“Me, too!” he said quickly, leaning forward a bit. “I got a little ostracized from my friends when they started acting weird and joined in with the ‘cool crowd’.” This was partially true, if he didn’t add in the part that he had eventually joined them too and that they were totally cool werewolves, but she didn’t really need to know all that right now. “That’s sort of part of the reason I wanted to move off. I wasn’t doing well where I was and decided I needed a fresh start.”

“And your parents are okay with that?” Jess asked, sounding half doubtful, half admiring. “My mom would end up bawling.”

“I live with my dad. My mom died a couple of years ago, and my two older sisters are both off at college. One is married, and one is dating one of my friends, which is awkward beyond belief.” He blew out a breath, shaking his head as he ran his fingers through his unkempt hair.

“I can imagine.”

“Yeah.” Pause. “So, uh…what are you guys doing tomorrow?” he asked clumsily. He had never gotten good at asking anyone out, seeing as the only person he had pursued was Bella, and that was more like coercion than flirting. Jess flushed a little deeper.

“Oh, um, I don’t know. I’m not much of a planner,” she said, her voice a little higher than usual. “But, since it’s a Thursday in the middle of summer break, I’m not likely to be doing much of anything. Did you have something in mind?” Jacob cleared his throat, thinking what might be suitable for a first date with a girl he had imprinted on but had known for less than three hours.

“…Movie?” he asked, his romantic side shying away from such a mundane activity, but his practical side saying that he knew nothing about this town, or this girl. Thankfully, she seemed to like the idea. She smiled brightly and nodded, the blush still firmly on her cheeks. He noted in passing that she blushed a lot like Bella did, but he felt no pang of regret or longing or disappointment, and reveled in that detachment from his longtime crush.