Echo58 I was tired of seeing young adult and new adult books promoting abusive relationships. Being put down and beaten doesn't make girls stronger, showing these relationships work out without the couple getting series professional help is dangerous. The cliff was my favorite scan to right in that chapter.

Megan39 Yes she is, she needs the friends that will point things out to her. She also has to open her eyes and see the people around her without those rose colored glasses she seems to have on. It is sad, she seems to surround herself with selfish people making her wants and needs in to an afterthought.

4Gracie04 I am so glad you enjoyed it.

Thank You for your reviews.

Chapter 27

Bella had fallen asleep before the movie ended. When Charlie woke her up she found herself wrapped in a blanket. Billy seemed annoyed.

"Did my boy leave you out here alone this whole time?"

"No," She told him. "we were watching a movie."

His irritation melted into surprise.

"Oh, good. That's good." Billy mumbled. He seemed to be talking more to himself then to her.

Bella was still half asleep when her and Charlie got home. She stumbled her way up the stairs and straight into bed not even bothering to get changed.

The next morning she got up to take a shower. Taking two steps away from her bed she tripped over something and landed hard on the floor with a groan. Sitting up, she found the culprit was her book bag.

Bella thought she left it in the hall, maybe Charlie brought it up, maybe she was just so tired she didn't realize she grabbed it before coming up last night. Shrugging it off she went to start her day.

Charlie took her to her drivers ed class. Edward had left a message on her phone saying when he came to pick her up for her class Charlie made him leave.

She closed her eyes. Why didn't he understand? Her father wanted them to have some time apart. Charlie had already told her to break up with him. If Edward didn't stop this she didn't know what her father would do.

Bella texted Edward telling him he needed to back off before Charlie sent her away to boarding school.

Jacob didn't come back to the Swan house until Monday morning. When they left the house he took Bella's book bag and put it in the back of the truck, this confused her. Seeing the blonde in the middle seat of the truck did not make things more clear.

"Wh-" Bella started.

"Shut up." Jacob interrupted.

His words may have been mean, but his tone was oddly friendly. Bella stood there trying to figure out why the girl was in the truck. Even if she asked him to pick her up, he would have picked Bella up first. Right?

Jacob let out an aggravated breath. He grabbed Bellas hand and led her to the drivers side of the truck. Standing behind her, he placed his hands around her waist silently encouraging her to get in.

"You need to move over." Bella told Lauren.

The girl countered, "Or, you could sit over there." Pointing to the passenger's side.

"Fucking move!" Jacob practically growled.

"Okay, Jeez." Lauren said as she moved over. "Who knew you would actually speak."

Bella looked over at Jacob in surprise. Had that been the first time he spoke to Lauren, or did the blonde think he didn't speak in front of Bella?

Bella could feel the tension rolling off of Jacob. They drove to school in a strained silence. When Jacob parked the truck he didn't move from the driver's seat. Lauren looked over at him.

"Out!" He said sharply.

Lauren rolled her eyes and said, "Whatever." getting out she slammed the door behind her.

Bella looked over at Jacob. His back was rigid, eyes squeezed shut, jaw tensed, and knuckles white from holding the steering wheel so tight. Bella thought of the best way to approach this.

She bit her lip then said. "Trouble in Paradise?"

Jacob huffed a laugh. He swallowed a few times then opened his mouth to take a breath.

"How much trouble will we get in if we skip school today?" He asked.

"It's the first day of the first full week Jake, I wouldn't suggest it."

His lips turned up.

"What?" she asked.

"You called me Jake."

She didn't know why that was such a big deal. His father, her father and even Lauren called him Jake. She changed the subject.

"Why did you pick up Lauren before me? Her house is after mine on the way to school."

"No more speeches that she's bad for me?"

"No, you're a big boy. You can handle yourself."

He chuckled.

"How does a two minute conversation with you make me feel better?"

She shrugged.

"It makes more sense to pick me up first."

"You are not going to let this go, are you?"

She shrugged again.

"I didn't pick her up this morning. She has been with me since Saturday night."

Saturday night? That means; Bella flashed back to the Cullens first day. Eric bragging on the bus that morning.

"Let me guess. She showed up at your house and told you she would let you kiss her if you let her sleep over?"

He choked on a laugh and said. "Sure sure, kissing."

She could see humor in his eyes. She was about to ask what was so funny when his eyes darkened. He glared over her shoulder.

"Your leach is summoning you." He told her.

The loud knock on the window made her jump. Edward was standing outside the passenger door looking very unhappy.

Jacob got out of the truck. He left the door open giving Bella the option to get out on the side away from Edward. He already had both their backpacks in his hand when she turned back to him.

"Give me a minute." She told him as she moved over to the passenger door.

Jacob threw both bags over his shoulder and leaned against the hood of the trunk to wait, Bella took a deep breath then got out of the truck.

"Good morning Edward."

Edward was fuming. However Bella had to give him credit for keeping his temper under control. He clenched his fist but did not grab her.

"You're trying to humiliate me again."

"No Edward, I'm not."

"Yes you are." He hissed. "Why else would you be sitting in a car flirting with another guy."

Bella took another breath. "We weren't flirting." She told him, "We were talking about him kissing Lauren." She picked the topic she felt would most appease her frazzled boyfriend.

He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Okay, I am just having a really hard time. With your father telling me if I didn't stop coming around he was going to get a restraining order,"

"What?"

He continued like he didn't hear her. "then telling you he was going to send you to boarding school."

Bella opened her mouth to correct him then thought better of it.

"I am on the edge. I feel like nothing is going right."

"Edward, it will be okay. For now we will just have to make do with talking on the phone, seeing each other in school and when I come to visit Alice. He will calm down soon. I'm sure of it."

The first bell rang.

"We should get to our classes, I'll see you at lunch." She told him hoping he would be satisfied with that.

At lunch Edward was extra clingy, other than that He was subdued. Jake sat with Lauren, all stress from that morning seemingly gone.

Edward met her at the door after her last class. He walked her to the truck and kissed her goodbye. The kiss was so rough her lips and teeth hurt.

She was placed in between Jake and Lauren again on the drive home. Just like the day before, Edward followed them all the way to her front door.

Jake stood by the window looking out of it for a few minutes.

"I'm gonna go for a quick ride, do you need anything?"

Bella answered. "No."

She was curious where he was going to go but didn't ask.

When he came back he asked. "Your boyfriend doesn't know I'm staying here, does he?"

Bella looked at him with concern, and asked. "Why?"

"Because he just followed me all the way to the La Push border, and waited there till I was out of site." Jake told her. "Look I don't know the guy, but the way he's acting is really starting to creep me out."

Next up Bella's Birthday

Thank you for reading.