It's time for an ovation
It's time for us to make a change
It's time for a Chinese New Year
It's time for me to make away
As promised by Esme, I was presented with a warm homemade dinner made by her hand. I ate in comfortable silence, enjoying every bite and the glass of wine that she had poured me, Carlisle had made himself scarce for the night after checking on us and as soon as I felt comfortable enough with myself, Esme drove me home and told me that I could call her whenever I felt like talking to someone. I was grateful for her, and made sure to tell her when she dropped me home.
"Esme had you working late today?" Charlie asked with a grin as soon as I stepped into the living room.
I mustered my best smile for him, "I actually had lots of fun, dad."
Charlie's posture seemed to relax, "that's good Bells, did you have dinner already?"
"Oh yes, Esme cooked, she, as always, sent leftovers, it's delicious," I told him as I showed him the paper bag that I carried.
Charlie stood from his chair and made a beeline for the kitchen.
"Any plans for tomorrow, chief?" I asked as I pulled out a plate from one of the cabinets.
"Henry invited me fishing, but if you have better plans," he told me as I served the food on the plate.
"Nah, I might just sleep in and maybe get ahead of my homework," I said while I moved around the kitchen.
"That's an idea," Charlie agreed, digging into the food with gusto.
"I also have to do a grocery run, you can add anything that you might need to the list, I'll leave it on the table tonight, also I will be doing the laundry on Monday so plan accordingly," I warned him.
He nodded, munching as he did so, "I have to go buy that new lamp for Jacob's garage, I promised the kid."
"Oh, I have been saving up to get him something cool for his birthday too, it will be a project," I said with a grin.
"What are you getting him?" Charlie asked.
"A pair of old bikes for him to restore, I'll help him with the pieces as long as one of the bikes is mine after he's done with them," I told him.
"Bikes, Bells isn't that a little dangerous?" Charlie asked.
I shrugged, "I mean, I'm sure I can rope Emmett or Jasper to teach us how to properly ride them as long as there's no blood there's no foul," I smirked, laughing inwardly at my small inside joke, "Besides, Carlisle's a doctor and he'd be very heartbroken if I didn't give him an excuse to see me."
Charlie rolled his eyes at me, "gray hairs, Bells, that's what you're gonna give me one of these days."
"Nonsense, Chief, we'll cover those with a perm," I winked at him.
"Isabella," Charlie said warningly.
"It'll be totally safe, Chief, I promise, pinky promise," I said trying to put my most innocent look forward.
"Can I try to bribe you with something else?" Charlie asked, putting his fork down.
"Bribery? This very respected town's chief of police? Oh my," I teased.
Charlie glared at me, "I guess I should have seen this coming, you're way too proper, of course rebellion had to come in the way of bikes and recklessness."
"Come on dad, it's not that bad, at least I'm telling you about it, this could have been a very clandestine bike thing," I reminded him with a devious smile.
"Fine, you take every precaution," he warned.
I saluted him before I made my way out of the kitchen before he could change his mind. As I had told Charlie, I slept in on Sunday, waking up around noon and hitting the grocery store in my pjs, I walked aimlessly through the aisles filling the cart with everything we needed. I returned home after stopping to buy a burger for lunch, still rocking the homeless hobo look and stopped by Jessica's to pick up my calculus book. She had taken one look at me and begun laughing before inviting me in for a cup of coffee that I accepted graciously. I made her promise to keep an eye out for someone selling bikes and she shook her head at my shenanigans and promised to save me a seat on Monday. Once in my bedroom I made true in my promise to get ahead on my homework, it was boring and probably pointless.
After a rather long phone call with Angela, I decided to get started on dinner, making chicken parm on automatic as my brain dissociated from reality for a while. By the time Charlie had arrived home I had even gotten the laundry started. By the time Monday rolled around I was feeling like a new person already, coming to terms with the two halves that lived within me, not quite Alex, but not Bella Swan either and I was strangely content with the outcome, Esme had been right, I had just needed to let it all out.
"Bella?" Alice's voice brought me out of my thoughts.
"Huh?" I asked her as I stole a fry from her plate.
"Did you have a vision?" she asked low enough for me to hear.
I smiled at her, "not really, just lost in thought."
"What are you thinking about?" Edward asked, I could almost see the excitement of asking that particular question on his face.
"Life, and the crushing feeling of acknowledgement that never truly leaves you once you realize that there might be life after death," I told him with a grin.
"That's not fair," Edward pouted.
"Hey, whether you like it or not I've experienced death and I remember it, but Esme is right, I have to make peace with it and make the most of it now," I told him.
Edward's eyes softened as he looked at me, "it is easy to forget that you're no simple teenager."
I grinned, "well, I do try."
"Marks is looking to give away two bikes," Alice said suddenly.
I looked at her and raised an eyebrow, "Marks?"
"They live across from Ben Chenney, two brothers, one of them is a freshman, the other in the year below us," Alice explained.
"Oh! Those kids," I exclaimed with a grin, "that's great, I'll stop by later by their house, although I don't think I can fit the bikes in my car, damn."
"Emmett would love to go with you, he'd lend you his jeep so you can take it to the reservation as long as you leave him your baby," Alice informed me with a smirk.
"Fine," I grumbled, "can you tell him to meet me there after school?"
"Sure!" Alice told me with a smirk still on her face.
"I still think it's dangerous," Edward said, crossing his arms.
I smiled at him, "And I think it's gonna be fun, now I'll see you both after gym, toodles!"
Emmett was waiting for me at the Markses house, a grin on his face and Jasper standing smugly next to him, I got out of my car and walked up to them, glaring as I noticed that the bikes had already been loaded onto the jeep.
"I was supposed to ask for those," I said pouting.
Emmett chuckled at me, "Nonsense, trouble, Jazz and I had fun asking the lady of the house for those old bikes, hell she practically loaded them herself."
"You guys are horrible," I said, crossing my arms.
Jasper smiled at me, "and you know it, Bella, we can't wait until your friend finishes them, it's been awhile since I had an excuse to bring my bike out."
"Did Charlie put you to this?" I asked suddenly.
"I might've received a call from a very concerned Chief," Jasper laughed.
"Ugh, I should've expected that, Charlie agreed too easily, well I'll head down to La Push now, please don't destroy my car while I'm gone, I'm fond of it," I said as I exchanged keys with Emmett.
The dark haired vampire smirked at me, "no promises! Come on Jazz, let's get this baby running!"
I watched with apprehension as Emmett and Jasper got in my car and drove away giddily and then turned to the jeep, I got in with minimal effort and balked when I realized that the jeep had a gearshift, it had been ages since I had driven stick, and I should've called Emmett when I realized but I figured that it couldn't be that hard, besides, it was supposed to be muscle memory. I made it to La Push half an hour later than it would have normally taken me to get there, once I figured how to drive the jeep I had run along the highway and I just loved the feeling. Jacob was startled by the sound of the jeep and ran outside of his shed as I parked in the driveway.
"Hi Jakey!" I greeted him as I got off the jeep.
"Bella? Where is your car?" he asked, staring at the jeep.
"Well, I couldn't quite get your early birthday present here with my car, so a friend lent me his jeep come see," I said as Jacob and I walked to the back of the jeep where Emmett and Jasper had strapped the bikes.
"Bella!" Jacob exclaimed as he noticed the bikes, "are you for real?"
"Of course I am, Jakey, the Harley's yours, of course they need a little bit of work but since you love to work on your car and everything I figured that you'd like this particular project, and once you're done, Emmett and Jasper promised to teach me to ride mine, you're welcomed to join me of course," I explained as I helped him unload the bikes.
"Bella, you're the bestest!" Jacob said excitedly.
"Nonsense Jake, you're turning sixteen soon, aren't you? You deserve a good gift, besides you get a bike, I get a bike, it's a win-win situation," I winked at him.
We carried the bikes to the garage where Jake had his almost done Volkswagen, I whistled as I examined the car.
"You've done quite a great job here, hell, I'm sure Hale would enjoy your garage," I said as I walked around.
"Hale?" Jacob asked, confused.
"Rosalie, tall, blonde, gorgeous, vegetarian vampire," I said with a smile.
"She likes cars?" Jacob asked.
"She loves cars, she's the one who works on all of the Cullen's cars and she has worked on mine, she's really good," I explained.
Jacob looked excited by that, "do you think she'd like to come and see my car, or the bikes?"
"I mean, I could ask her but do know that the treaty's still in place so we'd have to speak to Billy and the elders about inviting Rose here, hell, she could take you as an apprentice and you could probably set your own shop if you learn," I told him.
Jacob's eyes got glassy, "I'll talk to dad! He won't be able to say no, I'll ask for it for my birthday," he told me determinately.
I laughed and ruffled his hair, "that's the spirit!"
