XXXIII. Apologies.
After dancing with Angela and Jessica for a bit, I broke away to search for Edward, who I had only seen once or twice in the passing. Just as I walked out of the downstairs living room, Alice stepped into my path.
"Ana." She spoke, her tone of voice strained and her face hardened. She was very clearly less than pleased about something.
"Alice," I said, eyebrows furrowing in confusion as I looked at her, trying to figure out what I had done to her.
She stepped beside me, wrapped one intimidating arm around my shoulders, and pointed into the crowd. "Who invited the mongrels?" she questioned me.
I followed her pointed finger, eyebrows raising when I saw Jacob, Quil, and Embry among the crowds of dancing Fork's high students. A dreadful feeling sunk into the darkest pit of my stomach as I looked at Jacob.
I sighed softly before meeting Alice's pointed gaze. "I invited one of them...before," I explained to her as her jaw clenched. "The other two I can actually handle being here," I added softly as I shot a look toward Quil and Embry.
"Why would you invite that one?" Alice asked in a sharp and low tone of voice as she quirked her eyebrows. I knew she meant Jacob. Because even before he tried to kiss me, Alice despised him.
"It was before, "I explained and she rolled her eyes in response. "I'll deal with it," I assured her before slipping away and making my way over towards the three wolves. They saw me coming, and I was met with two beaming smiles and one tight smile. "Quil, Embry." I greeted cheerfully.
"Congratulations Ana." Quil congratulated me as he gave me a brief side hug, and Embry did as well.
"Finally in the big world now, huh?" Embry asked teasingly as he bumped my shoulder with his own, raising his eyebrows.
"Finally." I agreed jokingly as I rolled my eyes teasingly, letting out a soft chuckle.
"We brought you something," Quil spoke up as he held up a small box in my direction and I gave him a sweet smile as I accepted it. "A graduation present. The three of us worked together to make it." He explained.
I opened the small box, smiling when I saw the light pink colored bracelet with three lucky charms on it. One was the letter A, one was a small wolf and the other was a small feather from a dreamcatcher. "Oh..." I whispered, smiling as I admired the bracelet. "You guys made this?"
"We each added a charm," Embry explained. "I put the A, Quil the wolf, and Jake the feather," he added as he motioned between the three of them.
I glanced in Jacob's direction. I still had the Dreamcatcher he gave me for my birthday last year. He gave me a small a small smile and I diverted my gaze down to the bracelet. "It's really pretty. Thank you." I told them sincerely as I put the bracelet on.
"You're welcome," Jacob spoke up softly as he stared at me. Quil and Embry shared an awkward look before looking between me and Jacob.
I looked at Jacob, slowly nodding my head. I took a deep breath as my gaze remained locked with Jacob's. "What are you doing here?" I asked him as my head tilted slightly to the side.
"You invited me, remember?" he replied as he raised his eyebrows at me.
I hummed as I nodded my head, my eyebrows furrowing."Was my right hook too subtle for you?" I asked him sharply in a low voice. "That was me uninviting you. You think Edward is going to be happy seeing you here?" I snapped as I quirked an eyebrow.
"Just so you know, I'm with you," Quil spoke up, nodding his head when I looked up at him. "Totally not cool what he did." He said as he shot a pointed side-eyed look at Jacob.
Jacob shot Quil a firm glare before looking back at me again. "Look, Ana, I'm sorry... about, you know... trying to kiss you and your hand..." he apologized sincerely as he gave me an apologetic look. "I'd blame it on the whole inner animal thing... But it was really just... me. Being an ass. I'm really sorry. "
I silently stared at Jacob for a second before slowly nodding. I sniffed softly before looking off to the side, finding Alice watching us. I looked back at Jacob. "I still don't forgive you," I told him softly as I shook my head.
"I understand." he replied with a soft sigh as he nodded his head."I can promise that I will never do anything like that again. But it won't change any of my feelings." He said softly as he shook his head.
"I've graduated, you'll have to move on sooner or later," I told him firmly as I crossed my arms over my chest.
"Ana." Jacob sighed as he took a small step closer to me. "I really am sorry. I shouldn't have tried to kiss you like that. It was wrong." He apologized again. "I guess well, I guess I deluded myself into thinking you wanted me to."
I scoffed in disbelief. How could he, after everything, still believe I wanted him? I had made it so overly clear from the very beginning, even when Edward was gone, that I'd never feel that way over him. "Deluded, what a perfect description!" I snapped as my eyebrows furrowed and a scowl slipped onto my face.
"Be nice. You could accept my apology, you know." Jacob replied as he gave me a lighthearted pointed look, a slight frown tugging at his lips.
I let out a soft breath as I stared at him. Slowly I nodded my head as I pursed my lips. "I accept your apology," I replied.
Jacob's eyes squinted as he stared at me. "You accept but you don't forgive," he muttered as his head tilted to the side.
"Yes," I confirmed as I nodded my head.
"But you forgave him," Jacob replied sharply and I immediately knew he meant I forgave Edward for leaving.
I scoffed softly as I shook my head. "This and that are not the same," I replied, my voice just as sharp as his. Quil and Embry still silently watched us. "And it took me a while to forgive him," I added firmly.
"So I might still have a chance at forgiveness." Jacob reasoned as he raised his eyebrows at me.
I scoffed softly again as I rolled my eyes to the side."You might." I muttered, my gaze landing on Alice. I immediately noticed that dazed look in her eyes as she stared blankly, her body tense. "Alice?" I whispered as my eyebrows furrowed. "I'll be right back," I told the three boys.
"Why? What's going on?" Jacob questioned, quickly stepping in my path when I turned to head for Alice.
"Nothing. Just wait here a sec." I snapped at Jacob before pushing past him and heading towards Alice, the three boys following me. Her eyes widened as she snapped out of her daze. "Alice, what did you see?" I asked her as I placed my hands on her arms.
"Okay, something is going on. Tell me." Jacob demanded as he, Quil, and Embry stepped up behind me.
Alice looked at me and the worried look in her eyes made my stomach knot. "I... need to talk to Jasper." She insisted, grabbing onto my hand and leading me up the stairs to the second floor.
Jacob pushed past us on the stairs and put his hand on the wall, blocking our path up the stairs. "Why don't you talk to me?" he asked Alice as he raised an eyebrow.
Jasper came up behind Jacob on the stairs. "I suggest you remove your arm. Before I do." He threatened and warned all in one sentence, his southern-accented voice a thick growl.
Jacob hesitated cockily for a second and I could see Jasper fuming behind him. I pushed past Alice and grabbed Jacob's arm, forcefully pushing it down to his side. Jacob, this is not the reservation." I spat at him in a low voice."You are an uninvited guest here, do not start." I warned as I pointed a finger at him before turning around to face Alice, Quil, and Embry still lingering behind her."Alice, what did you see?" I asked her.
Alice looked between me and Jasper, her eyebrows furrowing. "The decision's been made." She informed us.
I looked over my shoulder, sharing a look with Jasper before looking at Alice again. "What's going on? You're not going to Seattle?" I asked her as I raised my eyebrows.
Alice slowly shook her head. "No... They're coming here." She informed us and it felt like she was delivering a hard punch to my gut.
"All of them?" Jasper asked in a low voice.
"Their whole army," Alice confirmed as she nodded her head.
"We have to talk to the rest." I insisted, looking at Alice before looking at Jasper over my shoulder. The second fear started bubbling up inside me, it was forcefully shoved down with a look from Jasper.
"I'll round them up," Jasper said before he turned around and disappeared into the crowds of people.
Alice squeezed my hand and pushed past Jacob. She dragged me a few steps up the stairs before turning around sharply, facing Jacob who followed us with Quil and Embry in tow. "Where are you going, Mongrel?" She asked sharply as she raised her eyebrows.
"We have a right to know what's going on." Jacob demanded as he glared at Alice, his jaw clenching tightly."We're also part of this." he insisted and Quil and Embry nodded in agreement."You need us."
Alice scoffed bitterly, pulling me closer to her. "Well if we need anyone to force-"
My eyes widened as I shot her a look."Alice."I cut her off softly and she scowled. "We do need them," I told her softly. There was no longer time to search for other vampires. Something I didn't feel comfortable within the first place. Alice gave me a frown. "Look I am the least happy about this, but we do need them," I told her softly.
Alice silently stared at me for a second before sighing deeply. Her sharp eyes turned to Jacob and she squinted. "You stay away from her." She warned him in a low voice.
"Or what?" Jacob asked in a challenging manner as he stepped up to Alice. "What are you going to do?"
"Jacob." I snapped softly and his eyes shot towards me."Stop." I demanded as I shook my head.
He scoffed and rolled his eyes at both me and Alice. "Fine," he grumbled.