Jake and I spent a long time talking, relaxing, and just being. I was sitting in the Rabbit while he worked on some engine parts that were lying around. He tried explaining to me, but since the terms were unfamiliar to me, he ended up fingerspelling most of them to be sure I got them right, and that took so much time away from him that I thought I was inconveniencing him. He started talking about his friends, Quil, Embry, and his enemies, Paul and Jared, and his whole dynamic and childhood growing up with them. Then he started to get closer to the present and his mood started to shift into a negative one. So I talked about me. I talked a little about my life, and how I'd almost forgotten Jacob's existence until I came back to Forks. I talked with him about plans for the summer, or lack thereof, and my general dislike of things like dances and clubs and the lack of good bookstore anywhere near Forks.
"You should come to the res school some day. We've got tons of books I can guarantee you haven't seen." Jacob remarked casually. "Tribal histories, biographies, stories, things like that. You might like it.
I considered it for a moment. That would be incredible, certainly an avenue I hadn't pursued before, and possibly even an avenue that I would have more information on than even Edward. It was unlikely that Edward and Carlisle, even as well read as they were, would have access to those kinds of books.
"As long as you won't get in trouble or anything."
"Bella you're technically in the chief's inner circle." He laughed. "My great grandfather took over being the chief of the tribe a while back. My dad's the current head, and one day it'll be me I guess."
"That's cool Jake. You've got something to look forward to."
"Or pressure to live up to." He scowled, his mood suddenly darkening. I sensed that this wasn't so much about us anymore.
"How is the friend situation going?" I asked.
"They keep.." he stopped, running his hands through his long hair. The engine grease that coated his hands was indistinguishable against his coal black locks. He looked up to the plastic ceiling of the garage and heaved a hefty sigh. I stayed silent. He could talk on his own time without assistance.
"They keep looking at me." He explained lamely.
"Are they not supposed to?" I asked, confused.
"No I mean. They look at me differently. Like they're waiting for something. To be honest it seems as though they're all treading on eggshells and waiting for me to break down and go crazy."
I frowned slightly at him. I wasn't going to insult his intelligence and tell him he was imagining it. There had to be something going on. I just wasn't sure how to approach it, how to give advice, about a situation you had limited facts about.
"They aren't.." I started, and hushed myself. Jacob looked at me curiously. "I was wondering if they might be mad at you for spending time with me?"
It sounded stupid aloud, but I also knew about how his tribe felt around the Cullens, and how I was now the closest person to those individuals.
"Nah. I did think about that actually. But I don't think so. Sam started acting like this way before you showed up. The rest are kinda following him."
I felt a little relieved, and then selfish, and so I chastised myself mentally for making it about me. This was Jacob's worry. Jacob's friends, that he had described in great depth to me for the last hour. That he felt were abandoning him. Changing.
I started to talk again when he held up his hand in abeyance. I waited. Jacob's head suddenly turned toward the house.
"My dad's calling me back for dinner, and he says you're invited too."
I signed an affirmative and he yelled back. The way Charlie and Billy chatted, undoubtedly Charlie would either already know I was here, or know shortly. I would in fact be surprised if he didn't join us for dinner.
The evening went fine. Things seemed a little tense between Billy and I, but most people could easily write it off as the awkwardness of the generation gap. Most people. I knew that I would be infinitely glad for the reprieve of my own house. There was also some tension between the Black boys. I would guess that Jacob had talked to his dad about his problems, and Billy had been either unsupportive or dismissive. Either way, dinner was fast. Charlie did indeed show up, just as we were putting plates away, so we put his one into the microwave. Jacob then beckoned me into his room, where he rifled through a few of his bookshelves to find something for me.
"Here. This could get you started. It's a little dull, but kind of cool too." He pressed a book into my hand. It was a thin text, a history of the Quileute lands. I smiled up at him, signing a thank you. I blinked for a moment.
"Did you get taller?" I asked. He seemed to tower even further over me than before. The growth spurts this kid was going through.
"Yeah a little." He shrugged. "I eat a lot of broccoli."
He slumped on his bed, which was starting to look too short for him, while I flipped through the pages of the unfamiliar textbook. There were hand drawn maps and other such beauties in here. Even a picture of a man who looked strikingly like Jacob. Ephriam Black. He had a beautiful wolf tattoo on his shoulder, and the proud stance of a chief. I looked back at Jacob, to ask about him, and realised that as he had lay there, he had promptly fallen asleep. I blinked in surprise at him, and then smiled and exited quietly. With all the stress in his life – financial, disabled father, estranged friends, regular teenagerhood, and tribal pressure – it was no wonder that he had fallen asleep.
I explained the situation to Charlie, and he got up to drive us home. I clutched the book to my chest for dear life as we drove back. Letting someone else drive me in the dark and in the rain was wholly not ideal. Thankfully we passed only two cars on the entire journey, and I shut my eyes for both of them.
When we got inside I headed straight for the shower, washing off any accidental car grease I had on me, as well as the leftover spaghetti sauce, and the day's worries. Edward would undoubtedly be arriving soon, and we would relax together. When I entered my room, I found a small paper note folded on my bed. I cracked it open.
May I come in? Was lavishly scrawled across the paper. A writing that I could maybe copy with a computer.
"Duh." I laughed quietly. "I thought you weren't the cliché vamp, needing permission to enter residences."
My window slid open, and a slightly wet Edward slipped in.
I'm not. But it doesn't hurt to ask anyway. He signed. He slid his shirt off, revealing a tank top that was bone dry, and clung to him in all the right places. I bit my lip.
"Oh it's that kind of night is it?" I joked. "You should have warned me, I would have shaved." I flung myself onto my bed in a similar manner to Jacob, and watched as Edward froze.
I thought a dry shirt would be nicer for you. I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression.
"It's fine." I whispered. "I wasn't exactly expecting to get laid with my dad asleep in the adjacent room. Plus I hope you'd wait for a special occasion. Like prom. Or a birthday. Or at least wait until I'm totally healthy." I waved my obnoxious cast around arduously.
Edward remained standing, his frown now worrying me.
"What's the matter?" I asked.
"I'm curious about something." He began, and then faltered. What was… oh.
"Uh, if you're wondering about my, exploits, of the past," I informed him delicately. "I'm sorry to say I've led a rather uneventful life. Between going in and out of hospitals since I was born, and the car accident, the only thing that's been 'in my pants' so to speak, is a team of doctors and surgeons."
Edward shook his head at my frank tone.
"I have also led a fruitfully uneventful life. Although between the mental images of all of my siblings combined I can promise you that if we do progress to a physical relationship, it should be quite the event." He smiled. I hid my blush in my pillow, and stayed like that until he came to cuddle me to sleep.
There were images in my mind I was thoroughly glad Edward could not see, as I drifted off into a rather warm sleep.