"Bella? That you?"
I stopped on the way down the stairs when I heard dad's voice.
"Yeah," came Bella's voice from the hall.
I sat down on the stairs to listen.
"I've been thinking. You haven't really spent time with any of your friends except Liana and Jacob. I was just wondering if it would be good for you to have a variety of people your own age to interact with." His voice drifted up to me.
"I see other people," Bella responded. "A group of us are going to watch a movie on Friday."
My eyebrows raised in surprise. I hadn't heard about that.
"Okay, Just checking," Dad said. I could visualize his hands raised and his half shrug as he said it, and I sighed. Sometimes, in my opinion, he gave in too easily with Bella. I thinks that he was hoping so badly that she would be happy and stay that he let a few things slide, but then again she was an adult and he couldn't make her do anything.
"Bye then," the door shut and her truck started.
"No, no, no." I jumped up and dashed down the stairs. I was running late for school and had hoped to catch a ride with Bella, but now I guess I would have to bike.
"Bye Dad! See you later!" I ran out the door and hopped on my bike. I ended up being only five minutes late for school.
That day after school I stopped by Emily's house to say hi. She was there alone so I stayed and helped her for a bit. Apparently Sam had the pack patrolling all the time as there was some vampire activity in the area and Emily was glad for the company.
My phone rang, interrupting our conversation and I hastily picked up after apologizing.
"Hey Ana. Bella said that a group is going to watch a movie on Friday and asked if Quil and I would like to go. Quil and Nina are going to visit their cousins on the Makkah reserve that weekend so they can't come. Will you go with me? It could be like a group date thing," Jacob asked.
"Sure! I'd love to." I smiled. We hadn't had a date in a while and it would be nice to have one even if it were a group date. "What movie are we watching?"
"Uhh, I think it's called Face Punch?" He answered.
"Ahh, an action or horror movie?" My nose crinkled. I disliked horror movies, mostly because I didn't see any point in them. Dad agreed with me, that there are too many horrible things in the world without making movies about them.
"Bella chose it." He said. I could hear the shrug in his voice.
I rolled my eyes. "Of course." Probably part of her danger rebellion streak that she was on.
"Well, see you later then."
"Yup, see you. I miss you."
"Goodbye silly boy." I laughed and hung up.
On Friday Bella unsurprisingly left without me and then Jacob arrived to pick me up.
"I've missed you," he said hugging me. His arms wrapped around me strongly and he almost picked me up.
I shook my head but couldn't help grinning. "You just saw me yesterday."
"You know what I mean," he said as we got in the Rabbit.
I did know what he meant. Bella has been with us constantly and we had had barely any time to be just us all month.
We arrived in Port Angeles just before seven which was when the movie started.
Bella was there and a pale faced, slightly chubby looking, and obviously besotted Mike Newton was standing beside her.
"I didn't know you were coming, Liana," Bella said in surprise. Hence the reason she left without me.
"Jacob invited me," I said plainly. His hand was holding mine as it had been ever since we got out of the truck and I squeezed it a bit more firmly than before. Bella was not allowed to think that this was a date for her and Jacob. Jacob seemed oblivious to it all as usual, but Bella was more interested in him than she should be and that made me a little possessive.
She went to buy the tickets and Mike awkwardly shifted on his heels.
"Was anyone else coming?" I asked, hoping for a greater buffer between Bella and myself and Jacob.
"No, they got sick and couldn't come." He said. "Aren't you guys too young to see this movie?" He asked.
"Yeah, but Bella's buying our tickets," Jacob answered. The look on his face was almost sneering and Mike uneasily moved away a bit.
We sat down in a row and the movie began. It was really stupid with lots of blood and shooting and maniacs killing people. Half the time I didn't even pay attention to the movie. Jacob draped his arm over my shoulder, which I leaned into. His arm against the back of my neck was as warm as the pack's skin and I kept looking at him, partly because of his temperature, and partly because I was admiring him. Jacob seemed to be enjoying the movie and laughed at all the especially stupid parts, but I just could not see the appeal.
Halfway through the movie Mike leaped up and rushed out. Bella followed him and then Jacob and I got up too. We found Bella waiting outside the men's bathroom and we could hear the sound of Mike puking. I grimaced. Vomit was something that always made me feel sick so I was never any help when people began throwing up.
"What a marshmallow." Jacob sneered.
Mike came out of the bathroom looking as white as a vampire. "I'm sick. I need to go home."
Jacob scoffed. "Can't handle a bit of gore?" His already warm skin was getting warmer and I began to worry. It would be a disaster on a phenomenal scale if he phased here. This anger and distain was not typical of him and was almost certainly brought on by the wolf gene.
"Hey, it's okay. Just calm down a little," I whispered to him.
"No. I wasn't feeling well before the movie," Mike groaned.
"Do you need a hospital? Do you want me to put you in the hospital?" Jacob glared.
"Jake, calm down." Bella placed her hand on his chest and let it linger there. "Whoa. You're really warm. Do you have a fever?"
I glared at her and tightened my grip on Jacob's hand. "Hands off." She didn't need to be stroking my boyfriends chest. Fortunately for her she dropped her hand from his chest, but her gaze still lingered on him for longer than I liked.
Jacob dropped my hand and advanced towards Mike. Then he stopped, shaking with anger. "I don't know what's happening. I have to go." He practically ran out of there and without a second thought I sprinted after him. Bella could deal with Mike.
"Jacob! Wait!" I called. I caught up to him at the car. "Let me drive, okay?" I said a bit more softly.
He nodded shakily. We got into his little Rabbit, and I pulled out of the parking lot. Once we hit the highway, I accelerated far more quickly than I usually liked to, but I was terrified of Jacob phasing in the car.
"Can you call your dad for me?" I asked, trying to stay calm myself.
"Why?" He ground out.
"Well, if you are sick then maybe he should know, instead of us just showing up," I said, trying to be reasonable. I tightened my fists on the steering wheel and focused on the dark highway.
He dialled his home number and held the phone up for me.
"Hello?" Billy asked.
"Hi Billy, it's Liana. Jacob's got a fever so we are coming home early," I slightly stressed the word fever.
"Thanks for letting me know. Call if anything changes and drive safe. Pull over if you have any trouble," he warned, presumably meaning to be careful with Jacob.
"I will. See you soon." Jacob hung up and put the phone away.
A few moments later things got worse.
"Liana." Jacob gasped. "I don't know what's happening! My body hurts and I am really angry and I don't know why!" He sounded close to tears.
"Shh, Shh. Calm down. We will figure everything out when we get you home. Just stay calm," I reached over and rubbed his arm. "It'll be okay."
"Gahh!" He clutched his head. I anxiously pressed on the gas a bit harder. I was well past the speed limit but at this point I didn't care.
Jacob whimpered a couple moments later and I glanced at him with worry. "What's wrong?"
"Too hot, I'm roasting," he moaned.
I winced, he was getting extremely close to phasing but I had no idea how long it would be and I was getting increasingly nervous. And unfortunately, the air conditioning in the car was broken and Jacob hadn't had a chance to try and fix it. "Umm, try taking your shirt off. That might help you cool down."
He clawed at his shirt until finally he got it tugged over his head. "Still too hot," he mumbled. Drops of sweat rolled visibly down his face and neck and his long hair was sticking in every direction. If the situation hadn't been what I was I might have been distracted by his very toned physique. He was trembling and shaking all over and occasionally one of his limbs would jerk. His face was screwed up and and he looked to be in immense pain. All in all, he was close to phasing and I knew I was in trouble.
I rolled the window down and a blast of ice cold air hit us. I was instantly shivering, but Jacobs eyes were shut and he actually looked like he was cooling off and relaxing a bit. But every once in a while he would groan in pain and the trembling never really stopped, it was only lessened.
We got to his house in record time and though I felt like an popsicle, I quickly ran around the car to help Jake to the house. A light drizzle was coming down and the sky threatened more rain.
"Careful Liana," Sam hurried over from the direction of Jacob's house.
"What's he doing here?!" Jacob instantly snarled, his temper raising again and he jerked away from Sam and my outstretched arm.
I slowly backed away, not wanting to get hurt. "Just trust Sam, Jacob. It's okay."
Billy rolled out of the house. "Son, calm down and listen to Sam. Liana, you better come over here."
"What's happening?! Why is he here?" Jacob was violently shaking once more and I reluctantly went to stand near Billy on the porch.
"I'll explain. Just come with me." Sam motioned to the forest.
"I'm not going anywhere with you!!" Jacob spat.
I sighed. Of course he would be difficult. "Just go with him, please."
That was a mistake. Jacob turned to me. "What do you know about this?! Are you part of his gang too? Have you been lying to me?!"
His whole body was vibrating so much that he was blurry to my eyes.
"No not really, well yes sort of, but I didn't want to!" I exclaimed in a rush. It was too late. Jacob exploded into a huge rusty coloured wolf that snarled and snapped. He stopped short, and looked down at his paws and extremely furry self and let out a howl. The howl was so loud that I clapped my hands to my ears. Sam phased and shoved him to the woods, snapping at his heels. Jacob yelped and bounded away. The sky seemed to match his mood as lightning cracked the sky, and rain started pouring down. Shreds of clothing and shoes were scattered about the yard.
I uncovered my ears and let go of the breath that I didn't know I was holding.
"Don't worry Liana. He won't be mad at you for long," Billy assured me. "You can stay here tonight if you want. And good job at managing to keep him calm and getting him home. It was extremely reckless of you though. You could have been seriously injured."
I checked the clock which showed that it was almost eleven, gave him a tired smile, and nodded. "Thanks."
More howling filled the air and I headed inside to Jacob's room. I sat on the bed and called Dad.
"Hey Dad, Jacob got sick after the movie so I'm going to stay here tonight. That okay?" I asked.
"I guess. Bella's not back yet though." He replied.
"Yeah, we left early, but she should be home soon. He has a really bad fever and was shaking terribly." It was the truth, just not all of it.
"Don't get sick yourself." He cautioned. "Goodnight then."
"Night Dad, love you." I responded.
"Love you too," he hung up.
After a quick bite to eat I laid down on Jacob's bed and pulled the covers up to my ears. Even though it was late and I was tired I couldn't sleep. I kept replaying the events of the evening over in my mind. Jacob was so angry, with Sam and then with me. I tried to tell myself that it was because of the phasing, but a bit of doubt kept nigging at me. Will he forgive me?