Chapter 6: Jacob

The New Girl

I hadn't seen Bella for months. The last time I laid eyes on her was that day I had woken up beside her and she had postponed the wedding. I think it was one of the most hopeful days of my life. It was that day that I realized why I had been fighting so fucking hard all that time; she really needed to hear what I had to say. My perspective was important. It was a revelation that affected me deeply.

After she went away to school I buried myself in my class work and pack stuff. I spent more time on patrols, I put more effort into my grades and I even went out with friends once in a while. I became less of a homebody….which was a refreshing turn of events.

But, despite Quil and Embry's attempts at a new love connection, I remained focused; my eyes on the prize. I knew that at some point Bella would call and want to see me and we would talk and figure out where we stood. After all, I had kissed her that night in her bedroom and she had kissed me back, passionately. It had been even more than the kiss by the tent, because I knew she wasn't doing it out of desperation; she really wanted it. When she had moaned into my mouth, I felt every hair on my body stand up…..along with some other things. At that moment, as soon as her mouth had met mine, I knew I would always love that girl.

"Come on dude, you NEED to ask her out." Quil was like a broken record, it was the same thing everyday. For some dumb reason he had it set in his mind that I should ask Ali Winters out. Ali (her real name was Allison) was the head cheerleader and basically Princess Barbie. Okay, so I can admit that she was good looking (maybe even hot) but there are so many more important qualities to consider in a girl. I mean, for one thing this girl didn't know the first thing about cars, except that she liked them new and pretty looking. Come on, how could I possibly be with a girl like that? And, for another thing, I was pretty sure she was literally the dumbest person in our school. In fact, I remember a time in history class that she actually asked what year the war of 1812 occurred in. To say this girl was dumb was actually giving her a compliment.

"I don't really think we would hit it off."

Embry smiled, getting into the conversation, "Quil, you tell him this everyday and everyday he always has the same response. You might as well just give it up." There they went with that good cop/bad cop thing again.

Quil gave Embry a pout and I couldn't help but smile; he was such a moron. "You know, Quil," I said, "You really must not know me at all if you think I would be interested in someone like Ali. Sure, she's pretty and all of that, but there are other more important things; like brains. I like girls with brains."

Then Quil retorted with, "so what are you doing with Bella?"

I glared at him and a growl rose in my chest. I hadn't meant to react that way, but clearly the wolf had other plans.

Embry looked into my eyes, "dude, he was just joking. You can cut the crap now, Jake, don't go phasing because he poked fun at your precious."

Oh, so now he wanted to be bad cop, huh? I shook my head, "I'm not going to phase." I was immediately tired with this conversation, so I got up from the table, dumped my tray and left the cafeteria to wander the halls.

I walked out of the cafeteria and the hall monitor gave me a glare, I raised my eyebrows and gave him an intimidating look and he immediately backed down from whatever stupid thing he was planning to say to me. I quickly turned on my heel and decided to take the long pathway, around the gym, to the rest of the school.

As I walked around the school I passed the weight room. Hmmm, maybe I should start going there after school. Maybe that would give me something to do while I waited patiently for Bella to call. I ran my hands through my hair and couldn't help but think of Bella again. I imagined what it would be like when she finally did call me for the first time since she left for the semester. What would she say to me? What would I say to her? Would we talk about that night in her room? Would she tell me that she has changed? I was so enthralled with all the scenarios playing out in my mind that I didn't realize a girl was walking towards me. I obliviously walked right into her, not paying attention, and her book fell out of her hands and papers were strewn all over the hallway.

She sighed, obviously irritated, and who wouldn't be? I felt bad, a blush coming to my cheeks, and I bent down to help her gather up all the papers. Her eyes bore holes in my head and I didn't even want to look up at her. But, when I did, what I saw made me go weak in the knees; she was the most beautiful girl I had ever laid eyes on; with the exception of Bella of course. Her hair was the color of milk chocolate, with just a hint of a gold shimmer and her eyes….her eyes were the deepest green I had ever seen. I drew in a breath and stared at her for what seemed like two seconds, though it must have been at least two minutes. All signs of irritation left her face when she looked back at me; must be she liked what she saw as well (that or she was terrified of me).

After a couple of minutes I found my voice again and I said, "I'm sorry I ran into you like that. I've had a lot on my mind and I wasn't paying attention."

"Oh that's alright." She said, inspecting her stuff, which she shifted uncomfortably in her arms, "no damage done."

It was then that she really looked me over, "Wow, you're…."

"Huge?" I finished for her.

She laughed and I watched her nose curl up, my stomach doing flip-flops. "I guess that was a good description." Then she held out her hand for me to shake, which I did, tingles shooting up my arm. "I'm Jamie."

"Jacob." I croaked. What in the hell was wrong with me, I never acted this way around girls, not even Bella?

"Well, Jacob, what class are you skipping right now?"

I smiled, "Just lunch."

"Oh, so that makes you either a junior or a senior."

"I'm a junior."

"I'm a sophomore, but I just moved here about a week ago."

Well, that explained why I hadn't ever seen her around, "I guess that's why I've never seen you around before. Because I definitely would have remembered if I had." Oh God, did I seriously just say that out loud? I was acting like a thirteen-year-old girl.

If she thought I was a moron she didn't let me know it, "Well, I definitely would have remembered you too."

I smiled (actually it was more like a wide, toothy grin), "So, what class are you skipping right now?"

"I'm not; I have study hall right now. I was on my way to meet with my math teacher. I'm so behind. It's really hard missing so much of the beginning of the year."

"I bet." I told her. I was such a loser, why couldn't I have come up with something at least mildly witty to say? "So, where did you move here from?"

"Cincinnati."

My eyes widened in surprise, "Why in the world did you move here?"

She laughed, "I moved in with my dad. He lives on the rez, so naturally I decided to go to school here."

"Your fathers a native?" I asked, completely surprised. She did not look like she was half native, that was for sure.

"Yes." She laughed, "I know I don't look like it, I just got my looks from my mother's side."

"Ah." I responded, dumbly. She clearly realized that I had nothing to say, so she decided to turn the tables and ask me some questions. "So what would have prompted a healthy teenage male to skip out on lunch?"

"I just needed to think for a while, that's all."

"Anything I can do to help?" She asked, innocently enough, but my mind went places they should never have gone. There were so many, very tempting, things she could have done to help me out, but I didn't feel I should mention them.

I swallowed, "I'm actually much better now. Thanks though." I hoped she wouldn't look down and notice my bulging crotch….that would have just been way too embarrassing, even for a werewolf who spent half his life naked.

I tried to think of anything else but those dirty thoughts, but my mind was a complete blank, "so, would you mind if I walked you to math?"

She smiled up at me, "that would be nice, but you don't have to do that." I smiled and took her books from her arms. She released the tension in her arms and smiled at me, "thanks."

I smiled back, I couldn't even feel her books in my arms; I was as high as a kite. We started walking and she continued to ask me questions. "So, how did you get so big anyway?"

I looked at her. It was an innocent enough question, but I certainly couldn't tell her the truth. 'Um, I'm actually a werewolf' didn't sound like the greatest response to give a girl that you just met. "Well, I don't know. All of my friends are big too, we work out together." That wasn't a lie; it just wasn't the whole story.

"Wow, so there are other guys your size around this place?" She looked at me with wonder and surprise, as if I was one of those giants from Lord of the Rings.

"Yeah," I told her.

"Wow, there must be lots of happy girls at this school."

I decided not to respond to that. I didn't know how to and I didn't want to. I was about ready to ask her another question about herself, when her gaze ripped from me and she was staring at something across the hallway. I turned to look at what she was looking at and stopped dead in my tracks. Sam.

"He must be a friend of yours."

I didn't even respond I just looked at Sam, who was grinning from ear to ear. I didn't know I had stopped moving, until I could feel my legs wobbling underneath me. What the hell was happening to me now? For Pete's sake, it was just Sam.

Sam walked over to us, "Hey Jake, who's your friend?"

I didn't respond. I was too busy trying to figure a way to get out of whatever stupid situation this was going to turn into. Instead, Jamie reached out her hand to him, I'm Jamie."

Sam shook her hand and said warmly, "It's a pleasure to meet you Jamie, I'm Sam." Sam turned his attention back to me. The look on his face screamed excitement and hope. I couldn't stand it, I didn't want him getting in the middle of whatever this was and trying to control another aspect of my life. In that moment I retreated back to the old Jacob. I shifted uncomfortably under his gaze and then I managed to croak out, "I've gotta go." I bolted away from them, ran to the emergency exit, threw it open (causing the alarm to start blaring) and I wolfed out before anyone could see who had run out of the school. I didn't know what I was doing or where I was going, I just started to run.

About twenty yards from the school he was in my head. Jacob, stop it. Where are you going?

I don't know and I don't care. It was so infuriating having someone reading your thoughts; you could never get any peace. What do you want anyway? Are you going to try and control me some more?

Jake, I know things with Bella have been hard on you. I'm just excited at the prospect that maybe you could find yourself liking another girl.

It's not like that, Sam, I just met her.

But you obviously must have some interest in her. I've never seen you like that before. It was as if….

He didn't finish his thought, he didn't have to. I knew what he was thinking and I glared at him. There was no way in hell that he was going to say that word out loud. No! I don't want to hear it.

But, if it's true than it's a good thing. That means you could finally move on from Bella, it's what you've wanted for so long.

No, I did not imprint on Jamie, okay? I wasn't hearing any of this nonsense. I wasn't even sure I believed in the whole imprinting thing. Maybe it was just something the others made up to justify themselves.

You know imprinting is real, you asshole. I would never have hurt Leah if it wasn't for the imprinting and you know that. Don't be a bitch about this, Jake. This girl is beautiful and she is obviously interested in you. This is a good thing!

I don't even know what it was like to imprint. How would I even know if I had?

Well, if you did we will all know soon enough. You will feel a constant pull to her and you will not be able to think of anything but her. There will be no concealing your imprint; we will all read it in your mind. Jake, open your mind to the idea of this. Just think how happy you could be together.

But, I didn't want to be happy with anyone but Bella….didn't I? I had always believed that Bella was the one for me, but today something had happened to me. Jamie did have some way of getting under my skin and making it hard for me to think of anything but her. Was that what it was like to imprint? I had no idea, but I really didn't think I was ready to find out. What would I do if I found out I did imprint on her? What would happen then? How would Bell and I ever be able to be together?

I turned a yellow eye into Sam's direction. He had read everything in my mind again. I hated having no secrets; it was such a huge pain in the ass! Fine, I will let you know if I figure it out. As soon as the thoughts had gone from my mind to his I phased back to my human form and walked back to my house, butt naked.