I own nothing, only the desire to continue the story that haunts my dreams.

We are tethered to the story we must tell…

Keeping Score

Chapter 1

Jake's headlights illuminated the trail leading up to the bluff above the city of Fork's. He could see the refection of them in the silver Volvo that was already there, waiting for him. He pulled his Rabbit along side and slowly got out with a "Hey" tossed over his shoulder. Edward said "Hey" back and they both settled on their respective car hoods.

"Another one bite's the dust", Jake said as he handed his cell phone to Edward. Edward hit the right button and laughed as he saw Jane, Jake's latest conquest, screaming out his name in ecstasy with no clue that Jake had been filming her.

"Not bad, how long did that one take?" Edward asked.

"Ten days, dude, it was so easy". Jake said as they both laughed.

Edward handed Jake back his cell and then handed him his. "I got Angela last night too" said Edward.

"So, this makes us both tied, twelve, right?' asked Jake.

"Twelve, right." answered Edward.

Jake watched the almost exact scene unfold on Edward's cell as Angela screamed out Edward's name. They both sat there nodding and grinning, knowing that this competition wouldn't end any time soon.

"Got the next prospect in mind Edward?" Jake asked.

"Not sure yet, the pickings are getting slim, might even have to try some freshman meat." Edward replied as they both laughed.

"I imagine by the time we both graduate next year there won't be too many virgins left at Forks High." Jake said.

Edward reached up to give Jake a high-five.

You would think to look at them that they were best friends, but in reality they were fierce competitors, never friends. Neither would even dare to look at the other at school, other than in complete contempt that is. Not running in the same circles and certainly never showing any signs that they could even speak a civil word to one another.

The rivalry had begun a year or so ago, and now it seemed like it had always been there.

Edward, privileged son of the towns most respected doctor had always been the local golden boy, captain of the basketball team, not to mention a reputation for being an all around nice guy. It all came so easy to him, life, school, all the attention, he didn't realize what he had until Jake was transferred to Forks High his sophomore year.

Jake, full blooded Indian, living on the small reservation of La Push, had never had an easy life. His Mother had died when he was just eight and his Father and twin sisters had raised him since. He might never have had a chance in this life were it not for his amazing ability to throw a football.

He was lucky enough that the local coach had seen him play and decided that he was exactly what Forks High needed to succeed in that department. Although Billy, Jake's Father, was not thrilled that his son was transferred off the reservation, he knew the only way Jake would be able to go to a really good college was on a full football scholarship and so he had agreed.

It had also helped that Jake starting getting a monthly check in the mail too, a "supposed job" check, that doubled the family income and allowed Jake to practice and concentrate full time on football. With the added money, Jake for the first time in his life could afford all the luxuries he didn't even know he wanted.

And, although always popular on his reservation, he was overwhelmed with all the attention of being the star football player at Forks High. The girls all wanted to be his girlfriend and the boys (most of them anyway) just wished they could trade places with him.

Jake had more friends than ever, but stayed loyal to his "pack of reservation brothers" as they jokingly called each other.

Edward, no longer the only golden boy at Forks High, was not happy with the way Jake was stealing his thunder at all. He attempted to out do Jake at every turn.

And Jake, not missing out on that fact, did everything to out do Edward in return. By the time they were Juniors they had more medals, honors and certificates than they both knew what to do with. So, Jake decided that maybe stealing away Edwards cheerleader girlfriend would be the ultimate one up.

It didn't take long, and Edward being so caught up in basketball at that time, did not even notice what was happening until Jake blindsided him one day in the parking lot.

~~It was late, they were the last two cars there, both had finished practice with their respective teams and were headed home.

"Edward", Jake called out across the parking lot.

Edward turned his head in the direction of the call. Seeing Jake made him stop and wonder. "What the hell do you want", he called back.

"I think it's time we had a little talk", Jake fired back.

Edward dropped his backpack and met Jake halfway between their cars.

"What about?" Edward asked angrily.

"This whole competition thing dude, it's really getting old, you know you are never going to win right?" Jake said with a smirk on his face.

"How so, you don't have anything I don't have, how can you think of yourself as winning?" Edward shot back.

"I can think of one thing I have that you thought you had all to yourself." Jake was laughing now.

"What?", Edward asked looking like there was nothing in the world Jake could say to him that would even matter.

Jake didn't say a word, just handed Edward his cell phone and indicated which button he should push. Edward still puzzled, hit the button and felt his mouth hit the pavement as he watched his girlfriend Jessica panting and moaning and then screaming out Jake's name. He was stunned, he couldn't stop looking at the little screen.

"What the fuck is this!", he finally screamed.

Jake took his phone back and with a laugh said, "I guess I win, right?"

Edward curled his fist and with a direct punch landed one right on Jake's left jaw. Within a flash the punches were flying back and forth. Jake landing one to Edward's right eye and then Edward again landing another one to Jake's left jaw.

They both staggered back, their tempers still searing, both huffing out heated breaths in the cool evening air.

"This is such bullshit" Edward screamed, "why the fuck would you do that?"

Jake just stared and said, "because I could, that's why asshole."

Both boys glared at each other, each one not letting their guard down, wondering who would throw the next punch.

"That bitch was mine you sorry sack of shit, you had no right to fuck her." Edward was livid, never in his life had he felt so betrayed.

"Oh, come on Edward", Jake replied "that bitch gave it up so fast it wasn't even an effort."

Edward balled his fist tighter and took a step towards Jake. "You can have the whore, I am done with her". Edward screamed out.

"Now why would I want her?" Jake replied. "She was just another notch on my bedpost, dude." Jake said calmly. "I can have anyone I want, no one can resist the star football player, not to mention great lover that I am." Jake said with all the arrogance of a cocky sixteen year old teenager.

"Bullshit man, just plain bullshit." Edward spit out at him. "I am the one the girls spread for not some jackass from the reservation."

Jake laughed at him. "You really think you can get more girls than me!"

And thus the challenge began.

They worked out all the details that very night, those fragile male egos not daring to part until it was set in stone.

Rule #1 - only virgins counted

Rule #2 - they had to film the deed as proof

Rule #3 - they had until they graduated to rack up their score

Rule #4 - they would never meet in public to discuss this again

As they left the parking lot that night it was with pure hatred of one another and the knowledge that who ever won this would have bragging rights over the other forever. To a teenager, what could be more important than that?~~

After the high five and still sitting on their cars, they again starting talking about who might be the next prospect. They both usually went after the same girl and as soon as one was close to scoring the other hustled to find another prospect.

This competition was far from a game for both of them, it was something so deep and ugly inside them that they never even thought about the girls. The girls were never important, there were never any feelings involved and both boys were hell bent on moving on once they scored.

If the girls tried to make trouble, they pulled out their cell phones and showed them the evidence of their tryst, along with a threat to post it on the internet if they dared to bother them again. It stands to reason that the broken hearted girls stayed away, and fearing being ridiculed in public, they never warned the next girl when they saw who the target was.

"I hear we are getting a new girl next week, Chief of Police's daughter, she is transferring mid-semester, think I might have a go at that." Jake said smiling.

"Hmmmm, not if I get to her first Jake." Edward replied.

"I kind of like the whole idea, especially with all the tickets that bastard has given me, not to mention the idea of fucking her right in his own house, serves him right." Jake started laughing at the idea.

"She could be a rebel you know", Edward said, "remember only virgins count."

"Isabella," her name rolling off Jake's tongue, "her name alone gets me hard, sure hope that's not the prettiest thing about her." Jake said as they both laughed.

"Fuck Jake, what do you care about pretty, you'd fuck anything that walks just to win this competition." Edward threw at him.

"Oh right, and you wouldn't?" Jake threw right back at him.

They both laughed and grinned like the evil boys they were, in their minds Isabella Swan was already a done deal. Lucky number thirteen to one of them.

Driving away they both hoped they would be the first to encounter Miss Swan on Monday morning.

Edward thinking how much he needed to score, he would not, could not let Jake score this one, especially since Jake held such a big grudge against the Chief of Police. No, he would do everything possible to get to Isabella first. He wanted to rub Jake's nose in the fact that He got to her first.

Jake, on the other hand, was thinking how good it was going to be when he left her broken hearted and maybe he would even post the tryst on the internet any way, just to humiliate the Chief of Police.