Chapter 2

I've been spending all my time
Just thinking about ya
I don't know what to do
I think I'm fallin' for you —Fallin' For You, Colbie Caillat

Bella

A couple of months past my thirteenth birthday, I convinced my mom to let me wear more make-up. She taught me how to wear it just right, so it would accent my features without being too obvious.

I was in my bedroom, developing my new look to perfection. I had overheard Emmett tell mom that Jacob was coming over, and I wanted to see if he'd notice a difference in me.

The roar of cycles caused a vibration through my window. I scooped my hair out of my face and tied it at the top of my head as I listened to squeaky floorboards and pounding feet announcing Jacob's entry. His and Seth's energized voices sent me on my way, but just as I reached the bottom of the steps, the door thudded closed.

Disappointment filled me. "Where are they going?" I asked, as I trudged into the warm and cozy, coffee-scented living room.

"Just outside. They're working on Emmett's dirt bike. It won't start or something," mom said, re-lifting my level of excitement.

I searched for a reason to follow them outside, then rushed into the kitchen, tore open the fridge, and sped outside with an armful of cokes. Like a dummy, I forgot how frigid winter mornings sometimes got, and as soon as I set foot on the slick, salted porch, I flew off the cement and hit the soggy, damp ground. Gritty soil, dead grass, and leaves splattered around me. The sodas bounced out of my arms and rolled into the driveway.

Jacob rushed to my side. "Bella, you, all right?" He grabbed my arms and lifted me to my feet.

"I think so."

Dirt covered my backside, my head, and the side of my face. Jacob reached out and wiped off my cheek. His hands were chilly, but my skin heated where he touched it. It was the first time I let myself explore his eyes directly for more than a second. They were dreamy. His eyelashes seemed to flutter with a subtle hint of bashfulness as he held on to my gaze. His cheeks had a bit of a ruddy hue. I wondered if it was a small blush or just color from the cold.

"Jeez, Bella! What's wrong with you?" Emmett's yell shocked me out of a daze. Immersed in the connection, I forgot he and Seth were standing there.

Jake cleared his throat, and we turned toward them. Fiery daggers were shooting at me from Emmett's blazing eyes, and possibly at Jacob, too. It was hard to tell because it happened so fast.

"Why are you so clumsy? What are you doing out here bothering us, anyway?"

"I thought you might be thirsty," I mumbled, looking down at the sodas.

"Are you crazy? It's freezing out here! What are you, an idiot?"

Normally good-natured, comical, and fun to be around, Emmett's cruel behavior took me by surprise. Embarrassment heated my face, a lump lodging in my throat. I couldn't speak, because if I tried, I would cry.

"I'll have one. I'm thirsty," Seth said in a quiet voice.

I turned from Emmett's angry face to Jacob's. His lips stretched into a thin smile, and I could see the pity in his eyes. Humiliated, I turned back to Emmett and screamed at him. "You're the idiot!"

I spun around, racing into the house and upstairs to my bedroom, slammed the door, and locked it. Throwing myself on the bed, I cried from a mixture of anger and embarrassment. I hated Emmett, and Jake could take that look of his and cram it. I didn't need his pity and didn't care if I ever saw him again.

About twenty minutes later, I heard the door slam and Emmett hollering. "Mom, what's to eat?"

The bikes roared to life again. I stood up and peered out the window and saw Jacob and Seth straddling them. I wondered if Jake thought I was an idiot, too.

As if he sensed my eyes on him, he looked up at my window. I almost tugged the curtain shut, but it was too late. He had already caught me, and he waved. Seth looked up, as well. I smiled and waved back at them, deciding Emmett was the person I would never forgive.

Dad and Jasper came home shortly after, and breakfast was ready. My stomach grumbled at the smell of buttery pancakes and sausage, but I was too mad to eat. Who cares if I starve? I wasn't leaving my room if I had to see Emmett's ugly face. By upping the volume on my stereo, I tried to drown out the shouts of my name.

A quiet tapping sounded at my door. "Who is it?" I growled.

"It's Mom. Open the door, Bella."

Mom didn't like for us to ignore her. I jumped up, opening the door. Lo-and-behold, standing in the hallway with her was none other than the evil dungeon master, Emmett. "I'm not talking to him, Mom," I said, spinning around and flopping myself on the bed.

She walked over to my stereo and turned it off. "Emmett has something he wants to say to you."

"No way. He made me look like a fool in front of his friends today. I would never do that to him. I'm not talking to him for as long as we live."

"I didn't make a fool out of you! You made a fool out of yourself," he grumbled, narrowing his eyes.

"Get out of my room!"

"Bella, he already told me what happened. He feels terrible about it and wants to apologize. Don't you, Emmett?" Her glare said, you better!

"Uh huh," he said, scuffing his foot. He sat down at the foot of my bed.

"You don't have to talk, Bella, but you have to listen." She left and closed the door.

Emmett and I sat in silence for a couple of minutes before he spoke. "I'm sorry, Bella." The apology sputtered out as if he were trying to force air through a tiny straw. "Jake's my friend and... Do you like him or what?"

"No!" I claimed, in a sharp tone. "And what if I did? So what? Why do you care?"

"Because you're my sister."

"And? What does that have to with anything? He's a good guy. He's your best friend, isn't he?"

"It's because he is my best friend that I don't want you to go out with him. I know things because of that. Things that make me think it's not such a good idea."

"Like what kinds of things?"

Annoyance flashed across his face. "I don't know. Guy things!" He said nothing for a moment, then he huffed. "Like what he thinks about girls and stuff. The way he talks—not that I'm any better. What kinds of magazines he looks at. Well, we both do, but that's not the point, Bella. He goes out with a lot of girls. He's... Let's just say, he knows what he's doing when it comes to them. I don't want you to end up getting hurt or violated."

I rolled my eyes as I laid there staring up at the ceiling.

"Besides, he doesn't like you."

Horrified, I launched into a sitting position. "You asked him? You had no right!"

"Yes, I did, and I had every right! I didn't like how he looked at you today. I wanted him to know if he ever got any stupid ideas, we wouldn't be friends anymore. He doesn't like me checking Leah out."

"You check Leah out?"

"I told you. It's a guy thing. He said he only thinks of you as my younger sister, and you're not even his type."

"He has a type?" Already? That was a stunner. "Well, I never said I liked him. I just said what if I did? But I don't, so you can stop worrying about it."

"I'm sorry I yelled at you in front of them today. I promise I'll never do that again. Do you forgive me?"

"I suppose." I faked a smile, still hurt and angry with him.

He stood up, happy. "You know you're my favorite sister." He grinned and walked out the door.

"I'm your only sister," I said to myself as he shut it.

Not ready to come out of my room just yet, I laid on my bed, lost in my thoughts. On the plus side, Jacob gave me a look and that thrilled me. But I understood Emmett wanted to protect me and must have had a good reason for warning me. So, I had to consider just what kind of guy Jake was.

Normal, I supposed, if he was just like Emmett. I sighed. No matter what anyone said, I would always be in love with Jacob Black.

There was another knock at the door. "Come in!"

Jasper waltzed inside. "So, I heard Emmett psycho'd over nothing this morning, huh?" He sat down on the same spot of the bed Emmett had just left. "The big psycho."

"Did he tell you about it or did Mom?"

"Neither. Seth called me. He asked if you were okay. He said Emmett freaked out on you for no reason, and it upset you. He said they felt sorry for you."

"Yeah, Emmett got this crazy idea that I liked Jacob or something. He gave me the big-brother lecture about how Jake's not good for me, and he doesn't want me to get hurt."

"That's dumb. I don't see what his problem is. Some of my friends have said you're hot. I wouldn't mind if you liked one of them." He clenched both fists and hopped up and into his boxing stance. "Of course. I'd knock any of them out if they crossed the line, and they all know it, too."

"All your friends are nerds, Jazz. What do they know about crossing lines?"

"True that." He chuckled. "Anyway, Seth and Leah are on their way over. Jake got their ATV running, so we can all go riding today."

Although Emmett was hilarious, it was my younger brother who always made me feel better. He always seemed to know exactly what I needed to hear.