I Won't Say I'm in Love

Jacob finally navigated his way through the narrow, secluded, maze-like passage and we were parked in front of a big white house. There was one large wall-to-wall window at the front of the house, allowing me to see right through it into the neat, organized living room, furnished with white leather couches and sofas, a large flat screen T.V mounted on the wall, and a grand piano. Classical music drifted out of the house and through the cracked window.

“Es you ready para this?” Jacob asked. I looked at him quizzically, smirking.

“What was that?” I asked him.

“It was Spanglish,” he replied, laughing. I shook my head.

“Si, soy ready, amigo,” I replied jokingly.

“Yours sounded more Spanish than mine did,” he said, turning off the car. I laughed and reached for my door handle.

“Wait! I have to open your door for you!” he shouted from the gravel. I took my hands off the handle and put them up in surrender.

“Alrighty,” I agreed, amused.

“Alrighty,” he repeated, narrowing his eyes at me as if he were watching me. We stared each other down as he closed his door and walked around the car, finally opening my door. “Now,” he started. “Get out.”

“Make me,” I threatened playfully, crossing my arms and raising an eyebrow. He blinked at me.

“GET YO' ASS OUT O' THE CAR!” he yelled, pulling me out of my seat. I was laughing hysterically as he tickled me.

“Jake, stop! STOP!” I laughed. “I’m gonna pee myself!” I screeched, frantically hopping up and down.

“That’s always your excuse!” he shouted as he tickled me even harder.

“JACOB!” I squealed, trying to wiggle out of his tight hold.

“No tickle fights in the front yard!” a little girl shouted, running out the front door. She looked to be about eight. Jacob was standing behind me with his arms holding me to his chest and his chin on my shoulder. I leaned my head against his as well with my hands on top of his.

“Why not?” I asked, as I looked at her. She had to be just about the most beautiful little girl I had ever seen. She had rosy cheeks and golden eyes that stood out even more in contrast to her pale skin. Long, dark waves of hair ran down her back and her body was so delicately built, I was sure someone could easily run away with her.

“Because I’m a big girl and I make the rules,” she said defiantly, her fists on her hips as she stuck her tiny chest out.

“Renesmee, go inside,” I heard a laughing female voice order. Renesmee did so. Taking her place was the most stunningly flawless girl I had ever seen and she looked to be about my age. She looked just like Renesmee: long dark hair, liquid gold eyes, pale skin and rosy cheeks.

“Jacob,” she breathed, smiling her brilliantly white teeth at him. I was surprised when Jacob didn’t fall to his knees and beg for her to take him back right then and there. Instead, he took his arms from around me and went to go hug her.

“Hey, you,” he greeted, smiling. He embraced her in a bear hug, picking her up and spinning her around, making her laugh. I felt a quick stab of jealousy at this affectionate greeting, but it was replaced with happiness when I saw the smile on Jacob’s face. He looked so pleased and content to be here with her, it felt wrong to be jealous of that. He eventually put her down and she turned to me.

“Jake was right. You are beautiful,” was the first thing she said to me, smirking.

“Bella—!” Jake began to yell before he frowned childishly and looked away, his red brown skin becoming even redder. I felt myself flush as well, but knew she couldn’t have seen it because of my rich brown skin tone. He thinks I’m beautiful? I thought happily to myself. Not like I care or anything...

“Hi, I’m Bella,” she said, introducing herself and sticking out a small, pale hand.

“I’m Calypso,” I said, putting my hand in hers. I was surprised I didn’t immediately pull it away. The exact opposite of Jacob, her hand was like ice and as hard and smooth as polished marble. It caught me off-guard and I quietly gasped when her skin made contact with mine.

“Wait, like from The Odyssey?” she asked, her brow furrowing. I nodded and her face lit up. “There’s someone I want you to meet,” she said. “But first, let me give you a tour. That girl you just met, that’s Renesmee, my little sister.” When she said “little sister”, I saw her shoot a meaningful look at Jacob as all three of us reached the porch.

As soon as Bella opened the front door, I noticed that Jacob discreetly started breathing through his mouth. I wondered what he smelled that was so bad, because I thought it smelled terrific. I wasn’t sure of everything in the perfume, but I thought it was vanilla, cherry blossoms and lavender. I would have never pulled off the scent myself, but whoever attempted to did a wonderful job. “You guys, they’re here!” Bella shouted, her mellifluous voice echoing around the large, elegant house. Seconds later, I saw a girl peek her head around the corner, coming down the stairs, just as magnificent as Bella and Renesmee.

She floated gracefully down the stairs before skipping over and hugging me. I smiled and hugged her back. “Hi, I’m Alice,” she greeted excitedly. Everything about her, from her spiky black hair to her Prada clad feet, was perky and happy. I absolutely loved it.

“I’m Calypso,” I introduced, shaking her hand. It was as cold and hard as Bella’s, but I was used to it now. Alice’s large brown eyes became even larger and she smiled, showing off her pearly whites. I wondered if someone in the family was a dentist when one of the most magnificent men I had ever seen walked into the living room from around a corner.

He too was extremely pale, but had bronze, windswept hair with no roses in his cheeks. However, his eyes were also golden. “Hello,” he greeted in a voice that sounded like wind chimes. “I’m Edward,” he said, reaching out a hand to shake mine. As I had expected, his hand was freezing and his teeth were perfect. I was beginning to become a little put-off by this. Something felt a little off, almost supernatural. Inhuman…

Suddenly, I felt at ease again as a blond male waked into the living room from the same place Edward had entered. He as well was exceedingly beautiful and I was beginning to feel out of place. Like I wasn’t perfect enough to be here or something. “I’m Jasper,” the boy said, soon followed by the oldest looking people in the house who still looked to be only in their mid-twenties.

“I’m Carlisle and this is my wife Esme,” the stunning man said, gesturing to his equally striking spouse. Sure enough, they were both ice cold with golden eyes. Surprise, surprise…

“There’s one more person you have to meet,” Alice told me, grabbing my hand and leading me up the stairs, Bella and Jacob following close behind. “He’s going to be so excited to see you. He hasn’t stopped talking about you since the day he met you. I just hope you’re as happy to see him as he will be to see you,” she chattered. I wondered whom she could possibly be talking about, considering I had never met any of these people before.

Halfway up the stairs, there was a large frame on the wall with what seemed to be about a hundred folded caps and gowns inside. Stopping, I pointed to it. “What’s that?” I asked Alice curiously. She looked back at Bella and smiled before turning to me.

“Family joke,” she smiled and I couldn’t help but smile back. “Now come on! I want to see his reaction!” Alice whined, tugging me up the stairs. I laughed at her innocent behavior as she ran down the hall to a door that was covered with signs saying, “DO NOT ENTER” and “No Trespassing” and “BEWARE: VAMPIRE INSIDE.” I laughed at one that said “Emmett is not here right now…SO GO AWAY!”

Emmett…is Emmett a common name…? Maybe so, I thought, dismissing the unlikely possibility that I would be reunited with the first person that had shown me an act of even slight kindness or consideration in years. My first friend in this town.

“EMMETT! OPEN UP! THERE’S SOMEONE OUT HERE I WANT YOU TO SEE!” Alice shouted through the door, beaming like crazy. Jacob and Bella had finally caught up and were standing behind Alice and I. I waited in silence, dearly hoping that this wouldn’t be a waste of my time.

A few moments later, the door swung open…and sure enough, my Emmett was standing in the doorway. He was wearing a gray t-shirt that threatened to rip against his well-developed chest and biceps and had on a red baseball cap.

“Calypso?” he whispered, squinting his eyes as if he was trying to get a better look at me. Alice, about to burst with happiness, stepped back and smiled at the two of us. I pressed my lips together as I nodded frantically, smiling. “Get over here!” he shouted. I ran over to him and he pulled me into a big bear hug, spinning me around making me squeal and giggle like a child.

“What are you doing here?” he demanded, setting me down, but keeping his hands around my waist as I placed my hands on his chest.

“I could ask you the same question! Jake and I are here to see Bella,” I explained, beaming up at him. Emmett looked from my face to Jacob’s frowning one. He nodded toward him and Jacob did the same, not as friendly though. Emmett returned his gaze to me, his face welcoming and open again.

“So I guess after I dropped you off, you got somewhere okay?” Emmett asked, pushing a piece of hair behind my ear while scrutinizing my face. I opened my mouth to answer when I heard Jacob do it for me.

“No actually, she didn’t. Sam found her half dead in the middle of the woods, with a deep gash in her leg,” Jacob said coldly. I turned on him, frowning and slightly shaking my head as if to say, “Really? Right now?”

“What?” he breathed, looking at me very worriedly. I smiled my most charming smile and shrugged.

“Lara Croft would have done it,” was my only answer. He smiled at me, and then threw his head back and laughed.

“Lara Croft is pretty kick ass,” Emmett agreed, taking my hand as we all walked back down the stairs, Jacob moping behind with Bella. “We found her!” Emmett exclaimed happily, holding my hand up in the air as we reached the living room once again. Everyone smiled as we walked to one of the couches.

“I knew you’d be happy,” Alice giggled as she came to sit next to us.

“Of course you did, Alice,” Edward laughed, shaking his head as he sat on the arm of the chair Bella was occupying, putting an arm around her shoulders. I saw them exchange a glance and they seemed to be almost as magnificently in love as Emily and Sam. For the second time in less than twenty-four hours, I was insanely jealous of Bella Cullen. First, she hit the Daddy Jackpot. Then, she met and married one of the most majestic creatures on this earth, proceeded to conceive a beautiful and charming child with him and lived with her crazy rich, beautiful family.

Why did she get such a great card in the Game of Life? How did the universe decide who got to grow up happily and spend the rest of their life that way—like Bella—and who got to have a neglectful father, a schizophrenic mother and a drug addicted brother—like me? How was that even fair? I mean, sure, I understood that plenty of people had lives much worse than me, but that didn’t make coming home to a stoned brother, a negligent father and no mother hurt any less.

“Hey, where’s the pretty blond?” Jake asked from next to me. He wasn’t sitting on the couch. He was standing, his hands in his pockets, looking rather uncomfortable and out of place. I thoroughly hoped he hadn’t regretted coming here. I would feel really guilty if he did, being the one that convinced him to come and all. The family exchanged meaningful glances, all avoiding Emmett’s eyes who was staring at the ground.

“She left,” he said simply.

“Oh,” Jacob said, now ever more uncomfortable than he was moments ago. “I-I’m sorry,” he mumbled. Emmett shrugged.

“We just didn’t work out I guess. A relationship can’t survive on sex alone!” he chirped jokingly. I laughed and he smiled his brilliant smile at me making my heart skip a beat every now and again.

“Who’s up for a game of charades?” Edward suggested lightly, forcing me to pry my eyes from Emmett’s golden ones. I noticed Jacob fuming over in the corner and he seemed to be trembling slightly. I stood up quickly.

“Me!” I agreed, skipping over to Edward’s side and linking his cold arm in mine.

“Let’s play outside!” Alice piped, seeming to float out into the cloudy afternoon.

“It’s cold out there,” I whined, taking my arm from Edward’s and walking over to the door.

“I’m not,” Jacob said. “Here,” he murmured, wrapping his warm, strong arms around me, sending a storm of butterflies to flutter around my stomach. We stepped outside, the rest of the family not far behind.

“Who wants to go first?” Bella asked as we all started into the dark, green forest.