The Consequences {Jacob Black}

Chapter XLI: Jacob's Point of View

What was I thinking? I had no idea what to do for a date! And here I had thought that I could do this. What is wrong with me? I had no idea what to do. I sighed and looked down at the blank piece of trigonometry homework in front of me. I couldn't take her out anywhere fancy; that wasn't something Annie was into. She hated the city. There was no place here in town that I could take her to. Why was this so difficult?

"You're stressing about your date, huh?" Embry said from his place on my sofa.

"So help me, God, Em. If you run your mouth I'll have to kill you," I promised him. He smiled.

"Come on, you know her better than anyone; you can figure this out," he said, turning back to his chemistry homework. I sighed and threw my head back into the cushions. I had two hours to figure out what I was doing for this date. I kept telling her that it was surprise, hoping that would throw her off my trail. The truth was: I didn't have a God damn clue what we were doing.

I tossed my book down on the couch and pushed myself up. 

"I'm going to go for a run," I said quietly. I phased as soon as I was naked and in the cover of the trees, feeling the familiar boiling of my stomach, hearing the snap of my bones. But it all happened so quickly. I took off, pushing myself as much as I could, pushing myself until I couldn't breathe.

What's eating you? Quil asked.

My date with Annie. I haven't figured out what we're going to do yet.

Port Angeles?

She hates the city. And I can't really take her to Forks.

Why don't you just do something that you two would do, ya know, before the imprint, he suggested. What was that? Movie on the couch? Walk on the beach? Dinner?

I mean, Annie had always talked about wanting to have a picnic. There's that little clearing a few hundred feet from the sea. The beach was a given; it was like it was a part of her. It was a part of her scent. I could ask Emily to pack us a picnic...

Hey, does Paul still have the projector that runs on batteries?

You're going to have to beg, dude. That's his baby.

I could beg; I just needed the damn thing. I'll talk to you later, Quil, I added as I jogged towards Paul's house. The smell of alcohol and smoke hit me hard, but I ignored it. Paul rarely ever stayed here. His dad's heart attack had scared him, but the old bastard refused to stop drinking and eating like a slob. So, Paul was doing what he could to stay out of his way and look after him; like he had his whole life.

"What are you doing here, Jake?" he said, practically sprinting from the house before I could get a better look. I guess pride is the only thing no one can ever take; and Paul had that in spades.

"I need your projector for my date tonight," I said.

"Hell no! I worked for two years to buy that thing," he said, waving a hand at me. "Now get out of here."

"Paul, I will do anything. Please; I know what Annie will want to do and I need that projector." He folded his arms and cocked his head, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Sam has me running night patrol for a week. Switch with me and I'll give you the projector," he bartered.

"Come on, you know Annie comes over at night." He clicked his tongue.

"Either you want the projector, or you want to keep your afternoon shift."

"Fine, fine," I conceded. "I'll switch with you." He nodded and walked into the house, quickly shutting the door before I could see anything. Kid needed an imprint; might make him a little nicer. He returned seconds later with a black bag.