go。
The diminished numbers didn't dampen Mike's anticipation； though。 It was all
he could talk about Friday。
〃Are you sure you don't want to see Tomorrow and Forever instead？〃 he asked at
lunch； naming the
current romantic edy that was ruling the box office。 〃Rotten Tomatoes gave
it a better review。〃
〃I want to see Crosshairs〃 I insisted。 〃I'm in the mood for action。 Bring on
the blood and guts！〃
〃Okay。〃 Mike turned away； but not before I saw his maybe…she's…crazy…after…all
expression。
When I got home from school； a very familiar car was parked in front of my
house。 Jacob was leaning
against the hood； a huge grin lighting up his face。
〃No way！〃 I shouted as I jumped out of the truck。 〃You're done！ I can't
believe it！ You finished the
Rabbit！〃
He beamed。 〃Just last night。 This is the maiden voyage。〃
〃Incredible。〃 I held my hand up for a high five。
He smacked his hand against mine； but left it there； twisting his fingers
through mine。 〃So do I get to drive
tonight？〃
〃Definitely；〃 I said； and then I sighed。
〃What's wrong？〃
〃I'm giving up—I can't top this one。 So you win。 You're oldest。〃
He shrugged； unsurprised by my capitulation。 〃Of course I am。〃
Mike's Suburban chugged around the corner。 I pulled my hand out of Jacob's；
and he nude a face that I
wasn't meant to see。
〃I remember this guy；〃 he said in a low voice as Mike parked across the
street。 〃The one who thought
you were his girlfriend。 Is he still confused？〃
I raised one eyebrow。 〃Some people are hard to discourage。〃
〃Then again；〃 Jacob said thoughtfully； 〃sometimes persistence pays off。〃
〃Most of the time it's just annoying； though。〃
Mike got out of his car and crossed the road。
〃Hey； Bella；〃 he greeted me； and then his eyes turned wary as he looked up at
Jacob。 I glanced briefly at
Jacob； too； trying to be objective。 He really didn't look like a sophomore at
all。 He was just so
big—Mike's head barely cleared Jacob's shoulder； I didn't even want to think
where I measured next to
him—and then his face was older…looking than it used to be； even a month ago。
〃Hey； Mike！ Do you remember Jacob Black？〃
〃Not really。〃 Mike held out his hand。
〃Old family friend；〃 Jacob introduced himself； shaking hands。 They locked
hands with more force than
necessary。 When their grip broke； Mike flexed his fingers。
I heard the phone ringing from the kitchen。
〃I'd better get that—it might be Charlie；〃 I told them； and dashed inside。
It was Ben。 Angela was sick with the stomach flu； and he didn't feel like
ing without her。 He
apologized for bailing on us。
I walked slowly back to the waiting boys； shaking my head。 I really hoped
Angela would feel better
soon； but I had to admit that I was selfishly upset by this development。 Just
the three of us； Mike and
Jacob and me； together for the evening—this had worked out brilliantly； I
thought with grim sarcasm。
It didn't seem like Jake and Mike had made any progress towards friendship in
my absence。 They were
several yards apart； facing away from each other as they waited for me； Mike's
expression was sullen；
though Jacob's was cheerful as always。
〃Ang is sick；〃 I told them glumly。 〃She and Ben aren't ing。〃
〃I guess the flu is making another round。 Austin and Conner were out today；
too。 Maybe we should do
this another time；〃 Mike suggested。
Before I could agree； Jacob spoke。
〃I'm still up for it。 But if you'd rather to stay behind； Mike—〃
〃No； I'm ing；〃 Mike interrupted。 〃I was just thinking of Angela and Ben。
Let's go。〃 He started toward
his Suburban。
〃Hey； do you mind if Jacob drives？〃 I asked。 〃I told him he could—he just
finished his car。 He built it
from scratch； all by himself；〃 I bragged； proud as a PTA mom with a student on
the principal's list。
〃Fine；〃 Mike snapped。
〃All right； then；〃 Jacob said； as if that settled everything。 He seemed more
fortable than anyone else。
Mike climbed in the backseat of the Rabbit with a disgusted expression。
Jacob was his normal sunny self； chattering away until I'd all but forgotten
Mike sulking silently in the
back。
And then Mike changed his strategy。 He leaned forward； resting his chin on the
shoulder of my seat； his
cheek almost touched mine。 I shifted away； turning my back toward the window。
〃Doesn't the radio work in this thing？〃 Mike asked with a hint of petulance；
interrupting Jacob
mid…sentence。
〃Yes；〃 Jacob answered。 〃But Bella doesn't like music。〃
I stared at Jacob； surprised。 I'd never told him that。
〃Bella？〃 Mike asked； annoyed。
〃He's right；〃 I mumbled； still looking at Jacob's serene profile。
〃How can you not like music？〃 Mike demanded。
I shrugged。 〃I don't know。 It just irritates me。〃
〃Hmph。〃 Mike leaned away。
When we got to the theater； Jacob handed me a ten…dollar bill。
〃What's this？〃 I objected。
〃I'm not old enough to get into this one；〃 he reminded me。
I laughed out loud。 〃So much for relative ages。 Is Billy going to kill me if I
sneak you in？〃
〃No。 I told him you were planning to corrupt my youthful innocence。〃
I snickered； and Mike quickened his pace to keep up with us。
I almost wished that Mike had decided to bow out。 He was still sullen—not
much of an addition to the
party。 But I didn't want to end up on a date alone with Jacob； either。 That
wouldn't help anything。
The movie was exactly what it professed to be。 In just the opening credits；
four people got blown up and
one got beheaded。 The girl in front of me put her hands over her eyes and
turned her face into her date's
chest。 He patted her shoulder； and winced occasionally； too。 Mike didn't look
like he was watching。 His
face was stiff as he glared toward the fringe of curtain above the screen。
I settled in to endure the two hours； watching the colors and the movement on
the screen rather than
seeing the shapes of people and cars and houses。 But then Jacob started
sniggering。
〃What？〃 I whispered。
〃Oh； c'mon！〃 he hissed back。 〃The blood squirted twenty feet out of that guy。
How fake can you get？〃
He chuckled again； as a flagpole speared another man into a concrete wall。
After that； I really watched the show； laughing with him as the mayhem got
more and more ridiculous。
How was I ever going to fight the blurring lines in our relationship when I
enjoyed being with him so
much？
Both Jacob and Mike had claimed the armrests on either side of me。 Both of
their hands rested lightly；
palms up； in an unnatural looking position。 Like steel bear traps； open and
ready。 Jacob was in the habit
of taking my hand whenever the opportunity presented itself； but here in the
darkened movie theater； with
Mike watching； it would have a different significance—and I was sure he knew
that。 I couldn't believe
that Mike was thinking the same thing； but his hand was placed exactly like
Jacob's。
I folded my arms tightly across my chest and hoped that both their hands fell
asleep。
Mike gave up first。 About halfway through the movie； he pulled his arm back；
and leaned forward to put
his head in his hands。 At first I thought he was reacting to something on the
screen； but then he moaned。
〃Mike； are you okay？〃 I whispered。
The couple in front of us turned to look at him as he groaned again。
I could see the sheen of sweat across his face in the light from the screen。
Mike groaned again； and bolted for the door。 I got up to follow him； and Jacob
copied me immediately。
〃No； stay；〃 I whispered。 〃I'll make sure he's okay。〃
Jacob came with me anyway。
〃You don't have to e。 Get your eight bucks worth of carnage；〃 I insisted as
we walked up the aisle。
〃That's okay。 You sure can pick them； Bella。 This movie really sucks。〃 His
voice rose from a whisper to
its normal pitch as we walked out of the theater。
There was no sign of Mike in the hallway； and I was glad then that Jacob had
e with me—he ducked
into the men's bathroom to check for him there。
Jacob was back in a few seconds。
〃Oh； he's in there； all right；〃 he said； rolling his eyes。 〃What a
marshmallow。 You should hold out for
someone with a stronger stomach。 Someone who laughs at the gore that makes
weaker men vomit。〃
〃I'll keep my eyes open for someone like that。〃
We were all alone in the hallway。 Both theaters were halfway through the
movie； and it was
deserted—quiet enough for us to hear the popcorn popping at the concession
counter in the lobby。
Jacob went to sit on the velveteen…upholstered bench against the wall； patting
the space beside him。
〃He sounded like he was going to be in there for a while；〃 he said； stretching
his long legs out in front of
him as he settled in to wait。
I joined him with a sigh。 He looked like he was thinking about blurring more
lines。 Sure enough； as soon
as I sat down； he shifted over to put his arm around my shoulders。
〃Jake；〃 I protested； leaning away。 He dropped his arm； not looking bothered at
all by the minor rejection。
He reached out and took my hand firmly； wrapping his other hand around my
wrist when I tried to pull
away again。 Where did he get the confidence from？
〃Now； just hold on a minute； Bella；〃 he said in a calm voice。 〃Tell me
something。〃
I grimaced。 I didn't want to do this。 Not just not now； but not ever。 There
was nothing lett in my life at
this point that was more important than Jacob Black。 But he seemed determined
to ruin everything。
〃What？〃 I muttered sourly。
〃You like me； right？〃
〃You know I do。〃
〃Better than that joker puking his guts out in there？〃 He gestured toward the
bathroom door。
〃Yes；〃 I sighed。
〃Better than any of the other guys you know？〃 He was calm； serene—as if my
answer didn't matter； or
he already knew what it was。
〃Better than the girls； too；〃 I pointed out。
〃But that's all；〃 he said； and it wasn't a question。
It was hard to answer； to say the word。 Would he get hurt and avoid me？ How
would I stand that？
〃Yes；〃 I whispered。
He grinned down at me。 〃That's okay； you know。 As long as you like me the
best。 And you think I'm
good…looking—sort of。 I'm prepared to be annoyingly persistent。〃
〃I'm not going to change；〃 I said； and though I tried to keep my voice normal；
I could hear the sadness in
it。
His face was thoughtful； no longer teasing。 〃It's still the other one； isn't
it？〃
I cringed。 Funny how he seemed to know not to say the name—just like before
in the car with the music。
He picked up on so much about me that I never said。
〃You don't have to talk about it；〃 he told me。
I nodded； grateful。
〃But don't get mad at me for hanging around； okay？〃 Jacob patted the back of
my hand。 〃Because I'm
not giving up。 I've got loads of time。〃
I sighed。 〃You shouldn't waste it on me；〃 I said； though I wanted him to。
Especially if he was willing to
accept me the way I was—damaged goods； as is。
〃It's what I want to do； as long as you still like to be with me。〃
〃I can't imagine how I could not like being with you；〃 I told him honestly。
Jacob beamed。 〃I can live with that。〃
〃Just don't expect more；〃 I warned him； trying to pull my hand away。 He held
onto it obstinately。
〃This doesn't really bother you； does it？〃 he demanded； squeezing my f