Year Five, Chapter Thirty-Six
The College Plan
Jacob's Point of View
Nessie and I were sprawled out on the living room floor going over the Dartmouth course catalogs. The classes Nessie had taken online last year, together with the classes she had tested out of, meant we would both be sophomores together. I was still trying to pick a major though.
I had procrastinated long enough, using Nessie's fight training as the perfect excuse. I would have thought Edward would have put a stop to it, but he actually thought it was a good idea. Well in a way. He did not want to be anywhere near us while it was happening, I could understand that, him not wanting to hear strategies in others mind as to how to attack his daughter. But he should see her. She was actually getting quite good. And Emmett and Rose were having a blast as well.
Of course all of my earlier fears of Nessie getting hurt were basically for nothing. She was stronger than I realized. And so was her skin. The theory that it might be just as impervious as a full vampire's turned out to be true, we found out one day when Nessie went flying into a sharp chunk of metal by the garage. It would have sliced her open, had her skin been closer to a humans, or mine for that matter, but the shard just crumpled in on itself. After that we, well she, felt it was safe enough to experiment a little, with Carlisle overseeing, just in case. We tried everything we could think of to just give her a tiny cut or even a needle prick and nothing worked.
Well, eventually something worked. Rose's nails. She was able to scratch Nessie's arm. It was actually strange that she had never gotten injured in this way when we were practice fighting. But I guess it made sense. Vampires could hurt other vampires, so of course a vampire could hurt a half-vampire. And it worked in reverse as well. Nessie's nails were able to scratch Rose. But the results were different. Rose's skin repaired itself instantly. Nessie bled, just for a second before the wound closed up, just as fast as my skin would have. I had a mini panic attack watching this the first time, but Nessie assured me she was fine. And of course the Doc found it immensely fascinating.
And that also meant that if Rose's nails could break through Nessie's skin, so could a vampire's teeth, and so could mine. But there was no way we were trying that.
But that was yesterday, today I needed to finally decide on a major.
"I don't know Nessie. What are you majoring in?"
"Jacob, just because I pick a certain major I don't expect you to choose the same. We don't have to do everything together, do we?"
"No, it's just everything seems like much more fun when I am with you. And then you could help me study."
"Don't worry Jacob, I can help you study whether I am in your class or not." Nessie giggled. Of course she could. She did not actually need to go to school to learn, it just gave her something to do during the day.
"Sure, sure. So what did you pick? Do you plan on being a doctor, lawyer, astronaut?
"Ha, ha, ha." She laughed. I loved her laugh.
"Yup, you guessed it. Renesmee Carlie Cullen, first vampire in space. But seriously I think NASA might have a slight problem with my accelerated heart rate and high body temperature, among other things."
"Yes but you would more that make up for it with your super strength and speed. They could overlook that other stuff when they realized how valuable you could be. Image not needing machines to lift heavy things, when all they need is one little girl." I joked back.
"I'm not that little. I'm almost as tall as Aunt Rose now."
"I think she still has a few inches on you. She's what? 5'10" and you look about 5'7" at the most."
"5'8" and you know it. That's four inches taller than my mom."
"And six inches shorter than Edward, and still almost a foot shorter than me." I teased.
"Hmmm, maybe I should start wearing six inch heels. Close the gap a bit."
"Six inches? That sounds dangerous. Why do you want to be taller?"
"Probably for the same reason you want to take the same classes as me. So we can be even closer." She smirked. She was so silly sometimes. "And it's not like I would fall or trip and hurt myself. Okay so maybe six inches is a bit too much," she chuckled again. "Four?"
"Jacob, I heard you were picking your classes finally. Make sure French is one of them." Alice's voice chimed as she walked through the front door.
"Hi Aunt Alice," Nessie said as she got up and hugged her aunt. It was mind boggling seeing how Nessie towered over her now. "Why does Jacob need to learn French? He took Spanish in high school and his freshman year of college. That is the only class he has picked out so far."
"Well I am afraid he is going to have to change course. I had a vision of all of us, well you know, all of us, minus the two of you of course, living near the Caps et Marais d'Opale Natural Regional Park in Calais, France soon."
"But we just moved here last year. We have to leave already? Why?"
"Oh don't worry so much Nessie. I didn't say we were moving right away. We still have a year or two. I think. It would be easier to tell if I could see you, then I would be able to see how much you had grown. But for now I am not even sure why we move."
"That's it? That's all you can tell us?" I gruffed. French? I had enough trouble with Spanish. After five years I still wasn't very good. Now I needed to learn French in only one to two years?
"Sorry, I don't make the rules." Alice mused. "I would just assume you would want to be able to speak the language, when we do move, Jacob."
"Ouch!" She had thrown something in my lap, which ended up hitting me in a very sensitive spot. "What did you do that for?"
"Oh, get over it, you heal fast enough. Now start studying."
"It still hurt. You could have just handed it to me." When I stopped throbbing and looked down I saw that she had hit me with a book, and not just any book, an Intro to French book.
"Gee, thanks." I said as she took off as quickly as she had arrived.
"I guess she did not want to stay and visit." Nessie looked a bit sad but got over it soon enough. "So I guess we know what you are picking for your language requirement. Now back to the question of your major."
"I think I am still waiting for you to tell me what you will be majoring in, now that I know your becoming an astronaut is out." I jeered.
"Very funny Jacob, could you imagine. They would probably think I was an alien. Hey there's an idea, maybe in a few hundred years, if humans ever do discover life on other planets, we could all pretend to be aliens and stop hiding." She joked.
"Sure, sure. But in all seriousness honey, I think I should take the same classes as you for, like, oh the next year or two. Nessie you have lived a very sheltered life up until now, but you're going to be entering your sophomore year of college. That means you will be with guys . . . men really, who are 19, 20 or even older. It's my job to protect you, not only from vampires," or half-vampires, "but everything, including other men. I know you're IDs say you're 19 years old, but trust me you are not ready to deal with some of the guys around there." I took a deep breath before continuing. She had not attempted to say one word while I was giving my little rant on the dangers of men. I knew that when she got quiet, she was thinking and often that was not a good sign, for me at least.
"Let's go through college this time together. I can major in whatever you want to. We have forever. Next time you can take your own classes and I will pick whatever I feel like studying. Just let me do this for you this time."
"Jacob, when are you going to realize that I am a big girl. Look at me, I am not a child anymore. I can take care of myself."
"Just the fact that you think that proves you don't know what you're talking about." Ha, Leah had said something like that almost word for word to Seth years ago.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Edward, Bella, Emmett, and Rose walk into the room. They had been upstairs in the music room, listening to Edwards latest composition.
"Renesmee listen to Jacob. He is right. I think it would be a good idea if you stuck with him this time through college."
Really? He does? I would have thought he would want Nessie and I to get more distance. And give Nahuel more time to move in. It had been only two days since his arrival and he was already getting on my nerves.
"Or the rest of the family could arrange to alter our class schedules so we can all take a different class with you." I don't think I imagined it, I swear I saw Nessie cringe when Edward mentioned that. Whatever Nessie was thinking didn't seem to fracture Edwards façade. I guess he was expecting her negative reaction to going through school with him and the rest of the family. "You will not be interacting with children anymore. This is not one of Esme's social experiments. You need someone to guide you and ease you into the real world. It is your choice honey, all of us scattered throughout your classes or just one? And it would not have to be Jacob, if you did not want him. If you preferred to choose someone else in the family I am sure we all would love to have you with us."
"Oh, me, me, me. Pick me. We could take Physics together, it would be so much fun to go through it with my favorite Niece." Rose squealed. "It is easy and math makes so much sense. Just right and wrong answers, no messiness. I know you don't like that."
"Rose, I do not think Renesmee wants to go through her first college experience with her father. I am majoring in Physics with you, remember?"
"I guess that means that you don't want to take art history with Jasper and me either? And I don't think med school with Carlisle would be a good idea."
"No, not with all of the blood." Nessie shook her head.
"Well that leaves Photography with Esme or Women and Gender Studies with Alice and Emmett." Rose snickered.
I think she was as excited to see Emmett go through a Women's studies class as I was, and to my knowledge she had not informed him about what the classes would really be like, and of course he had made no effort to find out.
Up until now everyone had been taking the boring prerequisite general studies classes, for the most part, with the exception of Carlisle of course. He started right off as a graduate student wanting to learn as much as possible that was new in medicine and not waste time. This was the first time everyone else would really be separated into different majors.
"Or, don't forget you can still pick your own major, you will just have some company." Edward added. Why was he suggesting that again. He just mentioned it a minute ago, and it was not like Nessie was going to forget. She has never forgotten anything.
"Thank you all. But, um, could everyone give me a minute to think? Alone!"
Nessie seemed to be thinking about something that was upsetting to her, I could see it all over her face, but what?
"Of course honey, we will be over at your Aunts and Uncles house. Why don't you come find us when you make a decision." Edward offered.
I started to get up to join them. Maybe I could see if Rose was doing anything exciting in the garage.
"Actually Jacob, could you stay?" Nessie asked, looking hopeful.
Was she actually doubting that I wouldn't do exactly as she asked? Well, within reason. No, there must be another reason for her expression.
"Of course Nessie. What is it honey?"
"I don't want to have to go to college with my family always watching me."
"Not a problem. I already offered to major in whatever field you pick." This would be great, we could be together all day long.
"No, Jacob, I don't want to do that."
No? I could feel the smile on my face fall without my permission. I didn't want to upset her, and seeing my disappointment was sure to do that. I tried to regain my composure as quickly as I could, but I knew she saw it. She never missed anything.
"Did you want to hold off on going to school for now?"
"No, I still want to go, but I want to make a compromise with you."
"What kind of compromise?"
"Well I was thinking that we could switch things up a bit. I want to join you in whatever major you pick. It does not seem right that you have to give up your dreams to follow me. You already moved away from your home and your family. And I know you say that it is not a problem, because you imprinted on me. But it is. This is one minor thing I can do to at least alleviate some of my guilt."
"It's not a problem, Nessie. I want to be here, with you. So you should not have any guilt, besides I have not even picked a major yet."
"I know, and I believe that is my fault as well. Or at least it is the fault of the imprinting. I think you have not been able to pick anything because you only want what I want. But if I was not here, or if I was not going to school too, you could. Can you try to think about what is it you would want to major in? What is it that you want to do with your life?"
Oh, my sweet Nessie. "Honey, my imprinting on you, is not stopping me from picking a major. In fact my problem is that I can't narrow it down to just one. Maybe you could help me with that . . . if you really want to go through the next few years of school with me, we both may as well enjoy ourselves."
"Really, Jacob? I'm not stopping you? Or holding you back?"
"Nessie, imprinting is a positive thing. It would never happen if it prevented a wolf from reaching their full potential. I just get the added bonus of having you in my life. But it is not like I am stuck by your side, waiting on you, hand and foot. I'm not your servant or something. I still have my own free will." Sort of. I probably would if she asked me to. But she wouldn't, she was wonderful.
"I know that. I don't treat you like that do I?" She looked horrified by her incorrect realization.
"No, honey, of course not. I didn't mean to imply that."
"You're sure?"
"Absolutely. Now if you are going to be majoring in the same thing as me at Dartmouth, you need to help me decide what exactly we will be studying." I smiled the biggest smile I could. I wanted to relax her and not feel like I was putting her under any pressure.
"Alright, Jacob. What are the choices?"
"The first is Native American Studies, but I feel like that would be something that people would expect me to take and not something I am too excited about. I mean I think it could be interesting to learn about other tribes across the country and their history, but not for a career, at least not right now."
Maybe you, well we, could minor in that?" Nessie offered.
I knew we were perfect for each other. "I was thinking the very same thing." I said leaning in and giving her a slight loving shove. "My next choice was Engineering. I figured I might do well in it, you know, since I am good with car engines. And my last choice is Environmental Studies. I've grown pretty attached to the forest, and nature, and that kind of stuff, since becoming a wolf and it would be nice to protect it." I was also toying with the idea of going into medicine like the Doc, but Nessie would most likely not be able to handle the blood so there was no point bringing it up, currently.
"So you were actually thinking of getting a job after college was over instead of starting high school again like the rest of the family?" Nessie questioned.
"Nessie, I know I am only 20 years old, but look at me. Even though I am not getting any older I don't look like a teenager anymore. I haven't for awhile now, ever since I first became a wolf. I think I look like I am about 25. That's two years older than Carlisle looks and just a year younger than Esme. Your parents and aunts and uncles might be happy repeating high school over and over but I think that I would go crazy doing that. And it was a bit of a miracle that people in Hoodsport actually believed I was young enough to still be in high school." Luckily we were using my actually documents and my father and the La Push school officials vouched for my age.
"Oh, of course you are right. You know I never was able to attend high school, but if you truly did not enjoy it then you should not have to continue repeating it." She was agreeing with me, but why did I still feel her sadness? Then it dawned on me a second later.
"But I promised you that our next time through school you could pick your college Major, so I would go back to school with you, high school and college if you wanted." She would be the only reason why I would repeat that hell. I would do anything for her. "I am sure that Jenks guy could find a way to get me back in."
"Jacob, I don't think you will have to worry about that. I doubt I will be able to ever attend a high school. Have you looked at me lately either? I look like I am 18."
I just nodded, not sure where she was going with this.
"Well, I am going to be turning four in a couple of weeks. And I know my growth rate has slowed over the years, but it has not stopped; and it won't until I turn seven. Who knows how old I will look by then. If Nahuel is any indication you and I might look similar in age. I assume that I will end up appearing to look as if I was in my early to mid twenties."
Huh, I never thought of that. I always think of Nessie still as a little kid, despite the fact that she is smarter than me, and she does look 18, her IDs say she is 19, and she is starting college with me. Do I need to start seeing her differently? Was this due to the imprint? Edward only seemed to see her in her biological years. I did too. But why? Everything about her was screaming that she was not a toddler, but my brain had always refused to listen. Maybe with this realization things were starting to change. Maybe. I still did not think of her romantically. Ew, no, no, no, definitely not. But she was getting older, physically. But it was more like watching my sisters, Rachel and Rebecca getting older.
"But it would be nice to go to college with you, again, perhaps in a decade, or so." Nessie said taking me out of my crazy thoughts.
"Oh yeah, right. Of course, honey. Whatever you want."
"Wonderful, but for now we still need to settle on a major. Engineering or Environmental Studies?"
"Well I do have forever to go back to school and get as many degrees as I want, and since Alice sees us moving to France, for whatever reason soon, probably before we even have time to graduate, I think I will go with Engineering this time."
"You know we can continue our studies, in whatever subject you decide in France, Jacob?"
"Not likely, I will probably be having enough trouble just speaking the language, I think attending college will have to wait."
"I see what you mean. But Engineering does sound fun."
We spent the next hour registering online for our classes, and luckily even though I had waited till the last minute we were able to sign up for most of the required classes for our chosen major, since it didn't look like we would be staying long enough to graduate, I guess it didn't matter if we took every class required this year or next. We also got some classes in Native American Studies, which Nessie had also agreed to take with me, and of course French. Nessie was already fluent but we agreed to stay together for all of the classes, so she would not have to take something else with one of her family members. I was not sure why she was so against it, but it meant I could spend even more time with her, so I was not about to object.