A/N: Ugh, I'm so mad at myself. I'm sorry guys. But here's the next chapter. I promise I'm gonna start working on this again. I just wasn't feeling inspired for this story, but I got it now!
Chapter 3
Inquisitive
"You're positive we've never met before?" I asked once more. After I had regained consciousness, the restaurant was nice enough to get me a glass of water. I was sitting with Jacob Black alone at a table a few feet from my friends.
He smiled. "Don't you think I would've remembered if we've ever met?"
I chewed it over. "Okay then," I said in defeat.
"You still don't believe me, do you?"
I shook my head and he frowned.
"Why don't you ride home with me tonight? I'm sure your friends will allow it." He glanced back at Leslie and Marissa who were watching us with wide eyes.
"I don't know…" I said, biting my lip. Here was this stranger, someone I've never seen in my life before, already asking to take me home. He didn't have this bad vibe to him; he actually seemed very trustworthy.
But that was the sort of thing I was warned to stay away from.
Making my decision, I stood up. "I don't think tonight. But maybe tomorrow we can hang out?"
Jacob Black grinned. "Okay. Sure, I'd like that." He held out a warm hand. It reminded me of something, but I just couldn't put my finger on it.
I shook it and smiled back. "It was nice to meet you Jacob."
"And you too, Nessie." He was out the door and getting into a black suburban before I even realized I hadn't given him my number and he already knew my nickname.
On the way home I pretended to be asleep, a decoy so Leslie and Marissa could leave me to think. And that's what I did, the whole way there. Think and think about the tall, dark man I had met only moments before. He absolutely denied the fact that we met before, but I thought otherwise. There was something in the way he moved, something in his eyes that seemed all too familiar. And the nickname? That was just something only my close family members knew and the few friends I had. It was an odd feeling to hear someone I don't even know say it, but the way he said it was way too easy - as if it was a natural thing to him.
"Maybe we should just stop inviting her out…" I heard Marissa grumble in the front seat.
There was a pause before Leslie started in too. "I just don't know anymore, Mars…all that happens when we go out is she either hooks-up with a college guy or gets more than enough phone numbers. It is getting old. But she can't really help it…unless she uglied down a bit but I don't see that happening in the near future…"
"Les, you have to agree that this makes us feel like shit. I don't know if I can deal with it anymore. I love Ness and all, but it's going a tad bit too far when the guy I like goes after her…"
One more reason to not get involved with humans: they're completely unreliable and can flip the switch on you any time. They have no loyalty.
Having heard enough, I moved around and stretched as if I was waking up. They hushed immediately.
"We almost home?" I asked impatiently.
"Uh, yeah," Marissa stuttered. "We're like a mile from town limits."
"Okay, well, drop me off at my grandpa's. I think I'm gonna stay there tonight."
I didn't miss the look they gave each other as I sat back in my seat. Mars drove straight to Charlie's to drop me off first. My anger flared. When I was out of the car, I knocked on Leslie's window on the passenger side. She uncertainly rolled it down.
"Don't worry, I didn't hear a word you said on the way home," I spat at them. I turned on my heel and strode into Charlie's house. Their eyes were still on me as I slammed the front door.
Grandpa and Sue were eating at the table. Seth was visiting also.
Smiling charmingly at them, I stood by the counters. "How's it going?"
Charlie stood up and gave me a hug. "Great. When are your parents coming back?"
"In exactly one week."
He nodded. "How's your mom doing?" He made a face when he asked it. After all these years, he was still trying to get over the fact that my mom and I look the exact same age, when she's supposed to be double my age. He didn't ask questions though; he wasn't allowed to know about my family. But he did find out about the reservation werewolves. I was rarely allowed to hang out with them except for Seth and some of the younger ones. Leah didn't want anything to do with me.
"She's doing fine I guess. Dad wasn't too excited about the trip but mom and Alice wanted to go around the country side and stuff. Uncle Jasper couldn't care less." I knew he hadn't asked about the others, but I was so used to talking about my family, it just fell out of my mouth.
Seth stood up with his empty plate and glass to take them to the sink. When he stood next to me, I felt the heat just rolling off his body. That's when it hit me.
"Do any of you know a Jacob Black?"
Everyone in the room froze, their eyes widening. Seth dropped the plate he was rinsing off, the only thing breaking the silence.
"Jacob Black? Sounds familiar. Don't think I've ever met anyone that goes by the name of that though." Sue cleared her throat, snapping both Seth and Charlie back into the present. When Seth got done with his dishes, he grabbed a couple of cookies and stood next to me. He offered me one but I refused.
"Huh," I said. "I met him at McDonald's tonight…he was kind of like you," I went on, nudging Seth. "And Brady and all the other guys. You know - tall, Native American who is like scorching hot because he's a werewolf." I saw Charlie cringe in the corner of my eye. Sue patted his hand.
Seth coughed up his cookie. "What? You think this dude's a werewolf?"
"Well, yeah."
Sue laughed. "Renesmee, you know that they have to be a descendant from the Quileutes. We would've known him and so would've you."
"But I'm not allowed to go to the reservation, I only know a few werewolves from there. How would I know him if I don't know the others?" I argued.
Seth was white for the first time in his life. "I have to go…I'll see you guys tomorrow."
"Maybe it was just coincidence," she insisted. I wanted to go on but there was something in her eyes that stopped me.
"Maybe…"
"Are you staying the night, Ness?" grandpa Charlie asked. It was the first time he'd spoken since I'd started to talk about Jacob.
I nodded. "Yup, I'm too tired to go home. It seems too far."
He chuckled. "Well, you can sleep in Bella's room. I'm pretty sure she still has clothes here you could use."
"Thanks," I gave him a kiss on the cheek and Sue a quick hug. "I'm hittin' the sack."
"Night!" they called out to me as I walked up the stairs.
I slipped into one of my mom's old pajamas and crawled into her unused bed. It made me sad to think that he still had my mom's room set up. He could've made it into a guest bedroom or a den but no, he left everything where my mom put it. I knew what he was thinking too: just in case something happens, my mom will always have a place to stay.
My dreams were just about to take over when my phone vibrated on the bedside table. It wasn't until I looked at the Caller ID when I remembered I hadn't informed Rose on my plans. I prepared myself and flipped the phone open.
"Where the hell are you? Do I need to come get you? Whose ass do I need to kick?" she ranted before I could even say hello.
"I'm at Grandpa Charlie's," I said in a quiet voice.
"Oh…" She stopped before she continued on. "Do you know how worried Em and I were? He's out, running around the forest, frantic! If something happens to you, our asses are on the line and I really don't want to deal with your father and moth -"
"Rose!" I interrupted. "Chill out. I'm fine. I was just too tired to come home tonight. And you and Emmett are crazy enough to take on everyone in the family."
I heard her take a few deep breaths. "Just don't ever do that to me again. It's funny when you do it to your parents, but when you do it to me - not cool."
I laughed. "I might just take a quick nap here and sneak out of the window."
"Okay, but what are you gonna tell Charlie?"
Crap, I hadn't thought about that. "I'll just leave him a note on the door telling him I went home at like five because I remembered I had to do something."
"Alright," she sighed. "Emmett and I will be here, awake when you get home."
"I know," I chuckled. We hung up the phone and I started to doze off again.
In the far distance, I heard a howl. It was mournful and sad, almost making me want to cry. I stayed up a little bit longer just to listen to it. When I finally fell to sleep, I was wondering who would be so sad to make a sound like that.
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