Chapter 7 - Spaghetti dinner
I vaguely hear someone calling me, insistently. Jacob, he looks worried. Poor guy, I really wish he had it easier...
"Sorry, Jacob. I... lost myself for a bit." In more ways than one.
"Yeah... you looked it. I was calling you for about five minutes but you wouldn't budge." I raise my eyebrow. "Okay, maybe not THAT long, but a bit too long for my tastes."
I try to take a step and nearly land on my tush.
'Tush? Aren't we a daisy!'
"Shut up Lana, I really don't want to hear it...", I really shouldn't have said that aloud, Jacob's looking at me like I'm crazy. "Sorry, just talking to..."
"To Lana, I get it..." Thank the Goddess we're nearly by the door. Other people are already arriving, and I giggle, too late, at Lana's little joke. Jacob holds my hand in his own; big, warm, enveloping mine. Despite his guidance in the dark I nearly trip and he catches me, taking me in his arms, facing me at the bottom of the stairs, near the porch.
"Bella, are you sure you're alright?", his dark eyes search my face, like a lost puppy, the light coming from the house illuminating us softly. I raise my right hand, trembling, to caress his handsome, suddenly vulnerable face, not touching it by mere inches, for the door abruptly opens to reveal Charlie and Billy in his faithful wheelchair. I curse my luck; my hand flees at the sudden interruption, finding refuge in my jacket. Charlie stares at me, surprise etched in his face and I manage a weak glare, already recuperated from the joining with the trees, to which Charlie answers with taunting...
"I hope we didn't interrupt." Damn, but I could wipe that little smile off his face… Billy isn't fazed in the least and starts gloating in his always calm manner about some famous spaghetti recipe we are to try tonight, my mind only registering half of it, more conscious of Jacob's body next to mine. We get in and I greet the Clearwaters.
'Seth will join the wolves eventually.', Lana whispers in my head.
I sigh, trying not to think too much about it. I grab a plate and sit on a chair, trying to mingle, and later on I admit dinner was nice and the company god, everybody talking and joking, often at the same time, my treacherous eyes drifting towards him.
I feel watched, suddenly I turn towards the origin, and I see red eyes in a safe distance, their malevolence palpable, directed to me, making me physically ill. I get up and lightly swoon. Charlie and Jacob are onto me, I simply say I'm tired. The Clearwaters are getting ready to leave and we thank Billy for his dinner.
"See you tomorrow, Bells?", Jacob asks; stupid nicknames, I grumble.
'Not so fast young lady. We have to catch up AND you owe me a movie night.' I groan, I had forgotten.
"Sorry Jacob. I ought to meet up with Lana tomorrow, it's Friday." He casually says it's okay, but I can see he's a bit disappointed. Lana whispers to me to bring him along. "But if you want to, we can go together. We were planning on watching a movie; no chick flicks, no worries!"
He smiles, that big special smile he has; the one that lightens up his whole face and makes his eyes twinkle. I keep that smile in my mind for the remainder of my trip home. Father doesn't give me a hard time about it.
'That's to be expected, no? Better to see you besotted…' I'm not! '… with a decent, honest fellow such as Jacob Black than weird Edward Cullen, who left you behind like garbage, in the the forest, at night, never to be seen again.'
I shrug, bid goodnight to Charlie and head towards my room. I done my pajamas and brush my teeth. Hopping on my bed, as soon as my head hits the pillow, I am asleep.