Bella's Point of View

The remainder of my morning had gone in a much smoother fashion. The professors had been civil, if not a bit disinterested. None of them paid me the faintest amount of attention, it was as if I had blended into the background. Of course the other students were similar in regard to my presence in class. They avoided eye contact and whispered amongst themselves. Probably questioning how someone like me could be accepted in a school like this. It didn't bother me. This only motivated me to show them that I deserved to be here. Each class was considered advanced for a first-year student, but I tended to excel in math and science coursework. I was hesitantly optimist that I would be able to catch on to the material and keep up with the accelerated pace.

By the end of the day, I hadn't made any friends, or really talked with anyone, other than Emmett, earlier on in the day. Everyone else had stayed a safe distance, they acted as though I was contagious. It didn't bother me. It only benefited me, that I wouldn't be distracted from my studies. But there was something that still was eating away at me.

That professor… the one that had left early, the one that looked at me with such hatred and contempt. His blistering fury sparkled in his topaz eyes. Bright, vibrant, alive. I couldn't get his eyes out of my mind. It sent a chill down my spine. I wanted to speak with him. Demand to know what his problem was with me. But I shouldn't care. I didn't want to care. One way or another, it didn't matter if that teacher approved of me or not. As long as he graded me fairly, I had no reason to ever speak to him. But still… There was just something about this situation that left me feeling a little sad.

A few tears slid down my cheeks as I made it back to my car. I rested my head against the steering wheel for a second. Trying to collect myself. I was acting like a child. Out of all the awful people I've come into contact with today, why was that teacher, the one that really upset me? I didn't want him to despise me. I know that Emmett had mentioned that he was probably sick, or something, but he didn't look sick to me. No. I know the difference. He wouldn't just be looking at me, if he was sick. I was the only one that he casted his dark glares towards. There was something more to this. And I felt that I deserved an answer.

I fought back tears the entire way back to the apartment. I knew I was being overly sensitive about the whole thing, but I just couldn't manage to let myself forget about it. It was dumb and I really didn't want Rene to start worrying about me. So, before I got out of the car to go inside, I gave myself a minute. I needed to calm myself down and dry my tears.

For a moment, I just listened to the radio, it was at a quiet volume, Debussy was playing. It was one of Rene's CDs. The soothing melody did help me relax a little. I remembered when I had introduced Debussy to Jacob for the first time. He had made fun of me for having poor musical taste. I believe he referred to me as 'The oldest young person' he ever met. The thought of Jacob made me smile a little bit. I knew it was wrong. But hearing his voice would have been nice. Or even getting to see him. Just once.

No. It's time to leave all that in the past. That's not your life anymore. Let go.

I gathered a big breath and got out of the car, to begin the tortuous climb up the stairs. This had been one huge issue that I had with this apartment. Yes, it was nice that our room was on the very top floor, but there wasn't an elevator. So we would have to walk up ten flights of stairs, just to reach the top. It was exhausting, especially after such a long day. I couldn't imagine Rene found it easy to carry Mia up these stairs.

By the time I reached the top and made my way down to the end of the hallway, my feet had begun to ache and the muscles in my legs started to cramp uncomfortably. I wasn't used to this, I wasn't in the greatest shape. It was something I wanted to work on, I guess the stairs would be the first step to working on my physical health.

The keys to the apartment that Rene had given me, jingled in my hands as I searched for the right key. I awkwardly stood at the door, trying each key, but having no luck with unlocking the door.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as a guy made his way down the hallway, pausing at the room right next to ours. He glanced over to me with a shy smile. A younger girl was at his side, she looked about eleven. They must be siblings. The boy hesitantly approached, pulling the girl along by her wrist.

"S-sorry, did you need some help?" His voice was warm, polite, but was lacking in confidence. He seemed genuinely sweet. His light brown hair hung in long curls, just covering his eyebrows. There was something very exotic about him, he had a slight accent. The little girl as well. They didn't seem like they were from around here. Their eyes are both a wild, vibrant green. So beautiful and lively.

"Uhh, well I am having a bit of an issue unlocking the door." I muttered, ducking my head in embarrassment.

The girl pulled at the boy for a minute, impatience on her face. "Come on Conner, you're going to be late to work again." Her voice was so cute and airy. It brought a smile to my face. She reminded me of Mia in a way. I wondered what Mia would look like when she was around this age. I'm sure she would be just as cute.

"Just wait Kay, head on inside, I'll be right there." The guy; whose name I guess was Conner, said as he dropped her arm.

The girl darted off and made her way into the apartment next door. She peeked over at us a few times, before slamming the door shut behind her.

"These locks are so old, sometimes it takes a bit of brute force." Conner replied as I dropped my set of keys in his hand. I chewed my lip, watching as he stuck the key in and began to rattle the lock with the force. Like magic, it opened with a low creaking sound.

I smiled warmly as he passed the keys back to me. "Thanks, I really appreciate it."

"No problem," He replied with a timid smile. "I'm Conner by the way, if you need anything, umm, don't hesitate to let me know. My sister and I are right next door." He held his hand out.

I took his hand, ignoring the slight dampness of it. "Nice to meet you, I'm Bella."

There was a hint of pinkness that touched his pale cheeks as he gently let go of my hand. "Nice to meet you too Bella." With a bit of awkwardness he turned and went to his room.

He seemed really nice. And around the same age as me. It was a relief that at least some of the people in this area were decent human beings. Maybe I will end up making a friend. But I wouldn't let myself get too distracted by that. The last thing I really needed was getting too friendly with the neighbor boy. Although, it has been a really long time… since I've had the opportunity to spend time with someone of the opposite sex… in that way.

I pushed my thoughts away and placed my bag on the kitchen table. The house was completely quiet. Rene mentioned that she would be stopping at the store on the way back home to pick up some groceries. So I would have this place to myself for a little while, until they made it back. I didn't mind. I should use this peace and quiet to start jumping into the mountains of homework that got assigned. For the first day of class, I hadn't expected there to be this much work. I wished for a moment that I had a laptop. It truly would make all of this easier. Especially since I had an essay due at the end of the week, which means I'll have to spend my free time at the university library, just to type out my essay.

I worked diligently at the work, until my head started to ache. I took small breaks in between and didn't stop, even as Rene made it back home. She huffed and puffed, trying to catch her breath as she staggered into the kitchen. Mia was asleep, with her head laying on her shoulder.

"How was your day?" She said quietly as she flicked her high heels off her feet. She carefully began to walk Mia over to the couch, where she laid her down and covered her with the blanket she kept over the back of the couch.

I shrugged my shoulders, sighing. "It was exactly how I thought it was going to be."

"Oh no, what happened?" Rene said moving over to sit down across from me at the table. A look of concern touched her face.

"Nothing, I mean, it doesn't even matter." I replied, feeling a pinch of pain in my chest. The professor's eyes came back into my mind. Golden wrath. Hatred. Fury. Such harsh, unrelenting emotions. So raw and animalistic. I just couldn't shake the sadness. And it really annoyed me that I couldn't.

"Oh course it matters honey, do you want to talk about it?" Rene continued, reaching out to gently stroke the top of my hand.

I looked up at her, shaking my head slightly, not even bothering to fake a smile. That was how it was with Rene. I never really had to hide how I felt. I knew she wouldn't try to pry. She was always mindful of my boundaries and she understood my feelings, some times better than I knew my own.

"Okay," She said easily, withdrawing her hand, before offering me a weak smile. "Would you like to hear about my day?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I was going to ask. How was Mia today? Did she give you any trouble?"

"Of course not, she is better behaved then most of my kids in my class. She was wonderful. And the others loved her. I think she will be a great new addition to the class. For the time being anyway."

I was relieved that everything had gone well for Rene today. I wish that I had the same enthusiasm. But things were bound to get better. Right? It wouldn't be so hard all the time… right?

"That's great," I gave her a weak smile. "Did you want me to make dinner tonight?" I asked, nodding over to the few bags of groceries that Rene had brought up with her.

As if she just realized they were there, she shot up to her feet and quickly began putting them away. "No, no dear, not tonight. You just focus on your school work. I'll take care of dinner tonight."

I really appreciated that. I was lucky to have a mother that supported my studies like this. But I knew cooking wasn't exactly a skill Rene mastered. When we had lived together in the past, I was always in charge of cooking. That remained true even after I moved in with Charlie. Needless to say, I had grown very used to it. I'd rather cook. It would give me a break from all this homework. Maybe it would make me feel a bit better.

"That's alright, I needed to take a break anyway. Just tell me what's on the menu for tonight and I'll make it." I said bouncing up to my feet.

Rene hesitated, a pout coming to her face. "Really? You don't mind?"

"Not at all, what are you hungry for?" I said, turning my attention to the fridge. I took note of everything we had.

"Well, I was in the mood of tacos tonight, if that sounds good to you."

"That sounds perfect, I'll get right on it." I gave her a smile, before diving into preparing dinner. It was something Charlie didn't ask me to make often. He was more of a fan of steak and potatoes, or fish and french fries. The normal dinners you would imagine a man would want to come home to. Rene on the other hand had a bit of a more unpredictable palate. It made cooking a bit more of a challenge. Which I didn't mind in the slightest.

Rene went to the living room, just as Mia was waking up. "Potty," Mia replied with an alarmingly desperate voice.

Rene quickly jumped up and picked Mia up, walking quickly with her out of the room. "Hold on sweetie."

I've been working with Mia on her potty training. It's been a really slow process, but she has been doing really well lately. She has accidents usually during the night, but that has been becoming less and less. I was very proud of her. She was truly the light of my life. She was the one that motivated me the most to continue moving forward. I would become a better mother to her.

It was quiet for a while, as I stood at the electric skillet. Since this apartment wasn't big enough for a full stove, Rene had purchased an electric skillet to cook with. I began getting lost in my thoughts for a while as I stirred in spices to the ground meat. Cumin, onion powder, salt and pepper. It smelled delicious. I added a jar of salsa to the meat and a pinch of chili peppers.

Suddenly I jumped at the sound of my phone ringing in my pocket. Quickly I dug in my pocket and pressed the phone up to my ear. "Hello,"

"Hey Bella, how did your first day go?" The voice at the other end of the phone, instantly broke my heart into pieces. So warm and familiar. A lump started in my throat, causing my own voice to strain as I replied.

"Oh, hey Jake, it was fine. Are you calling for Mia?"

"I wouldn't mind hearing from her, but I called to talk with you."

I bit down on my lip, letting my eyes squeeze shut. Why did he have to do this to me? Why couldn't he just leave me alone. I didn't want him to call me. Or talk with me like old times. Things are different now. It could never go back to how it was. Why did he want to hurt me like this, over and over? Hadn't I suffered enough?

"Was there something you needed?" I asked quietly.

There was a pause on the other end of the phone for a second. I listened to him breathe. I could almost see the look on his face. I could almost feel the heat of his body. It was maddening. I wanted to hang up.

"No, I just wanted to talk. But if you don't want to talk to me, I can… let you go."

Why did that sound like an even more painful option? The thought of him no longer reaching out to talk was almost unbearable. My heart ached. I wanted to tell him, yes, please don't call me ever again. Just call if you want to speak with your daughter. I don't want bothered with you anymore. That's what I should have said. But that's not what came off my lips.

"I do… want to talk…" I muttered softly. But in the background I heard a sharp female voice. 'Don't tell me you're talking to Bella'. I recognized Amelia's voice instantly. My blood ran cold. I instantly regret even answering my phone at all.

"I have to go Jake, maybe I'll talk with you some other time." I said quickly, before he could respond. And I hung up. My hand trembled slightly as I shoved my phone back in my pocket. Again, I found myself distraught and miserable, over a man. This was turning out to be the theme of today. I had to get over this. Why did everything have to be so hard? I wish that Jacob would just… stop.

Rene and Mia returned to the room soon after, Mia in a different outfit than before. Looks like Rene had given her a quick bath and got her into her night time clothes. I assumed that Mia hadn't completely made it to the potty in time. My heart warmed as Mia stumbled a bit as she walked over to me. She leg tightly onto the leg of my pants, watching as I continued to cook. She babbled for a while, and swung her little doll around, pretending to make the doll bite my leg. In which I let out a fake cry of pain.

Mia just had a way of lifting my spirit, in her own way. Her little hands were so warm, they reminded me of Jacob's. In the back of my head, I constantly worried that she one day might shift into a wolf as well. It would be challenging and there would be a very real possibility that this would cause me to return to Forks. In order for her to be close with her dad. As a wolf, she would immediately join Jacob's pack and most likely would be next in line as the alpha. It would be wrong of me to keep her away from her pack. But as of right now, I didn't have to worry about that. I could relax for the next few years. If Mia did get the wolf genes, it would be a long time before she would ever phase.

Charlie and Rene had no idea about the La Push legends. It was something only I knew about. I'm sure they would have been even more worried about me, if they had known that I had a werewolf's baby. It was a lot to hold on my shoulders. All the secrets that I've been carrying. But there was still a lot that I didn't know about. There are some things Jacob refused to go into detail about. And I respected his wishes and didn't push for details. I was just content being with him.

Once I finished dinner, I went straight back to my homework. I didn't have much more time to get things done. I needed to finish before I ate. I knew the second I ate, I would start getting sleepy. It was just something I noticed about myself. Eating made me tired.

Rene and Mia began to eat quietly at the table. They seemed to enjoy the meal. Especially Mia. Rene had helped roll her a few mini tacos, but Mia still ended up making a complete mess. Taco sauce coated her hands and mouth. By the looks of it, I would have to give her another bath tonight, before putting her to bed.

I was nearly done with my work, when Rene turned to me with a glum look coming to her face. "The last time I had tacos… it was for Phil's birthday… hard to believe… this is how it ends."

I tried not to make a face. It was hard seeing her upset about something. She was always such a happy, vibrant person. I could see the haunted look behind her eyes now. Not to mention the weight she has lost. The dark circles under her eyes. Her skin was even more pale than mine. She didn't look like her normal self, she looked like life was sucked out of her.

"You don't have to talk about it, if you don't want to." I said as I began putting all my things back into my bag. I did my best to keep everything neat and in order. Eagerly, I went to make myself a plate of tacos. I was starving at this point. It was nearing nine o'clock at night. Mia had fallen asleep in her high chair. Her hands still smushed into her plate.

"It helps to talk about your feelings. Pushing it all back and ignoring how you feel doesn't help you move on. How can you find closure if you avoid the subject?" Rene asked with a half smile. Her eyes started looking glassy.

I turned away from her, not willing to let the emotions that I was feeling surface. I had cried enough for one day. I didn't want to talk about my feelings. I didn't want to talk about Jacob, or feel that pain. I couldn't handle it. I'd much rather pretend our relationship had never existed.

"I know what you're saying, but it's painful. I'm not a fan of seeing you upset mom. If there was anything at all I could do, I would do it." I said as I took my seat down at the table again. I took a mouthful of the taco, giving myself a silent pat on the back. It was good. Probably the best I've made in a while.

"Losing someone close to your heart is painful. But that pain is proof that you truly loved someone. It's proof that you are human. And in the process of healing. The pain eventually will fade over time. Like any other wound. But to ignore that, would be to ignore a time in your life, that you were hopelessly in love and happy. How could I forget those memories? Those are still some of the best moments of my life. Even though things didn't last… I'd never want to forget how Phil made me feel. The good and the bad."

Her words held a lot of weight. She silently let a few tears slid down her cheeks as she seemed to lose herself. Her eyes went somewhere off in the distance for a moment. As if she was reliving one of those memories right this second. But suddenly, she came back into focus and turned to Mia, who was still asleep. "I'll take care of this little messy gal. You take your time and make sure you get enough to eat."

"You don't have to do that," I protested.

"Nonsense, that's why I wanted you to move in with me, I wanted to help you with my grandbaby here. Believe me, having the both of you here, is really helping. I'm glad to take care of her. She reminds me of you, when you were young like this." Rene said with a warm smile. She gently scooped Mia up from her seat and walked out of the room.

I really was thankful for Rene's help. It did make things a lot easier. With all this schoolwork, I barely had any time for anything else. I hoped that this wouldn't be an everyday occurrence. I hoped that the homework loads would get a little lighter. This kind of work would keep me busy all day. And I really wanted to spend as much time with Mia as possible. I would only have her a month at a time.

It didn't take me long to eat. I was already so tired, I kept yawning as I packed away the leftovers and finished cleaning the dishes and pans. It wasn't much, but I would help around the apartment as much as possible. By the time everything was done and sitting out to dry, I was barely able to keep my eyes open. I stumbled my way back to my room. Mia was laying on her own little mini bed. It was just a small toddler bed, the room was small, so her bed fit snugly between my bed and the wall. A night-light was placed at the door of the room, illuminating my path to the bed just enough that I didn't end up tripping over anything as I changed into my pajamas. I was too tired to shower tonight, I would be sure to get one in the morning.

The moment my back hit the mattress, it felt like pure bliss. It was mere seconds, before I drifted off to a dreamless sleep.

Jacob's Point of View

Amelia approached me from behind, pressing her naked body against my back. I shivered at the feeling of her breasts poking into me. I was completely under her spell when she was unclothed. It was an unfair advantage that she used against me often. She knew I wouldn't deny her, when she was using her charms against me. Still, I tried to remain aloof.

"What do you want?" My voice was a bit strained. My thoughts had turned to mud as I felt her slip herself into my lap. My eyes couldn't stop exploring her. Why did it have to be her? Why couldn't it be Bella? Why was Amelia so perfect? Why did my heart race like this when I was around her? Why couldn't I control my urges?

"I have a question. Just one, I was hoping you could answer for me." Her lips brushed against my ear, sending a chill down my spine.

"What?"
"What in the hell are you still hung up on Bella freaking Swan? I thought I was your imprint? I thought it was me that you loved." Her voice was full of venom. She was pissed. The look of jealousy on her face almost made me laugh. I enjoyed seeing her uncomfortable. I enjoyed seeing her in pain. It thrilled me, any heartache I created within this woman. I don't know why this was… But on the flip side… I knew I would murder the first man to ever touch her. She was mine. Only I could touch her.

"I told you Amelia, I can't explain this exactly. But I'm not in love with you. In the slightest… not how I love Bella." Again, the look of pain came to her face, making me smile.

"Then why are you here with me? In my bed?" She purred, pressing herself closer to me. My hands trembled slightly as I wrapped my arms around her. I couldn't help myself. With a quick motion, I had her pressed down against the bed, pushing my shaft deeply inside of her. The feeling was complete euphoria. I couldn't control myself. It was like my mind went completely blank. The only thing I could focus on was relieving my sexual needs as quickly as possible. It had to be her. Only her. I needed to hear her cry out. I needed to completely mark her with my essence. Nothing else in the world mattered.

It didn't take long, it never does. The moment I found my release, she would fall asleep soon after and I would finally be free from her spell. My sanity returned. And I made my escape. I had spent long enough in her presence. I wanted to be left alone. My thoughts went to Bella as I left her house. I looked up to the night sky, admiring the moon that shined above. It almost reminded me of Bella. Her purity, her fair skin, the beauty and silence that loomed around her. She was a mystery to me. I wished for nothing more than to be with her.

But that was out of the question, until I find a way to break this spell that Amelia had over me. I knew this imprint wasn't normal. It was nothing like Sam and Emily's. But I couldn't seem to break the chains wrapped around my throat. I would continue to look for answers. Until I could reunite with the woman I truly loved. Being away from her caused a great deal of pain. At times, I couldn't even breathe. I needed Bella too. Not for my own personal gratification. Not for sex. I needed her in my life. I wanted her by my side. She is the one who should be here. It's Amelia that should have left. Why can't I get over this witch? Why won't Amelia leave me? I've treated her poorly since the day I had to break up with Bella. I only ever come around for sex. We don't have any kind of real relationship. So why did she stick around? Was it just to torture me?

This was another fun chapter for me to write. I hope you all enjoyed it. Leave a review with your thoughts. What's the deal with this imprint between Jacob and Amelia? Is it really an imprint? Or is something else going on here?