Bella knocked on Edward's bedroom door. "Edward?"
"Who is it?" Edward moaned.
"It's Bella. I have your lunch."
Just as Bella feared, Edward ended up with a nasty cold after their trip to Forks Castle. He'd spent the week since then in bed making no mention of true love, magical creatures, or his late mother. Carlisle told her not to worry but he didn't know about what happened in the cemetery. It would take Edward more than a few days of rest to process the loss of his family.
"Just leave it outside the door," Edward said.
"Okay, Bella said. "Let me know if you need anything."
Bella set the sandwich next to the door. She was relieved to find that his oatmeal bowl from breakfast was empty. While his voice still sounded a bit horse, his appetite seemed to be starting to return. Maybe there was hope after all.
Bella went back to the kitchen to fetch the rest of Edward's lunch. She found Emmett at the stove ladling vegetable soup into a bowl.
"You already had yours," she said, swatting his hand away from the pot. "The rest is for Edward."
"I know," Emmett said. "I was about to bring him a bowl."
"You don't have to. I can do that."
Bella still felt awful about what happened in the cemetery. The least she could do was bring Edward his meals.
"You could also fall down the stairs and end up in the burn ward again," Emmett said, holding on tight to the ladle.
Bella didn't argue. Emmett was probably right. Given the number of times she'd fallen down the stairs, it was a miracle that Carlisle hadn't banned her from the second floor.
"Have the two of you worked things out yet," Emmett asked.
"No," Bella replied.
Bella had tried to apologize dozens of times but it didn't seem to do any good. Edward continued to say he was tired and there was no point talking about what happened. While disappointed, Bella didn't blame him. She didn't talk to her dad for almost a month after her mother's death.
"He'll have to talk to you eventually," Emmett said. "Carlisle wants him to start school soon."
Edward would soon be the newest student at Forks High. He'd have music and art with Alice. Math and English with Rose. History with Jasper and gym with Emmett. That schedule would have been fine if not for the fact Bella was also enrolled in those same classes. As a super fun bonus, they'd also have biology and study hall together without anyone else to act as a buffer. Edward had already gotten into enough trouble at home. Bella didn't even want to think about what would happen in a building full of unsuspecting students.
"Maybe I should talk to him," Emmett said. "He seems to like me."
By like him, Emmett meant Edward occasionally opened the door for him. That was more than Rose, who'd had the door slammed closed in her face twice, could say.
"What should I do in the meantime," Bella asked. "I feel like I'm losing my mind."
She was running out of ways to distract herself. She'd already deep cleaned the house, gotten weeks ahead on her homework, and watched everything worthwhile on Netflix. All that was left to do was worry about whether or not she'd done irreparable harm to Edward.
"Why don't you go see Jake," Emmett suggested. "That always seemed to chill you out."
Unfortunately, Edward wasn't the only one who didn't want to talk to her. Jake hadn't answered the phone since the bonfire. Billy said he was sick in bed with mono but Bella wasn't convinced. The last time she called to check in on Jake, Bella heard what sounded like a party going on in the background. Music was playing and Jake was laughing. Why would the Blacks host a party when someone was sick with a contagious illness?
"I'm not sure about that," Bella said. "I don't think Jake wants to see me."
"Nonsense," Emmett said. "You guys have been friends since you were in diapers. One fight isn't going to change that."
Bella peered into the soup pot. There was still enough left for another person. If Jake really was sick he could eat the soup. If not, she'd throw it in his face.
Bella arrived in La Push half an hour later with a lukewarm bowl of soup in hand. While she'd fully intended to give Jake a piece of her mind, her plan had changed to dropping off the soup and getting back home as soon as possible. She'd started feeling uneasy as soon as she'd crossed the border into La Push. It felt like something in the trees was watching her. It was probably just anxiety getting the best of her, but Bella didn't want to take her chances if there was a hungry cougar nearby.
Bella arrived at the Black's house but did not get out of her truck. Every cell in her body was screaming danger. She waited for a few minutes hoping Jake or Billy would come outside and tell her how ridiculous she was being. It was La Push, not Phoenix. Nothing more nefarious than the occasional petty theft ever happened there.
Fifteen minutes later, Bella gave up on anyone coming to save her. She looked out the windshield. It was broad daylight on a residential street. There was no boogy man waiting to grab her. It was just her mind being extra paranoid after the coffin incident. She was sixteen, not six. She could make it fifteen feet from her truck to the front door without someone there to hold her hand.
Bella was about to knock when the door swung open. Standing in the doorway was Sam Uley with a dark expression on his face. In spite of every cell in her body screaming danger, Bella stood her ground.
"What are you doing here, Sam?" she asked.
Something told her he wasn't there to help out around the house. What if he'd killed Jake and taken Billy hostage like in those crime shows Emmett liked.
"I could ask the same of you," Sam replied.
Why did she need to explain herself? It wasn't against the law to visit her friend.
"I came to bring Jacob some soup," Bella said. "Billy says he isn't feeling well."
Sam reached for the container. "I'll make sure he gets it."
Bella held the container tight against her chest. "Where is Jake?"
She should never have let Jake go home with Sam after the bonfire. Why had she prioritized Edward throwing a fit over the safety of her friend?
"He's resting," Sam said. "I'll let him know you stopped by when he wakes up."
"I'm not leaving until I see him."
What if Jake was locked in the basement or bleeding out in the bathroom? She couldn't just leave him at Sam's mercy.
"Jake has mono," Sam said. "You can see him later when he's feeling better."
"I've already had mono," Bella said, glaring at him. "Don't tell me you forgot."
It made national news when a mono epidemic swept through Forks High. The only student spared from the fever, aches, and rash was Emmett who was serving a one-week suspension. The school had to cancel midterms and there was talk of bringing in the CDC to investigate. There was no way Sam hadn't heard about what happened.
"This is different," Sam said.
"Different how?" Bella asked.
Sam made a noise that Bella could have sworn was a growl. "Just go home, Swan. It's not safe for you to be here right now."
"No."
"What do you mean, no?"
"No, as is in I'm not leaving until you tell me what's really going on."
"That's not for someone like you to know," Sam said, shaking with anger. "Go home! Now!"
Jake appeared behind him. "Bella!" He pushed past Sam and joined Bella outside. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see you," Bella said, handing him the container. "Billy said you weren't feeling well so I brought you some soup."
Bella flinched when her hand brushed against his. It felt like striking her hand into an open flame. Maybe Jake really was sick.
"That was kind of you, Bella," Jake said. "But you shouldn't have come here. It isn't safe."
Bella looked around. There were birds chirping and the sun was shining on stunning yellow and scarlet leaves. She couldn't see any reason why Jake and Sam insisted she was in danger.
"I've already had mono," Bella said. "It's not like I can catch it a second time."
"This is different," Jake said.
"Different how?"
Jake looked back at Sam who shook his head.
"Just go home," Jake said. "I promise that I'll call you later."
Bella crossed her arms. "I'm not stupid. There's clearly something going. I'm not leaving until you tell me why Sam is here and what's going on."
"Why must you be so stubborn." Jake sighed and rubbed his temples. "Sam is here because he had...mono a few weeks ago. He's helping me get better."
Sam hadn't even finished high school. Why was he the one playing nurse.
"If you need a doctor then I'll call Carlisle," Bella said. "He'd be glad to take a look at you."
"No!" Jake exclaimed. "He can't come here!"
"Why not?" Bella asked. "There's clearly something wrong with you. You're burning up. You need a doctor."
"He's not welcome here anymore," Sam said.
"Why not?" Bella asked.
Carlisle had never been anything but kind to the tribe. He made sure their clinic always had the funding and supplies necessary to keep the doors open. If there was something the clinic couldn't handle, like Jake's firework injuries, he made sure the Quiletes could be treated at the hospital in Forks free of charge.
"It's just the way things are," Sam said. "We don't want him anywhere near our land. Because you choose to live with him, the same goes for you. Go home and don't come back."
Bella turned to Jake. "Is this true? Do you not want me here?"
Surely he'd defend her.
Jake looked down at the ground. "I'm sorry, Bella."
"Fine," Bella said, fighting back tears. "I'll go back home and never look back."
