Chapter Four

He Misunderstands the Situation

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We ended up in Laurel Lanes on West 8th Street after locking up Rosalie's car and Seth took a photo of it, probably to send Jacob.

Then we decided to continue our plans, instead of waiting around.

It was a big bowling alley, with autoscoring on plasma screens linked to the lanes and wired to the roof. The staff were friendly and it was actually a good place to hang out. The lady by the till, asked if any of us wanted bumpers but we collectively decided against it.

None of us were here to become better bowlers and it showed.

She rung up our order, gave the change and asked for our shoe sizes.

As I sat down to put on the bowling shoes in exchange for our normal ones, I noticed Rosalie and Edward were at the counter, ordering burgers and soda. The bill was just going up and up. Jessica was giving them a look as well, and when we saw each other doing it, we shook our heads and went back to tying our own shoelaces.

The last time I went bowling was three years ago with my dad. Ever since my parents divorced, and mom remarried Phil, I hadn't seen much of him. Looking around, I allowed myself to think of simpler times. While I wasn't from a broken home and Phil worked out great after an initial teething period, it had been a tricky time to navigate with fingers of blame pointed all over the place.

"Budge up," Jess said, when we secured a large diner table that all six of us could sit around.

I scooted down the vinyl padded bench and plopped down at the far end, noticing Emmet did the same but on the opposite side. Seth joined him on that end, while Jess bumped shoulders with me. She held an iPhone XR in a black case between thumb and forefinger and wiggled it with a bored look.

"Edward wants your number."

What?

I pinched the left upper corner of his phone and held it over the table, not knowing what to do. When Jess said that, I automatically thought Edward was showing interest. I don't know why. It didn't make sense. But my brain went there.

In a daze, I looked over the back of the bench and watched Edward help the waiter carry food over to our table.

Rosalie was back at the counter, chatting animatedly on her phone.

For the first time, I allowed myself to slip into the shoes of a girl who might think of Edward Cullen as good looking. I knew he was good looking before, but it was the type of good looking that didn't touch my small world. It would explain how I knew who Seth was before we even started talking, but someone like Emmett, who was physically imposing and blocked entire corridors, skipped my notice.

Edward was…

Green eyed and expressive.

Tussled bronze hair and carved features.

Over six feet and...

"Can I have your number too?"

My reverie was broken by Emmett pushing his own handset across. I looked at Jessica and she informed me she already had my number from Seth.

It was the reminder I needed. This was the "getting-to-know-you" stage and swapping numbers was the rule not the exception. Saving my name into the phone given to me, I handed it to Jess after I finished, who gave it to Edward upon his arrival and he pocketed it without a second look. That showed me.

Emmett also had his phone returned once I was done.

Rosalie came back but didn't sit down. Instead she hovered at the end of the table with hands on her hips.

"My mom's at the botox clinic getting her sixth injection," she announced. "It was the perfect time to tell her about the car." She snagged a fry of the tray in front of Edward and tilted her head back to chow it down in two bites. Dusting her hands, she looked around the table. "Anyone here wants to bowl, or are we here to eat? Also Seth, let me know when Jake gets here."

Jake…

"Let's eat first," Seth encouraged.

"I don't want to get sauce on this outfit," she said, but sat down all the same, on the other side of Jess. She immediately stole another fry and popped it into her mouth. There were at least eight burgers ordered and a bucket of buffalo wild wings. I felt like Emmett could demolish half of it on his own. When the food was shared out, I ended up with a double cheeseburger with a side helping of fries.

"So," Rosalie said, opening a hamburger bun yet to be claimed and picking out a long pickle that she dangled over her mouth before dropping it in.

She wafted her fingers in the air and reached out for a serviette to wipe them. "This is a good time as any. Hit us with how you met, you two. I should be mad at you, Seth. You kept this quiet."

"Bella?"

I got passed the buck.

Thanks Seth.

The plan was to stick to the truth as much as possible so we wouldn't forget our respective stories later on when I went round to his house.

But a part of me still wondered.

What was Seth's endgame?

"Well," I said, dredging up memories of Mike. "In sophomore year, there was boy who used to be my lab partner. I thought we could be a thing. So when Sadies came up, I went after him."

Edward gave me a circumspect look and went back to gnawing his buffalo wing, though I could tell he was listening. I noticed everyone in general was more focused on digging in than actually cross-examining me, to the point Jess popped open the top button of her pants and was reaching for various food stuffs.

"I got shot down in flames and Seth witnessed it."

"Don't tell me Seth became a knight in shining armor?" Rosalie intoned, reaching out to swat him on the arm. "I didn't know you had it in you! He's normally immature about that kind of stuff. He's the type of silly goat that will usually say the person deserves it."

I looked over at Seth.

Jess chucked back some soda and slammed it down.

"I wanna play," she declared. "One of you guys needs to join me stat."

I looked down at my untouched burger and then at Emmett who was working his way through his second. Since the food came, he'd been interested in little else. There were four wings dipped in ranch dressing he'd piled onto his plate and one already picked clean. His thick neck worked as he took another bite.

"Nobody?" Jess said. "Fine, I'm choosing then. Seth, Eddie and Rose, let's go! Bella, you need to eat. Emmett, you're a lost cause. At least you're gifted enough in football to not look like a total pig."

Edward put down his wing and got up.

Seth finished his burger and followed.

Rosalie, who arguably ate the next least compared to me, was already on her feet and bounding towards the ball return, where she picked up a ball with both hands by using the finger holes and holding it close to her chest, testing the weight. Emmett stopped eating to look up at her, which was a pretty big deal.

She ran up to the foul line, and released the ball by swinging her arm straight back then letting it go at the lowest point of her downward swing, with a bit of sidespin that sent it spinning into the gutter.

Not deterred by her lack of technique, she raced back to the ball return, and spent longer picking the ball, making sure the surface was free of grooves and depressions. When she tried the second time, she was well on her way to a spare; half the pins knocked down with a burner wobbling, so it was nearly six.

"I'm next! I'm next!" Jess excitedly shouted.

"She has one more go in her frame," Edward suggested.

"I know that!"

Emmett started to look back down before he froze.

I was smiling when he acknowledged me.

"Do you like football?" he asked me.

Taking his cue, I took a big bite out of my burger and washed it down with Fanta. That allowed me a few seconds to think about my answer. Truthfully, all I knew about football was that it was a national sport that gripped the nation especially when Super Bowl was on. It involved eleven sweaty men running around a field with a pointy ball, and another eleven men trying to get in their way. Our school was regularly involved in tournaments and I hadn't been to a single one.

So that was that.

"Seth's a wide receiver," Emmett broke the news to me.

I nodded.

It was one of the few things I did know.

"Edward's a running back and when Jasper isn't playing on defence, he's the center. Do you know what I am?" he pointed a finger self-importantly at himself.

I wracked my brains.

"You're a…"

"Quarterback," he supplied.

"Wow, isn't that like the best position?"

"My role is important but a QB is only strong as his team. I'm responsible for pitching the ball downfield or running with it in play. Ever seen my quarterback sneaks?"

"A quarterback what?" I fumbled.

"You need to come to our games," he demanded. Looking back at the four who were taking turns bowling, he raised his voice so that they all looked back. "OI! SETH! TAKE YOUR GIRL TO A GAME!"

"Emmett," I protested.

"I can't imagine playing a game without a girl being there," he said. "They help take the edge off."

Seeing my confused face, he growled, "The sex. I need the sex. Long and hard afterwards."

We slipped into silence and for fifteen minutes I forced myself to sit there, stuffing my face. I wanted to show camaraderie but at the same time, run in the opposite direction like a headless chicken. Emmett could be loud and physical, and I was beginning to realise those were two traits that attracted a lot of attention. He wasn't someone I had a natural kinship for, but I didn't want to alienate him when maybe we could become good friends if only we understood each other better.

"What's your favorite team?" I ventured a while later.

"The Miami Dolphins," he replied.

"Have you ever seen them play?"

"I'm a season ticketholder. I follow all their games."

"What's your favorite game?" I asked.

"The Fins and Da Bears, 2018," he said. "Both teams needed the victory and it was a nail-biting second half." He kept talking about the game, and I just let him talk, letting my eyes glaze over. It looked like talking about football was the key to cracking Emmett. Eventually, Rosalie and Jess came back to join us and I took their space on the lanes.

I went to the washroom and came back just in time to watch Edward hit a turkey (three strikes in a row) that flashed up on screen. He turned around to high five someone and I happened to be the closest. He put both palms up anyway, then pulled me closer into a hug, laughing when I didn't reciprocate.

After he pushed me away and hugged Seth.

"Come on, lovebirds," he crooned. "Give us a kiss."

He let go of Seth and pushed him in my direction.

I actually had to stabilize him when he tripped over.

Luckily I had a reply on my lips.

"We're not performing monkeys, thank you."

Seth groaned and closed his eyes, but opened them again when his phone beeped. He read the incoming message and glanced over at Rosalie.

"Rosalie, Jake's here."

"Is he?" came the reply. "Okay, let's go meet him."

"In twenty minutes," Jess argued, holding a finger up. "Few more games."

"I think I'm going to head there first," I told Seth who just looked at me. "It's unfair to make him wait."

I excused myself, after getting Rosalie's car keys and took off from the bowling alley in the direction of The Landing Mall. With arms and legs pumping, I made it to the parking lot in eight minutes and had to bend over, fighting to breathe until I could straighten up again like a calm human being. Holding the keys aloft, I walked over to where Jacob was standing by Rosalie's car while shaking them.

He'd been leaning against his bike, parked next to Rosalie's car and turned around when he heard the jingle.

"Bella?"

"Jacob," I panted, a stitch in my side. "Or do you prefer to go by the moniker Jake?"

"Call me whichever you like."

His smoky laugh curled around my body like an aphrodisiac. It lit up nerve endings wherever it touched and I was left aflame at being near his presence.

Steady on, girl.

He was wearing a leather jacket that stretched over his shoulders and those jeans that he often wore to school.

"Where are the others?" Jake asked, looking over my head like I was the leader of a flock.

"They're coming."

I strode over to unlock Rosalie's car and pop open her hood.

"We were at Laurel's and I came over to give you the keys. To tell you the truth, I think Seth should've just called a tow truck," I babbled. "But he was convinced you could help."

"I'll be the judge of that."

Jacob cracked his fingers.

He bent over the engine to assess it.

And straightened after just two minutes.

"Fuck." He whistled. "The serpentine belt's broken. It needs to be replaced completely. An easy thing to do but I need the make, model and engine size of the car to buy a new one."

"I can look that up in the manual," I said, hoping Rosalie kept it in her glove compartment.

Jake nodded.

"Okay, good. It's been a while since I came up to Port Angeles, but there should be an Auto Parts shop nearby. We should go before it gets dark."

He waited patiently for me to retrieve the manual book, which thankfully was kept where I hoped it would be and we set off to the Auto Parts shop together. The nearest being Baxter's. As we walked, he told me how the serpentine belt drove the water pump, power steering, A/C and the alternator and without it the car was pretty much jacked.

Then he said there was a belt routing diagram on a label near the front compartment of the engine and it was as simple as following that.

He wasn't wrong.

Within thirty minutes of the conversation, Jacob stepped back from the car, stemming the sweat around his throat with the back of his hairless arm. He'd stripped down to a worn wifebeater, and there was large sweat patches around his chest and back. But he couldn't be anymore manlier as I watched his biceps glisten and bunch under the strain of forcing the spring-loaded idler pulleys over after wrapping the new belt around the pulleys.

He asked me to start the engine and it started effortlessly.

And Seth, Rosalie, Edward, Emmett and Jess were still nowhere to be seen.

"My job here is done," Jacob said, packing up.

"Hang on," I blurted out. "You must be hungry."

Jacob stopped what he was doing.

And turned around to face me.

He reached down to pull off the wifebeater so his olive chest was bared. I took in the tribal pattern tattooed on his left shoulder; flat, dark brown nipples that were rock hard and abs that shifted under his taut skin as he reached for his leather jacket and pulled it over his bare chest, looking like a whole Native American snack. There was a cord necklace around his neck, with a carved wolf head nestled between his glistening pecs.

For a second, he appeared remote, mysterious and powerful.

Like he could rip off your clothes or he could kill you.

I shivered.

"I'm definitely hungry," he ruminated. "What place do you recommend?"

I pointed out Lola's café and we made our way there, after he finished loading up his tools. It was now 5PM and the sky was getting dark. Night came quickly in this part of Washington, so I didn't doubt it would be completely dark within quarter of a hour. The café had a dinner crowd, but it didn't stop Jacob from ordering turkey ragoût with lots of coarsely cut vegetables at the counter as I took a seat by the window to call Rosalie.

She didn't pick up so I tried again.

Not one text all this time.

From any of them.

What was the point of acquiring my number if they weren't going to use it?

"Hello?" she answered after a while.

"What's going on. It's been a good forty-five minutes since I left Laurel's."

Rosalie sounded remorseful. "I'm so sorry, Bella. We were meant to leave ages ago, but someone collapsed in Laurel's and we waited until an ambulance came. Then the owner was stressed, she didn't hand back our shoes properly before closing the alley early and now I'm walking barefoot." She sniffled. "I swear today has been a shitty day." She appeared very down and out. "And I bet Jake gave up on my car and gave up on me."

Someone got exasperated, and told her, "Rose, get on my back."

It comforted me that she was still with everyone else.

"No," she said stubbornly. "I'm talking to Bella."

"Bella!" The voice called from the background. "Tell Rosalie to get on my back! She's not listening!"

"Rosalie," I said seriously. "Get on Emmett's back."

"How do you know it's him?" she asked. "Are you my ride or die?"

Umm…

Jacob came back with a plate and sat down to eat, tucking into the stew with a metal spoon that he periodically blew into. He watched me as he did so, looking concerned when I shook my head and shifted my attention to out the window. The parking lot was half lit, so the cars closest to the mall were well illuminated but the ones further back remained in darkness.

"Rosalie, get on his back and I'll tell you some good news."

"You promise?" she said, almost childishly.

"First of all, how far away are you?"

"How far away are we?" she openly asked out loud to her side of people.

I heard a girl shout, "Five minutes away!" And it had to be Jess.

There was some sounds of clothes rustling and muffled conversation and by happenstance, I caught the reflection of Jacob's spoon and looked at the real thing on reflex. That's when I noticed the back of his knuckles were scraped raw and he was acting like it didn't matter. When he put his hand down to scoop another spoonful of ragoût, I reached out and grabbed hold of his wrist, to which he gasped and let the spoon go.

The drop was small so it wasn't like anything splattered on his jacket or exposed skin.

"I'm on his back," Rosalie said in my ear.

"Good," I said, tilting his hand both ways.

You need to put antiseptic on this, I mouthed at him.

He shook his head and tried to yank free.

I didn't let him.

"Are you going to tell me the good news now?" she asked hopefully.

"Yeah, of course," I said, staring right into Jacob's eyes. "Jacob had a look at your car and found the problem. Your serpentine belt was broken. But we went to an Auto Parts shop and got a replacement and he fixed it. Your car's working now, Rosalie."

She squealed and I smiled.

"Bella! Oh my god! Is Jake still there? We're in the parking lot now! Guys! Guys! My car's fixed now! Dammit, Seth and Edward are leaving. Emmett, let me down!"

Still smiling, I widened my eyes at Jacob.

"They're here," I told him separately. "And you really need to put antiseptic on this and a Band-Aid. Things like this only get infected, if you get back under a car or work with dirt."

"Work with dirt?" His lips twitched. "I'm a mechanic."

"Oh, you know what I mean."

I rolled my eyes.

And he was a mechanic? Why wasn't I surprised?

As I did so, I noticed something in my peripheral vision that made me look out the window again and I noticed two people standing near where Seth's car was parked. My eyes met Edward's and I let go off Jacob's hand to wave at him. He didn't respond, which was strange. Then I made my movements more exaggerated to catch Seth's attention and Edward intercepted it.

He stepped in front of Seth.

And I realised he was protecting him.

What the flip?

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AN: I'm proud of this chapter because it turned out exactly how I wanted it. The characters, how they interact, everything. Is there the odd typo? I'd be surprised if there wasn't. Hope u liked anyhow. My chapters are getting longer. Might go shorter next time.