All hail PVG, and the most honorable Myth for getting the Jack references in the last chapter!!!!! PVG and Myth FTW!!!!! (yes I know the thing about excessive punctuation Myth.)
I don't have to tell you anything, but because Jack was nice enough to tell his part, it's the least I can do to continue it.
I'll start by saying that when I woke up early that morning I stayed in bed for a while. I remembered having a dream but couldn't remember what it was about. I didn't have to be awake yet, so I closed my eyes and tried to relax. I could feel the warmth of my sheets and the softness of my pajamas. If I tried hard enough, I could imagine that I was back in Phoenix with the warm sun on my skin. Then I shifted, and cold air touched my back like a hand. My fantasy shifted without conscious direction. He was there. He'd never left. I imagined his voice whispering to me. I imagined that he loved me; that I hadn't been just a distraction. I shifted again, exposing more of my face to the cold. I imagined his kiss, thinking about how amazing it was that my body had known so far in advance that he was going to hurt me. I tried to summon the anger that would let this hurt less. He'd lied to me. He'd been condescending. He hadn't liked the truck. He'd taken them away. He'd broken my heart. He was my heart, regardless of what he did or how much he hurt me. Edward was my heart. He was gone, never to return, and though my time with friends like Jack and Angela had made it easy to ignore the pain of his absence, it was there and it hurt more than it had any right to.
I thought about the letter that I'd left at the Cullen's and I tried to imagine Edward's face when he realized that I hadn't said goodbye to him. Would he care? Would I be alive when they came back to Forks? Would he even care if I moved; if I died? I imagined him stopping at my grave and thinking about the pathetic girl who'd honestly believed that she was loved. He wouldn't know if I learned to ride a motorcycle or if I were brave. He wouldn't know that I was angry at him or that I loved him. He was gone. I tried to tell myself that his absence made him irrelevant, because whether I drowned in my own tears or moved to a convent and worshiped his memory or developed whatever Jack and I had hinted at in that conversation the day before, he would never know any of it beyond the records and certificates and stones.
I bundled up tighter in my blanket and tried to let the heat sooth away the ache inside of me. I closed my eyes and tried to make myself go back to sleep; I tried to stop myself from asking why I cared what Edward Cullen knew or thought. Then my phone rang. It was Renée.
"Hey, Bella, it is you right? I haven't dialed a wrong number again?"
"Yes Mom, it's me."
"Oh dear, What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, well, nothing new. It's just a rough morning," I said. Then I remembered that I was visiting Jack later and the thought made me smile a little.
"Any plans for the day?"
"Yes, actually, I'm going to visit a friend."
"A friend? Is it that girl Angela?"
"No, it's this guy I met last week, Jack."
"A boy."
"A friend, Mom."
"Of course, I heard you."
"I'm not fond of that tone in your voice."
"I'm your mother, you don't have to be."
The conversation went on from there. I asked about Phil and she asked about Charlie. She told me about her latest minor catastrophe and I listened, remembering how much I loved her and trying to calculate the time in my mind until summer, when I might be able to visit her. I made a mental note to ask Edward why he'd taken the plane tickets that I'd gotten for my birthday, if I ever saw him again. The frustration that I'd reached for earlier started to rear its head. He'd left the stereo, but it was supposed to be like he'd never existed? What else had he left behind? Were there other bits of him hidden in plain sight? Did I care?
"Bella, are you still there?"
"Oh! Yes Mom. I was just thinking about some things."
"Some things and not someone?"
"I admit it. I was thinking about someone."
"Who?"
"I was thinking about… that woman in Georgia who committed matricide because of her mother's annoying insinuations."
"I'm only suggesting…"
"Mom!"
"Alright! I'll stop. I should go anyway. Phil's got a game later today and I want to make a new poster to show support."
"Have fun, Mom."
"You too!"
I showered, dressed, and then went downstairs to make breakfast for Charlie.
He came down while I was cooking and he watched quietly while I puttered around stirring and cleaning things. Eventually he spoke.
"Still want to learn to ride?"
"Yes, did you ask the Deputy?"
"He said he's fine with it. He'll even let you use his bike while yours is getting fixed up. Bells, I just want to know, why the sudden interest?"
"I just think that it could be exciting. It's different from what you'd expect, maybe but…I've been thinking it's time for a change anyway. I promise I'll be safe."
"I know you'll be safe. Steve's a good man and he knows what he's doing. He's busy next weekend, but he told me to have you get started learning what the bike parts are and what they do. If you know them well enough he says he might let you sit on the bike."
"Awesome, tell him I said thanks. You could give him my cell number if you don't want to have to pass messages."
"I'll do that. How's school going?"
We talked for a bit, not much but more than usual, then I went upstairs and studied for a while.
At around one I turned on my slow computer and checked my email. Jack had sent me the directions, and I had emails from Renée and Angela. Mom had emailed me to check to make sure that she had the right phone number because she wanted to call me, and Angela wanted to know how my weekend was going and ask if I wanted to do another movie night or something similar on Friday because Ben was going be watching sports with his friends. I replied that that would be fun, and volunteered to pick the movie. At around 1:30 I printed out the directions, ran a brush through my hair and glanced in the mirror. I was wearing a white fitted shirt with buttons down the front and a nicer pair of jeans. I looked washed out and a more pale than I'd have liked but I was otherwise fine, so I got into the truck and carefully followed the directions to Jack's house.
I arrived about five minutes early. Jack was reading on the front porch when I drove up. He stood, and I walked over to him.
"Hey Jack. How's it going?"
He responded, teasing me about my plans to learn to ride. When I asked him about our plans for the afternoon he babbled a bit. It was reassuring, in a way. It was one more thing separating him from Edward, and besides, the flushed face looked nice on him. He invited me inside then led me towards the kitchen to meet his mother.
Mary Stevens reminded me of Alice in a way. Bright, welcoming and clever seeming, she was easy to talk to and somewhat intriguing. She was slightly taller than me, with Jack's eyes and a ready smile. We talked for a few minutes. She asked me how I liked Forks because she'd heard around town that I was the most recent new arrival. I told her that I liked it fine, that the town had grown on me in the months since I'd moved there. She expressed hope that Forks would grow on her as well and the conversation fell flat for a moment.
"Jack, why don't you go introduce her to your father so that I can get something things done in here," she said pulling him back from whatever world he'd journeyed to while his mother and I spoke.
Jack's father, Joshua, reminded me quite a bit of Carlisle. Calm, charming, and intelligent, I could see a bit of Jack in him. He seemed, somehow, to be sizing me up though. He let me direct the conversation a bit more than Mary had and gave me more of a sense that I should consider my responses. That said, it was a pleasant experience, and as Jack led me toward his room I found myself hoping that I'd get to see more his family in the future.
Jack's room was nice. There was a bed on one wall, with a small sofa on the adjacent wall that had a book shelf on either side of it. A TV and DVD player were positioned on the wall across from the sofa. I sat down, trying hard not to be nosy and see what sort of books he owned. We exchanged some light quips before he started the movie and sad down next to me.
We watched the first X-men movie. Wolverine earned my utter and absolute admiration. After the movie we talked.
"You know Izzy-"
"-not very well we just met a few days ago, I'm rather well acquainted with Bella though," I interrupted, only half jokingly.
"Ha ha ha, I was saying that I kinda figured you'd be more of a Rouge fan."
I wondered why that was. Rouge had spent quite a bit of that movie running, either from herself, her home, or her powers. She'd also been rescued a few times. I liked Rouge, and there were moments when she'd shown something of the type of person that I was working to become, but it bothered me that he'd seen something of me in her, beyond the fact of our similar eyes and natural hair coloring. I brushed it off and responded.
"Rouge is awesome but … well…Wolverine. That says it all. His greatness needs no explanation."
"Oh dear, now I've turned you into a fan-girl. How will I live with myself?"
"You didn't turn me into anything," I said, letting my annoyance leak into my tone. I wasn't going to let the implication of control slide, not even in this light and joking tone. "You couldn't if you wanted to. Wolverine's total awesomeness earned him my notice."
"I like living, so I'm going to agree with you and not point out that you'd have never been aware of that awesomeness if we hadn't watched the movie."
We continued to talk about the movie for a few minutes, shifting into a debate about Magneto and whether trying to kill or alter all the normal people lessened his cool factor. I really hated Magneto. As sensitive as I still was to the idea of someone enforcing their will on another person, I don't think that I could have seen it from his point of view if I tried. I was wholly unsympathetic towards him, though I did think that his power was incredible.
At around 4:30, there was a knock on the door. It was a young man, tall, with dyed black hair and eyes like Jack's. I guessed that this was his brother Jamie.
"Hey Nimble, we need to talk."
I held back a laugh at the nickname, catching the reference fairly quickly. Then I noticed the odd tension in the air between them. Jack responded coolly.
"Can it wait? I have a guest and it would be rude of me to leave her unattended."
"It's equally rude not to introduce that guest or to speak as though she's left the room. Isn't it Izzy?"
I was surprised that he knew my name, but appreciated his bringing me into the conversation.
"It certainly is, Jamie, and it's nice to meet you."
"It's redundant now, but Jamie Stevens meet Isabella Swan."
"It's nice to meet you too, Izzy. May I ask why you hang out with this pale slow thing."
"Beats hanging out with some jerk," I snapped. How dare he blatantly insult his brother on front of his guest? I was more annoyed than I had any right to be, so I softened it feeling my warm, "you get to meet a fair few of them in high school."
Jamie replied somewhat coldly, " I'd like to say it's been a pleasure. Jack come on, we need to talk."
"If the lady will excuse me?"
I told him that I didn't mind and he responded that he'd try to return quickly. After he left I stood, intending to look his book collection. I was smiling at the sight of some of my favorites when his mother walked in holding a plate of oatmeal-raisin cookies.
"Hello Izzy, I saw my boys wandering off to argue and thought that perhaps you could do with some company while you wait."
"They're arguing? Should someone stop them?"
"No, I think they'll be fine. Here, have one of these. It's an old family recipe, from Josh's side of the family. His kin have dabbled in baking for years. My own family have had far different pursuits. Has Jack told you much of me?"
"Not really, we've known each other for barely a week though, so please don't be insulted."
"Relax, I promise you that I'm not insulted at all. I am, however, getting ahead of myself. Jack mentioned that you declined the invitation to eat with us so that you could feed your father. Do you like to cook?"
"I like it a bit, I've never really learned the artistry of it, but I'll never go hungry."
"Perhaps I could teach you a trick or two in the future. I was studying to be a chef before I decided to join the family business."
"The family business?"
"Yes, that. Eat a cookie, would you? They're better while their warm and soft. May I ask what career you have in mind?"
"Nothing specific. These cookies are amazing. Is that ginger?"
We talked lightly for a while about food mostly and about taking care of "our boys", as she called her family and Charlie. We bonded in the ways women had for eons, and it nice. I realized that I was losing out on some of that by not trying to spend more time with Angela and by being so far from my mother.
Jack startled me when he reentered the room and I disguised my jump by continuing the motion and standing. I realized that it was getting late and said as much to Jack and his mother.
Jack walked me out to my truck and I drove away laughing at my own silliness. Jack's family was…well they certainly made their impressions. I liked his parents a lot, and it made me wonder if Jamie had been adopted or switched at birth.
When I got home I made dinner for Charlie and, after washing the dishes, I went upstairs and slept. I was happy and safe, and not just a little excited for the day to come. I was going to spend time with friends, and start learning about motorcycles, and maybe even start to plan for a future beyond high school, beyond Forks. I slept peacefully and dreamlessly that night, secure in the knowledge that the dreams of my waking hours were comfort enough for me.
At last, a new chapter! You'll have to forgive me for being late, Finals are approaching and school gets in the way of life sometimes.
So, Izzy is back this chapter and will remain that way for the next few.
Thanks bunches to my new story alert people and much love to my reviewers. You all rule the universe ( well not really but wouldn't it be cool if you did?). It may be a week or two before the next chapter. (unless you'd prefer shorter chapters)
As always, reviews are appreciated. Tell me what you think. See you next chapter!
