We made our way to Sam's house. I was anxious and worried about Jacob and his family. I missed him terribly and wanted to know what was going on.
"Alice..." I began as Firerain trotted.
"I know, I know," Alice sighed, "You want to have a word with Jake alone."
My mouth snapped shut, and then opened again. "It might be best..." My mind went to Sarah's strange hostility towards Alice, and I couldn't help but be protective. What if Jacob had adopted his mother's hostility towards the Cullens?
"Fine." She grudgingly agreed.
As I reached the front door, I took a deep breath and knocked, hoping that Jacob would answer.
It was Sam who opened the door. His russet skin was the same shade of brown as Jacob's skin. He was tall and loomed over me, but I stood my ground. "Bella, what brings you here?" he asked, looking at her with surprise.
"I need to see Jacob," I replied, my voice filled with urgency. "It's important."
Sam hesitated for a moment, his dark eyes lingered over me for a moment before nodding and stepping aside. "He's not—"
"It's fine," Jacob's voice could be heard, "Let me talk to her."
Sam paused, debating with himself. "In the living room." he finally said, gesturing towards the room on the left.
I walked into the plain living room and found Jacob sitting on the couch, looking tired and worn out—and impossibly huge. He had grown another foot since I last saw him.
I rushed over to him, relieved to see him safe and sound.
"Jacob, what's going on?" I asked, my voice filled with concern. "I went to your house, and your mom told me the barn was destroyed and that you were working extra shifts. I'm so worried about you and your family."
Jacob looked up at me, his eyes filled with anger. This surprised me more than his unexpected growth spurt. The anger made him look like a stranger.
"Things have been tough, Bella," he said, his voice was barely a whisper, but the tense anger in it made it seem like he was yelling.
"Why?" I yearned to understand.
He closed his eyes as if it were too painful to talk about. "It... I can't..." He struggled with the words.
"What is it? Are you still sick, Jake?"
"Bella," he said, ignoring my question. "I need to warn you about the people who live up the hill. They're dangerous."
There was only one family that lived up the hill—the Cullens. His tone was serious and cautious, and it caught me off guard.
I was taken aback by his words. This made no sense. "What do you mean dangerous?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm and steady. "You met them, you worked overtime to sell them your wall hangings... remember?"
Jacob has always spoken highly of his neighbors and the community around him. Why was he judging the Cullens so harshly now?
"I didn't know them then," Jacob admitted, "but I.. I know more now. People say they're not like us. They're not normal. They don't eat or sleep like we do."
I looked at Jacob skeptically. "Who told you that? Sam?" My eyes flickered to the kitchen, where Sam was sure to be listening. "You can't believe everything you hear, Jake."
But Jacob was insistent. "I'm serious, Bella. You need to be careful around them. I don't want you getting hurt."
I didn't know what to think. I trusted Jacob, but this seemed like such an extreme warning. Jacob's assumptions were unfounded. The Cullens were a bit unusual, but they were kind and friendly. They didn't seem dangerous at all.
My heart sank as she listened to Jacob's words. I didn't want to tell Jacob that his warnings were unnecessary. I had made my own judgments about the Cullens.
I'm so sorry, Jacob," I said, my voice filled with confusion. "I don't think I can stay away from them..."
Jacob smiled weakly. This wasn't the smile I was used to, but a more sarcastic one. His face had become that of a stranger. "But you have to," he said, taking my hand in his. He was unnaturally warm. Maybe he wasn't completely over his flu... why else would he be so feverish and delusional? "You have to stay away from her."
I blinked back, surprised. Jacob didn't know about Alice. He had never even met her. So how did he know?
"I can't." ...Was all I managed to say.
Jacob stood up suddenly, causing me to stumble backward. His full frame hovered over me. He wasn't just taller—but more muscular too. Though he was a very large man, I couldn't bring myself to be afraid. He was Jacob, my best friend.
Jacob trembled from head to toe, as if he were so angry, he just couldn't contain it.
Sam entered the room then. "Enough," Sam said in a quiet and calm voice.
Jacob's frame stopped shaking.
"Thank you for coming to see me. But..." Jacob said in a pained voice.
"But... what?" I asked him.
"Don't come back here."
His demand hit me like a slap in the face. I was too stunned to speak. None of this made sense. Had he somehow discovered my treachery and shunned me for it?
A warm hand pulled my elbow, and the living room disappeared from view. Sam led me to the porch.
"I'm sorry, Bella." Sam said quietly.
And then he closed the door.