The situation of the story is after Bella's graduation and when the new year already started. It's now November or something. Bella and Edward are just married and on their honeymoon. I know that happens sooner than in the books but it just works better for this story that way. Thanks so much for all the reviews, they make my day and the inspiration for future chapters. Please feel free to review again :D

Chapter 35

Life was good! Me and Jackie were friends again, Bryan's time to get the truck was finally over and I could drive myself to school, Tara totally got her hopes crushed, again, when I walked in the hallways hand in hand with her dream guy who also happens to be my dream guy, things weren't totally awkward with Adam and the best thing was: I had Jacob!

For the first time since I went to high school was I happy that news travelled fast. Now that most girls were aware that Jacob was no longer single, they backed off with the exception of Tara. Although she filled her days now with Paul in the back of her car.

Talking about Paul Lahote: he hates my guts. I don't know why but every time he's around me, he tries to glare me all the way to hell. Jacob says Paul just doesn't like it that Jacob imprinted on me but there has got to be something more to it than that. Jackie told me not to let it get under my skin, that after all this time he's still mean to Kim and she's his best friend's imprint.

"So I was thinking I could come by your house after school until 6 o'clock because I've got patrol afterwards." Jacob said when he walked me back to class after lunch.

I was about the nod my consent when I realised something. Jacob couldn't come over to my house, my dad would be there. My dad who didn't even know I was dating Jacob, who didn't even know I hung out with him because my dad had made me promise I wouldn't. Oh fuck, I am screwed.

"Is that okay?"

"No! I mean I don't think that's such a good idea. I have a lot of homework to catch up with since I didn't do any of it last week."

"I could help you with your homework."

"Still not a great idea."

"You might be right. After all I would just distract you with my awesomeness."

I rolled my eyes at that but couldn't help but smile a little. Me finally accepting the imprint had made Jacob more confident than I had ever seen him. It would get on my nerves sometimes but mostly I kind of liked it.

I was going to tell my father tonight. He was going to leave in half an hour so his rant couldn't be too long. He was sitting in the living room, drinking a beer and watching TV.

"Dad?"

"Hey Erin. How was school today?"

"It was okay but there is something I have to tell you."

"Is everything alright? You look a bit pale. Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

I won't be for long though. I know my dad well enough to say he's going to get angry and probably ground me, even if I didn't really do anything wrong.

"Would it be okay if I stayed over at Jackie's tonight?"

That's not what I wanted to say to him at all. Jackie wasn't even home tonight so if he says yes I'll have to sleep outside.

"I don't think tonight is the best moment for it. I have to work in twenty minutes and I don't like Bryan being all alone at night. You'll have to find another date to do that. Sorry honey."

I told him that was okay and I went up to my room. How hard can it be to tell my dad I'm dating Jacob Black? This is ridiculous. It's too late to tell him now, I heard the front door close a few minutes ago. But I guess it can wait a little longer. I'll tell him tomorrow.

As soon as I pulled into the school's parking lot, Jacob rushed towards me and pulled me into a bone crushing hug that I loved.

"Were you able to survive without me around last night?"

"Yes, just fine. In fact I kind of liked the break from you." I teased him but apparently he didn't see it that way.

"Oh."

He sounded really depressed all of the sudden. Doesn't he know I was just joking around? Of course I missed him but that's something I'm not really willing to let him know. He's already turning me into a complete sap and that would just make it worse.

"Are you okay, Jacob? I was just teasing you."

"I knew that."

But his voice obviously betrayed that he didn't. Maybe he can't stand it when I tease him like that but that's what I do. I tease people to show them that they matter to me. I could of course pay more attention to it when I'm around Jacob oooooorrr he could just get used to it. I'm going for the latter. After all he's supposed to love me for who I am, inappropriate teasing included.

"Did you get all your homework done?"

"Yes. It wasn't as much as I thought it would be."

"That's great. Then I can come over today after school and the best part is, I don't have patrol today." He smiled at me.

"Euhm...I don't think today is such a good day for that."

"Why not?"

What was I supposed to answer him? I haven't told my dad we're dating because he practically forbid me to hang out with you? That doesn't seem like the best thing to tell him.

"My brother is sick. I don't want you catching his germs." I made up.

"That's not going to happen. I don't get sick, remember? But maybe you shouldn't be around him if he's that sick. I don't want you to catch his germs either."

"Well... I also don't get sick easily so don't worry about me. Still, Bryan is going to be throwing up and that's not really something you want to be around. We'll do that some other time."

He said it was okay but he was clearly disappointed.

That evening I made another attempt in telling my father about my new boyfriend. Unfortunately he made his proud face at me without realising it and I just couldn't bring myself to let him down, not tonight. So instead I let him leave for work without telling him what I really needed him to know and I washed the dishes.

"Do you still hang out with that Jacob Black?"

Why the hell would Bryan ask me such a thing? Oh my god, Bryan! He goes to school with me and could have seen me with Jacob. He would tell dad and then I'd be grounded while it really should be me telling dad this.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because the guy looked at me strangely today."

Was that it? Jacob probably doesn't like my brother because I keep using fighting with Bryan as an excuse for my lousy moods.

"And then he asked me why I was at school. He said I was supposed to be home. He also asked me if I was feeling okay. That's a weird dude, sis."

Damn it! Jacob knew I had been lying to him today. Then why didn't he confront me about it?

A normal person would have gone up to Jacob the next day and tell him why they kept making excuses and then they would go home and finally tell their father they were dating Jacob. But of course I'm not a normal person and made it way more difficult than it should be. Instead I did the complete opposite thing. Every day for the rest of the week I would make up excuses for Jacob not to come to my house and I was eventually running out of them. I had already used 'You can't come over. I won't be there, I have to go to the dog school with Ash' even though the closest dog school is in Seattle, 'Today is no good, my grandparents are coming over for dinner' even though all my grandparents had died years ago and 'You won't have fun because my period will start tonight'. Yeah, I actually used that one. It was the only thing I could come up with at the end of the week that would make him not want to come.

"Emily want to organise a bonfire for you where we tell the legends since you haven't been to one yet. She says it is necessary because it's sort of the inauguration of imprints. I don't know why she's making such a big deal about it but, will you come?"

"Sure, when is it?"

He looked a bit surprised that I said yes. He may have expected me to come up with a lame excuse again. He knew I was lying and I knew that he knew that but still we both pretended as if that was not the case.

"Saturday night. I'll come pick you up."

"That's okay. I can get a ride from Jackie that way you don't have to make a detour."

Before he could argue with the arrangement and I knew he would, I quickly took a turn into my classroom. Okay, that's it! Before Saturday night I have to tell my dad, else I never will. I sat down next to Jackie and was already thinking in my head how I would break the news to my father.

"Why do you keep blowing off Jacob like that?"

"What-? I-I don't know what you mean." I stammered.

"Oh, really? I give you exhibit A: all your grandparents are dead so it would be really hard to have a family dinner with them. Exhibit B: Ash doesn't go to a dog school, if he did you would actually be able to keep him on a leash. Exhibit C: Bryan was in school on Tuesday even though you told Jacob he was sick at home. Exhibit D: You had your period last week so it's just not possible that you'll have them again tonight. And last but not least, exhibit E: You have never blown off anything to make your homework, why would you start now?"

"And your point is?"

"That you've been making up these awful excuses to prevent Jacob from spending an evening with you. My question is why? I thought everything was finally solved between the two of you?"

"It is. There's just this...I haven't told my dad that I'm dating Jacob yet. He can't come at my house if my dad doesn't know that."

"Why don't you just tell your dad then? Your dad adores you and Jacob is definitely a good catch so why are you so reluctant to tell your father?"

"Jacob already came to my house once, before he and I were even friends. He met my dad and afterwards dad told me he didn't like guys like Jacob around me. He also wanted me to promise him to not hang out with Jacob anymore."

"Wow, you actually went in against what your father wanted? Usually you think his orders are God's words. I don't think I can even remember a time where you actually went in against your father."

"That's because I never have, until now."

"Okay, now I understand better why you don't want to tell your father but could you really not come up with better excuses to tell Jacob? They sucked."

I lightly punched her on the shoulder. That was so not the important part of the conversation.

"Why don't you just tell Jacob he can't come because you're too chicken to tell your father you're dating? But you might want to rephrase that."

"I can't. Jacob always takes everything to heart and I don't want him to think I'm ashamed of him."

"That makes sense. But you'll have to tell your father eventually."

"I know! I've decided I'll do it on Saturday."

"Good."

Of course I didn't tell her that I had decided to tell him every day for the past week and just couldn't do it. I didn't want her to feel the need to meddle with the situation. I can handle it, at least I think I can.

I was up in my room, wondering when the best moment would be to tell my dad when the doorbell rang. I didn't pay much attention to it until I heard a loud voice coming from the hallway, one I knew very well. I quickly got out of my room and stopped in the middle of the stairs when I saw Jacob standing in front of my father.

"Hello Sir, my name is Jacob Black. We've met before."

"I don't remember." My father responded harshly but we all knew he did, else he wouldn't react like that.

"I've come to ask you something. I would like the permission to go out with your daughter."

I'm pretty sure my mouth just fell open. How can he say something like that to my dad? How can he say something like that at all? What century did he think we lived in? Nevertheless I can't believe Jacob would do this for me, that's probably the sweetest thing he's done. Although that might be wrong. There was also the time he bought me a car because he thought my truck was dangerous, or the time he randomly bought me this amazing necklace or the time he got mad at my brother because my fight with Bryan had upset me, or when he picked me up in the middle of the night to ride through La Push looking for my dog. Wow, that boy really is too good for me.

"You want to date my daughter?"

Jeez dad, don't sound too surprised. Boys do notice me, well that boy notices me. At least he noticed me sitting on the staircase. He gave me a small smile and then turned his attention back to my dad.

"Yes, I love your daughter and I know your approval means a lot to her, so I would like to have it. If you don't that's too bad but I'll still go out with her. She's too important to me"

My dad was almost red by now. I don't think he found Jacob's words nice to hear, I however couldn't disagree more.

"Get out of my house!"

"Sir-"

"And leave my daughter alone!"

Jacob eventually left the house and only then did my father notice my presence in the hall way. I slowly got up and walked downstairs.

"Are you dating that boy? Didn't I tell you not to be around him? Why don't you listen? Couldn't you find yourself a nice boy who doesn't look like he should have danger tattooed on his face? Am I really asking that much-"

"I'm sorry dad but you'll have to wait. I'll be right back."

I quickly sprinted to the front door before my father could stop me and ran towards the figure walking away from my house.

"Jacob!"

He turned around and looked surprised to see me. Or that's what I thought. Instead he seemed more concerned about my health.

"Where is your coat? You're going to catch a cold like that, get back inside!"

I rolled my eyes at this but couldn't help but being touched by his concern for my wellbeing.

"I just wanted to say thank you for telling those things to my dad. I'm guessing Jackie's tongue slipped?"

He nodded as if he was afraid I would get angry at Jackie and therefore him. This was actually one of those rare moments Jackie's meddling had a good result.

"I'm really grateful that you told my dad."

"Well, Jackie said you couldn't do it yourself and he'll eventually have to meet me since I'm going to be with you forever."

I don't understand how he can say it so casually while those words made my heart flutter.

"Yeah he'll just have to be okay with it."

"Is everything good now? Your dad is not too angry, is he?"

"Oh no, he is. I'm sure he'll ground me now."

"I guess that means you won't be able to come tomorrow night at the bonfire?"

"That's the definition of grounded but I could always just go anyway. He's not even home then."

"I could never ask you to do that."

"You don't have to ask. Besides it will totally be worth it."

I've come to the realisation that it's so much nicer to see the writer thank you personally for the reviews so I'm going to start doing that: I want to thank Zoexclaire, Happy2BeeMe, kikikiki, kristie310, gawjesgrl190, Luli Cullen, secretprincess, angel057, DarkFlame Alchemist, hollywoodab and Akuish. I think that's all. Thank you!