Toni. You need to go home and clear your head. Think about what you're doing."

I sighed and said 'goodbye' to him before I got in my car and sped off.

"Billy told me what happened yesterday," my dad said. We were sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast together for once. I made turkey bacon, sausage, eggs, and toast, and I put his coffee and my tea on before he woke up. He mentioned the other day that he was able to go into work late today, so I decided to do something nice for him.

When he mentioned Billy, I sighed into my mug and scowled just a bit. I should have known that old geezer wouldn't keep quiet about what happened. I wanted to put it behind me as it wasn't one of my best moments in life. I still felt sorry about how I went about things, but I didn't really regret trying to figure out what was wrong with Jake. In my mind, I had a right to know what was going on.

"You can't just barge into people's houses, Toni," my dad continued to lecture me.

"But, dad!" I shouted, "Jacob hasn't talked to me for weeks and all I want to know is if he's okay!"

"I know you're frustrated, bud, but that doesn't dismiss your behavior," he said matter of factually.

"I wouldn't have had to resort to that kind of behavior if they would've just explained the situation to me!"

"Enough, Toni!" my dad yelled. I grew silent. I hadn't heard him yell since the day Bella left. He rarely yelled at me, resorting to lecturing me and grounding me. I guess I must have pushed his buttons too hard this time.

"You can't expect to get everything you want. If Billy and Jake don't want you to know what's going on, then you need to accept that."

"But dad-"

"No, Toni. You'll be eighteen next year, which means you need to take some responsibility for your actions. You're a pretty responsible kid, but lately you've been, well, off, especially since Jake stopped talking to you."

"I'm perfectly fine, dad," I assured him. However, it didn't work as her dad's frown only deepened.

"You've been late to work for the past week, the school called and said you skipped class, you've been spending so much time in your room...I'm just worried," he confessed. My face softened and I instantly felt bad. I was so hung up on Jacob ditching me that I wasn't paying attention to how my actions affected everyone else. My dad wasn't one to come out about his feelings, so I knew how much my behavior was impacting him.

"I'm sorry, dad," I sighed out. "I really am. It's just that, well, Jacob, Quil, and I had something good going, and it all fell apart so quickly."

"I'm sure your friends at school want to hang out, bud. What about Angela?" he asked me.

"They don't want to hang out with me anymore," I told him.

"What are you talking about?" he questioned. He was confused because I never told him how my peers basically shunned me after the incident with my crazy ex-boyfriend and Bella. I didn't want to worry him, but I guess the cat's out of the bag now.

"After the accident with Bella, everyone's been...distant with me," I confessed.

"Why?"

"I don't know, dad," I exasperatedly replied. "They think I'm some Cullen whore and backstabbing sister."

"Watch your language," my dad reprimanded me.

"That's what they say, though! They think I stole Edward from Bella and intentionally hurt her. It's all just a bunch of dumb high school drama that shouldn't have even started!" I yelled out as I pouted.

"Should I talk to the school?" my dad asked seriously. I was mortified that he even suggested it. Even though he was trying to help. it would only make matters worse. Not only would I be a backstabber, a boyfriend stealer, and a whore, but I'd be a snitch, too.

"No. That's the last thing I need."

"Well, then how can I help? We need to sort this out before your sister gets here. I won't have two brooding girls in this house again," he said, mumbling out the last sentence. I froze as his words registered in my head.

"Wait, what?! Bella's coming back?!" I asked incredulously. There was no way I was going to survive with my friends ignoring me and my sister hounding me.

"Just for a few weeks. Both of your Thanksgiving breaks are coming up and she really wanted to come and visit. It's been awhile, and even though Bella left us on a bad slate, I wanted her to spend some time with us."

"When will she be here?"

"In a week."

A.N.

So, I've been very vague with the timeline and I realized that when I was typing up this chapter. So, to clear some stuff up, the story is currently set in the month of November.

Dun, dun, dun. Bella is coming back! O.O

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Stay Awesome ^.^

Guest Review Response: The Cullen's will be back soon enough. I don't want to rush their come back. Also, Bella is coming back!