A/N Hello. I hope you're enjoying the story so far? 😊
This version of it has been edited to correct flow problems. Scene improvements have been made for more description and showing instead of telling. Chapter lengths were reworked for pacing and easier reading.
Chapter 10
I could be staring at somebody new
But stuck in my head is a picture of you
You are the thunder, I was the rain
I wanna know if I'll see you again —Stardust, Mika
Bella
Breathing in the smell of fresh-cut pine at the Christmas Tree Market put me in a Christmas mood. I rearranged my scarf and tucked my chilled hands into my coat pockets as me and Dad searched for the perfect one.
Trailing behind him, I plowed into a body. Embry was swift on the reflexes, clutching my shoulders and steadying me upright. "Bella, are you okay?"
"Embry!" I spread open my arms and gave him a huge welcome-back hug. I danced inside at the sight of him. "Better than okay. You're back!"
"Well, I guess you're all right then." Dad gave me one of his typical looks. This one showing he didn't quite get the behavior of today's teenagers. "Good to see you, Embry," he said as he walked away.
"You too, Charlie!"
Seeing Embry meant Jake was home. I couldn't wait to see him. "Where is he? Did he go home or to the Clearwater's?"
"J? I should have known it wasn't me who put the humongous grin on your face."
The speculative nature of Embry's quirked eyebrow made me stop to take a calming breath.
"I take it you missed him."
"Oh, we all did."
"His dad picked him up. He said he was going home first. He was eager to see everybody, so I'm sure he'll show up in Forks soon."
I turned toward my dad, willing him to hurry and pick a tree. Finding the perfect evergreen wasn't as important to me as it was a moment earlier.
"Hey. You might see him before I do. Can you give him this?" Embry held out a piece of beaded jewelry interlaced with colorful little gemstones. "He left it on the bus."
"What is it?" I reached for the pretty strand of beads.
"Something for some girl."
The beads slid through my fingers, sinking to the ground just as the air swooshed from my lungs.
"Oops," Embry said and bent down to retrieve them.
"His girlfriend?" The question fell out of my mouth, but I listened wholeheartedly for every returned word.
"Could be. He didn't say, and I didn't ask."
The knowledge Jake found a girlfriend that he cared for enough to buy jewelry for, floored me. Though I always knew and feared the possibility, I didn't prepare for it. The memory of his hand snug with mine, the sweet tender kiss he placed on my cheek, and the smile he graced me with before he left gave me enough hope to think it wouldn't happen.
My highest of high plunged, causing a sudden lump in my throat. Turning away from Embry, I cleared the corners of my watery eyes, ignoring his outstretched hand.
Embry's eyes shot open and his face showed his conclusion. "Bella, Jake never said..." He closed his hand around the beads.
With a lift of my hand, I interrupted him, covering my nose with the other hand, like I was holding off a sneeze. "It's allergies. Standing by these trees isn't helping." I twisted toward Dad with a determined attempt to get myself together, observing him as he walked around another tree, inspecting it. Blinking my eyes to remove moisture in them, I wasn't about to let Embry, or anyone else, witness my tears and my stupid, childish behavior.
Dad pointed at the tree. I smiled, nodding my head. Passing my smile from him to Embry, I faced Embry's questioning stare. Embry fidgeted uneasy, concerned with my initial response. "No, Bella. You were about to cry."
I wouldn't have guessed he could be so blunt.
"Cry... Cry for what?" I faked a sniffle while rubbing my eyes like something irritated them.
"I didn't mean to make it sound like Jake has a girlfriend. He doesn't."
"Like I care." I faked a laugh. "Whether he does or doesn't, it isn't any of my business. I don't know why I asked."
"Don't act like that, Bella."
"I'm not acting like anything. I don't care what Jacob does. Why would I?"
"He told me all about you and him at the movies. I just forgot."
I dropped my head, giving up on my facade. I hated that Embry's revelation surprised me so much that I couldn't don the mask I had always worn.
Dad paid for the tree and started hauling it to the truck.
"You're right, Em. I'm sure I behaved like an idiot enough for one day. So, I care. You don't need to backpedal. It's not like I can do anything about it. We may as well just drop it. I have to go."
"Listen to me, Bella!"
I rolled my eyes. The impulse to cover my ears like I did when I was younger and Jasper and Emmett were teasing me to death tempted me. I didn't want to hear anything more about Jacob. Or the girlfriend he didn't have but bought jewelry for, anyway.
"Honest. He never said who it was for. He doesn't have a girlfriend. I wasn't thinking." He pointed at me. "And you're jumping to conclusions."
Dad called out from beside the truck. "Bella!"
I held my finger up, signaling for him to hold on while I replayed Embry's "could be" and "some girl" in my mind, staring at Embry. "Maybe I jumped to a conclusion, and he doesn't have a girlfriend. There is some girl though, right?"
Embry's brows wrinkled, his distress clear. He puckered his lips, pointing them sideways before answering. "I... I really don't know."
"Stop it now, Embry! You wanted me to listen to you, so tell me."
"Shit." Bowing his head, he let out a rough sigh. "There's no one special."
My stomach turned.
Embry threw his head back, looking into the sky. "Ugh, Jake'll pound me for this. He will... Okay, he went out with some girls, but I know there's nobody he's serious about at school. That's the truth, Bella."
Some? Dad called my name again. "I'm coming, Dad!"
My misguided heart ached while my levelheaded mind tried to rationalize. I wondered if I even had the right to feel betrayed. I shrugged. "Nothing happened between me and Jacob, anyway. He doesn't owe me anything. I would appreciate it though, if you wouldn't tell him we saw each other today, Embry."
"I'll second that." He huffed in relief, wiping a hand across his brow.
"I better go." I turned to walk away.
"Bella!" Embry reached out, touching my shoulder. I turned back to face him. "Jake wishes something would happen between you two. I know for a fact he does. Give him a chance."
I forced a meaningless smile drowning in my pain and confusion.
When I got home, I purposely forgot to mention Jacob was back. I told everyone I wasn't feeling well and hauled myself up to my room. I wanted to be alone. I had looked forward to the day of his homecoming for four months. Now all I wanted to do was forget Jacob Black existed.
Jake's up next!
