Telling the Truth

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

A/N-Thanks so much for the awesome reviews you all left on the last chapter. I really appreciate it. My kids are off school now on half term holiday so I have not had much time to answer reviews like I normally do. I am afraid this chapter is another angsty one. Thanks for reading!

Nikki :)

Part Fifteen

Bella had to drop her gaze away from Paul's, his intense stare made her heart beat faster. She let her long hair shield her face so that her expression was hidden from him. She felt him join her in the cab of the truck and his body heat made her traitorous body tingle with desire at his closeness. She felt him reach out and catch hold of her chin in his warm grip, forcing her head up so that she had to look into his fierce, dark eyes.

"Would you mind telling me what the fuck is going on?" He demanded, his steely voice hiding his hurt.

Bella swallowed nervously, her initial anger at him dying away. She tried to match his glare but failed. "I know all about her..." she said eventually, tears beginning to leak out of her eyes. She cursed inwardly that she was showing weakness in front of him.

Paul frowned in confusion, what was she talking about?"What girl?"

"Don't make me say her name Paul..." she spat. "You know the worst thing you had to sleep with the one girl I despise the most. Well I hope she was worth it..."

Paul felt like she had punched him in the gut. He let go of her face and dropped his hand to his side. "So how did you come up with this little scenario?" He said quietly, he had to keep a tight grip on his anger, the betrayal he felt that she so easily assumed that he would admit his love for her and than go after another woman was soul destroying. He had thought they were past all this shit. Clearly she still did not trust him.

"I knew something was up when you didn't show up last night, then when I was in the local store I overheard some girls I know gossiping about your prowess in the bedroom with that skank, Lauren..." Bella wiped at her face as she watched his reaction carefully.

"You are talking about the blonde chick who owns the open top convertible, right?" Paul's voice was laced with disgust as he continued to stare at her intently.

"So you admit it then? You clearly know who Lauren is..."Bella felt her heart thudding painfully in her chest.

"Oh I know who she is alright. She was the girl I saw dropping Quil off this morning. It was not me she slept with last night, darlin..." he sneered. "It was fucking Ateara. I cannot believe that you have so little faith in me."

Bella sank back on her seat and looked at him in horror. "Quil? But Amber said it was you..." She gasped out."

"That's why it is called gossip sweetheart..." Paul shot back at her. "The reason I didn't make it last night was because I came home to change and found my dad lying drunk on the floor with his head split open. I have been in the hospital with him all night."

Bella's face paled with guilt as the full import of her unfounded accusations hit her. She had let her insecurities get the better of her, Paul was right she should have ignored Amber's tittle tattle and just trusted him. She reached out for him, a pleading expression on her face but he backed away from her, his hurt was still raw.

"Paul please, I am sorry. I am such an idiot. I have no excuses. Just say you forgive me..." Bella cried out in despair.

Paul gazed at her, his heart pounding loud in his chest. He moved forward as if to embrace her but then pulled back. She had hurt him in the worst possible way, he had opened up to this girl and placed his trust in her, he had assumed that she had done the same. What was the point of love without trust. Bella watched as a familiar closed mask crossed Paul's face. He looked her up and down coldly before he spoke.

"You said it yourself earlier, Bella." He said dully. "We are over. I don't want to see you around here again."

Bella was horrified, she knew that he would be deeply hurt, but she had hoped that they could talk and get past this. "Please Paul, don't do this? Let's talk..."

Paul had to turn his back to her in case she saw that he was weakening. His natural stubbornness kicked in and he refused to give in. "Just leave Bella, there is nothing more to say." He marched away from her swiftly and disappeared inside his house, slamming the door behind him. It was only then he let out his emotions as the tears began to wet his cheeks.

XXXXXX

Bella did not know what to do. A big part of her wanted to run after him and bang the door down, but the memory of the steely look on his face and the resolute tone to his voice when he issued the death knell to their relationship stopped her. She sat in the cab of the truck for ten minutes just staring numbly at the house, hoping that he would suddenly reappear and tell her she was forgiven, but he never did. Bella finally switched on her truck and slowly pulled away, her tears blinding her vision as she drove away. It was at this point that Paul's resolve finally broke and he opened the door to call her back, but she was already gone, only the tracks in the dirt showing that she had ever been there.

XXXXXX

As she always did Bella ran to the one person she trusted implicitly and who always offered her comfort. She pulled up outside the Black's small red house and parked up the truck. It was only seconds later that Jacob emerged, as soon as he saw her tear stained face, he was by her side pulling her out of the truck and into his arms.

"It's okay honey. I'm here..." He said softy, stroking her hair away from her face as he let her cry against his chest.

After a moment Jacob led Bella toward the house, he kept his arm around her as he steered her onto the couch. "Why don't I make you a drink then you can tell me all about it?" He suggested.

Bella raised her flushed face and smiled at him gratefully. "That sounds good, thank you Jake."

Jacob gave her one of his sunny grins as he headed toward the kitchen to rustle up a coffee.

XXXXXX

Bella sipped the hot liquid slowly. It felt soothing as it slipped down her throat. Jacob sat next to her and watched her carefully. "What happened, Bells? Did Paul do something?"

"We broke up..." Bella admitted sadly.

A steely glint lit up behind Jacob's eyes. "What did that scum bag do?" He demanded angrily.

Bella put a calming hand on his arm. "Paul did nothing. It was all me, I failed to trust him by letting my insecurities cloud my judgement. I listened to some gossip and assumed he had cheated on me. I was totally wrong. I tried to apologise but he rightly said it was over. I let him down badly."

Jacob put a comforting arm over her shoulders and pulled her into his side. She rested her head on his broad shoulder and let out a sad sigh. "I don't know what to do now, Jake..." she mumbled.

"I hate to say it, but maybe it's for the best that he ended it. If you were having so many problems after such a short time, it was probably because you are such opposites. Lahote doesn't understand you, Bells, not like I do." Jacob said tentatively.

Bella was so caught up in her own misery that she didn't see where Jacob was heading with this comment. She leaned against him and continued to let Jacob stroke her hair and offer his comfort. They sat in silence for some time, neither speaking.

"I've missed this Bells..." Jacob admitted eventually, breaking the silence. "I hardly get to see you anymore."

"I'm sorry, Jake. I have just been so caught up with Paul and everything. I am an epic fail as a friend. I have missed this too..." she told him, trying to assuage her guilt. It wasn't fair to him that she was unloading her unhappiness onto him. He would always be her best friend, but in light of his past interest in her, maybe it had not been the best idea to turn up on his doorstep crying over Paul.

Bella pulled away and stood up unsteadily. "I think I will head on home now, Jake. I feel kinda tired..."

Jacob shook his head, catching hold of her hand he yanked her back down beside him. "No way honey. I will not let you drive home in this state. Just stay, you can sleep here if you're tired. I don't mind."

"Aren't you busy?" Bella checked. "I don't want to hold you up. Paul told me how much of your time is taken up with your new duties because you took on the Alpha role."

Jacob just dismissed her worries. "It's okay Bells. I can reschedule. I would rather spend time with you."

Bella gave him a wry smile, she knew there was no arguing with him. "Okay, just for a while..." she replied settling back next to him.

"That's my girl..." Jacob said affectionately as he tugged her closer and watched her fall into sleep.

XXXXXX

Bella was dreaming about Paul. They were back at his house and she was reliving their argument. This time though he did not turn away in anger, but he asked her why she had fallen for idle gossip and allowed her to explain her stupidity. Paul had pulled her into his strong arms and kissed her passionately, telling her that she needed to just trust him. Why couldn't things have gone like this? Bella nestled closer to the warm body by her side and pressed her lips on the smooth skin.

"I love you so much..." She mumbled in her sleep.

A warm hand cupped her cheek and caressed it softly. "I love you too honey." A deep voice answered in reply.

Bella frowned in her sleep, the voice was familiar but it wasn't Pauls. She moved about restlessly as she finally came to, her eyelids fluttering as she woke. She looked up at the face hovering above her own and her heart constricted in her chest as her eyes met those of her best friend, Jake.

A/N-Thanks for reading!