Chapter Two
Grasping tightly onto Jacob's hand, my thumb absentmindedly moves around in circular motions. We stare in each other's eyes for a moment, having our own silent conversation.
C'mon, I think to him, smiling as sweetly as ever. He rolls his eyes dramatically and follows suit. I turn to the glass, opening the door with my free hand.
"Finally." Alice mumbles, her tiny hands gauntly on her hips. "Okay, so now you need to go to the cottage, pack up your things, and then, in a few hours, you two will be on the first class red eye to Calgary." She smiles, muffling her soft laughter with her hand.
"Oh." I say surprised, looking up at his face.
"Yes," she giggles, then frowns, saying, "And sorry I was so hard on you before. Your mother made me."
I raise my hand, signaling her no worries. Just as we're about to leave, Emmett comes in through the attached garage door, his loud, booming laugh reverberating throughout the entire house.
"In a better mood, Nessie?" he chuckles at me, coming over to muss my hair.
I dodge it perfectly and head for the back door, sneaking a glance back at Em, seeing his face and snickering. When we're outside, Jake and I hop the river and make a run for the cottage.
Seeing the familiar stone face coming closer, we slow to a walk. Instead of going in through the front door, I decide to just crawl into my bedroom window, the window I crawl out of pretty much every night.
"So that's how you sneak out." I hear my mother's deadpan voice and turn to see her sitting in my oversized powder blue chair with the snow white afghan that practically is the same shade as her frigid skin.
"Mom!" I gasp, my hand flying to my chest. "Sheesh, you scared me."
"Bells, look–" Jacob starts before he's cut off.
"I expected better of at least you, Jacob. Really, I cannot believe you! She is only a child!" Mom screeches at him, making him flinch. I squeeze his hand.
"I am not a child, mother! I am fully matured and I am able to make my own decisions!" I yell back, suddenly furious.
"Yes, you are a child! You are six years old!" She shouts over me.
In the distance, I hear the wind rushing, but not in a natural way. And before we know it, the door is broken down and in it's place is my father, rage planted firmly upon his face, his expression tempestuously frightening.
He comes straight up to Jacob, his features so stern, his voice such a roar as he says, "If you as so laid a finger on her in any way inappropriate–!"
"I never slept with her, Edward! Ever!" Jake cuts my father off, his mood rampaging nearly as angry as him.
"You better pray on your life you have not! And if you so even think about that with my daughter, I swear to God, not even Emmett will be able to stop me." He shouts, forcing tears from my eyes.
"Daddy!" I cry, my cheeks completely wet, so many tears everything is blurry.
His gaze averts to me, his eyes softening a sliver, but not enough to make me stop. I head for the sliding patio doors from my parents' bedroom and out to the garden. As I begin to run, I hear their calls behind me, calling my name. But I don't stop. I keep going, planning to run as far away from here.
I run until my feet are aching with pain, but not nearly as much as my heart, into the trees, and over and past the mountains. Finally, I reach the ocean. I sense that no one is watching, so I jump into the ominous black waters. It is very simple to swim, considering the few times I've done it. When the shore comes into view, I accelerate, yearning for dry land. There is a small township on the coast; I trot cautiously and completely inconspicuously through the deserted streets. After I escape, I run without a stop… or a rational thought.
Finally, I can breathe again. I stop running and sit on a boulder on the fringe of the mountains, gazing out at the obsidian Pacific, reminding me so much of him…
I reach into my back pocket for my sleek, white, touch-screen phone and see that I have seven missed calls, most of which are from my mother. A few text messages, Jacob being their sender, wondering where I had gone after my scent disappeared at the water.
I feel like a big baby now. Great. I overreacted, as usual, and I ran away… as usual.
I sit there for a many more minutes, my knees pulled up to my chest, my head lying on those knees. I hear the sound of feet flying, and approaching footsteps, but I don't bother to acknowledge that, already half knowing exactly who it may be, but keeping my face down not caring whether it's them or not.
All of a sudden, I'm scooped up into someone's arms – my father – and another's arms are wound around us – my mother. Fresh tears weld in my eyes, their sweet scents encircling me in the most loving embrace.
After a minute or two of this, I pull away, crossing my arms and keeping my eyes fixated at my feet.
"I'm sorry I worried you, both of you." I say, sniffing a bit. I shake my head, feeling so stupid and such like a child.
A hand touches me, cupped around half of my face. "No apologies." She says softly, her angelic voice echoing in my already pounding ears.
I look up to see them standing there, their faces so pale and concerned.
"I–" Dad begins to say, but I stop him. My hand raises, palm faced front toward him.
"Don't be so hard on him. Please." He starts to open his mouth once more, but I interrupt, saying, "No. If we did… you know… it would be my choice. You two have no say in what happens between Jacob and me. I am nearly an adult, and I am responsible for myself and whatever I choose to do with my body." I take them in, seeing my father flinch and my mother's face still deeply concerned.
"Mom." I start, watching her as her eyes perk up as to what I'm about to voice. "You must understand me."
She nods thoughtfully. "Yes, sweetheart, I do. But this is completely different. You are–"
"Six. Yes, I know. Which pretty much means seventeen. Same as you," I look pointedly at my father, then at my mother, "and nearly as old as when you did."
My father's face brooding and pensive, his lips pursed when they open and say, "You must know I'm not at all happy about this, Renesmee."
I nod and speak, my voice small. "Yes, daddy."
"But I won't have to worry about this for awhile now, will I?" He continues, pressing.
"No, daddy." I softly rock my head from side to side.
"No more sneaking out either." The way he says this, hard and cold.
I repeat loyally, not enjoying that part too much.
"Good." He comes over and kisses my hair. "Now let's go home. You have a flight to catch in a few hours." He whispers, taking me in his arms once more, this time slinging me onto his back, already knowing I must be tired from running this far. One of the downsides of being a hybrid, I can run just as fast as a vampire, but I tire nearly as quickly as a human.
When they take off running, I fall asleep soundly to the light stepping of bare feet.
"Wakey, wakey." Is the first thing I hear, the next is the quiet rum of the car's engine. The voice is Alice, and the car is her Porsche – I would know it anywhere. But the warm body pressed against mine is definitely his, the warmest person I have ever known.
"Hey." I whisper, voice croggy and mouth tasting absolutely horrible. My throat aches, partially because of just awaking but mostly because of the thirst I have suffered through for the past two weeks.
"Hey." He chuckles and brushes his nose against mine.
"Here." Alice says, handing me something in a canister that is much cooler than it should be.
"Blood?" I wonder, my throat burning in anticipation of it being so, automatically sniffing it out and knowing I am absolutely correct.
"Yes, Jasper felt you were thirsty before we left the house. He especially didn't want you to go berserk and kill everyone on the plane. I have three others if you wish." She glances back at me for a second.
"Yes please!" I cheer, sensing Jacob shift away in disgust. With the first bottle, I brush my fingers along the brushed steel, feeling suddenly giddy. I twist the top off and lean back all the way, preparing to drink every drop.
"Mmm." I moan in delight. "Is this mountain lion, Alice?"
"I believe so," she replies. "Jazz knows that's your favorite. Just like your father." I almost hear her smile in the driver's seat.
"He's a genius. Be sure to tell him thank you." I take another container. I take another swig, not even close to being full yet, but also wishing I had at least a microwave, anything to warm it up.
She just laughs and Jacob says, "It's still hard to picture someone as beautiful as you drinking blood from a poor little animal."
I turn to him, sparkles in my eyes and teeth glinting in the faint moonlight. "Would you rather it be human? I know I'd enjoy it much, much more."
"Amen, sister." She giggles so sweetly, just like a chime bell.
He rolls his eyes at me, half joking and half repulsed.
"Or would you prefer it be you?" I move closer, snapping at his jugular with my glistening, white, venom coated teeth, far enough away that I'm sure I wouldn't actually bite him. Werewolves will die if their bloodstream comes in direct contact with our vampire venom. Sadly enough, when Jacob and I are together, I always have to worry about the possibility of him dying at my expense.
Jacob chuckles, but doesn't answer my question. He just comes so close to me, pressing passionately his full, perfect lips unto mine, his arms wrapping around my waist and gripping me so tight… it's heaven.
After a few moments of this, Alice interrupts by making a purging sound and saying, "Get a room."
With my eyes closed and still roughly kissing Jacob, I can feel a moan deep in his chest as if to justify how much he wishes so. I pull away to look at him beneath me, questioning him with my eyes.
"Ew guys, gross. You're just as bad as Em and Rose. And you're ruining my backseat!" Alice shouts, dramatically pouting.
I take another look at Jake, seeing the rim of his mouth red with blood. Leaning back down, my tongue traces the curves of his lips, licking off all the blood I left behind. I then giggle, helping myself off of him to finish the rest of it.
"Tastes like metal." He murmurs, his eyes squinting.
"We're at the airport." Alice sings, no doubt ready to get rid of us as soon as possible. Taking a look around, I see lots of concrete, lots of cars, a flight of stairs, and a few elevators. We're in a parking garage.
Jacob is the first to get out through the right side of the car and heads around back to the trunk to get our luggage. I exit right behind him, folding the passenger's seat back to its normal position. But before slamming the wide, shiny canary yellow door shut, I turn back to her and ask, "You're not telling mom or dad about this, right?"
She purses her lips for a moment before shaking her head no. Her hand then is held to her chest as she says, "Scout's honor." Assuring me everything is fine.
"Thanks, Ali." I say with a brief wink before shutting the door. I feel Jacob beside be reaching for my hand as we watch Alice speed away, waving on her way out.
As she is gone, I turn to him and our mouths meet momentarily before I grasp the handle of one of my Louis Vuitton brown leather trunks, while he handles the others alongside his plain old camping pack he purchased years ago at Newton's Olympic Outfitters.
"Is all this really necessary?" he shoots a look at me.
"What?" I say, lost in a memory.
"This." He then shakes the trunks. "We're only flying for an hour and a half. The only thing I brought was a change of clothes. And you cannot tell me all three of these are for one outfit."
"Mm-hmm!" I hum, annoyed. "This is a change of clothes. I just…" I look down at my feet for a moment, then back up to him, "I wasn't sure what to wear."
Jacob gazes at me for a moment, a smile creeping upon his face. "You're unbelievable." He finally says, shaking his head and starting for the elevator.
I frown briefly, then dash before him just a few hundred yards to call the elevator.
He looks at me, eyes large. "You shouldn't have done that, Nessie."
"Oh, it's nearly midnight. I'm sure doughnut boy will be asleep." I wave it away. Next I know, Jacob is by my side and the thick metal, electronic doors have opened. We step inside, and I press the level where I know our gate will be.
Once there, we head straight for security, drop off our bags, and walk through the metal detectors. And of course, they find nothing. Afterwards, I search for the nearest Starbucks to grab a hot cup of java, the best thing humankind has ever created, and the only human food that I will ever happily consume. When they call "Vanessa," I know it's mine. Vanessa Wolfe is the name on my passport, therefore the name I use when I travel. Har har. Jacob always laughs at this.
"So." I say, absentmindedly stirring my Venti Caramel Latte, non-fat, hold the foam, extra caramel.
"So." He repeats after me, and I can feel the weight of his gaze on my face.
"I'm a little nervous." I look up to see his loving eyes set on mine, his hand halfway across the table.
"Why?" he asks me, his hand itching closer.
I reach for his hand in front of me, grasping it tenderly and reveling in its warmth. "About school… about Calgary in general. It's just, Forks is all I've ever known, you know? Except Denali and the Amazon, but still. And school is nerve wrecking enough as it is." Shaking my head and exhaling heavily.
"How do you know that?" He says, his eyes squinting a little.
"Television." I laugh despite myself, averting my gaze to the light foot traffic outside of the shop.
"It's fine. You'll be fine. You'll make plenty of friends. I just know it." He assures me, squeezing my hand ever so gently.
I look back at him, smiling. "Let's head to the gate. I don't want to be late."