A/N: So guys, this is the second to last chapter of White Horse. I know a lot of you wanted a trial scene. However, I'm not exactly sure how the whole court room scene works and I don't want to screw up a good story with a messed up scene that I'm unsure of. Also, the muses tell me that if I were to drag this story on any longer, it wouldn't work out that well. And I'm, as you know, a slave to the muses. Besides, there's really only one lose end left to tie up. Don't worry, there's going to be one more chapter that is going to be all about Bella and Jacob and there's going to be a little surprise for all of you.
TWO WEEKS LATER........
BELLA
"Are you sure you wanna do this?" Jacob asked placing his arm around my waist as we walked up to the Stanley's house.
It was about two weeks after my rescue. Jacob had been released from the hospital four days ago, in order to attend and testify in Edward and James's trial. He wasn't completely healed, that would take several weeks of physical therapy. However, Dr. Erikson gave him the okay to go back to his normal activity, so long as he didn't strain himself. My friends and I were taking great care to make sure that he followed the doctor's orders.
Edward and James's trial began four days ago. It took two days for all of us to tesity and get all of the evidence seen and heard. I had to undergo several phsycological test, as well. Edward had tried to convince the jury that what happened to my mother turned me into a submissive nympho who liked it when we'd roleplay that I was raping him. He told them that it was all just a game and I had consented to everything that he did and tried to do to me. It was a long couple of weeks for me. However, both boys were found guilty. James was sentenced to fourteen years in prison for kidnapping. While Edward was sentenced to sixteen for the kidnapping as well as the attempted rape.
They were both taken to a bigger prison outside of Forks the minute the trial ended. I couldn't have felt better about myself after that. I was free from Edward with no worries of him ever hurting me again. I had all of my friends and most importantly, I had Jacob. Unfortunately, there was one thing that I didn't have and it wasn't until recently that I realized I wanted it back. Jessica's friendship.
Yes, I knew what she did and how essentially it was that act that caused everything to spiral out of control the way it had. In fact, I was still upset with her for that, but in the things she did after, I could tell that she was trying hard to make up for the pain that she had caused me. I mean, she told my friends where she thought they could find me, then she'd turned around and testified that Edward was a complete asshole in bed and always had to be in control. She told them about the many times he tied her up and made her do things she wasn't entirely comfortable with. Unfortunately, that meant that she also had to admit to liking the things that he did to her. It was something she did with good graces, though.
It was those acts that made me realize what a wonderful friend I had lost, over something as stupid as a boy. It made me realize that the horrible things that we had done for each other didn't erase the fact that Alice, Rosalie, Jessica and I had been like sisters since grade school. We were there for her when her mother lost everything and she was there for me when I went through everything with my mother. She was there when Rosalie's father died of cancer and when Alice's mother married Ed.
We'd been through everything togather and did whatever we could to help each other. This time was no different. Jessica was there for me when I needed to her to be, even with the ugliness that passed between us in the last year. She proved that she could put our stupid boy drama aside for the sake of my life and safety and I decided that I could put it aside too, for the sake of our friendship. Forgive and forget, that's what friends did, right?
I decided that was the best course of action from this point on. Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, and Jacob agreed with me and offered to accompany on what was sure to be an awkward and somewhat tearfilled conversation. I had accepted out of nervousness. Besides, bringing them along was a win/win situation for everyone. I didn't want to be alone if she rejected my apology and if she accepted, we'd have friends to celebrate with. I hoped she'd accept my apology.
"Yes." I answered him. "After everything that she's done for me since that night at the apartment, it wouldn't be right if I didn't."
"That may be true, babe." he said. "But if that's the only reason your doing it, then things are just going to worse."
"That's why it's not the only reason." I said stopping halfway in the garden to look at him. The others were trailing behind, holidng their own individual conversations. "Everything that happened with Edward has made me realize what's important in my life. And Jessica's friendship is important to me. Edward made me forget that for awhile, but now that, I've remembered, I what Jess to know it too."
Jacob nodded with a smile, then leaned down to kiss. I, of course, kissed him back with us much force as I could muster. It was crazy how much I loved him. I couldn't believe I had gone most of my life just being his friend. I wasn't positive how I survived it, honestly. I needed to be near him and feel his lips against mine the same way I needed air to breathe. The feelings that I had for him were nothing compared to what I felt for Edward. And I couldn't believe that I let my small infatuation with Edward get in the way of those feelings. I could've been this happy a lot sooner, without all the drama, if I had only just given into those feelings when they first started to arise.
I was so into the kiss, in that moment with the love of my life, I had forgotten where we were and what were were going to do. I had forgotten that my ex best friend was inside and could come busting out and tell us to leave. I had even forgotten that our friends were coming up behind us and were no doubt preparing some witty remark. None of that mattered, at the time. All that mattered was Jacob's lips on mine. Sure enough, Emmett broke the magic of the moment only seconds after it had begun.
"Hey guys," He practically yelled, "Why don't you get a room?"
"Hey Em, why don't you go snog your own girlfriend for a change!" I replied when Jacob and I parted.
"Hey, leave me out of this." Rose replied indignantly. "Besides, he snogs me plenty, thank you."
We all laughed as we continued heading towards Jessica's door. When we got there, I couoldn't help but reconsider the idea for a moment. What if she didn't want to repair things the way I did? What if she told us just to leave? I didn't want that to happen. We had been figthing for too long. I just wanted my friend back, but what if she didn't want me back?
Jacob, who always seemed to know what I was thinking, leaned over to my ear and whisepered,
"You're never going to know until you knock on that door."
He then squeezed my hand reassuringly. I smiled at him and gave him a quick peck on the lips as a thank you. He didn't want it to end there, but I knew Emmett wouldn't keep his mouth shut, so I pulled away.
I took a deep breath and hesitated for another second before knocking on the door. It was a few minutes before Miss Stanley opened the door.
She was wearing a pair of loose fitting holey jeans and a form fitting purple tank top. She was barefoot and the outfit had several spots of dirt and water on it. Her auburn hair was disheveled and her face dirty. It looked as though we had caught her in the middle of one of her house cleaning days. She had a look of surprise on her face as she opened the door and realized it was her daughter's old group of friends.
"This is quite the surprise." she stated staring us up and down.
Jessica and Miss Stanley had one of those close mother/daughter relationships. Jessica told her mom everything. Which meant she, no doubt, heard all about the fight over Edward as well as Jessica's revenge and everything that followed.
"Hello, Miss Stanley." I stated, my voice shaking slightly. "Is Jessica home? We were hoping that we might be able to talk."
"Yes, she's here." Miss Stanley replied. "However, she's taking a nap. Everything that happened at the trial, has completely exhausted her."
"Right." I replied. "We understand completely. We'll just come back later."
"No, mom." said Jessica from behind Miss Stanley. "Let them in. I wasn't able to sleep anyway."
"Okay." Miss Stanley sighed.
I was sure she was having some second thoughts about letting us back into her house. I couldn't blame her. This group had hurt her daughter once over something completely stupid. Any mother would be less than happy to give us a chance to do it again. I just hoped that she'd give us a chance to prove that we wouldn't do it again.
Miss Stanley stepped out of the way so we could go inside. The front door opened directly into the living room. There was a forty inch T.V. to left left of the door, it was hooked up to a DVD/VCR combo and there was a srack of DVD's and VHS's next it. There was a loveseat against the opposite wall with a matching armchair directly in front of us.
I remembered the day she and her mom found the set sitting on a neighbors curb. The gang and I came when she called and helped them lug both pieces of furniture to her house. We then spent the next twelve hours scrubbing off spots of mud and cat pee. Then Miss Stanely, who was an ace with a needle, sewed patches over the wholes on both pieces. The finished product wasn't the best, but it was good enough for Jessica and her mom, who needed all the free stuff they could get.
"Have a seat." Miss Stanley stated gesturing to the funiture.
Jessica, who was in a pair of gray sweat pants and a pink cami with a pair of rainbow colored toe socks, sat on the floor in front of the loveseat. Jacob and I took the loveseat. Jacob sat on the end and I sat beside him, laying against his chest with my feet stretched out alongside me. I made sure that I wasn't hurting him before I got to comfortable. He wrapped his arms around me and I entwined my fingers with his. Emmett took the armchair and pulled Rosalie onto his lap. She pulled her legs up and shifted her weight so most of it was against the arm of the chair. Alice sat beside Jessica on the floor with Jasper on her other side. Jasper entwined his fingers with hers.
"Can I get you guys anything?" Miss Stanley asked, trying to be pleasant.
"No , thank you, Miss Stanley." I replied with a smile.
"Okay, well, I'm sure you remember where the kitchen is, should you change your mind." she smiled.
Everyone murmured their affirmation, then Miss Stanley excused herself to finish cleaning the bathroom. We sat in an awkward uncomfortable silence for a few minutes. I wasn't completely sure what I should or could say to help this situation.
"Jess, I know this last year hasn't been very good between us and I'm sorry for that. Really I am." I began. "I did some thing that I really shouldn't have as your friend. I hurt you in the worst possible way by getting with Edward when I knew how much you cared about him. That was the worst kind of blaspemy I could've committed against theis relationship. I deserved nothing more than what you did in retaliation. To tell the truth, though, after seeing the way the whole thing played out, I'm glad you did what you did. You made me see the mistake that I made in choosing him. I'll be forever grateful for that. I'm also grateful for everything that you did to help get him locked up. Wihtout you, they may not have gotten convicted. I could only imagine what you've gone through with everything that you had to admit to the public." I stopped long enough to take a breath. "I guess that I just wanna say thank you so much for everything that you did to help me rid myself of Edward and I'm sorry for doing what I did to you. It was wrong and stupid of me to put Edward before you. And I'd like to ask you for your forgiveness because your friendship means everything to me."
I looked at her as she finished. She looked back at me. She had tears in her eyes but I could shock beneath the tears. I don't think she saw this coming, not after what happened with Edward.
"You mean you'd honestly be willing to forgive me for what I did with Edward behind your back?" she asked and I could hear her choking on her sob.
"Yes, because like I said, it made me realize that I was making a mistaked." I answered. "And also, because the whole situation had taught me what's important. And it's not some guy who will sleep with your best friend because you won't give him any. And it's not a guy who'll refuse to let you walk away from them. Hell, it's not a guy at all. It's friends that would do anything, including risk their lives and reputations for you. It's being with people who have seen you on your darkest days and help you get back into the sun. It's people like you. Edward made me forget that but the events that followed what happened in the aparment that night helped me to remember. Edward is nothing compared to the seven of you and I never want to forget that. We've been through everything together, especially you, Rosalie, Alice, and I. I don't know how I would've made it through the five years after my mom's death without you guys. I don't want anything to come between us again. So what do you say, can we try to be friends again?"
"Of course." she replied.
I disentangled myself from Jacob and went to hug her. Rose and Alice joined us a second later and with some coaxing, the boys moved in as well. Jacob, of course, stayed on the outer lines of the hug. Nobody wanted him to upset his still healing wound. We stayed like that for a minute or so before the boys got clever and started to squeeze the breath out of us. We just laughed when they released us, we'd get them back for ruining our moment later.
"So, you guys wanna watch a movie or something?" Jessica asked once our laughter subsided. "I just got the new Harry Potter."
"Yes!" the girls chorused while the guys groaned.
Jessica crawled over and popped the DVD in. As we sat in a big cluster in front of the loveseat, I realized just how lucky I had been all along without Edward. I had a group of wonderful friends who wouldn't let me down for anything and a guy who truly lovcd me for me and that's what made him so much wonderful.
Jacob didn't care that I was freaked out about sex because of what happened to my mother. He didn't care that I refused to go further than making out with him. And he had no intention of pressuring me into it.
Whenever I worried about never being able to have sex because of what happened, Jacob would tell me that it would happen when it was meant to. I truly believed that now because the man I was with believed it too.
As the movie started, Jaocob wrapped his arm back around me and I snuggled my head into his chest. Jessica was laying next to us with he head on my lap and I was stroking her hair. Alice and Jasper were cuddled beside her and she had her feet on Alice's lap, while Rosalie laid with her on Jessica's hip. Emmett was sitting on the chair, by himself, because he didn't like our little floorgies.
Yup, life definitely couldn't get any better than this.
A/N: I hope that turned out okay. It's the last chapter but there's going to be an epilogue. I hope everyone liked how I ended it. I'm still working on ended my stories better, so don't get too upset with me. Finally, for those who don't know what a floorgy is, it's supposed to be an orgy on the floor. However, most teenagers use it to descride of pile of teenagers sitting and laying on each other. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading White Horse as much as I enjoyed writing it. However, there is only the epilogue to go and it's over. Thanks for reading. Please review.
