I don't own Twilight. I would like to say, I would stay up and write more of this little tale, but it's late, and I'm tired. I hope if you read it, you're enjoying it so far.
Eight.
I walked up to Jake and tapped him on the shoulder. He was standing there gawking at a girl in the corner of the room. "Has she seen you?" I asked.
"No."
"Jake!" I pushed him, "Go!"
"But…I don't know what to say," he replied.
I was relieved. At last, Jake and I had severed whatever tie we had between us, and we could finally just be friends again. "Just tell her your name, that's all you have to do, right? Once she sees you, you'll know."
He nodded and started to walk to her. She didn't have dark skin like he did, but she sure had dark hair. She looked to be of Asian descent and her eyes were a deep green.
When she looked up, I almost cried at the sight. She stared back at Jacob as though she had known him for years. And when she got up and went to meet him, my heart swelled for him. He had finally found his own mate – his Edward, so to speak.
I did wonder what this would do to the trip. If he would remain with us and keep going, or if he would stay here and get to know her – she was his world now, not me.
As if he were being called by name, he looked back at me, and instinctively grabbed her hand. She blushed, but followed.
"Guys, I'd like you to meet…" He trailed off. Of course, they hadn't bothered to find out who one another were.
"Malia," she finished for him. He looked to me and for the first time in a while, I could see that he was happy – Jacob, but not my Jacob. This was a guy I almost didn't recognize until I realized that he was still Jacob, but the old Jacob – the one who I knew before he became a werewolf.
"Hi, I'm Bella," I said and then Edward leaned in behind me and shook her hand.
"And I'm Edward."
We decided to leave then and let Jake have his fun. He needed to be alone to face the new realities of having a girlfriend – well, soulmate I supposed.
As Edward and I walked back to the hotel, I pushed my shoulder against his. "Did Alice?"
"No, she knew he would be happy when we returned, and in a whole different way, but she didn't know why. She can't really see the wolves, remember?"
I nodded.
"Are you disappointed?" He stopped and turned to face me.
"Actually no. I thought I would be. I dreaded it, to be honest. But seeing him happy, letting the tie sever – it's…I'm relieved. "
"Really?" The light in his face was bright when the street lights hit it just right.
"Yes. My only concern now is…"
"Is when and if I will turn you?"
"Please don't be mad, I don't want to fight."
He pulled me into his side and we walked inside. "Maybe…sooner than you think," he told me.
"Are you serious?"
"We have to think about what the wolves will do, Bella."
I had forgotten. On the one hand, I had the wolves cornering me into staying human, and on the other were the Volturi, with their red eyes and bone white skin pressing hard on the Cullens to keep their promise into turning me.
This escape was easier.
"Maybe Jake will think about it more clearly now," I said with hope. Behind me, though, was Jacob, watching.
"I don't think so, Bella," he warned.
"Jake," I looked back, startled. "You have Malia now – you don't need – "
"This isn't about you and me. It's about the treaty, you know that. I won't have a choice."
I didn't think he would after everything that happened tonight, but he insisted that he was coming. He had gotten Malia's number and address and was going to see her as soon as he could, but for now, the vacation was still very much on.
For all of us.