Chapter 14

AN: Thank you guys for all the reviews! I just started a job answering phones, which is providing me with an enormous expanse of time to write, so if you review, I'm likely to write a whole lot. Enjoy!

Rachael was less than pleased to see me. When I knocked on the apartment door, too exhausted from the clumsy trip up the stairs, Kelsey answered with a warning look in her eye, but her expression changed when she saw me. "Oh, my God," she shook her head, "Bella, what happened?"

She held the door out for me, and I awkwardly stepped through. My voice was still thick with tears. "It's really nothing. Just a broken ankle."

Rachael was sitting on the couch, refusing to look in my direction. I sat down at the kitchen table. Kelsey came over and sat with me. "We knew about the broken ankle," she said, "But why are you crying?"

"Oh," I sighed. "I, uh," I wiped under my eyes, "I told Edward he should leave."

"You didn't!" Kelsey put a hand to her chest.

At this, Rachael turned around. "Really?"

I shrugged. "Really. It wasn't fair to Jacob. And I don't trust myself not to do anything, so it's better this way."

Rachael nodded slowly. "Did something happen last night?"

"No," I said. "Well, I mean, we didn't do anything, but I said some things that I shouldn't have."

"Oh, Bella," Kelsey sighed. "I'm so sorry for encouraging you. I didn't know you were in so much pain."

"I wasn't," I argued. "I'm not. Really. It just—it really hurt to send him away like that, but I have nothing to complain about. I have an incredible boyfriend who loves me, and I'm going to go see him next week with a clear conscience."

Rachael gave me a sad little smile and moved to sit next to me. "You're doing the right thing, Bell. I knew you would."

I smiled at her. "Yeah," I sighed, "Except now I have to get around with these ridiculous things," I gestured to the crutches, "and take some stupid seminar about alcohol abuse."

Kelsey shook her head. "What?"

"Yeah," I said. "Apparently, if you go to the hospital with an injury caused by alcohol, it's mandatory. But it means that I won't get it any legal trouble, cause of the whole under twenty-one deal."

Rachael shrugged. "Well, that's good, I guess."

"Ugh," Kelsey crossed her arms, "That's crazy. You hardly drink at all."

"Well, I drank last night," I countered.

"Do you have to pay for this seminar thing?" she asked.

"No, it's free. Taught by volunteers."

Kelsey shrugged. "Well, then, we'll go with you."

"We will?" Rachael asked incredulously.

"Sure, we will," she said. "If you're an alcoholic, then we're all alcoholics. We'll bring Brian, too. It'll be fun."

I laughed. "I'm not sure about that."

"No, really," Kelsey said. "I feel more than partially responsible, and Rachael wants to support your decision, right Rach?"

Rachael groaned and smirked. "I guess so."

"Great, then we'll all go," Kelsey said decisively. "Ooh! We should make up stories about how alcohol has ruined our lives! I'm gonna try to cry on queue!"

Rachael laughed. "You're deranged; you know that?"

I smiled. Being back with my friends was making me feel much better. "So then, what happened at the party after I left?"

Rachael shrugged. "Not much. You didn't really miss anything all that exciting."

Kelsey agreed, "Yeah, we left as soon as Edward called from the hospital."

"Oh," I said, "I'm sorry. Did I ruin your night?"

"No, not at all," Kelsey assured me. "Brian was already vomiting his guts out, and everyone was sort of filing out."

Rachael smirked. "Really, you just saved us from cleaning up."

"Oh, good," I said.

My phone vibrated in my purse, and Kelsey took it out and handed it to me. She smiled. "Speaking of incredible boyfriends."

"Oh," I smiled, taking the phone. "Good morning," I said into the phone.

"Bella," Jacob's alarmed voice caught me off guard. "Are you okay?"

I shook my head and looked to Rachael. She bit her lip. "I felt like he should know," she whispered. "Sorry."

I sighed and stood up as best I could, taking one crutch with me and heading upstairs. "I'm fine, Jake. I fell. It's not a big deal."

"Rachael said you were in the hospital," he said. "And I've been calling all night."

I reached the top of the stairs and went in my room. "I'm sorry. My phone was on vibrate, and I had a busy night. I just got home two minutes ago."

"Were you in the hospital?" he demanded.

I cringed. "Technically."

"Technically?" he asked tersely. "What does that mean? You were technically in the hospital?"

"I broke an ankle, okay?" I said. "I was wearing heels, and I'd been drinking—not a great combination for me."

"You broke an ankle," he sighed. "That's all?"

"That's all," I said.

"Oh, God," he said, relieved. "And you're okay? You didn't need surgery or anything?"

"No surgery," I said. "I'm just fine. I've just got to hobble around with a cast for the next month and a half, but I'm fine."

"Okay," he said. "I'm really happy to hear that."

"Yeah. Please, don't worry about me. It's just another injury in my long, proud line of injuries."

"Right," he said. "Uh, Bella?"

"Yeah."

"Rachael mentioned something else," he admitted.

Uh oh.

"Okay," I said hesitantly.

"Was Edward Cullen there?"

I let the words hang in the air for a moment. Lying would be so easy, and the need to minimize his pain was pounding in my throat.

"Bella?" he asked, his voice dejected and tired. "Please, just tell me. I won't be upset, I promise. I just need to know."

"Yes, Jacob," I sighed into the phone. "He was there."

He was quiet on the other end, but for a small, meek, "Oh."

"But I told him that I couldn't see him anymore," I said proudly. "I told him that I love you, and he went away. I sent him away."

"Really?" his voice caught and he cleared his throat, "You said that to him?"

"I did," I smiled. "Don't sound so surprised, kid. I'm pretty fond of you."

"Yeah," he said. "I'm really, really fond of you, too, Bells. Wow, I just…wow. I was not expecting that. Thank you, Bella. That really means a lot to me."

My heart warmed at his happiness. I knew I'd done the right thing, as hard as it had been. I knew Jacob was my guy—the right guy—the guy who'd never done anything wrong—the guy who never would. "Well, you mean a lot to me, Jake," I said.

He laughed lightly. "So, I'm still gonna see you on Friday, right?"

"Uh, yeah, about that," I sighed. "You know that ankle I broke? Well, it turns out it was the right one. Like, the one I use to drive."

"Ah," he chuckled, "So you're asking me for a favor?"

I shrugged. "If you're not in to it, I could always ask Charlie."

"I'm in to it," he assured me. "I just have to get my dad to let me take the day off from school."

"You don't need to do that," I said. "I don't get done until noon anyway. You could leave right after school."

"Bells," he sighed, "When given the opportunity to take the day off from school I'd like to take the day off from school. Take your logic and rational thought somewhere else. If I leave at nine, I can get there around noon, right?"

"Right."

"And then we'll be back by three. We'll have most of the day here."

"Well," I sighed. "I'll probably still have to pack. I have mid-terms all week, so I was planning on leaving the packing until Friday."

"Okay," he said. "That works, too. I'll help you pack; probably get the job done much faster."

"Well, it's easy when you've got supernaturally enhanced muscles," I teased.

"Sure, sure," he said. "I'm gonna talk to you before then, right?"

"Yeah. I mean, I've got mid-terms, so I'm going to sink into that crazy, suffocating headspace of studying," I warned him.

"Then I will call and release you from your hysterics," he promised.

"Sounds fantastic," I said.

"Doesn't it? Well, I am going to go sleep, as I didn't do a lot of that last night," he said.

"I'm sorry," I said.

"No, no. I'm glad you're all right," he paused, "And the other thing. You are just full of good news today, Isabella."

I laughed. "Well, I try."

"Love you, Bells."

"Love you, too, Jacob. Sleep tight."

As I hung up the phone, the weight in my chest was considerably lighter. The memory of Edward was far away, being tucked back into its drawer in my mind, where it had remained for the past two years. And even though I had not really forgotten him in two years, I had faith that in ten—twenty—fifty years, he would be nothing but a sweet forgotten teenage memory, left behind with the dust and sentiment of a different life.

AN: I promise, we're not even close to the end! Keep on reviewing!