Chapter Seven
Bella
On the Friday night Angie stayed over and we spent Saturday morning baking and making salads and dips.
"This can go in cool boxes in the flat-bed, I just hope it doesn't rain."
Angie looked up at the high clouds,
"I think we're going to be lucky Bella. I think it might be an evening for shorts"
"Shorts? When is it ever hot enough in Forks to wear shorts?"
She laughed,
"We're hardy up here"
"You're not kidding. I shall be wearing jeans and a sweater or two just in case"
"I'm sure Jake would be only too happy to keep you warm"
I groaned,
"Angie please, I've had my fill of men, you ask him."
Charlie came back for dinner and we chatted in general about College. Angie was going to Portland, Mike to Houston, Eric to Minnesota, our friends would be scattered all over the country for the next few years. I was enrolled at College in Florida near to Renee, not from choice but it was cheaper and I could bum some meals and washing facilities from her. My College Fund, very small to start with had shrunk even more when I went to Italy to save Edward. Still it was college and that was fine by me. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life but something would come up I was sure. As long as it was far from Forks Washington and the Cullen family it would be fine by me.
We got showered and changed after putting the food in the coolers in the back of the truck and waited with Charlie for Jake's arrival. He turned up, sauntering along the road in jeans and a tee-shirt, hands in his pockets and a grin on his face. My personal sun, that's how I would always think of Jacob. He'd got me through the dark times when Edward left and I would always be grateful to him for that. He held his hand out for the keys,
"I'm, your chauffeur body-guard for the evening ladies."
Angela was almost drooling but I handed the keys over reluctantly after a look from Charlie, college was looking better and better as the days wore on. I let Angie sit in the middle close to Jake and saw a blush spread up her neck as he smiled at her. Jake was very good-looking without being too aware of it, I could see what the girls went weak at the knees about but I saw him like Emmett, as a brother not potential suitor. He chatted happily as he drove to La Push, parking up close to the beach so we didn't have far to carry the food. The guys had put up trestle tables covered in colored paper and there were hundreds of candles in jam jars to light the area up, it actually looked really pretty. Mike was in charge of music as usual and Eric stood with him. When he saw Jake help Angie out of the truck I could see him turn green and struggled to hide my amusement.
As the evening wore on couples formed and some went off to make out under cover of darkness. Jake seemed to have taken a shine to Angela and was sitting with his arm draped over her shoulder. Her eyes sparkled in the firelight and I was glad for her, him too if she turned out to be the one, his imprint,.I wished only happiness for him, just not with me. Feeling I needed to stretch my legs I got up and walked over to Mike and Eric.
"Hey Arizona, fancy coming with us? We're going to walk along the beach a way, look for more driftwood for the bonfire"
"Sure"
We walked along, the two guys chatting about a new movie they'd just seen and they didn't notice as I dropped back. It was nice on the beach alone, with just the sound of the waves washing against the shore. I took my shoes and socks off and paddled in the water which surprisingly wasn't freezing. Looking out over the ocean I wondered where I would be this time next year and if it would be less exciting wherever it was. I knew Vampires and werewolves were real, would I walk into any more supernatural creatures on my travels? I heard voices coming back along the beach and struggled to put socks and shoes on wet sandy feet before they got back to me. Explaining why I had been paddling wasn't something I relished as I'd always complained it was too cold to even go on the beach here.
Jake
I knew Angie was the one, as soon as I touched her I knew she was my other half and it was such a good feeling I lost myself in it for a few hours. I was pleased that it happened away from the other wolves, that way I could get used to the idea before the ribbing started. The others had said I would never find my imprint as long as Bella was in Forks but they were wrong. I'd found her while in Bella's company, Bella's best friend. That made me think, I hadn't seen her for a while but when I asked Jessica said she'd gone looking for driftwood with Mike and Eric so I relaxed back against the rock, putting my arm back around Angie and kissing her bare shoulder. She looked up at me and smiled shyly. She was so different from any other girl I had ever met, not too loud or flashy, just warm and funny. I wondered what Billy and Sam would make of her and I still had to tell her our big secret, but she would have Bella to talk to about it which would make it easier.
It was some time later that Angie tapped my shoulder,
"Jake, I can see Mike and Eric over by the fire but I don't see Bella anywhere. Do you think she's OK?"
I shrugged and got to my feet,
"Stay here baby, I'll be back in a few minutes."
I walked over to Mike and Eric, the latter glaring at my approach which was water off a ducks back to me.
"Where's Bella?"
Mike looked round,
"She's here somewhere. Maybe talking to Jessica and Lauren"
I looked round but couldn't see her anywhere,
"Did she come back with you two?"
Eric turned sighing,
"What's the matter? One girl not enough for you?"
"Hey, I'm supposed to be watching out for Bella. She went off with you two looking for wood, I just want to know if she came back with you?"
Eric went to answer me but Mike shook his head,
"She went with us but she stopped, doing a bit of dreaming I think. She was gone when we came back and we assumed she'd walked back alone, we weren't even out of sight of the fire. Eric and I will walk back along perhaps we missed her if she was sitting among the dunes."