In The Right Key

Chapter 14: The Plan

Chapter 14: The Plan

"Dude, stop eating all the chips!" Quil Ateara yelled, sitting opposite Jake and me in Jake's small living room. Quil was one of Jake's best friends on the reservation, along with Embry Call, who was invited but did not show up.

"Stop eating all the chips," Jake mimicked in a girly, high-pitched voice. Quil leaped forward, thrusting his hand outward to grab the coveted bag of chips. Jacob danced out of the way and held the bag above his head, taunting. I skitted out of the way, not particularly wanting to be crushed by their horseplay. They were both very large; Jacob was a lot taller, though, and seemed to be enjoying that very much, holding the bag two feet above Quil's head. Quil lunged after him, but Jacob gracefully jumped out of the way, insulting Quil in that way friends do.

Teenage boys are so immature, I thought. With one blaring exception.

Edward. I rarely saw him anymore. Sometimes I would pass by him at school, but I could never look him in the eyes. I missed him terribly but I still felt the need to protect him. He wasn't at school a lot anymore, and I wondered why. I thought maybe it was because of me but then I remembered his world doesn't revolve around me.

Although, it was quite odd to see him at Mike's funeral. He stood off to the side, his hands clasped in front of him, his head down in respect. I'd always believed he didn't like Mike since Mike kissed me. I couldn't help but think he was there for me, offering me comfort because I had found Mike's dead body. Or maybe he was just there because a fellow student had died and he needed to keep up appearances. Who knew.

I'm a girl, I over analyze things. So when I saw James creeping in the trees at the funeral, I wondered how demented he really must be and how he could possibly live with himself. Duh, Bella, he's not alive. Damn vampire.

Agitated, I went to Jacob's house the next day to tell him of my newly concocted plan to get rid of James. He wasn't there. I had forgotten the rez had different school days than we did. Jake, the little scholar, was at school. I amended him for actually attending because I hadn't been. Too busy thinking.

So I went back to his house today, knowing he'd be there; I did my research. But about five minutes after I'd walked in the door, Quil came bounding in, ready to have fun with his friend. Interloper as I was, Quil was not deterred by my presence. We all hung out for a while before the boys started fighting over the chips. I realized I needed to get Jake alone so I could talk to him. Not 'Quil in the next room' alone, but alone alone.

It seemed luck was on my side. Quil's phone rang shrilly from his jean's pocket as he stretched up for the bag of chips. He absentmindedly took it out and flicked it open, not even checking to see who was calling, too engrossed in beating Jake in the epic battle of the chips.

Quil put the small phone to his ear. "Hello? Hi, mom. No, I'm at Jake's. Why? Do I have to? Ugh. Yeah, yeah." Disdain covered his features. "Love you, too," he mumbled.

"Love you too Mommy!" Jake said in that annoying girl voice. Seriously, Jake? I wanted to say. Quil dropped his hands and put his phone back in his pocket.

"I gotta go," he told Jake. "My mom wants me to help her do something." He and Jake gave each other that hands-clasped-slap-on-the-back man hug that always confused me. Why couldn't they hug like normal people? "And dude," he leaned forward and sniffed, "put on some deodorant." Quil jumped out of the way as Jacob's colossal form came down in him. Jake grabbed after Quil's fleeing form playfully, a joke between friends. On his way out the door, Quil turned and said, "It was nice to meet you, Bella," and waved.

"You, too," I replied, waving back. Relief I hadn't felt in the longest time flooded through me; I finally had Jake alone. It wasn't that I didn't like Quil, but Jacob was my sole reason for even being there. Jake turned to me, the laughter still on his face.