Chapter 4

True Lies

The day seemed brighter than usual. The sky held no clouds, and the pure, wholesome smell of the forest invigorated him. Jacob burst with energy and thought it had been a long time since he'd felt so strengthened.

As he neared the end of his routine patrol around La Push, he considered making a fast trip up and around Forks, tempted to go by Raven's house, but was quick to decide against it. He wouldn't be able to stop and see her anyway and stalking wasn't his thing.

She told him she would call again later on, so he needed to wait.

He was about to head home when he felt an unexpected sensation of danger gnawing at him. Letting his instincts take over, he ended up at the beach. He saw nothing out of the ordinary, except for Rachel and Paul acting all lovey-dovey, holding hands and melting all over each other. That wasn't out of the ordinary, but it was enough to make him want to puke. No matter how many times he saw it.

The strong threat of danger caused the telltale tremble of his body, making him take an extra careful examination of the beach. All he observed was a guy jogging behind Rachel and Paul and some camera, crazy whale watchers. Taking a few deep sniffs to make sure no burn accompanied the bizarre feeling, he wondered why he was suddenly so paranoid. Paul didn't seem troubled.

Maybe I'm losing it?

Unable to shake the feeling that someone or something was out there somewhere, he snorted then forced himself to call it a day, because he had to get home for a phone call.

"Got here just in time," Jacob said, waltzing inside the house and reaching for the phone Billy stretched toward him.

He eyed Jacob as if it was some big deal Jacob got a call from the same girl twice, and she wasn't Bella. Jacob narrowed his eyes, annoyed and snatched the phone from Billy's hand. "Hey, what's up?"

"Hi, it's me," Raven said, with an uncomfortable tone underlying her words.

Jacob wondered what bothered her or if he was the object of her discomfort. "Is everything okay?" he asked, flicking his hand toward Billy and glaring at him until Billy rolled himself all the way out of the kitchen.

"Uh, huh, Why do you ask?"

Because I can sense the tension in your voice. "No reason." It occurred to him how in tune he felt with her demeanor, thinking it odd he picked up on subtle elements of her voice when he hardly knew her. "You're not still stressing over what to talk about with me, are you?"

She let out a laugh. "Well, don't say it like that," and openly pointed out, "you're supposed to make me feel better, not make me feel like a freak."

Jacob grinned, appreciating the fact she could be just as direct is him. "I just did, didn't I?"

"Nope," she refuted, although Jacob heard the tension disappear.

"So, what did you do today, Jacob?"

"I went to school, worked on my car, went for a run..."

"You run?" she blurted in excitement.

The running she referred to wasn't the same running he did, but running was running, whether on two legs or four, so, "Yup," he replied and unnecessarily asked, "do you?"

"Yes, I do. I ran long-distance track and cross-country at my last high school."

"Really?" It impressed him. He knew she ran, but he never figured her for the competitive, athletic type of girl, which he now assumed accounted for her shapely figure.

She told him she'd hardly been able to run since she moved to Forks, because she was afraid to be in the woods alone, and it was too hard to run in the streets, and too boring to run around the track. He told her he would go with her sometime. She looked hot running. He shook the image from his mind. What am I thinking?

He changed the subject, asking, "What kind of Native are you? Your tribe's name."

"The people called themselves Sanish, but the government called them something different. I can't remember that one. I don't like to ask about my dad's family, because it upsets my stepdad. Causes trouble between him and my mom."

"That's too bad."

"I got to meet my grandmother once, when I was younger, about five or six years old. My parents let us go stay with her for a week one summer. 'Cause she was getting up there in age. Then, like a big dummy, I told Mike I knew he wasn't my real dad."

"And I bet that was the last time you ever got to see her, huh?"

"Yeah, my dad's kind of strange like that."

The saddened vibe of Raven's voice tugged at Jacob's heart. He wouldn't have pried if he'd known it would make her feel bad. The mere mention of Mike's name raised an awful flaming anger in him. "How were you supposed to know that was the wrong thing to say?"

"I know. River blamed himself for not warning me, but it wasn't his fault either. Oh! She took us to a celebration when we were there. I just remembered that."

"How'd you like it?"

"It was one of the best dances I ever saw. I remember thinking how beautiful the people looked all dressed up in their native regalia."

The excited rise in Raven's voice when she mentioned the celebration offered his conscience some relief. It pleased him to hear her refer to the celebration as a celebration, instead of a powwow like non-natives called it. "I could take you to the next one we have here? We have them on special occasions, but we have our biggest one during the summer."

"Oh, that'd be great. I'd really like that." She yawned.

The soft sound of her breath enthralled him, and he found an enormous amount of satisfaction in his effort to get to know her. "So, when can I see you?" he asked on impulse.

"I was going to mention something about that to you today." She sounded just as eager to see him. "My mom has work in La Push now. She'll be going there this Thursday afternoon and again on Saturday. I can go with her one of those times if you want me to?"

"Thursday's perfect." It was the closest day. "I can't wait." After she hung up, Jacob remembered he forgot to tell her to call him again, but he hoped she'd do it anyway.

The next night the clock ticked by, and it was getting later than the other times she called. He sat at the kitchen table, shaking his leg and tapping his fingers, each additional second feeling like an eternity. He became certain she forgot to call. He couldn't wait any longer. Jumping up, he yanked off his shirt, kicked out of his shoes, grabbed his sweat trunks, and was already out the door, dropping his jeans by the time the trailing sound of Billy's voice asked him where he was going.

Before Jacob knew it, he was standing across the street from Raven's house. He waited, contemplating whether to turn around and go home. Then he saw the lights turn on in Raven's room. Heck with it! I'm already here. Taking a few soaring bounds, he practically leapt across the street. He knelt down and tapped on her window.

A second later, the curtain moved. "Jacob!" Raven gasped, throwing herself back, shocked.

"Sorry, sorry," he uttered. Raven put her finger to her lips, opening the window, and sliding back the screen. A more potent and intoxicating vanilla-lavender fragrance than he scented the last time he saw her, floated at him, hitting him heavily. He gulped hard.

She whispered, "Shh... I'll get in trouble. What are you doing here?"

There was more confusion than anger on her face. "I forgot to tell you to call me," he whispered.

She shook her head, scrunching her brow in disbelief. "How did you know this was my room?"

"Uh..."

Raven leaned to the side and peered around him into the street. "How did you get here? And where's your shirt?"

Damn, I forgot about that. "Hold on, one thing at a time." Jacob took a deep breath, thinking of his response while he exhaled slow enough to come up with something. "I was out running tonight. The light turned on. I figured it was your bedroom, being it was on the bottom floor. I thought I'd say hi."

"Lucky for you, you were right," she said a little calmer, whispering extra low. "Wait a minute, you ran all the way here from La Push, at this hour?"

"No, I parked my car at my friend's house. The Sheriff around the corner. Charlie. I run with him sometimes. He likes to run in the dark," he rambled. "He doesn't like people to see him." That makes no sense. "Don't ask me why."

The confusion in her eyes seemed to worsen.

"All righty then... guess I'll see you later," Jacob mumbled, feeling like a moron. He knew it was time to go, and was about to do just that, when he leaned into the window and kissed her on the cheek.

Her eyes popped out of her head, more shocked. "Hurry, you got to go," she urged, shooing him out with both of her hands.

"Okay," Jacob whispered then added, "call me... if you want to... if it's not too late for you, that is."

He got to his feet, striding away from the window. Now I'm acting like a freaking idiot, and it's a good thing she didn't notice my bare feet. Mentally scolding himself, he headed toward Charlie's house. Once he was sure he was completely out of Raven's line of sight, he crossed the street and sprinted home.

He stumbled back into his own house, baffling Billy. "What in the world was that all about, Jake?"

Jacob raised his eyebrows, shrugging his shoulders. He couldn't answer, because he didn't know what set him off his rocker.

Fifteen minutes later, she called. "I just called to say, you terrified me tonight!"

"I know. I know. I'm sorry."

"Nobody heard you, so I guess it's all right. I'll see you tomorrow, four-thirty, in front of the resort, if that's okay?"

"Sure, sure, and yeah, that was really dumb on my part. I could have got you in some serious trouble. I'm glad you found it in your heart to call me, anyway."

Jacob arrived a few minutes early and waited at a table in front of the resort until Raven and her mom drove into the parking lot. He didn't know whether he should introduce himself, because he wasn't sure what Raven had told her mother. He stood up and Raven waived him over.

"Mom, this is Jacob. Jacob, this is my mom, Abby," Raven said, while hopping off the car.

Jacob leaned down and waved at Abby. "Hi, Mrs. Um... Raven's mom." He flinched, realizing he didn't know if she and Raven had the same last name.

"Mrs. Engle. It's very nice to meet you, Jacob. You must forgive me. I'm too late to ask you a thousand questions and read you some intimidation act." Her expressions was composed, he got the impression, she didn't smile all too often. Her eyes were soft and kind though. "Next time for sure." She winked, her tight jawline relaxing into a smile.

Clearly, she was Raven's mother, an older, tired version of Raven.

He smiled back, gathering she wasn't anxious about leaving her daughter with a huge Native, stranger guy.

"Here, take my cell phone. I've got my work phone. Don't answer the phone if Mike calls." She instructed Raven. "I'll be back here in two-and-a-half hours. Two and a half hours," she repeated sternly, resting her eyes on Jacob.

"So, two and half hours, what do you want to do?" Jacob asked, feeling optimistic as Abby drove away.

"This is your town. You decide."

"Let's see... We could stay on the beach," he suggested, kicking himself for not making plans ahead of time. "Take a drive somewhere or go to the Rec Center?" He pointed toward the little town.

"What's at the Rec Center?"

"Just some old video games, pool table, a pinball machine, basketball court, stuff like that. It's where everyone hangs out. All my friends hang out there."

"I don't think I'm ready for that. Could you show me around this place?" she asked, her eyes roaming around the resort.

"Sure, sure," he agreed.

There were tourists taking pictures of the whales. Clicking camera sounds and flashes went off consecutively. For a moment, Jacob thought someone snapped a picture of him and Raven. They took a few steps, and he got that eerie feeling they were being watched.

He spun around in a full circle, surveying all around him.

"Is something the matter?"

"No, just one of those weird somebody's watching me moments."

Raven grinned. "I know exactly what you mean."

They walked around the resort and up the beach, talking about school, their friends, and their teachers. The ones they liked and the ones they didn't. Along the way, Jacob showed Raven little tribal monuments and carvings strategically placed around the resort and up the coastline, explaining to her what each one signified.

They paused at a six-foot carving of a wolf. Jacob observed Raven as she traced the wolf with her fingers. Her hair fluttered in the light, airy breeze. "It's beautiful."

"It's sort of like our mascot." Jacob searched for a way to help her understand its significance. "Did you ever hear any legends about your dad's tribe?"

Raven thought for a moment then told him all she remembered was they were from the Bear Clan and something about a white buffalo. She shared a bedtime story her grandmother told her where the entire tribe hid underground during the great flood and a corn woman, "Mother Corn they called her, led them back out when it was safe. She was sacred to them," Raven smiled thoughtfully. "Like I said before, it was a long time ago, and I was really little."

"Well, it's something like that with my people and the wolf." He didn't know how much he should tell her.

Raven clenched her fists, tucking them in her sweater pockets, causing Jacob's sudden awareness of the dropping temperature. The clouds glowed amber from the rapidly setting sun. Looking up at the sky, Jacob said, "We should probably get back. I'm sure it's almost time for your mom to pick you up."

He grabbed Raven's hand, tugging her in the resort's direction. "Slow down, Jacob. She won't leave without me."

"Sorry, I just don't want to get you into trouble." He slowed his pace. "That way you'll be able to come back."

"What's wrong with you? Your hand feels like it's on fire."

Startled, Jacob let go of her hand and wiped his sweating palm on his jeans. "I get hot sometimes." He heard his words as they came out. Shaking his head, he laughed at himself. "That didn't come out right."

Erupting with laughter, she said, "It's nice to know I'm not the only one who trips up occasionally."

"Yup, and it feels like it's happening to me more than I'm used to. It's really starting to freak me out."

"Maybe I'm just rubbing off on you."

You don't know the half of it. When they got back to the parking lot, it relieved Jacob to see Abby wasn't there yet. He and Raven sat down at a table to wait. "You never said what kind of work your mom was doing around here," he reminded her.

"Oh. She's a home healthcare nurse. She takes care of people that are sick or elderly. She checks their blood pressure, cares for their wounds, cuts their nails, cooks and cleans, keeps them company. Whatever they need."

"I wonder if it's anyone I know," he mused out loud, considering who it might be. "I'm sure it is. I know everyone in La Push."

"She told me their names, but I wasn't paying a lot of attention. I think one of the person's name was Walker. Ella Walker."

Jacob spotted Abby entering the parking lot. As he walked Raven to the car, he said, "I'm going running again tomorrow after school if you want to come?" That idea came to him on the fly, as a possible way to see her again sooner. "If not, will you come back Saturday? I thought that's what you said."

Raven grinned. "Sure, I could come back Saturday. I can go running tomorrow, too."

"Sounds good. I'll meet you on the path in the woods across the street from your house after school, about three-thirty?"

"Three-thirty is perfect. Mike won't be home."

He took a happy breath, but acknowledged he had no idea what he was attempting in spending time with Raven. He only knew she was growing on him in away he didn't think possible.

Jacob opened the door and waited for Raven to get inside then leaned into the car and waved at Abby. Watching their tail lights fade out of sight, he rubbed the back of his neck, puzzled.