If Bella Chose Jacob (Bella Swan & Jacob Black)

Bella's Decision II Chapter 1

Dedicated to the lovely Charlotte Sluder as I absolutely love your stories, and you inspired me to write this one! xoxo

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"You're marrying him?"

Bella turned her head, shocked, now realizing that Jacob was there. He stared for a moment before he had his back to her, facing the way he'd come. She waited warily for him to turn around.

"Bella," Edward murmured, suddenly right in her face. He stared down at her with nothing but false concern showing in his eyes. There was no end to his jealously.

Bella snapped her head back into Jacob's direction as she began, "J-Jake, I-"

Bella tried to explain to herself why her heart kicked into fourth gear when she heard him. It was just fear of what she was going to have to do now. It wasn't for a moment before she realized what Edward's intentions were in that very moment.

"You knew he was listening!" she exclaimed, clearly infuriated.

"He deserved to know." Edward told Bella, his voice carefully unworried.

Bella at a loss for words began to feel the ice lock around her heart. She felt betrayed as she dipped down her head and shook it in disbelief, she too wished she could growl as Jacob would-- JACOB, her mind finally sprung back to. She raised her head only to see Jacob storming away.

"Jake!" She cried out. She placed a foot forward preparing to follow him as she felt Edward's icy fingers lock around her wrist.

"Bella, let him g-" he started.

"Don't!" Bella yanked her arm away from Edward as she went off to find Jacob.

Jacob was still in the shadow of the trees; Bella couldn't see his expression clearly until he finally turned to face her.

He glanced up at the sun and then smiled at her. "There's a pretty serious fight brewing down there. I don't think it will be that difficult to take myself out of the picture."

His words sank into Bella's brain, slowly, one by one, and she couldn't breathe. Despite all her intentions to cut Jacob out of her life completely, she didn't realize until that precise second exactly how deep the knife would have to go to do it.

"Oh, no, Jake! No, no no no," Bella choked out in horror. "No, Jake, no. Please, no." Her knees began to tremble.

"What's the difference, Bella? This will only make it more convenient for everyone. You won't even have to remember I existed."

"No!" Bella's voice got louder. "No, Jacob! I won't let you get yourself killed!"

Jacob let out a sly chuckle that stung Bella to the core.

"Jacob, I'm begging you. Stay with me." She would have fallen to her knees, if she could have moved at all.

"For fifteen minutes while I miss a good fight? So that you can run away from me as soon as you think I'm safe again? You've got to be kidding." He turned to walk away.

"Anything," She called after him in a strangled voice. "Anything you want, Jacob. Just don't do this!"

He paused. "I don't think you really mean that."

She did.

"Stay." She begged.

His face hardened. "So I can be your best man at the wedding?"

It was a moment before she could speak, and still the only answer Bella could give him was, "Please don't."

"That's what I thought," he said, his face going calm again, but for the turbulent light in his eyes. He began to leave again.