Chapter3

(Jacob)

The look in her on her face was priceless. I couldn't help but laugh when she tried to be intimidating, she couldn't hurt a squirrel if she wanted too. To spare her feelings, instead of giving into my instincts and bursting into usual laughter, I just stood there and let my delight to see her take stretch across my face.

I allowed myself only a few minutes to myself a day, to do nothing but just look at her, to admire the steady stream of radiating beauty that rolled off of her like waves. I decided I could spare myself a few seconds right now, before she noticed my stare.

Angel. Everyday, looking at her was a new explosion of adoration. She flung her perfect silk waves of bronze curls out of the ponytail I ruined and let it fall past her tiny shoulders and down her back. The top she wore hugged every slender curve along her torso, fitting her like a second skin. The color green she was wearing must have been created especially for her; I have never seen another color go so flawlessly with the pale of her skin and the permanent flush of her cheeks. I watched her full lips curve into my favorite crooked smirk in slow motion as I followed the path of her cheekbone up to her auburn eyes, hiding behind the fringe of her full, thick lashes. In that moment, I couldn't visualize any living being more perfect than the goddess floating in front of me. Amazing; Perfect; Gorgeous.

I was pulled back from my reverie by Nessies repetitive slaps; witch felt more like pillows getting thrown at me. "Jake!"- She said between slaps "Jake!!"- I pretended to still be incoherent, enjoying her frustration as she "slap" me over and over, on my cheek on my head "JAKE!?"- She punched me in the stomach, and then recoiled with pain. She stopped and just stared at me, now looking concerned. It took every fiber of my being not to change my expression; I took me even more will power not to erupt in laughter. Her outbursts were always hilarious when she caught me staring into space for too long. She kept slapping me, punching me, kicking me. My face was persistent in looking like I was still dreaming of her. After about 2 more minutes, her voice was tender, "Uhmm, Jacob…Are you okay?"- She placed her hand on my face, searching for my eyes to come alive, remembering when she was 4(or 14), when we spent an afternoon climbing to the top of almost every tree in the woods behind her cottage. One of the many days I spent earning and savoring her smiles and giggles. To have her face so close to mine, to feel her breath sting my senses, was worth her concern. I didn't get to have moments like these with her. Not yet, at least. Cool it.

My empty face morphed to a wide smile, easing her anxiety, despite my urge to mash her into my arms again. Her face look relieved as she pretended to wipe sweat off her brow while she playfully exhaled with a small chuckle.

"Damn Jake, you were gone for like a whole 5 minutes tha- AHHH!"

Before she could even finish her sentence, I threw her over my back, and started running for the woods behind the cottage, smiling even more mischievously as I heard her giggle from behind me, punching by back. I ran for the trees, the both of us laughing together the whole way. She loved my spontaneity, and I loved giving her what she wanted.

"Happy Birthday Kid," I chuckled mid-sprint. Her returning laugh was my favorite song.

"Jake, I'm feeling kind of sick," she said, still singing.

"Hang tight, we'll be there in a sec."

"I can run myself you know,"

"Just stay put, were almost there."

"And where is there exactly?" she said, her hair tickling the back of my bare knees.

"You'll see," I smiled, taking her from my back and setting her on the groove behind my neck, between my shoulder blades.

"For your sake, you better be taking me to school Jacob."

"For my sake?" I questioned her, with a hint of sarcasm in my tone.

"For your sake." She assured, pecking the top of my head with her angelic lips. Heaven.

"Well, I'm not taking you to school, that's for sure." She groaned.

"What?" I asked.

"I'm gonna have to kill you now Jake, and that's no good."

I laughed. "I would pay good money to see you try to kill me, squirt."

"Do you doubt my ability to kick your ass?"

"Is that serious question?" She swatted the top of my head while I laughed hysterics.

"I could beat you down if I really wanted too Jacob, don't let my exterior fool you, I'm like a bobcat."

"HA! Ness, now your just being ludicrous."

"Am I?" she asked, swatting me once more.

"You always are." I said, hiking her more securely on my shoulders, shaking her with more force than needed, in response to her smacks.

"You should take me to school, before this gets physical my friend."

By all means, be my guest.

"Bring it." She slid herself off of my shoulders, flipping and landing in front of me, with a grin on her face that made my head spin.

"Oh, it's already been brought" She put her ninja hands in front of her, the only thing that would have made this moment funnier would have been, maybe, her whipping out a pair of numb-chucks. I doubled over in laughter.

"You... have... GOT to be kidding… me." I spat out between breaths. "Are we really… about to have this… conversation?" She was pretty strong, but no where near kicking my ass, maybe Seth or Leah's- yeah, defiantly Leah's.

Next thing I know, I being trampled, the object of my imprintation, laughing while she hurls me to the ground. She straddles me, and holds her arms in a deadlock over mine, trying to prevent me from throwing her off of me, as if. I hear her counting down from 10 in the background as I marvel, starring into her smiling eyes, which are locked on mine. I could have easily pushed her off of me with my pinkie finger. But I honestly don't think I was physically capable of movement, or speech for that matter. All I could see was this girl, the only girl in the world, and her dazzling eyes just inches from mine. I could have drowned in them. And I did, for 10 seconds.

"Pin." She said proudly, touching her finger to my nose, forcing it instinctively wrinkle, stirring me from my daze. Then, wiping imaginary dust from her shoulders, she lifted herself from me. "Better luck next time sukkkka." She said through a chuckle, "I'm kinda surprised Jakey, I didn't think you were that weak."

I decided I would retaliate, there is no way I would let her think I was weak. "Oh, hell no." I said, grabbing her by her hips and pinning her by her waist in the softest patch of grass I could find. She laughed as she struggled under my weight. I decided to throw the match, letting up a little bit so she could lift my arm and squirm out from under me. She hopped on top of my back in a blink of an eye, trying to pin me to the grass on my stomach. I rolled around and grabbed her, then shot up in a crouched standing position, lifting her with the palms of my hands over my shoulders. I stood straighter, and triumphantly held my prize.

"What was that now, about me being weak? Ill give you a chance to take that back."

"No way,"

Listening to her laugh the whole time, I spun her then threw her up into the air, reaching to catch her in the cradle of my arms before letting her fall to the ground. Her wild chortles calmed as I slung her from side to side running deeper into the trees. Enjoying her, enjoying herself. Adorable.

"Take it back Nessie!" I was still running at top speed, smelling her hair as it flew around us, engulfing my senses with the smell of coconut and pomegranate, an oddly magical combination.

She hung tighter around my neck, her face delighted from the speed. "Okay, Jake I'm sorry. You're the strongest puppy in the pen." She paused while I smiled with victory. "I wouldn't wanna crush your delicate feelings; so ill refrain from telling you the inconvenient truth."

I crossed my eyebrows at her. "Which is?"

"You're as flimsy as tissue paper," she tucked a hair behind my ear and smoothed it, as if to prove her preposterous point.

"I'm not even going to respond to psycho antagonistic remarks" I said, accelerating up the mountain.

"But it's so much more entertaining," She pretended to pout. "How will I get my kicks if you don't respond to my psychotic antagonizing Jacob?" She lost her game face when I kissed her forehead.

"We're here."

***

I utterly could not believe it. I climbed out of Jacobs arms to explore. It was the most beautiful place I have ever seen in my whole life. The grass was greener than I ever thought possible, the flowers, more colorful than I had imagined. Small splashes of purple, yellow, and white highlighted the grass so ideally, I wanted to get on my knees and demand to thank the angel from heaven that could create a place so breathtaking. I took off my shoes, eager to feel the soft, cool, tickle of the grass on my skin, between my toes. I glided over to the shade of a nearby tree, and lay under it, letting the sounds and smells of my dream Eden intoxicate my body, overwhelming me with such happiness, my eyes swelled with tears.

The Meadow.

My parent's meadow. The meadow where they fell in love. Mom has described every detail of this place to me so many times, the picture I had in my head is not a fraction of as beautiful as this sanctuary really is. I would picture it in my head during my growths, while Dad played me my lullabies. The music in my head would dance through my happy place, the Meadow. I closed my eyes, playing my lullaby in my head, note for note. In the cool grass the breeze surrounded me, allowing more goose bumps grow over every inch of my body. I have been dreaming of this place since I was 2; of lying in the same grass where my parents did, underneath the same tree, memorizing the same smells and letting the same sun warm my skin. It was more than I imagined it to be.

I opened my eyes to the canopy of leaves above me, blurred by my tears, blinking them back before they pooled over. I looked at Jacob. My Jacob. He stood still, letting his long, black hair blow with the gentle wind; he hadn't moved a muscle since we arrived. He just watched me, cautiously. He had just given me one of the best gifts I would ever receive in my life. I glided toward him, memorizing the feeling of the grass on my feet.

I stretched on the very tips of my toes, and he instinctively pulled me up into his arms so I could reach his face. I put his warm face between my hands, and looked deep his eyes, as far down as I could go. His expression was indecipherable. I felt his hands tremble beneath me.

"Jake-" new tears welled in my eyes, flooding over before I could stop them. I didn't take me eyes away from his. "Jake...I-" I was speechless. I kissed his forehead, his cheeks, his nose. "I don't think there are words." I smiled, silent tears running over my lips. "Thank you so much Jacob; you have no idea what you have done for me." I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him close to me. "I don't deserve to even know a person like you." I looked back at him, his expression still stone. "You are the best friend a person could ask for." I smiled again, this time a wider grin. "I love you for doing this. I love you so much. This place is magical." I kissed his cheek again before climbing out of his arms that were overheating me against the sun. I walked around for awhile, feeling the rocks, the trees. I wanted to distinguish every crevasse of this place.

With the blink of an eye, I was being dashed back down the mountain, Jakes sturdy, blazing arms wrapping me into a cradle. I wanted to throw a tantrum, how dare he take me away from my happy place. He sped twice as fast as he had when we ran up the mountain.

"JAKE!" I screamed, more loudly than id meant to. "Jake! Please! I don't wanna leave yet. Why are you going so fast?-" No answer. "What is your problem?! Jake, please, will you take me back." I looked at his face. It stayed glued in the same lifeless expression as it had 10 minutes ago. "JAKE! STOP!" I bellowed.

He looked at me, a line between his eyebrows from my over reaction.

"Jak-"

"I lost track of time Ness, you are already 20 minutes late for school. Sorry." His expression went back to nothingness.

"Ugh! I don't want to go to school; I want to go back to the meadow. Jacob, take me back to the meadow." I started crying. He didn't answer me. He just held me tighter, running faster, his expression unchanging. Something was wrong.

We ran in silence for about 5 minutes. Then, I whimpered in defeat.

"Will you take me back some other time at least?" I asked reluctantly. He nodded.

"Promise?" I urged.

"Sure, sure."

I was standing in front of Forks High school within 15 minutes. Jake didn't even say goodbye before running off back into the woods behind my school. I was astounded.

What just happened?