Bella's fingers gently brushed Jacob's forearm. They were in the garage, Jacob tinkering with the Rabbit while Bella tried to understand what on earth he was doing.
"And what exactly is that?" Bella asked, pointing at an unfamiliar object underneath the hood of the little red car.
Jacob smiled. She asked him the same question two weeks prior. "You really are useless, you know," he laughed, "All that brain and for what? You can't even tell the difference between tires and rims."
Bella knew better than to take his comment seriously. She laughed, the sound vibrating deep within her chest. Jacob committed the sound to memory; breathless, soft, bell-like, beautiful.
"Oh c'mon, Jake, cut me some slack. I'm making an effort to learn," Bella said as she nudged Jacob in the ribs. He didn't feel a thing, but she most likely bruised her elbow.
"For the second time, Bells, that is the battery. You know, the thing that starts the car up in the first place."
Bella blushed. "Oh yeah. You've already told me that, haven't you?"
Jacob laughed, but it sounded more like a guffaw. It was all so funny to him. Bella didn't care about cars, she had made it clear, yet there she was just like every other day for the past month, learning about auto parts to somehow be closer to Jacob. It didn't matter to him, he loved her any way he could have her.
"Yes, Bella, and last time you told me 'I always thought the ignition started up the car,'" Jacob said, raising his normally husky voice higher to imitate a girl.
Bella's rebuttal was interrupted by footsteps approaching. Quil and Embry appeared in the doorway of the garage. An impish grin was plastered on both of their faces.
"Hey Bella, are you coming with us to the bonfire tonight?" Quil asked, an amused expression on his face.
Bella shrugged. "Jacob didn't mention a bonfire."
Jacob scratched the back of his neck. "I just kind of figured we'd hang out here for the rest of the night. But if you wanna go, that's always cool, too."
"Actually, Quil and Embry, I think I'm gonna stay with Jake tonight. Next time I'll go. Promise," Bella said with a smile.
Quil and Embry exchanged glances and gave each other a knowing smile. Quil wiggled his eyebrows at Bella and Jacob. "Have fun, kids. Remember, safety first." And with that, Quil and Embry left Bella and Jacob alone in the garage with dusk quickly descending upon them.
An awkward, long pause plagued the small one car garage. Bella shuffled her feet and Jacob was looking at her with a mixed expression on his face that she couldn't quite place.
"We could've gone, ya know."
"I know," she started, "but I'd rather be here alone with you rather than facing the rest of the tribe at the bonfire."
"You'd probably have a lot more fun at the bonfire than being here with me," Jacob retorted.
Bella fumed at that. "No, Jacob, that's where you're wrong. I feel like I'm in a cage most of the time, and I can't get out of this mess. But it's all so different when I'm with you. I feel… free. Alive. Happy. Jacob, you bring out a side of me that I haven't shown anyone else before. You know me better than anyone else as well. Every day I wake up with a heavy load on my chest but as soon as I see you smile at me, all that fades away and I'm weightless. And as much as I wish this wasn't so, I love you, with every piece that I have. If you can accept me as damaged goods, then I promise you that I'll make it worth your time. I swear, Jacob. Just don't leave me."
Jacob pondered all this information for a minute before he crossed the garage in three strides to where Bella was standing. He cupped her translucent face in his hands and tucked a stray piece of her hair behind her ear.
"I love you too, honey," he stated soberly into her hair before his lips met hers in a gentle kiss.
