Chapter Eleven
Bella
When I got up Charlie had already left for work so after breakfast I rang Jake. He was surprised but agreed to come over. When he arrived I made us coffee and we sat in the kitchen. He tried to apologise but I stopped him, "I want to know about the Cullens" I said looking at him. His face became guarded, "I don't know what you mean" he said innocently. "Oh, I think you do. I think you know a lot more than you are prepared to tell me. I wonder what they'd have to say about your tribe if I asked". He stood, hands shaking, "What do you mean? What have they told you?" I acted coy, "Perhaps you should be telling me. Secrets aren't nice Jake". The shaking increased, "There's nothing to tell" he said. "Really? I thought you said they were dangerous?" He nodded, "I stand by that". I looked him in the eye, "Why? Because they are the Cold Ones?" His jaw dropped and the shaking ceased. "How...what...who?" he started and I saw he really did believe it.
"Jake grow up. They go to a school full of humans, one of them is a Doctor working in an emergency room. Vampires? I don't think so. You've been reading your legends too long. You'll be telling me you are really a wolf next. The look on his face stunned me, "God Jake, you really do think you're a wolf don't you? You need help Jake, go talk to someone before you lose it all together". He started shaking again, "Bella don't push me too far or things could get real ugly". I nodded "Yeah, I know Jake, you'll grow fur and claws. Well that's it, I've heard enough to know you're a sandwich short of a picnic but I'll certainly wear a string of garlic round my neck if I arrange to meet any of the Cullens". His shaking was getting worse, "Bella don't joke about these things, the world isn't the place you think it is". I opened the door, "Well thanks for the fairy story Jake. Now I think its time you were on your way. Don't forget your wooden stake in case you meet any scary vampires on the way home".
He turned at the door with a look of rage, "Looks like you might need it Bella, not me". I looked out to see Emmett's truck pulled up beside mine and him standing grinning at Jake. "Just going dog?" He shouted as Jake disappeared into the trees opposite. Then he came over, "Ready to go Bells?" I looked puzzled, "Where exactly are we supposed to be going?" He smiled, "Don't say you forgot. We're going to cheer Jaspers team on, then we're going to the movies". I frowned, "I thought Alice was going?" "Nah" he smiled, "I think I pissed her off this morning, she and Rose have gone shopping. So it's just us three if that's OK with you. Or has the pup been telling tales?" I looked at him, "Pup?" He shrugged, "Just a name Bells that's all". I though,t what the hell they hadn't tried sucking my blood yet, "I'll just get my coat".
The basketball match was good and Jasper's team won. The boys all gathered round afterwards and I noticed he seemed to have all the time in the world for them. In the end Emmett whistled and tapped his watch. Jasper nodded and went off to change. He saw me but he didn't look surprised, he just gave me one of his heart stopping smiles. "OK Bells, lets wait for him in the truck". We hadn't been there above five minutes when he came out, hair still wet and as he walked over he shook it like a dog. As he opened the door I heard a sweet voice shout, "Wait for us", it was Alice and I sank down in my seat.
She skipped over and grabbed Jasper in a passionate embrace before seeing me. "Bella, how nice. Were you hoping to get some tips? You should see her try to play volley ball, it's a hoot". Jasper pulled away and frowned, "That's not very polite Alice, Bella is our guest". Alice rounded on him, "She's not my guest and I don't like the way she keeps hanging around you". He just grinned as Emmett answered that, "Alice, chill. Bella's my guest and I'd like it if you spoke nicely to her". Alice scowled at him, "Oh yes? And just why are you involved in this?" His face became grave, "Somebody needs to". I didn't understand any of this I just asked to be taken home. I offered to walk but Emmett and Jasper wouldn't hear of it, so I got in the front with Emmett while Alice dragged Jasper in the back with her. When they dropped me off Emmett apologised for Alice's behaviour which infuriated her further, while Jasper insisted on walking me to the door and unlocking it for me.
"Sorry Bella, Alice isn't normally as rude as that". I shrugged "Not your fault. I think she sees me as a rival. Stupid really". I went in and shut the door watching through the window as Emmett drove away. Well if I wasn't going out I'd do something else I'd been meaning to. I went round the back of the house and looked at the tree closest to my bedroom window. There were plenty of foot and hand holes so I took a deep breath and started to climb. Sitting in the branches I could see right in to my bedroom. I looked around and spotted something sticking to a twig. When I pulled it off I saw it was a tuft of hair. It looked a kind of reddish-brown in the gloom, were squirrels that colour? Something was certainly using the tree, but what?
I climbed back down, scraping my cheek as I did so and went back inside to clean up. In the bathroom I put the tuft of hair down and looked for some antiseptic cream. As I got back up I noticed the light shining on the hair and it now had a bronze tinge to it...just like Edward Cullen's hair...but what would Edward be doing up a tree in our yard? Was he spying on me? If so he was seriously weird! I didn't like the thought and racked my brains to work out a way to catch him at it, if it was indeed him. I could ask him I guess, well perhaps not. That would be an embarrassing conversation. "Edward, are you sitting in a tree in our yard looking in my bedroom window?" "No" "Oh OK". Then I remembered, Charlie had been given some anti-vandal paint samples to give out and there were a few left. I rummaged in the "tool shed" as he called it, and found one of the pots. The paint never dried according to the tin, Great! I got an old brush and carefully painted a few leaves here and there, the paint was a sort of olive-green so it wouldn't stick out. Pleased with my cunning plan I went in to get a sandwich and do my homework.