CHAPTER FOUR
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"That big one was this close to biting my arm."

Despite worrying about the bites that had been close to scarring her body, Rosalie stared at herself in the mirror, stretching back her clear skin as if she had the capacity to show signs of wearing and age. It seemed the years of endless living had not eased her vanity like the others.

"Maybe it wasn't the best idea to jump on his back," I said, smiling as Alice sat down beside me.

Rosalie groaned, rolling her eyes. "You're supposed to be on my side."

"Since when?"

"Since I said so," she said, her perfect face breaking out into a smile. "What happened to partners against enemies?"

I laughed, finally understanding her meaning. "That was one chess game against Alice."

She shrugged as if it was the same thing. "That's what I said."

"I know for next time. You're the first one I'd go to if I needed help in a fight."

Rosalie smirked. "After Alice, of course."

My eyes widened. Rosalie had been getting more comfortable with me each week, and that meant I was no longer free of her joking but harsh comments that she would slide in every so often. Out of all of the Cullens, she was certainly the one who was no apprehensive to say something.

"I want us all to talk," Alice said, drawing our attention away from Rose's last few words and instead to her. Esme glanced up from her sketchbook beside Carlisle as Emmett and Jasper entered the room upon hearing her announcement. "We need to talk about what just happened?"

"Go ahead, Alice," Carlisle said.

"We need to work something out to avoid clashing with the pack again. Next time Victoria could use it to her advantage- more so than she this evening," Alice said, and a round of nods agreed with her. "Also... I don't think we should tell Bella. Edward won't want to, and it's unfair to go against that. We can't tell her. Not yet."

The week after the chase, Bella returned from Florida considerably more flushed than she had gone, both from the sun and the constant thought of whatever was going on in her mind.

The usual, heavy-handed soundtrack of rain and confident wind paved our way to school the first Monday morning. Edward had driven the four of us, with Bella in the passenger seat and me and Alice, who'd been agitated the whole time, in the back. Something was coming, and by the look on her face, I could tell it was something to do with the conversation she'd made us all have early that morning.

Usually, the darker days would come with an invitation to ease worries and relax, but Jacob's scent flooded the car park as we climbed from Edward's Volvo, Bella refusing to stay behind. He stood by the main steps, swarmed by the crowds of seniors that entered the main doors, dragging their eyes past him and his newly fixed motorbike. It was comical. In a way, Jacob was hiding amongst the school hordes away from the risks of having this conversation alone, but he stuck out sorely. With his height being easily more than six and a half feet, his build like that of a professional bodybuilder, not a sixteen-year-old boy, and his undeniable attractiveness, it was hard not to notice him.

"He's going to tell her, isn't he?" I asked Alice. She nodded grimly, only confirming what I already knew.

"This is hardly the place, Jacob. Could we talk later?" Bella said, stopping a few steps in front of him, Edward tight at her side.

"Sure, sure. I'll stop by your crypt after school. What's wrong with now?"

"I already know what you came to say," Edward said, his jaw clenched and angry.

"Three against one, hardly fair for you," Jacob said loudly, ignoring Edward as Alice and I reached their side.

"Message delivered. Consider us warned," Edward growled.

"Warned? What are you talking about?"

"You didn't tell her?" Jacob barked out a condescending laugh. "What, were you afraid she'd take our side?"

"Please drop it, Jacob."

"Why?"

Before Edward could bite back a remark, Bella was taking him by the elbow, forcing him to look down at her. "What don't I know, Edward?"

He didn't say anything, and so she turned. "Elide?" As I didn't say anything, she moved to Alice, knowing how desperately she would want to spill. "Alice?"

Jacob smirked. "He didn't tell you that his big brother crossed the line Saturday night? Paul was totally justified in-"

"They were both cutting close!" I shouted, with Edward closely saying,  "It was no man's land!"

"Was not!"

"Emmett and Paul?" Bella asked. "What happened? Were they fighting? Why? Did Paul get hurt?"

"No one fought. No one got hurt. Don't be anxious," Edward soothed, taking her face in his hands, stroking a thumb across her face.

"You didn't tell her anything at all, did you? Is that why you took her away? So she wouldn't know that-"

"But out, Jacob," I snapped, stepping forward. Alice pulled me back with a hand on my elbow.

Jacob's face darkened, his teeth gritting.

"I think you should leave now," Edward said calmly.

"Why haven't you told her?"

For a moment, each of us was quiet, until Bella spoke up, her chin wobbling. "She came back for me."

"It's fine. It's fine. I'll never let her get close to you," Edward spoke softly, before snapping his head to Jacob, glaring. "Does that answer your question?"

"You don't think Bella has the right to know? It's her life."

"You don't get to dictate the timeline, Jacob," I said.

"Why should she be frightened when she was never in danger?"

"Better frightened than lied to."

"Do you really think hurting her is better than protecting her?"

"She's tougher than you think. And she'd been through worse," Jacob said, his eyebrows raising.

He watched Edward as his face contorted for a single moment of weakness. Alice's neutral face dropped into a scowl as we realised exactly what he was doing. Jacob was playing with his strength and making it a weakness.

"What are you doing?"

"It's nothing Bella. Jacob just has a good memory, is all," Edward said, placing a hand on her shoulder again.

"It's his own fault if he doesn't like the things I remember."

"The principal's on his way to discourage loitering on school property," Alice spoke up.

Edward began to lead her away. "Let's get to English Bella, so you're not involved."

"Overprotective, isn't he? A little trouble makes life fun. Let me guess, you're not allowed to have fun, are you?"

"Shut up, Jake," she groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose between two fingers.

"That sounds like a no. Hey, if you ever feel like having a life again, you could come to see me. I've still got your motorcycle in the garage."

Bella's eyes snapped open. "You were supposed to sell that. You promised Charlie!"

"Yeah right, like I would do that. It belongs to you."

"Jake..."

Jacob's tough facade dropped as he became desperate. "I think I might have been wrong before, about not being able to be friends. Maybe we could manage it, on my side of the line. Come see me."

"I don't know about that Jake."

"I miss you every day, Bella. It's not the same without you," he pleaded.

"I know, and I'm sorry Jake, it's just..."

"I know, doesn't matter right? I guess I'll survive or something. Who needs friends?"

"Okay, get to class. Move along Mr Crowley," Mr Greene shouted as he came closer. "I mean it. Detention to anyone still standing here when I turn around."

"Get to school, Jake," Bella muttered, taking Edward by the hand, pulling us away.

"Ah, Mr Cullen, do we have a problem here?" Mr Greene asked.

"Not at all, Mr Greene. We were just on our way."

"Excellent. I don't seem to recognise your friend," he said, eyes cutting between the two, noting the hostility. "Are you a new student here?"

"No."

"Then I suggest you remove yourself from school property at once, young man, before I call the police."

Jacob smirked, and there was no doubt that he was thinking about Charlie showing up to drag him away. "Yes sir."

Jacob jumped onto his motorbike and drove away without a single glance back. The only evidence of his presence left behind was the tainted air from the exhaust and the tension that lingered between the four of us- it was even thicker between Bella and Edward.

"Mr Cullen. I expect you ask your friend to refrain from trespassing again."

"He's no friend of mine."

We took the long way to English and Maths, letting the thoughts of the argument simmer for a moment before Bella finally asked.

"What happened?" she said. Alice and I shared a worried look. "I want to know everything. None of the whole protection crap either."

"I saw that Victoria was coming," Alice said.

"That day in the cafeteria?"

"Yes."

"You were never in danger," Edward said as he placed an arm around her shoulder as she'd loosened again.

"Yeah. Emmett was so close to having her," I said.

Edward's next words made her frown. "But she ran straight down the Quileute boundary line as if she was reading it from a map."

"It didn't help that my abilities were nullified by the pack's involvement," Alice said.

"They could've had her too if we hadn't been there."

Upon Bella's hardened expression, Edward explained, "The big grey one thought Emmett was over the line and he got defensive. And, of course, Rosalie reacted to that. Jasper and Carlisle managed to calm things down before they got out of hand."

"What about Charlie? She could have been after him." Before Edward could say anything, she cut in, shaking her head. "You can't know that she wasn't. Florida was a bad idea." Bella let out a sigh. "Just tell me next time. All of you."

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Random question but what film has the best soundtrack out of all five? I was talking about it with my mam of all people and she says eclipse but I love new moon's soundtrack x