A/N: I know it's been a while, but hopefully, I've figured out where I want to take the story now. It just took a lot of thinking! Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 8: Date night

Jacob's POV

I was going insane. It had been a few days since Alice and I had watched Glee together, and she wasn't answering my calls. Asking Bella was no help. According to her, Alice went on a hunting trip alone. It was funny. I hadn't believed a single word of the guys' claims of insanity if you're away from your imprint for too long but I could definitely feel something brewing within me.

Hanging out with Bella after school that day to try to clear my head was a mistake. She made us sandwiches, and my hands were shaky. I'd sloshed soda all over myself twice. Being still and sitting were hard because I was so anxious. So many times during homework, I'd get up and pace. Bella watched all of this quietly for at least two hours before she asked, "What's going on with you and Alice, Jake?"

"Why does something have to be going on with us?"

Bella gave me a bullshit look. "She's disappeared for three days. No one really knows where she is besides hunting, and you look at your phone every five minutes. You've called her at least three times since we've been here, and you're a wreck, Jacob. What's going on?"

I studied her for a long time. Could I really trust her not to say anything about this to Edward or the others? I doubted it. Bella was so loyal to them. She chose them over me so much. "I don't know what's with Alice, but all I can tell you is that I've imprinted."

She choked on the cookie she was nibbling on. "What?"

"I have an imprint."

"That is wonderful! I'm so happy for you!" Bella hugged me and it took her a second to realize that I wasn't celebrating with her. "Why aren't you happier?"

"Because I can't be with her. I can't have her, and my body is reacting to the rejection. I just wanted to talk to Ali about it. She makes it better with all her positivity," I lied.

Bella's hug turned consoling as she apologized repeatedly. "If you ask me the girl is an idiot. You're a total hunk and funny and so caring."

I chuckled just a bit, holding Bella tighter. She always knew just the right things to say. "If I wasn't mistaken, it sounds like you're smitten with me Ms. Swan," I joked.

"I love you, Jacob. You're the second most amazing guy I know. This girl doesn't know what she's missing, but it's her loss."

I kissed the top of her head. "Thanks."

We watched a movie after that to take my mind off of my problems – as if that would work. When the movie was over, it was dinner time. Charlie was coming in as I was leaving. I gave him a brief greeting on the way to my own house for dinner with my dad. Upon arriving home, I found a note saying Dad was at dinner with the Clearwaters. I was invited, but I really wasn't in the social mood tonight. Instead of dinner, I went out to the garage to tinker with the Rabbit a little. After only a few minutes, I felt a presence behind me. When I turned, I saw Alice standing in the doorway. My feet were carrying me to her before my mind could think. She was quiet, no smile on her face, just a blank expression. When I bent to hug her, she held out her hand to stop me. I flinched back at just the action.

Still, Alice had said nothing. She just looked at me, studying me. "Where have you been?" I asked, seeing that she wasn't planning to speak.

She gave a half smile then. "You could say I was detoxifying myself."

Alice didn't have to elaborate. I knew exactly what she meant. "You're calling me toxic?" I was in disbelief.

"I've never seen anyone but Jasper and then you come along. It's like I can't even see past you to Jasper."

"Do you think that I like attaching myself to women who are taken? If I was smart, I'd look elsewhere because my track record so far is 0 and 2."

"I don't like fighting with you," she stated.

"It's not sunshine and roses for me either."

"Can we start over?"

"Whatever you want, Alice."

She held out her hand to me, and I took it. What I really wanted to do was pull her closer so that I could wrap her into a hug, but I didn't. I shook her hand standing arm's length apart.

"So tomorrow, Edward, Bella, Jasper and I are going out for dinner and a movie. Wanna come?"

"And be the fifth wheel? Yeah right."

"Jake, please? It would mean a lot to me if you came. Think of it as a starting over experience! See ya at the restaurant at 5?"

I nodded before she dashed off. I didn't really want to do it. How could I sit there with the four of them – one being a mind reader - being so close to her and not think of the things we did? How could I pretend that I didn't hate being the fifth wheel? I'd only agreed because I really couldn't say no to Alice. This would be interesting. I already knew that.

Alice's POV

Seeing Jacob and not touching him or hugging him was the hardest thing I'd ever had to do, and that included going to school with hundreds of humans and not taking snap. Jacob was an enigma. I couldn't figure out what it was about him, holding me to him like this. Jasper was clearly my soul mate, but he was something more. I just couldn't place what.

Going home was a feat. I didn't want to face my family. I'd left them with a note and left for days. When I made it to the porch, Jasper was the first to rush out to me. He almost knocked me down with the impact of his embrace. "Where have you been, and why did you leave without telling me anything?"

"I just needed some time alone. I'm fine, Jazz. I promise. We're fine." I pressed my lips to his. "Besides, I'm going to take you on a date tomorrow. They don't know it yet, but Bella and Edward are going too!"

"I know it now," Edward's voice sounded behind us. "Come here." He hugged me. "Don't scare us like that again. Bella was going crazy, and Jacob –"

"Jacob was here?"

"Yes, he came over a few times. The boy's emotional climate was insane." Jasper raised an eyebrow. "He definitely cares about you, Alice."

I smiled, trying to keep my voice and my mind clear. I didn't need Jacob popping up unexpectedly in my mind. Walking in the house, I shared hugs with the rest of my family and quickly made my way upstairs. I had a phone call to make before I spent time with my family. Tomorrow's fate all depended on this phone call.

Jacob's POV

One thing was for sure, I was going to kill Alice Cullen for this. How the hell she had hoodwinked and bamboozled me into this, I had no clue. It would seem she'd left out a few little details when she'd invited me to come tonight. One small detail she forgot to mention was that this was a triple date. The next, was that the date was with Jessica Stanley. From the things Bella had told me about her, she was annoying as hell. She talked a mile a minute and it was never about anything substantial. Standing here looking across at the girl, I glared at Alice, before returning my gaze to my date.

"Jessica, you know Jacob, right?" Alice asked.

The girl smiled up at me, and to be polite I forced a smile. "Yea, I've seen him around a few times with Bella."

"It's nice to meet you, Jessica," I said without an ounce of enthusiasm. "I thought I'd be the fifth wheel tonight."

"I didn't know I'd be hanging out with you guys either. It was totally a surprise to see Alice calling me. As if that ever happened before, right? I mean, really! And then to tell me that I was being set up on a date with a totally hot guy like you! And by the way, my have you grown!" She was talking a mile a minute.

"Thanks."

We watched a werewolf movie and the five of us spent most of it laughing our asses off while Jessica glared and snuggled up against me, hiding her face on what I presumed were the scary parts. It was a fun time for us, but Jessica wasn't as thrilled when the movie was over.

"Were we all not watching the same movie? I for one thought it was scary as hell, but all of you were in hysterics from laughter. What's the point of coming to the movie if all you were going to do was make fun of it?" she complained.

Did this girl never just say simple things, or just one sentence? It seems like every time she spoke it was in a rush and if written out, it would be a paragraph. "I'm sorry you didn't have a good time," I said honestly. She might be annoying, but the least I could do was be a gentleman. "We all just have a different sense of humor, I guess."

Jessica seemed to relax a little as we walked to the parking lot. We'd already had a very awkward dinner before the movie with me spending most of it tense, angry and cursing Alice in my head. Edward could barely contain his laughter at that. I was about to go into another round of curses when she said, "Jessica left her car at our house, but I'm pretty sure she'd rather ride with you back, Jake."

Jessica nodded and I glared before leading her to my car. Once we got in and started on our way home, Jessica said, "You don't like me much, do you?"

This caught me off guard. "It's not that. I was just caught by surprise is all. I don't like surprises or blind dates."

"Oh, well maybe we can make up for that and actually go on a date on good terms?" she asked hesitantly.

Before I answered, a Glee song came on the radio and Jessica started singing along. That sparked up a conversation about the show. Jessica wasn't so bad when she slowed down her speaking and actually talked about things that made sense. I found that we have the same taste in music and even watched some of the same TV shows. When she told me she watched pro-wrestling, she'd went from annoying to kind of tolerable.

When we got to the Cullens' place, I came around and opened Jessica's door for her and walked her to her car. She was smiling and I noticed Alice watching us. Placing a kiss on Jessica's cheek, I said, "About that date, I'd definitely be up for a re-do."

Jessica blushed and got into her car and waved to me with a smile. The look on Alice's face was priceless, and made getting through one more date with Jessica that much more worthwhile.

I'd love to hear what you think! Thanks for reading!