샬럿, 샬 롯 and Peter didn’t seem to understand how tense the room was. Peter leaned in, his eyes wide and with shock.
“This is Nessie Jasper?” Jasper moved 앞으로 and nodded, the light throwing his scars into a bright pattern of crescent moons.
“But she’s human,” 샬럿, 샬 롯 whispered. Her voice was sharp and small, and I noticed how she leaned towards me, her eyes bright with hunger. Edward stepped into her path.
“Why don’t we take a 좌석 and talk. Alice why don’t 당신 take Nessie upstairs. She probably has homework,” I noticed how Rose and Emmett glided in front of 샬럿, 샬 롯 and Peter as they sat down. My mother hovered 의해 the door for a minute, her eyes on me, and then joined my father on the floor in front of the stairs. Alice’s arm linked through mine and we dashed up the stairs at a fast pace. She pulled me over to my window
“Where are we going Alice?” I asked, her eyes were calm, unlike everyone downstairs.
“Not us, you. Your going to Jacob’s house, even if he’s not there. We already called Billy to let him know which 뱀파이어 were here so he could tell Jake. And he’s fine with 당신 coming. Your mom and Edward don’t want 당신 near 샬럿, 샬 롯 and Peter because they don’t have the best control,” I sighed and then my thoughts jerked back to something else.
“Where are Carlisle and Esme?” She pulled my hair back into a ponytail for me and I glanced in the mirror, for the first time in a few days. Alice wouldn’t let me leave the house no matter where I was going unless I looked perfect. I sighed. My skin was pale and had a subtle glow in the sunshine, not enough to keep me inside on a sunny day. My eyes were 우유 초콜릿 and my hair was curly bronze, falling in soft ringlets well past my shoulders.
“Nessie! Come on before Edward tears my head off!” She whispered. She opened the window and shoved me out before I was ready. I gasped and fell down the two stories, landing on the balls of my feet. Alice smiled up at me from my window and I rolled my eyes.
“Ness!” she hissed from upstairs. I glanced back up at her.
“Make sure 당신 hunt before 당신 go to Billy’s” She disappeared from the window and I set out at a hard sprint towards the forest, my hearing fanning out for something to eat.

***

Everything was quiet except for the silent patter of the rain. I controlled my breathing, trying to make it quieter. I let my hearing take over with my smell. About three hundred yards away I could hear a couple of elks. I took off at the fastest sprint I could manage. I spotted a buck and 비둘기 gracefully through the air at it, taking it down with one quick movement. Hunting was so much easier when Jacob was with me, in the form of his furry russet brown wolf. I ate quietly as the other deer sprinted away, my thoughts on Jacob again. I really hoped he was 집 when I got there, but I knew he would be on patrol. I sighed and stood, surprised to see I had managed to not be covered in blood. As I ran along the dark underbrush of the woods, twisting and weaving through, the rain managed to pick up again. I stopped in front of Billy’s small house, surprised to see that no one was there. Maybe he was over at Charlie’s. I opened the door and stepped inside. It was empty. I sighed and sat down on the familiar small couch, grabbing a blanket that I was sure Billy had laid out. I turned his TV on and let my thoughts fade, my eyes focused on the pouring rain outside. When I realized how tired I was I stood and took myself upstairs to Jacob’s tiny room. I opened the door and laughed at the mess. His clothes were slung everywhere, and his 침대 was a mess. I grabbed a pair of his overly large shorts and a t-shirt, slipping them on, so I would not soak his bed. I climbed in and closed my eyes, sighing happily to myself. Jacob’s scent engulfed me and I fell asleep to his familiar smell. It as almost like my best friend was here with me.

Warm hands were wrapped around me, a steady heartbeat under my ear. I blinked my eyes and my vision sharpened immediately. I stretched and looked up. Jacob was sitting under me, and we were on the couch. Had he brought me down here?
“How come you’re here Nessie?” he asked, his voice making me smile. He smiled back, waiting for an answer. But his eyes were impatient, worried even.
“Alice sent me. Well technically my parents, because 샬럿, 샬 롯 and Peter are in town, and there not ’vegetarians’. There worried they might hurt me, but I know they wont. Alice called Billy and he said it was fine if I came down here,” Jacob’s eyebrows scrunched together and I giggled at the expression on his face.
“Ness 당신 have to be 더 많이 careful when your out in the woods,” his eyes were dark and penetrating.
“Why?” I swallowed. He shifted his weight and sat me up, eyeing his clothes on me.
“Today when we were running patrols Collin sounded an alarm because he saw someone. He was about to attack and then I saw exactly who it was,” his fingers tipped my chin up.
“Ness, Collin almost took 당신 down. But I got there in time and knocked him aside. 당신 have to pay attention sweety,” His deep eyes were worried.
“I was thinking,” I murmured, a blush running up my face and into my cheeks. His eyes narrowed and he held me tighter. I leaned my head back against his chest and looked at the TV. His breathing evened out and I turned suddenly.
“Why are 당신 guys out patrolling if it’s only 샬럿, 샬 롯 and Peter?”
“There bloodsuckers Ness. We don’t know these leeches so were not going to leave our lands unprotected no matter how friendly they are with your leeches,” I pressed my hand against his cheek, letting the anger that I felt at his 코멘트 roll into him. Jacob flinched.
“Sorry Ness. There bloodsuckers no matter what,” I ripped myself out of his arms and backed away towards the door.
“I guess that’s what 당신 think about me too Jacob!” I yelled. Pain lashed across his face and he stepped towards me.
“Just leave me alone Jake,” My hands pushed the door open and I darted into the pouring rain. I didn’t hear him follow me. I took off towards First Beach. The water crashed wildly against the rocks as the wind pushed at it. I glanced up at one of the many cliffs, one where my mother had once jumped from. She said that she was bored, but she had almost drown. Jacob has saved her. I walked through the heavy rain until I found what I was looking for. My mother and Jacob’s driftwood bench, bleached pale white. I sat down on the ground in front of it, hugging my knees to my chest. I suppose Jacob would always be my mothers, never mine. He was only my best friend. I sighed. My body and mind was maturing to fast, and I was growing so fast that sometimes things were confusing.
I laughed quietly to myself. It was amazing how many clothes I had gone through, though I knew Alice enjoyed all the shopping. I wasn’t that excited about shopping but I didn’t mind it. Which reminded me, September 10th was coming up in about a week. My seventh birthday, technically seventeen. I would finally stop aging completely. I sighed and held my knees tighter.
I heard when quiet feet hit the rocks behind me, approaching me. I closed my eyes. Jacob stopped behind me and I turned to look at him. He held his hand out to me but I shook my head. I heard him sigh as he came to sit beside me, stretching his long legs out. His arm wrapped around my shoulder and I realized how cold I was. Jacob spoke after a moment, clearing his throat.
“Nessie. 당신 know I don’t think of 당신 that way. You’re my Nessie, my 가장 좋아하는 person in the world,” I made a scoffing sound in the back of my throat. What about the girl he had imprinted on? His eyes read mine and I ducked my head down.
“Ness 당신 are. 당신 know that I would do anything for you,” Jacob was impossible to stay mad at. I sighed and pressed my hand against his muscled forearm, not wanting to touch his cheek, and let him know what I was thinking.
“Okay Nessie. Come on,” He held his hand out to me as he stood in a fast movement. I narrowed my eyes at him and took his hot hand. His hand was so big that it swallowed my tiny hand. I looked at the differences in our skin. Beautiful russet and glowing white. I sighed and he looked down at me. His hand pulled out of mine and hurt rolled through me, but he quickly wrapped his arm around my shoulder, bringing me closer to his side.
When we got back to Jacob’s house I was so wet it wasn’t even funny. My clothes were dried now and I changed in his tiny bathroom. When I walked back out to the living room, Jacob was asleep on the floor, a 베개 under his head, shirtless of course. Jacob never wore a shirt. I sighed and leaned my back against the couch, sitting 다음 to him. I turned the TV back on and settled for the cooking channel. Jacob and I were the only ones who could eat human 음식 and Esme was usually the one that cooked for us both. She made to large a portions but usually Seth and Jacob would come together and finish everything off. I realized that I was still hungry, but I wasn’t going outside again just to get soaked. I stood gracefully and slipped into the kitchen. I opened Jacob’s fridge and rolled my eyes. I ended up making sandwiches, one for me, and left about ten for Jacob knowing he would eat them all. I curled my knees back up to my chest as I sat down at his table. There were finger marks in the 표, 테이블 and I wondered what had made Jacob mad enough that he wanted to break the table. Looking out the window, I waited for Jacob to wake up. It was took about an 시간 for him to come to. I heard him gasp in the other room and roll to his feet.
“I’m in here Jake,” I murmured. He heard me and loped into the kitchen. He stretched and I slid the plate full of sandwiches towards him. He sat down and sighed.
“Thanks Nessie,” he flashed me a smile, eating slowly.
“Sure, sure,” I said. He smiled at the stolen line. When he was finished he looked at me, his eyes searching my face. I leaned across the 표, 테이블 and put my hand against his cheek, replaying him looking at me, a 질문 in my mind.
“Nothing Ness. Your beautiful just like your mom. 더 많이 beautiful really,” I dropped my eyes to the table, a blush creeping up my cheeks. When I looked up Jacob’s eyes weren’t on my face but my wrist.
“You still wear it?” His voice was shocked. He lifted my wrist up, the heat sinking into my skin. I shivered.
“Yeah Jake. I haven’t taken it off since 당신 gave it to me,” I looked down at the Quileute form of a promise ring. It was an intricately braided bracelet.
“Your so different from your mom Ness,” he whispered, his voice heavy.
“Is that a good 또는 bad thing?” My voice was taut. He smiled and I relaxed.
“She hates gifts Ness. She’s not as free as 당신 are. Maybe that’s why I 사랑 당신 Ness,” his words froze me. He still had hold of my wrist. But Jacob only loved me as my best friend. He stood and I stood with him. His head snapped towards his front door when a loud howl shook his house. He disappeared out the door and I followed him after a moment, staying under his roof so I wouldn’t get wet again. Seth was standing in front of Jacob, in his human form, only a pair of shorts on.
“Hey Ness,” he said, tipping his chin towards me. I smiled at him.
“Edward and Bella want Nessie to come 집 now Jake. The vamps left so she’s all good,” he bounced onto his other foot. Seth was bouncy and excited all the time. He didn’t have a problem with any of us Cullens. He was actually good 프렌즈 with my dad. Something I would never understand. His sister Leah on the other hand could barely tolerate the Cullens.
“All right. I’ll take her home,” Jacob said. There was a hint of sadness in his voice. Why? Because he had to be alone with me for a few 더 많이 minutes?
“Go get some sleep Seth.” Seth nodded and took off through the rain, his hands trembling. Jacob stood there for a 분 and then he turned to me, some deep emotion hidden in his eyes.
“Come out the 차고 Ness and I can drive 당신 home,” I took his hand and he lead me across the uneven 차고 back to his garage. Two cars sat inside, both his. One was his old Rabbit, something he had built on his own. The other was a gift, something from my parents. Jacob had done so much for my parents and my dad knew that Jacob loved cars. He had given him this car a 년 이전 to Jacob’s astonishment. The Aston Martin Vanquish was a pretty black and sleek car. Jacob grabbed the keys off of one of the hooks and walked towards the Vanquish. I smiled and climbed into the passenger seat. It no longer smelled like my parents, but now it smelled like Jacob’s earthy wonderful scent. He started the car and it purred to life under us. He smiled at me and flew out of the 차고 and onto the road. He slowed down on the main roads, his hand inches from mine. I kept my eyes on the road, watching the trees fly past in clear detail. The rain seemed to pour harder as he pulled into my driveway, speeding up the winding path. The large white house was completely lit and even from the car I could hear all of their quiet breathing and conversations going on. I climbed out of the car and Jacob took my hand, leading me up to the front door. He stopped outside.
“See 당신 later Nessie,” his voice was sweet. I smiled at him and threw my arms around him. He hugged me back and kissed my forehead.
“Tomorrow?” I pleaded. He chuckled his throaty laugh and smiled, disappearing into the rain and down the driveway.