A/N: Sorry in advance. This chapter is super short and more of a filler, but it's also important. So if this isn't your favorite chapter, that's to be expected. This one introduces my favorite character. Enjoy :)
CHAPTER 13:
"Ready to head home, Bella?"
"Yeah. I'm bummed that we have paperwork to do." Dragging my sweater off of the chair, I stepped toward the door. The stacks of files weighed down on my arms.
"That can wait until tomorrow." Smiling, he took off through the door.
"Wait what's today?"
"The 13th why?"
"Crap." A shiver worked its way through my spine, leaving me in a ball of nerves. I had forgotten the phone call from yesterday. It was barely a minute long and had completely slipped my mind until this moment.
"So I know I already met Edward." My heart rate jumped. It had been a couple weeks since their first interaction and with each meeting afterwards their relationship just continued to worsen. The anger on Jake's face, from the last time he came to the apartment, was permanently etched into my memory. "And, I was wondering if you wanted to meet one of my co-workers."
A different panic flowed through me. My mind raced with thoughts about how they could possibly disprove of me. "Yeah that sounds great." As much as I would like to get out of it, I could see the importance of this in his tone. Don't screw this up.
"Okay, so you can come over tomorrow and meet Alex."
"Sounds perfect," I shut the phone harshly, before any contradiction could leave my lips.
"What's wrong Bella?"
"Nothing, I just have a date with Jake earlier I forgot about." I straightened up and put a smile on my face. This would have to wait until I got back to the apartment.
Before I knew it, I was staring at my image in the mirror, trying to talk my self-confidence up. It wasn't working as well as I had hoped. My shoulders caved inward and my head dropped; tonight was going to be a nightmare.
Sitting there just staring at a new person wasn't my ideal night in any sense. What if Jake decided to leave for a moment? Then, I'd be alone—with a stranger. God, pull yourself together.
"Bella?" This had taken up all of my brain power at the moment, so I didn't even notice he left.
"Hey, just got home?"
"Yeah, I had to stop by April's to pick up something." My gaze traveled down to his empty hands. It's probably just in the car. That thought did nothing to comfort me. But of course, even this discrepancy in his story didn't distract me from what was going to happen later.
"Okay," I had nothing more to say. The nerves in my stomach were eating me alive. I kept picturing the flashback of when Jacob asked. I should have said something different or made an excuse.
He turned to me with parted lips, as if he were going to say something more but stopped in the process. I paced up and down the area behind the couch, occasionally gazing at the time.
"What's going on Bella?"
"Nothing." Why am I keeping this from him? I should have just told him and then he would have calmed me down. But for some unknown reason, I couldn't grasp onto the idea of saying anything…it just felt wrong.
"You've been pacing for the last hour. I think that means something is going on. Are you nervous for your date?"
I blanked for a second. My will fell as he spoke. You have a gut feeling for a reason. Why do you choose to ignore it? But my mind answered back instantly: because you need someone to balance you out. My foot turned to pivot again before he was right in front of me staring down. Just say it. Say something. Talking's healthy, right?
"Alex."
"Alex?" His eyebrows pinched together.
"Jake invited me over dinner to meet a co-worker– Alex."
"Okay," his eyebrows pressed together, "and why is this upsetting you. It's just meeting someone, you do it all the time Bella." Once he simplified it like that, took out all of the potential disappointment, the tension in my shoulders eased…a little.
"I just…I don't want to embarrass him or myself."
"You're not going to embarrass anyone. It's a simple dinner, that's it. It won't even last two hours." I knew all of this, I really did. But something about meeting "Alex" frightened me a little bit.
"You still seem unnerved. Is there anything that would make it easier?" You, you'd make everything a hell of a lot easier.
I shouldn't say it. I shouldn't say it. "If you came…," and I said it.
His jaw clenched and then unclenched. "If that makes you feel better I'll be there. But I would bring it up to him first."
"Okay. Thank you." I gave him my warmest smile and for a second he returned it.
He closed his bedroom door, leaving me to call Jake by myself. You don't need someone to hold your hand.
I laid on top of the couch, pulling my knees into my stomach. The television flashed images of a Harry Potter marathon in the background.
Before I could reason my way out of this, I grabbed my phone, flipped it open, and pushed his number.
"Hello?" His rough voice carried through the phone. Why had I been so worried? He'd be there. But somewhere in me still wanted, no still needed, Edward to be there too.
"Jake. It's me. I was wondering that since I'm meeting your friend tonight….I thought—maybe I should bring Edward too. I was thinking that way we could make it more of a group thing." My words spilled out as usual. I watched as a minute of silence ticked by. Crap this is bad.
"You know…that was a stupid idea. Just forget I said anything. I'll see you tonight."
"Bella, that was a great idea. You don't need to stress about it." His voice was reassuring, but I couldn't help but feel I made the wrong decision by asking.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm positive. If it makes you more comfortable to have a group, then that's what we'll have."
"You're the best Jake. I'll see you in a couple of hours. Bye"
"Bye honey." It might have just been an accident or unconsciously, but his voice came out sharply. But what was done, was done.
Pulling on one of the red shirts Alice recommended, I looked at myself in the mirror. We hadn't even left the apartment and I already felt defeated. Two hours. Only two hours.
I smiled in the mirror trying to make it convincing enough. Jake's going to be there. You'll be fine.
"We've got to get going." His loud voice rang in my head.
"Okay. I'm coming." I strolled out of my room to find Edward leaning against the counter wearing khakis and a button up white shirt.
"You'll be fine," his hushed voice comforted me. I looked down to see my hand shaking. You'll be fine. Edward's going to be there the whole time. I slowly acknowledged that being someone else was a lot easier and less scary than being yourself. There was a sense of vulnerability that came with honesty.
My mind was off other places throughout the ride until we reached Jake's apartment.
"Bella, look at me. Everything will be fine. If you embarrass yourself, I'll embarrass myself so badly they won't remember your mistake." And for the first time that night, I genuinely laughed.
My arm went to reach the door as I looked into Edwards's eyes. He gave me a reassuring nod.
"Hi Jake."
"Hey honey." He wrapped his arms around my waist pulling me into him. I backed up immediately feeling awkward with Edward being beside me and "Alex" probably watching us from somewhere in the room.
"Edward," Jake nodded towards him. Cordial.
"Jake."
I took this opportune moment to look around the room for Alex. She was not what I was expecting. Especially since I had thought Alex was a man. She was anything, but that. Wearing a tight black dress that catered to her every curve, she walked towards me. Her tan skin accompanied her dark brown eyes nicely and for a moment I felt underwhelming. Her eyes appraised me.
I couldn't help but feel that she was disappointed. Then I watched her smile light up her face.
"Hi. I'm Alex. I've heard so much about you Bella." Her voice was higher pitched and a bit off. It didn't match the rest of her.
She grabbed my hand, pulling me to Jacob's couch. Crap. I'm not ready for this at all. I called out for Edward in my mind.
"Hi." I didn't know what to say and I went for the most boring topic I could think of: "So you work with Jake."
"Yeah, we've been working together for a few months." Her voice seemed to waver at certain words, like the pitch was abnormal for her.
"That's…. cool." I prayed for her to continue about the business or about Jake or about how they met, but all I got was complete silence.
I could feel my face flush as Alex's smile screamed awkward. And this is why I was worried.
As if Edward heard my internal calls, he walked closer to me. I gave him a look that hopefully conveyed my thanks. His legs guided him to stand even closer to me.
And then I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see Jake behind me.
Being the polite person he generally was, Edward took all of the unwanted spot-light off of me by beginning a conversation with Alex. She was exuberant with this newfound attention.
"So Alex how long have you lived here?"
"About 2 years. I haven't made many friends though." As she spoke, he sauntered over to the other side of the couch and immediately her body position opened towards him.
"There are a lot of people here. It can be a little intimidating." A smile adorned his face, but I got the feeling that it was to lessen the tension in the room.
Thankfully without the attention, I could lean back into Jake's hands. Looking up at him, I admired his natural grin.
"So what do you like to do in your free time Alex?"
"Um. I take a kick-boxing class…oh and I like to paint. I keep myself busy. Edward, what do you do?"
I started to tune out their conversation as the couch shifted with Jacob's weight. Needing the support, I leaned into him with my eyes closed, soaking up his presence.
"I like running and music. I don't usually get a lot of down-time though." When he spoke again, my eyes blinked open. And once again, the nerves began.
"What type of music?"
"Anything really."
I jerked my head to the right once Jake's timer went off.
"Oh I think dinner's ready." He walked away rather quickly, clearly not invested in the current conversation. Putting my head in my hand, I waited for him to come back.
"Oh come on you must have some type." That sounds like it has multiple meanings.
A rustling in the distance caught my attention. Jacob held multiple plates of food, carrying it into his dining room. Without thinking, I followed him in and sat down. The entire wall in front of me was one large window and I wouldn't dare to take my eyes off of it.
The view encompassed all of my attention as the sun went down and the buildings reflected the sunlight. I briefly acknowledged that Alex and Edward had taken a seat as well. Edward tried multiple poor attempts to gain my attention, but I was too entranced to notice.
But when Jacob stepped back in, I immediately changed my gaze. He placed the napkins down on the table with a sour expression that I couldn't place. The chair squeaked against the tile floor as he sat down.
"Anyone thirsty?" Alex asked with her eyes on Edward.
"Yeah, I'll take some. Thank you." He smiled at her and accepted. She circled the table filling each of our drinks, finishing with Jake's.
Her hand slipped, and, with it his, glass overflowed creating a pool on the table, which began to leak onto Jacob's lap.
"Oh my god. I'm so sorry. My clumsiness…oh no." Somehow I doubted she was clumsy. Each step so far seemed calculated in a sort.
"Jake, I'll go get a towel. Give me a second." Pushing out from my chair, I sped walked into his bathroom grabbing the closest towel.
"Here." I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Alex, tell them about that trip you went on."
"Oh of course… so, I went to Brazil in February for Carnival. It was absolutely amazing. I went down there with my friend Amelia. Her cousin Travis lives down there for business. But anyway, it was the most impressive thing I have ever seen. Ugh, I could go on and on about how beautiful the parade floats were, but I'm sure you'd rather hear about something else."
"No, go ahead. I've always wanted to go to Brazil." I spoke up...she flinched.
"Well my favorite float had the head of the lion. Also the dancers on there were incredible—" She continued with little encouragements from Edward and nods from me. My mind was off somewhere else. I couldn't have been giving her a good impression, but at this point I didn't care. I decided that her judgement of me was not my issue. Grabbing Jacob's hand under the table, I rubbed small circles on the back of his hand.
After inputting the absolute minimal amount of conversation, the dinner was over. Edward grinned and I hoped that he enjoyed himself at least a little…considering I had dragged him here.
"We should get going."
"Yeah I need to get back home soon. I need to let out my dog," Alex interjected.
Jacob walked us to the doorway, while Alex moved to grab her bag on the couch. Edward stood in the doorway as I put my arms around Jacob and whispered into his ear: "Can I come back tomorrow?"
"You're always welcome here Bella. I'll see you then, honey."
"Well I'll definitely be back soon." I really wanted to stay. I wanted to feel his hands run up and down my body as he usually did when we kissed; I wanted his arms tighter around me. But, Edward was behind me and I'm sure Alex would be a little disgusted by the PDA, so I decided to just close the door.
"Alex was…" he began.
"Gorgeous," to say the least.
"But I get the feeling that she's not into Jacob if that's what you're concerned about."
"I wasn't really." Instead, I was afraid that I wasn't enough.
A/N: I know...boring, but also necessary. You'll see why if you stick around. I promise the next chapter will have a lot more drama :)
