Chapter 4

A/N: So here is the next chapter. Sorry it took so long to get up...

I got off the bus and stood outside the gates to school for a bit. I pulled out my mirror and made sure that I looked normal; once I was sure of it I walked in and went to find Alice. I knew she would already be worried. She knew the kids on my bus and she knew I was one of the first people who got off it. I found Alice and knew immediately that she knew something was wrong. I was hoping she would just put it to the fact that I was worried about this afternoon and not something else.

"Hey, Ali!" I greeted her cheerfully. I was hoping I might be able to distract her –no such luck.

"Hey, Bells. You look worried. You OK?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Mum ended up spending the night with Phil. So I had the house to myself. I just wanted to see her this morning to get her to sign a note. It was meant to be handed in today, so I hope they will let me hand it in tomorrow."

"You sure that's all it is? You're not worried about this afternoon?"

"No. Why would I be? There's nothing to be worried about. Come on, the bells about to go!"

It didn't help that we were in the same class and sat next to each other. Alice was never one to let things drop. Sometimes, that really annoyed me. And I hated her for it. And this was one of those times.

"What do you think Bells?" Alice said, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"About what?"

"Weren't you listening?"

"Sorry, Ali. I must have dazed off."

"Ms Cope just said that she was looking for a group of people to stay back after school a few times a week to help paint a mural on the wall of the school hall. Since she is leaving at the end of the year she wants to put something in the school for us. Do you want to help?"

"When does it start?"

"As soon as she gets at least 5 people to help. This, if we join, will be this afternoon."

"Ali, I can't. Remember mum wants me home early. But I will join and help out tomorrow."

"Your mum? Come on Bells you and I both know it's not your mum your worried about. It's Jacob. Maybe if you did this you would get out of it and then you could just tell him you had a school commitment?"

"Ali, you saw him when he heard me yell it out to you. That was the tame Jacob. If I don't turn up, who knows what he will do. He may kill me or my mother or worse, he may kill you! He saw how close we were. Hell, I even admitted that you were like a sister to me. He will hurt every person I care about until he gets his way. And we both know he knows where the spare key to my house is kept. He can enter at any time and hurt my mum or tell her who he is. I can't risk that Ali. I can't."

"I know, Bells. I was just hoping you wouldn't have to go through with it. I love you too much to see you get hurt. You know you mean the world to me and I want to do anything I can so you don't have to go through with it."

"Alice you know I love you. But this is bigger than just me being forced into something. This is about protecting my family. I have no choice. And so long as I do what he says I will be fine. OK? Don't worry I have this all sorted out."

"I hope so Bells. I really do."

I couldn't respond. So I just smiled at her. When the bell went for lunch, my class was excited about the painting. It turned out that after a while more people in my class thought it would be nice to help Ms Cope. She was loved by all students. And everybody wanted to help her. So it looked like I wouldn't be needed. I walked outside with Alice, barely listening to what she was saying, and then stopped dead in my tracks. Standing outside the gate was Jacob –he was smiling.

"Bells? Earth to Bells? Bella?"

"What? Sorry Alice."

"That's OK. What's wrong?"

I couldn't say anything. Jacob motioned for me to come to him. I turned to Alice and told her I had to go. Then I moved towards him immediately, ignoring her yells and questions. I got to the gate and stood just inside it. Jacob wasn't allowed on school property. So it provided a little bit of safety.

"What do you want Jacob?" I asked, trying to be brave but my voice broke showing my true emotion.

"Now Bella don't be like that. I just wanted to come and make sure that we were still on for this afternoon. I found out that lovely Ms Cope was trying to get kids to help her paint a mural, and that you were interested."

"How did you find out? That was something that only my class knew about. And it was only decided like an hour ago."

"Dear Bella, I have my sources. Anyway, not the point. You were thinking of helping, weren't you?"

"Yeah, I was but I'm going to start tomorrow, because we have plans today. I would never try to ditch anything I have planned with you."

"That's my girl. Baby, why are you standing so far away from me? I thought you would be happy to see me. I'm not to please that I haven't gotten a hug from my girl. And you know what happens when I get upset."

I knew there was nothing I could do. I walked closer to him and gave him a hug. He immediately smiled and lent down to kiss me.

"Jake, don't you think hugging was enough? We don't want rumours to start do we?" I said trying to avoid having to touch him anymore.

"They wouldn't be rumours though would they? I mean, they would say that we are a couple and that is true. So let them." he said, as he crashed his lips onto mine. I knew enough to know that he wouldn't release me until I kissed him back. So I threw my arms around his neck and locked my hands in his hair and kissed him back. He released me and I turned to walk away.

"Bye, babe. I will see you this afternoon." he said as I walked away.

Things had changed… Jacob wasn't worried about us being caught anymore. And that scared me even more. It meant he would not be as reserved…

I really wasn't looking forward to this afternoon.

There we have it...

Let me know what you think!

Isabella Jame Swan Cullen XxX