Bella's POV:

I rolled out of bed early the next morning, planting a soft kiss on Jake's shoulder as I departed. He was lying on his stomach, snoring softly as he sprawled out on my bed. I smiled at the sight, glad that he was finally getting some much needed rest. As soon as I was out of the warm refuge that is my bed I realized how cold it was. I noticed Jacob's sweater lying beside the bed and pulled it over my head. I walked downstairs and put on a pot of coffee as I made myself breakfast.

Once the eggs were ready I poured myself a cup of coffee and sat down to eat. I opened up my textbook reluctantly, flipping to the point I had stopped at last night. I really wanted to just relax and eat my breakfast, but I had another final in two days so I had to fit in studying wherever I could.

I couldn't believe how much work college was. Don't get me wrong I wasn't expecting it to be easy, but I definitely wasn't expecting it to be this hard. I was nearing the end of the first semester of my final year of my two year program and I was exhausted. Between school, the commute to school, and the few shifts I could manage at the Newton's I was pretty strung out. Needless to say I could not wait until the three week long Christmas break that was not approaching quickly enough for my liking. It was a miracle, really, that Jacob and I found any time to hangout between our equally hectic schedules. But we did try to make time for each other every day, even if sometimes it was only an hour or less.

Now that I was thinking of our hectic schedules I had the distinct feeling that there was something going on today. A final? No, I definitely didn't have another one until Tuesday. I didn't have a shift at Newton's until my finals were over. Hmm, what could I be forgetting? I glanced over at the time glaring at me from the clock on the oven and it hit me. Jacob had a football game today! A very important game that started in less than half an hour. I jumped up, my scattered textbooks forgotten on the table.

I flung the door to my room open to find Jacob still sprawled out on my bed, still snoring, and still dead to the world. Apparently I wasn't the only one who had temporarily forgotten about his game. I walked over to my bed and shook Jacob in an attempt to rouse him. He grumbled in his sleep and rolled on his side, his back facing me. I pushed him again, with a little more force this time and called his name loudly. I tried different variations several more times but he wasn't budging. Damn, he was such a heavy sleeper. I looked at the clock and felt a panicky feeling rise in my chest. I knew how important this game was to him and how pissed he would be if he missed it. I ran across the hall and filled a glass of water in the sink, and before I could think better of it I threw the water in Jacob's face.

He came to suddenly, coughing and wiping the water away with his hands. That was most likely a decidedly horrible way to wake up. He looked up at me as I sheepishly hid the glass behind my back. I inwardly rolled my eyes at myself; as if there was anywhere else the water could have come from.

"What the hell, Bella?" he hissed, more confused than angry.

"Sorry, I'm so sorry, but it's 10:40 and you weren't waking up and I didn't know what else to do."

He raised his eyebrows, giving me a look that clearly said so what? He was getting pissed now.

"You have a game at 11!" I exclaimed, waving my hands for emphasis.

For a second he was motionless as my words sunk in and then he sprung into action.

"Fuck!" he hissed as he jumped out of bed, now fully alert if the water hadn't already done the trick. He walked around my room pulling on the clothes he had discarded last night in order to sleep more comfortably. "Fucking fuck," he swore randomly. "I'm supposed to be there at fucking ten. Most important game of the fucking year.."

I shrunk back from his anger instinctively, thinking I could have woken him up in time if only I'd remembered. I'd been up since 8:30.

"Sorry," I mumbled meekly.

He turned to me as if just remembering that I was still there and his angry expression softened. "It's not your fault baby." He brushed my cheek with his hand and then withdrew it to run it through his unruly hair in frustration. "I completely fucking blanked with all the shit that went on last night and I forgot to set my alarm. Damnit!"

I really wanted to ask him what exactly did happen last night but now obviously wasn't the time.

"I gotta go," he said as he ran down the stairs. I grabbed my coat, a scarf and gloves from the front closet.

"Wait, my truck isn't working. I need to come with you."

Moments later we were in the Rabbit and flying full speed towards the reservation school.

"You don't have to watch the game, Bells, it's pretty fucking cold out."

"How would you score any runs without your lucky charm there?" I teased.

He looked at me blankly.

"I'm kidding! Geeze, I know quarterbacks don't score the runs." Jacob laughed as he realized I was messing with him. "I'm not as clueless as I used to be, you know. I actually know a thing or two now. And I wouldn't miss this game for anything. Even if I will be freezing without my space heater." I linked my arms through his and snuggled closer to him.

It was true, me and football weren't always the best of friends, but ever since Jacob had got back into it last year I had made a very conscious effort to at least get to know football a little better. And get to know I did. I went to every single game, dragging either Seth, Embry, or Emmett with me, and barraging them with questions the entire game.

"Damn Bella, you really are clueless." Emmett remarked, after I asked what was presumably quite a stupid question.

I knew I had annoyed the hell out of the guys those first few months, but it was important to me. It was as if I was making up for my previous selfishness at the begging of mine and Jacob's friendship, by throwing myself wholeheartedly into something that was just about him. By the time his second year of football rolled around I was quite the football pro if I did say so myself. The guys would laugh in amusement when I would curse the refs after a particularly atrocious call or yell at the coach for not making an obvious play.

We pulled into the busy parking lot of the school 5 minutes before the game and Jacob quickly pulled into the first spot he saw. He turned off the car and leaned over to give me a quick kiss.

"Good luck!" I yelled after him as he ran towards the school.

I bundled myself up hoping I would be warm enough, and then headed towards the bleachers. I spotted Seth, Embry, Quil, and their friend from school, Jackson, sitting at the top. I waved as I made my way towards them.

"Bella! Is Jake here?" Embry asked as I got closer.

"Yeah, he just got here, he overslept." I explained.

All four guys laughed at this information.

"Coach is going to castrate him!" Jackson snorted in between laughs. His so called friends seemed to very amused by this possibility.

I glared at Seth, Embry and Quil who should have been sympathetic to his plight. They knew how hard he worked.

"He's been getting hardly any sleep lately." I said in his defense for Jackson's benefit.

"Oh, I bet he hasn't!" Quil leered suggestively. I rolled my eyes at the predictability of his reply.

I nudged Seth over so I could sit in between him and Embry to provide a little extra heat. I turned to Seth and lowered my voice so as to not be overhead.

"Do you know what happened last night?"

"No, and I don't need a recap." He put his hands over his ears, pretending to not be able to hear me.

"Seth!" I exclaimed with a laugh. "I'm being serious. Something happened with the pack? I'm not trying to be nosy, I'm just worried. It sounded pretty serious."

Seth snorted, "Don't worry about it, Bella, you're basically an unofficial member of the pack." I smiled glad that Seth thought of it that way. "Well Paul and Aidan got in a fight and Paul was being a little rougher than the situation called for. Nothing too noteworthy, right?" I shrugged in agreement. Sounded pretty routine.

"But then Aidan wasn't healing!" he said sotto voce as he leaned in closer to me.

"What?" I gasped, suitably shocked. "Like at all?"

Seth shook his head. "No, according to Sam he just doesn't have the healing gene. How fucked up is that?"

"Wow," I breathed in disbelief. "That's crazy. How is that even possible?"

He shook his head again. "That's what I said,"

"How is he today?"

"Not too good, but he's still a pain in the ass, so we figure it can't be too serious."

"I can't believe that,"

I was distracted from my conversation with Seth by the sound of the announcer calling out the starting lineup.

"..and starting at quarterback, Alex Martinez." The announcers voice boomed the offensive words across the field as if it were nothing out of the ordinary.

"They're sitting him?" I cried, incensed. I clutched at Seth's arm, pulling him closer to me in my rage. "That's bullshit! That's absolute bullshit. All the dedication he's put into this team and he's late one time. God,"

"Bella, you're cutting off my circulation." Seth uncurled my fingers from his arm, and placed my hand in my lap pointedly. "Damn, that actually hurt. I think I liked you better when you hated football."

I turned to Seth, eyeing him appraisingly. "You're lying, that didn't hurt."

He snorted, "I wish I was. Either you're getting stronger, or I'm becoming susceptible to your craziness."

"Wow Seth, I'm sorry, I didn't even know it was possible for me to hurt you. I have been working out lately though." I grinned and flexed my arm jokingly.

The game started with an interception by the other team and I rolled my eyes in disgust.

"Jake would have made that pass with his eyes closed."

The rest of the game went similarly bad as it was clear that this Alex kid hadn't seen the field all year, and I wasn't the only one questioning the coach's sanity. But somehow Jacob's team managed to force overtime. Surprisingly overtime ended in the same score, neither team able to even score a field goal. The crowd dispersed with a collective feeling of disappointment. Everyone knew that they most likely have won that game with Jake at quarterback, as it was they were lucky to come out with a tie.

I said goodbye to the guys and went to Jacob's car to wait for him. I turned on the car and cranked up the heat to thaw my frozen body. About 15 minutes later I caught sight of Jacob striding towards the car. I watched him apprehensively; no doubt he was going to be pissed. He opened the door and slid into the driver's seat.

"Hey, so that was bullshit, huh?" I said as he pulled out of the parking lot.

He turned to me looking confused. "What was?"

"That your coach sat you, just for being a little late! You're, like, twenty times better than that kid he started." I was still stewing in my anger even though the game was over and nothing could be done. "And the first time you're ever late." I shook my head in disgust, my dislike for his coach at the moment very apparent.

He shrugged noncommittally. "Yeah we really needed those two points, but at least we tied. I just feel bad that I let the guys down."

"It wasn't your fault!" I insisted. "You should have told your coach about what happened or-" I trailed off, not really sure where I was going with this.

"Told him what? There was nothing I could have said. I appreciate your indignation on my behalf, but he did the right thing. I was late; I had to accept the consequences."

I arched an eyebrow thoughtfully. "When did you become more mature than me?"

He laughed, "Bella, I've always been more mature than you. After all I am, what, ten years older than you?"

"Oh, right, how could I have forgotten?" I chuckled, remembering back to our conversation a couple years ago. Back when I was still kidding myself, thinking Jacob was just a friend.

"So Seth told me about Aidan. That's awful,"

The corners of his mouth turned down into a frown. "Yeah, now that's bullshit."

Jacob told me that Aidan was currently residing in his room and I told Jacob to give him my best wishes. He pulled into my driveway where he was dropping me off. I still had a lot of studying I wanted to get accomplished today and he had to take Aidan to the hospital.

Before I got out of his car he kissed me, lingering a little longer than the typical goodbye kiss. His tongue slipping between my lips as my hands tangled in his jet black hair. He grinned looking pleased with himself when I had to pull away for air, breathing heavily.

"Quit distracting me, I have to study." I scolded.

"Mm sure sure." he answered still grinning. "So do you think can take time away from your studies to go out to dinner with your sexy boyfriend later?"

I pretended to think about it, my face twisted into a thoughtful expression. "I think I can work him into my schedule." I shot him a cheeky grin. "I'd better go call Mike so we can pick out a restaurant."

I turned away from him to leave the car, holding back my laughter. Before I could open the door his hand was on my arm spinning me back around to face him. The smile was gone, his gaze now dark.

"That's wasn't funny," he growled.

I giggled. "I thought it was a little funny."

We both knew very well that I had absolutely zero interest in Mike, but I just couldn't resist teasing him. I had to admit that I loved to see him get this worked up over me. It was a heady feeling to know that I could evoke such powerful feelings of envy in someone as confident as him.

"Don't worry about Mike, he-" I was cut off my his lips attacking mine. He reached over hauled me into his lap so I was straddling him. I moaned into his mouth at unexpected actions. He kissed me hungrily, with a desperate need.

He pulled away and I started kissing and sucking on his neck.

"Sorry, what were you saying?"

"Nothing," I answered, bringing my lips back to his. "Nothing at all."