Chapter Five

Bella

I tried Jake later, ready to chew his ear for leaving me sitting there but Billy said he was out. I asked Billy if Jake had asked him about The Cold Ones and Billy laughed,

"Yes Bella he did and I'll tell you what I told him, The Cold Ones are a story, a legend, that's all. Renee loved listening to the stories and sometimes I think she took them as history instead."

He promised to tell Jake I'd rung and that he was in deep trouble. Jake rang me the next evening full of apologies and told me what billy had said,

"I think maybe Renee got a bit mixed up."

"OK, you think what you like but if I find anything out will you still help me?"

"Sure Bells, just give me a few days only I'm up to my ears with homework and I just got some spare parts for the car I'm rebuilding. You could come over though if you like"

I agreed if I got time I'd drive to the Res and watch him rebuild his car.

The next few weeks at school were easier now I was no longer a novelty to the rest of the students. Jessica had realized I wasn't out to steal Mike away from her and I started to hang out with them after school. We went for coffee or to each others houses to do homework together and listen to music. I'd done a lot of the topics in lessons so I could afford to day dream a little about Renee's book and I found myself one day drawing a copy of one of the few doodles from the latter part of it. As I studied the pattern it reminded me of something, something I'd seen before. I had an idea and couldn't wait to see if I were right. At the end of Geography I hung back then went to Mrs Coombes and showed her the drawing, making up a story about puzzles my mum used to set for me. She smiled,

"I think you already know what it is Bella"

"Yes I just wanted it confirmed".

She took a book from the shelf behind her and opened it, putting the paper next to one of the pages. It matched. Renee whose geographical knowledge meant she needed a safety line to get to the end of the garden and back, had drawn an almost perfect map of the area around Forks.

"So the marked places are?"

"Places that meant something to my Mum I guess".

She looked at them and smiled,

"She had a wonderful way with maps".

I heard the unspoken caveat, "Shame you don't take after her."

I didn't know the area well enough to work out the places she'd marked so I'd have to involve Jake again. He'd love the idea of a treasure hunt. Then I had a terrible thought, what if Charlie wasn't my dad. I was born a few months after they got married so was it possible she'd had a fling while engaged to Charlie? No that didn't make sense because she was happy right up until about two weeks before they got married. This was driving me mad, so I decided to give it a rest and do my homework.

At school the next day I ran into one of the Cullens quite literally. I was late for History and ran down the corridor not looking where I was going, too worried looking to see if I'd remembered my text-book and I crashed into a figure coming out of a classroom. I bounced off him and landed on my butt in the middle of the corridor, red-faced.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't looking" I started then lost my words.

I looked up into a pair of the most beautiful golden eyes. A hand reached out to lift me up and a dazzling smile lit up the face above me.

"Are you OK?"

I nodded unable to get my mouth working then fled. When I ran into the classroom I was relieved to see the teacher was also late. I crashed down into my seat next to Angela just as he walked in carrying a pile of test papers.

"What happened? You look flustered?" she whispered.

"I'll tell you later" I answered her, rubbing my shoulder and trying to remember whether I'd hit the wall as well as the person.

On the way to lunch I told her about my encounter in the corridor earlier.

"You ran into Emmett Cullen? I'm surprised you didn't break something".

"I think I bruised my shoulder" I said rubbing it again.

"What did he say?"

I shook my head, "I don't remember, something about was I OK. Have you seen his eyes? They are the weirdest shade of gold"

She nodded smiling, "They've all got those spooky eyes"

"All? Spooky? I thought they were gorgeous."

We walked into the dining room and I saw with a groan that the very same Emmett Cullen was standing at our table,

"Oh God I feel so embarrassed, maybe I wont have any lunch."

I turned to walk out of the room and straight into another Cullen. It just wasn't my day! He steadied me with one hand and smiled,

"Running from me and we haven't even been formally introduced. I'm Jasper, Jasper Hale"

I smiled and swallowed, she was right, he had the same drop dead gorgeous eyes as Emmett.

"Hale?" I squeaked and blushed.

"Yes. I live with Dr and Mrs Cullen"

"Oh well sorry"

I turned making sure I wasn't within range of any more of the Cullens and ran from the room.

Angie found me in the toilets hiding in a cubicle,

"You OK Bella? Emmett Cullen was asking after you."

"Did he see me collide with Jasper?"

She nodded "Afraid so. He thought it was highly hilarious and went off chuckling loudly.

"Why do I do things like that? I'll never be able to face any of them again."

"You're going to have to. Its English next and Alice and Edward are in our class remember."

"I think I feel sick"

She dragged me along to English where I was thankful we sat at the back, away from prying eyes although I thought I saw Alice glance over once with a grin on her oh so pretty face.

I rang Jake as soon as I got home to tell him about the map I'd discovered. He sounded eager to see it so he drove over for dinner with Charlie and myself. Charlie was a little surprised to see Jake here but he didn't mind when I explained Jake was going to help me decorate my room and wanted to see what I had planned on doing. We escaped upstairs as soon as we'd cleared up the dinner things and I opened the book at the page with the scribble then showed him the larger version I had drawn at school and the map of Forks I'd printed out,

"See, Mum drew a map of Forks. She must have done it for a reason Jake. You know the area better than me, where are these dots she's marked on it?"

He looked at me as if unsure what to say then sighed,

"Bella, I'm not sure we should be doing this. I spoke to Billy again and he thinks Renee got involved in something odd, like a cult or something. He said The Cold Ones were just a myth."

"Well I want to know what happened Jake, so are you going to help me or not?"

He studied the map for a couple of minutes turning it this way and that.

"OK I'll help but lets keep it our secret. That one" he pointed to one of the dots, "Is the Res, and I think that one is where the Cullens live now although they weren't there when she drew this. That one," it was the third and largest of the dots, "I'm not sure. We could drive out and see if you like?"

I nodded and we went back downstairs,

"So you decided how you want to do your room?"

"Yes, Jake is going to stain the floor for me and were going to paint the furniture too if you don't mind"

"No you go ahead. It was all Renee's anyway, she brought it with her when we moved in".

I hadn't known it was Mums and it made her feel that bit closer.

"Jake and I are going out for a drive Dad if that's OK, I'm up to date with my homework".

He waved us off and we heard the game about to start as we went.