CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

"What on earth is this?" Sydney Taylor asked incredulously, pulling out a bright neon pink shirt from Ellie's closet. 

Ellie Hadley was resting against her pillows tiredly, watching Sydney rifle through her cupboard, pulling out various items that Ellie had either forgotten about or had put there. 

"Um. . . It's a shirt?" Ellie returned. 

"But it's pink!" Sydney shrieked in response. 

"And?" Ellie continued. "It's my pink shirt for Wednesdays."

"This doesn't even fit you," Sydney retorted before brandishing the shirt once more. "But what I was going to say before I was rudely interrupted-" 

"What did you say, Sydney?" Ellie interrupted her grin widening. 

"I said-"

"Yeah? Come on, Sydney! I thought you had something important to say." Ellie interrupted once more. 

"I do and I would appreciate it if you shut up." Sydney retorted. 

"Okay go on," Ellie said. "Wait!"

"What now?" Sydney shouted jokingly. 

"Nothing you may go on." 

"I was just going to say before I was rudely interrupted once more," Sydney repeated, continuing her previous train of thought. "Was that I don't think I've ever seen you wear a colour other than grey or black with the occasional sprinkling of red in there somewhere. Let alone a neon pink shirt which you claim you wear on Wednesdays." 

"Oh come on, Syd. Mean Girls doesn't ring a bell?" Ellie teased. 

"Nope, all the movies I've seen are either superhero or zombie ones. Brandon's getting a kick out of it, but I lost a bet so now I'm stuck with them." 

"Whatever you say, Syd." Ellie teased. 

"Oh, what's this?" Sydney continued, pulling a book out of the drawer as Ellie froze at the sight of it. "What's the matter, El?"

"Oh nothing. . ." Ellie trailed off. "Just the book, I used to play that with Jasper." 

"I think I remember you telling me about that," Sydney returned softly, placing the book away before sitting on the bed with her best friend. "Sorry, for accidentally pulling it out to show you."

"Oh don't be silly, Syd." Ellie brushed off. "It's okay, just haven't seen it in a while that's all." 

"Okay, as long as you are sure, El." Sydney continued. "Because you're stuck with me, forever, and I'm always going to make sure that you are okay."

"I am, honestly. I'm slowly getting there." Ellie said, before glancing at the clock. "Oh shit, I'm supposed to be at Bella's now!"

"You are seriously the worst at timekeeping," Sydney chuckled. 

"Oh I know, but you get away with it when you sleep throughout most of the day," Ellie returned, running to go pick up her shoes. "Do you want to come with me?" 

"Nah, I'm all good." Sydney dismissed. "Got a couple of essays sitting at home waiting for me. Senior year, right?" 

"Indeed," Ellie agreed. "I'll call you."

"You better," Sydney retorted. 

"When have I ever not called you?" 

"True, true." 

"This is a really shitty idea, Bella." Ellie retorted as Bella pulled into the Black's driveway, rain pelting down. 

Bella had informed her over the last few days of Jacob's increasingly strange behaviour as the weeks passed. Although Ellie had joined the two of them with their effort of fixing up the motorbikes a feat that did eventually achieve. She had also spent her time with her other friends and letting Bella just hang out with Jacob. But with Jacob's strange behaviour the night that Bella had gone to the movie theatre with him and Mike, on top of him not answering her calls, Bella was beyond worried and had dragged Ellie into it, something that was becoming increasingly common. 

Through the rain that was battering down, Ellie could just see a figure walking through the rain that she vaguely recognised as Jacob, his shoulder tense. Bella immediately darted out of the car, Ellie stepping out but staying by the car, close enough to hear but not enough to completely intrude on the conversation between the friends. 

"Jake!" Bella shouted getting the teenager's attention. "You cut your hair off? And you got a tattoo?"

"Bella. . ." Jake trailed off, not knowing how to approach the situation. 

"I thought you were too sick to come outside. Or pick up the phone when I'd call." Bella continued. 

"Go away."

"What?"

"Go away, both of you," Jacob repeated, his eyes trailing up to Ellie's hooded figure. 

"What happened to you? What's wrong?" Bella asked as Jacob started to walk away, Bella quickly moving to stop him. "Hey! What happened? Did Sam get to you? Is that what's happening?"

"Sam's trying to help me, don't blame him. But if you want somebody to blame, how are those filthy bloodsuckers, you love, that you both love? The Cullens." Jacob hissed out, his eyes meeting Ellie's shocked face before trailing back to Bella's. 

"I don't know what you are talking about," Bella stammered. 

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. You've both been lying to everyone. Charlie. . . . but you can't lie to me. Not anymore, Bella."  Jacob continued. "Look, Bella, we can't be friends anymore." 

"Jake, I know that I have been. . . hurting you. It's. . . It's killing me. It kills me. If you, maybe, give me some time?" 

"Don't!" Jacob protested. "It's not you."

"It's not you, it's me, right? Really?" Bella protested. 

"Yeah, real cliche there, Jake," Ellie called, chiming into the conversation from where she still stood. 

"It's true! It is me!" Jacob continued, looking over to Ellie's at her comment. "I'm not good. I used to be. . . a great kid. Not anymore. This doesn't even matter, alright? This is over." 

"You can't break up with me." Bella stammered. "I mean. . . I mean you're my best friend. You promised me."

"I know. I promised I won't hurt you, Bella. And this is me keeping that promise." 

"Bella!" Ellie called getting the attention of the two friends. "Let's go." 

"Go home." Jacob insisted. "And don't come back, either of you. Or you're gonna get hurt." 

Bella turned to face Ellie walking back towards her, a look of defeat clear on her face. Ellie met Bella in the middle, throwing an arm over her shoulders as she looked back briefly, watching Jacob run over to other figures on the other side of the clearing. "It's okay, Bells," Ellie assured.