Longer than I had expected, my cell phone finally rang. I pulled it from my pocket and recognizing Edward's name, I sighed and answered. "Yes?"
"What are you doing? Where are you? Get back here. You know I cannot protect you there. You need to come back now. Or at least get to the edge of the wolves' territory line and I will pick you up there."
"No. I am staying here for a few days. I'm making supper for Charlie. You know, my dad. You enjoy some family time as well, okay."
He started to say something else, but I was furious at his demands, so I hung up. My phone immediately rung back but I choose to ignore it. After the third attempt, I simply turned the phone off and placed on the counter. I let out a sigh. Relaxing my shoulders, I whispered, "Peace, finally."
When supper was ready, I brought it into the living room and gave dad his plate and sat with one in my lap on the couch closest to his chair. He smiled and dove in as if he were one of the ravenous wolves from the reservation.
And think of the devils and they shall appear. The front door opened as a knock rang out. Jacob's voice rung out through the house. "Hey Charlie, smells good in here. Hope you have extra. Hi Bells, glad you managed to escape for a while."
He sat next to me and started reaching for my steak while putting his arm around the back of the couch and my shoulders. I slapped at his hand, which hurt my hand more and I gasped out in pain.
"Leave my food alone. Get your own! And no, I did not cook extra steak so you can go home to get some."
"Bella, where are your manners, this is Jake," my dad admonished.
I pursed my lips and stood up, taking my plate into the kitchen trying to eat what I could on the way, knowing that if Jacob took any it would be gone before I even had a chance. Unsurprisingly, Jacob followed me to the kitchen.
He went to reach for my steak again and I grabbed my steak knife and stabbed it at his hand. It bent some but it did draw blood.
"Hey, ouch! Easy Bells. I won't touch it, I swear. I didn't realize you liked steak that much."
I glared at him until he backed away and sat at the dining table. Only then did I relax while I continued to eat, using a clean knife to finish cutting my steak.
Once done, I set my plate on the counter and focused on the boy sitting at the kitchen table. "Look Jacob, I have a few questions for you. I am asking you to be honest. No sugar coating it. Can you do that?"
He quirked his eyebrows up but nodded his head.
"Did you know that Victoria was trying to kill me?"
His eyes averted some and he pursed his lips together, keeping silent.
I scoffed. "You silence says it all. Did you not think I should know? It is my life here." I whisper yelled at him, trying not to attract my father's attention from the other room.
He shrugged, "Look, I figured you knew about the red headed leech. Don't worry, we can handle her. Better than your leech family at least." He hissed the final words and I had had enough. I threw my fork at his head.
In his shock, he did not even try to catch it but only slightly flinched when it bounced off his forehead. "I do not need people 'handling' my business for me. I need people to consult me. Not keep secrets. You are supposed to be my friend. Friends do not keep those type of secrets." With that I walked out of the room, flipping my hair over my shoulder. The scraping of the chair legs reached my ears and then his warm hands were gripping my arm. I turned on him and hissed out between pursed lips, low enough that my dad could not hear, "Let go of me now or I will take my dad's gun near the door, load it and shoot you in the head, consequences be damned."
My anger finally registered with him at those words as his eyes were huge as he reluctantly let go. I went upstairs and called out to dad, "I'm heading to bed for the night. Enjoy the game."
"Sleep tight," he yelled up at me.
I slammed my bedroom door shut and waited. I could hear voices downstairs and after twenty minutes the front door opened and shut. Moments later, howling echoed out in the air behind the house. Jacob had left.
I pulled my curtains closed on my windows, locked them up and then lay on my bed. Looking around I realized dad had not changed a thing in here, yet again. It was the same as I had left it a few months ago at the end of school.
This made my feel bad about how I had been treating my dad. I thrust myself upon his life to avoid making Renee's awkward in a 'honeymoon' stage but then I pulled it back out quickly. On top of that, I thrust back at him before pulling back away again.
Perhaps the Cullen's were not as good for me as I had once thought. Yes, I spent my time here cleaning and cooking so that Charlie would not burn the place down or die of food poisoning. But still, he gave me independence within reasonable boundaries.
After getting ready for bed in the bathroom, I returned to my bedroom. As I was shutting the door, I heard the phone ring in the kitchen. I paused and kept the door open, listening. My dad muttered as he got up and shuffled over to answer it.
"Hello?"
"She is not available. She has gone to bed."
"No, I am not going to wake her up."
"Well, perhaps her cell battery died. She can call you tomorrow."
"Yes, I will tell her. In the morning. Night, Edward."
Then, I heard a quick click as he hung up. Obviously, Edward was getting frustrated that I was ignoring my cell and resorted to trying through my dad's land line. What he forgot about, obviously, was that my dad did not like him. He would never do any special favours for him.
Once I heard him settle back in the living room and the lazy boy feet go back up, I shut my door quietly. Perhaps I would have a quiet evening. I smiled, biting my lip as I bounced over to my bed. I settled in, a giant smile on my face as I drifted off to sleep.