You must be horribly angry with me for leaving you hanging, but I really hope you like this chapter, you must all be waiting for the sneak peek moment I gave you. Enjoy!
After getting Mike fixed up, I drove us both back home, feeling harried. What had just happened at La Push? Sighing as I pulled into my driveway. I'd just tell Charlie we came back early because Mike got injured. I wasn't looking forward to it. Evasive answers were definitely not my strong point in life.
Back in my room, I reflected on my day. It had been great, of course, until Jacob just had to come along and ruin everything. Why couldn't he leave off? Acting like he owned me, and putting Mike in a bad mood. I snorted to myself, that boy would have explaining to do the next time he saw me.
My bedroom phone rang.
"Bella Swan," I said, not recognizing the number.
"Jacob Black," replied the deep voice of the person on the other end.
"You," I said, annoyed. "You have some explaining to do," I said sternly.
"I know," he said, sounding contrite, but I didn't believe him.
"Yeah? Then care to explain why you felt the need to ruin my nice day with my boyfriend?" I said, the word slipping out accidentally. My hand flew to my lips as I realized my mistake.
"Because he shouldn't be your boyfriend."
"God help me."
"What?"
"So let me get this straight," I replied, my eyes narrowing into slits even though he couldn't see me. "You put me on the spot, tag along to where you obviously aren't wanted, ruin a nice kiss for me, and hurt my date? Yeah, no." I made to slam the receiver down, but his voice stopped me.
"Look, he broke his own hand! I didn't do a thing!"
"Except for trying to come between a perfectly happy couple."
"Okay, okay," he responded, and I realized that it was going to be incredibly challenging to pry an apology from his lips.
"I'm done with you," I growled, and hung up.
The next day, I awoke feeling significantly better. I had to go to work today. I was in the employ of one of the most popular stores in the mall, the Critique Boutique. It was where the 'cool kids' bought all of their clothing. I would eat breakfast, go to work at 9:30, and end at 12 noon. Sundays were slow days, so 21/2 hours was fine.
I had a rushed meal of eggs, bacon, and toast, and arrived at the Port Angeles Mall at 9:25. Good, early. I chatted with the other checkout girls, Jeanne and Maya, while waiting for the store to open. "Hey," I sighed.
"Rough night?" Jeanne asked sympathetically.
"Yeah. Thank goodness it's Sunday."
"I know, right?" said Maya.
I nodded and went to restock size 4 lacy tank tops.
It was 10:55, and me, Maya and Jeanne were just about to go on our 15 minute break. I surveyed the store with a trained eye, ensuring that all the inventory was in its place.
"Okay, let's bounce," I told Maya, leading the way into the back, when a girl's voice rang out behind us. "Excuse me!"
I spun on my heel and marched back to face her. "I'm sorry, how might I help you?" I said coldly.
"You're Bella Swan," she stated, eyeing me as if sizing me up.
"Are you going to keep stating the obvious, or are you going to say anything worth hearing?" I inquired curtly, meeting her gray-eyed scrutiny with an icy stare of my own.
"Who shoved a stick up your ass? Gosh. Anyway, I'm Leah."
"And you're here because? I've not got time for pleasantries."
"I'm here because one Jacob Black wanted me to give this to you," she said, holding out a large box wrapped in gold paper.
My stance and tone softened instantly. "Thank you so much," I said, my voice now friendly. "Tell him I say hi."
Thrown-off by my drastic change in demeanor, she had to regain herself before replying. "Of course," she responded, then nodded at me, by way of farewell, and elegantly swept out of The Critique Boutique.
I shook my head and stepped into the back room to snag a cappuccino.
It was 12:10, and I was tugging open the heavy glass door of Engleberger's Deli, more commonly referred to as Engle's, where I stopped every workday for a well-deserved lunch. I knew most of the workers there, and vice versa. "Hey, Bella!" called my school friends June and Eleanor, who worked there. "Sunday usual?"
"You bet," I said, grinning at them. "My date with Mike was amazing!"
Well, it was, mostly, I told myself.
"What happened?" they squealed together.
"A lady doesn't kiss and tell," I quoted my favorite TV program, Tomorrow's Promise.
"Oooh, pleeease, Bella!" they pleaded. I smiled a little bit.
"American History 3, Red 2," I said. They knew what I meant. Tomorrow, it was the second Red Day in my school schedule, and I had American History third period.
When my food arrived, I tossed some money on the counter, and after telling June to keep the change, I went to leave, but a voice stopped me in my tracks, a male voice. At first my heart nearly stopped, thinking it was Jacob, but then I recalled his voice. It didn't sound like that. I relaxed.
"Bella? Bella Swan?" the voice called. I turned to face the tall, lean boy standing a few feet away from me. "Yes?" I turned to face the tall, lean boy standing a few feet away from me.
"I'm Paul," he said, and comprehension dawned on my face as it hit me. This was one of Jacob's friends from yesterday. He nodded. "Yeah, I'm Jake's friend. And," he said, smirking, "he sends his love." He placed a squirming bundle into my arms. "Her name is Kayi."
"Thank you?" I said unsurely.
"You're welcome," he smiled warmly at me. "He really loves you, you know."
"He can't. We met yesterday," I emphasized. "It's infatuation."
Paul shook his head. "No," he said. "It's not. He imprinted on you."
"Wha?" I said confusedly. "He did what?"
"Go talk to him," Paul encouraged. "He'll give you all the answers."
And on that cryptic note, he strolled out of Engle's Deli.
I looked at Kayi, looking heartwarmingly adorable curled up, and muttered, "We've got some investigating to do."
She meowed at me.
I got home at 12:40 and went up to my room, avoiding Charlie. He would see Kayi and start showering me with questions. When I got there and opened the door, another surprise was there to meet my eyes.
"Oh my God," I breathed, spotting the gigantic crystal vase of red and white roses. There was a little tag on them. I opened it and read,
"To my one and only love… you are 1000 times more beautiful than these flowers. Signed, Jake."
I picked up the large vase and was about to set them gently on my desk when Edward burst in.
"WHO SENT YOU THAT?!" he roared.
I took a fearful step back, I had never seen him so angry.
"J- just a friend," I muttered, looking at the carpet.
He grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me. "A friend?" he sneered, glancing at the vase, then abruptly snatching it and closing his fingers around it as if to crush it.
"No!" I cried frantically. "Not here. Charlie doesn't know."
Edward nodded at me, and then threw the roses, crystal vase and all, out my bedroom window.
I couldn't help letting out a brief amused giggle, but then regained myself and glared at Edward.
"What was that for?" I said angrily. "Those were expensive!"
"So?" he shrugged, which only served to exacerbate my rage.
"Not everyone has all the money in the world! Those roses were probably the most pricey thing he's ever bought!" I replied hotly.
"I'm your boyfriend. You shouldn't even be accepting flowers from other men!"
"He didn't give them to me himself, he sent a friend. I had no choice in the matter."
This, however, did not satisfy him. "I don't care!" he shouted.
"You're such a monster!" I retorted.
In the space of a moment, he lunged at me and slapped me hard across the face.
I snatched Kayi and the chocolate and ran from the room without a second thought.
Astounding how a story can change from good to bad in the space of a mere paragraph. I feel so bad for Bella in this chapter… just wait until she finds out there are 2 people she's destined to be with. Dramatic, I tell you.
Also, Belated Merry Christmas! I actually finished this chapter on Christmas Day, but my internet wasn't working.
SNEAK PEEK:
My eyes widened as I felt cold hands blindfold me and place a strip of duct tape over my mouth. I was the dragged over the gravel outside the house and dumped roughly into what seemed like the trunk of a car. My last thought was, "I thought this only happened in movies," before I was slammed on the head by something heavy. Blackness swallowed up my vision.