Dirty Little Secret

JACOB'S POV

She had changed. Very much, too. He remembered her as the little ten-year-old girl with long pig-tails and freckles across her cheeks. Now her hair was cut and styled short, she was wearing make-up, and she was wearing girl clothes. He thought back to those times when there were heavy thunder storms and she'd have a nightmare and crawl into his bed, and he would rub her back and lull her to sleep. He knew they'd been best friends, and by the way her whole face lit up when she saw him- hopefully nothing had changed.

And he couldn't help but remember how time stopped when they looked at eachother for the first time, when they're eyes met. There was the day he drove up to Port Angeles, trying to force himself to imprint, not realizing how effortless it was and that the girl he wanted and loved was right in front of him. Of course, that was years before he even knew about werewolves and bloodsuckers. He wondered how she'd react when she found out the secret, if she ever did, how she felt, if she loved him back. Gosh, imprinting was confusing.

He helped her get settled in. It was really easy too. The guys layed out their sleeping bags like they did so many times before. The sleeping bags still fit perfectly, but would they? Let's hope so. He looked back over at Dee, she was sure cute then- seven years ago- but now she was beautiful. His heartbeat quickened just at the thought. The urge to hold onto her thickened, but that would not be good. Not at all.

Over the years he had almost completely forgotten about Bella and the bloodsuckers. The only time he was forced to see or talk about them was in pack meetings with Sam, but that was to be accepted. He didn't feel the same he did a year ago, he thought of her as a best friend- her becoming a leech definitly had an impact on his own life.

He grinned during his thoughts and made a quick excuse, getting food or something while they caught up. He picked up the local newspaper and scanned down to the weather, his finger hit the later forecast for June 10th - 8 PM. Thunderstorms. Perfect. It was like God was on his side today, just wanting him to win. The girl of his dreams strolled back into his life, he would be given an excuse to hold her due to the rainy weather of Washington, he imprinted, and nothing could go wrong.

"Jake?" Dee called out from in front of him, close to his face, a few inches really. He realized how ridiculous he must have looked, zoned out with a goofy grin on his face, finger still scanned on the weather article.

"Yeah?" He said looking up from the paper.

"Well, do you need some help? The guys are getting cranky from hunger." She smiled.

"Let me guess, Paul?"
"How'd you know?" She said sarcastically.

"Worse than a pregnant woman with mood-swings and cravings, I swear." He murmurmed, but she heard and laughed.

The two got to work on preparing a giant plate of nachos, complete with all the fixings. Layers of chips, cheese, sour cream, salsa, and hamburger meat. It was perfectionist's work. As they cooked, they talked about everything. From life in New York to old memories.

"So, are you still afraid of thunder?"
"Shh, not too loud!" She said glancing around. "Yes." She admitted shyly, not something usual for Dee.

"That's too bad, I heard there were gonna be thunderstorms later on." He said casually, though his heart was racing with anxiety.

"Hmm, but remember what I did every nightmare and thunderstorm?" She asked smirking at a jar of salsa.

"I think I have a pretty good memory. And, your welcome to crawl in my bed at any given time."
"I'll take you up on that offer." She replied smoothly before sticking the nachos in the oven for a quick warm-up.

"Can't wait." He replied, keeping the eagerness out of his voice.

"Me either." She said.

He got the hot plate of nachos out of the oven with bare hands, forgetting and being completely oblivious to everything else. She stared at him nervously, but amazed.

"Jake! Isn't that hot?"
"What, this?"

"Yeah, it just came out of a frickin' oven!" She cried incredulously.

"Oh. . ." He said looking down to it. "Ow?"
"Ow's right! Put it down right now!" She ordered and he obeyed. Anything to make her happy.

"Forgot."

"Lemme see," She said reaching out her hand for his. He handed it over cautiously, Dee was smart- she could figure stuff out. "No burn, that's strange. Why are you as hot as the sun?" She asked still holding his hand.

"Erm- I dunno. Probably just your imagination."

"You're lying,"

"I'm not."

She raised her eyebrows and jutted her hip out to the side expectantly.

"I'm not." He repeated more forcefully.

"Okay then," She sighed dramatically, before letting his hand go and slipping on the oven mits and carrying the plate upstairs to the hungry werewolves, but she didn't know that. . .

Once up the stairs, all eyes traveled to them. The whole pack looked up at him, smirking. He rolled his eyes and sat, leaning against the edge of his bed. Dee placed the nachos in the middle and took a seat next to him.

"Oh- shoot- plates!" She said under her breath.

"Do you know where they are?" Jake called after her.

"If my memory serves me right!" She yelled back, already halfway down the stairs.

"So, you and my twin sister?" Embry asked.

"Huh?" Play dumb, good- smart Jacob.

"Don't play dumb." Paul said through a mouthful of chips. They could see right through him. Damn.

"I don't know what your talking about." Play it out, smooth.

"Yes you do. Most of us here have imprinted, we know what's going on." Quil said.

And it was true. He had imprinted on Claire, Paul on Rachel, Jared on Kim, and Seth on Miranda. Embry and himself had been the only ones left who hadn't imprinted, until now. But he didn't look hurt about it, he looked fine.

"Yeah, so tell us." Jared said.

"Okay, so you figured it out. Good for you." Jacob replied.

"Well, how do you plan on telling her?"
"What that I'm a freakishly large, werewolf or that I'm in love with her?" He joked.

"Both, I guess." Embry shrugged.

"I'll let it sink in. She just got here today."

"Okay, we won't get in your way." Paul said, annoyingly. . .

"Thanks," He sighed.

"Got them, you know you really should dust your cabinents- your tall enough to rea-" But she stopped short. She eyed each of their faces. "You're all guilty of something. Why were you talking about me?"

"We weren't," They all chimed in unision. It was funny how, after all these years, she could still see right through them like when someone stole her cookies from her lunchbox. Those were the good days.

"Something's going on and I'm finding out. But after I eat some nachos, Paul- you pig, you're inahling them." She said slapping his hand away.

"Not my fault." He said through another mouthful.

"Yes it is!" She bickered back.

"Whatever." He mumbled.

"So, Dee, how'd you like New York?" Quil asked.

DEE'S POV

"New York? Eh, not much. I never really went out, I stayed on the school's campus." She said airily.

"So, no boyfriends?" Embry said, looking at Jake out of the corner of his eye. She noticed.

"That's my business."

"Aw, come on, you can tell us. It's not like we'll mock you either way." Jared said.

"Maybe." She said, keeping a straight face. She hadn't had any boyfriends, sure she had gone on dates, but she never got serious and threw herself into a relationship with a guy. They were all arogant and stupid. Plus she was there for school, not for boys. But she couldn't help but feel maybe her not dating had something to do with Jake. "So, any girlfriends?"

"Yep," Paul said proudly.

"No way!" She gasped.

"Don't be so surprised."

"Who is it?"

"Jake's sister, Rachel."

"Does she know you?" Dee joked.

"Yes." He grumbled.

"Quil? Jared? Embry?" She paused. "Jacob?" She feared the answer.

"Jared's going out with Kim, I think you'd like her. She'll come by sometime." Embry said.

"Oh, is that all, then?"

"Yeah, that's it."

"Hmm, nobody for the famous Quil Aterea," She smirked.

"Oh, there have been plenty- just not my type." He joked in return, the group laughed.

"Just like old times." She sighed leaning against the bed again, slightly touching Jake's shoulder. Her heart leapt.

"Same old, same old." Jared said.

"With nachos." Paul added.

"Shut up, you'll ruin the moment." Dee said.

"So, who's up for a game of truth or dare?" Quil asked, smirking maliciously. "It'll be a heck of alot different, now that I can't dare Dee to pull her pants down."

"That was once, and it was just my underwear." She defended.

"Yeah, pink and flower printed." Jared teased.

"Shut it, I'm sure yours are exactly the same." She retorted

"I've seen them," Jacob agreed.

"Oh, just 'cause your besties doesn't mean you have to team up on the inocent!" Jared said.

"Yes it does." Her and Jake said in unision with a quick look at eachother. They laughed and she leaned on his shoulder regaining her composure.

"Anyway, you guys are so on." She said smirking determindly.

"You asked for it." Quill said. "Truth or Dare. . ."