The Right Swan: Edward LS

Chapter 15

Toni's P.O.V.

Saturday morning came and I quickly got ready for a day at the beach. Bella and I met everyone at the sporting goods store that Mike's parents owned. We were riding with Mike in his van and it was such a tight squeeze that I was almost sitting on Angela's lap. The whole ride was uncomfortable and I had wished to open the door and jump out of it the whole way to the beach.

When we got there, it was cold and a little damp. It was such a beautiful view, though. The ocean was gray and calm and the sky was a grayish-blue. I wondered how the water felt, but I knew I would freeze if I tried to get in. I took a seat in the back of Mike's van with Bella and Angela and watched as Jessica and Eric went to ride the waves.

There were a couple of Quileute boys there just lounging around, but I couldn't recognize any of them as Jacob. I got up and started walking along the beach in boredom. The sand was mushy beneath my sneakers and I caught a glimpse of some seashells that littered the land. I bent down to pick up a pretty blue one when a tanned hand beat me to it. I straightened myself out and was about to yell at the stranger for taking it when I spotted it first, but immediately stopped myself. I smiled big and threw my arms around the tall, lanky figure.

"I missed you, Jake!"

"I've missed you too, Toni. How's life been?" he asked.

"Oh, y'know, same old, same old," I told him. "What about you?! Still haven't gotten rid of those beautiful tresses of yours?"

He laughed and smiled.

"No. You threatened me when I told you I was thinking about a haircut before, remember?" he asked me.

"I sure do."

Jake was a funny guy with a contagious smile. Anytime anyone saw his sparkling teeth, they showed theirs in return. Spending time with Jake was a breath of fresh air from my stupid life; he always made me forget about my problems for a while. That was the thing about him. Jake had a personality that made people gravitate towards him. His easy-going nature made people want to tell him their deepest, darkest secrets without a care in the world.

"So, did Bella come with you?" he asked me with hopeful eyes. Jake has had a crush on Bella since he could walk on his own. Even if he couldn't fully understand feelings at such a young age, it was apparent that he liked her more than me. He followed her everywhere she went and copied her movements and gestures. It was annoying, especially when we played would play together, but you couldn't choose who you found attractive.

"Yeah, she came. She's over there, sitting in the back of the van," I said while pointing at the van Bella and Angela occupied.

"Great," he said. "It's been a while since I've seen her. Is she doing good?" he asked me.

"Well, I guess," I replied. In all honesty, I had no clue. She looked fine physically, but I wasn't sure emotionally or mentally. We hadn't talked much since we moved to Forks and in with our dad. We hadn't talked much in Phoenix, either, but we had become more distant with the move. It was kind of like we were acquaintances instead of sisters. Plus, I was sure she knew Edward was only using her to get to me.

"Do you want to go over there?" I asked him. He looked down at me with reluctance. I rolled my eyes and said, "C'mon."

We walked over there and stood in front of them. Bella looked up at Jake with curiosity and then at me with a questioning gaze.

"Hey, guys. This is Jake. Do you remember him, Bella?"

Angela greeted Jake while Bella shook her head 'no' at my question. No surprise there.