Chapter Two

"I still don't know what he is thinking," Lauren said with a huff.

I had just finished telling Carson and Lauren about Edward, and how he had decided to randomly appear back in my life and expect me to jump back into his arms. I told them every little detail, leaving nothing out, and they were extremely supportive and understanding about everything. I was just glad to have their support with me.

"Me, either," I admitted sheepishly. "But when he had Mason in his arms... I almost lost it. I mean, he doesn't have the right to do that."

Carson nodded. "You're right."

Right now, we were at the little motel where they were staying, sitting at the table in the corner of the room with the TV up on blast in the background. I had came over earlier this afternoon to take them around town, but as it turned out, they were a little jet lagged and just wanted to laze around all day. I thought that was acceptable; I wasn't going to force them into something.

"What made you sleep with him in the first place?"

I looked up, startled by the question. It had caught me off guard; no one had asked me that question, or any question even similar to that, for that matter. I hadn't even really thought about what I would say, though I was braced for this question by either Renee or Charlie when I was telling them about my pregnancy, so I didn't know why I was suddenly stumped for an answer. But, the more my brain swirled around what she had asked, the more I came to realize the answer.

"I thought I was in love with him," I replied sheepishly after a few minutes of silence. "I thought I was ready for something like that, like it would make me something that I wasn't, like it would help me prove to Edward that I'm not as feeble as he thinks I am. If I knew he was going to leave the next day, I probably wouldn't have done it."

"But you got Mason out of it," he stated, pointing at me. "That's a bonus, right?"

I nodded. "You're completely right," I said as I loosely picked up the Coke from the table and put it to my lips, taking a sip. "He's probably the best thing that has happened to me. I wouldn't have it any other way."

She smiled, taking her bottle of water into her hand. "I bet he is," he said, taking a slug. Then, she added, "You would do anything for that boy."

That was the most truth I had heard in someone's words in a while. And Lauren was right; I would do anything and everything for Mason in a heartbeat, without having to be told. It was a natural feeling for a mother, to want to be able to anything for her child. I would hope it would be, at least.

I was about to say something else, but I caught a glimpse of Carson's tattoo, Vanessa spelled in a lovely cursive. I eyed it for a minute, looking at the pattern of the word and the swirls on each letter. I suddenly remembered the story, and felt a wave of pity wash over my entire body.

Carson must have seen me eyeing it, because he touched it and said, "You can ask questions, you know. I've asked you enough questions to last a lifetime."

I sighed. "You must have cared a lot about her, to get a tattoo." I turned to Lauren then, who was just smiling, and said, "If you don't want us to talk about this, we don't have to."

She shook her head. "No, it's fine. I know how much Carson loved her. We all did. She was one of my best friends."

I nodded, then listened to Carson speak. "I cared for her so much," he admitted. "And I knew she was sick even before we started dating. But she was the kind of person who, when you look at them and talk with them, you completely forget that they're sick. And even though I knew she wasn't going to live very much longer, I dove myself to her head over heels. It was such the way we were attracted to each other, you know? And it gave me this sense of being wanted and needed. And then when she left, with all her glory, I kind of went ballistic."

"By ballistic," Lauren said slowly, "you mean totally insane, right?"

He looked at her, then back at me before nodding. "Exactly. And I don't know why. I had a long time to prepare for it, but I guess she just looked so healthy on the outside that I didn't think it was actually possible. I spent weeks in my room, listening to the old mix CD's we would make, and going through our yearbook and drawing on the faces of those we hated. God, and we spent so much time in a tree house we had built in my backyard."

"Sounds like you guys had good times together," I commented.

Lauren answered this one saying, "They had the best of times together! It was a shame she was gone so young."

I was surprised to see that Lauren didn't care about Carson talking about Vanessa the way he did. Most people would, but not her. She just agreed with everything he was saying, and would smile and laugh and act completely normal and realized.

Carson etched a smile on his face. "It's all fine, now, though. I've accepted the fact that she is gone, and I've moved on." He took this time to wrap an arm over Lauren shoulder and smiled at her. She smiled back, showing her perfect set of pearly white teeth.

I was jolted from my reverie when a vibration came from my pocket. Realizing it was my phone, I reached into my pocket and pulled it out. I put it to my ear and said, "Hello."

"You knew!" a voice screeched from the other end.

"Knew what, Alyssa?" I asked her slowly, confused. I heard her huff on the other end of the time.

"You knew that Jacob liked me?!" she bellowed loudly. "And you didn't think on telling me about it?"

I sighed, rolling my eyes. "Calm down, Alyssa. And of course I knew. But I wasn't going to tell you... I was going to let Jacob do that on his own time."

"Well, he did."

I smiled. "He did?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"And..."

"I said maybe."

"Maybe?" I asked, my voice high.

"Yes, maybe," she said, "as in a may or may not."

"And why not?"

"Bella... are you kidding me? I have a daughter, Bella. That isn't something I like to push on people."

"Jacob knows you have a daughter, Alyssa," I said with a huff. "He told me he didn't care."

She was silent for a minute before saying. "I don't know."

"Give him a chance," I said, trying to convince her that going out with Jacob wouldn't be such a bad idea. "I bet you won't be disappointed."

"Maybe," she said, and before I had a chance to argue, she said, "And that is my final answer."

I nodded, though I knew she couldn't see me. "Alright," I said. "Maybe it is. At least it's better than a no."

The first thing that happened when I hung up was that Carson and Lauren both asked, almost at the same time, who I was on the phone with. I told them it was my friend, and that she was having a little bit of a problem saying yes to a wonderful guy who wanted to date her. Then after a few good laughs and some jokes, I left to go back to Charlie's before supper.

AN- Okay, so I know this is short and kind of pointless, but I wanted to get something out to you guys before you ate me. So, here it is! Please review!