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Chapter 19
Bella
I'd covered my head when I heard the tinkling and was afraid to look now. There was a scuffling, growling snarling all mixed up, then silence. I looked through the windscreen then the side windows but there was no one there. Edward had vanished, as had his attacker and I had no idea who it had been. I looked around but there was nothing. No blood, nothing. Starting the truck with shaking hands I drove to the Reservation. I didn't see Jake anywhere along the way. When I reached the Res I was still shaking and Emily came out to greet me. "Hi Bella. What happened?"I shook my head and climbed out the passenger side. I gave her the present and she thanked me, still looking at my truck.
Then Sam appeared in the doorway, "Bella" his voice was stern and deep. He looked at my truck window, "What happened?" he gestured. I stood, unsure what to say and he came up to me, "Bella you're playing with fire and you will get burned. Listen to Jake and stay away from the Cullens. I know you were with them and I know you've been with one again today. As long as you continue to associate with that family you aren't welcome here". He turned and walked back into the cabin. Emily looked at me sadly, "We had great hopes of you and Jake. Now it's all ruined. Listen to Sam and Jake for your own sake Bella". I shook my head, "I can't Emily and they won't hurt me". "Oh?" she said looking at the broken window. Are you sure about that?" She had a point but I didn't know who had broken my window only that they had saved me.
It was then I saw Jake saunter from the cover of he trees. He had a furious scowl on his face as he stormed up to me. "You could have been killed Bella. Do you realize that? Or are you too damn stupid to see? I turned on him furiously, "Oh, and I'm safer here with you and the rest of the wolves am I?" There was a deathly hush, Sam came back out and Jake stood rigid with shock, "Yes I know your little secret too so stop telling me how dangerous the Cullens are. I know what they are because they told me. You on the other hand made out like Secret Squirrel! Having found out the monsters are real I'm just waiting to meet a few Orcs or a Goblin or two. It seems everything is possible in magical Forks."
I'll go and don't worry your little secret is safe with me, I don't think Charlie would believe me anyway. His precious Quileutes a pack of mutts".Emily tried to intervene, Sam please" but he cut her off with a gesture of his hand. "Emily stay out of this. Bella needs to know the consequences of her actions. You will die if you stay involved with the Cullens. Its just a matter of time. Now leave, you are no longer welcome on the Reservation. I turned half blinded by tears and climbed back through the passenger side, grabbing my keys and jamming them in the ignition. As I drove away I saw Sam and Jake talking. Had he been the one to save me from Edward or had it been Jasper or Emmett? I had no idea and just at this moment I was too upset to think.
When I got back home Charlie could see I was upset and when he found out where I'd been he told me to stay away from Jake. "That boy is a menace to you. Keep off the Res if he's going to upset you like this". He waved a paper under my nose, "Emmett Cullen rang and left a message for you. They're going into Seattle tomorrow and he thought you might like to join them. He seems a pretty nice guy", he looked at me speculatively. "No Dad, he has a girlfriend". He looked crestfallen then, "Oh, how about Edward, the youngest?" I groaned "No matchmaking please Dad". I thought about the invitation but who was we? If Alice or Edward were going I'd rather visit the dentist. On the other hand if Jasper was going... As I thought this I realized I was becoming fond of him. Bad move Bella! I kept changing my mind until I was a nervous wreck. "You going to let the Cullen boy know what you're doing?" asked Charlie some time later. "Its only polite Bells". I nodded and went to the phone still not knowing what to do.
Alice answered the phone, "Who is it?" "Alice its Bella. I was returning Emmett's call".Her voice was icy, "Oh well he and Jazz are out but I'll tell him you called". I thought she was going to hang up on me, "Alice could I leave a message for Emmett? She sighed, "OK Bella, you're not going right?" That put my back up, "No Alice I wanted to say I will be going". She hissed between her teeth. "Well they're leaving at about ten so I think they'll pick you up about half past". She rang off abruptly. I crossed my fingers that Jasper would be going and steeled myself for a day in Alices presence but they never showed.
I waited and waited but Emmett's truck never showed up and when I rang the house there was no reply. I'd been looking forward to my day out and spent a miserable day doing chores and getting ahead with my homework. I even did a batch of cooking so I could freeze some for Charlie. I was supposed to be spending Christmas in Phoenix with Renee and Phil but I didn't want to leave Forks. Sunday I heard nothing either and by Monday I was really worried. Perhaps they'd had a family crisis or something. On Monday morning I drove into the car park on the look out for the Cullen cars but they never appeared. Their seats were empty at lunch and I sat out in the sunshine with Angela and Jessica, brooding.
Jessica noticed, "Missing your new friends Bella?" I looked up, "What?" "I said are you missing your new friends the Cullens, only you look pretty pissed off". I shrugged, "Just a bad day Jess". Angela piped up then, "Oh they never come in if its good weather. Dr and Mrs Cullen take them on wilderness trails. The school don't mind because they all get good grades". A ray of hope, "They're always away if its like this?" she nodded "Yeah. Wouldn't fly with my parents but there you go". The rest of the day dragged and I was tempted to ring and see what had happened on Saturday but it felt too personal and I decided to leave it until tomorrow. As I got into bed I couldn't help a chuckle, I Bella Swan was praying for rain. What a change in attitude! I'd missed seeing Emmett but mostly I'd missed Jaspers quiet presence.