AN EDITED: Hey guys – okay first off – a whole lotta you were weirded out by Bella 'flirting' with a 15 year old. 4 year age gap too much for you guys? I went back and changed it to 16 to shut the flamers up. My arguments of 'literally just a conversation between family friends' seems to be inefficient. Besides the point - I kept Jake young because I want to get out of the love triangle that SM wrote. There is no Jacob hating here, and he will of course get a happy ending, but his and Bella's relationship will be a normal friendship. We clear? Good. Tonight there should be another (Real) chapter update.
"I love scary stories," I beamed back at him, while he crossed his legs and balanced on the tree. I did the same, and we leaned in close, conspiratorially. The wind was picking up slightly, and it was getting darker with the overcast sky. I could hear only the static sound of the ocean, and Jacob's voice. It was very eerie, like we were the only two people on earth. Jacob stared at the spider-like roots of the tree. I could tell he was composing his thoughts, trying to determine how to begin. I could see he was going to try and make this good.
"Do you know any of the old stories about where we came from? My tribe the Quileutes I mean?" he started. His voice was lower, and he was making it more dramatic. He could totally freak children out with this. I shook my head at his question. "Well there are lots of legends, some of them dating back to an ancient flood. Others claim that we were descended from wolves, and related to them still. Spirit warriors being able to change into and communicate with them. It's against our laws to kill wolves because of it. Then, there are the legends about the cold ones."
"Cold ones?" I asked, not faking trepidation. The way he'd said it felt electrifying, as if I needed to hang onto every word coming out of his mouth.
"According to legend, they've been around since the time of the wolves, and even as recently as my great grandfather. Supposedly, he knew them then, and set up a treaty so that we wouldn't cross each other's borders and territories. Keep em off our land." He rolled his eyes.
"Your great grandfather?" I asked.
"He was a tribal elder, same as my dad, and one day me I guess. Anyway, he had to make a treaty with the cold ones, because normally the Spirit warriors that turn into wolves are their enemy."
"Spirit wolf warriors meaning werewolves?" I asked clarifying.
"Yep. You'd call them that."
"Werewolves have enemies?"
"Only one." His voice dropped again and he looked gravely serious. The wind chose that moment to shoot an icy gust of spray towards us from the beach. I shivered and stared at him. "So you see, the cold ones are traditionally our enemies, but this pack that came during my great grandfather's time was different. They claimed not to hunt the way others of their kind did. So my great grandfather concocted a truce with them. They'd stay of our lands, and we wouldn't expose their existence to…" he stopped and grinned at me. "To the pale faces."
I rolled my eyes dramatically at him. "Nothing really scary about that."
"Oh I'm not done. The cold ones my great grandfather met had names. When we heard that the Cullens were moving to town we thought maybe descendants of the original beings had come back. But it gets weirder than that. The people who moved back into your town were not descendants of the people he'd met so long ago. They were the beings he'd met." Jacob finished with an evil gleam in his eye, looking at me. He must've thought the expression I had on my face was fear about the stories. The hair was raised on my arms. If that was true, how old were they? How many times had they already lived here? And what were they? It had to be true though, the speed, the strength, the stillness, the golden-black eyes, it was uncanny and needed some kind of explanation.
"What exactly are the Cullens then?" I asked, trying to make sure my voice didn't quaver.
"Well it's said that they knew about Carlisle even before you pale faces settled here permanently, and then he brought three others the next time. Now there are two more. All with the same story, and all with the same appetite." He paused, and his dark brown eyes looked straight into mine. "Blood drinkers. You'd call them vampires."
My foot slipped slightly and I nearly fell off the log. Jacob was thrilled and I swear to god he giggled.
"Sorry. I got really wrapped up in the story. Super eerie. You're really good." I tried to play off my chills nonchalantly.
"Pretty crazy stuff though right? My dad seriously believes every word." He shook his head, and then suddenly burst out laughing. "I guess I just violated the treaty. Be prepared for an all out vamp-wolf war."
I laughed too. "I won't tell anyone. You're keeping my secret, and I'll keep this one."
"Your secret age?" he checked, "Or your secret hearing loss?"
"I guess you are one up on me for that. Spill something else, so we're even." I joked, hoping my voice was normal. I'd need time to think over and process the information I'd just been given.
"Hell no. You're older, so it's automatically easier for you to keep secrets. Maturity and shit." He jabbed.
"Language Jake." I scolded. Suddenly his head whipped to the left, and after a beat mine followed. Mike and Jessica were there, obviously yelling something at me.
"What are they going on about?" I asked, as I looked back toward Jacob.
"They're calling you in. Everyone's getting ready to leave I guess." He filled me in. We hopped off the log together and I took great care not to face plant. We walked silently for a while.
"Need a ride back?" I asked, since I had kidnapped him here.
"Nah, I'll hitch with Sam or Paul." He gestured towards the two oldest boys again. They were looking out towards the ocean. "It was fun hanging with you today Bella."
"You too Jake. Don't be a stranger okay? If your dad ever swings by Charlie's I mean."
"Pfft. What's there to do in Forks? At least here I've got the beach." He opened his hands at the expanse behind us. I smiled again. Jake was a great personality. Exactly like me in the quips and sarcasm. We'd be great friends.
"At least I'll see you next when Angela brings her car down. Wouldn't miss those cookies for the world man." I waved goodbye as he laughed, and I got into my truck. This time Angela grabbed shotgun. On the way home we were quiet, Angela's voice did not have the loud boom that Jacob's did, so I couldn't hear her over the thrum of the car engine. When I pulled up at her house though we made sure to talk. I asked her about Ben, and she admitted that she had a crush on him, but she wasn't entirely sure it was going to get her anywhere.
"What? Why?" I signed as I talked, as she loved to practice with me. She didn't answer me with words, but with signs.
I'm too tall.
I blinked a couple of times at her.
"That's it? That's the reason you don't think he'll want to date you? Ignoring the fact that you're beautiful, smart, funny and kind," I emphasised each adjective with the appropriate sign. It slowed down my speech slightly because I wanted her to see the breaks between signs. "You're an incredible person, Angela."
She shrugged slightly and made to leave the truck. I stopped her quickly. She definitely looked as though she didn't want to discuss it .
"Have I given you a name-sign yet?" I asked quickly, frantically searching my memory. She looked at me, her interest diverted.
"Name-sign?" she turned back towards me in interest. "Is that what my actual name would be in words instead of spelling it out?"
"Yeah it is. Problem is, there isn't really an easy way to go about it. It's sort of like – have you ever seen the movie 'Dances with Wolves'?" I watched her nod. "Yeah, well it's like that where you have to earn a name, and be named by someone in the deaf community."
"So what's your name?" She asked, intrigued. I chuckled.
"I have two. I don't like the one, and my name has a dual meaning, so I use the other." I started explaining and signing. I had been given a name in which the letter 'B' was used, and circled across my face in a similar way to 'beautiful'. That was the uncomfortable one. "I'm not a fan of that one, so I use the sign for bell instead." I rang the imaginary bell in the sign and she smiled and copied both of my names.
"I like both of them." Angela said, smiling. "Well what would mine be then?"
"I was playing with this actually." I signed 'kind-hearted' with an 'A' hand to start. It was easy to do, and unique enough, and very fitting for her. I explained a little as I went. "It's a combination of the first letter of your name and the best trait about you."
"And what's the trait?" she asked shyly.
"I'll let you figure that one out." I laughed gently, hugging her and starting up my truck engine again. She waved goodbye, and headed back into her home. As I drove back to my house I had a lot to think about. My thoughts started with Angela and her insecurity, and ended with Jacob's earlier revelations about the Cullen family. And I thought my day would be a normal one.