The Painful Truth

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

A/N-thank you for the awesome reviews!

Part Twenty

Bella poured her cornflakes into an empty bowl before adding the milk. She was just about to turn around when she felt a warm body press up against her back. Jacob! Bella smiled as he pushed her hair aside and kissed the nape of her neck. "I got your note." He said huskily.

"I thought you might have." Bella laughed.

Before she could tease him anymore Charlie appeared. "Hands off." He growled at Jacob, annoyed to see him pressed against his daughter like that. He had never been a morning person.

Jacob reluctantly peeled himself away from Bella before swiftly nicking her bowl of cornflakes and eating them. "Hey." Bella protested as she glared at his retreating figure. "I'll get you back for that."

"I'll look forward to it." Jacob called over his shoulder as he winked at her.

"Ass." Bella's expression softened and she smiled. She rooted through the cupboard again for a clean bowl so she could pour herself some more cereal.

Charlie stood beside her as he switched on the kettle and began to make his own breakfast. "When did things heat up between you two?" He questioned irritably.

Bella choked on her cornflakes. This was not a conversation she wanted to have with her father. Her cheeks flushed as she tried to force the cornflakes down her throat. Charlie studied her carefully, obviously waiting for an answer. He wasn't going to let her off so easily. Bella sighed and put down her bowl. "Do we have to talk about this?" She begged.

"Yes, we do." Charlie said curtly as he made himself a black coffee. "You are the one insisting that we be more open with each other."

"What do you want me to say? Yes, Jake and I have gotten closer. Surely you don't have an issue with that." Bella said in disbelief.

"No, it's the timing I have a problem with." Charlie glanced over his shoulder at Jacob. He was helping Billy with his meds so appeared preoccupied. Charlie lowered his voice. "I don't want that boy hurt, Bella. He doesn't deserve it. If this is a rebound thing because of the leech, then put a stop to it right now."

"It is nothing of the sort. Do you really think I would do that to Jacob?" Bella said in disgust. "Your opinion of me couldn't get any lower could it?" Before Charlie could refute that claim she flounced off in a fit of pique.

"Shit." Charlie cursed as he realised he had put his foot in it again.


Riley was late for the tutoring session. He seemed even more flustered and out of sorts then the day before. He jumped like a scalded cat at every small sound. Paul took advantage and made as much disruption as possible. He sat beside Bella, a smirk on his face as he pushed his chair back until it tumbled to the ground with a loud crash. Riley nearly came apart at the seams as he actually trembled from head to toe with shock. Bella glared at Paul, but he ignored her. He couldn't give a rat's ass what she thought; he resented the fact that he was being forced to get help with his tuition from her.

Seth shook his head at Lahote's antics and picked up the chair and shoved it behind Paul again. "Sit down."

"Shut your mouth, pup." Paul scowled. He did sit down though, and began to push his chair back like before. But it didn't work this time.

Jacob, who had been in the kitchen talking to Billy, came back into the front room when he heard the crash. He knew straight away it was Paul. He sauntered up to his pack brother and shoved Paul out of his chair. "That's my seat." Jacob said coldly as he sat down beside Bella.

"You'll pay for that." Paul threatened as he glared around at his pack brothers. Quil and Embry were laughing at him. Seth and Jacob exchanged a high five and joined in the laughter. Bella didn't. Her attention was focused on Riley. For some odd reason the older guy looked as if he was about to cry.

"Piss off, Paul." Jacob smirked as he put an arm around Bella's shoulders. "If you don't I'll kick your ass….again."

There were more howls of laughter. Paul's expression darkened. "I will get you back for this, Black. You just wait and see." His warning was greeted with a stony expression from Jacob. Paul locked eyes with him for a long moment before he finally stormed out of the house.


"Are you alright, Riley?" Bella asked when the tutoring session was finished. She passed his books to him as he packed them away. His hands were shaking. Something was clearly bothering him.

"I'm….I'm fine." Riley avoided her eyes just like the day before.

Bella sighed, it was clear he wasn't going to open up about his problems. She had asked, there was nothing more she could do. "Okay, well see you tomorrow."

Riley paused in his movements. He finally raised his head to look at her directly and Bella was stunned by the guilty expression on his face. His blue eyes looked haunted. "I just want to say I'm sorry." He whispered.

"For what?" Bella felt totally confused.

"I've got to go." Riley shoved the rest of his books back in his bag before running out of the house, leaving a perplexed Bella staring after him.


Bella and Jacob sat at the table finishing off their assignments. At least that was what they were supposed to be doing. Instead Jacob kept taking Bella's pen out of her hand, or hiding her books, just so he could get her attention and steal a kiss. Bella pretended to be annoyed, but she was having fun. She mock scolded him as he covertly hid all her stuff, while he resumed working on his own assignment as if nothing was amiss. It didn't take her long to find her things. Jacob had just chucked them under the table when her back was turned. To get her revenge she began running her fingers through his hair, before leaning close and trailing her lips across the back of his neck. He soon gave up bothering to concentrate. He had her in his lap within seconds as he tried to kiss her. Bella just laughed. She let her mouth hover tantalisingly close to his before tumbling off his lap and laughing at his disappointed expression.

"Enough you two." Billy finally intervened. He was trying to watch a sports show, but their constant laughing and teasing banter was getting on his last nerve. "Charlie doesn't pay a fortune to that Riley kid just for you two to just muck about. Stop behaving like children and get on with your homework."

Bella immediately felt ashamed. Billy was right. Graduation was coming up, she didn't have long left to finish her assignments, and she wasn't doing Jacob any favours by engaging in silly behaviour, no matter how much she was enjoying herself. "Sorry, Billy." She apologised.

"Jeez, dad, you need to chill." Jacob said in annoyance. "Bella does more to teach us than that Riley dude. He's like a frightened rabbit most days. Even something dropping on the floor spooks him."

"He is teaching a pack of wolves." Billy retorted. "With Lahote kicking off again are you really surprised. Sam needs to reword his order and get Paul to focus."

"He's tried." Jacob pointed out. "But Paul's such a damn hothead."

"You are not helping the situation, Jacob." Billy pointed out. "Instead of fighting with him all the time, try and find out why he struggles so much with the work."

"I think Paul may be dyslexic." Bella announced suddenly.

"What?" Jacob questioned in surprise.

"Why do you think that, Bella?" Billy asked with interest.

"Just from some of his work that I've seen. The way he writes is a big clue. The words are all jumbled and out of place. What he is trying to get across is good, but that, along with his poor grammar, holds him back. I also noticed he hates reading anything in front of anyone. We did a simple comprehension test the other day, and Paul was scowling at his text book as if he wanted to rip it apart."

"I have to admit he was always like that in class. He would disrupt things if the teacher asked him to read a passage from a book. I just never put two and two together before." Jacob mused.

"Well instead of rising to Paul's bait, perhaps you should try talking to him." Billy suggested as he returned his attention to the sports show.


Riley's lower lip quivered as he waited in the darkened alleyway behind the fast food restaurant in Port Angeles. He could hear the faint murmurs of the diner's occupants coming from inside as they sat enjoying their meals. He longed to be one of them. He jumped violently when he heard the loud beep of a horn. He put his hand over his racing heart and tried to stop himself bursting into tears. He really couldn't go on like this. The stress would eventually kill him before they had a chance to.

"If you keep doing that, you will begin to make people notice that there is something wrong." The intruder's words came out like a sibilant hiss from the darkest corner of the alley.

Riley was startled and his body jerked as he turned to face his companion. They were late. "I…I can't help it." He stammered.

"You need to focus, boy." A tall cloaked figure came out of the shadows to join Riley. Their face was hidden within the confines of the cowl pulled over their head. All Riley saw was the flash of a white hand as they motioned for him to come closer. He gulped, hesitating a moment, as he felt the usual fear and panic consume him. "If you don't comply your sister will pay the price."

Riley felt tears prick at his eyes as he edged closer to his companion. The thought of his innocent little sister being around this vile creature sickened him. "Please don't hurt Bree." He begged.

"Then do as we bid you." It was hard for Riley to tell if his sister's abductor was male or female. Their voice came out like a hiss; it was almost snakelike and made his blood run cold. "Now report."

"She is back from Florida. Nothing much has changed. She is still living in the Chief's house is La Push." Riley babbled. "Um…I think she and the Chief's son are in a relationship. I saw them kissing."

"WHAT?" His companion's white hand curled up into a claw like fist. The black cloak swirled around their feet as they began to pace in an agitated manner. "You must be mistaken." They snarled before halting in front of Riley and grabbing the collar of his shirt. "You have new orders. I need you to get me something of the girl's. An item of clothing which she has worn, it must not be washed. Do you understand?"

Riley nodded violently. He closed his eyes and grimaced as his companion's rancid breath washed over him. There was the metallic smell of dried blood. Riley wanted to be sick.

"Bring me the item of clothing here, the same time tomorrow." His companion let go of his shirt and shoved him down the dark alley. "Fail me and your sister dies."

Riley sobbed as he watched the intruder melt back into the shadows. He fell against the wall, his hands covering his face as he let out a heart broken cry.


The next day the tutoring session was as disruptive as always. Paul Lahote was back and he was causing no end of trouble. Riley usually relied on Jacob to get Paul to behave, but for some odd reason, Jacob seemed to be holding his tongue. Even the others were being more tolerant of Lahote and this confused Riley. It seemed to be confusing Paul as well. He tried to wind his brothers up but nothing was working. In the end he fell silent and watched the others with a calculating expression. Probably working up to more mischief, Riley thought. He was too preoccupied to care about Paul or any of them. He needed to escape their notice and slip into Bella's room so he could grab a shirt or something. He couldn't fail. His life and that of Bree depended on it.

It was midday when he grabbed the opportunity to make an attempt. The others had gone outside to get some fresh air. The rowdy boys chaffed at being confined indoors for so many hours and it was a daily ritual that they made a run for the door when they had a break. Riley breathed easier as he watched the front door close behind them. He had made the excuse that he needed to use the bathroom. Instead he hurried down the hall, looking into all the rooms, searching for Bella's. Hers was at the very end. He breathed a sigh of relief as he noticed the clothes she had worn the day before draped over the back of the single chair in the room. He ran into the room, grabbed her t-shirt and fled back into the hall. But he had been discovered. Riley was in such a state he didn't look where he was going. As he came out of the room he rebounded against a hard body. He gasped, flattening himself against the wall as he stared in horror at Paul Lahote.

"Well, well." Paul sneered. "We have a right little pervert here, don't we?"

"Please, I…."

"Shut up." Paul leaned forward threateningly and put his face close to Riley's. "Here's the deal, scum bag." He warned him. "I'll keep your little fetish for Bella's things a secret from Jacob so he doesn't nail your ass to the wall, and in return from now on you will do my assignments for me. I am going to graduate with fucking honours, got it!"

"Yes, you have a deal." Riley agreed quickly. He felt his eyes burn with tears again but tried not to shed them in front of his tormentor.

"Good." Paul stood upright again and cuffed Riley on the back of the head, causing him to stumble further down the hallway. "Enjoy your trip." He spat sardonically as he laughed at Riley stumbling away from him as if the hounds of hell were after him.

A/N-thanks for reading!