Charlotte || Jacob Black & Paul Lahote

Fourteen: Leech

Myself, Jacob and Paul got into a comfortable routine. Most days, when I was at school, I'd be picked up by one of the two boys. If neither were available, one of the pack would come get me. We then would spend the afternoon on La Push beach, before returning for dinner at Emily's house. It was nice, and it was comfortable. I'd then be returned home to Bella's jealous questioning. On weekends, I'd be picked up in the morning and spend the day with the duo.

As I said, it was nice and comfortable, but was beginning to get boring. Whilst I enjoyed spending time with the two men, they were both too frightened to make any further moves and the lack of one on one time was hindering my willingness to make a move. I was desperate to just spend time with just Jake or just Paul. 

But on this day, neither boy had rang me to spend time with me.

"No phone for you this morning?" Bella asked, appearing in my doorway at around 10AM.

"They've been following your vampire friend for weeks, they must have a trail," I explained in a low tone. The only time they'd missed a hangout was when they'd chased her into the next state, so I knew it was something to do with that.

"Well, I'm going La Push today, If you'd like to come?"

"What are we doing?"

"Cliff Diving."

"I don't know Bella, it's not very safe."

"We'll only go from the lower cliffs?" 

"Alright then." And so I got dressed, wearing just shorts and a hoodie, and packing spare clothes into my bag. I already knew this was a bad idea, and I could hear Paul's disapproving tone, but I was a sucker when it came to peer pressure. 

And so we set off! The journey was quiet, as it always was with Bella and her phobia of music. 

"I think Jacob and Paul are going to kill me," I muttered as we parked up at the beach. 

"How is Jacob?" She asked, eager eyes widening.

"He's good."

"How far have you, you know like gotten?" She questioned, gosh she's so nosey.

"Oh erm, not very. Kinda hard when there's both of them always around."

"Or you're just a prude." Gee, thanks Bella. Maybe she was right, maybe they want more but I'm too prudish. I trailed after her, in a world of my own as we made our way up to the first cliff edge.

"We're jumping together." Right, okay, I guess we're jumping together. She started stripping off her jacket and jewellery, mumbling to herself as she did so. Is she crazy? Am I about to cliff dive with a crazy girl?

She grabbed my hand, and before I could even think, we were hurtling towards the icy sea.

It was cold. So cold. We resurfaced with a gasp of air and laughed as we turned to look at each other. Now we just had to swim back to the beach.

That plan was cut off by a wave hurtling into us, and another, and another.

We scrambled over each other, using the other as leverage to get back towards the air. Kicking and shoving and pulling. 

It was me who lost, the water cold as it filled my lungs and my vision faded to black.

---

"Fuck off Bella you stupid fuck," Jake's harsh voice jolted me awake, and I pushed myself up quickly, coughing and spluttering.

"Woah, Charl, you okay?" Jake's voice softened, he was dripping wet and his eyes were puffy. He reached out to pet my hair, his hands carrying a slight tremble. I burst forwards, burying my face in his neck and wrapping my arms around him. He hugged me just as ferociously, sniffling into my hair, pressing kisses to my forehead.

"What the fuck were you thinking?" He almost cried.

"Bella's idea," yes I'm throwing her under the bus.

"It was fun?" But even she sounded unsure.

"Let's just get you home," He muttered, pulling me to my feet and guiding me back to Bella's truck. She followed along,

"Jake you can't be mad at me. I pulled her out."

"You also encouraged and LET her do that." He snarled at her. She stayed quiet. We settled into the truck, with me in the middle, Jacob's hand firmly glued to my leg, the other being used to steer. 

"I can't stay when we go back, but give me or Paul a ring later on please?" 

"Why can't you stay?" I sounded like a child.

"Harry Clearwater had a heart attack, he didn't make it. The whole pack is over there, and I think your dad is too."

"Jake, I'm so sorry," me and Bella spoke, overlapping each other with our apologies. He dismissed us with a shake of his head, and we settled back into that tense silence once again. 

We pulled up outside of our house and Jacob frowned,

"There's a vampire. I can smell it." Me and Bella looked at each other, then turned to scan the front of our house.

"Wait, that's Alice's car," she pointed out, gesturing to a shiny black car parked just over the road. Why was one of the Cullen's back? Immediately, Bella was out of the car.

"I can't protect you if a Cullen is back. It's their land, it's part of the treaty," Jacob explained, following myself and Bella up our path and towards the house. I hesitated. I wasn't scared of a Cullen, but I was scared of being without Jake's protection. If the Cullens were back, would I no longer be included in the pack perimeters?

"They won't hurt me, or her," Bella explained, hesitating outside of the front door.

"You're about to cross a line, please come with me," Jacob pleaded. He wasn't pleading with Bella, he was pleading with me, but knew that I'd also want Bella safe.

"Then don't draw one," and so she opened up the door. Immediately I heard her exclaim, calling the name of the smallest of the Cullens.

"Jake, wait here, I'll come back-"

"Please, stay here with me."

"I'll come back to the rez with you, let me pack a bag okay? I'll be okay, and I'll scream if I'm not." He nodded solemnly, he couldn't argue. I was agreeing with him, even if it meant entering the Vampire's lair. I entered the house, slipping past the kitchen which held the leech and my sister. 

"Charlotte," Jacob called and his hand grabbed onto me, "I don't want you on your own."

"I can't see past you and your pack of mutts," Alice's voice called from the kitchen and her face appeared in the doorway. She literally hadn't changed, but now that I knew her secret she looked so much more eerie. 

"Don't get me upset," Jacob started.

"Jake, calm down," I mumbled, pushing him away from the leech and back towards the stairs. 

"Go pack your bag, I'll stay here," he ordered, settling himself at the bottom of the stairs, a barrier between me and the vampire. And so I did as I was told, packing some clothes into a rucksack, my toothbrush and wolfie. I think Jake will laugh at wolfie, or find him cute. He looks like Paul, so maybe Paul will like him more. 

I returned downstairs a few minutes later, passing my bag to Jacob. He checked I had everything and I turned to say goodbye to Bella, only for her to bulldoze me over.

"Bella what the fuck?"

"I'm going to Italy, be back in a couple of days." And the door slammed shut behind her. My dad is going to fucking murder her.