Jump Then Fall

I pulled my ringing cell phone from my back pocket placing it at my ear.

"Hello?" I asked as I tripped over my back pack as I tried to slip into my shoes.

"Lina? Where are you?" He demanded.

I couldn't help but close my eyes and admire the beauty in how my name passed his lips. It was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard.

I've recently acquired a liking to my best friend. I was absolutely sure that if I looked perfection up in the dictionary I would find a picture of him staring back at me.

"Lina? Hello? What the hell, dude I think she just hung up on me!" He said frantically as I heard Quil and Embry cackle in the background.

"Sorry Jake. I'm here, I just fell." I mumbled as I picked up my back pack and raced into the kitchen grabbing a water bottle and my keys.

He laughed lightly and I felt my heart rate accelerate, “Just like you Lina. Where are you anyways? We're going to be late for school?"

"Whatever Jake as if you want to be there anyways." I snorted getting into my car before throwing my bag into the back.

He laughed again and I melted. It was so beautiful.

"You're right. I really don't want to be there. But seriously, are you on your way?" He said and I could practically hear the smile that he was probably wearing right now.

"Don't get your panties in a twist Black. I'm on my way." I said as I pulled out of my driveway and started the three minute drive to his house.

"Shut up Lina. Oh, I see your car." He said before he hung up the phone.

I pulled into the driveway and found three russet colored boys with longer hair than mine.

Jake grinned and sauntered over to the car before pulling the door open and climbing into the front seat.

"Onward Lina!" Quil said.

I gave him a look and started for the school.

"Creeper." I said under my breath.

Jake was the only on close enough to hear and he laughed heartily.

"God, I love you Lina." Did he even realize how much I wanted him to be serious when he said that?

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I was laid out on Jake's bed as we worked on homework. He was laying on the floor with his feet resting on the side of the bed.

"Who the fuck cares about Romeo and Juliet? They die anyways." Jake said throwing the schools tattered copy of the worlds best play about a tragic love.

"I care about it Jake! It's a beautiful story!" I defended.

"No it's an awful play that on proves that you should make sure people's hearts have fully stopped beating before you down poison in the name of love. I mean serious, he saw that she still had color and that she wasn't cold. And then right as he dies she finally wakes up? How cliché!" He ranted.

I would never tell that every time Jake ranted that I didn't listen. I just listened to his beautiful voice.

"Well I like it. You'll make mistakes too you know. You can say Romeo is stupid when you royally screw up with a girl you like." I said turning back to my Chemistry homework.

"Yeah, when I stab my wife's cousin I'll give you a call." He chuckled shaking his head.

I rolled my eyes and laughed lightly.

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"Hey Lina?" Jake asked.

"Yeah?" I answered looking up from my lunch.

"Can I tell you something?" He asked nervously.

My stomach did flips. What did he want to ask?

"Uh, sure." I smiled my amber eyes locking with his pools of milk chocolate.

"Well you're a girl right?" I arched my brow.

"That's not what I meant. Ugh, I meant you would know how they think right?" He stumbled over his words.

"Yes and for the record I AM and girl." I scoffed.

"Sorry. What would you do if I asked you out and you were really hurting?" He asked blushing.

"What do you mean?" I furrowed my brow in confusion.

"Well I like this girl." My heart dropped into the pits of my stomach. "But her last boyfriend left her and she is really broken. How should I go about telling her how I feel?" He asked.

"I- I don't know." I answered still taken aback by the words 'well I like this girl' when I knew they weren't about me.

"Come on you have to know something." He pleaded.

I sighed and ran a hand through my brown hair.

"I guess you could just try telling her you like her but you understand that she still needs time and that you are there for her." I said feeling my chest ache.

"That is a great idea! Thank Lina, I owe you one!" He said before leaving me on my front porch while he jumped into the Rabbit and started for the highway.

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Weeks passed and Jake became more and more distant from me and the guys. So did Embry until he just finally stopped hanging around with us. Me and Quil stuck together though.

A few days after Embry stopped hanging out with us Jake got sick. His dad said no visitors and I felt bad. No matter how much he was in love with Bella he would always be my best friend.

I gave Jake the space he needed for two weeks.

I was driving passed his house on the way home from Quil's when I saw Bella's rusty old red truck in Jake's yard. I pressed the breaks and looked across the yard to see Jake outside talking to Bella perfectly healthy.

Tears burned my eyes. He had probably been faking an illness to get rid of me and Quil so he could get closer to Bella.

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I didn't talk to Jake for the rest of the month and he made no attempt to talk to me. My dad was getting worried about me. I was always in my room if I wasn't at school which was unlike me.

We had talked on multiple occasions about me moving back to New York with my mom. I hated New York and big cities and tried to use that as an argument but my dad wouldn't have it. He simply said if things didn't get better fast that is where I would be headed.

I figured the only thing I could do was talk to Jake so I made my way over to his house. The rain was pouring and when I arrived I ran quickly to his garage where the light was on clutching my coat closely to me.

"Jake?" I called pushing open the door and walking in shaking off my ran coat.

He was working under the hood of the Rabbit, he didn't even look at me.

"Yeah?" He answered carelessly.

"Can I talk to you?" I asked softly sizing him up.

He had bulked up and grown taller. His hair was cropped short and he wore a pair of cut-off's with no shirt. A tattoo of what looked like a wolf was clearly visible on his right forearm.

"I don't have time Lina." He said closing the hood and turning around to put his tools away still not looking in my direction.

"It wont take long." I murmured.

"Well can we hurry I have to go meet Bella." He sighed impatiently.

Anger flared in me and adrenaline pumped through my veins.

"It's always about her isn't it? Always have to be with Bella don't you Jake? Well I'll make this quick and crystal clear for you Jacob. I'm moving back to New York. Just thought I'd stop by to let my best friend know." I sneered.

He froze dropping a wrench to the floor living a ringing sound in the air as I breathed in deeply out of rage.

"You're leaving?" He asked still not turning around.

"Yeah." I seethed marching over to him.

"Look at me!" I said tugging on his shoulder, the touch burned my finger tips.

He faced me and I drew my hand back slapping him right across the face. He jumped back in shock and looked right into my eyes.

"I hate you Jacob Black." I spat before turning and running out of his garage and to my car.

One I reached my house I quickly turned off my car and pressed my head to the steering wheel, letting the tears fall from my eyes.

----------

I placed my book into a box and sighed. I was finally done packing. All I had to do was get on the plane tomorrow afternoon in Port Angeles.

I flipped off the light in my room and walked over to my bed, pulling the covers back and slipping into them quickly.

The rain hit my window hard all night hardly allowing me to even attempt to fall asleep.

The sound seemed to get louder like it was actually raining in my room and I turned to my window seeing a figure climb into my room. My heart rate picked up and I was about to scream.

"Don't scream Lina. It's Jake." He said as I watched his silhouette run a hand through his hair.

"Oh in that case, get out of my house jerk." I said shooting him a glare before turning away from him and laying back down.

"Lina." He sighed.

"Go away asshole. I've got a flight to catch tomorrow." I snapped.

"You can't leave." His voice was strained.

"If you came here to tell me what to do the only thing I can guarantee you'll get is another slap across the face." I said rudely.

"Would you please just listen to me?" He pleaded.

"No." I retorted stubbornly.

"Lina, please." He sighed.

This time I didn't answer. I closed my eyes hoping that he would just leave so that when I left tomorrow afternoon it wouldn't be so hard.

That wasn't the case because he lifted the covers of my bed and climbed in next to me. He wrapped his arms around me and he was so warm I shivered.

"What are you doing Jacob?" I snapped trying to get out of his grip.

"Something I should have done a long time ago." He said turning me in his arms and pulling my lips down on his.

My lips immediately reacted pushing back on his lips just as fiercely as he moved his lip against mine.

I pulled away needing air. My mind was cloudy.

"What was that for?" I asked breathlessly.

He went into an explanation about the Quileute legends. Everything about the Spirit Warriors to imprinting.

"So your saying that you imprinted on me?" I asked hardly able to take all of this in.

"Yeah. It was like a slap in the face. Literally. When you slapped me and we locked eyes, I knew you were everything I was ever going to need. Forever." He whispered kissing my forehead.

We laid in silence for a few minutes just looking into each others eyes as the rain pounded my window.

"Don't go Lina." He whispered his hot breathe tickling my face.

His voice was so hurt. I wrapped my arms around him.

"I wont go then. “I whispered back.

His eyes lit up with excitement and he pressed his lips to mine roughly.

He pulled away only slightly though to whisper three words to me.

"I love you."

“I love you too.” I smiled.

“You know I understand what Romeo went through now. I almost ruined everything I had with you like he did.” Jake whispered.

I chuckled.

“I told you that you would.” I winked.

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"Just jump Lina!" Quil called from the other side of the cliff with Claire in his lap as they built a sand castle.

"I'm scared." I whispered to Jake as I looked down at the freezing water below.

"Don't be, it's easy." He shrugged.

"For you!" I scowled.

"All you do is jump then fall." He smiled.

"I don't want to fall unless it's with you." I smiled.

He blushed slightly catching the double meaning behind my words.

"We can fall together." He smiled reaching out for my hand.

"I'd like that." I smirked.

We locked hands and Jake began to count to three. When soared off the cliff together hands locked together taking a leap of faith and falling with each other be our sides. Just like it should be.