Chapter Six: Knowing One Person

When I came downstairs and outside, the man was playing around with Charlie.

Charlie was laughing. "I heard you guys coming all the way down the road."

Then he noticed my presence.

"Bella you remember Billy Black don't you?"

I gave a polite smile. "Yea…you're looking good."

It was hard putting on a show for these people, knowing deep within me there raged an eternal war, leaving casualties on both sides. But these people knew nothing of me, therefore they should know nothing of that. How many second chances do you get to make a first impression? Well second first impression, but that's besides the point.

"Still dancing. Glad you're finally here. Charlie here hasn't shut up about it since he told me you were coming."

I saw my dad look away in embarrassment.

His face twisted up with worry for a second. "But you look a little pale girl, are you alright?"

Damn. They noticed.

For the first time since my mom told me the truth about what I was, my heart raced tremendously.

"Oh Billy, she's probably just adjusting to the climate change."

I nodded in agreement. "Right."

Thank God for Charlie.

Billy went back to his playful mood. "I guess you're right. Charlie you're going to look even sicker when your team loses tonight!"

"Alright, keep exaggerating and I'll roll you into the mud." Charlie rolled his eyes dramatically.

Me and the boy who came with Billy laughed.

Then he spoke to me.

He had a gorgeous smile, and beautiful long hair.

He was nervously smiling. "Hi…I'm…I'm Jacob."

"Hey." I gave him a faint smile. Why did I have to be an abomination? He would've been such a cute guy if I wouldn't feel like killing him in a short while…

"We uh…we used to make mud pies when we were little."

He laughed softly. He was nervous, I could see that much, but why was a mystery to me.

I gave a genuine smile now. He was sweet too? Why did I have to be tortured? "I remember."

Then I suddenly noticed both our dads still playing around.

"Are they always like this?"

"It's getting worse with old age."

We laughed again. He seemed nice. Just like I remembered him. And sweet, too. Not to mention gorgeous. His smile was hypnotizing.

But we could never be friends, close friends for that matter, because that would be pointless. And for me to hope we could be anything more than close friends…a fool's dream. Would he not have to suffer Charlie's same fate? The thought of adding another loved one to the list of those I'd have to leave behind seemed near unbearable. I didn't want to think about it.

Charlie and Billy came back over to us, and Charlie leaned against the red truck they came in.

"What do you think?"

"Of what?"

"Of your homecoming present. I just bought it from old Billy here."

Billy chimed in to confirm. "Yep."

Jacob gave that million-dollar smile again. "I totally rebuilt the engine."

My eyes fell to this potential beauty, my first car. My very own. I was ecstatic. Now I would have a quick means of escaping.

I hopped in the truck and Jacob hopped in on the passenger's side.

"Okay um…you have to double-punch the clutch when you shift, but…besides that you should be good."

He started smiling at me again, and I smiled back as I breathed taking in his scent.

An outside, wilderness type smell…but sweet nonetheless. It smelled soft, like something lovable.

"Okay…so you want to ride to school with me?"

"Uh…I go to school on The Reservation."

My excitement disappeared, and I was down again. "Oh…right."

I looked forward out over the car at the house.

"That's too bad, it would've been nice at least knowing ONE person."

Even if I couldn't be friends with that person for very long.