You never suspect the quiet ones

By: Villainess Foul

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Bella's PoV

Little by little I finally find myself able to face the day.

Sitting at the kitchen table I stirred my cereal unable to really eat. My stomach in knots as I thought of everything that has happened to me thus far.

I found myself able to smile sometimes and even laugh. I found a solace in Jake and we became best friends, he was my sunshine in a dark place. However something about that scared me, I wanted to back off and get some space between us. We were spending so much time re- building these old broken motorcycles I found and I find myself counting on him sooo much to keep my world bright.

I was feeling that it was starting to turn unhealthy.

I didn't want to end up in the same situation I ended up in with Edward, I don't want to become so dependent on a boy that my whole life just simply revolves around them. It puts me in an easy place for them to manipulate and I've learned that lesson the hard way once already.

"Hey Bells."

I looked up to see Charlie come in and take a seat across from me. He pulled the cereal box closer to him and began fixing himself a bowl.

"Hey dad."

"How you doin' kiddo?"

I shrugged unable to really answer the question. How am I doing? I guess alright but I still can't seem to look at myself in the mirror. I still feel dirty and worthless. But like hell I was going to tell him that.

"I was talking to your mom the other day."

"Yeah?" I asked dreading that he was going to bring up Jacksonville again.

"She thinks it might help you if we found you a doctor."

I rose an eyebrow, "Why? I'm not sick."

He looked uncomfortable then as he shifted a bit in his chair. "A psychiatrist."

"No."

"Bells..."

"I'm NOT crazy."

He sighed heavily and he suddenly looked tired. "We're not saying your crazy Bella, we just think it might help you come to terms to whatever happened out there. Hell it's been months and you still won't talk to anybody."

"No." My answer was firm as I stood quickly, taken my half eaten bowl of cereal over to the sink. "I'll deal with this my way."

scraping the last of the contents into the garbage disposal, I left the bowl and spoon in the sink and turned around to walk over to the key hook to grab my keys.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to Jake's."

"Alright...tell Billy I said hi."

I waved at him in answer as I made my way out of the house and into my truck as quickly as possible. So much for putting some distance between me and Jake.

I snorted as I began backing out of my driveway and down the road toward La Push.

It was a quiet drive, something I was thankful for as it gave me time to actually think. I didn't want to talk to Charlie, I didn't want to talk to anyone. I just want to bury it and forget about it, I want to prove that I can be strong... that nothing will ever break me like Edward did.

When I pulled into Billy's Driveway I was surprised to see Jake already standing there.

"Bella! I didn't think you were coming over today!"

I smiled as I cut the engine and climbed out of my truck. I was a little surprised to find myself craning my neck to look up at him.

"Jeez I know you were always taller than me but did you have another growth spurt or something...I swear I don't remember you ever being this tall."

Jacob blushed and I found that the pink twinge in his russet colored cheeks were cute.

"Aw Bells, I didn't grow THAT much."

I gave him a look that clearly said I didn't believe that as he grabbed me by the waist and started herding me into the garage.

"You should see the progress I made on the bikes." He said

I was surprised to see how far he came along since I bought them just a month ago. They looked almost ride able!

"Wow! Jake they look great!" I said and I meant it!

I listened as he explained what he did and what he still needed and pretty soon we were in our normal spots. Him working on the bikes and talking to me, myself sitting on the couch he kept in the garage as I watched and chatted back.

It was how we spent most of our weekends. It was comfortable, even when I did feel that I was getting too close that Jake and I were somehow blurring the lines of friendship.

A few moments later his friends showed up to Jacob's dismay. I had to stifle the giggle that threatened to spill out at the disgruntled look on his face.

The short one that came in (if it was really appropriate to call him short as he was still a good foot taller than me and built like a freakin' tank.) Was named Quil. He was goofy, loud, and a bit of a player. I remember a while back when I first started hanging out with Jake that him and Quil were on the outs. I was happy to see that whatever fight that had occurred between them was resolved.

The other one that came in always took my breath away. He was the tallest of the three and unlike the other two he wasn't bulky but instead had lean muscle. Embry gifted me with shy smile. He's always shy and I think that's what attracted me so strongly to him in the first place. I still remember the first time Jake introduced us and how nervous he was to even say hello. It was incredibly cute.

I shook my head to quickly clear such traitorous thoughts. I can't let myself fall again, I need to fix myself before I even attempt a relationship. And besides if and when I ever become ready for that kind of thing I owe it to Jake to try with him.

They all immediately started helping Jake with the bikes and began talking about things I had no understanding of.

I sat there listening intently, trying to make out what they were talking about as we all joked around. For the first time in a long time I felt relaxed.

Time slipped by quickly and before long I was bidding the three goodbye so I can make my way back home to fix Charlies Dinner.

Embry's PoV

She's Beautiful.

I've seen her around a couple of times with Jake, but every time I see her she literally steals my breath away. It's a shame that the one girl I find worth talking to is the one that my best friend had called dibs on.

I wondered if he ever noticed that when she smiles it doesn't reach her eyes.

"Bella seems to be doing better." Quil commented as he tightened a bolt on the second bike, I looked up from the manual I was reading in mild surprise. Was I right?

"Was something wrong with Bella?" I asked unable to keep my curiosity in check.

Jacob threw a dirty glare over at Quil as he continued to tinker on the first bike. "She had a tough breakup, but she's doing fine now."

For some reason I doubted that.

Quil seemed to know something but kept his mouth shut. I guess it was because of that fight they had a couple of months ago and Quil stopped hanging around. He probably didn't want to cause any more friction.

It was weird seeing him hanging around that stupid gang Sam seemed to be leader of and I was glad when he finally stopped ignoring us and apologized for acting like a dick. Even though our friendships were strained and not what it used to be I was glad we were all able to become friends again. Even if Quil did manage to disappear a lot.

"I think she's still kind of sad." I stated, thinking back to the sad, smile-less eyes.

"What would you know?" Jacob snapped, "You don't hang around her or know what she's like."

"You can kind of see it though." I frowned, why was Jake getting so defensive?

"She smiles and laughs if anything I'm the one making her feel better! I've done my hardest to help her get over that guy."

I rolled my eyes and set the manual down on the work bench. For some reason what he said really bothered me.

"I'm going home. See you guys later." I waved and made my way out the garage and down the street toward my house my thoughts wandering...

Why?

Why did what Jacob say bother me so much?

Her sad eyes flashed in my mind again...

because even though he's with her all the time...he really didn't know her at all.

A/N: What do you guys think? So far the pace seems to be a little slow-moving so this will probably be a lengthy kind of fic.

Anyway R+R :)