Chapter 25: Pub Crawling

BPOV

I left the show in a much joyful mood than I had gone into it. The show had been fantastic, and I had sang along to just about every song. "We will, We will, ROCK YOU!" It seemed that just about everyone was chanting the famous line as we exited the theater and made our way to a small pub not far away from our location.

"I have to hand it to you, Bella, it really was a lot of fun." Alex told me as we walked into the pub grabbing a corner table barely big enough to fit us all. I ended up practically sitting on Jacob and Jason.

The pub was sort of small, but it was packed tight. There was music and the crowd was mostly young. Everyone seemed to be having a good time eating and drinking.

"I told you it would be fun." I replied with a smile. Alex had been against seeing a show, and had wanted to skip straight to the drinking. Of all the guys, he was the one that I felt was most likely to get drunk.

We all ordered the classic fish and chips and had our first round of beers. While all the guys had ordered a pint, I ordered half a pint. I knew that even that was too big for me.

"You're such a sissy." Nathaniel joked as we waited to be served.

"I'm a girl, and more specifically I don't like beer." I replied with a roll of my eyes. "Plus I'm not getting drunk in foreign country, that's not safe."

"Don't be such a party pooper." Alex whined.

"I'm not stopping you from drinking. You could drink all the beer in the pub, for all I care. I'm not carrying you to the hotel room." I answered. Alex really had a way of pissing me off, and I was not looking forward to dealing with him if he got drunk.

"Leave her alone, Alex." Jacob defended putting his arm around me. I was very quick to notice the glare that Jason was sending Jacob over my head. I really wished I knew exactly what Jason knew about Jacob.

"So what do you think?" Jacob asked watching my face closely as I took my first sip. I was surprised to find that the beer wasn't that bad tasting, but not something I would want more.

"It's better than I expected." I admitted as they group cheered.

"We've corrupted her!" Jason joked as we all laugh.



"Sorry to burst your bubble, Jason, but I've been corrupted for quite sometime now." I added much to the amusement of the boys.

"I guess Saint Edward isn't that much of a Saint." Alex interjected. They never seem to believe just how perfect Edward was, and they had fun by poking fun at our relationship.

"I'm not going to answer that one." I replied returning my attention to my fish and chips.

I began to get worried as the beer kept coming. After barely finishing one I had changed to soda, but all the guys had kept drinking. Jason seemed to be the only one who had stopped after two. "I think we should stop them." Jason spoke to me as I nodded. I had lost count of just how many they had each had.

"Guys, I think we're done for the night." I said as Jason paid. We would all figure out the check once everyone was sober.

"Why Bella? The party is just starting." Jacob answered with a laugh pulling me towards him and taking another gulp.

"Jacob, you have had enough." I added taking the glass from his hand. "It's time to head to bed."

"But I'm not tired. Let's go dancing." He suggested getting up and dragging me with him.

"Let's go pick up some chicks." Alex said to Nathaniel as they got up, Nathaniel swaying a bit on his feet.

"Can you handle those two?" I asked Jason who seemed a bit lost.

"Will you be fine with Jacob?" He inquired with a pensive stare. He seemed to be trying to figure out what to do.

"I'll be fine, just get those two back to the hotel, and I'll get Jacob." I assured him with a smile.

"Do you have your phone?" He questioned as I nodded noticing that Jacob had left.

"I have it don't worry." I called running after Jacob. The last thing I needed was to have him do something stupid. If it was stupid enough he would be sent home packing.

"Jacob!" I yelled as I ran after him cursing the fact that I had decided to wear heals.

"What's wrong, Bells?" He asked leaning against the wall of another pub.

"You just ran off by yourself." I replied trying to catch my breath.

"Let's go inside." He suggested pointing towards the pub.



"I don't think that's a good idea, Jake." I answered taking his arm and trying to move him away from the pub. The last thing we needed was more alcohol than he already had. "Why don't we go for a walk?"

"You know something, Bells." Jacob spoke as we walked away and towards the general direction of where we were staying.

"Know what?" I asked walking by his side. He wasn't totally drunk, but he was obviously not thinking very clearly.

"I like you." He said confidently his arm snaking around my shoulders.

"I like you, to Jake, as a friend." I answered hoping he meant it as a friend and nothing more.

"I know you do, Bella. But I like you, like you." He clarified cementing something I had assumed before.

"Jake, I think you're drunk." I said trying to change the conversation. He knew perfectly well that my feelings for him where all non-platonic. There was no hope in changing that.

"I'm not drunk, I just want you to know the truth." He complained stopping to look at me. His dark eyes held a fire to them, letting me know that his feelings were genuine.

"Jake, don't do this." I whispered before continuing my walk to the hotel.

"Don't do what?" He asked taking my hand.

"You don't know what you're doing. Just drop it." I replied biting my lip.

"I know what I'm doing, Bells." He whispered before leaning towards me. I knew instinctively what he was going to do, but part of me refused to acknowledge that he was going to kiss me. It was as if the alarms in my head were all short circuited.

His lips touch mine, and I immediately pushed him away. He made no move to stop me, it was as if he had realized what he had done. "Bella!" He called as I ran away from him.

"Not now!" I yelled back needing time to clear my head.

I ran into the hotel room taking a seat in the lobby. I couldn't go upstairs, because I needed time to think. Why had he kissed me? Was he really drunk? Would he even remember? Did I tell Edward? I didn't know which question to ponder first.

The kiss had meant absolutely nothing to me. It had barely lasted a second, and it was like kissing my brother. It felt wrong, on so many different levels. I cared for Jake like a brother, and I was afraid of losing that friendship.



I ended up heading to bed just before four, and I was glad that everyone was asleep. I didn't feel the need to talk, and I hoped that having a few hours of sleep would clear my head.

Surprisingly I was able to get some rest. I woke up a little after ten, and I was surprised to find that the room was empty. The only one who was in the room was Jacob.

"Hey!" He said in a low tone from the chair.

"Hey!" I answered unsure of what else to say.

"I'm sorry for the way I acted last night. I was an ass." He finally said looking down on the floor. "I really shouldn't have had that much too drink, and I know you probably hate me now. Not that I blame you. I'm sure Jason will switch rooms with me if you want."

"Jake." I said stopping his rant and climbing down from my bunk. "I care for you as a friend, and I know that you really didn't have much control over your actions last night. I didn't even think you would remember. But you're still my friend, and friends forgive one another."

"But Edward is going to kill me." He complained.

"I have to tell him, Jake. But I won't let him hurt you, he'll be mad but he'll get over it." I assured him. "But you better not do that again."

"Ofcourse not, Bells. I didn't lie last night. I do like you a lot, but I respect the fact that you're taken. You're happily engaged. Forgive me?" He said as I smiled.

"You know I do." I said giving him a hug. Things were going to be a bit weird for a while, but they would eventually get back to normal. Jacob was a great friend, who lost his inhibitions when he drank. Even Edward was guilty of that. It just reminded me of how much I truly hated alcohol.

A/N: This chapter just flowed. I couldn't stop writing. I was going to end it at the kiss, but I didn't want you guys to kill me. Plus the apology wasn't long enough to stand on it's own. And I really want Edward and Bella together again for a few chapters. Their separation is killing me as well.

A lot of you think Jacob has some deep dark secret, and I may have implied it last chapter. The secret Jason knows is that Jacob likes Bella as more than a friend. I hope none of you hate him too much, in his defense he was drunk.

Next Chapter: Reunited (I can't wait, seriously! I may even have it later today, depending on my workload)

Muggleinlove