Fic: Bettelheim

[kermit-thefrog.livejournal.com]

Title: Bettelheim

Author: kermit_thefrog

Books: Eclipse

Length: 789 words

Rating: G

Summary: Bella gives Jacob a valid reason why she won't be his girlfriend.

Disclaimer: SMeyer invented the characters. I just like to think I am improving on them.



Note: Bruno Bettelheim was a Freudian child psychiatrist who wrote about the many overtly sexual themes found in the story of Little Red Riding Hood in his book The Uses of Enchantment.

“Jake,” I said gently, wanting him to listen to what I had to say as much as it pained me to say it. “I can’t be your girlfriend.”

His eyebrows furrowed and his jaw clenched.

“Because I’m not a vampire?” he growled, glaring at me. “Because I don’t have the money and the looks that he does?”

I shook my head. “No, Jake. It’s not just about Edward.” I wet my lips, trying to think of how to say this. “It’s just...whenever I think about being with you--as your girlfriend-- I can’t help but think of Sam and Emily.”

His eyes widened, and I was dismayed to see hope in them.

“You mean--Bella, that’s a good thing! Sam and Emily are soulmates! I mean, maybe I didn’t imprint on you, but that doesn’t mean we wouldn’t be just as happy as they are.”

I winced, even though I’d suspected that he wouldn’t get the point right away. He saw my expression and seemed concerned.

“Wait...is this because they’re getting married? Bells, we don’t have to do that right away. I mean, not if you don’t want to. I know the idea of marriage makes you freak out--”

“No!” I said, quelling a tiny flicker of panic at the word “marriage.” “It’s not because they’re engaged. I meant that I don’t want to be like them.”

Now he seemed to get it. Or at least, he realized that I wasn’t complimenting his relatives.

“What’s wrong with them?” he said, sounding understandably offended. “They’re in love. Sam is always going to look out for Emily and provide for her. She’s the most important person in his life. Is that such a terrible thing? Don’t you want that?”

I took a big breath, seeing no way to say this but just to say it. “Jacob, they didn’t fall in love with each other. He imprinted on her. She didn’t have a choice, and when she tried to turn him down, he--” I struggled with how to put this delicately, but the image of Emily’s scars was too vivid for delicacy. “--ripped her face off!” I finished emphatically, waving my arms. “She can’t say or do anything he doesn’t like because there’s always a chance he’ll get mad and attack her again! I don’t want to live like that!”

Jacob was flat-out staring at me now.

“Bella....he didn’t mean to do it. He would never have hurt Emily on purpose, just like I’d never hurt you.”

“On purpose,” I said flatly. “Wow, it makes me feel so much better knowing that if you ever get mad at me and tear half my face up, at least you won’t be doing it on purpose.”

Jacob’s jaw dropped. I didn’t blame him--I had never spoken this way about any of the wolf clan, and I genuinely sympathized with Emily. I didn’t mean to sound disrespectful. But I had to call it like I saw it in this case.

“Bell--I would never do that! Sam got mad, but I’m not him! And you almost never make me that angry. As long as I never got that angry, we wouldn’t have to worry!”

I gaped at him, and a disbelieving laugh escaped me before I could quell it.

“Is that your idea of a healthy relationship?” I shot back. “So long as I’m a good girl who never upsets her big bad wolf, we’ll be happy together forever? Where’s Bruno Bettelheim when you need him?”

Jacob blinked. “Who?”

I sighed. “Nothing. My point is, I’m not interested in being your personal Emily. I’ve been through enough terrifying ordeals for one lifetime, and I’m not about to live under the thumb of some guy who might very possibly hurt me unintentionally.” I heaped deliberate sarcasm on the word.

Jacob was death-glaring at me again, but I didn’t care. I had made my point as clear as possible, and it felt indescribably good to stand up for myself.

“So that’s why you’re choosing to be Mrs. Dead Guy?” he snarled. “Because you think he’d never deliberately hurt you?”

“I broke up with Edward two hours ago,” I replied calmly. “And I’m leaving Forks tomorrow so he can’t follow me around anymore. I just wanted to say goodbye to both of you.”

FIN

Comments

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

Oh, brilliant! Sam and Emily is such a sick couple, really... :-P And the ending was just icing on the cake! Brilliant job!

[ts-wing.livejournal.com]

YES! YES! YES!

*fistpump* Break up with Assward and Horndog!

This is how it should've happened! Do you hear me, Meyer!?

[hoppytoad79.livejournal.com]

WHOOOOO! Lovelovelove it!

[blonde-sarcasm.livejournal.com]

The ending was perfect, :D

[melpomene-ll.livejournal.com]

This fic makes me happy. :D

[melissatreglia]

I've been reading (and re-reading) a bunch of fics I didn't really comment on before, so I decided to re-read your Bettelheim/Fast Cars/WWBD trilogy, and put my tuppence in.

This is still as wonderful as the first time I read it. Bella getting a dose of the smarts and a backbone is always a wonder to behold. And her lampshading the unhealthiness of Sam and Emily's relationship and using that as why she doesn't want to be with Jake is pitch-perfect.

Brava! *runs off to read "Fast Cars..."*