Bella's POV
Everyone was full from eating, well except for Emmett, but he could go hunting tonight. Jacob was lying on the couch, spread out like he owned the place. Caleb was lying on his back on the floor and Emmett was sitting playing his new game. I was curled up against Jacobs chest. The guys had built Jakes bed a while ago. I glanced at the clock. Half past one in the morning. I sighed and got up. I turned to the guys.
"Well, I am off to bed" Jacob got up as well.
"I'm coming too. I'm stumped" I rolled my eyes. He was always tired or hungry. I turned to Caleb.
"You coming Caleb?" Caleb shook his head.
"No, I think I'll stay up a little while longer" I nodded and grabbed Jake's hand. Once we were in the safety of my room Jacob threw himself down onto his newly made bed. I crawled under the covers of my own bed, lay back onto the pillow and turned to face Jacob.
"Jake? Is it just me or does Emmett seem upset at me?" Jacob flipped over and lay on his stomach.
"Yeah, I noticed that too, but I'm sure it's nothing" I frowned.
"Well, whatever's up with him, it's annoying me. I've done nothing wrong!" Jacob nodded. Then he thought for a second. Then he smirked.
"Maybe he likes you" I felt my brow furrow. Then as I grasped the meaning of Jacob's word my eyes widened.
"What?! Jake don't be ridiculous! He's a vampire! I'm a human! He can't like me!" Jacob fought a smile.
"Edward was a vampire and he liked you" I shook my head sadly.
"I thought he did" Jacob's face saddened. He got up off of his bed and sat beside me. Carefully he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his warm chest. Why couldn't I just get over Edward? Why did I have to be all idiotic and cry over him?! He never loved me! Why could I just let him go?! Emmett had never told me what had happened after I left the room on that terrible day. I didn't know how long it had been going on for. I didn't know if he loved Rosalie. But if I knew anything it was that he never loved me. Not ever. And I was stupid enough to believe his foolish lies. Why was I so gullible?
Jacob carefully wiped all the tears away with his hand. I grabbed it and held against my cheek. The warmth of it heated my face in no time. The very warmth of Jake made me feel safe. At least I could trust him if I couldn't trust anyone else. If all else failed I still had him. He was the one who kept me together when the Cullen's left. He was the one that had always kept my heart in one peice. He was my saviour. My safe harbour. My sun.
I, unintentionally, yawned. Jacob withdrew his hand from my face and lay me down. He pulled the sheets up over me. I felt his lips against my hair then he got up off my bed. I grabbed his hand as he turned away.
"No" Was all I said. I heard Jake chuckle quietly. The bed suddenly shifted as Jacob crawled onto it. He pulled me against his chest and whispered in my ear.
"Just like old times" I laughed quietly and nodded.
"Love you Jake" Jacob pulled me closer into him.
"Love you too Bells" I smiled and sighed. Then I was pulled into unconsciousness.
***
I was woken up by Jacob snoring loudly in my ear. I rubbed my eyes and glanced around. My eyes landed on the clock hanging above the door. I kicked the covers off and jumped up.
"Shit!" I ran to my wardrobe and, not caring that Jacob was in the room, got dressed as quickly as possible. I was late for school. I ran down the stairs at full speed and grabbed my school bag from beside the door. Just as I was about to run out to my car a hand stopped me. I was spun around. My eyes met Emmett's. Remembering the conversation I had with Jacob last night, I blushed. Emmett didn't seem to notice.
"Where do you think you're going?" I gaped at Emmett.
"I'm going to school! I'm late!" I looked at Emmett's hand and then to Emmett.
"No you're not. I phoned school and told them you were ill. Esme told me to tell you to phone her as soon as possible" I nodded and walked towards the phone. I quickly dialled the Cullen's house number, held it to my ear and listened to it dialling.
"Hello?" My breathing caught. This was not the voice I hoped to hear. I cleared my throat then put on the calmest voice I could muster.
"Is...Is Esme there?" I felt tears run down my face. The voice at the other end of the line drew in a sharp breath.
"Bella?! Bella, honey, where are you?" I closed my eyes, the tears still running, and drew in a breath to try and calm myself.
"Is Esme there?" I repeated.
"Bella, sweetie, just tell me where you are" Edward was pleading. I bit my lip as more tears poured out of my eyes. "Love, please" I sniffed and wiped away some of the tears that were running off my face.
"Please just put Esme on...please" I was begging now. The very sound of his voice was driving me to insanity. I couldn't deal with it.
"Bella, honey, please tell me" the phone was suddenly taken of me and slammed down onto its stand. I stared at my feet, the tears now running like a river. I felt huge muscular arms wrap around me. But these arms were not the warm ones I was expecting. These ones were ice cold and rock solid.
Emmett pulled me against his chest and let me cry onto his shirt. He rubbed my back trying to sooth me. I soon found myself sitting on his lap while he sat on the couch.
"Shhh. Bells it's alright. He can't get you. It's alright" Emmett continually repeated himself.
I heard footsteps on the stairs but I just couldn't control the tears. It wasn't until Jake shouted did I look up from Emmett's chest.
"Bella!" I glanced up at Jake only to find him running at me. "Bella, honey, what happened?!" Emmett answered for me.
"Esme called earlier and asked me to tell Bella to call her. So I told Bella to call her and she starts crying. At first I just thought it was the sound of Esme's voice that made her cry then she asked to talk to Esme. So I then thought it was maybe Alice or someone else. But she would have talked to them before asking for Esme. She just kept asking for her over and over. Then it dawned on me. The one Cullen that could truly make Bells cry was Edward. So I grabbed the phone of her and hung up. She's been crying ever since" Jacob kneeled on the floor in front of Emmett and grabbed my hand.
"How long ago did you hang up?" Emmett glanced at the clock.
"About 8 minutes ago" Jacob wiped a tear away from under my eye then brushed my hair behind my ears. Even while kneeling Jacob managed to tower of me while I sat on Emmett's knee. He bent down lower till he was eye level with me.
"Bella are you ok?" I nodded weakly. I felt my head thud against Emmett's shoulder. I was already exhausted. Emmett stood up and whispered something to Jake. Jake nodded and sat down where Emmett had been. I suddenly had the sensation I was flying, or falling. Then I was in my bed with the covers wrapped around me. I felt the bed shift again as Emmett lay down behind me. I felt him pull me against his chest and somehow it warmed me. I let my eyelids droop and I was pulled into unconsciousness.
***
"Bella, honey, where are you?" I wanted to tell him so badly. Maybe he missed me. Maybe he still loved me. I felt tears pour down my face at the sound of his velvet voice. I had missed it so much.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Emmett was at my side. He dropped down so he was level with me.
"Bella don't tell him where we are. He'll come for us" I felt more tears pour down my face. Who should I choose? Edward or Emmett? I studied Emmett's face but all I could see was a mingle of hope and worry. Emmett started pleading with his eyes. Then Edward's velvet voice came again.
"Bella, sweetie, please just tell me!" Emmett shook his head, begging me with his eyes. I had to choose. Somehow. Edward's voice came again only angrier.
"Bella, tell me where you are now!" I glanced at Emmett who was visibly shaking now. His hand wrapped around mine and he was suddenly leaning towards me. Just as his lips were about to touch mine he whispered.
"Trust me"
***
My eyes snapped open and I shot up into a sitting position. Sweat plastered my hair to my face and I was shaking. Damn!! I had been sooo close! I felt a hand on my shoulder and I turned round. There sat Emmett with a worried look on his face. I felt the blood rush to my face. Had I been talking? Had he heard?! I couldn't stop the words before they blurted from my mouth.
"What did you hear?" Emmett leaned back a bit with a shocked expression in his face.
"Nothing! You weren't talking!" I relaxed. The air cooled down around me and I realised the colour was draining from my face. I had said too much as it was. Emmett knew something was up. I scratched the back of my neck and glanced at Emmett apologetically. Emmett was staring at me like I was a bomb that could explode any second. I gulped then grinned sheepishly. Emmett smiled back warily then stood up and scratched the back of his neck. "I'm just gonna...go" he pointed towards the door then bolted straight out it.
Great! He thought I was some crazy lady now! Why couldn't I be more inconspicuous? No, I couldn't have been. Cause I'm clumsy old Bella. The girl who needs sparkly, fast, attractive guys to protect her. And even then she still manages to get into a heap of trouble. First James, then the Volturi and now Caleb, who has the Volturi after him as well! What the hell is wrong with me?! Why couldn't I be just like normal girls?!
No, I didn't want that. If I was like other girls I would have never known the Cullen's or Jacob. I would have never had the chance to play baseball with vampires or eat muffins cooked by the fiancé of an alpha werewolf. I would have never have gotten to learn how to ride motorcycles or curl up into Jacob's warm chest. I would have never have got to run away with Emmett. But why couldn't I keep my big mouth shut?! Why did it just fly open whenever it felt like it?
I sighed and threw my head back down onto the pillow. I laid my arms over my eyes and drew in a sharp breath. That's when I heard the shouting.
"-AND YOU THINK YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO PHONE HERE AFTER WHAT YOU DONE?!" Emmett's roaring was easily heard even from my bedroom. I heard Jacob as well.
"Is that him?!" I listened intently. I had a feeling I knew who it was but I was still intrigued.
"Yeah, it's him" Everything was silent for a second then it was jake who started shouting.
"STOP CALLING HERE! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH YOU HURT BELLA? CAN'T YOU JUST SEE THAT SHE DOESN'T WANT TO TALK TO YOU? I LOVE BELLA TOO MUCH TO LEAVE HER RIGHT NOW BUT IF YOU CALL HERE AGAIN I WILL PERSONALLY COME BACK TO FORK'S AND KICK YOUR ASS. GOT IT?" I was a little flustered by Jake's little speech but I got out of bed and slowly made my way down stairs to where Emmett was now yelling down the phone. I think I was too quiet for even Emmett to hear me. I slowly walked up behind Emmett and snatched the phone away from his ear. Both Jacob and Emmett span round shocked. I composed my face and took a deep breath in, then I held the phone to my ear.
"Edward?" I held a sharp intake of breath at the other end of the line.
"Bella? Honey, where are you?" Ok, so we were have a repeat performance of yesterday. I gulped quietly before continuing.
"Hello Edward. How's Rosalie?" I saw sadness in Emmett's eyes and I immediately regretted speaking. Edward swallowed loudly at the end of the line.
"Honey, lets not bring that up again. Ok?" Anger flared through me when he said the word 'honey'.
"How...is...Rosalie?" Edward sighed. I heard him mutter something then he slowly spoke.
"She says she's fine" I glanced at Emmett who was now frowning sadly. The look on his face made me mad.
"Oh, so she's there then?!" Edward was silent for a second.
"Yeah, she's here" I sighed loudly.
"So you're asking where I am but you're still with Rosalie? Sorry Edward but...you're just an asshole" My eyes shot to Jake to see if I had said the right thing. I had. Jacob had his lips pressed into a tight line but his whole frame was shaking with obvious laughter.
"Bella, I am not with Rosalie" I rolled my eyes. Liar.
"Remember what you said to me in my bedroom last year. 'I'm a good liar Bella, I have to be'. Well do you know what? You were right. You're a good liar Edward"
"Bella-"
"Go and die Edward" and with that I hung up. I smiled and turned to face Emmett and Jake, who were both gawking at me like idiots. Jacob was the first to recover. A grin stretched across his face and held his fist up towards me. I knocked my fist off of it. Emmett was recovering ever so slowly. Slowly, but surely, a smile was spreading across Emmett's face. After about two minutes a full blown grin, bigger than Jake's, had rested on Emmett's face. At either side of his mouth there were two dimples that I had never noticed before. They looked a little strange on a fully grown man but more than anything they looked cute. I smiled. Suddenly, before anyone could blink, before anyone could even breath I was in the air, flying round and round. Emmett was laughing in my ear. I was finally slowing down so Emmett set me on my feet. But he didn't let go off me so I instinctively wrapped my arms around his waist. I felt Emmett rest his chin on my head.
"You're the best Bells"