"Well the sent was easy enough to catch. By the way, your room reeks."
"I'll buy some air freshener." She replied.
I laughed and silence took over. Guess now is as good of a time as ever.
"Can I ask you something?" I asked taking the plate from her hand.
"That depends on what you want to know."
"I'm not trying to be a jerk or anything-I'm honestly curious." I assured her.
"Fine." She sighed. "Go ahead."
I stalled for a moment deciding if I really wanted to know or not. I finally asked anyway. "What's it like-having a vampire for a boyfried?"
She rolled her eyes. "It's the best."
"I'm serious. The idea doesn't bother you-it never creeps you out?"
"Never." She slightly shook her head.
I had another. But I don't think I wanted to know this one.
"Anything else?" She asked.
I wrinkled my nose again. "Well...I was wondering...do you...y'know, kiss him?" I was right . I didn't want to know this.
She laughed lightly. "Yes."
I shuttered. "Ugh." I didn't hide my disgust.
"To each her own." She muttered.
"You don't worry about the fangs?" I asked.
She smacked my arm, splashing me with water. "Shut up, Jacob! You know he doesn't have fangs!"
"Close enough." I murmered.
I heard her grit her teeth as started scrubbing Charlie's boning knife.
"Can I ask you another one?" I asked softly as she handed me the knife. "Just curious, again."
"Fine." She snapped.
I had upset her. I was known for that. I broke the same promise twice last spring. I just kept hurting her. I twisted the knife back a forth in my hand rinsing it off. When I finally talked it came out in a whisper. "You said in a few weeks...When, exactly...?" I couldn't finish. I didn't want to think about it.
"Graduation." She whispered back. I could see her in the corner of my eye looking up at me.
"So soon," I breathed closing my eyes. It wasn't a question. And I didn't intened for it to be. To keep myself from shaking I stiffened, tighting my arms.
There was a pain in my right hand. And it grew as I tightened my and. Soon it was burning and a warm and stickly liquid ran in between my fingers. "OW!" I yelled. I unclenched my fist and the knife I had forgotten about, clattered onto the counter infront of me.
Blood streamed down my fingers and was leaving a big puddle on the floor.
"Damn it! Ouch!"
Bella's breathing quickened and she grabbed the counter. She took a deep breath and then grabbed the towel next to her.
"Oh, no, Jacob! Oh crap! Here, wrap this around it!" She reached for my hand but I shrugged away from her.
"It's nothing, Bella, don't worry about it." It will be gone in a minute.
She took another deep breath. Her face look a little green. "Don't worry?! You sliced your hand open!" She yelled at me.
I turned on the tap and stuck my hand under the water letting the blood swirl down the drain. "Bella."
She looked up from my hand. "What?"
"You look like your going to pass out, and your biting your lip off. Stop it. Relax. Breathe. I'm fine."
She sucked in a breath and let go of her lip. "Don't be brave."
Don't be brave? Who was she kidding? Why wasn't she telling herself this? I rolled me eyes.
"Let's go. I will drive you to the ER."
"Not necessary." I told her and turned off the water. I took the towel and wrapped it around my hand. I could already feel my skin pulling together.
"Wait." She protested. "Let me look at it." She took a firm grasp of the counter as if she was expecting the worst.
I needed to stall. It wasn't done heeling. "Do you have a medical degree that you never told me about?"
"Just give me a chance to decide whether or not I'm throwing a fit over taking you to the hospital.
I teased her. "Please, not a fit!"
"If you don't let me see your hand, a fit is guaranteed."
I inhaled deeply and then sighed, giving in. "Fine." Here goes nothing.
I unwrapped the towel and laid my hand in hers.
She looked at my hand and then turned it over my palm down. I looked at her face as a line puckered on her fourhead. She flipped my hand back and finally caught sight of the pink scar streching from one side of me hand to the other.
"But...you were bleeding...so much."
I pulled my hand back and stared into her eyes. "I heal fast."
"I'll say." She mouthed.
I half smiled and pumped a fist off my chest. "Werewolf, remember?" I was still looking into her eyes. And for once she didn't tear away. I wanted to grab her face in my hands and kiss her. I wished everyday, that she would love me as much as she loved Edward. In fact, I know she did, but she didn't. If only.
"Right." She said finally, breaking the long silence.
I laughed at the face she was making. Weirded out maybe? "I told you this. You saw Paul's scar."
She shook her head. "It's a little different, seing the action sequence firsthand." She got down on her knees and pulled a rag and a jug of bleach out of the cabnit. She pour the bleach on the floor over my blood puddle and started to scrub.
"Let me clean up," I told her.
"I got this." She protested. "Throw that towel in the wash, will you?" I grabbed the towel and threw it in the washer.
She got up and rinsed the sink with bleach, then poured a cap full into the washing machine before fiddling with the settings and pressing start.
I was leaned against the counter watching her. She worried me somethimes. "Do you have obsessive-compulsive disorder?" I asked when she was finally done.
"We're a bit sensitive to blood around here. I'm sure you can understand that."
"Oh." Stupid blood suckers.
"Why not make this easy as possible for him? What he's doing his hard enough."
Becuase he isn't supposed to be here. And you thinkhe'sgot it bad? "Sure, sure. Why not."
I looked up at the celing. "Can I ask you something, Bella?"
She sighed and I took that as a yes.
"What's it like having a werewolf for a best friend?"
She laughed out loud. Great. She was laughing at me. I looked over at her.
"Does it creep you out?" I asked. I really needed to know.
"No. When the werewolf is being nice, it's the best."
I smiled widely, pleased with her answer. I grabbed her hand and hugged her as tight as I could. I didn't know when I would be able to do it again.
Then, like her room, my nose burned. Worse this time. I pulled away. "Ugh. Your hair stinks worse than your room."
"Sorry," She muttered.
"One of the many hazards of socializing with vampires," I shrugged. "It makes you smell bad. A minor hazard, comparatively."
She glared at me. "I only smell bad to you, Jake."
Good. I was Jake again. I grinned. "See you around, Bells."
"Are you leaving?" Her face fell slightly. I could see it more in her eyes than her face.
"He's waiting for me to go. I can hear him outside."
"Oh." Her face fell once more.
I didn't want to leave. By any means. "I'll go out the back." Bonfire "Hold up a sec-hey, do you think you can come to La Push tonight? We're having a bonfire party. Emily will be there and you could meet Kim...And I know Quil wants to see you, too. He's pretty peeved that you found out before he did."
She smiled widely then sighed. "Yea, Jake, I don't know about that. See, it's a little tense right now...."
Excuses, excuses. "C'mon, you think somebody's going to get past all-all six of us." I hated saying werewolf. Werewolf. Ugh.
"I'll ask." She said doubtfully.
I growled low. "Is he your warden, now, too? You know, I saw this story on the news last week about controlling, abusive teenage relationships and-"
"Okay!" She cut me off then shoved at my arm. "Time for the werewolf to get out!"
I grinned. "Bye, Bells. Be sure you ask permission."
Her eyes darted around the room looking for something to throw at me, no doubt.
I had just reached the edge of the woods when I heard her sing. "Edward!"
My heart sank. If only.