Okay so here you go....hope you like ENJOY..thanks for R&R

Chapter 36

The morning sun doesn't bring me any solace, but quite the opposite occurs to me. It will be the first time that I either must walk to school or be dropped off…both are beyond horrific after having Edward's car. I frown at my barren room as I roll out of bed, and it takes all my effort not to climb back in again. I make my way down stairs to find only my mother and a one deep breath later I am trying to find as many things to keep me busy as it is humanly possible. Avoidance is going to be my game today, I am not ready to deal with any of the crap she wants to throw at me without breaking down or worse having a repeat of last night. It doesn't take me long before leaving the house is better done early if I am to do so without incident.

I rummage through my suitcase to find a huge hoodie and a pair of jeans, just the outfit to complete my nightmarish of a day. I grab my book bag and hurry out the door before my mother has a chance to stop me.

Just as I reach the cement sidewalk I hear it, "Bella, don't you want me to give you a lift?" My mother's voice seems to echo across the yard.

"I'll walk." I grumble harshly and continue towards where I hope the school is. Like I found out last night I am not entirely familiar with this part of Forks, but it can't be that difficult.

The walk turns out to be a straight shot up the road about a mile, not too long but not quite the easiest walk considering I was use to driving. I recognized cars speeding past me as I walked, cars that will ultimately end up in the school parking lot. I just want to get there and relax, at least school can't change overnight.

The second I walk into the building I get that feeling, it sorta just overwhelms me and lets me know that in fact everything had changed. The slight looks from the boys and the sneers on some girls faces say it all. No one says a word, the whispers are so quiet that I can't tell what they are saying, but I can read it al over their faces. So how they all know…

I swallow loudly, almost audible if you ask me, but as my eyes dart from student to student as I traverse the hall I know that I simply will not be able to be here. Heavy pressure seems to have found my lungs and it is near impossible to breath in the stale chemically cleansed air of the hallway.

The first and possibly the only friendly face I see has me grasping his hand and pulling him into the broom closet with approximately 40 wide eyes watching the whole thing. My breathing is to the point bordering on hyperventilating as I sink down against the wall pulling Jacob with me. My hand drops his as I pull my knees up against my chest to cradle my arms and head.

"Bella, are you okay?" I should have known he would ask, I have overwhelmed the guy by dragging him into the janitors closet before school, let alone in front of so many people.

"They all know…at least he is gone." I whisper out into my knees as I glance up at him in the dark closet.

"I didn't tell anyone, I swear…I would never do that to you."

"Relax, Jake, I know you didn't Jessica must have started spreading rumors."

"So he's gone…where?"

"Doesn't matter, my mom found out and well things didn't go according to anyone's plans. I now live here in Forks on this road whatever it is named." You think I would have checked the street signs this morning…oops?

The bell rings before he can say anything more. He starts to stand up and I panic pulling him back down awkwardly by his jeans.

"Bella?" He asks clearly confused, I sure would be if I were him. A girl he is crushing on drags him into a dark closet and then when he tries to leave I start tugging on his pants. Ummm, little awkward moment, I'm sure it will pass, right?

"I can't go to class today, skip with me I don't know where to go?" I plead hoping he will agree.

He gives me a searching look before agreeing but his voice is anything but confident. I wonder if he ever did this before, skipping class isn't something everyone does. It isn't something I do.

We wait for another 10 minutes of which is almost complete silence, both of us must be at a loss for words. The doorknob to the janitor's closet seems cold as I gently push it open to check for teachers. The coast is clear as far as I can tell and we both slide out into the hallway. In the florescent lighting of the hall Jacob looks flushed, after spending 15 minutes with me in a dark closet he looks like he was doing a little more than just sitting on the floor.

Our path is set, the back doors that lead out to the back of the school are only three classrooms down and our best chance of getting out of her without someone taking notice. Well, at least I hope that is how it all works considering I have never even entertained thoughts of leaving school once I arrived. The more I think on it the more I realize that my mother had me thoroughly brainwashed into what she thinks is the perfect image of a high school student. Sorry mom, life has caught my eye and what you have told me and what you have forced upon me is not what I want.

The cool air against my face revives me a bit as we make a break away from the school, I follow Jacob towards the tree line hoping with all I am that he is familiar with the woods around here. The world around us darkens as we get into the trees, it feels cooler less muggy underneath the canopy that is the forest. I want to sink down into the green expanse around me but someone my logic say that I would become extremely wet seeing as the sun doesn't penetrate here.

"Where to? You do have some nature skills since you are native and all, right?" I ask feeling kinda stupid asking.

"Yeah, well, I grew up playing in these very forests. You can trust me, Bella." And I do trust him, more so than I would trust any other guy to lead me into the dark forests of Washington.

"Come on, let's go this way I know where we can get a car for the day…that is if you want to get out of here, we can head back to my house."

"Where are we gonna get a car? Can you even drive? Legally? Jake, you won't steal a car will you?" I ask jogging a bit to catch up to him, man he sure can walk fast through these brambles and other forestry hazards.

"Relax, I am not gonna steal a car, and yes I can drive but to be safe you will be doing the driving since I lack an official license. My friend works a few miles from here at a garage outside of town; he will lend us his pickup if I ask.

"Really and why would this obviously older friend of yours give you his truck when you are skipping class?" I say as I stumble gracefully over a moss-covered log.

"He is actually my boss, I work part time at his garage and in return I get the parts I need to fix up the rabbit I am working on in my garage at home. He won't mind as long as I am back there after school to work my shift." He shrugs and I give the whole idea of him never skipping school before a second thought. If he is this casual about the whole thing he must have.

I follow Jake through the trees for about five more minutes before he starts for the nearby open. We come out alongside the road across the street from what is obviously the garage. A large wooden sign proclaims it is Sam's Garage with a logo of a wolf leaning out of a pickup truck. The garage itself looks like it could use a paint job and a heavy-duty scrub down with degreaser.

I warily walk up to the building along side Jake who seems oddly at home here, I never pictured him being into fixing cars or actually even having a job. There is more to the guy than I thought or that ever came up during lunch.

Jake walks right into the large garage like he owns the place before zeroing in on a guy who is halfway beneath a car. I hang back a bit as I wonder how this is going to go.

"Hey, Sam…could I barrow your truck for a while?" He says gently kicking the feet extending from beneath the car.

"Jacob? Aren't you supposed to be in school?"

"Yeah…something came up." Jake replies as the guy under the car, Sam, starts to slide out.

A grin spreads across Sam's face, "I see you found him without my assistance, young lady." I stare blankly at him, have I met him before.

"Ahhh, I see I got a better look at you that night than you did me, I hope you found your way home since I last saw you."

The guy from the road who called the cops on me. I frown at him involuntarily but only for a second, I don't want to be rude.

"Uh, yeah I made it home okay…" I mumble looking at the ground sheepishly.

"So about the truck, can we barrow it?" Jake asks again taking Sam's attention away from me and back to the whole reason for our impromptu visit.

"Yeah, keys are in the office head on back and grab them, I'll keep your little friend company." He says taking a step closer to me effectively cutting off my route to follow Jake. "So skipping school….your idea or his?" Sam questions as soon as Jake is out of hearing range.

"I sorta dragged him along…I don't want him to get into trouble but right now he is about the only friend I have right now at school…well unless you count the rest of them but they are more Jake's friends than mine." I ramble unable to stop myself.

He sorta grunts at me and offers nothing else just as Jake comes back twirling the keys around his index finger.

"Don't get caught skipping by the cops, and stay out of trouble you two I don't want to have to explain to anyone why my truck is in your hands." He sighs and lets us leave without another word. He must not be that old considering he is letting two teen take his truck for the day without batting an eye. Anyone much older would frown upon that, still he wouldn't give me a ride the other night either.

I climb into the truck and fasten my seatbelt before I even realize that I don't have the keys to start the vehicle. Cold metal rests in my hand as I hear the passenger's side door slam shut.

"You okay, Bella?" Jacob asks and I nod before I start the truck and back out onto the road.

"Which way from here?" I ask remembering he said we could go to his house, which I have no idea how to get to.

He gives me simple directions and we slowly but surely make it out of town without running into anyone who would want us to return to school. As we pull into the small town that is on the reservation, I have to slow down if not for the speed limit but also so I could watch the scenery out the window. The ocean comes into view and I smile broadly.

"Can we go to the beach?" I ask as I allow the truck to coast along as I gaze out at the blue water.

"Sure, Bella lets just drop the truck at my house and we can walk down to the beach." He replies smirking at my interest in the body of water.

I drive a little bit longer until Jake points out a small house for me to park in front of. I cut the engine and we climb out of the truck, I hesitate for a second wondering if he is gonna go inside or not. Is he gonna tell who ever is in the house that he is home? I sure wouldn't but that is just me.

"Come on, let's just go down to the beach," he says motioning with his hand for me to follow, and of course I do. There is something about Jake that makes me feel at ease around him, I think as I watch him slow his pace for me to catch up. Now if only I didn't feel like I was leading him on by wanting to hang out with him, because in my eyes he is nothing more than a friend.

We end up down the beach a ways watching the tide come in, not exactly talking but we aren't silent either. My stomach starts to rumble and I am sure it is well past lunch time as we start walking back towards Jake's house.

"Thank you for today." I say breaking the quiet.

"No problem." He smiles and a little bit of dread starts to sink in as I wonder what the smile conveys. I don't want him to get the wrong idea.

"You are a great friend; I really needed to get away from school and all."

"Yeah…let's go find something to eat and then I'll drop you back at your house." He replies but the bright smile has faded.