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；　ing…of…age　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　grown…up。

〃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