“Bella please just listen to me!” Jake groaned beside me, “he’s bad news I’m telling you!”
“Shut up Jacob you don’t even know him!”
Since that day in Biology Edward and I had become rather close. He still sat at his table for lunch and I still sat at mine, but once Biology came we talked like there was no tomorrow. Jake didn’t seem too happy about my newfound friendship. He said that it had nothing to do with jealousy, but I had a sneaking suspicion that It did. Jacob didn’t like Edward, or his family. Him and his friends from La Push regarded them as freaks and were less that nice to them, no matter how many times I tried telling them that they were alright. I had only spoken to Alice, Edward’s sister once, which Edward himself didn’t seem too happy about. As for the rest of them I really only knew what Edward told me. The two blondes, Jasper and Rosalie were twins, they were seniors along with Emmet, the big brawny one. They all seemed nice enough to me. Except Rosalie, she definitely seemed a bit hostile towards me.
“Bella will you please just listen to me for once!” It was a Thursday afternoon and Jake and I were sitting on my bed, making the most of our time before Charlie got home. At least we were.
“God Jake will you please just stop! I’ve told you a thousand times that you have nothing to worry about!”
“And I have told you a thousand times that all I’m worried about is your safety! It would kill me if anything were to happen to you Bells! You know that!”
I smiled up at him, flattered by this statement. “Nothing is going to happen to me Jake. He’s not going to attack me for Christ’s sake!”
Something about Jacob’s face made me think that he was really genuinely worried about my safety. Although why I couldn’t tell you. Edward had been nothing but nice to me and Jacob. He was fiercely polite all the time. It was endearing.
He grabbed my chin in his hand. “Please Bella, for me, will you just please be careful around him. It’s not just me I’m thinking about either. Could you imagine what Charlie would be like if anything happened to you?” Charlie and I didn’t exchange many words really, but that didn’t deny that what Jake was saying was true.
“Fine Jacob. I promise I’ll be extra careful around him. Not that I have to be! Now would you please stop obsessing? Charlie will be home soon!”
He smiled and leaned in to kiss me. About 2 seconds later I heard tyres in the driveway. “Crap!” I exclaimed jumping out of the bed and fixing the buttons on my shirt. Jacob groaned, slowly lifting himself up. “Would you please move faster!” he grinned at me teasing, and jumped up and wrapped his arms around me. “Come on Jacob it’s not funny! Charlie will flip if he catches us up here!” He chuckled, kissing my neck just under my jaw.
“Don’t be silly Bells honey he already knows.”
“What?! Did you tell him? Or Billy! Aw Jake please tell me you didn’t!”
He laughed at my sudden outburst, “Of course not Bella. But Charlie’s not an idiot. I mean we have been going out nearly three months now. Surely he’s come to some conclusions.”
“Well then he’s come to the wrong conclusions. Jake can we not have this conversation again now! You know I’m not ready yet!”
He pulled away from me lifting his arms in a surrender. “Fine sorry.”
I heard keys rattle in the door and ran for the stairs. Unfortunately I was too late.
“Bella?” Charlie called out to me, clearly confused why I wasn’t in the sitting room as usual.
“Coming Dad,” I called back nearly knocking him over at the end of the stairs.
“Is everything alright?” he asked furrowing his brow.
“Yeah of course. Why?”
“You look real keyed up that’s all.” At that time Jacob decided it would be best to make his entrance. “Ah” Charlie mused, and I immediately blushed scarlet, giving myself away.
“Hey Charlie. How’s your day?” Jacob was grinning like an idiot. I wanted to slap him.
“You’re home early,” I interrupted, confused as why he was home at 5.
“Yeah I just came back to get my big jacket. I have to go back to the station.”
“Is everything alright?”
“Yeah it’s fine, someone spotted a big looking bear over by the outskirts of the forest. Me and a few of the boys are going to check it out.”
I felt Jacob suddenly tense at my side.”A bear?” I asked, bear’s were out of season.
“Yeah, Wayne down at the hardware store spotted it. Said it was bigger than any grissly he’d ever seen.”
“Wow.” I stared blankly at him, “Well be careful alright.” He nodded at me, grabbed his jacket and walked out the door. I turned to Jacob and punched him as hard as I could in the shoulder. He didn’t even flinch.
“Come on Bella! You’re gonna have to do a lot better than that!”
“Give me some credit! I put all my strength into it!”
He leaned down and kissed me softly on the lips. “Maybe so, but Bella you’re not very strong in the first place.” I stuck my tongue out at him. “Anyway I have to get going. Billy needs me for something.”
“What?” first I’d heard of it. “But Charlie’s gone we have the whole house to ourselves!”
“Sorry Bells, I’ll give you a call later.” He kissed me swiftly on the forehead and flew out the door, leaving me there staring after him. Annoyed I trudged up to my room. I had already done all my homework, and I couldn’t think of anything I wanted to watch. I wasn’t really a big fan of tv. I noticed a book sitting on my night stand that Billy had lent me about a month ago. I had flicked through it once, but hadn’t really paid it much attention. I picked it up and sat down on my bed and began to read. The book was all about the history and legend of the Quileute tribe, all about Jacob’s ancestors.
I quickly found myself engrossed in all the old stories and facts. Hours flew by without me realising it. The book talked about how the Quileutes were descended from wolves, and when the ‘cold ones’ were around they were able to shape shift back into wolves. It was almost like watching a Disney movie. All that was needed was a damsel in distress who needed to be rescued from the wolves and vampires, at least that’s what I thought they meant by the cold ones. Blood drinkers could only mean that.

The following few days were very strange. Jacob seemed very on edge all the time, and he was annoyingly interested to find out if Charlie had heard of any more sightings of the big bear.
“For the tenth time Jake no! Since that first time he hasn’t heard anything else about the bear! It probably ran back into the forests or something. Who cares? No one got hurt.”
It was lunch time and today we were sitting with the gang from La Push. They all seemed to be on edge aswell. Let’s just say it hadn’t been a very good day.
“Are you all going on that field trip tomorrow?” I asked, the history department had arranged for all the juniors to go to some museum in Seattle. The bus left at 7 the next morning.
They all exchanged glances. “We can’t. Our parents want us to stay close to home.” Leah said looking down at her food.
“What? Your parents don’t want you to go on a school trip?” I stared up at Jacob, confused.
“It’s complicated Bella.” Something in his tone made me decide to change the subject. Clearly I was out of line.
Biology after lunch went the same as usual. Mr. Molina had decided that today would be a good day for a film on something scientific. Although how Supersize Me was scientific I really didn’t know. As the movie started I felt Edward nudge me.
“Are you going on the trip tomorrow?” he asked staring down at me. His beauty once again took me off guard.
I nodded. “Yeah I think so. Hopefully it will be good.” I whispered back.
“It will be. The museum is lovely.”
I raised my eyebrows. “You’ve already been there? You’ve only been here what? A month?” he smiled at me but his eyes were cautious. What had I said?
“Since Jacob isn’t going, would you like to sit with me on the bus?” he asked never taking his eyes off me.
“How did you know he wasn’t going?” I wracked my brains, trying to remember if I had told him or not.
He looked annoyed at himself, but he hid it well. “I heard Leah talking about it.”
I nodded, a very rational explanation. “Sure.”

For some reason, I was quite excited about the following day. I tried to shake it off but I just couldn’t. even Jacob’s gloomy mood couldn’t dampen mine.
“What are you so happy about?” he groaned. We were sitting on the couch watching a rerun on tv.
“Nothing. I’m just in a good mood.” I answered. No need to tell him anymore. He’d just get angry. To be perfectly honest, I didn’t really know why I was in such a good mood. I mean me and Edward were just friends, and I was crazy about Jacob. Still I couldn’t deny the excitement I had felt in that classroom.
“Will you do me a favour tomorrow? Please?” I was broken out of my day dream by the desperation in Jacob’s voice.
“Sure sure. What’s the favour?”
He stared at me intensely, for so long that I was starting to get slightly uncomfortable. “What Jake you’re making me nervous.”
“Will you please, just try to stay away from them.” I knew who he meant by ‘them’ immediately. I wanted to defend them, but I was sick of fighting with Jake. Instead I looked him straight in the eyes and said “I’ll try.”
Later that night I woke with the most peculiar feeling. I turned on my light and searched my room. There was no one there, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being watched.