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Chapter 9

Threats

Jake

My good mood was back again! It had returned just at the moment Edward landed at the bottom of the stairs.

With a satisfied smile on my lips, I went back into the school.

Going to my first class would be ridiculous, because the bell would ring in just a few minutes. So, I went to my next classroom.

Math with Brandon and Lisa.

I stood in the hallway for as long as I could.

Becky had music now and the classroom was only two doors down.

I didn't have to wait long before she came around the corner. She saw me and immediately began to smile.

"How's your knee?" I asked quietly as Becky stopped right in front of me and looked at me with her incredibly blue eyes.

"Very good," she smiled shyly.

I felt that pull again. It really took a lot of work not to take her into my arms here and now and never let her go again. But there was nothing between us. No matter how many sparks I had seen flying earlier. Maybe I had only imagined it. Maybe it was just in my head after all. There was no way this was the place to find out what was going on inside Becky's. Did I even play a small tiny supporting role in her life?

I hadn't quite finished thinking when someone suddenly stumbled behind Becky, shoving her into my arms. I heard a casually muttered apology and pulled her even more towards me, wrapping my arms tightly around her back as hers wrapped around my neck.

I was in heaven!

I raised my head slightly to see who I had to thank for that. I couldn't believe my eyes.

Edward!

He stood in the doorway to the music room and winked at me.

What was that about? Just eight minutes ago, I had threatened him, between the lines, with death if he came too close to my mom. And now all of a sudden, he was helping me? Why on earth?

I could think about that later. This moment with Becky was too precious, I had to savor it until the bell rang again. Someone must have sped up the clock. The short break to change classrooms was already over.

I reluctantly broke away from her, but took her hand and led her to her door.

"See you later," she whispered back to me.

"See you later, Becky," I replied just as quietly, and breathed a careful kiss on the back of her hand.

As Becky disappeared from my field of vision, Edward appeared there.

Becky. In the same room with a vampire!

"Mr. Black. Would you do me the honor of teaching you something as well?" my math teacher asked me.

I nodded.

'If you come near Becky in any way, I'll kill you!' I transmitted another mental warning and Edward nodded.

"Hey, J! You look really pretty again! Like nothing happened!" Lisa whispered to me as I sat down in the seat right in front of her.

I shrugged my shoulders.

"Mike must be out of practice. Didn't hit me as hard as I hit him," I downplayed my completely unscathed face.

A little later in class, Bran bumped into me from behind.

"You and Becky?" he whispered gleefully, and Lisa also lifted her head beside him from her book.

"Looks like it!" I just murmured to them, replaying those few minutes with her. How she had looked at me! How it felt to feel her so close to me! It was just ... Wow ...

After math I had English with Leah.

I would have loved to tell Leah that Mom was here and how she had been busting the principal's chops on the phone, but I was afraid that she would then think of Mom. That was something we still had to avoid.

As soon as the bell rang, I stormed out of the room and ran down the hall.

I had history with Becky next and wanted to meet her for that.

She came out of the class, saw me, and immediately extended her hand. As if it had always been like this.

Was that only because Edward had pushed her into my arms?

„You're welcome," I heard a voice behind me so soft that hardly anyone else could have heard it.

I did not turn around to face him.

I hated him.

Paying attention in history now was almost impossible. I pictured what my last report card would look like.

History was my worst subject. Since forever. I always had this subject with Becky. And the way she was now smiling at me over her shoulder every now and then, the chances of my grade improving was very slim.

Without my asking Ben handed me his notes at the end of the class and I packed them up gratefully.

I would have to study a lot to be able to hold onto my 'D'. Mom would be pissed. She knew I wasn't stupid. In actuality, I was interested in history. It was just that I was always distracted and that's what she didn't understand. Over and over again she preached that I should ... STOP! Saved again. I had no idea how far Edward could hear my thoughts, but surely it extended over the school grounds. And I almost thought about Mom. I couldn't let something like that happen again. How was I supposed to keep this up for the entire school year?

Holding hands, Becky and I walked outside.

I wasn't hungry. Everything I needed to live I held by my hand.

We walked through the tiny park that was behind the cafeteria and sat down - facing each other - on the farthest bench.

"Where were you last week?" Becky asked me with curious eyes.

"Urgent family matter," I said curtly. I couldn't very well tell her what I had really done. But hadn't Seth said, that those whom we imprint on may know everything about us? EVERYTHING. The whole shebang! But I would possibly scare Becky with it. This world was still new to me, too.

"I was wondering where you were," she admitted.

But something was buzzing in my head.

"What was that with Mike?" I asked a little suspiciously.

She took my hand in hers, stroked it gently, and looked down at the ground, somewhat ashamed. Then she composed herself.

"I didn't see Michael for a few days last week. Except at school, of course, where he mostly ignored me. He had been more interested in his new car, but I didn't care. Actually, it was very convenient for me ... I had a date with him yesterday. We had agreed on it last week, but I wasn't looking forward to it at all. Just the opposite. As the day got closer and closer, I began looking at it with dread ... I didn't think of Michael the way I should as his girlfriend. That's why I broke up with him yesterday ... I was only thinking of you all that time. After you stormed out of the cafeteria so very suddenly last week, I became worried about you. Every day I wondered where you were and if you were okay ... I missed you. It was the same for the last week of vacation. Even though I knew where you were then," Becky replied calmly, not looking at me again until the last few sentences.

I pulled her a little closer to me and gently put a hand to her cheek and looked into her eyes.

"I missed you too," I admitted only in a whisper, not wanting to ruin this wonderful moment.

"I think I'm seriously falling in love with you right now!" she breathed back at me, coming a little closer to my face.

My heart skipped a beat with happiness.

"Not me ... I did a long time ago!" I confessed and our lips found each other's for a soulful kiss that ended only when the ringing of the school bell echoed in our ears.

Have I ever been as happy as I am now? Not possible.

Arm in arm we walked back where Leah was already waiting for me impatiently. I said goodbye to Becky with another kiss.

I wouldn't see her again until later when I had basketball practice. Her volleyball team was practicing at the same time. In the same gym. That could be an interesting practice.

"Well, little bro. You seem to be in a pretty good mood!" Leah teased me.

I put an arm around her neck and pulled her down the hall.

"Little sis, I've imprinted," I happily announced.

She stopped and looked at me with wide eyes.

"Wow ... You can't be serious! How is it?" she asked curiously, but I heard her worried undertone.

"Same as Sam explained. Only stronger! Last week I was just smitten. But today Becky is my life!" I calmly explained. I knew Leah was afraid of imprinting. She loved Ben and didn't want to be forced onto another guy she very likely didn't even know.

"It doesn't happen to everyone! Seth never imprinted and Leah and Embry did not either." I pulled her into my arms, but she remained sad. I lifted her face to me and looked into her eyes encouragingly. "And Dad didn't do it either!"

It worked.

She smiled again. And then she even chuckled.

"Imagine if Dad had imprinted like Quil!" she asked me, and I laughed as well. Claire was only three years older than us, and if Quil were still alive he would be in his thirties by now.

"We're going to be late for class now, even if we were in La Push," I reflected as the second bell rang.

Quickly we ran to our class.

We had biology together for our next class.

Our favorite subject. And our best. We were both very interested in all types of science stuff and both of us planned to study something in that direction.

We walked through the door in good spirits, where Mr. Moore immediately cornered us.

"Well, you weren't there last week. I hope you don't mind, but I've put you in the back row since I probably have very little left to teach you," he apologized to us, although we really should have apologized for being late.

But he was absolutely right. We could actually teach the class ourselves. Mom had done all of the tests and experiments with us over the vacation, soon after we got the new textbook and bugged her until she gave in.

My gaze involuntarily roamed around the classroom to see who had made it into this advanced class again this year. Year after year, there were fewer and fewer who persevered through the really intense workload.

I froze.

Damn it! In the last row sat Edward. Leah had noticed it, too. Shit. The only seats left in the small room were next to him.

Grumpily, we headed for the seats.

As I sat on my chair, I mentally shook my head.

I pushed Leah to the outside seat so that she sat as far away from HIM as possible.

Protective instinct. Such a silly thing. As if Leah was in need of protection.

I turned my chair a little in her direction and we listened to the teacher more than was usual for us in Bio.

Mr. Moore was very lenient with us, so we usually gabbed quietly in his class or would do our homework for other subjects.

The hour passed slowly.

Very slow. Agonizingly slow.

Every now and then I heard a soft chuckle behind me, but I paid no attention to him.

On to the next class.

Irritated, I ran a hand through my long hair.

No relief! There Edward sat again, but this time I had a seat on the opposite side. Just a small consolation.

Are you trying to screw with me? This won't work. Change schools! What do one need school for anyway?

That was what then went through my mind for the last hour.

Edward just sat there again next to the only empty chair.

Was I really supposed to sit next to my mortal enemy every afternoon for the entire school year? Someone had something against me. Quite a lot, in fact.

How angry I was about this was plain to see. I forcibly pulled back my chair, let it crash loudly to the floor, and threw my papers on the desk.

I tried to tune Edward out.

It had just worked out fine in geography.

Edward slid a sheet of paper onto my desk, with writing as neat as if it had been printed.

Why am I your mortal enemy?

'You can't be serious!' I cursed at him in my thoughts.

Yes, I am.

'You are a vampire and I am a spirit wolf.'

Well, you admit that finally.

Angrily I looked into Edward's equanimous eyes. Such a composed look I could not withstand it for long and looked away again.

Why won't you tell me who your mother is?

'It's none of your business.'

Your persistence on this point excites my curiosity.

I will find out! Whether you want me to or not.

'Then I will kill you.'

You can't!

'I'm not alone.'

I have an idea who she is.

'So? A hunch is nothing!'

If she is, she means as much to me as Becky does to you.

'Fool. I imprinted. There is nothing more absolute in my world. Not in your world either.'

It is when our kind meets our soul mate. And that was her for me.

Unwavering, I changed the subject.

'Who is Samantha and why and how long has she been with you?'

It took me a while to get an answer.

For about a year.

I made a mistake because I never forgot your mother.

I concentrated.

'You don't know my mom!'

When the bell finally rang, I threatened him.

'You made a mistake and in doing so broke the treaty. If you come near Becky or my mom, we'll kill you. You know we have every right to do so, and Carlisle would certainly turn you over it comes to protecting the rest of you bloodsuckers!'

His eyes widened and I walked to the gym, satisfied.

Thanks for reading!