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I made a quick observation to distract myself。 〃You don't like them very much。〃
〃Does it show？〃 he asked sarcastically。
〃Well… It doesn't sound like they're doing anything bad。〃 I tried to soothe him； to make him cheerful
again。 〃Just sort of annoyingly goodytwoshoes for a gang。〃
〃Yeah。 Annoying is a good word。 They're always showing off—like the cliff thing。 They act like… like； I
don't know。 Like tough guys。 I was hanging out at the store with Embry and Quil once； last semester； and
Sam came by with his followers； Jared and Paul。 Quil said something； you know how he's got a big
mouth； and it pissed Paul off。 His eyes got all dark； and he sort of smiled—no； he showed his teeth but
he didn't smile—and it was like he was so mad he was shaking or something。 But Sam put his hand
against Paul's chest and shook his head。 Paul looked at him for a minute and calmed down。 Honestly； it
was like Sam was holding him back—like Paul was going to tear us up if Sam didn't stop him。〃 He
groaned。 〃Like a bad western。 You know； Sam's a pretty big guy； he's twenty。 But Paul's just sixteen；
too； shorter than me and not as beefy as Quil。 I think any one of us could take him。〃
〃Tough guys；〃 I agreed。 I could see it in my head as he described it； and it reminded me of something… a
trio of tall； dark men standing very still and close together in my father's living room。 The picture was
sideways； because my head was lying against the couch while Dr。 Gerandy and Charlie leaned over
me… Had that been Sam's gang？
I spoke quickly again to divert myself from the bleak memories。 〃Isn't Sam a little too old for this kind of
thing？〃
〃Yeah。 He was supposed to go to college； but he stayed。 And no one gave him any crap about it； either。
The whole council pitched a fit when my sister turned down a partial scholarship and got married。 But； oh
no； Sam Uley can do no wrong。〃
His face was set in unfamiliar lines of outrage—outrage and something else I didn't recognize at first。
〃It all sounds really annoying and… strange。 But I don't get why you're taking it so personally。〃 I peeked
over at his face； hoping I hadn't offended him。 He was suddenly calm； staring out the side window。
〃You just missed the turn；〃 he said in an even voice。
I executed a very wide Uturn； nearly hitting a tree as my circle ran the truck halfway off the road。
〃Thanks for the headsup；〃 I muttered as I started up the side road。
〃Sorry； I wasn't paying attention。〃
It was quiet for a brief minute。
〃You can stop anywhere along here；〃 he said softly。
I pulled over and cut the engine。 My ears rang in the silence that followed。 We both got out； and Jacob
headed around to the back to get the bikes。 I tried to read his expression。 Something more was bothering
him。 I'd hit a nerve。
He smiled halfheartedly as he pushed the red bike to my side。 〃Happy late birthday。 Are you ready for
this？〃
〃I think so。〃 The bike suddenly looked intimidating； frightening； as I realized I would soon be astride it。
〃We'll take it slow；〃 he promised。 I gingerly leaned the motorcycle against the truck's fender while he
went to get his。
〃Jake…〃I hesitated as he came back around the truck。
〃Yeah？〃
〃What's really bothering you？ About the Sam thing； I mean？ Is there something else？〃 I watched his face。
He grimaced； but he didn't seem angry。 He looked at the dirt and kicked his shoe against the front tire of
his bike again and again； like he was keeping time。
He sighed。 〃It's just… the way they treat me。 It creeps me out。〃 The words started to rush out now。 〃You
know； the council is supposed to be made up of equals； but if there was a leader； it would be my dad。
I've never been able to figure out why people treat him the way they do。 Why his opinion counts the
most。 It's got something to do with his father and his father's father。 My greatgrandpa； Ephraim Black；
was sort of the last chief we had； and they still listen to Billy； maybe because of that。
〃But I'm just like everyone else。 Nobody treats me special… until now。〃
That caught me off guard。 〃Sam treats you special？〃
〃Yeah；〃 he agreed； looking up at me with troubled eyes。 〃He looks at me like he's waiting for
something… like I'm going to join his stupid gang someday。 He pays more attention to me than any of the
other guys。 I hate it。〃
〃You don't have to join anything。〃 My voice was angry。 This was really upsetting Jacob； and that
infuriated me。 Who did these 〃protectors〃 think they were？
〃Yeah。〃 His foot kept up its rhythm against the tire。
〃What？〃 I could tell there was more。
He frowned； his eyebrows pulling up in a way that looked sad and worried rather than angry。 〃It's
Embry。 He's been avoiding me lately。〃
The thoughts didn't seem connected； but I wondered if I was to blame for the problems with his friend。
〃You've been hanging out with me a lot；〃 I reminded him； feeling selfish。 I'd been monopolizing him。
〃No； that's not it。 It's not just me—it's Quil； too； and everyone。 Embry missed a week of school； but he
was never home when we tried to see him。 And when he came back； he looked… he looked freaked
out。 Terrified。 Quil and I both tried to get him to tell us what was wrong； but he wouldn't talk to either
one of us。〃
I stared at Jacob； biting my lip anxiously—he was really frightened。 But he didn't look at me。 He watched
his own foot kicking the rubber as if it belonged to someone else。 The tempo increased。
〃Then this week； out of nowhere； Embry's hanging out with Sam and the rest of them。 He was out on the
cliffs today。〃 His voice was low and tense。
He finally looked at me。 〃Bella； they bugged him even more than they bother me。 He didn't want anything
to do with them。 And now Embry's following Sam around like he's joined a cult。
〃And that's the way it was with Paul。 Just exactly the same。 He wasn't friends with Sam at all。 Then he
stopped ing to school for a few weeks； and； when he came back； suddenly Sam owned him。 I don't
know what it means。 I can't figure it out； and I feel like I have to； because Embry's my friend and…
Sam's looking at me funny 。 。 and…〃 He trailed off。
〃Have you talked to Billy about this？〃 I asked。 His horror was spreading to me。 I had chills running on the
back of my neck。
Now there was anger on his face。 〃Yes；〃 he snorted。 〃That was helpful。〃
〃What did he say？〃
Jacob's expression was sarcastic； and when he spoke； his voice mocked the deep tones of his father's
voice。 〃It's nothing you need to worry about now； Jacob。 In a few years； if you don't… well； I'll explain
later。〃 And then his voice was his own。 〃What am I supposed to get from that？ Is he trying to say it's
some stupid puberty； ingofage thing？ This is something else。 Something wrong。〃
He was biting his lower lip and clenching his hands。 He looked like he was about to cry。
I threw my arms around him instinctively； wrapping them around his waist and pressing my face against
his chest。 He was so big； I felt like I was a child hugging a grownup。
〃Oh； Jake； it'll be okay！〃 I promised。 〃If it gets worse you can e live with me and Charlie。 Don't be
scared； we'll think of something！〃
He was frozen for a second； and then his long arms wrapped hesitantly around me。 〃Thanks； Bella。〃 His
voice was huskier than usual。
We stood like that for a moment； and it didn't upset me； in fact； I felt forted by the contact。 This
didn't feel anything like the last time someone had embraced me this way。 This was friendship。 And Jacob
was very warm。
It was strange for me； being this close—emotionally rather than physically； though the physical was
strange for me； too—to another human being。 It wasn't my usual style。 I didn't normally relate to people
so easily； on such a basic level。
Not human beings。
〃If this is how you're going to react； I'll freak out more often。〃 Jacob's voice was light； normal again； and
his laughter rumbled against my ear。 His fingers touched my hair； soft and tentative。
Well； it was friendship for me。
I pulled away quickly； laughing with him； but determined to put things back in per