Welcome to the Big Easy
Chapter Ten
Sun, Fun, and Motorcycles
June 19, 2009
Seems like I have been here for ages, but I arrived Friday and it is Tuesday! The weekend was incredible, and last night with Charlie was great. I am glad to know about the story now about the picture. I would write about it, but I know Renee will want to read this when I return home, so I don't want to reveal anything that will get Charlie in trouble…
So I woke up today for the first time at a normal time. I got up around 8:30, and got dressed, strangely in a really good mood. Then I went downstairs and decided to call Jake. I knew he was going to be mad I didn't call yesterday, but her was a big boy now, and could deal with a day's separation. (It was killing me though…) So I dialed his number, but got the answering machine. I left a message telling him that I was sorry for not calling, but I decided to stay home with Charlie, and that I would be home all day if he wanted to come over.
Then I sat down, alone since Charlie had gone already gone to work for the day, and ate a bowl of cereal (cinnamon toast crunch to be exact, my favorite!). I was about to clear my dish and head to living room to watch TV when I heard a knock on the door. I opened it up, not really expecting anyone, and it was too soon for Jake to be there. A young, cute boy who looked to be about my age greeted me from the doorway. His eyes were a bright blue and his hair was a light brown and very curly.
He extended his hand out politely and introduced himself as Mike Newton. Two other boys stuck their head out from the car parked in the street and started yelling and waving to me. I gave a small wave back, wondering why they were here. Then Mike got my attention again and said,
"Hey Isabella, sorry about them. Try to ignore the, that's what I usually do…anyway my mom works down at the police station with your dad and he mentioned that his daughter was back in town. I thought I might come over and introduce myself. Sorry if I am intruding on your morning. I just thought you may want some company, seeing that you probably won't know anyone once school starts."
"Thanks Mike, that is very sweet. But please, don't call me Isabella. I prefer just Bella."
"Okay just Bella, would you like to join me and some of my friends on a drive to La Push? We are meeting my friends Angela and Jessica there, so you won't be the only girl. It'll be a lot of fun! You up to it?"
"Well, I don't know…what are we going to be doing?" I really wasn't up to going with a whole group of strangers to a beach I only just found out was where I almost drowned.
"Some of us will be surfing, and the rest will be soaking up sun on the beach. We also have a lunch packed. And don't worry about bringing any beach things, my family owns a store and we already have everything prepared for you. All we need now is you. What do you say?"
"Yeah, just hold on; let me go write a note to my dad about where I will be. I'll meet you out in the car in a minute."
Mike's face lit up and he ran back down to the car, yelling to the other boys that I was coming. He was a sweet boy, just very pushy. But I guess that is what I needed in order to agree to go out. I hoped that going out with some new people would be good for me, even if I probably won't be here much lon—
"Eric! Watch where you are throwing that thing!" Bella stood up and dropped her jounral, annoyed that Eric and Mike's Frisbee had hit her once again. She was beginning to think it was just on purpose now. The first two times were okay, but now that this was the fifth time, it was getting pretty old. She pulled her arm back to throw it, but Ben ran up behind her and grabbed it from her hands. She turned around quickly, ready to grab it back but all she got was a face full of sand.
She had lost her balance while spinning around, and fell face first. She heard thunderous laughter coming from all around her. She started to get herself up when a well manicured hand extended out to give her help.
"Thanks Jess, I hate to admit it, but I am pretty used to this kind of stuff!"
Jessica gave an apologetic smile and helped Bella sit back down. Angela leaned over and asked sweetly if Bella needed any ice or a band aid or anything. Bella politely rejected the offers, but continued to hold her knee tightly. Brush burns were the worst, and having three boys laughing at you made the whole situation more humiliating.
She liked her new friends though. Mike, Ben, and Eric were all playful and nice. Jessica was peppy and talkative. Bella wasn't very surprised when Jessica told her she was the Cheer captain. Angela however, was quiet and shy and very sweet. She had a very soft voice, and bella found out that she and Ben were actually dating. Jessica told me that she had a huge crush on Mike (and that it had actually been going on since freshman year) but he never seemed interested in her.
Bella said she knew how Jessica felt, because she had never dated herself. No boys seemed interested.
"How Bella, sweet naïve Bella, I never said I've never had a boyfriend. I just have never dated Mike, although he is the only boy I really ever liked. He is just too dense to realize how much I've wanted him."
Then Angela added, "Bella, if it makes you feel better, Ben and I have only been dating since January. He is my first boyfriend ever, and I am still trying to get used to the whole "boyfriend" thing. You think you'll find anyone this year at school? We have some really great guys."
"Well, actually, I think I met someone already."
That got Mike's attention. Jessica and Angela leaned in closer, eyes wide with curiosity.
"Wow Bella, you've been here less than a week and you have already found someone! Come on, tell us, who is it? He goes to Forks High right?"
"Well, I met him on the plane ride here. He had made some connecting flight in Texas and we ended up getting seats together. He is from forks, but lives here on the reservation. He is a year younger than us?"
"Ohhh, wow Bella! A cougar now aren't we! So he's going to be a junior?" said Jessica, smiling with the new gossip.
"Well, no about the cougar thing, but yes to the junior thing. He is really charming and caring, and is really easy to talk to…"
"Yeah, we know all that, he is your soul mate or whatever, but tell us what he looks like! IS he hot?"
Bella blushed, embarrassed to tell someone else about what she secretly thought of Jacob. But she knew this was her first ever relationship, and actually wanted to brag about him a little bit.
"Hot is actually an understatement," Bella gushed, getting a few girly giggles from Jessica and Angela.
"He has big brown smoldering eyes and full pink lips. His face is dark and beautiful. His hair is a very dark brown and cut pretty short. But his face isn't even the best part!"
"So…go on! Give us more details!" said Angela, obviously enjoying my description so far.
"Well, he has a long neck that connects to his strong defined chest. He has what looks like to be a twelve pack! Seriously, I have never seen anything like it! And his biceps are absolutely huge, it looks like he works out for hours every day! But the way he moves, he makes it look all graceful and effortless. And his back…absolutely perfect! I swear, he has literally the most amazing body ever!"
"Oh really? Who is this fantasy boy your describing?"
Bella sat up, surprised that someone was listening behind them. Mike was there, making fierce eyes, obviously annoyed with what she was saying.
"Um, my boyfriend. Jacob Black. Do you know him?"
"Never heard of him…" Mike responded, sounding a little suspicious. "Sure you're not making this boy up Bella? He seems a little too good to be true if you ask me."
"Oh shut up Mike, you're obviously just jealous of this obviously perfect boy," said Jessica matter of factly.
'Yeah, Mike shut up," said another voice, that made us all turn in surprise. Towering behind Ben and Eric was a shirtless and very wet Jacob. Seeing him made me think of Sunday night, and my eyes closed as I remembered us standing outside of Jake's truck in the pouring rain…
"And who are you?" asked Mike obviously disgusted with this stranger for telling him to shut up.
"Oh, sorry I didn't introduce myself sooner. I'm Jacob Black, Bella's boyfriend."
And Bella heard Angela and Jessica gasp and start murmuring.
"Wow, he is beautiful."
"Her words didn't even do his stomach justice…"
"What are you doing here?" asked Mike finally, his voice sounding with anger.
"Well, seeming that I live just at the end of the beach and my family owns all the surrounding land including this beach, I guess you could say I'm just hanging out in my front yard."
That only made Mike angrier. "Well, then I would hate to disturb you and your family's peace. Come on guys; let's leave the love birds alone."
Ben and Eric helped Mike pick up the surf boards and the rest of the things lying on the beach, and made their way back to the car.
"Sorry Bella, but we should be heading back too. Nice to meet you Jacob. Hope to see you guys again soon." And Angela and Jessica made their way back to their car and left.
After both cars rode off into the distance and out of view, Bella finally turned back to Jacob.
"here a matter of minutes and already causing trouble. What am I going to do with you Jacob Black?" Bella asked playfully, smiling up at a still wet Jacob.
"Bella, I don't like that Mike kid. You should have seen how he was looking at you while you were writing in that journal of yours. It made me sick!"
"Jake for one, you can't call Mike a kid, he is older than you. Second of all, I could care less about how Mike was looking at me. I only like you. I hope you know that. And if you don't, well I guess I'm just going to have to show you…"
Then Bella moved closer to Jake and wrapped her arms around neck like he had showed her the other night. She pulled his face down to meet hers and gave him a long, loving kiss. She pulled her head back to see his face, but Jake wasn't ready to let her go just yet. He pulled her back and crushed his lips against her. He began kissing her strongly and quickly. It was even more passionate than the way he kissed he the other night. She made a mental note to make him jealous more often…
And just as Jake began biting and sucking on her bottom lip, asking for entrance, she remembered that she was supposed to make dinner for Charlie. She pulled away from Jake and ran over to her bag on the ground, searching for her cell phone to check the time. When she finally found it, she saw it was already 4:30. She scooped up her bag and journal from the sand, and began walking to small lot where Mike's car had once been.
Right before she made it to the small collection of parked cars, she turned around to find Jacob. It had just dawned on her that she had ridden here with Mike, and he left. Jake however, was already following her, concerned with her leaving their kiss so abruptly.
'What's wrong babe?"
"Um, I just realized I had promised Charlie a home cooked meal tonight since I woke up to late yesterday to make one. We had pizza instead. And now I just remembered I have no ride home. I came here with Mike, and well, you know he's not here anymore…"
"Bella, calm down. I live right down the beach. I have a car you know! I seriously think I can manage giving you a ride home."
"You sure, I mean, I feel bad taking you away from any walk or swim or whatever you were doing. Wait, what were you doing?"
"Um, I was just taking a walk down the beach, tired of sitting inside, so I was splashing on the shore and hanging out with some friends when I spotted a small group down the beach some, so I came to see who it was. When I saw it was you with a group of friends, including boys, I decided to watch. So I stood behind some trees by the brush, and watched you until Mike started getting closer to you. I could hear parts of what he was saying about some boy or something, so I decided to come over and help you out if something was wrong. Turns out I was right."
"So you were spying on me Jake?" Bella asked, concerned that Jake was looking at her and she didn't even know it.
""Well, yeah I guess. But I wouldn't call it spying. Just watching or something like that." Jake kept his head down, ashamed that Bella was upset with him.
"Bella walked over, suddenly aware that she had hurt his feelings. She put her hands on either side of his face and kissed both cheeks lovingly. Jake, look at me. I'm not upset with you; I was just surprised you cared that much to watch over me like that. Thanks."
Jacob picked up his head, and looked into Bella's eyes, making sure she really meant it. She pulled his face down and kissed him one more time. He sighed behind her lips, and closed his eyes, reassured that he was forgiven. Then she pulled away again, before they got too far into the kiss. She reminded him that she had to get back home, so he grabbed her hand and lead her down the beach t his.
When they finally got there, Jake lead her past the house, much to her surprise, and took her around to the other side.
"You can come back another day and meet my dad. Let's just get you home for now."
"Okay, but where are you taking me, your truck was out front."
"Well, since you didn't come over yesterday to see the big surprise, you may as well see it now."
'But Jake, I have to get home, remember?"
"Yeah, but the surprise is your ride home. Look for yourself."
Then Jake opened up the door to the shed and turned on the light. Inside it looked like a mechanic's repair shop. There were tools and car parts hanging and lying all over the place.
"Where is it?"
Jake pushed Bella further in and walked over to the back corner, past a work table and a few chairs. In the back next to where Jacob was standing was a small red two seat bike. Bella gasped and covered her mouth, surprised when she figured out that she would be riding on the motorcycle home.
"Jake, I don't know if I can do this! I've never been on one before!"
"Believe me Bella, it's perfectly safe! Grab a helmet and get on. Don't worry, you'll love it!"
Bella, although her better judgment told her differently, decided to get on the back of the bike. They were on their way home in no time, and all of Bella's previous nerves and fears erased. She was actually having fun yelling and laughing, enjoying her first time on a motorcycle. Jake was smiling in the front seat, glad to hear his surprise was making Bella happy…
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Wow, a lot happened this chapter! I wasn't expecting to write this much, but I sat down with this idea in my head and just kept writing until I got the conclusion I was aiming for…
Hope you like it, and sorry for leaving you in suspense like this! Bella's surprise is just going to have to wait too…(although it may not be such a good surprise for Jake…) It is just too good to write all at once though! I will be taking a few days off for summer reading and life, but hope you are enjoying it so far.
Love for you to review!