Chapter 19: Plan B
Before moving to Forks, I thought I was stable. Mentally, emotionally, somewhat physically, but sane, nonetheless. But then I experienced the supernatural and I fell in love, and my heart took over. I thought I had forever planned out, until it all backfired. I got scared and walked away from the one thing that made me happy by telling myself I was protecting him. When in reality, I was the one that needed protecting. If I'd told him the truth, he could have helped me.
It's shameful that it took me so long to realize that. I could have prevented all of this, the regret, the guilt, the death. Mike would be alive, I wouldn't be scared to walk outside, I could be happy. . .
I wouldn't hate myself.
I wallowed all weekend until I woke up to a sunny Monday morning and remembered that life goes on. The house was messy and we didn't have any food. I ate leftover pizza for breakfast and started on the laundry. Maybe I'd fall in . . .
The phone rang shrilly from the kitchen and I pulled myself out of the underwear to get it. Glad we'd made the trade to cordless, I picked up and answered while walking back to the washing machine.
"He—"
"Bella!"
"Jacob?" I asked. Although I should be used to it, I'd only recently talked to him through the phone.
"Um, do you mind if I come over? It's kind of . . . cramped over here." He sounded uncomfortable. I was, too. I didn't know if I forgave him for abandoning me, or if that was the real issue here.
"Well I'm just going to be cleaning and running errands. I don't really think you'd want to . . ." I trailed off.
"Please? I need to talk to you." I could imagine his dark brown eyes pleading, his long hair framing his face, his hands reaching. Jacob had some control over me, and I had to give in.
"Fine."
"Cool. I'll be over soon." And he hung up, leaving me kind of wishing I'd dropped the phone in the washing machine.
I was able to put in each load of laundry and clean the downstairs before Jacob knocked on the door.
"Come in!" I yelled. I didn't turn around when I heard the door open, thinking Jake would come straight in. I continued folding laundry until I felt it; that cold, someone's-watching-me feeling I got that day at the doctor's office. And it only meant one thing. James.
I stood still. I couldn't turn around and see if he'd entered my house, I couldn't see if he was just standing there, taunting me. I braced the facts that I didn't know how to kill a vampire, or if it was even possible. No, he would chase me first, and that's how I'd know at least that part of my plan would work. I put down the shirt I was folding and closed my eyes.
"Bella."
I gasped. Because it was a voice I recognized very well. I half-turned and saw Jake out of the corner of my eye. I exhaled in a large gust and laughed humorlessly.
"Are you okay?"
"I thought . . . I thought you were James." I said weakly.
"Why would you think that?" He was confused and a little bit insulted, I could tell.
"I felt him." My eyes connected with Jacob's. "Don't ask." His expression suggested he wasn't going to.
He helped me finish folding the clothes, which wasn't much. Before I could move on to anything else, he stopped me. "Look, I'm sorry, Bells, I really am. I know I've said it a million times, but it's true. After spending the weekend with Rachel, I realized she wasn't worth our friendship. I know it's too late, but I'll do anything I can to help you."
Despite only being 15 years old, Jacob was mature and smart and caring. He was the best friend a girl could have. I hugged him hard. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." He wrapped his arms around me, and his warmth brightened my outlook. "Nice underwear, by the way." I looked up to see him grinning like the Cheshire cat. Okay, maybe he wasn't so mature.
"Jacob Black," I scolded, slapping his chest. I pulled away from him quickly. "Apologize or you don't get to sample various meats and cheeses at the grocery store."
His face dropped. "Sorry."
I nodded, keeping a straight face. I sure knew how to get to a teenage boy, or any man really: through his stomach. "If you're good today, I might let you stay for dinner."
"I'll push the shopping cart for you," he offered.
I reached up and patted his head. "Good dog," I laughed. He rolled his eyes. "Let's go."
I grabbed my jacket and keys and headed for the door. But before I left, I couldn't help but notice one of my shirts was missing.
"Wait. You put butter in cookies?" Jake asked incredulously as I placed items into the cart.
"It's not butter, it's margarine, shortening. Trust me, cookies wouldn't be the same without it." He still looked confused, as if his childhood were ruined. What did he think, cookies were made from glitter and rainbows?
I saw the oats that I needed, but realized my lack of height would not help me get them. "Can you hand me those?"
"Oats?" Jacob asked, confused.
"Yes, oats," I said, gesturing upwards to them. He reached up effortlessly and grabbed the container only to examine them closely. I sighed and took them from him.
"Oats in chocolate chip cookies?" He shook his head. "Next you're going to tell me there's salt, too."
"Actually, yes." Poor boy never looked so lost. "It's not regular salt, just . . . " I trailed off when his expression changed.
"Uh, I might be crazy, but vampire, four o'clock." He pointed behind me. And I became nervous. I hadn't felt the eerie feeling I got when James was near, but Jake had never seen what James looked like. How would he know the difference?
My head whipped around without my permission and my eyes caught my target. I had to give props to Jacob; he was right. Emmett Cullen stood in the adjacent aisle, looking like, well, like a vampire in a grocery store. Out of place and utterly confused.
"You're not crazy" was all I was able to whisper to Jake before Emmett wandered into our aisle nonchalantly, stoking his chin as he scanned the shelves. He looked absurd, by the way. I figured if he were there to talk to me (which seemed most logical), then I would let him approach. No need to strike up an awkward, unwanted conversation.
So I turned my attention back to groceries. Then I heard it: my name said in a bad Italian accent. "Eets-a-bella Swan!" I barely turned around before I was lifted into a bear hug. Seriously, my feet weren't even touching the ground. Either Emmett didn't know how strong he was or he was teasing me.
I sputtered. "Human," I told him in a wheeze. In a second, my feet landed square on the ground and air filled my body again. Jacob put a hand on my back but I waved him away.
"Sorry," said Emmett. I didn't blame him for anything; that was just how he said hello. I gave him a playful glare as I remembered how I said hello: jokes.
"No problem, Emmy the pooh bear." I winked. He appraised me a moment before narrowing his eyes.
"Well played," he allowed. And knowing Emmett, even for such a short amount of time, he couldn't keep a straight face for long. He cracked a smile and his light dimples showed through.
"Thank you. So what are you doing here?"
"Shopping." As if it was the most obvious thing in the world. I gave him a look.
Instead of responding, he looked behind me to Jake. "Did you know there's butter in cookies?"
Jacob crossed his arms. "Weird, right?" I took that chance to look at Emmett's finds. A first-aid kit and bendy straws. I couldn't help but be a little confused.
"Are you going to make cookies?" I asked, curious and also hoping to end the awkward exchange between Emmett and Jacob.
"Yeah. I thought I'd try my hand at it. Esme's going to teach me. And if they're good, we'll take them camping with us."
I looked around, as if I were being pranked and someone was going to jump out of nowhere and laugh at me. Was he being serious? Cookies? He doesn't even—he can't even eat them! Unless he planned on putting blood in them. Which just sounded all the more ridiculous.
Then it hit me—harder than a vampire running 200 miles-per-hour. We'll take them camping with us. Could it be possible that I was being given a second chance? The same gods that sent me Edward were sending me Emmett! Or perhaps the entire Cullen family. If so, then I needed to grab it while I still could.
"Camping?" I asked, hiding my excitement. "Didn't you go last weekend?" I snuck a glance back at Jacob to see if he was following me. His arms slowly unfolded, and I think he got it.
"Well only some of us went. The others had to stay back and deal with . . . something." It seemed my plan wouldn't have worked last weekend anyway.
"Oh, well, have fun. Are you going to the same place?"
"Yep. We're leaving on Thursday." He smiled. I was reminded of Edward, even though they weren't actually related. I guessed after over fifty years together, you rub off on the other.
"We've got to go," I said, grabbing the cart and coincidentally pulling Jacob along, too. "I'll see you around."
"Bye, Bella."
Jacob and I went back to my house and re-worked our plan for Friday while we put the groceries away and I started dinner. He ate with me and Charlie and stayed a bit longer so I could teach him to make cookies. And boy, was that an experience.
I started to feel normal again. Until I remembered how I'd thought James had entered my house today, and how the moment I turned my back, one of my shirts was gone. I longed to be safe. But that couldn't happen until I was protected.
And so the days ticked by.
AN: Argh! The last of the three updates. I hope it's enjoyable. I had fun writing it, especially the Emmett-y parts. I've started Chap 20, but it's going to be a long one. It's going to be different to. Hm. How about if you review, I'll send you a sneak peek of the next chapter? Just a small thing that I liked. It's in Jacob's point-of-view, so I hope it'll be a nice break. *Sigh* I need to get away from the computer. Tchao.
~Kj