A/N: I really wanted to let that cliffhanger stew longer but I was too excited to share again! We're getting to the part of the story that I actually wrote first, before I backtracked to chapter 1. I have multiple chapters written but don't want to drop all at once. I plan to post every couple of days for the next week or so! Has everyone guessed who's waiting inside Charlie's house? (;
Renesmee's POV
The conversation with Mike, Angela, and Ben rang in my ears the too short ride home.
"Are you here with Jacob Black?" Mike had asked, his voice disbelieving.
"Uhh..yeah I am. We met earlier this week, he was taking me out for dinner tonight." I answered.
I was confused that they seemed to know him, as he didn't go to school at Forks High with them. Mom's reminder hit me then…such a small town. Of course everyone knows everyone!
"You just met him this week? You didn't know him…or about him before?" Mike continued to question me, suspicions in his tone.
"Yes, we just met after I had dinner at that diner the other night. We've been hanging out today. Why?" I couldn't understand his tone.
He started to say something when Angela elbowed him and spoke up.
"It's nothing Renesmee. We were just surprised to see you with him is all. And surprised to hear that you didn't know him before this trip. You see…" She hesitated for a moment. "When we were in high school, he and Bella were friends. Well, some of us thought maybe more than friends at some point. We weren't sure. Their families were friends. It started those months that Edward moved away. Things were tense when he came back to Forks. Obviously Bella and Edward are married now, it's old news. We're just surprised she never told you about him."
Her and Ben shared a guilty expression. I could tell they weren't trying to be rude but also shared concern for my lack of insight.
"Oh," I scrambled for a response, not wanting to poke holes in my backstory or show my genuine hurt. My mother hid this from me? Who was he to her? "Well Bella is a very private person, you know how it is. What a coincidence!" I quickly bowed out of the conversation, waving goodbye and hurrying to the door before Jacob could come looking for me.
I mused over the conversations. Could they have been lying? Was it a misunderstanding? Or were my parents and Jacob lying to me? I ran the possibilities through in my head, over and over all the way home. If there was one time of their life my parents talked the least about, it was those months my dad left, so I really had few details to compare this new information with. I wanted to confront Jacob, hear the truth, but was so scared of what he might say.
What if it was true? They took my mind down a full rabbit hole of what that could mean: did Jacob know about vampires? Was he
Jacob seemed to be lost in his own thoughts as well. Neither of us spoke on the short drive to Charlie's. At one point, I felt him turn to look at me. I met his eyes and gave the only smile I could manage, a tight one. He looked away quickly and I resumed my staring out the window.
In an awkward silence, at least to me, he parked, opened my door, and we walked to the small porch. This was it, I needed to ask him.
"Jacob." I started to say, but couldn't finish my question. I tried again.
"Jacob, I have to ask. Something came up at the restaurant tonight, when you were cashing out. I don't know how else to ask this, but…did you know…Bella Swan? Like before, when she lived here?"
While I waited for an answer, he avoided my eyes. Looking over my shoulder, I saw him stiffen and wince. I couldn't let whatever unnerved him derail me. He would answer me.
Before I could get his answer, the door behind us was nearly ripped open. I knew immediately it wasn't Charlie—he wouldn't have that kind of strength. I kept my eyes locked on Jacob though, refusing to be sidetracked. I assumed it was Seth pranking us.
However, I jumped when I heard a voice that should've been on another continent right now, the tone more menacing that I had ever heard it.
"Yes Jacob," his dark voice sneered. "Did you know Bella Swan?"
Jacob balked. He tried and failed to form words, his mouth moving wordlessly.
"DAD?" I screeched the question, shocked by his surprise appearance and shaken by the look of pure rage in his face.
He was seething; his teeth bared, his eyes in slits, his hands balled into fists at his sides.
Suddenly, my mom was there too, right behind him. She placed her hands on both his shoulders, working to calm him. Jacob's jaw dropped open, staring wide eyed at my mother.
"Edward, not here, not now. Charlie is right behind us." She anxiously whispered to him.
My dad barely nodded, just slightly toning down the rage in his face. He turned and backed away, my mom keeping her hand in his.
Charlie was waiting for us, right inside the foyer, clearly suspicious of the strong emotions coming off of each of us.
"Jake! Renesmee! How was your day, kids?" He leaned over and patted my shoulder, trying to ease the dramatic tension within our group.
"Good," I mumbled. Jacob didn't say anything, locked in a death stare with my father. I'd never been more confused in my life.
Poor Charlie was clearly uncomfortable, looking from Jacob to my dad with a look of fear but also recognition, as if he'd seen this before. I looked to my mom, seeking some assistance, but her gaze continued to flick back and forth between dad and Jacob. Like a deadly tennis match, she refused to take her eyes off the players for fear of something going horribly wrong.
