Broken in Time
Posted: 04.03.2012 (dd/mm/yyyy)
Prelude
It was weird. I felt I should have been nervous. I hadn't seen him in three and a half years. And if not nervous, why wasn't I excited? I hadn't seen him in three and a half years! My best friend; my confident. Although I hadn't confided in him since I last saw him. It never felt right – talking to him over the phone. It wasn't real enough. And I wouldn't leave our friendship in a state of telegraph communications. That being said, we never exchange numbers. It was an unspoken rule: if either wanted to see the other, travel would be undertook. Clearly, neither of us was passionate enough to see the other. I should have been mad at him for not making the effort. But, neither had I. And I didn't feel disadvantaged in the least. I felt a part of me was missing, but it was temporarily, yet securely, stuffed by the friends I had made in Phoenix over the last twelve years.
Moving back… it wasn't my first choice. But after my mother got remarried, and I was not financially stable to be on my own yet, it was really all I was left with. I planned to go to college in a year or two, but I wanted some cash in my pocket first. My dad's close friend, Billy, offered me a job at his garage with his son, Jacob. I knew of Jake when I lived in Forks as a child, but we only met when I was down here for Summer Break in 2003. He was only thirteen at the time, while I was fifteen, and we hadn't really spoken much. Now that we were working together, and he seventeen, I thought we were going to get along well. Besides, I already knew we both shared a common interest – cars.
The hour drive from Port Angeles airport was spent in a mixture of comfortable silence and small chit-chat between my father and me. I wasn't very close with Charlie, but we got along well. Our similar personalities made this easier. It was a nice change from living with my mother and her now-husband, Phil. They were always more bubbly and excited about just about everything. The calm, pastoral atmosphere that enveloped me when I spent time with Charlie was always a welcomed break. I questioned what took me so long to visit again.
Pulling up to my childhood home, Charlie helped me load my numerous bags to my room. Dropping the first of the bags at the foot of my bed, Charlie sighed and stroked his moustache. "I haven't touched it much." I smiled and nodded. The room was tidy, but still in the same state I left it in during my last visit. The little orange lanterns still hung above my bed, making me suddenly curious as to whether he even knew of my permanent arrival yet.
After heaving the rest of my bags upstairs, Charlie hovered at my door. "I know you probably want a little time to rest, but as soon as possible, I'd like to head over to Bill's. He's dyin' to see you."
"Sure. Can we got grab a bite and then we'll head off?"
"Sounds like a plan, kiddo. The Lodge?"
I smiled, "Always."
Once seated at our favourite booth, Charlie ordered the classic steak and cobbler. I felt, for traditions sake, I'd order The Lot – my favourite choice during my summer visit.
Charlie thanked the waiter and turned to me. "So, kiddo, how you been?"
I smiled. He obviously was waiting to get into something serious; never one to jump straight to the gun. Something we never shared. "Good, Dad."
"How did you fill your time last year after school?"
I twiddled with the rim of my glass. He clearly knew. "You know – working at the Newton's, hanging out with my friends. You know, just enjoying the year."
"The Newton's, 'ey?"
I pursed my lips and looked up at my dad. "If you want to know something Dad, just ask it," I told him, with a raise of both brows.
He stroked his moustache, something I was beginning to notice as an uncomfortable reaction. "Your Mum filled me on the basics. Why didn't you do something about it sooner? … Tell me?"
I rolled my eyes. "Whatever I did or didn't do – it doesn't matter anymore, okay? I quit and we filed a restraining order. That's all there is to it."
The waiter came back then with our meals, the perfect 'saved by the-'. "Right, Bells. Sorry. Just… you know… I wish you confided in my help."
"A day's drive away doesn't really call for the kind of help I needed by the time I needed it, Dad. Just, can we drop it? Indefinitely?"
He picked up his fork and looked at his meal, "Right, right. Sure," he said, twirling the fork in the air.
I looked down at my burger, surprised at how much I missed these oily, disgustingly-good, processed meat patty filled buns. Picking it up, and taking a huge wad out, something was different. It still taste good, better even, healthier, but it wasn't the same. And I was disappointed. Change wasn't good. I wanted this move to live up to my summer here. To enjoy it the same as I did those three wonderful months. This simple burger tasting different seemed to spark the inevitable realisation that things would be different. And somehow, I felt it would be for the worse.
Right then, as if on cue, a tap on my shoulder broke me out of my solemn tasting experience. I turned around, and I didn't know a smile could hurt so much. I flung my arms into the mirrored smile, almost knocking the table's contents into Charlie's lap. "Oi!"
We ignored him, my body vibrating with my best friend's laughs. "It's good to see you too, Bis."
"You too, Edic."
He pulled back, laughing again, "How did I ever let you give me that nickname?"
I gave him a playful punch on the arm, "It was payback for yours!"
Right then, a tall, blonde-haired beauty stepped into view, placing her arm gracefully on his shoulder. "Eddy, our meal's served," she directed to my best friend.
I bit my lip, holding back laughter, "Eddy?" He playfully glared at me. "Well, that's new. I never thought the day would come, Eddy."
The blonde, suddenly noticing me, looked down where I now sat – legs tucked underneath. "Oh, you must be Isabella."
I tried to smile, attempting to ignore the venom in her voice when speaking my name, for whatever reason it appeared. "Bella."
"Right, of course." She smiled, a fake apology written in her eyes. She looked at me a moment longer, before turning back to the man beside her. "Shall we go eat, love?"
The emphasis on the word seemed to almost make him uncomfortable. He nodded, before, "Sorry, Bella. Let me introduce you two – Bella, this is my girlfriend, Tanya. Tanya, this is Bella, my best friend." He smiled, that cute 'meaningful' half smile, down at me on that last statement.
"Nice to meet you, Tanya."
She simply nodded at me in return before turning back to her 'boyfriend'. "C'mon, now. Our lunch is getting cold," she stated, pulling him by the arm.
Edward looked back at me once with a smile I easily translated to 'I'll see you soon; really soon.'
A/N: So, I'm not sure about this! It's just something that's been hanging around on my laptop for three months. Along with this prelude, I've got this whole rough time plan set out for the rest of the story. I haven't written anymore, and I don't know if I'll even be able to. But, if I get enough of you lovely reviewers showing interest, hopefully it'll spark my creativity and I'll somehow find a way to write some more!
I'm not guaranteeing any soon update – but send me along a review with your thoughts and if you'd continue reading on. I know I definitely want to write it out to see what happens between these two! (My plans are so vague, I don't even know where I'm really going with this. Wooooo for on the spot writing!)
P.S. Not beta-ed or really properly double-checked by me. So please excuse any grammatical or spelling errors. Spot them out to me if you like, and I'll endeavour to fix them.