Better Than Revenge

Seth's POV:

It felt like time had just stopped.

Everything was dead silent, and there wasn't any movement at all, not even in the trees. Time had literally stopped.

Elena took one look at the scene and clearly wanted to take it all back. "I'm sorry." She told me.

I had to push myself forward to meet up with her. "What are you doing here?"

"I...I snuck out. I shouldn't have come, I'm sorry."

I huffed, taking a peek at everyone behind me. They weren't mad, just completely shocked. I took her hand. "Come on."

I had to force my head to stay high and face them. Half of their eyes were on me, half on the girl next to me. This wasn't exactly the way I wanted to do this, but I didn't have a choice now.

"Elena's staying with The Cullens again." I announced, although quietly. "She's still learning about alot of things, but I trust her now. And I think you should too. She needs the encouragement."

When I didn't get any sort of response, I surveyed their faces again. Most of them were still shocked, but one was different.

She kept her lips in a tight line to stop them from twitching, but she wasn't shocked. She knew exactly what was going on, and that's what scared me.

"Val,"

Hearing me say her name set her over the edge. A frown accompanied those heartbreaking tears, and I knew.

Jacob stepped up to us. He made sure I was paying attention. "Take her back." He said under his breath.

"Jake-"

"Just go, alright? Both of you."

I wouldn't accept it. "I need to talk to Val."

He shoved my shoulder back, switching his glare to Elena. "Take her with you, and leave. Now."

I couldn't bare seeing Valerie choke on her tears, but approaching her now would make it worse.

"Tell her I'm sorry." I mumbled.

Then I left.

. . . . . . . .

Val's POV :

Jacob still didn't know that I remembered.

My chest was filled with peanut butter, and he had no idea.

I could hear the wheels in his head turning, trying to make up a story. But I remembered the real one, and Jacob didn't know. It was a long walk home. He'll think of something before then I'm sure.

"I can't think of anything to say." He finally broke the thick and heavy silence.

"You don't have to say anything." I told him. "I just can't believe she's..."

He stumbled slightly over a rock. "You know who she is?"

I tried not to smirk. "I do." I decided to play with him, to distract myself from creating more tears. "I also know your secret."

He pretended not to be phased by my comment. "I have a secret?"

"Yes."

He played along, even though he didn't know he was playing, which made it amusing for me. "Enlighten me, would you?"

I shrugged like it was no big deal. "You know, the one where you turn into a giant wolf and run around killing things like Elena?"

I heard his jaw drop. "Who told you that?"

I pretended to think. "I believe you did, about a year or so ago. After Bella ran off to Italy."

I took a few more steps before I realized he stopped dead in his tracks. I turned around and watched him eye me suspiciously, like I was an illusion.

It took alot to hide the smile now. I looked up at the darkening clouds. "Come on, it's gonna rain soon. We have to get home."

He still wouldn't budge.

I let the smile free. "Hurry up, loser."

His lips moved, but words didn't come out. "Val?" He breathed.

I waved with all my fingers. "Hi, Jake."

He copied my smile and ran right at me, lifting me into the air and spinning around. I laughed a little and he set me down, wrapping me up in a real hug.

"I missed you." He said.

"At least somebody did."

He backed up and held my shoulders to get a look at me. "So do you...remember everything?"

I nodded, grinning.

Jake hugged me again, squishing me into his chest. "God, if you ever do that again..."

"I won't." I said, my words muffled by his body. "But seriously, it's gonna rain any second."

He let me go and turned his back to me. "Get on." He said over his shoulder.

I anchored my hands to his shoulders and jumped onto his back, wrapping my legs around his front.

Jacob started walking in his much quicker strides, shortening our time.

I rested my chin on my arm over his shoulder. "Hey, Jake?"

"Yeah?"

The peanut butter turned chunky. "Seth hasn't been around lately." I looked down and watched his feet. "Was he with her this whole time?"

Jacob took a long time to answer. "I don't know."

I knew he wouldn't tell me the truth. "Do you know if...do you know why she's still alive?"

"She ran away. I didn't even know she was back...no one knows how long it's been."

"But she's still alive." It meant that Seth didn't want her killed, even after what happened to me. He basically implied that he cares about her more than he cares for me, and I still couldn't believe it.

Jacob didn't say anything.

My throat was tight. I needed another distraction. "What's really happening to Bella?"

"You're just full of questions, aren't you?"

"I just got slapped in the face with my life story. Of course I have questions."

We made it to my house just as the first rain drops began to fall. I slid off of his back and sat down on the steps, sheltered by the roof of my porch. He sat down on the same step.

He didn't laugh like I hoped he would. "My best guess is that she's - changing." He choked on the word.

I already knew that, too. "Have you seen her?"

He shook his head. "I'm not so sure that I want to."

I patted his knee to comfort him, and to apologize for bringing her up. "Jake, you only deserve the best, and even then, she won't deserve you."

The rain fell in fat droplets, becoming louder on the rooftop. I tucked my feet in closer, so they wouldn't get wet.

Jake drew his fingers delicately through mine on his knee. "I would say the same about you."