Midnight Sun (Twilight #1.5)(218)

"Burn!" Emmett bellowed.

Emmett noticed. I had almost forgotten he was standing beside me; I was so intent on listening into their conversation.

Forget it. I can't do this. Jacob argued in his mind. Master cylinder...master cylinder, he chanted over and over.

The look of discomfort on his face pleased me.

Get it over with... he grimaced.

"He said it was a 'safe' place to talk to you. I swear the old man is losing his mind."

His humorless chuckle was joined with a weak laugh from Bella.

"Is he going to say what I think he's going to say?" Emmett guffawed loudly.

I nodded.

"No way!" he continued to chuckle. "Human's are so hilarious! You sure know how to pick the good ones," Emmett chuckled in amusement.

"Anyway," Jacob continued. "He said that if I told you something, he would get me that master cylinder I need," he confessed with a sheepish grin. Master cylinder...you can do this. Master cylinder.

"Tell me, then. I want you to get your car finished." Bella grinned back.

There was a faint irritation close by. A young girl, only fifteen, screaming her fantasies at me through her thoughts, my name and face intertwined with them. Only if she knew what it would mean for my lips to be that close to her skin. It wouldn't be a kiss she would receive.

I pushed her thoughts from me. I had no time to deal with it.

Here goes nothing. Jacob exhaled heavily. Just set it up so you are in the clear. This isn't your fault...you were sent by your insane father. She'll understand. ...right?

"Don't get mad, okay?" Jacob stared down at Bella intently.

"There's no way I'll be mad at you, Jacob," she encouraged him. "I won't even be mad at Billy. Just say what you have to."

I didn't deserve to have someone like Bella. She was forgiving, sweet and kind. She had even forgiven me for nearly taking her life.

Danger magnet.

"Well -- this is so stupid, I'm sorry, Bella --" just spit it out "-- he wants you to break up with your boyfriend. He asked me to tell you 'please.'" Jacob shook his head back and forth.

I can't believe I just said that.

A burst of laughter came from Emmett. "He said it. I can't believe he actually said it."

"Pay up!" Jasper held out his hand. ...and I wasn't even here when the wolves were around. He grinned.

I hadn't even noticed that he was there until right now, let alone hear them making bet's over the conversation. I tuned out Jasper and Emmett's exchange.

"He's still superstitious, eh?" Bella pulled me back into the conversation. Her brush off was surely just pity. She was kind. That was all.

That's it? She's not going to get mad...or hit me? What a relief!

"Yeah. He was... kind of over the top when you got hurt down in Phoenix. He didn't believe..." He believed you were attacked by Edward, he finished in thought.

Finally, I saw the first signs of Bella's irritation as her eyes narrowed. "I fell," she infused with a little bit of steel in her voice.

She's mad. Oh crap.

"I know that," Jacob said quickly.

"He thinks Edward had something to do with me getting hurt," Bella said tersely, stating it as a fact, not a question.

Bad idea...really, really bad idea. Master cylinder? What?

They stopped swaying; Jacob's eyes looking away, Bella's eyes alight with fury. It was surprisingly strange to see her be protective over me. It was...nice, even though her anger was quite comical.

"Look, Jacob," Bella began. "I know Billy probably won't believe this, but just so you know" -- Jacob looked up, his thoughts scattering wildly trying to find a way to patch up their little tiff -- "Edward really did save my life. If it weren't for Edward and his father, I'd be dead."

She forgot to add that if it weren't for us, we wouldn't have had to save her in the first place.

"I know," Jacob claimed. I tried to tell him...I'm an idiot for letting him convince me to do this.

"Hey, I'm sorry you had to come do this, Jacob," Bella apologized. "At any rate, you get your parts, right?"

Forgiveness was her virtue. There was no other meaning behind her words. I don't even think she knows how to hold a grudge.

"Yeah," he muttered.

Maybe you could just leave off the last part, he thought. I mean, she got the gist of what he wanted her to know. ...right?

He frowned.

"There's more?" Bella asked in disbelief, reading his face.

Jacob's mouth twisted down further. Why did she have to be so perceptive?

"Forget it," he mumbled, "I'll get a job and save the money myself." ...bye, bye, master cylinder, his thoughts were chagrined.

Bella's cheeks turned red again, but this time in pure anger and not embarrassment.

"Just spit it out, Jacob," she hissed.

"It's so bad." He grimaced.

"I don't care. Tell me," she insisted.

I can't believe she is going to make me say this.

"Okay... but, geez, this sounds bad." He shook his head. "He said to tell you, no, to warn you, that -- and this is his plural, not mine" -- he lifted one hand and made little quotations marks in the air -- '"We'll be watching.'"