The next couple days were quiet and highly enjoyable. Jake called me once every day and we were hanging out whenever he was bored or had a chance to.
I found myself hanging out at Emily's whenever Natty was out and Jake was busy. She and I were becoming closer and closer as the days went by. Maybe it was the fact that she understood how I felt and recognized the pulling sensation I was feeling as indeed being part of an imprintee, or maybe it was just the fact that she was so easy to talk to.
The boys came around often when I was there, and I found myself lost in wonder as I watched Sam and Emily interact. A simple "hi" seemed like so much more. I have never seen anyone back at home act like this, so completely head over heels for each other.
It was beautiful.
The next day after that though while I was there I found out some disturbing news, Bella was back.
"She has been hassling him, it's so irritating. I really hate that girl. She keeps coming to his house wanting him to talk to her and calling him." I listened as Leah sat with Emily and I (very rare for her to even talk to me, but we shared a hatred for this Bella girl) ranting and raving.
"I agree, I mean it was so nice to actually see him happy for a change, and now I feel like all of that work that we have all put in, and all of his work is going to go to waste." Emily said sighing sadly.
Jake walked in a little after that, and our conversation halted.
I got up and walked over to him, he looked like a mess. His hair was everywhere and his eyes were puffy, he looked like he hadn't slept at all.
"Hey are you okay? I'm always here if you want to talk?" I said, resting my hand on his arm lightly.
His eyes looked so sad…so lost when he looked into mine. My heart was aching as I watched the way he stayed silent holding everything in. I felt the strongest urge to just do anything and everything I could to get him to smile.
He wouldn't talk to me, nor with anyone else.
The whole pack seemed sadder than usual; everyone unsure of what to do now that she was back and calling for him again.
Later that day after Sam had taken Jake out by himself for a talk, Emily came over to me to talk a bit more.
"I learned that Bella wants to be friend with Jake again. She hates that they haven't been able to hang out. She is married now though to Edward and her date of the change is set for a month from now. Sam isn't sure what to do, Jake doesn't want to see her but he doesn't know how to tell her to go away without seeing her." She said sadly, her doe like eyes shining with sympathy as she looked out the window.
I nodded in understanding.
"So he doesn't want to see her, more likely because he can't heal and fall out of love with her if she is still coming around. She keeps coming around, which isn't helping the process, but he can't come out to talk to her, right?" I said trying to formulate a way to help him.
Emily looked at me questioningly, almost guessing where my thoughts were headed.
"Hmm, you are thinking of talking to her for him, aren't you?" She said, her eyes looking curiously at me.
I sighed; this was a thin line I was walking…very thin.
"I just can't stand to see him like this, it's…heart breaking. What if maybe you, Sam, and I go to talk to her? We can explain that he needs time, that in the future maybe but for now he needs to get over her. What do you think, I know this can turn against us really fast but if Sam is there, when Jake finds out he will know what we said. Maybe that will make it easier for him to swallow or something…I don't know it's the only thing I can think of." I said looking down sadly.
This was so frustrating; I wanted to help him to heal him. Yet he wouldn't let me, he wouldn't give me a chance to be that person to heal him. He wasn't even talking to anyone or me.
Emily looked thoughtful and just at that moment as luck would have it Sam walked in, saying that Jake was home and spending time alone.
"Hey Sam I think we have an idea…it is risky because he may not take it well, us butting in I mean but it could help." Emily said looking at Sam thoughtfully.
He listened to our plan and to my surprise agreed. He looked just as lost as us.
I could tell they felt like they were losing him again and it was really scaring them.
I called Natty to tell her what was going on and she agreed that it might help.
Later that night after dinner we hopped in Sam's truck, Emily next to him and me next to her.
The drive wasn't very long and we finally reached a quant little two story house.
I took a deep breath before finally exiting the truck.
Sam knocked on the door and stepped back so all three of us stood a little line.
A girl just about my height, lean and quite pretty opened the door.
She had dark shoulder length brown hair that swept in annoying perfect arches in the small wind that was blowing.
I took a couple deep breaths as she came out recognizing Sam and Emily and hugging them.
This was no time for me to be jealous of all things, I thought shaking my head slightly.
"Hey, I'm Bella Swan, who are you?" She asked her brown eyes resting on mine, in a frustratingly sweet stare.
"Lilah Weldner, I'm a new friend of the packs, and Jake's." I said shaking her hand.
I had hoped she would be ugly so it would be easy to tell her how we felt, but nope, just my luck she was very pretty.
A slight pain seemed to form in my chest as I looked at her. How could he ever see me, as more than a friend when he had loved her, I didn't even compare.
My thoughts were interrupted as she began asking about Jake.
I looked over at Sam and Emily almost begging permission to speak, it wouldn't be long before I wouldn't be able to keep it all in. My mind was focused on one thing now as they nodded for me to speak, helping him, making him happy again.
"Look Bella, I know you care about Jake. I know you want to be friends again but he isn't ready and the fact that you keep coming around isn't helping. He hasn't completely gotten over you yet." I said, wondering how she would take it.
She looked angry and frustrated at my words.
"What do you mean, did he send you here. I'm his friend, and we should be able to stay friends. I need him, I want to fix things. He is being such a coward sending his lackeys to come instead of him." She said and I could hear Sam growing slightly under his breath. Emily focused on him for a second to calm him down leaving me to retaliate.
Looks like I needed a different line of attack to get her to understand.
"You are happy with Edward aren't you?" I asked, her eyes seemed to soften, as she grew confused at my approach.
"Of course, more happy than I ever imagined." She said seeming cautious as she spoke.
I smiled slightly and nodded.
"I understand that you are his best friend, and I'm sure you would want him to be just as happy as you are. Good friends want the other to happy, not sad.
The problem is Bella is that you aren't giving him the chance to find that happiness. Look he didn't send us; we are just a couple other people that care about him just as much as you do.
We aren't saying that he doesn't want to be friends with you at all; we are just asking you to give him a chance to get a clear head so he can be happy.
I know in the future he will want to rekindle the friendship but he is still heartbroken after everything that has happened.
It isn't fair for you to be coming in to the situation after everything has happened and to demand his friendship and for everything to be fine.
He isn't fine, he was getting there but your appearance was too soon. He needs more time before he will be ready to come into this friendship again with a clear head and no anger."
I said hoping with everything I had that she would understand.
"If you want him to have the same happiness you have been so lucky to find, then you need to give him space. He will come to you when he is ready." I added looking directly into her eyes.
She looked at me her eyes were quiet and thoughtful as she stood there looking between the three of us.
A minute and then another passed as she looked back at me, seeming confused, and then another expression fell on her face. Understanding, maybe she saw how much I loved him, maybe she saw that I cared for him too…I will never know. Her eyes don't give away a lot, and her words seem to give away less.
"I understand. I will let him come to me when he is ready. Thank you for being kind about it." She said simply looking at me, a small knowing smile forming on her small lips.
Then she moved to the door and shut it without another word.
I was surprised; I can't believe that she actually listened to me, little ole me.
"You did it Lilah!" Emily said pulling me into a surprisingly rough and quick hug.
I couldn't help but smile, even Sam seemed happy about how things went.
There was no bloodshed, or nasty words and it seemed like she actually understood and agreed with what I had said.