Copyright disclaimer: The Twilight series and its characters are the creation of and copyright of Stephenie Meyer. I own nothing and this story is purely a not-for-profit work of fan fiction. No copyright infringement intended.

Author's note: Two words: Please review!

BELLA'S P.O.V.

Chapter Eight

– Sad –

I woke up to rain. It poured down outside my bedroom window, running in torrents down the window panes, and it exactly matched how I was feeling. I stayed over at my dad's house last night as I couldn't cope with the idea of telling the Cullens what had happened. Charlie was delighted to have me there but his happiness soon evaporated when he saw my face with my eyes puffy and red from crying.

"Bella, what's wrong?" he'd said anxiously.

I shook my head and said "Nothing, Dad. It's okay, honestly."

He had not pushed me to talk further but simply nodded and said, "Okay Bells. But if you need to talk, I'm here."

I couldn't get up out of bed. Charlie had left for work and so I stayed in bed, thinking about what Jacob was doing. How had he slept? My sleep last night was filled with fretful dreams. More than once, I dreamed of Edward. He was holding me in his arms and then suddenly he was gone and I felt myself falling down, down into a dark, black oblivion. That was the point when I woke up at 4 am with my chest heaving, my breathing ragged and uneven. And then I would return to reality. Edward was gone. Jacob didn't want me.

My cell phone was sitting on my night stand, tempting me. I flipped it open and shut, open and shut. Jacob's number was on speed dial. It would be so easy to call, just to hear his voice… My thoughts were filled with him, filled with distress and lack of understanding about why he had so harshly rejected me yesterday. He hadn't behaved like Jacob, like my Jacob. It was as if he had built up a defensive wall between me and the real Jacob. A cold icy fear crept into my mind: had he imprinted? I don't know how I would cope if he imprinted on some girl. He would never again be my Jacob: the Jacob I with whom I laughed, the boy with whom I felt so at ease, the guy with whom I could share every little feeling, every concern that I had…

I knew what happened when a member of the pack imprinted: all of a sudden no one else featured in their life. I had seen that with Sam and Emily - so wrapped up in each other. Now my mind was going crazy, considering the possibility that maybe Jacob had imprinted and he would be lost to me forever.

My car was sitting outside, parked on the driveway. It would be so straightforward to just jump in, turn the key and drive down the highway to La Push. But something held me back. What would I do when I got there? Go to Jacob and grovel at his feet, begging him to take me? Plead with him to change his mind? No, I've gotten pretty used to coping with what life has thrown in my path. Get over it, move on…

Then the phone rang and my heart jumped.