Readers,
Sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I was hiking with my Duke of Edinborough group – so much fun! 27km in 2 days! Lol.
Thanks so much for all the reviews, and, as promised, a mention to some of those who said more than three words:
LuvsEmTallDarkAndHandsome – awesome descriptive words =)
Doopey12 – I think Bella in my stories is a bit of both. She's really devastated, but she isn't in the middle of a breakdown.
tiggerlover1971 – will do, seems everyone wants either Jared or both
fyshnikki – aww thanks =) it's great that people think my stories are that good!
And thank you to ellaryne, litanolastar, IzzyHale101, sprazinko, FreezingFire81, mauralee88, Kathy Hiester, midnightwolf2192 and FlowerChild67 who all contributed a review. You're all awesome =)
Anyway, this chapter's inspirations are:
Brick By Boring Brick – Paramore
Decoy – Paramore
Hopelessly Devoted to You – Taylor Swift
Light Surrounding You - Evermore
Tied Together With A Smile – Taylor Swift
You Pick Me Up – Pete Murray
Enjoy!!!
Disclaimers: I do not own Twilight… yet….
Chapter Four: Be Safe
Bella's eyes were wide with confusion. "Jared?" She asked. "Is there something wrong?"
I realized I was staring. Oops. But who could blame me – she was beautiful. I wondered if anyone had told her. Probably, I decided, but she probably didn't listen to those sorts of people.
I wondered if she would listen to me.
I blinked rapidly, bring myself back into focus. Bella, my Bella, was looking at me intently. I still hadn't answered her.
"Nothing," I said. Of course there was something. I wanted to pick her up and hold her and never let her go.
But I think that would have been a tad bit weird for her.
She sighed. "Jake's running around somewhere as a… werewolf… right now, huh?" She said. "And he couldn't tell me because Sam didn't want him to."
She was exactly right.
I nodded. How observant and intelligent my Bella was! "Sam's the Alpha." I said. "His word is the law. It binds anyone in the pack."
She smiled sadly. "So it's not a cult."
I shook my head. "Not a cult. And, for that matter, not a gang."
"Not a gang." She repeated distantly.
She fell silent, looking out to the beach. I wondered if she liked surfing. Maybe I could take her out, help her catch a few waves. I'd invite her back, take her out, have dinner. I just wanted to be around my Bella.
"Jared…" she began. I smiled as she said my name. Her voice, even quiet and broken, was beautiful. She was beautiful.
"Yeah?"
Bella sighed. "Do you know when Jacob and the rest of the… pack will be back? I need to, um, just talk to him."
Jacob. I'd forgotten about him. Did she have feelings for him? Probably not, she was just getting over the leech taking off. But, he'd been her best friend for months now, so they'd probably grown close. Jacob, the little mutt, was totally in love with her.
As was I.
I shook my head. "They'll tell me where they are at midday."
She frowned. "How?"
I bit my lip. Sam had clearly stated that we were not to give away anything about the pack to anyone, yet he had told Emily. Maybe imprints were the exception. But, I didn't want to disobey Sam.
I made up my mind.
Screw Sam.
I told Bella everything that she wanted to know, and more. I told her how Sam phased, then me, then Paul, Embry and now Jacob. I told her about our special abilities, how we could run fast, were strong, could hear and see incredibly well, healed fast and could hear each other in our heads when we phased. I told her about how we didn't age.
"What?" She said, disappointed. "You mean, you can't get older?"
"Nope," I said. "Seems to be that way."
She looked downcast. "Oh."
Cautiously, I put my arm around her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." Nice one, Jared. Now she's about to cry. Great, man.
She shook her head. "I know. It's just, age is a touchy subject."
At least, she hadn't shrugged off my arm.
She glanced at me. "Aren't you cold?" She asked. I peered down at myself. I was just wearing cut off jeans and a light t-shirt.
"Nope." I explained. "We don't get cold. Or hot either. But we are hot." I added the last part as a joke.
She laughed. She had such a sweet laugh!
Bella looked at her watch. I looked over too. Nine o' five. We'd been sitting here for almost two hours.
"I should go." She said. "Charlie will be wondering where I am."
Quickly, I jumped up and helped her to her feet. She smiled graciously, pearly white teeth framed by pinky red lips. She didn't wear make up like the other girls around, but she didn't need to. Bella was more beautiful than any girl in the whole world anyway.
"Thanks, Jared." She said.
I smiled. She was so kind. "It's not a problem."
She gestured for me to walk with her. "I parked the truck around at Jacob's," she explained. "I walked from there. Billy said he was out with friends, so I hoped that they were at the beach or the cliffs. And then I found you…"
I nodded. She thought I was about to commit suicide or something. Bless her.
We walked in silence. It seemed Bella wasn't one for making up conversation. I didn't mind. It mean I could notice more about my Bella. The way she stumbled every two seconds, how she silently cursed herself for tripping over the smallest things. Occasionally, when she didn't fall for a while, her arms would come up to her stomach and she would fold them across herself, like she was holding herself together. I had to had it to her. I was still amazed that she was holding it all together. I thought that, by now, she would be falling to pieces. I guess I had Jacob Black to thank for that. Without him, she probably would have fallen apart.
I growled silently. It seemed I owed the mutt a favor.
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We reached Jacob's house. Bella's truck, an ancient looking red Chevy truck, was parked on the side of the road.
She laughed as she caught my gaze. "It's a bit old." She said. "Charlie bought it off Billy for me."
So it was another thing of Jacob around her.
She fumbled around in her pocket, searching for her keys. My Bella was going home. A stab of pain hit me. I didn't want to let her go, not even for a second. What if she was hurt on the way back? What if her ancient truck broke down and she was stuck on the side of the road for the rest of the day?
She smiled, catching my gaze. "It goes better than it looks."
I forced a smile.
I realised I would have to say goodbye to Bella – at least for today.
"Oh, um," I began. "Take care of yourself." What was I, her grandmother? Great work, Jared.
Bella smiled. "Thanks for telling me about… you…" She probably wasn't comfortable with the whole werewolf thing yet.
"That's okay. I'm sorry Jacob didn't tell you."
She looked down, avoiding my gaze. "I just… I don't know. I thought he trusted me. I trusted him!"
My heart ached at that. The mutt Jacob meant a lot to her. More than I meant at the moment. I wished that could change.
No, it would change.
She looked up again. "Could you tell him that I want to talk to him, whenever you see him next? It would mean a lot to me."
"Sure." Anything for you, my Bella.
She nodded. "I'd better be going then."
Smiling, she jumped into her truck, nearing tripping as she got in. I started forward, then stopped myself. Bella didn't like it when she felt clumsy, or if she got help from people. She was a creature of solitude, my Bella, an individual, from what I could gather.
I waved as the truck rolled forward onto the road.
Bye, my Bella. I thought. Be safe.
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Poor Jared… my favourite stalkerish werewolf =)
Next chapter up whenever.
Again, thank you to everyone that reviewed. If I can get at least fifteen for this chapter, I'll give hints about what's coming up…
Now there's an incentive to press the review button!
Thanks guys,
Little Miss Illusional