Silent Love

Mandy Myers laid on top of the covers on the hotel bed. She was dressed in a one shoulder dress and her hair was styled to perfection. But she was a wreck on the inside.

She had just thrown the invitation out there. She had no idea if it was a date or just old friends catching up. She didn’t know if he was dating that Bella girl or not. Maybe he just didn’t show at all, even though he had promised.

Sparks had been flying when he stared into her eyes. And the way he held her hand; Mandy couldn’t help but think that maybe he still loved her. But then she realized that it was only her imagination running wild.

Jacob was her friend. He always had and probably always would. Mandy had missed him ever since he broke things off. She missed talking to him until 2 am. She missed his laugh and the way his smile sent her into a happy bliss. She knew that as long as Jacob kept smiling the world would be okay.

Mandy glanced at her watch and jumped off the bed. It was already ten minutes past nine. She jumped into her heels and almost forgot her purse as she bolted for the door. She called for a man in the elevator to hold the door and she crashed against the back wall in it and tried to catch her breath.

“In a hurry, miss?” The man asked her politely.
Mandy smiled. “Yeah, I forgot the time.”
He laughed. “My wife does the same thing every day,” the doors opened into the lobby. “Well have a nice evening.”
“You too,” She called over her shoulder and ran to the door.

The concierge opened it for her and Mandy almost ran into Jacob as he was on his way in. He put his big hands on her shoulders to steady her and looked into her stressed eyes with a smile.
“I thought you were dropping out of our date,” he joked and took her hand in his.

He called it a date!
Mandy blushed. “I didn’t find anything to wear,” she lied and looked him up. He was wearing light blue jeans and a white t-shirt. They both looked brand new.
“You are beautiful,” he said sincerely to her and stared walking towards a car parked against the curb.

“Where are we going?” he asked.
“I booked us a table at a restaurant called Bella Italia. I don’t know the directions though,” She trailed off.
“That’s cool, I’ve been there before,” Jacob said and held the car door open for her.

Mandy noticed the car for the first time and her mouth dropped before she let out a squeal.
“It’s the rabbit!” she exclaimed and placed her hands on the hood. “It’s alive! You actually managed to put it together, Jake?”
Jacob chuckled and leaned against the door. “Don’t tell me you doubted my kick-ass skills?”

Mandy sighed, feeling relief about Jacob being the same over-confident boy. “No, Jakey, I never doubted your kick-ass skills.”
“Good. Now get in the car, I’m starving!”
The car ride was spent chatting lightly about Jacob skills and how he worked hard to get the rabbit running.

The restaurant was nearly empty to their surprise – it was a warm and beautiful Sunday in September after all. They as shown the way to a small table in the back to the restaurant and got one menu each. They sat staring at each other for a minute after they had given the orders to the waiter.

“You haven’t changed,” Jacob said and stared interestingly at her. “Your curly hair, pearly smile and sparkling eyes; you are as beautiful as ever,” Jacob placed his hand on the table and Mandy reached her hand across the table and intertwined their fingers.

Mandy glanced at their hands before she studied the white table cloth.
“You really hurt me Jacob, when you ditched me over the phone for Bella Swan,” She said lowly.
Jacob was about to protest but then he noticed her tear filled eyes. “How did you know?” He hadn’t told her about Bella.

“Madelyn told me. Aimee as well. They said you were the towns big gossip source. So, are you dating her?” She stared at him in surprise when he laughed a laugh full of mockery meant for him.
“No, Bella and I never dated. She’s married now, they even adopted a little monster,” his voice was hateful and filled with misery.

“Oh,” Mandy was at loss with words by his forwardness.
“I know you probably hate me, but I’m sorry, and I want to make things right between us,” Jacob squeezed her hand.
“I did hate you, but I wrote songs and got over it,” she got over the breakup, but never him. “I should thank you, really, I wrote some of my biggest hits about you.”

Jacob half-smiled and glanced over his shoulder. “I’m serious, Amanda. I’m pretty sure I’m the reason you haven’t been home once the last four years, but you shouldn’t we can be friends, right?”
“You really should stop talking before we need to buy a house for your big head,” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Not everything is about you, Jake, I haven’t been home because I’ve been working and I’ve been busy creating Mandy Myers. Besides, my family has come to me. I don’t have time for breaks.”

“So that’s the plan, huh?” Jacob asked her daringly. “You are going to work until you’re burned out. It doesn’t work like that, Mandy Myers.”
Mandy pulled her hands away from him and crossed them tightly across her chest. “You don’t know anything about me, Jacob Black.”

“The hell I do!” He threw his hands in the air, irritated beyond anything at how difficult she was acting. “I used to be your best friend! We were inseparable.”
“Just shut up, Jake. I didn’t come here to fight with you,” Mandy said and closed her eyes. She had a growing head-ache throbbing in her head.
“Fine,” He grumbled just as the food was placed on the table.

“How is your father?” She asked him and picked at her food.
“Same old, same old,” Jacob mumbled and had his eyes closed.
“Embry and Quil?” Mandy was curious about her old friends, but it didn’t seem like Jacob was interested in small talk.
“Embry found a job at a garage and Quil is working full time as a nanny.”

Mandy burst out in laughter by the thought of Quil babysitting. “Are you serious?”
Jacob nodded his head and started laughing as well. He’d missed her laugh.

Mandy stopped laughing when a tear escaped her left eye. She wiped it away as she spoke silently. “I’m so sorry for leaving, I never should have. And I’m sorry for leaving. I wish I could turn back time and do everything different for you are the biggest loss I have ever suffered. Losing you was not only losing the best boyfriend I’ve ever had, but I lost my best friend, and that may just hurt a little bit more. I’m sorry for being a total bitch, but trust me, I’m so glad you made time to see me. Because I missed you, Jakes.”

Jacob pulled his chair to he side of the table and wrapped his left arm around her. “I missed you too, curly, more than you’d ever understand. And I’m being honest when I say that I never loved anyone the way I love you.”
“You mean loved, right, in past tense,” she corrected him.

“No, I mean love.”
“To say you love me is strong words, Jacob.”
“I know, but my life has been crazy the last year, crazier than you would believe, and I’ve lost myself times and times again. I’ve run away from home, I’ve scared the shit outta my father, I’ve abandoned my friends, yelled at the ones I love and I even dropped out of high school. I thought I loved Isabella Swan, and I let her walk right over me, I let her lean on my shoulder for support and I let her throw me away like yesterdays garbage.” He took a break to run his hand through his hair.

“I’m a mess, Mandy. I’m a horrible person and I haven’t been sure on anything for a long time. But there you come, shining like a bright sun, shining light on all the dark shadows on my past and opened my eyes. And I’m sure I speak the truth when I say I love you.”

“Stop,” She said and placed her hand on his arm. “Just friends, Jake. We can just be friends.”
Jacob closed his eyes and nodded. “That’s fair enough for now.”
“And I can’t promise I will come home, because I’m scared I have changed too much and the town and the people haven’t. But I’ll try.”

“Do you want me to drive you back to your hotel?” Jacob asked her.
Mandy nodded. “Yeah, if you don’t mind. I’m dead tired.”
“I could use some sleep myself,” Jacob didn’t manage to hold back the yawn. IT had been a drama filled day and he couldn’t help his mind to wander to the vampire baby and its mother. Would they both be okay?

They walked hand in hand out in the early summer night not saying anything. Mandy was exhausted and couldn’t wait to crawl under the covers off the soft hotel bed. Jacob parked the car outside the hotel and stepped out to say goodbye.

“It was good seeing you again,” Mandy said to him.
Jacob wrapped his warm arms around her. “You too, Curly.”
“And I’ll think about it, coming back to Forks.”
“Do that, I’ll be there,” He smiled at her.
Mandy’s heart took off in a sprint by the sight of his smile and she swore she felt and electric current run across her skin to his.

Jacob leaned down slowly towards her lips but Mandy turned her head slightly so he only kissed the corner of her mouth.
“Just friends,” she warned him.
He smirked. “You just wait and see.”
She rolled her eyes and headed for the hotel entrance.

Jacob cursed under his breath as he got behind the wheel and drove away. How could he have been such a dope to kiss her? Or try to kiss her. The imprint wasn’t affecting her yet, obviously.

Mandy walked in a daze to her room, she even walked the stairs because she didn’t have patience enough to wait for the elevator. She held her hand over her mouth to seal the kiss, she could still feel the warmth of his breath. She had expected to stay awake for hours just thinking about him but she fell asleep immediately after getting undressed.

Jacob Black was going to leave a print in her life again, and she knew it. In fact, she couldn’t wait.