Chapter 1
I drive my Jeep to work, breaking a few laws because I'm late, with the windows down. It's a rare sunny day in Washington and I'm taking advantage. Even my uniform reflects my eagerness to feel the sun on my deprived skin. I paired some shorts with my usual Sue's Sweets Bakery t-shirt that I tied at the waist.
I'm glad I live in La Push now, it's not too far from the diner and that helps on days like today. Moving here three years ago was the best decision I've ever made considering I work here and I spent most of my free time here. I've lived my whole life in Forks, but after graduating from Forks High, the move just made sense.
"Cutting it close aren't you Bells?" my long time best friend Leah sarcastically comments upon my arrival. My best friend was absolutely gorgeous. She filled out well from the scrawny, knobby kneed girl who would suffer alongside me on our dads' fishing trips. Now she stood at an impressive six feet tall and had the same sun kissed skin as all the other natives on the reservation. She also had their oddly athletic build. Her sleek black hair was in a neat ponytail hanging out of the back of her work hat as she paced the counter keeping the hungry customers satisfied. Leah's hips sway as she collects orders and hearts, while her breasts are frustratingly hidden behind the shirt we're required to wear. It would be incredibly dumb and blind of me not to notice the attractiveness of my best friend. Besides acknowledging her assets allows for amazing benefits.
"Well, you know what they say 'Better late than never'."
"Never late is better, though. Right Bella?" Sue, Leah's mother and owner of Sue's Sweets, not so subtly reprimands my tardiness. She's holding a steaming tray of her best selling chocolate chip cookies. Some people can't resist the classics. Her smile softens the blow and the wrinkles at the corner of her eyes gave away the age of an otherwise young looking mother of two. Looking at Sue allowed me to imagine what Leah would look like down the road.
"I'll be sure to remember that next time," I wink at Sue because we both know I'm perpetually late. I tie my apron around my waist and began waiting tables in the lobby while Leah takes care of the patrons at the counter.
Sue's Sweets opened when Lee and I were younger. Sue has been hiring young natives to wait tables over the years to give them work experience and put a little money in their pockets. The name may suggest otherwise, but Sue offers a full menu of sandwiches, burgers, and soups. It's just the fact that the sweets are what most people come for that gives the diner's name purpose. The diner usually wasn't very busy, but it was the early evening on a Saturday which is prime time for us. I started working here the Monday following my sixteenth birthday. Sue started me off in the kitchen after I impressed her with my baking expertise after dinner one night. After I helped her improve the efficiency of baking and cooking in the kitchen, she threw me up front.
After hours on our feet, Leah and I slide into a booth in the corner away from the thinning crowd to take a break. As we sit down Lee leans over to give me a small peck on the lips. I told you the beauty gave me benefits.
"So, are you going?" There's a bonfire next weekend on First Beach and Leah wants me to go. Apparently there'll a bunch of new man meat to ogle from the Makah reservation.
"I don't know yet. I still need to get a gift for Emmett's birthday." I honestly had no idea what to get the boy. She reaches across the table to grabs my hand, making patterns across my palms.
"You guys will finally be 21. Get the goof a flask and it'll be the best thing ever in his eyes." I don't like making my birthday a big deal because it never has been. Being one year older doesn't change much, no matter how many times people ask how it feels to be older.
"He is kinda easy, huh?" She simply responds with a shrug.
"Speak of the devil" she announces while pulling me over to her side of the booth. I watch Emmett's hulking frame make it's way over to Leah and I. It's understandable why people may find him intimidating, he's built like a brick wall. Standing 6'5" and weighing 275 pounds, Em could be pretty scary. Upon second glance though, his presumably rough edges are softened with his dimples and boyish smile. Since we're identical, we did share a few traits from our father. Emmett and I have the same brown hair and brown eyes. While my mane rests just at my waist, he has cute curls that sit atop his head. We have the same dimples, but his are deeper and more pronounced. I find that Em is generally more laid back and goofy, while I'm more sarcastic and short tempered. Em's frame took over his entire side of the booth and he sat there staring at us for a little too long.
"What is it, Swan? Not enough brains up there to form words?" He and Leah always seem to try to kill each other. I never understood it.
"Nah, but I see you holding my sister's hand and wanted to know if you guys are officially a thing? You gonna make an honest woman out of her or what?" I do nothing but glare at Em, hoping Lee will ignore the comment like I plan to.
"You know it's not like that, Em. But B and I haven't hung out in a while. Plus, I'm horny as fuck" Leah managed to say that with a straight face and Emmett looked like he wanted to reach over the table and strangle her. Leah's pretty good at getting him riled up but there's this unspoken rule of never mentioning each others sex life. That color red on anyone's face has to be unhealthy.
"LEE!" I exclaimed and give her a smack on the arm.
"Woah, it was just a joke," that wasn't good enough for me and she knew it. A lifted eyebrow is all the response she gets until she says what needs to be said. "I'm sorry, I went too far. Happy?"
"Yep" I give her a peck on the cheek and we all start laughing. Just like that, we're all good.
"You going to the bonfire?" Emmett asks looking at me for my answer.
"I don't know, I have to get you a present." The goofy smile on his face was instant. He seems to ponder in exaggerated thought, tapping his chin and all.
"Just take shots with me and we're good- honestly." He said noticing me opening my mouth to argue.
"Whatever" I mumble and shrug off his present suggestion.
We sit and chat for a little longer before getting back to work. With most of the rush gone, the rest of the night is uneventful.
The next morning, I wake up at 10 ready for a busy day. Sunday is errand day. After a quick shower, I throw on some leggings and an oversized sweater. It may be Emmett's but I shrug off the thought while looking in the mirror to put my hair into a messy bun. I try to run out the door before anyone can stop me, swiping an apple on my way out. Unfortunately, Tanya is already in the kitchen sipping on some coffee. Without any more than a raised brow and a look of guilt she hands over a list of groceries. She's silently asking me to make the trip. I grab the list with a huff and she responds with our mom's smile. With our parents out of the picture, it's nice having her around.
It only seems fair that Tanya gets our mom's looks since Emmett and I are definitely our dad's kids. She has our mom's reddish brown hair that falls to the middle of her back and they share their soft nature. Don't let her calm persona fool you though, Tanya's able to go full mother bear at the drop of a dime. She has a few inches on me in height, but everyone does so it's no surprise there. As I walked away, Tanya mumbled something about noticing how Leah left late last night.
"Are all our conversations going to revolve around Leah and I's relationship?"
"I'm just worried B. You two have been friends for so long. What would happen if one of you found someone else? You'll both be heart broken and there's no reason to put each other in that situation." I know she means well, but I don't want to think about the negatives. What Lee and I have works and that's all that matters.
"Gotta go," is all I say because there's nothing else to say. Her concerns are legit, I just don't want to hear them right now. I'm fully aware that it's going to be weird when Leah and I find our other halves and what not. I just believe that our friendship is strong enough to last in the end and we'll be able to reconnect that way.
My first stop is the library, I have a stack of books in my back seat that I meant to return a few days ago. As I enter the library, I notice this huge jock trying to get a library card. Just from his profile I can see he's gorgeous. His hair sits on his head in loose curls, a few tendrils falling over his forehead. He seems to feel me staring at him because his words to the librarian trail off as he turns to me and pierces me with his black eyes. Of course it's right at that moment my shoe lace decides to try and kill me. I go down and all 8 of my books join the party. Now I have Beefcake's full attention as he comes rushing over to help me clean up my mess. Other patrons rudely walking by as if my clumsiness is an inconvenience to their lives.
When I fell I bumped my knee, so I'm holding it with a grimace as he approaches me. Beefcake crouches down and ties the shoe on other other leg with a kind smile. I couldn't think, he was too close and I could smell his lotion or cologne or whatever. He smells warm, like a campfire. Cedarwood, rain, and cinnamon. He moves on from my shoe to the many books that litter the ground around us. This causes me to immediately jump into action. But I'm still so flustered that I can't stack the books without constantly knocking them down again and I'm mumbling completely incoherent apologies.
"Babe, I'm not that hot," Beefcake laughs out noticing my struggle to behave like a normal human in his presence. I quickly stack some books and stand up so I can hopefully convince him I'm not crazy. Shifting the books to his off hand, he thrusts his hand out to me with a sly grin and I accept.
"I'm Paul and you are?" he pauses. "Besides adorably clumsy" I can barely respond after feeling his satin like skin. His eyes look at me expectantly and I know my cheeks are on fire.
"I'm Bella. Well Isabella, but I prefer Bella," I give him my practiced greeting. "You can continue to call me babe though, or adorable if that's what you prefer." That's a more Bella way of handling the situation. Rambling and saying dorky things. Perfect.
"You're seriously cute, babe. I gotta go, the books aren't going to check out themselves." He turns and leaves me with a perfect wink and another whiff of his scent.
AN: This is my first multi chapter fic. Please read and review if you want me to continue. I kinda know where I want this fic to go, but I'm open to suggestions. If you'd like to beta this story, feel free to pm me.