A/N: Gosh guys I'm so sorry this took years literally, I've been so busy with my other story that I wanted to wait until I ended it before I continued with this (the other story is almost done, three more chapters?), so will you guys forgive me? I hope you're still interested in this. I feel bad now, honest.

Anyway hope you all enjoy this.

Chapter 6: Dirty Little Secret

Looking good was never one of my top priorities. Yeah, I liked to look nice but in a casual way. School was not the catwalk (although there are a majority of girls and boys who think so) so therefore I didn't ever intend in walking into class dressed in fancy designer gear.

Now from experience, a lot of people I know happen to think I couldn't give a damn about my appearance and for some reason this makes them think they have the right to insult me but in a smart way let's say. For example: 'I just hate flats on short girls' pauses and gives me a fake smile 'Yours are cute though'.

That was a direct insult to my face. Covering it up by saying something complimentary just doesn't work, believe me I've been there, it just ruins your whole day. Sometimes I wonder how people have the cheek to say things like that.

Whatever, those people suck.

Anyway point is, I like to look casual in a nice way right? Well today I happen to think I look horrendous. It was one of those 'bad hair days' so I ended up tying my hair into a knot at the back of my head and putting on a plain white baseball cap. Yeah I know, random.

Also, when I looked in my closet for something decent to wear there was absolutely nothing! I'm starting to think mom's going through a lazy stage, doesn't she do washing anymore? So the only thing available for me to wear was this brown button up shirt that was approximately two years old and these worn pair of jeans I'd intended to throw out (but never did). The only thing that looked alright on me was my converse.

Bleh!

"Gosh I feel disgusting, it's like all sorts of creatures are crawling up and down my body." I shivered, walking down the school corridor with Kara.

Yes, people were giving me dirty looks and sniggering at me, can't say I didn't expect it.

Kara chuckled. "Maybe you just feel those creatures because you're feeling the Jacob Black vibe, he must be near."

"Yeah it must be that," I said, my words laced with sarcasm. "Kara for real! I look horrible."

"Let me guess, you're making a big deal out of this because…" she rubbed her chin. "Oh yeah! Jacob Black will see you."

I sighed. "Okay one, stop bringing Jacob into everything and two, stop calling him by his full name, it's retarded."

We stopped at my locker but before I opened it up, I took a sneaky look down the hall but unfortunately Jacob wasn't around, then again maybe it was just as well. I certainly didn't want him to see me looking like this.

Yet my stomach had been doing somersaults ever since he told me he'd work on my car after school today. I just had to look like a mess today didn't I? Thanks karma, appreciate it. Not.

I started unlocking my locker when I felt a finger slide down my spine.

"What the?." I turned around to find Kara in fits of laughter.

"I bet." She laughed. "You thought that was Jacob Blacks finger."

With a roll of my eyes, I turned around and finally opened my locker. "Yeah, sure I did."

"Fine, okay I get it, you feel like crap, I'll stop." She paused for a moment as I took out my books. "Oh my… he even smells like a sex god."

Shutting my locker, I turned around to find her staring at Chris (did I mention that was her crush?) as he walked by with his friends.

"You do realize you could've been sniffing that dude on his right?."

"Ew!." She scrunched up her face in disgust.

Just then the bell sounded. Oh no.

"Okay I've gotta run before my English teacher bites the head off me!."

"See ya later alligator," Kara said before I took off, running down the corridor.

If my teacher, Mrs. Cook, wasn't half as mean as she was, I think I would've just skipped class, not that that was my kind of thing to do because it wasn't at all. I'd never skip an entire day for no reason, even this 'horrendous appearance day' wouldn't make me skip school.

But I was seriously dreading walking into class, teenagers were jerks most of the time. Simple things would make them laugh, snigger and insult you. They were immature idiots (not all of them of course). So I was going to be humiliated in front of everyone now.

Hell even the Mrs. Cook might say something, like the monster she was.

Because I was so occupied with my rather ridiculous unimportant thoughts- yeah, if they don't like what I look like, who cares- I wasn't focusing on where exactly I was going until I ran right into a hard chest.

"Oh, sorry," I said quickly. My face burning with embarrassment as I glanced up at whoever it was I just apologized to.

Oh hell no… Jacob. Great. Just the person I'd have to make a fool of myself in front of.

Pushing that thought aside, he looked stunning. His long hair hung over his shoulders, framing his handsome face, a perfect contrast to his blindingly white teeth. Not to mention the white t-shirt he wore clung to his body, was it a size too small? Oh my.

Wait why was he smiling?

"Faith," he whispered, though I think it was more to himself.

I held my books tighter to my chest. "Sorry again."

He blinked his eyes, his mind must've been somewhere else. "No, don't be. It's fine, really. Are you okay? Here let me-."

"Yeah." I nodded, flattered by his concern. "I'm good thanks. Anyway um, I better get to class."

In truth, all I wanted was to wrap my arms around his muscular body and breathe him in.

His eyes widened. "No wait, I was thinking… that if you wanted, we could skip school today and get your car down to my place."

My heart took that as a sign to pick up its rate. "I've never skipped school before."

"Oh-I- if you don't want to that's more than okay, I just thought." He bit his lip, his brown eyes melting into mine. "Never mind."

I was sure my face resembled the color of a tomato now. "When do we leave?."

A smile broke onto his beautiful face. "You want to?."

Well considering I was now late for English, I guess I could skip school to spend time with him. And I'm going to try and not squeal and jump around like a lunatic that Jacob Black himself wants to skip school with me, even if it's just because he wants to fix up my car.

"Yes, I want to," I told him. Surprising myself by how smooth my voice sounded when I was practically melting inside.

I was going to Jacob's house! Not that anything was going to happen…

The drive to my place had been awkward. It had been pretty tense. I had kept my eyes ahead of me but out of the corner of my eye, I could see Jacob glancing at me… a lot. Which was strange in a way but I couldn't say I disliked it because I didn't.

Why he was looking at me I was oblivious to, not to mention he was tapping his fingers against the steering wheel of his Rabbit the whole way, as though he was trying to distract himself from something.

But then again, me having an overactive imagination would analyze things.

When we finally arrived at my place- it felt like I had been in that car years- I opened up the garage for Jacob and waited patiently for him as he popped the hood, fiddling with something in there.

Yeah I sucked at cars but he obviously didn't because next thing I knew, my dad's- or should I say mine- car was working. A wave of disappointment hit me as I realized that I wouldn't be going to Jacobs after all.

"So um… you fixed it?," I asked. Trying to hide the disappointment in my voice.

Gosh I felt like a six year old.

Jacob slammed the hood back down, his eyes meeting mine. "For now."

"Thanks." Was all I said, having no idea what else to say as all I really wanted to say was 'I want to spend every single day of my life with you', which would be weird… no, scary.

He came over to where I stood which was by the entrance of the garage and gave me a small smile. "Nee…" he coughed. "Nina, your car isn't fixed yet, that's just temporary."

Nee? Wait what, temporary?

"Sorry?."

With a chuckled he asked. "How did you think we were getting that car down to my place huh? Because I ain't got no tow truck."

The relief I felt in my heart- in my whole body, was unbelievable. But at the same time I made a fool of myself yet again. He was right, how did I think we were getting the car down there? I guess I was too distracted by him to think properly.

I blushed, diverting my gaze downwards. "I'm so stupid."

"No," he replied. One of his hands twitching before he clenched it into a fist. "No, you're not stupid. Don't think that."

Any other guy would've just laughed but he didn't, which made my crush for him all that much stronger.

After that, nothing else was said. I thought for a minute that he would say something else as he just stood there, watching me watching him clench and unclench his fist. Yet he didn't, instead he held open the passenger's side door and gestured for me to get in.

The ride to his place was just like the ride to mine; awkward and tense. Luckily his place wasn't too far away and we were soon pulling up outside his tiny yet cozy house.

"Home sweet home," he said, smiling over at me with a look in his eyes. A look I couldn't put my finger on.

Maybe I'm finally going crazy. No wait, I already am.

He wasted no time in shifting the car into reverse and backing it up into his garage. I grimaced as I noticed how abandoned it looked on the inside.

Stepping out of the car, I scrunched up my nose at the damp, dusty air and as luck would have it, I started coughing. Great, just great. Fantastic Nina.

Jacob was in front of me in an instant. "Are you okay?," he panicked.

I nodded, coughing into the back of my hand, my eyes teary. "F-." cough. "Fine."

His eyes looked me over in concern before he muttered something about getting me water. "I'll be right back."

To say I was surprised by his concern for me would be an understatement. I was shocked. No person, not even my own parents acted like this over me, if I was coughing in my own home, they'd probably just ask me what was wrong- actually come to think of it they wouldn't even notice. They'd know if it was serious.

As for Jacob, oh Jacob would probably take me to hospital if I bumped my knee off of something… okay that was an exaggeration but you get my point. And as strange as his behavior is, I like it. No, I love it.

So I would've checked out a bit of the garage out of curiosity, but Jacob was back before I even reached the hood of my dad's car. A glass of water in his large hand.

He handed it to me. "Drink this, it'll help your throat."

For some reason, a strange feeling washed over me, a feeling like there would be no questioning why I should drink it, or no rejecting it and without even realizing it, I was gulping down the water. An amused smile on Jacobs face.

"Thank you, I needed it," I said. Slightly embarrassed that I had just drank the water in front of him in less than a ten seconds.

He took the glass from me, setting it down on the floor. "You're always welcome."

Awkward silence.

I fake coughed. "So…"

"Oh yeah, the car, this may take a while so um, just." He paused looking around the room before his eyes landed on something. A second later he placed a stool next to me. "Sit here if you want."

So I sat and sat and sat and sat but surprisingly I never got tired of watching him work on the engine of the car. His movements were so graceful, he seemed so experienced, not to mention he was beautiful- was that my millionth time to state that?

Every now and then, he'd look at me over his shoulder, giving me a small smile before he'd return to work. I'd smile in return but it was always a second too late as I was too shy to smile right back at him.

I know, I'm lame.

At some point, his white t-shirt had gotten all greasy in the front but unfortunately he never took it off… wait what did I think this was, some kind of sexual fantasy where he works half naked on my car? Kara would be in fits if she knew about this…

Holy crow, I never even thought of Kara until now. I practically just abandoned her at school so I could take off with Jacob- who was technically a stranger. She probably hates me now. Maybe I should call her?

I shook my head, no way. If I couldn't smile back at Jacob then how in the world was I supposed to speak to Kara while he was in the room? I'd just have to wait until later.

"Jacob?," an unfamiliar voice called from outside.

He stopped what he was doing, standing up straight. "Yeah?."

"What are you-," whoever was speaking stopped what they were saying once they entered. "Oh."

My cheeks were burning as I looked over my shoulder. A middle-aged man sat in a wheelchair, his eyes fixed on me.

"Dad this is Nina, you know, my classmate," Jacob drawled out the last part, much to my confusion.

I quickly stood up on shaky legs and made my way over to the man. "N-Nice to meet you," I stuttered, extending my hand out to him.

He smiled warmly, shaking my hand. "Lovely to finally meet you, Jacob-."

"Dad," Jacob warned.

With a chuckle, his father looked back up at me. "I'm Billy Black and you're Nina who?."

"Nina O'Neil," I responded before he let my hand go.

Jacob was suddenly by my side, causing goose bumps to rise on my right arm. "I'm fixing up her dads car, I'll let you know when I'm done."

That was obviously a hint to get rid of his father.

Billy eyed us both skeptically. "How come you're both not in school?."

"Um well-," I started but Jacob beat me to it.

"She needs the car to be fixed dad, better sooner than later."

With a sigh Billy replied. "Alright you two, but this better be the last time I see you both in here at this hour of the morning, we don't want to cause trouble between Nina and her parents. The school will be wondering too."

"Sure sure."

I nodded. "Of course."

And with that Billy gave me a friendly smile before rolling out of the garage back to the house.

I let out a breath I hadn't been aware I was holding once he was out of sight. He seemed nice but Parents including anyone's always seemed to intimidate me. in a way you could say I feared older people- thanks mom and dad… not.

Without another word, Jacob returned to fixing the car while I turned around, still standing in the same spot and watched him. He stiffened under my gaze even though I found it odd that he knew I was staring at him.

"Sorry about my dad, he's pretty nosy," he said with his back to me.

"No it's fine.. um… all parents are like that."

Taking a seat back on the stool, I was at a loss for words. Yesterday I had thought that today would be wonderful, that Jacob and I would get along so well as he was known to be the happy-go-lucky type.

But I was wrong, it was way too awkward. Sometimes I allow my imagination to run wild, making everything into fairytales when that's clearly impossible. The truth is, Jacob and I are strangers. I'm attracted to him and he's just… fixing my car to be nice. Nothing more.

Why he had to take me with him here in the first place I'll never understand. I mean yeah, I loved being around him, there was just something about being near him that made me feel different. I didn't know what that feeling was though, but I knew that whenever he wasn't around I had this empty feeling.

Oh my god I sound like some cheesy character from a chick flick.

"Hey Nina, there's a radio over there if you wanna turn it on," he said to me as he bent down for a tool.

Pushing myself off the stool, I headed over to where I assumed the radio was when I felt a sharp pain in the heel of my foot. As much as I tried to suppress it, a gasp escaped my lips as I froze, unable to keep walking.

"Nina? What's wrong? Tell me what's wrong," Jacob said. Suddenly in front of me, his eyes landing on my legs. "Is it your leg?."

I shook my head. "My foot."

This would have to happen.

As quick as lightening, he helped me to sit on the floor as he bent down next to me, lifting up my foot. The warmth of his hand on my ankle was so comforting, so relaxing. I could sit like this all day.

His other hand touched something on the sole of my sneaker, causing me to whimper. It seriously hurt like hell. If I were at home now, I'd be crying.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. His pained eyes meeting mine. "A large nail cut through the sole of your sneaker somehow."

"It's in my foot too."

"I know." His thumb rubbed over my ankle soothingly. "This is going to hurt. I'm so sorry, it's my fault, I should've cleared up the place last night, I'm such an idiot."

Warmth filled my heart. "You're not… just… just pull it out."

"It's going to hurt," he said worriedly.

"There's nothing we can do about that, just do it, I'll be fine."

So after counting to three, he pulled it out, causing me to gasp yet again. The heel of my foot throbbed and felt more than a little bruised.

Wow my life is so dramatic, maybe I should video everything and put it up on youtube? Hell, I might become famous.

"Nee- Nina, are you alright? I'm gonna take your sneaker off to check out your foot okay? Sorry, I'm so sorry."

Okay Nee? That's the second time he's after saying that to me. Or maybe he forgets my name?

"Jacob stop apologizing, it's not your fault," I said. Giving him a little smile as he pulled the sneaker off.

He studied my bare foot then, his fingers tracing over the skin around the sore part. This seemed to last forever, not that I was complaining but I never considered my foot to be interesting, apparently he thought otherwise.

His brown eyes looked up into mine for a moment as his long black hair hung over his shoulders. There was something about the way he looked at me that I couldn't put my finger on, it was almost like he genuinely cared about me…

Okay enough Nina, you're being totally ridiculous. He's a nice guy. Period.

Ten minutes later, I was sitting back on the stool except this time only one foot had a sneaker on. The other foot was creamed- Jacob insisted. He was even going to cream it for me, then he must've thought better of it because instead, he handed me the tube and told me he'd better get back to work.

Not that I was hurt or anything… I mean I was perfectly capable of doing it myself. It's just… well the feel of his hands on me was nice… more than nice… lovely actually.

Man I really need to get a grip.

"I'm gonna check if this baby works now," he said after a long while. Hopping into the driver's seat and starting the engine.

It started- I didn't know what to feel. Happiness that it was working or sadness that I'd be leaving.

"That was quick," I said. Hoping that the disappointment in my voice would go unnoticed.

He killed the engine. "Yeah, it wasn't a major problem, you're lucky."

I hopped off the stool and slipped my foot into the sneaker, pursing my lips together as I felt the pain rise in my heel. "Thanks Jacob."

Shouldn't I have been happy that I finally had a car now? That I had just spent four whole hours with Jacob in his infamous garage? Yeah I should've been but I wasn't, it was like all the joy had been sucked out of me.

The weirdest part was, I didn't know why I felt like this. It certainly wasn't normal.

"Jeez, I'm only in the door and you're interrogating me." I rolled my eyes as Kara stood over me, arms crossed as I sat on the edge of her bed.

"You abandoned me in that hell hole of a school! I thought you were kidnapped or that one of the bears attacked you or something…"

I cocked my eyebrow. "Bears?."

"Yes bears. Every heard of a woman called Emily Young?." I shook my head. "Well she lives nearby with Sam Uley, he's- whatever, point is, she got mauled by a bear! There have been sightings you know."

"Woah."

She threw her hands up in frustration. "They're out there, I'm serious!."

"Okayyy relax, I wasn't chilling with any bears Kara." I chuckled.

"Then where the heck where you?."

I sighed, falling back against the bed, remembering the last ride to my place I had with Jacob a few hours ago. It was awkward as usual, the only difference was that whenever I stole glances at him he'd catch me, of course I looked away embarrassed. He had been doing the whole tapping the steering wheel with his fingers thing again, leaving me feeling uneasy.

Then when we got to my place, we just sat there, not saying a word to each other until he broke the silence by saying 'well I guess I'll see you around' which lead to me thanking him for everything. And then he gave me one his signature smiles, leaving me breathless before he hopped out of the car. His Rabbit was parked down the end of the road where he'd left it earlier so he could drive my car to his place, so that's how he got home.

And that was probably the last time him and I would spend time together.

"I was with Jacob," I answered. Staring up at the ceiling. Missing him already.

I know, corny right?

Suddenly, Kara grabbed my hand and jerked me back up into a sitting position. "Well I thought you guys were fixing up your car after school?."

"Life's full of surprises."

She grinned. "Was his dad not home or something? You know, so you and him could have-."

Grabbing a pillow, I hit her over the head with it. "Shut up! I'm not like that and neither is he."

"Hmm well I heard… never mind."

I froze. "You heard what?."

"I heard that Jacob gets around, you know with his good looks and that abtastic body of his."

My stomach dropped. It literally dropped. For real.

She burst out laughing. "JUST KIDDING! Oh my god you should've seen your face. Girl, you've got it hard for that boy. Hard I tell ya."

After I recovered from her 'joke', I proceeded to tell her how things went. From how awkward the rides were to how sweet he was to meeting his dad and finally to when my parents asked how I got the car fixed before school finished.

"What on earth did you tell them?."

I shrugged. "Told them I called up the company, got you to help me push the car out of the garage and that they picked it up, fixed it and brought it back."

"And they bought that?."

I remembered my dad's face. "Nah, I don't think my dad did. My mom couldn't care less, but he was giving me this scary look. Luckily you phoned me and ordered me down here."

She bit her lip as she sat down next to me on the bed. "What if you get grounded?."

"Grounded for what?."

"Nina life doesn't always go your way, life's hard. Your dad is going to ask you for proof and he's going to find out about Jacob, it's a small place, people talk."

I ran a hand through my hair. "But there's nothing he can do…"

She scoffed. "Believe me there is, he'll ground you for sure and you definitely won't be seeing Jacob again, he'll be watching. Some dad's are just like that."

I stood up and started to pace the room. "It doesn't matter anyway."

"Why not?."

Our eyes met. "Because I won't be seeing Jacob again."

"Nina believe me you will, that boy.. or should I say man?." She laughed. "Likes you."

Staring at her in disbelieve, I waved it off. "Sure he does. He's just a nice boy, no questions asked. Anyway." I glanced up at the clock. "I better get going, it's seven and I don't want to be walking the streets in the dark when there are… bears around."

"Why in the world did you walk anyway?," she asked in confusion.

Because I might bump into Jacob. "Because your house is nearby."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

By the time I finally made it out of Kara's house (her mom insisted that I have pizza with them) it was pretty much dark outside. La Push was a safe place though so I never felt afraid.

However I couldn't help but feel like someone was watching me as I made my way back home. The woods were just across the road from me and I wondered for a brief second whether there were any bears in there.

And by the time I got home, a whole bunch of feelings filled me, the most dominant one being fear of what my dad was going to say to me. Kara was right, he wasn't just going to let me away with this. I should've thought up a better excuse.

Out of the corner of my eye as I stood outside my hall door, I thought I saw movement. Snapping my head to the right, I saw someone standing by a tree in the woods, but it was too dark to see them clearly. What I did notice was that this person was tall, well built and had long dark hair.

From where I was standing, I could barely make out that they were wearing a pair of shorts, the only thing hiding their nakedness from me and as I studied their face carefully, a wave of fulfillment washed through me as our eyes met.

So familiar, so-. "Jac-."

I couldn't finish the sentence. Whoever it was, was no longer there. I was definitely losing it. What did I think I was doing, almost saying Jacob? He was in no way a stalker and what in the world would he be doing out in the woods directly across the road from my house.

I'm such a freak.

"Nina?."

I screamed. Spinning around on my heel- wince- to find my mom staring at me in confusion.

"What are you doing out here? Get inside before you catch a cold."

"Okay mom," I replied shakily. My whole body trembling.

With one last look behind me, I entered the house.

I was definitely going crazy.

A/N: Phew! Got that chapter out. Again sorry it took ages for me to update, I promise it won't be that long again if you guys are still interested in the story. I'm in no way begging here but if you guys want me to continue with this story, let me know in a review since it's been so long and I have no idea if you guys want more updates.

Cheers.