I just want to make a brief apology - I have been spellling Rose's full name, Nevaeh Rose, wrong. It's not Neveah, it's Nevaeh - heaven spelled backwards. Note: All POVs are Rose's unless specified otherwise. Thanks! Enjoy, DR.
(Special thank-yous to my reviewers, 9ud9ir190ne6ad and xxTunstall Chickxx!)
Chapter Two
Jacob Black
Forks is pretty boring so far. Nothing happens – it's all green leafy stillness. The rain and damp tend to keep away heat and the stiff ocean breeze prevents humidity, but no one seems to want to do anything. A few cars can be seen passing the house, and from what I can tell, the vehicles here aren't very up-to-date. Which is why I'm glad Charlie's driving me down to the La Push reservation so I can meet Jacob Black and his dad and see if they have anything drivable available.
"Hey Rose, you ready to go?" Speak of the devil. Charlie pokes his mostly-bald head around the door cautiously as though he's expecting me to be stripped to my underwear.
"Sure Charlie," I reply, hopping off the bed and grabbing my jacket on the way out. The rain is holding off for now, but in a place like this it can't be long.
The way to La Push takes about ten minutes, but it seems longer. I haven't been out of Forks since I came two days ago, so I haven't seen any more wolves on steroids; but that's exactly why I'm jumpy. By the time we pull up to a split-level ranch with an old red car pulled up on the opposite side of the driveway. Behind the car and an overgrown hedge I see the corner of a garage peeking its morose face out at the world.
"Well, here we are," Charlie announces rather unnecessarily as he climbs out and closes the door behind him with a bang. I copy him, though a little less boisterously. "Heya, Billy! Jacob! Anybody home?"
"Here, Charlie," says a quiet voice behind me. I turn, and jump back a little. The man before me in absolutely enormous. Tall, dark-skinned, with impressive muscles bulging beneath his white shirt. His narrow, strong-jawed face is closed, but the black eyes framed by thick brows and dark shaggy hair are alive with curiosity. We both realize we're looking each other over at the same time, and glance away. I focus on his large hands as he cleans the oil off them with a rag.
Charlie, oblivious to the tension between us, strides forward. "Hello Jake. Keeping in the garage still, eh?"
"Yes. I've been putting the finishing touches on my latest project." He turns those black eyes to me again. "Rose, right? I understand you're looking for a car. Why don't you come take a look."
"Good idea," Charlie decides for me. "Is Billy –"
"Dad's inside, yeah," Jacob supplies, stuffing the soiled rag into the back of his holey jeans. They're dirty at the knees like he's been kneeling on the ground. "He'll be happy to talk to you, I'm sure."
With a brief clap to my shoulder, Charlie heads into the house behind me. Jacob regards me silently for a moment, and then turns and beckons with one of his dishpan hands. "Come on, I'll show you what I've got."
I follow wordlessly.
Jacob Black's garage is dim, dirty, and cluttered, but I can see he's at home in it. Various parts are lined up against the wall, out of the way of the vehicle in the center of the cleared space: a cute little car, short and rounded, painted a pretty blue-green color.
"What is it?" I ask, going over to it. Jacob leans against the workbench and watches my inspection.
"A '98 Geo Prism," he informs me. "I'm pretty much finished with it now. It's a good little car, good gas mileage. I wouldn't suggest going over 65 in it, but it has A/C, heat, radio, and a tape player." He shrugs. "Not a great car for a city girl when you're probably looking for something a little fancier, but it will get you around."
His presumption irks me, but I ignore it. If he's a good mechanic, I'll buy it. I'm half in love with it already.
"How much do you want for it?" I ask.
He seems surprised, but names a price. I take out my wallet and hand him the amount specified. With a shrug he accepts it, and tosses me the key.
"There you are then."
I climb in without replying and twist the key in the ignition. It starts up smoothly. Now he looks positively alarmed.
"You're going already?"
"Tell Charlie I'm headed home, okay?" I ask him. "After all, I'm a city girl. I have more important things to do than sit around here."
"You do?" He seems doubtful.
I roll my eyes. "I don't know, you tell me. Aren't you the one who laid that stereotype on me right off the bat?"
He winces this time. "You're right, that was rude of me. I'm sorry. Shut it off, and let me show you around."
I smile and take the key out. "All right then. Let's go."
JACOB'S POV
When I first saw her in the car I truly thought it was Bella. Human, beautiful, and seventeen again. But as soon as my heart stopped, it started again. She was different. Softer, less angular. A little taller – perhaps a little wilder, too. Her russet hair was the same shade as Bella's – probably got it from Renee – but pin straight and longer. Her skin had a vague tan to it that Bella never had. And her eyes… definitely not Bella material. Warm green, like new oak leaves, glittering alternately in anger and delight.
Now I walk beside her, and I can see the differences more closely. Rose is not as hotheaded as Bella was, more capable of thinking things through. Bella would have blown up at me had I pulled the city-girl crack on her. And her gait is smoother, more confident – no two left feet. This puts a smile on my face, but I quickly wipe it away as she looks up at me curiously.
"So how old are you? I mean, your dad's about the same age as Charlie, right, so you should be older than me by… a lot." She grins ruefully, and I see Rose is as weak at instantaneous calculation as Bella was.
"I'm…" Gulp. "…seventeen."
Her eyes widen as she takes in my build again, this time without flushing. "Uh-huh. And how tall are you?"
I shrug nonchalantly. "Six foot ten. Height runs in the Family. The tribe, that is. You should see my friend Sam." Actually, you shouldn't. He's spending 'quality time' with Emily at the moment.
"Oh." She falls silent, seeming ill at ease as she scans the forest around us. "Where are we, exactly?"
I shrug. "In the middle of the village, actually. There are homes all around us. We prefer to have the forest as much a part of our lifestyle as possible." I gesture to the break in the trees ahead of us. "There's the ocean."
Her eyes light up automatically, and her pace quickens. "Cool. I'm starting to feel ocean deprived."
ROSE'S POV
He laughs at me, rumbling deep in his chest, but I disregard it and lope out of the clingy cover of the trees and onto the beach. There is no sand here, but great slabs of sandstone washed smooth by the waves with pebbles farther up the shoreline. Shells are strewn here and there, and in places driftwood is piled high, bleached white by salt and sun.
I squat at the water's edge and dip my hand into an incoming wave cautiously. It's cold, and iron gray compared to the aquamarine warmth of Florida's oceans. Still, it's saltwater; the place I was raised in.
"Careful," says Jacob from behind me. "You might fall in."
"Hah," I laugh scornfully. "I was swimming in the ocean before I could walk. I'll be fine."
"Mm-hm…"
I'm about to reply scathingly to his disbelief, but as I turn a large wave rushes up and swirls around my ankles, dragging the pebbles back with it as it recedes. My sense of balance thrown out of whack, I manage to stumble half-upright before I'm down on my backside, saturated.
Holy crow, how embarrassing can you get? I swear Jacob's laughing at me behind his teeth as he picks me up by the elbows and sets me down.
"J-jeez, that water must be freezing – you feel like you're running a temperature!" I exclaim, surprised by the heat of his hands. He draws back, looking uncomfortable.
"Yeah, must be. Come on, let's go back. I'll drive you home."
Ta-da! :) Please don't forget to review!! DR
