Chapter 3

whoa what another chapter already? yesss, and i hope you enjoy :)

About an hour later, a tall, lanky boy Bella could only assume was Embry entered the garage, nearly bumping his head on the way in. Even in the chilly weather his sinewy bronze arms peeked out from a loose tank top, but he didn't seem to be the slightest bit cold. The cuffs of his jeans were all torn up and soaked through, with a couple shredded strands trailing across the ground behind his muddy soles like string cheese. He was kinda cute, with a shock of black hair that hung several inches above his broad shoulders. Before meeting him, she had half expected to see some raging lunatic with unkempt hair and tattered clothing ready to lunge at any slightly moving object, and was pleasantly surprised when he smiled at her. He winked at Bella with dark eyes set in his tanned skin that twinkled when he spoke.

"Hey, Jake," he said.

"Hi, Embry," Jake spoke stiffly.

Embry scanned his eyes over the bikes and patted the handlebars like Quil had done before, yet with a wistful look in his eyes instead of gloating. He seemed to have something on his mind as he stood there for a couple minutes, just looking while Jake waited patiently. Finally, he drew a deep breath and dragged his hands down his face, clearly conflicted.

Oh dear, Bella thought.

Embry sighed. "Look, I don't think I'll be able to work on this with you anymore," he told Jacob at last.

"Why not?" Jacob immediately asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

Embry sighed again. "I'm…really busy these days, Jake."

"With what, making googly eyes at Sam?" Jacob shot back.

"It's not like that," Embry said flatly. His voice was eerily calm, thought Bella.

"Sam's a good guy," Embry continued, gazing longingly at his bike again before backing away. "You'll realize it someday, like I did."

"No, he's not, and I won't!" snapped Jacob. "He's luring you into some kind of trap. He's probably on drugs. He's probably snorting meth as we speak."

Embry rolled his eyes. "You don't sniff meth, Jake. At least, I don't think so. Anyway, I just came to tell you that. Good luck, with… all this." He motioned vaguely with his hand to the bikes and then to the direction of Bella. What do I have to do with anything? she wondered.

Jake's shoulders slumped as he watched his friend walk away. Minutes later though, he brightened up. "At least now I have an extra bike. Quil's gonna freak."

"You're going to give it to him?" Bella asked.

Jacob shook his head vigorously. "Nah. Can't let him have the satisfaction. But y'know what? It'd kill him to know a girl got the bike instead of him."

"Rude."

"He's jerk most of the time," replied Jacob. There was silence for a moment as he grew lost in thought, then "The thing is," he continued, switching the subject back to Embry, "I remember a couple months ago Jared started acting this exact way too. Getting really mad and skipping school and stuff, I mean. Then…" and Jacob's voice trailed off as he stared at the dirt ground. Bella nudged him with her empty Coke can to continue.

"It all started with this big guy, Sam," he began again. "He's like twenty-something and caused a whole bunch of drama with Seth's sister, Leah, and her cousin Emily. Then he went around collecting them like freakin' Pokémon cards, Bells. First Jared, then Paul, and Embry's been following them around like a lost puppy. Now they jump off cliffs and run around half naked showing off their greasy pecs like some kinda cult. It's gross. Torx, please."

Bella lifted her head and looked over the array of nuts and bolts in front of her, wondering which tiny silver knob he meant.

He noticed her hesitation and clarified. "The one that looks like a star."

Bella handed it to him, silently noticing the vein that strained out of his neck as a result of his passionate speech. "They jump off cliffs?"

"Yeah. We've all done it before, but I swear they think they're so cool just 'cause they dive from the highest part. And they think they're the Goodest Samaritans around too, cuz what, they helped Emily set up her washing line once? It's sickening," he scowled, clenching his fists and yanking the screwdriver with far more force than necessary. "And did I mention their muscles? Paul looks like he could deadlift a buffalo."

"You have muscles too," mused Bella.

"Not like that," Jake sighed, wiping his hands on a rag.

Bella didn't like seeing him like this at all. She cocked her head lower until their eyes were at the same level, forcing him to look at her. "Listen, whatever happened with Jared, I'm sure it's not the same as what's going on with Embry. He probably just needs a good friend to be there for him right now. And you're a pretty awesome friend, Jake. He's... we're lucky to have you."

Jacob's smile lit up his whole face. "Promise?"

"A thousand percent."

He snorted. "Funny. I've never heard anyone say that before."

"When I was a kid my mom used to tell me that just before bed," she told him. " 'I love you, a thousand percent'. I've always said it since."

"Yeah, that's cute," he admitted. "Thanks, Bells. That means a lot." Then, after a moment's thought, he said abruptly "It's yours, by the way."

"What?"

"Embry's bike. Bessie, or whatever. You can have it."

Bella blinked in shock. She actually owned a personal motorcycle now.

...

Now, weeks later from that encounter, the motorcycles were completely finished, brand new and squeaky clean. Jacob had promised Bella that she could come along for the first trial run and even try riding one when he tested them out. Today was the day, he announced over the phone, and Bella was out of the house in less than three minutes.

Jacob met her outside of his garage, his familiar wide grin spreading across his face. "They're still inside. Wait here, I'll bring 'em out."

"Need help?"

"Nah, I can handle them."

He tossed her the car keys to the Rabbit, which promptly slipped from her grasp and fell to the ground. As she bent to pick up the keychain she smirked, seeing the letters engraved on the leather strap. "Frick the patriarchy?" she read aloud.

Jacob rolled his eyes at her PG version of the quote as he hauled one bike out. "I forgot you're still a swearing virgin. It's Quil's, anyway. I don't think he even knows what the saying means— just bought it to look cool. He's always trying to act older than he is. Oof," he grunted, hoisting the contraption into the back of the truck, his toned arms straining through the thin material of his dark green shirt.

"Kinda like you," teased Bella.

"Hey. I don't do that! Not to that extent, anyway."

"Okay, Mr. I'm-such-a-big-guy-now-I-don't-need-any-help-in-lifting-bikes."

"If you wanted to help I would've let you!" he protested. "Actually wait, no."

"I probably would've dropped it anyway." Bella said thoughtfully. "If I could even pick it up, that is."

"Yeah, my thoughts exactly."

"You're not supposed to agree with me!"

"Oh, sorry, sorry," he snickered. "What should I have said?"

"You're supposed to tell me I'm so amazing and genius I could've built these bikes all by myself and carry them up an entire mountain." Bella smirked. "Let's hear it."

"Okay Ms. You're-so-amazing-and-genius-you-could've-done-all-that-and-more. Let's see you brush your own teeth."

Bella shrieked. "Excuse me! My breath is always fresh!"

They bantered back and forth as Jacob dragged the other motorcycle out.

"Toddler."

"Grandpa. I see those wrinkles."

"Hey!" now Jacob was thoroughly ticked off. Bella sprinted away, squealing. She loved riling him up.

"You're at least forty in my eyes, by the way," she decided as she got into the Rabbit.

"Oh yeah? How does that work?"

"We take your height, multiply it by how much you talk, and divide it by your maturity."

"Hm. That sounded like an insult. Besides, if I'm forty, you're waaay above sixty. Actually, oh wait- is that a gray hair I spy?" Jacob settled into the front seat and peered over her head, pinching a strand between his thumb and index finger.

Bella dodged. "Sixty?! I'm not that much older than you."

"Too old for Quil anyway," he commented.

"Quil?" Jacob's face was turned away as he buckled his seatbelt, so Bella couldn't read his expression. Was Quil interested in her or something? That was new.

"I've seen the way he acts around you," Jacob frowned slightly. "He's way too nice."

Bella snorted. "Too bad for him. I'm not really into that whole cougar thing."

"Yeah? I mean how old was that Cullen guy anyway?"

Bella fell silent.

Jacob seemed to realize he hit a sore patch and immediately changed the topic of conversation. "I hope the bikes run properly," he remarked. "It'd be pretty bad if you steered yourself into the air."

"I'm not going to fall off a mountain! Anyway, you're the one teaching me to drive it so if I do, it's your fault."

The truck flew along the edge of the cliff, the wind slicing through the windows and into the vehicle as they raced down the road.

...

She was beautiful. Breathtaking, actually. Jacob realized it now as Bella turned her face towards him, strands of hair whipping around her bright eyes. She grinned for a moment, that crazed flash of white teeth again, then stuck her face out the window.

"I love this!" she yelled over the roar of the engine into the wind.

He smiled, one hand on the steering wheel, the other carefully reaching just above her lap, holding the door handle shut. The left side of the Rabbit had a tendency to blow open at the most random of times, and he had to make sure it wouldn't right now. I should probably fix that soon.

Bella waved at the half-clad forms freediving off the ledge behind them, and one waved back, swinging his arms over his head so violently he almost toppled backward. Then he swept his arms back like an airplane, and dived, plummeting down like a rock. Fascinated, Bella watched as he swished through the air and plunged into the water with a soundless splash.

I bet that's Embry, Jacob thought, a bit irked.

Once the boys were out of sight, he slightly lifted his foot from the accelerator, and the truck slowed down, the throttle dimming to a low hum.

Bella slumped back in the passenger seat, breathless and excited.

"That," she blurted out between gasps of air, "was the most fun I've had in ages. Seriously. And gosh, I had no idea this old thing could go so fast," and she patted the dashboard.

"I replaced the entire engine a while back." Jacob told her casually. "Some cables were loose too."

"Jake! I knew you liked playing around with metal but you never told me you were such an engineer," she teased.

Jacob hoped with every bone in his body she couldn't see the hot blush he felt creeping across his cheeks. "Yeah, well, Embry helped me too. He's…well, used to be," he corrected himself hurriedly "obsessed with cars, so we fixed it up in a jiffy."

He kicked himself mentally for bringing up Embry again. That little snot somehow wormed his way into every conversation.

ok so yes i might have rewritten the Rabbit volkswagen as a truck instead of a car. it doesn't matter too much though right? teehee
thanks for reading and as always i would rly appreciate reviews!