DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS FROM TWILIGHT. THEY ALL BELONG TO STEPHENIE MEYER.
Yay! Manged to get a moment to post this. I've had it typed for a while but no time to post. So here you go. :D
BPOV
"I said, what do you want Jacob?" I repeated sternly, crossing my arms over my chest, not breaking eye contact with him.
"I wanted to talk to you." He replied, dropping his gaze to look at the floor.
"I have nothing to say to you." I stated, hoing that he would get the message and leave.
"How can you say that?" He asked, his gaze shooting back up to look me in the eyes, I guess I wasn't going to have any luck on the whole "him getting the message" scenario, was I? His eyes were full of anger and hurt. Normally, this would intimidate me, as Jacob was not a small person. Either that or it would make me feel sorry for him and want to embrace him, but I was too caught up in my own anger that was directed at him to care for his feelings at the moment. After all he had just insulted the feelings of the most important person to me in the world. Why should I care? I didn't flinch away from him, as I would have done normally. Instead, I held my ground, not showing him any weakness.
"After your little outburst last night, quite easily." I replied, surprising myself with how strong and in control of the situation my own voice sounded. I had told myself to remain calm and obviously it had worked.
"So what? You're going to throw away years of friendship for him?" The way he emphasised the "him" in that sentence began to get my blood boiling again. He was treating my relationship with Edward like it was some silly crush, that would be over and done with in no time at all, like it would dissipate with time and not seeing him as the man that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. "Does our friendship mean so little to you that you would willingly do that? Do I mean that little to you?"
"Jacob, it's not me who is throwing our friendship awy. You're the one who insulted my boyfriend. You're just lucky that what you said didn't affect him as harshly as it could have done." I was slightly proud of myself now. Jacob nearly always broke me resolve. And now I was able to stand up to him. Twice in two days. Like Edward, I felt like I was becoming a stronger person. More confident. And if it got me out of situations like these I could definitely live with being a little more confident.
"And why is that?" I could see a glint in his eyes now. A glint that I recognised all too well. That particular glint told me that he was up for a challenge.
"Because if he had done, then tehre is a very good chance that he could've relapsed, meaning that the last eight months would have been worth nothing. Nothing at all. All because of some stupid remarks by an ignorant jerk." I was seething now. Didn't Jacob see the severity of the situation. He had to see the potential damage that he could have caused with those few choice words he threw at Edward the night before. He shrugged at me nonchalantly, seeming to not really care that he could have ruined someone's life. "And," I continued, now wearing a sweet and innocent smile that also told him that he was in trouble. More trouble than he realised.. "If that had happened, or does happen as a result of your words at any time in the future, you're going to have a queue of people, just lining up and waiting to tear you limb from limb. Starting with yours truly." I placed a hand gently on my chest.
"And why would you be the one to start that queue off, eh?" He asked me, his eyes boring into mine, daring me to answer in a way that was going to challenge him. If he wanted a challenging answer, then I would sure as hell give him one.
"Because you would have ruined the life of the man I'm in love with." His eyes shot up at that and I smirked at his reaction. "Yes, Jacob. I love him. I am in love with Edward Cullen. Get over it and get out of my house." I said all of this slowly, making sure it sank in and he understood.
"No." He replied, standing there staring me down.
"Excuse me?" I stood there in disbelief.
"I said no. I'm not going anywhere until you listen to me, Bells." I could tell that he was serious.
"Don't call me Bells." I spat. I didn't want him calling me that anymore. Even though he had been the one to give me the nickname in the first place, it sounded wrong coming from his mouth and it left a taste of bile in my mouth. Whereas before it had been just Jacob to call me "Bells" that particular term of endearment was reseved for the Cullens now. He didn't look away from me. I rolled my eyes and sighed. "You've got thirty seconds then I want you out. Starting now."
"Listen," He said, taking a deep breath. "I just don't think that he's right for you."
"And why is that?"
"Come on. I mean, look at him. He's screwed up." He waved his arms in the air, as if indicating something that was or at least should have been completley obvious. Well, whatever it was wasn't obvious to me. "He's obviously unstable. I mean from what I've heard-"
"And what exactly have you heard?"
He took a deep breath, as if somehow knowing that he was treading down a dangerous path. I felt like pointing out that he was already sprinting full steam ahead down it. He stood there and looked me straight in the eyes, showing my no emotion whatsoever. "That he's spent the last eight months in a ......." He trailed off sighing, dropping his gaze to the floor again. "Hospital." He finished, emphasising the last word of his sentence as though it was something dirty and ugly.
"What do you mean by that?" I hissed through gritted teeth.
"Obviously it wasn't a regular hospital." He retorted ina tone that one would use as if explaining something to a five year old. He sighed, still not meeting my gaze. "I heard it was a .... different.....type of hospital."
"What." I stated sharply. "Like a mental institution?" He turned his gaze to look me straight in the eyes, not saying anything and yet confirming everything. I chuckled darkly, shaking my head. "You have no idea what you're talking about. Yes, he was in a hospital and no, it was no a regular, medical hospital. It was an eating disorders clinic" I put emphasis on the last few words, showing Jacob that what he had heard was a load of bull. "Do you know why he was in there?" Jacob made no response at all, just like i knew he wouldn't. He made no movement at all, waiting for me to continue. "He was in there because he was suffering from anorexia and bulimia because of serious depression. He was, and some days more than others, still is, suffering from depression because he was feeling guilty over something that he couldn't control. The death of his parents." I looked at Jacob now. He knew what it felt like to lose a parent, he had lost his own mother when he was younger. It hurt to see that there was no change in Jacob's expression, no remorse or understanding in his eyes. He was as cold and foreign as he had been last night. This was not the Jacob Black I had been friends with when I was younger. "He felt guilty over their deaths. He thought that it was his fault. Even at tgat young age, he blamed himself and in some ways he still does and I don't think that that particular way of thinking is going to change. He couldn't deal with losing them, and that created an emotional hole within him. He refused to get close to people, for fear of hurting them or getting hurt himself. Again. He was in a kind of pain that he didn't understand. So he found a way to displace that pain. To turn it into a kind of pain that he did understand. Physical pain. He began to starve himself, feeling the physical pain of that hunger and in turn, the pained that denying himself food would and did bring in." I didn't mention Edward's cutting problem, as I wasn't aware of how much Jacob knew abut that. If he knew anything about it at all. "He revelled in the control he had over what he ate and how he could control his pain. Something he felt he deserved because he felt guilty over his parents death. He was slowly killing himself. He knew it and he felt like he deserved it. And after ten years of holding onto that guilt he has finally been able to let go and begin to believe that there was no for him to change what happened and that there was nothing that he could have done to save them. There was nothing he could have done to save his parents." I could feel the anger rising in my chest as my hands clenched into fists. "And you, you, have the audacity to turn up at his birthday party, under the pretense of being there for my dad and me, and then tell him that he's not good enough for me and that he's fucked up! Do you know how hard everyone has worked to convince himt hat he's not? Huh? No! Because you, Jacob Black, have no idea at all, of what you're talking about! Edward is not insane, nor is he incompetant in any way. He is is the lovliest, most caring, loving, generous, sweetest person I have ever come across and I love him with everything that I am. And your thirty seconds were up a while ago, so I'd like you to leave. Now!" I stood there and stared at him, waiting for him to object, but he just stood there and stared blankly at me.
He sighed. "Fine. I'll go. For now. But you have to talk to me sometime, Bella." The serious tone to his voice told me that he wasn't kidding and that this wouldn't be the last time he would try to talk to me about this. I also knew that it wouldn't be the last time that I would be kicking him out of my house. "But before I go, can i ask you one thing?"
"What?" I spat at him, wanting nothing more than for him to get the hell out of my house and out of my life. At least until he realised that he was wrong and apologised to Edward.
"What the hell is that?" He asked pointing to my arms, that were still folded across my chest. I looked down and saw on my right wrist the gleaming silver of th Cullen Crest glistening in what faint sunlight there was filtering through the windows and curtains that outline my home.
"What? This?" I held up the arm that held the crest and he nodded, hatred in his eyes. "This, Jacob, sthe Cullen Crest. The emblem that has been passed down through the generations of the Cullen family. It is exclusive to the family. I felt a smug smile spreading across my face as I saw the perplexed expression morph his features.
"Then why do you have one?" He asked the confusion clear in his tone. The anger and hate that was present earlier in the conversation still lingered in his voice but were burning holes with his eyes.
"Because," I replied slowly as though I was talking to a child. "That's how close I am to the Cullen family. It's like I'm one of their own. I love them and they love me. And there is nothing that you can do or say that will change that. There is nothing anyone can do or say that will change that. So," I added, the sweet, mocking and yet innocent smile I had on my face earlier again present on my face. "You can get out of my house now."
He glared at me for a few more moments, before turning on his heel and storming through the front door, slamming it unnecessarily hard in the process.
I leant back against the wall and slid down it, bringing my knees to my chest and wrapping my arms around my legs. I sat there for a few minutes, trying to process what had just happened. Jacob showed absolutely no remorse for what he had done. He didn't care that Edward could potentially slip back into his depression and dangerous habits. In a way, Jacob's behaviour had given off the vibe that told me he wanted that reaction from Edward. That he wanted Edward to get ill again. For what reason I didn't know. He should have known that wherever Edward went I would follow. I couldn't live without Edward. He was too precious to me.
I looked at the time and decided to get ready and make my way back to the Cullens.
I made my way up the stairs and quickly jumped in the shower. Showering in record time I got myself dressed and packed some clothes. Enough for a couple of nights. I guessed that with what had happened with Charlie this morning there was a good chance that I would be staying with the Cullens for a few days. Something that was a regular occurance. Of course there would be little chance of me actually being able to wear my own clothes, as Alice and Rosalie always revelled in a chance to dress me up. Something they took full advantage of whenever they could.
On the drive back to the Cullens' I couldn't get the confrontation I had had with Jacob out of my head. He had the nerve to come to my house, of all places, and tell me that he thought that my boyfriend wasn't good enough for me. That he had heard that he had been in a mental hospital. Jacob is just lucky that I didn't take my anger out on his nether regions when I had the chance, and being honest, I had come extremely close, only just managing to keep myself under control.
I turned off at the Cullens' extensive driveway, which in all honesty, was too long, but it served the purpose of keeping the house secretive and removed from the road. Which I guess had been the overall desire when it had been built. As I drove up the familiar driveway, I wondered how upset Alice must have been when she found out that I had told Edward no presents until I got back. If she thought that she was the only one with that power then she was wrong. The only difference is that she had to hide his presents so he wouldn't open them. All I had to do was ask. I smiled to myself, thinking that what people kept saying must be true to some extent. Maybe he was as dazzled by me as I was by him. People said it often enough. I couldn't help but grin thinking of Edward tongue-tied and jelly-kneed because of me. Somehow it didn't ring true, but hey, a girl could dream.
I removed my keys from the ignition and climbed out of the truck. Walking up to the door, I put my key in the lock and let myself in. I could hear Jasper and Emmett bickering about something and knew that before long it would escalate into a full-fledged fight, as it always did. I hung up my jacket and removed my shoes, placing them on the shoe rack moments before a pair of strong arms encircled my waist, gripping me tightly.
"Welcome back, love." Edward whispered in my ear and I couldn't help but grin. I twisted round in his grasp and wrapped my arms around his neck, gently pulling him face down to meet mine, pressing his lips to mine in a tender kiss. I felt him smile against my lips and I giggled. "Miss me that much did you?" I nodded, kissing him gently on the end of the nose.
"DID NOT!" I heard Emmett yell as Jasper made his way from the living room to the back garden, flying past us with Emmett hot on his heels. I looked at Edward, raising an eyebrow and he shrugged, a perplexed look on his face. I couldn't help but giggle at the stupidity of his brothers and he chuckled as I rested my head on his chest.
"Isabella Marie Swan!" I heard Alice cry. Looking up I saw her standing at the top of the stairs staring at me with frustrated eyes. Edward's arms tensed around me slightly, as if he knew exactly what she wanted. "Why did you tell Edward no presents?!"
I laughed. I should have known that was what she would be upset about. "Because I didn't want to miss Edward opening his presents." I looked at him and he smiled. I pressed a quick kiss to his lips and he grinned his beautiful crooked grin at me. "And unlike some people I don't have to hide them from him." I looked at her and childishly poked my tongue out.
"Alright, alright." She bounded down the stairs and I could tell that I was forgiven. She waved at us to follow her through to the living room. I looked at Edward who grinned back at me.
"Prezzie time." He chuckled. I loved seeing him like this. It was like he hadn't missed out on such a long period of his life. He was a regular teenager. We flopped down on the sofa, Edward's arms around my waist all the time. I settled back against him, his form fitting mine in every single way. Like we were made specifically for one another and rested my head on his chest. I looked up and saw Esme and Carlisle grinning at us. I flushed and buried my head into Edward's chest, which earned a laugh from all three of them. "Stop it, you two." Edward scolded his parents, a laugh present in his voice. "You're embarrassing Bella."
"We're very sorry," Carlisle apologised, still chuckling, placing a hand on his wife's knee.
"It's just that you two are so cute together." Esme said smiling. "You should see yourselves. It's like the two of your are halves of one whole. The way you fit together." She sighed. "It's perfect." She looked at Carlisle and I saw on his face the same look that Edward's seemed to carry. When he was looking at me. I knew at that moment that I must always be wearing the same expression that Esme wore constantly. I smiled, knowing how the two of them were feeling. Because I felt it all of the time. Even more so at this moment in time, snuggled up in Edward's arms. I was home.
Alice reappeared towing Jasper and Emmett in behind her, the two of them obviously put out at the fact that they hadn't been able to settle their dispute. Alice and Emmett sat on the sofa whilst Jasper curled up on the floor in front of them, resting his back on the sofa and curling his legs up to his chest. Rosalie appeared moments later sitting down on the floor in front of Esme and Carlisle.
"Right!" Alice chirped, bouncing up once everyone was seated. "Presents!" She crossed to where the pile of presents was sat on the floor by the coffee table and sat down in front of it. She picked up a present that was wrapped in green wrapping paper. I knew instantly it was a book of some sort, unless it was a puzzle. Alice looked at the tag on it, reading it carefully. "This one is from.....Rose!" She handed Edward the present, who unwrapped his arms from around my waist and took the present from her.
He opened the present and I saw that I had been right. To a certain extent. It was a book. It was thick and leatherbound. Not something that I had imagined Rosalie getting Edward for his birthday, but then again, Rose, along with the rest of the Cullens' were extremely unpredictable. I was surprised when I saw the title. Piano Greats. Masterpieces for the Experienced Pianist. I knew that Edward had once played the piano, but had given it up years ago, due to his depression. I watched his reaction and I saw his eyes light up when he saw it.
He looked up at Rose who was smiling sheepishly at him. "Rose...." He started. "Thank you."
"Well, I thought that you might want to start playing again, what with....you know...." She looked down and started to play with a strap on her shoes. "Even though its been years, I miss you playing Edward. For some reason, no matter what kind of day I'd had, hearing you play, made me feel safe. At home." She looked up and I saw she had tears in her eyes. He stood up and walked across to her before dropping to his knees and embracing her. I couldn't help but smile at the scene. It was heartwarming to see them like that. No matter what had happened in the past, or what had transpired between them, they were brother and sister. To the end.
After Edward sat down, Alice began handing him more presents. Edward received a new iPod Touch from Jasper, a Nintendo DS from Emmett and two tickets to see HIM in concert in Seattle in two weeks time from Alice.
"And finally," Carlisle said, standing up and handing Edward an envelope. "Our gift." He sat back down as Edward opened the envelope. I looked at what he had in his hands and I saw that it was two open ended tickets, to anywhere in the States. And I mean anywhere. And reservations that had been made at the Ritz hotel, that could be taken up at any of their hotels at any time for however long.
I looked up at Edward, who was sat there staring open-mouthed at Carlisle and Esme. Before I knew what was happening Edward had launched himself up off of the sofa and was embracing Esme and Carlisle.
"Thank you." I heard him mumble. "So much."
"Anything my son." Carisle whispered back. "After everything that you've been through. After how strong you have been over recent months. You deserve it. And I expect those to be made full use of over the summer." He pulled back, releasing Edward and looked at me pointedly. I nodded vigorously, smiling at Edward as he sat down. I kissed him softly on the lips and settled back down on his chest, as Jasper and Emmett started their argument back up. I rolled my eyes at the stupidity of the two of them and saw Edward doing the same as he watched them. Before I knew it, they were both gone and Esme followed them outside, shouting at them not to break anything. Alice and Rosalie grinned at each other and followed them out. Knowing those two they had taken bets as to who would win and wanted to see who would walk away the victor. Esme walked back in rolling her eyes and she and Carlisle disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Edward and I alone on the sofa, enjoying each other's company. Something I was not complaining about.
I don't know how long we sat there in the comfortable silence, following the rhythm of each others breathing and me listening to his heartbeat as he rested his head on mine, but after a while my phone began to vibrate. I took it out of my pocket, ignoring a grumbling Edward who was complaining because I had moved. I looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Charlie phoning me. He would know where I was so it had to be important for him to be phoning me.
"Hello?" I said, flipping up the phone.
"Bella?" Charlie sounded slightly distressed. "I need you to come home. I need to talk to you."
I rolled my eyes, hoping that it wasn't about Billy or Jacob as Charlie already knew my opinion on the two of them at the moment. "All right, what is it?"
"I don't want to talk about it over the phone." He said in a hurried way. "How long do you think it'll take you to get back?"
"Um," I pinched the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger. A habit that I had picked up from Edward. "About twenty minutes or so."
"Okay." He sighed. "I'll see you in a bit."
Before I could respond he had hung up and I was sat there listening to the dial tone on the other end. I closed my phone and looked at Edward who just looked confused. I grinned at him. He looked so cute when he was confused. I leaned forward and kissed him gently and I felt him smile against my lips.
"What was that about?" He asked as I pulled away.
"You know, I'm not actually sure." I replied honestly. "Charlie says that he needs to talk to me. Right away." I stood up and walked over to the door with Edward following me closely. I put on my shoes and jacket before turning to face him and wrapping my arms around his neck, pulling him into a deep kiss. "I'm going to leave my bag here, because I am coming back tonight. I'll be back before you know it." I kissed him again swiftly before I let myself out of the door.
I half-walked, half-jogged to my truck only tripping slightly once. Letting myself into the truck I turned on the engine and made my way down the driveway, before emerging onto the highway.
It took about twenty minutes or so to reach my house. Climbing out I noticed that the curtains in the living room twitched and I realised that Charlie must have been waiting for me to come home. It must have been important if Charlie had been waiting for me. I let myself in and saw that he had moved from the living room and was now standing in the kitchen, his back turned to me, his hands on the counter in front of him.
"Dad?" I asked cautiously, not bothering to take my jacket off. "Is everything okay?"
He turned around and looked at me, a grave expression on his face. "I just got off the phone with your Mom." He stated and a million scenarios started to rush through my mind.
"What's wrong? Is she okay? What's happened? What about Phil? Is he okay? What's going on? What did she say?" I ran off questions without even giving him time to answer, only stopping when Charlie raised his hands to shush me.
"Your Mom and Phil are fine." He explained.
"Then what's the matter?" I asked, getting more and more worried by the moment as Charlie looked away from me, placing his hands on his hips and sighing.
"She wants you back, Bells."
I've had this since Saturday, but I've not had the time to post it. Hope it doesn't disappoint.
Reviews please :D
xx
