Ebb and Flow (Twilight x Reader)

Chapter 36

The next morning, I'd lost my nerve to go and see Jacob. And the morning after that. The rest of the school week passed slowly, and pretty soon the weekend came. Bella and Edward left for the airport right after school ended on Friday.

The conversation in the car was....weird. I wasn't sure how to respond to it. I didn't really like it. Edward being pleasant was new, and it wasn't something I was ready for. Not yet. It was too strange.

It felt like I was in the Twilight Zone.

Especially when Bella and Edward got back from Florida.

"Welcome home, kid!" Dad shouted like he really meant it. "How was Jacksonville?"

Bella shrugged. "Moist. And buggy."

"So Renée didn't sell you on the University of Florida?"

"She tried. But I'd rather drink water than inhale it."

Dad's eyes flickered unwillingly to Edward. "Did you have a nice time?"

"Yes," Edward answered in a serene voice. "Renée was very hospitable."

"That's . . . um, good. Glad you had fun." He turned to Bella. "Bells, can you call Jacob? He's been bugging me every five minutes since six o'clock this morning. I promised I'd have you call him before you even unpacked."

"Wait, what?" I said, shocked. "Jacob wants to talk to her?"

"Jacob wants to talk to me?" Bella asked at the same time.

"Pretty bad, I'd say. He wouldn't tell me what it was about — just said it was important."

The phone rang then, shrill and demanding.

"That's him again, I'd bet my next paycheck," Dad muttered.

"I got it." Bella hurried to the kitchen.

Edward followed after her while Dad disappeared into the living room. I waited a bit, then went to go loiter just around the corner to eavesdrop.

"Hello?" I heard Bella answer.

A brief silence.

"Yes...Because I've been in the house for exactly four seconds and your call interrupted Charlie telling me that you'd called...Sure. Now, why are you harassing Charlie?"

Another silence.

"Yeah, I figured out that part all by myself. Go ahead."

There was a short pause.

"Of course I'm going to school tomorrow. Why wouldn't I?"

Another pause.

"So what did you want to talk about, Jake?...Yeah, I know. I'm so glad you called me, Jake. I . . .What? Oh. Okay. Bye."

Bella sighed. "That was short," she muttered.

"Is everything all right?" Edward asked. His voice was low and careful.

"I don't know. I wonder what that was about."

"Your guess is probably better than mine."

I huffed and quietly made my way upstairs. Why hadn't Jake asked for me? I didn't understand. What the hell was up with him? I had been here the whole time.

With my thoughts miles away — about fifteen miles away, up the road to La Push — I started getting ready for bed.

***

"Bella, if I asked you to do something, would you trust me?" Edward asked, an edge to his voice.

That night I had tried to go see Jake again, and Edward had hijacked the truck.