Chapter 2: Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight.
During dinner, her father kept glancing at Bella's left hand. The ring was missing. It was so huge, that its absence was extremely noticeable. His curiosity got the better of him, and finally he aimed his fork at her, and asked, "Bells, where's your engagement ring?" all the while crossing his fingers that it was gone for good.
His daughter's face turned bright red. Charlie turned his head, glancing at Jacob whose eyes were now focused on the kitchen ceiling.
"I'm not wearing it anymore." Bella dabbed her mouth with a napkin, and put it beside her dish.
"I can see that. But what happened?"
Jacob faced Bella as if to say, Hey, don't look at me. My lips are sealed.
"I ... um ... sort of changed my mind. I'm giving the ring back to Edward. The wedding's off."
Charlie let out a low whistle. He dodged the bullet on that one. "So, are you and Jacob ...?"
Jacob smirked at her, and she kicked him under the table. This was not funny, and he didn't have to look so smug about it.
"Yeah, I thought I'd give him a chance."
Mouthing, Thank you, Jacob took her hand and interlaced it with his.
A sigh of relief escaped her dad's lungs. "Well ... that ... that's good to hear." He winked at Jacob and twirling his fork, began shoveling in the mashed potatoes on his plate.
Taking that as his cue, Jacob resumed inhaling his food as well. Bella however picked at her salad, and rearranged the meat loaf on her plate, half a dozen times.
After dinner, Bella shooed the two men away from the kitchen and began washing the dishes. While she was occupied with that task, Charlie had a man to man talk with Jacob, while they sat on the couch, sipping on a couple of cans of Pepsi.
Lifting his feet, Charlie rested them on the nearby table. "Whew—that was close. I don't mind telling you that I was worried about my only child marrying into that family. Carlisle is okay, I guess, but Edward ... there's just something not quite right about him. That guy gives me the creeps. And have you noticed, the boy never eats? No one can eat like you, but he never eats!"
His brow furrowed. "He doesn't seem to give her any space either, always breathing down her neck. He's more like a father figure than a fiancée." He took another swig from the can of pop.
Jacob put his feet up on the coffee table, mimicking Charlie, and leaned back. "You don't need to tell me. I can't stand the guy. He acts like he owns her—like she's his prisoner or somethin'."
"Well said, kid."
Charlie raised his soda, and motioned for Jacob to do the same. With the cans raised in hand, Charlie clinked his Pepsi to Jacob's, and beaming, toasted to the couple, "To Jake and Bells."
Nodding his head sharply, Jacob repeated, "Yeah—to Jake and Bells."
They both tipped back their heads, took a slug, and let go with an aaah!
Ready to leave, Jacob was at the doorstep. Bella walked with him out to the truck. She handed him the keys, letting him drive.
On the way to La Push, she said, "I have a favor to ask."
"Go ahead, shoot."
"Can you come back later on? It's just that Edward will be visiting me in my room tonight."
"Whaaat?" The fire in his gut was stating to flame up again.
"You might as well know. He's been coming to my room every night. He stays in bed with me and watches me sleep."
His face contorted into a grimace. "That is sooo creeeeepy. You let him do that?"
Her eyes rolled. "Oh, all right, I can see where that would seem sort of creepy."
"Sort of? Jeez, Bells, having a vampire watching you sleep, that's just ..."
"Creepy—I know," she huffed. "You already made that perfectly clear. So ... will you?"
"Sure, sure. You got it, honey. But, do I have to stay the whole night?"
"Why, is that a problem?"
"It is if you expect me to share that bed with you."
"Don't you want to?"
"Noooo, thanks!"
"Why not?"
Jacob's cheeks flushed. "Well ... you know."
"I don't understand. Edward stayed with me for months."
"And look how that turned out. I'm a guy, okay. I can't explain it. I'm just made that way. Having you too close like that will make it hard to control myself. Trust me on this."
Bella snuggled a little closer, wrapping herself around one of his arms. "Will you stay with me then, until he leaves?"
"Absolutely. What time do you want me there?"
"Ten?"
"Ten it is."
Jacob arrived a few minutes early, easily vaulting over Bella's window sill. She sat on the edge of the bed, nervously fidgeting with her hands and biting her fingernails. Edwards ring was on the bed next to her in its black velvet box.
"Hey, beautiful," he announced himself, plopping down beside her. He scanned her fingers quickly. "Give me those," he commanded as he clutched her hands, enveloping them within his own. "You're not gonna have any nails left. Everything's gonna be okay. I'm here, and I'm on your side."
He no sooner said those words, when a white streak entered the room. A low growl, and a hate filled facial expression accompanied the streak. "What are you doing here, mongrel?"
Jacob dropped her hands and stood toe to toe with the intruder. "I could ask you the same thing. As luck would have it, I was invited. Looks like you're the only party-crasher in the room, chump."
Edward bared his teeth. "I didn't see your invitation."
Glaring at the wolfboy, he snarled, "You shouldn't be here. Would you like to take this outside? I will gladly escort you so I can dispose of you properly?"
Pushing into Edward's personal space, Jacob fired back, "Like to see you try, leech. Anyway, love to, but my girl here, might object. She's sensitive to blood ya know. Makes her kinda pukey, unlike you. Definitely not her choice of beverage." Jacob bobbed his head repeatedly, in a smug manner. "I'm pretty sure she prefers warm root beer.
"Bells, you can jump in here anytime now. I'm sure the bloodsucker here would like to know what this party's all about."
He heard her sigh, and her heartbeat stuttered slightly as she choked out, "Edward, I have something to tell you. I—"
Jacob interrupted her. "Forget it. You're gonna be waaaay too polite. Okay, so here it is, tick—your banging her was just that. She was freakin' banged up when she came sobbing her heart out to see me. Did it ever occur to you to that maybe you were being a little too rough with her? Or that maybe—just maybe she wasn't enjoying herself as much as you were?"
Bella was in tears. She wedged herself between them. "Please, Jacob, that's enough."
Edward wrinkled his brow, staring at Bella in disbelief. This couldn't be happening. Feeling hurt and betrayed, he practically winced, "You told him about our intimate encounter?"
Jacob wrapped one arm around Bella's waist, and tucked her to his side protectively. He spoke before Bella could get a word out. "Why don't you put the right label on it, bloodsucker? It was breaking and entering, pure and simple. And—she didn't have to say anything to me. It was written all over her body in black and blue tattoos, not to mention I could smell the blood still oozing—that, and your sickening scent smeared on her."
"Bella, love, I find it hard to imagine that you would disclose our most private moments to this dog. What we experienced was for no one else's ears. You belong to me now. You're my fiancée."
"Not anymore, Romeo. She ran to Paris, and I accepted her with open arms."
"Why are you doing all the talking, mutt? I want to hear it from her own lips." He turned to Bella, accusing her. "Is this true?"
Jacob's arm tightened around her, squeezing her in a show of encouragement. "Go ahead—tell him, Bells."
She looked into those perplexed golden eyes, stating the inevitable. "I'm sorry, Edward. I ... I can't go through with it—becoming your wife, I mean."
Extending her palm, she offered Edward the tiny box encasing her engagement ring.
His face contorted in pain as he slowly picked up the box. "Does this mean ..."
With her eyes averted, she stammered, "Yes ... I've chosen Jacob."
When she looked back at him, his face had fallen. Then, in a rush, she whimpered, "Please, Edward, say you'll forgive me."
"I can forgive you now. But with time, maybe you would see your mistake and change your mind. You're not thinking clearly. It would be best if you thought about this situation for awhile."
"No, I really don't see that happening. My mind is made up."
Jacob huffed. "I think it would be best if you left right now, before I throw you out the freakin' window. Ya see, I get a liiiiitttle bit cranky when I'm tired and I'd like to get in a few winks, 'cuz I do need to sleep every once in a blue moon."
Waving his hand toward the vampire, Jacob remarked, "Oh, and I'd appreciate it if you'd make yourself scarce for the next couple of centuries while you're at it, too."
With his eyes narrowed, Edward fumed. "I'll leave, you miserable pup—for Bella's sake, but know this. I'll always be waiting, and if she needs anything, I'll be back in a heartbeat."
Not if Jacob could help it. "Big talk for someone who hasn't got one," Jacob snarked, acidly.
Edward turned, and a blur was all that Bella and Jacob noted as he flew out the casement.
Sagging onto the bed, Bella appeared to be exhausted. Then, she looked up at Jacob and suddenly went to pieces right before his eyes.
Jacob sat beside her, dragging her onto his lap.
"I'm sorry, Jake. I can't help it," she sobbed, as she burrowed her face into his bare chest.
His hand instinctively swept through her hair. "Hey, it's okay, honey. I understand.
"Do you want me to stay with you a little while longer? I can do that, if it'll make you feel better. Wait ... I know—I'll hang around until you fall asleep. How's that sound?"
Her head rose as she said, "You will?"
"Sure, sure."
Remembering their prior conversation, she lay back on the bed and motioning to her blankets, instructed, "Will you be all right, lying on top of the bedding?"
"That should do it, but as soon as you're off to lalaland, I'll be headin' out."
He positioned himself beside her, and cradled his head next to her ear, one arm draping about her shoulder. She sniffled for a few minutes until at last her breathing became shallow and even.
The shadows receded, and the room eventually filled with the light of a new day. Bella moaned in her sleep and Jacob opened one eye. What the ...? Jeez, he must've fallen asleep.
There was the sound of footfalls outside the door, and then a knock. Jacob rolled quickly out of bed and hid himself behind it on the floor. Sh**! Charlie. Hope he didn't hear that.
The door opened and Charlie put his head inside. "Hey, kiddo, you better get crackin'. Aren't you going to school today?"
Her eyes popped open with a start. "Oh my gosh, I overslept. I'll be down in a minute."
Charlie closed the door and retreated down the stairs. The coast was clear. Jacob lifted his head above the side of the mattress, and Bella jerked in surprise, giving out a shriek of fright. "God, Jacob, you scared the crap out of me. What are you still doing here? I thought you'd have left hours ago."
"Like I told the leech—I was tired. I fell asleep, so sue me.
"Hey, since I'm here, and you have to get dressed for school and all—do you mind if I watch you put your clothes on."
Bella crossed her arms in front of herself, frowning. "Nice try, mister."
Jacob sighed loudly for her benefit. "If at first you don't succeed ..."
One eyebrow quirked mischievously. "Ya know, if I'd just stayed hidden, I could've peeked every now and then, and you would've never been the wiser."
He shrugged with his palms out facing the sky. "Hey, I'm only kidding. You know that, right? See ya this afternoon, huh?"
Standing, he walked up to her, kissed her soundly and proceeded to sail out the window.