to L。A。； that the seat beside
me had never been filled。 Even Mike； always eager to take any advantage； had
kept a safe distance。
With Edward back in place； it was almost as if the last eight months were just
a disturbing nightmare。
Almost； but not quite。 There was the house arrest situation； for one thing。
And for another； before the fall；
I hadn't been best friends with Jacob Black。 So； of course； I hadn't missed
him then。
I wasn't at liberty to go to La Push； and Jacob wasn't ing to see me。 He
wouldn't even answer my
phone calls。
I made these calls mostly at night； after Edward had been kicked out—promptly
at nine by a grimly
gleeful Charlie—and before Edward snuck back through my window when Charlie
was asleep。 I chose
that time to make my fruitless calls because I'd noticed that Edward made a
certain face every time I
mentioned Jacob's name。 Sort of disapproving and wary maybe even angry。 I
guessed that he had
some reciprocal prejudice against the werewolves； though he wasn't as vocal as
Jacob had been about
the 〃bloodsuckers。〃
So； I didn't mention Jacob much。
With Edward near me； it was hard to think about unhappy things—even my former
besi fnend； who was
probably very unhappy right now； due to me。 When I did think of Jake； I always
felt guilty for not
thinking of him more。
The fairy tale was back on。 Prince returned； bad spell broken。 I wasn't sure
exactly what to do about the
leftover； unresolved character。 Where was his happily ever after？
Weeks passed； and Jacob still wouldn't answer my calls。 It started to bee a
constant worry。 Like a
dripping faucet in the back of my head that I couldn't shut off or ignore。
Drip； drip； drip。 Jacob； Jacob；
Jacob。
So； though I didn't mention Jacob much； sometimes my frustration and anxiety
boiled over。
〃It's just plain rude！〃 I vented one Saturday afternoon when Edward picked me
up from work。 Being
angry about things was easier than feeling guilty。 〃Downright insulting！〃
I'd varied my pattern； in hopes of a different response。 I'd called Jake from
work this time； only to get an
unhelpfulBilly。Again。
〃Billy said he didn't want to talk to me；〃 I fumed； glaring at the rain oozing
down the passenger window。
〃That he was there； and wouldn't walk three steps to get to the phone！ Usually
Billy just says he's out or
busy or sleeping or something。 I mean； it's not like I didn't know he was
lying to me； but at least it was a
polite way to handle it。 I guess Billy hates me now； too。 It's not fair！〃
〃It's not you； Bella；〃 Edward said quietly。 〃Nobody hates you。〃
〃Feels that way；〃 I muttered； folding my arms across my chest。 It was no more
than a stubborn gesture。
There was no hole there now—I could barely remember the empty feeling
anymore。
〃Jacob knows we're back； and I'm sure that he's ascertained that I'm with
you；〃 Edward said。 〃He won't
e anywhere near me。 The enmity is rooted too deeply。〃
〃That's stupid。 He knows you're not like other vampires。〃
〃There's still good reason to keep a safe distance。〃
I glared blindly out the windshield； seeing only Jacob's face； set in the
bitter mask I hated。
〃Bella； we are what we are；〃 Edward said quietly。 〃I can control myself； but I
doubt he can。 He's very
young。 It would most likely turn into a fight； and I don't know if I could
stop it before I k—〃 he broke off；
and then quickly continued。 〃Before I hurt him。 You would be unhappy。 I don't
want that to happen。〃
I remembered what Jacob had said in the kitchen； hearing the words with
perfect recall in his husky
voice。 I'm not sure that I'm even…tempered enough to handle that You
probably wouldn't like it
so much if I killed your friend。 But he'd been able to handle it； that time
〃Edward Cullen；〃 I whispered。 〃Were you about to say 'killed him？ Were you？〃
He looked away from me； staring into the rain。 In front of us； the red light I
hadn't noticed turned green
and he started forward again； driving very slowly。 Not his usual way of
driving。
〃I would try very hard not to do that；〃 Edward finally said。
I stared at him with my mouth hanging open； but he continued to look straight
ahead。 We were paused at
the corner stop sign。
Abruptly； I remembered what had happened to Paris when Romeo came back。 The
stage directions
were simple： They fight。 Paris falls。
But that was ridiculous。 Impossible。
〃Well；〃 I said； and took a deep breath； shaking my head to dispel the words in
my head。 〃Nothing like
that is ever going to happen； so there's no reason to worry about it。 And you
know Charlie's staring at
the clock right now。 You'd better get me home before I get in more trouble for
being late。〃
I turned my face up toward him； to smile halfheartedly。
Every time I looked at his face； that impossibly perfect face； my heart
pounded strong and healthy and
very there in my chest。 This time； the pounding raced ahead of its usual
besotted pace。 I recognized the
expression on his statue…still face。
〃You're already in more trouble； Bella；〃 he whispered through unmoving lips。
I slid closer； clutching his arm as I followed his gaze to see what he was
seeing。 I don't know what I
expected—maybe Victoria standing in the middle of the street； her flaming red
hair blowing in the wind；
or a line of tall black cloaks or a pack of angry werewolves。 But I didn't
see anything at all。
〃What？ What is it？〃
He took a deep breath。 〃Charlie〃
〃My dad？〃 I screeched。
He looked down at me then； and his expression was calm enough to ease some of
my panic。
〃Charlie is probably not going to kill you； but he's thinking about it；〃 he
told me。 He started to drive
forward again； down my street； but he passed the house and parked by the edge
of the trees。
〃What did I do？〃 I gasped。
Edward glanced back at Charlie's house。 I followed his gaze； and noticed for
the first time what was
parked in the driveway next to the cruiser。 Shiny； bright red； impossible to
miss。 My motorcycle； flaunting
itself in the driveway。
Edward had said that Charlie was ready to kill me； so he must know that—that
it was mine。 There was
only one person who could be behind this treachery。
〃No！〃 I gasped。 〃Why？ Why would Jacob do this to me？〃 The sting of betrayal
washed through me。 I
had trusted Jacob implicitly—trusted him with every single secret I had。 He
was supposed to be my safe
harbor—the person I could always rely on。 Of course things were strained
right now； but I didn't think
any of the underlying foundation had changed。 I didn't think that was
changeable！
What had I done to deserve this？ Charlie was going to be so mad—and worse
than that； he was going to
be hurt and worried。 Didn't he have enough to deal with already？ I would have
never imagined that Jake
could be so petty and just plain mean。 Tears sprang； smarting； into my eyes；
but they were not tears of
sadness。 I had been betrayed。 I was suddenly so angry that my head throbbed
like it was going to
explode。
〃Is he still here？〃 I hissed。
〃Yes。 He's waiting for us there。〃 Edward told me； nodding toward the slender
path that divided the dark
fringe of the forest in two。
I jumped out of the car； launching myself toward the trees with my hands
already balled into fists for the
first punch。
Why did Edward have to be so much faster than me？
He caught me around the waist before I made the path。
〃Let me go！ I'm going to murder him！ Traitor！〃 I shouted the epithet toward
the trees。
〃Charlie will hear you；〃 Edward warned me。 〃And once he gets you inside； he
may brick over the
doorway。〃
I glanced back at the house instinctively； and it seemed like the glossy red
bike was all I could see。 I was
seeing red。 My head throbbed again。
〃Just give me one round with Jacob； and then I'll deal with Charlie。〃 I
struggled futilely to break free。
〃Jacob Black wants to see me。 That's why he's still here。〃
That stopped me cold—took the fight right out of me。 My hands went limp。 They
fight； Paris falls。
I was furious； but not that furious。
〃Talk？〃 I asked。
〃More or less。〃
〃How much more？〃 My voice shook。
Edward smoothed my hair back from my face。 〃Don't worry； he's not here to
fight me。 He's acting as
spokesperson for the pack。〃
〃Oh。〃
Edward looked at the house again； then tightened his arm around my waist and
pulled me toward the
woods。 〃We should hurry。 Charlie's getting impatient。〃
We didn't have to go far； Jacob waited just a short ways up the path。 He
lounged against a mossy tree
trunk as he waited； his face hard and bitter； exactly the way I knew it would
be。 He looked at me； and
then at Edward。 Jacob's mouth stretched into a humorless sneer； and he
shrugged away from the tree。 He
stood on the balls of his bare feet； leaning slightly forward； with his
trembling hands clenched into fists。 He
looked bigger than the last time I'd seen him。 Somehow； impossibly； he was
still growing。 He would
tower over Edward； if they stood next to each other。
But Edward stopped as soon as we saw him； leaving a wide space between us and
Jacob。 Edward
turned his body； shifting me so that I was behind him。 I leaned around him to
stare at Jacob—to accuse
him with my eyes。
I would have thought that seeing his resentful； cynical expression would only
make me angrier。 Instead； it
reminded me of the last time I'd seen him； with tears in his eyes。 My fury
weakened； faltered； as I stared
at Jacob。 It had been so long since I'd seen him—I hated that our reunion had
to be like this。
〃Bella；〃 Jacob said as a greeting； nodding once toward me without looking away
from Edward。
〃Why？〃 I whispered； trying to hide the sound of the lump in my throat。 〃How
could you do this to me；
Jacob？〃
The sneer vanished； but his face stayed hard and rigid。 〃It's for the best。〃
〃What is that supposed to mean？ Do you want Charlie to strangle me？ Or did you
want him to have a
heart attack； like Harry？ No matter how mad you are at me； how could you do
this to him？〃
Jacob winced； and his eyebrows pulled together； but he didn't answer。
〃He didn't want to hurt anyone—he just wanted to get you grounded；