CHAPTER 9

BELLA

I feel frozen, and there's a good part of me that wouldn't mind just dropping dead at this moment. But the earth opening up to swallow someone whole, or an anvil falling on my head, is something I only see in cartoons.

This day feels like it's been going on forever, and the last thing I want or need is to face down Jared's entire family one by one.

Taking a deep breath, I turn to face his mom, and only now do I realize the block we'd walked up brought us just a few steps away from the La Push complex. All she would have had to do was look outside her window and she would have been able to see me and Jacob talking in the courtyard.

Which lets me know her stumbling upon us wasn't a coincidence at all.

"Hi, Mrs. Black," I say, shifting from one foot to the other.

"Oh, Bella." Her deep tanned face crumbles, and she immediately rushes over to me, pulling me into a hug. This one, however, feels forced and stilted and nothing, like how warm and protected Jacob's hug, made me feel. "I've missed seeing you around." She coos.

I smile at her in return. What can I really say to that? We've always gotten along well, but the feeling of missing her isn't that mutual. I would never say that to her though.

Jacob steps beside us, pulling slightly on my arm. "We were at Paul's and have to head back. Bella's ride is waiting."

Thankful for the lifeline, I nod, ready to run the other way. "Yeah, I should go."

"Wait, before you go, I just need to ask you a favor."

"Okay?"

"I need to know that I can count on you. That we can count on you." Mrs. Black squeezes my hand so tight that I wince.

"I'm not sure I understand." I choke out.

"Please, Bella. Everyone has turned on him. On us. All I'm asking is that you share the truth. We have to work together to clear his name. I even think he was with you on one of those days they're accusing him of those horrible things." I try to pull back, but her grip on my hand only tightens. "I'm uh ... working on getting him a really good lawyer. When they contact you, make sure you tell them about the Jared we both know. Give him a fighting chance."

It was the worst thing anyone had asked me to do.

The truth was that, yeah, the person those girls were describing did not sound like the boy I fell in love with. But I knew enough to see that it didn't mean we couldn't be talking about the same person.

The idea of speaking "my truth" when that truth could let a monster go free was too much.

I nod, not sure how else to respond.

What I can't tell her is that I actually already have my own lawyer as well.

Jacob manages to wrangle his mom away, long enough for us to hightail it back to the apartment where we were at before.

"How am I going to get home?" The words trail off when I notice Edward is sitting inside his car, exactly where we had parked when we first arrived looking for Angela and Peter.

I almost shrink back when I notice his nearly unblinking stare is focused right on me and Jacob.

I don't have to ask. It's clear he'd been waiting for me so he could take me home. For that I was grateful. But the glare puts me on edge.

"I guess I'll talk to you later. " I turn to Jacob, giving him another long and much-needed hug. All the while wondering if I'll ever see him again.

"It was really good seeing you." He sighs. "And sorry about my mom."

Yeah, that was weird, but to not hurt his feelings, I just shrug. "I should probably head out."

Which isn't a lie. It didn't feel like we'd been talking that long, but during that time, the sun had set. Getting in trouble for being late was one thing, but somehow being late when it was already dark out made it seem that much more severe.

I did not need to hear my mother's bitching on top of everything else today.

I slump over the few feet to Edward's car, feeling like someone just slid a weighted vest over my shoulder.

"You good?" Edward asks, in almost a whisper, as soon as I climb into the passenger seat.

I couldn't be further from good or okay if I tried, but still, I nod. "Yeah, thanks for waiting."

He shrugs. "Well, it's not like Jacob drives yet."

Right.

Sighing, I close my eyes, and lean my head against the seat rest, ignoring Edward as I hear him mumble, "I didn't realize you guys were so close." As we make our way over the bridge and toward my house.

I Jolt awake, and for a split second, I think that this whole day, maybe even this whole weekend, might have been a dream.

But within seconds of my vision clearing, a throat clearing makes me realize I'm in Edward's car and we've just pulled into the driveway of my house.

I breathe a large sigh of relief when I see that my mom's car isn't there. But the light coming from inside at least tells me Angela made it okay.

"You need a ride to school tomorrow?" he whispers.

Eyes wide, I whip my head in Edward's direction. It really should not be so earth-shattering that he would offer that, but it really does feel like that last thing I'd expected to come out of his mouth.

I gulp. Because I probably do need a ride, but I also know that getting one from him isn't the smartest idea for a variety of reasons. Like, how would I explain that to my mom or Jess?

"Thanks, but I'm good," I say, hoping he truly hears that I'm being genuine.

"If you say so."

With a very heavy heart that makes me feel like I'm trying to walk up to my house in concrete shoes, I make my way inside.

"Bella?" Angela calls out.

I don't know where she is inside the house. I don't even bother asking if my mom came home, or if she called to check that we made it.

I can't even find the words to explain to Angela what went down after she left, what Jacob said about his brother, what he hinted at about Jessica, or how his mom is somehow relying on me for testimony to help clear Jared.

Through blurry eyes, I can barely make out what she's wearing or saying when she walks up to me. But the minute she comes near, and wraps an arm around my shoulders, I lean into her and completely shatter into sobs—pieces I didn't even know were broken, slowly shattering one by one.

Thanks for reading! The drama has only just begun :-D