Window

I woke up sweating and panting. I haven't had a nightmare in a while, and for this one to be so vivid was frightening. I looked at the clock beside me and saw that it was still early. 3:45. I didn't have to be up for school for another four hours, but I wasn't going to go back to sleep anytime soon. Possibly never. Everytime I closed my eyes, those red ones haunted me. I sat up in my bed and looked around. A cool breeze rushed in and I saw that the window was open. But how? After the first month, my window has always been closed because I'd given up hope that he was returning. So why was it open now?
 

I shook my head. It was hot last night so I must've opened the window and forgotten about it. Yeah, that's what happened. I tried to convince myself that it was true, but I knew better. I saw a large russet werewolf running outside in between some trees. From Laurent in the forest, I knew that it was Jacob. Plus, he'd phased in front of me a few times. I went to the window and leaned out. "Jake!" I whispered into the night. It felt kind of silly. The wolf came to my window. "Why are you here?"
 

He cocked his head to the side and sniffed the air.
 

"Vampires?"
 

He nodded. I wondered if it could've been them. He sensed what I was thinking about and shook his large head. I sighed and my shoulders slumped foward. Of course it wasn't them. Edward didn't want me and so why would he come back? It hurt to even think his name, but what was the use of just saying him when I knew who I was talking about. Jake looked at me, then licked from my chin to my hairline. I almost laughed, but remembered that Charlie was in the next room sleeping.
 

"How long have you been out here?"
 

Jake looked up at the sky and shook his head again. I had no idea why I understood that it meant he'd been out here for a long time.
 

"Come in here and go to sleep. You know I hate it when you're out on patrol all night. And I know you haven't been getting your sleep." I rubbed the fur on Jake's head. He nodded and took off into the forest. Where was he going? Soon, though, he came back out. Only as human Jacob and not wolf Jacob. He was only wearing a pair of shorts, as usual. I rolled my eyes as he climbed though my window.
 

"Hey Bells." He said lowly.
 

"Hi Jake. Hang on, I've got to go wash my face. Some wolf just licked me." I smiled when he laughed. I love seeing Jacob laugh. When he's happy, I'm happy. Or as happy as I can be feeling like I do. I went to the bathroom and ran some warm water on a towel and scrubbed my face. When I was done, I went back to my room to see Jacob looking through my picture album. He saw the slot where Edward's picture was and looked up at me. He didn't want to ask aloud, but I knew what he was asking.
 

"When he left, he said it was going to be as if he had never existed. But that was stupid, wasn't it? Because of course I'll remember him." My voice began to crack. "I'll always remember him." I felt a tear escape, then another followed, then another. More and more came until they blinded me. I idiotically took a step foward and fell to my knees, crying hysterically now. Jake's warm body was beside me in an instant. He held me against his chest.
 

"Shh shh. You'll wake Charlie up. Do you want him to come in here and see you like this?" Jake asked.
 

I gulped and shook my head. Jacob picked me up bridal style and went back to the bed where I cried myself to sleep silently against his chest. I vaguely felt Jake lay me on the bed, then curl his extra hot body up behind me. He began to stroke my hair lightly. Soon after, I heard him snoring lightly. Before I fell into a deep slumber like Jake, I forced myself to get out of the bed and close the window.
 

*****

"Hey Bella, what are you doing this weekend?" Mike asked me after school the next day. We were outside in the parking lot.
 

I awoke to Jake cooking me breakfast that morning. It was sweet because he waited on me hand and foot this morning, but the bad part was the food. It wasn't the best thing I'd ever tasted, but I do think that it was the worst. He'd cooked the eggs too long, the bacon was burnt, and the fresh squeezed orange juice had too many seeds in it. But I ate and drank everything anyway because I didn't want to hurt his feelings. One month had passed since then, and Jake spent the night everyday. His cooking had improved over the days, and it was more edible.
 

"Nothing. Well, I might go down to La Push with Jacob. Why?" I asked, not really interested. I'd come out of my shell in the last couple of weeks. Jake was really making me happy. I'm like Humpty Dumpty, and it was like Jake was putting me back together again.
 

"Because I was wondering if you would like to go to the movies with me."
 

"Um...I don't think I can make it, Mike. Sorry. I promised Jake I was gonna hang out with him today."
 

"Yeah. You've been hanging out with him a lot lately." Mike mumbled. He thought I hadn't heard, but of course I did.
 

"Yes I have. Jake's my best friend and I just so happen to need him right now." I could feel myself getting angry.
 

"Why? Because Cullen left? Bella you can't cling to one guy, then when he leaves, you cling to another one!" Mike said.
 

"You don't have any idea what you're talking about Mike. I'm not clinging to Jake, he needs me just as much as I need him right now. And if I'm not supposed to be clinging, why are you pushing us so hard?" My anger was boiling. I felt my palms tingling. If I didn't walk away soon, I was going to punch this little prick in the face.
 

"I'm not pushing us Bella! I just want to spend time with you." Mike said.
 

"Go spend time with Jessica! I don't want you." I spat at him. The parling lot was clearing rapidly.
 

"What if I want to spend time with you?" Mike grabbed the top of my arms roughly and slammed me against the hood of my truck.
 

"Get off me Mike! You're hurting my arms!!" I yelled at him. "J-" Jake appeared behind Mike and silently shushed me when I was about to say his name. I bit my lip and Jacob pulled Mike back by his collar. Mike fell to the ground hard.
 

"What the...?" Mike said before Jacob punched him in the face. Mike's head hit the ground and his eyes closed after he gave one grunt.
 

"Are you okay Bella?" Jacob asked me, checking me for wounds.
 

"I'm fine. But I know my arms are going to be bruised in the morning." I said and absentmindedly rubbed my arms.
 

"Let me see." Jake reached for my arm.
 

"No. I'm fine. I'm going home." I looked down and walked around to the driver's seat of my truck. I felt the tears well in my eyes. If Edward had been here, this would've never happened. I blame Edward. This is his fault. Because he left me, Mike came after me, but had he stayed, Mike would've never approached me.
 

"Are you coming to La Push today?"
 

"I....I don't think so." The tears wouldn't stop falling. I took off as fast as my ancient truck would let me. As soon as I made it home, I collapsed into my bed, waves of sadness racking through my body violently. I hated crying, and here I was, acting like an idiot. Of course it wouldn't have happened if Edward had stayed, but he didn't, and it did happen. I can't keep living in the 'what if' world. I can't keep letting my mind go back to what we could've been. It hurt too much. And when I hurt, I could see Jacob's hurt. He hated to see me cry, and that's all I had dome the first week he was here, and I'm doing it now. I pushed myself off the bed and went to the phone. It was after 11, but I knew Jake was still up. He wouldn't go to sleep until I called him, and if I hadn't he would've come by the house later tonight.
 

"Jake, I'm really sorry for earlier." I said.
 

"It's okay Bells. I kinda figured out why you acted like that and I thought it was best to leave you alone. If I ever see that little bloodsucker again, I'll..."
 

I laughed bitterly. "He's never coming back Jake."
 

"He'd better not." Jake grumbled. "Anyway Bells, do you want me to come by tonight?"
 

I bit my lip while I thought about it. "No, I don't think that's such a good idea Jake. Sorry." I couldn't handle him being here while I was still upset. I didn't want him to see me like this.
 

"Yeah, I am too. Bye Bella, Sam is calling for us." Jake said, disappointment thick in his voice.
 

"By-" Click. Jake had hung up. I had hurt his feelings. Perfect. I sighed and shook my head. Charlie would be home sometime soon, but I was too tired to cook anything for him. It was late anyway, he'd probably picked up something to eat on the way home anyway. I trudged back up the stairs and flopped down on my bed. How could I have let myself slip? I'd been doing so well up until now. And it was all because of Mike. I hate that stupid boy.
 

"Feeling down?" a deep voice asked me. I recognized it...I think.
 

I sat up on my bed and turned around, but no one was there. My eyes roamed around my room, though they found nothing of interest. Finally, they reached the window. It was wide open.

Reviews

[Cassandra D.]

lol, I like the nick name, "bells"