Chapter 3: My Best Friend
Jasper put the truck in park once they'd pulled into the school parking lot. He turned to Bella who was deep in thought. "Penny for your thoughts. You've been quiet all morning."
She licked her lips and turned to face him. "I want you to change me. As a graduation present."
He sighed heavily. "Bella…"
"I'm serious! I've been giving it a lot of thought, and I don't see any other option. You told me Victoria's back. She won't stop until I'm dead, and at least as a vampire, I'd have a fighting chance."
"And I told you you don't have to worry about her. You have a coven of vampires and a pack of werewolves hunting her down as we speak."
"Even still, the Volturi are going to check to see if I'm still human. And if I am, I still end up dead."
Jasper groaned and shut his eyes. "Please stop saying that."
"Not saying it won't make it any less true," she said, but her tone was a touch more gentle as she continued. "I'm only going to keep getting older, and you'll stay the same."
He smirked and took her hand. "You think my love's so fragile?"
"No. But even if I survive a lifetime of supernatural events, eventually old age will catch up to me."
Jasper swallowed thickly, the mere idea of a life without Bella enough to cloud his mind with grief. He shook his head. "You've got a whole life to live, Bella. I don't wanna take it from you. I can't be that selfish."
"You're not. I am," she smiled softly. "I want forever with you."
He kissed her, then frowned.
"What?"
"An unwelcome visitor," he grumbled. "If I asked you to stay in the car, would you?"
She rolled her eyes and got out of the truck.
"Thought so," he sighed, climbing out of the truck and taking Bella's backpack for her as Jacob Black approached, black t-shirt and jeans damp from the misting rain, but completely unaffected by the cold.
Bella couldn't help but smile in spite of their disastrous last meeting. "Jake!"
Jasper stood a little straighter, muscles tense and ready for whatever this encounter would bring. From the corner of his eye, he saw Alice and Edward stand in close proximity, just in case. Hopefully, it wouldn't come to that.
"Charlie said you left town," Jacob said to Bella.
He could feel her flinch before she gathered herself. "Yeah. To see my mom. Why?"
Jacob shrugged, then turned to Jasper. "I'm here to warn you. If your kind ever come on our land again…"
"Wait," Bella looked from Jacob back to Jasper, "what?"
"You didn't tell her?" Jacob asked.
"I appreciate your help, Jacob. Always have. But what Bella and I discuss ain't none of your concern."
Bella crossed her arms over her chest. "Tell me what happened. What's he talking about?"
Jasper clenched his jaw and said, "Emmett an' Paul. There was a misunderstanding."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"It's been taken care of an' you've got enough goin' on. I didn't wanna add anything else for you to worry about."
Jacob scoffed. "Did you lie to get her outta town too? Does she even know the redhead's back?"
"Both of you shut up!"
"Y'know what? Whatever, I'm outta here," Jacob said, and headed back toward his motorcycle.
"Jake, wait!" she called, then felt Jasper's hand catch hers. She spun around. "I have to try and make things right with him. He's my best friend."
Jasper nodded. "I know. Call me if you need me."
"I will."
He pulled her in for a kiss. "I'll see you tonight."
She nodded before she ran to catch up to Jacob. She climbed on the back of his bike. "Sure lover boy's alright with this?" he asked.
"Shut up. We're just going for a ride," she said, and wrapped her arms around him to keep her balance.
"Sure thing, Bells. Hold on tight," he said, then winked at Jasper who was scowling as they drove away.
Bella smacked his shoulder. He laughed.
It felt good to laugh again.
They rode out to Emily's place. They both climbed off the bike but Bella hung back. "Is this a good idea? Y'know, 'vampire girl'?"
Before Jacob could answer, the front door burst open and four familiar faces came out to greet them. "Bella!" Embry shouted with a smile. "You're back!"
"What's up, Bella?" Quil grinned. "Glad you're here. Maybe now we'll finally get a break from Jake's inner monologue."
Paul sighed dramatically. "I wish Bella would call."
The rest caught on quickly. "I wish Bella wouldn't call," Jared pouted.
Embry pretended to be deep in thought. "Maybe I should call Bella…"
Jacob rolled his eyes. "Okay. You can all shut up now."
But they weren't done. "Maybe I should call Bella and hang up," Quil said, tapping his chin.
"Maybe I should call Bella, say something, then hang up," Jared added.
"Maybe I should find a new pack," Jacob sneered, then looked to Bella with a sigh. "Any suggestions?"
The guys tackled him, and Bella stepped out of the way and watched them wrestle with a smile. Jacob looked happy, and that was all she wanted.
A girl a good bit taller than Bella exited the house and scowled when she saw her. The boys stopped and straightened up. "Uh, Bella," Jacob spoke up. "This is Leah Clearwater. Harry's daughter."
"Hey," Bella nodded, shoving her hands in the pockets of her jeans when it was obvious the girl was not in the mood for a handshake or wave."I'm… God, I'm so sorry about your dad. My dad really misses him."
"If you're here to torture Jacob some more, feel free to leave," Leah snapped and headed off into the woods.
"Fun, isn't she?" Jacob muttered.
"Bella!" a much friendlier voice called from the house as Emily and Sam came out front. She moved to give her a hug. "I was wondering when we'd see your face around here again."
Jacob turned to Sam. "So?"
"We're good. She won't be getting through our line anytime soon."
"Thanks," Jacob said, and Sam gave him a nod. The guys told Bella bye as they meandered to the edge of the forest. Sam turned to say goodbye to Emily, and Bella quickly looked away. They had always had such an intense connection… even a gentle peck on the lips made Bella feel like she was intruding on something incredibly private. Sacred, even.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Leah, watching the couple with a scowl on her face before she turned into a grey wolf and disappeared into the trees. Jacob's voice brought Bella back around. "I've got the day off. Let's go find somewhere to hang out."
They always ended up back in Jacob's garage. Bella didn't mind. It felt a little more private that way, and she always thought Jacob seemed more at ease here. And, really, after all he'd been through, he deserved that. Bella found a rolling chair that the back had come loose from, making it more of a stool now, and sat down. "So when did Leah… you know…"
Jacob had started doing some maintenance repairs on the motorcycle they'd been riding that day and said, "Right around when her dad died. Her kid brother Seth also phased. He's only fifteen. One of the youngest we've had. Sam keeps him home studying, but he's chomping at the bit. Wish it was Leah who'd stay home actually."
Bella threw a nearby empty soda can at him. "Don't be such a dude."
"It's not a chick thing," he said, catching the soda can in one hand and tossing it aside. Bella rolled her eyes both at the lame excuse and his stupid supernatural reflexes. "It's not!" Jacob insisted. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's a love triangle thing. We all have to live the Leah/Sam/Emily pain-fest. Wolf telepathy, remember?"
"Wait, Sam dumped Leah for Emily?"
"No, it… it wasn't like that. Sam hates himself for what happened, but," he shrugged, "Emily was the one."
"Yeah. I guess sometimes it chooses you," she said, fiddling with something or other she found on the workbench behind her.
"It's more than just some crush. Sam imprinted on Emily."
Bella made a face. "Ew. Do I want to know what that is?"
"Just one more thing we have no control over," Jacob said through a tight jaw as he worked the wrench perhaps a little too aggressively. "Even our fucking soulmates are chosen for us. Thanks to your bloodsucking buddies…"
"Seriously? You're blaming them for this too?"
"Hell yeah, I am! No vampires equals no wolves and no wolves equals no imprinting. But as long as they keep coming back around…"
"People keep phasing."
"Bingo," he says rocking back on his heels. Sadness replaced the anger on what had once been such a young face. "We lose everything. Our lives, our futures, our free will… For fuck's sake, Quil imprinted on a two year old."
"What?" Bella only just managed to stop herself from shrieking.
"No, no, there's nothing romantic about it, it's not like that. It's just a…" he shrugged again, "a spiritual thing, really. The point is, Quil won't even date anyone for two decades. Until Claire catches up to him."
"Ick. Still creepy."
Jacob chuckled at the look on her face. "Still not getting it." He got to his feet to wheel the motorcycle back to its little parking spot carved out in the midst of his organized chaos, then turned back to Bella. "It's like, when you see her… everything changes. It's not gravity holding you to the planet anymore. It's her. Nothing else matters. You would do anything. Be anything. For her."
His dark eyes pierced hers. She could feel a blush rise to her cheeks.
"Have you, um," she cleared her throat, "do you know this feeling?"
"I do," he said, never once taking his eyes off her.
"So have you… imprinted on someone?"
Jacob's face fell and he turned away to wipe his hands on an already grease stained towel. "You'd know if I had. I just have a direct line to Sam and Quil's thoughts."
She didn't know how to react to that, so she simply smiled, "So for now, you're still you."
He gave her a small smile back. "And you're still you."
"Yeah," she said, then hesitantly added, "…until graduation at least."
She hated herself the minute the words left her mouth.
"Graduation?" Jacob nearly shouted.
"I wanted you to hear it from me beforehand, but I told you this might happen…"
"Not in a month! Not before you've… you've even lived! Before I could…" he did shout then, slamming a fist down onto the table near him and Bella knew how much restraint it took for him not to break it. He screwed his eyes shut tight and took a deep breath through his nose. "For a second, just a second I thought… but he's got his hooks so deep in you…"
Now Bella's own temper flashed. "He didn't decide this, I did!"
"And now you're gonna be… that," he continued as though she hadn't said anything. "They're not even alive… It makes me sick. Better you were really-" he bit his lip hard to stop himself, but it didn't take a genius to figure out what he had been about to say.
Bella was stunned. "Better if I was what, Jake, huh? Better if I were dead than a vampire?" she shouted, absolutely fuming. "Nice. Real fucking nice. This wasn't a good idea. I don't know what I was thinking."
His shoulders were trembling, his back still toward her as she snatched up her bag and headed for the door.
"Bella… wait."
"Fuck you."
His voice broke. "Please."
She closed her eyes, hot tears threatening to fall. "Why?"
"I just don't want… I mean, I…" She heard him take a deep breath and could picture him raking his fingers through his hair like he always did whenever he was frustrated. Some things never changed. "I'm sorry. That was… I'm really sorry. I didn't mean it and I never should've said it, let alone think it."
"But you did, asshole." Her voice wavered and broke when she said it, and she hated it. In an instant, Jacob had his arms around her.
"God, Bells, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
She hugged him back, she couldn't help it. "This sucks. Everything about this sucks."
From where his head laid against hers, she felt him nod in agreement.
"I know this is hard. And if it's too hard for you, then fine, I guess, but… seriously, Jacob, you're my best friend. I don't know what I'd do without you."
He hugged her closer for just a moment before pulling back. He gave her a half smile. "I don't know what I'd do without you either."
"I'm here," she promised him. "I'll always be here."
"Me too. Look I… I know I haven't been a very good friend since all this shit happened. I'm sorry. It's not your fault you got dragged into the middle of this."
"It's not his either," she said softly.
"Agree to disagree," he mumbled. Bella threw her hands up in the air. "I'm sorry, it's just… I wish I could explain what it feels like when they're around! It's like some primal, protective instinct. We're never gonna be friends, Bells. But if… If it's important to you, I'll try to tolerate them a little better."
"That's mighty big of you." He rolled his eyes and she gave him a small smile. "Seriously, I know that's a big step for you, so thanks."
"You're my best friend. I'd do anything for you."
"Anything like let me drive your bike back?"
He grinned. "All friendships have limits, honey."
"Oh c'mon!"
A/N: Honestly, I'm torn on how this chapter turned out. Looking back on Twilight so many years later, I'm disappointed in the way Jacob handles some things, so I'm playing around with his character (and his relationship with Bella) more than I'd planned. Anyways, hope you enjoyed it, and as always, I've loved reading your reviews! Cheers!
