"Come on! Start!" I twisted the keys again. The engine started, but died as soon as I put my hands on the wheel. I sighed. Great, what am I supposed to do know? Charlie had already left for work and I didn't want to get driven in his police car. Surely that would attract a lot of attention. I still had thirty minutes before school started.

I climbed out of the truck and walked in to the garage. Maybe I will find some tools and try to fix it myself. But I found something better. My bike. It stood in the corner of the garage. Still looking like it did four years ago. It was mint green. And had the same little stickers I had put on it, as a kid. I squeezed the tires, those were a little on the soft side. Charlie must have a pump somewhere. After pumping the tires, I made my way to school.

I actually liked riding my old bike. Feeling the cool October air in my face, pushing the hair out of my sight. I kept it at an easy pace. My feet rotating the pedals in a nice rhythm. Staying on the right side of the road, so that the cars could pass me without running me over. Even though I got it for my fourteenth birthday, the bike wasn't to small. I remember that back then, it was actually a little to big for me. Now it was perfect.

Forks high school was only tree miles from home. It took me fifteen minutes to get to it. I parked my bike with the other ones, on the other side of the parking lot. Because I biked to school, I wasn't as early as I normally was. But I wasn't late either.

The day was as boring as ever. Sitting in class and spacing out, while the teachers droned on about a subject I already knew. When I walked out of school with Angela and Ben they noticed I wasn't walking to my usual parking spot.

"Where is your car?" asked Angela, still searching for the red truck.

"It broke down this morning," I replied.

I pondered in class about where I could let it be fixed the cheapest. There weren't any in car mechanics Forks, I knew that. Port Angeles maybe, but from what I heard the were anything but cheap. Right now, I considered sticking with my trusty bike.

"Do you need a ride home?" Ben asked politely.

Ben was really sweet. I was thrilled when Angela told me that they were dating. She deserved him. Both of them fit each other perfectly.

"No that's ok, I rode my old bike." I pointed across the parking lot to the bike section.

"I'm surprised, you don't seem much like a bike person to me," Ben mused. "Or any type of sport"

He probably heard the stories about me in gym class. There were a lot of them, I imagened. If people made a selection of the most clumsiest people in school, I would be number one.

"Don't worry, I live on the east side of town, so there is no chance of me crashing into your car." I said jokingly.

He laughed. "I'm just concerned for the poor soul who is living there"

"You can't save everyone, Ben." I responded with a wink.

He gave me one back and hugged Angela to his side, who was listening to our exchange with amusement. They looked so happy together. My mood plummeted instantly, thinking of how happy I was just a month ago.

"I see you guys later, ok?" I turned around before I heard their goodbye's.

The bike ride back home was the same. I kept looking at the tree's, their branches swaying peacefully in the wind. Maybe Charlie could help me bring my car to La Push. Jacob Black was somewhat handy with cars. It would save me a lot of money if he could fix it. I haven't seen Jacob since prom, when he deliverd a message for his dad, telling me to stay clear of the Cullens.

I had no doubt that Billy Black knew the secret of the Cullens. Otherwise he wouldn't have made such an effort to make me realize his disaproval with my involvement in the Cullens. Not that it mattered to me at that time. I knew what I was doing.

Did you? Said a little voice in my head.

I ignored it. The past is in the past. I promised myself and Charlie to move on. To get better. To be the normal human, that he wanted me to be.

When Charlie got home I told him about my car. He wanted to go to la push anyway and was surprised when I asked if I could come too. I haven't been there in a while, so his reaction wasn't surprising. I just smiled innocently and walked to the car. On the ride there I just stared out of the window, taking in the scenery.

Jacob changed a lot. Now towering over me with a impressive height that should be around 6'4. He smiled and embraced me in a tight hug, I noticed that his height wasn't the only thing that changed him. Appearantly he grew some muscles too, which wasn't hard to overlook after that hug. His face was still sweet like I remembered it, though it had hardened, too—the planes of his cheekbones sharper, his jaw squared off, all childish roundness gone.

"Hi Bella!" His grin was contagious, making me smile back. I don't think that I have ever seen him upset or angry.

"You grew again!" I accused in amazement. He laughed, his smile widening impossibly. "Six five," he announced with self-satisfaction. His voice was deeper, but it had the husky tone I remembered. "Is it ever going to stop?" I shook my head in disbelief. "You're huge."

My dad was already inside, probably eager to see Billy. Those two could become such kids when they get together. Billy often came to our house to watch the baseball game with Charlie.

"So what brings you—a pale face to our little reservation," He joked. We started walking on the path to his garage. I remember that he was trying to build his own car. However that was ages ago, I wonder if he finished it. I decided to mess around a bit. "All my friends dumped me and now I'm holding auditions for new ones." I said with a poker face.

"Well, well, well," He said with a teasing smile on his face. "And what makes you think that I want a new friend?" He opened the door to his garage and walked inside, with me following his footsteps. The car—which I was wondering if he finished stood proud in the middle of the garage. "You may not know it yet, but my friendship is a gift, which a lot of people would die for. Hence why I'm holding auditions." My voice sounded snobby and my face made an impression similar to those mean girls from TV.

"Well in that case, how is the audition going for me?"

"I can't tell you yet, after this one I have still hundreds to go." I couldn't hold my face straight anymore and let the giggles out. Jake laughed along with me. I was strangely comfortable here. It was familiar, but only distantly. There were no painful reminders of the recent past. This place was like a escape from reality, it was just what I needed.

"Actually I was wondering if you had time to look at my car sometime?" I asked. I didn't mind riding my bike to school, it was rather nice to be honest, but if I wanted to go to farther then I would need a car. I shuddered at the thought of Charlie driving me everywhere.

"Sure, I can come by tomorrow if you're not busy?"

"No that's perfect!" I was already grateful that he made time for me.

"And... I was wondering if you wanted to hang out some time." I asked shyly. His face broke out in a smile—that kind of reminded me of the joker. His eyes were lit up, as if I brought him the greatest news ever.

"Yeah! Swee-eet," he made the word into two syllables.

"I see that you are still working on your car?" I nodded my head in the direction of his Rabitt.

"It's almost done. Just a few last touches and it will ride like a brand new one."

"You can work on it now if you want to, I don't mind." I hoped he didn't feel like he couldn't work on it, because I was here.

"Are you sure? We can do something else if you want to. This would probably bore you to death and I haven't been your friend long enough for me not to feel guilty about that." He said with a wink.

"No really, maybe I learn something from it—so next time I can fix my own car." I said, while sitting down on the car seat that leaned against the wall.

"I doubt that," He teased. I simply stuck my tonge out behind his back and watched as he started on his car.

"Maybe its good that you haven't finished it yet, after all I do remember your still fifteen" I teased him.

"You're wrong" he teased, narrowing his eyes in mock resentment. "I'm sixteen."

"Sorry about your birthday."

"Don't worry about it. I missed yours. What are you, forty?"

I sniffed. "Close."

"We'll have a joint party to make up for it."

"Sounds like a date."

His eyes sparkled at the word.

I needed to reign in the enthusiasm before I gave him the wrong idea—it was just that it had been a long time since I'd felt so light and buoyant. The rarity of the feeling made it more difficult to manage.

We talked some more and I forgot the time completely, untill Charlie stuck his head into the garage and announced that we're going home. Jacob walked us back to car. Billy sat in his wheelchair on his porch. I smiled and waved at him.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow," I looked at Jacob.

"Yes, thank you so much Jake!"

"Bella, I haven't even fixed your car yet." He said.

"I know, But still... thanks." I hugged him goodbye and walked to the passenger side of the car. I got in and Charlie drove off.

"You seem happy"

I looked at Charlie and saw him smile a little—while keeping his eyes on the road. I was happy, it felt like the hole in my chest healed a little after today. I didn't think of him all the time. I even laughed more today than I did this whole month.

"Yeah—Jake is really nice," I said, while looking out the window with a smile on my face. My gaze upwards, I saw the tops of the tree's whiz by over my head. Their leaves swaying in the wind. The sun was beginning to set. And the sky was a deep blue with a orange and pink glow on the horizon.

"I'm sure he thinks the same about you"

"Hmhmm," I replied, distracted by the peacefulness of the outside world. I felt content, warm and dreamy, like nothing could hurt me. For now.