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Chapter Four: The Truth Is Told!

"He's..." I began, but my thoughts trailed off, unable to find the right words.

"What a marshmallow," Jake chuckled softly, his amusement mirrored by Bella and me.

"You two go ahead, I'll wait for him," I offered, nodding towards the stairs where Bella and Jake were already making their way down. As they descended, engaged in conversation, I remained behind, keeping a watchful eye on Mike.

Lost in my thoughts, I maintained my focus on Mike's well-being, while Bella and Jake exchanged their thoughts and feelings. Eventually, Mike emerged from the bathroom, his complexion still somewhat pallid.

"Are you okay?" I inquired, but he simply nodded in response as we approached Bella and Jacob.

"Well," Mike began, his discomfort evident as Bella leaned her head on Jacob's shoulder. I positioned myself in front of them, observing their interaction. "I need to go home," Mike announced, prompting us all to acknowledge his need to leave. Jake turned to him, his expression tinged with annoyance, shaking his head in disbelief. "I was feeling sick before the movie, okay?" Mike asserted, but Jake scoffed, clearly unconvinced by his explanation.

"What is your problem?" Mike questioned Jacob; his tone edged with frustration.

"Right now? You're my problem," Jake retorted, his stance indicating escalating tension. I sensed that this confrontation wouldn't end well. "Feeling sick? Maybe you need to go to the hospital," There was a brief pause from Jake. "You want me to put you in the hospital?" He threatened, rising from the stairs to confront Mike face to face.

"Jake! Jake. Jake, the movie's over. What are you doing?" Bella and I exclaimed simultaneously as Bella swiftly grabbed Jake's hand. I stepped in front of him, placing my hands on his chest, and feeling the warmth of his body underneath his shirt.

"You're really hot," Bella observed, placing her other hand on top of his to gauge his temperature. I slowly lowered my hands from his chest and reached for his other hand, feeling it as well.

"Yeah, Bella's right. You feel like you have a fever. Are you okay?" I asked Jake, my gaze shifting between him and Bella. While I dropped my hand from his.

"I don't know what's happening," he stated, his breaths coming heavily. "I gotta go," he declared before hastily exiting through the front door, leaving Bella and I in a perplexed state.

...........................

Days had slipped away since we last laid eyes on Jake. I've dialled his number countless times, my heart sinking with each unanswered call. Voicemails stacked up like unanswered prayers, but his father informed us that Jake had mono and visitors were off-limits. Bella and I exchanged glances of frustration and worry, feeling powerless in the face of Jacob's silence. One evening, I sat with Bella in her room as she attempted to reach Jacob once more.

"Jacob, please... call me," she pleaded into the phone before eventually setting it down, defeated. I couldn't bear to see her like this, the weight of uncertainty pressing down on us both.

"Okay. We should be back around 3:00," Bella's dad, Charlie, announced, his eyes reflecting a mixture of concern and resignation as he recognized the person Bella was desperately trying to reach.

"Hey," Bella's dad interjected, catching both our attention. Bella turned to face him; he knew his daughter was worried. "Look, I don't have to go fishing today," he continued, his voice tinged with a sense of urgency.

"Yes, you do," Harry Clearwater insisted, his tone firm but caring.

"Yeah, you do. Go. What are you talking about? Just be careful," Bella urged her dad, her words laced with a hint of apprehension. As they exchanged parting words, her dad appeared hesitant to leave her side. Eventually, they departed with Harry, leaving us alone in the quiet house. With the door closing behind them, a sense of anticipation hung in the air, signalling that the moment had arrived for me to share what I needed to tell her.