𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐛 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤

Chapter Six: Smash A Car

Jake and I'd been going strong for the past couple of weeks. It was exhausting—hiding everything from everyone—but it was worth it. I'd looked up way too many spellbooks to find a mind protection charm strong enough to control and influence—Jake thought about us way too much. 

With the newborn army and Victoria hanging around behind the scenes, I wasn't sure when to tell everyone. They would kick me out—throw me to the streets when they found out. I didn't need that hostility when we were all on the same side. God knows what Rose would do—what Edward would do if he found out I was sleeping with his biggest enemy.

I hadn't even thought about my mom. 

The pack knew—Jake couldn't help but spill everything to them. That was a big relief—I wasn't good with keeping things from my mom, but telling my friends felt way better than expected. 

I didn't know whether Bella had an idea—Jake was going to confess his feelings to her but kept rambling about a 'she' when he tried to. Of course, I was the 'she' in question, and I couldn't be more grateful that that had happened. 

I still couldn't clear my mind most of the time. All this effort—every time I had to cover up my scent, keep my mind as blank as possible, keep my distance from Jake—it was tiring and it felt unwanted. The timing couldn't be worse—the two clans could barely tolerate each other and they didn't trust each other. They did it for Bella, but they weren't doing a great job.

I keep wondering how everything would've turned out if I'd never left California—soaking up the sun and going to summer parties with Jieza, falling asleep in Transfiguration class with Celine poking me with her wand, looking into the Mirror of Erised and wondering what my family would look like if my father was still here.

No more what-ifs.

What happened did happen—I had to accept it, and I know that in some twisted fate, I would have ended up exactly here even if I'd never left home that day. 

"Hey, you okay?" Jake asked. I snapped out of my trance—gazing at his loving eyes. "Yeah, I'm great."

"You know I love you, right?" He pressed a small kiss to my temple and I sighed in contentment. "I know—I love you too."

"Don't ever forget that."

***

"Ok now, this is actually weird." I tried to clear my mind as I collapsed on the couch. Jake looked at curiously—eyebrows raised with a gleam in his eye. "What is weird?"

"Everyone is out hunting—powering up before the big fight—and Edward and Bella are alone. Alone in his room."

"You don't think they're—" I shoved Jake, causing him to fall on the floor. "Don't do that to me, Black. Besides, Edward would never—that would probably kill her before she becomes immortal."

Jacob grunted at the word 'immortal'. He didn't like endangering Bella's safety, or anyone's safety for that matter, just so that they could spend their entire life cold and undead. 

"I swear if you guys are making out when I enter the room, I will gouge my eyes out." Embry covered his eyes and entered the room, followed by Seth and Jared. "We don't make out all the time."

"We do but we're alone most of the time," Jake grumbled as I stretched my legs, dropping them on his lap. "That is information they did not need to know."

"Very much agreed."

"So Jake," Seth paused, "Heard you're gonna be spending the night carrying Bella up to the campsite."

My jaw tightened—was I happy about the whole werewolf stench thing? No, I was very annoyed at the decision. It starts with him carrying her to the campsite, and then suddenly she's too cold because it's on top of fucking mountain and the only person who's exuding warmth like a microwave oven is Jake. 

"Yeah, I'll be out to fight in no time." Jake was very concerned about being with Bella after everything, but I was more concerned. First loves don't just disappear and he tried not to bring the topic up in conversation, but it was always going to be in my mind.

"That is just so cool. So—wow, just wow. The coolest thing I've ever—I'm gonna smash a car now." I gave up on trying to form coherent sentences and left the room. 

"Don't destroy anything, baby!"

***

"This is the least hygienic thing I've seen ever."

Bella laughed at my words, rubbing her bloodied finger on tree bark after tree bark. "You're going overboard."

"If this is all I can contribute, I wanna be thorough." Bella stared at her finger, blood seeping through speedily. Blood made me gag—I hated it to the extent I couldn't even look at metals without feeling like hurling. I wondered whether Edward had trouble controlling his desire for Bella's blood. It definitely was one of a kind.

"The newborns will be frantic," Edward joked as he stared at his girlfriend's hand. Her being in danger would be his fall someday, he loved her so much he couldn't bear the thought of her in harm's way. 

"It's okay, don't make yourself uncomfortable." Being here, with them, made me miss Jake. I felt like a third wheel, but I didn't have anywhere else to go. "It doesn't bother me anymore."

"Since when? Her blood is kind of appealing—I would never prefer to drink blood myself, but I think I could sell for a lot."

"Since I spent 24 hours thinking she was dead. You're not wearing your ring," he answered as he looked into her eyes. 

"I didn't wanna risk losing it."

"Ring? Did you propose to her? You guys are getting married?" I asked in utter shock. Edward smiled in happiness—they were definitely getting married then. Leave it to Edward to propose to his human girlfriend if she wanted to be like him. "Soon."

"I think we should wait to tell Jacob, or at least until after the fight."

When Jacob found out, all hell would break loose. They had only begun to trust the Cullens and weren't particularly happy about Edward and Bella's relationship. If they marry, it could mean violating the treaty.

"If you're having second thoughts..."

"I'm not. I just want him to have a clear head." Bella was firm with her answer. She really did love my best friend—they were absolutely perfect for each other. "Whose head is unclear?"

"Nobody's I hope." I gave Jacob a firm nod—as if we didn't spend the last night doing unspeakable things together. "Alice says there is a storm coming."

"Yeah, I can feel it. We should get going."

"I'll see you in a couple of hours," Edward assured Bella, grabbing my hand as we prepared to leave. 

"Hopefully."