“Sure,” she said, “sounds great. We can check the movie listings on the corkboard in the kitchen on the way through. I’ll text OJ and tell her where we’ll be so she doesn’t come knocking on the door again like she did last week.” She rolled her eyes, and led him out of her room and back down the hall.

“They’re not going to let me in without a shirt and shoes, are they?” Jacob asked, frowning. “If not, that might be an issue, seeing as I don’t have any.”

“I’ll ask OJ. Her dad is about your height, so she might be able to sneak something out for you. What’s your shoe size?”

“Uh, 14.”

“Okie dokie. Pick a movie.”

“You pick. I don’t really know any of these movies anyway, but I’m good with anything, really.”

“Okay. Dark Knight it is. Everybody loves Batman. Come by at four, and I’ll drive us to Movies 8. I’m getting my license in the morning first thing, so either one of us can drive. See you tomorrow!”

***

‘Jacob! Where are you?’ Quil's voice resounded in his head.

‘Yeah, man, what the hell is your problem?’ Embry demanded.

‘Why the hell did you run away? When are you coming back? You’re dad is worried sick, and we want you back. The pack’s not complete without you.’

Jacob ignored them both, sniffing around until he found a raccoon hiding in a bush. He pounced on it, and ate it quickly, then curled up under a tree to sleep.

‘JACOB!’

‘What?!’ he thought back angrily. 'I'm in Florida, you should know that. You guys can read my thoughts and memories, remember?'

‘That power decreases with distance,’ Quil informed him. 'We can see everything when we're closer together, but when we're this far away, only immediate thoughts can be transmitted properly. But there is one thing I can see…you imprinted!'

‘So what if I did? And how can you even tell?’

‘Because I recognize the emotions, that’s how. I imprinted, too. So who is it?’

‘Some human girl named Jess.’

‘No more details than that?’

‘No. Now leave me alone.’

‘Are you coming back?’ Embry asked, sounding more reserved. Jacob hesitated.

‘No, I’m not. If you guys ever want to come find me, feel free. But only if you’re not going to try and get me to come back.’ The other two murmured goodbyes and left his mind, finally allowing him to drift off to sleep.

An image of Jess floated in his mind and he smiled slightly, his heart lifting up out of his chest and into his throat again. His throat tightened, making him feel a little lightheaded, but in a good way. He sighed contentedly and noticed, very surprised, that his tail was wagging. ‘Wow,’ he thought, sounding a little self-patronizing, ‘I’m like a puppy.’ But he didn’t mind. He felt even warmer than usual, as if his 108.9° temperature had suddenly risen by a few more degrees, but the sweltering heat didn’t bother him as much as it had when he had first gotten there, for some reason. Maybe peace of mind had something to do with it.

Jacob realized that he hadn’t thought about Bella for several hours. It was odd, after months of brooding and obsessing over her, to have not a single notion of her cross his mind. But he suddenly felt no disappointment, no sorrow, no resentment at all towards her. That hollow ache that had filled his chest for so long–when he had loved Bella so much, known she loved him back, and knowing that she still preferred that filthy bloodsucker to him–was filled with contentment and hope and warmth and happiness, more so than ever before.

Imprinting was definitely the best thing that had ever happened to him.