Author's note: As it's only a couple of chapters long, I'm surprised by the popularity of this story so far. Thanks to everyone for favouriting, following and reviewing this story, it makes my ego happy. I've noticed that some people have banners, covers etc made for their stories and I was wondering where you go to find them. I f anyone knows, please let me know and I'll be extremely grateful, cheers.
Chapter three
"Hey, don't Bogart the pizza!" I demanded with a gentle kick to Jacob's side. I was sat on the sofa beside my dad, with Jake on the floor between us and the pizza box resting in front of him.
"You've had three slices already, fatty," he quipped, making an exaggerated show of grabbing yet another slice from the box.
"At least the doorframe doesn't bend when I walk through it," I retorted, leaning forward to retrieve some of the food that was disappearing fast. Jacob pushed the box away from himself, well out of my reach. "Hey!" I cried, before giving him a slap on the shoulder.
"Would you two quit it?" scolded Charlie.
"He started it," I whined, realising I sounded about ten years younger than I was.
"And watch me finish it!" Jacob declared, devouring the final slice of pepperoni pizza in one go.
"Holy cow," I commented in disbelief. "How the Hell does Billy afford to keep you?"
"If you two are bored," Charlie interrupted, clearly exasperated. "Then find another way to amuse yourselves and let us watch the game in peace!"
Jacob stood and stretched, increasing his already-ridiculous height to extreme proportions, before turning to me. "Come on, Bells," he said. "Let's leave the old timers to it. I'll show you the new bike I've been working on."
I got to my feet and followed, unable to hide the smile on my face as I watched my friend duck to exit the room. As promised just over a week ago, Charlie and I were spending the day at the reservation for a well needed catch-up. When we first arrived, the house had been packed to bursting point with Quileute tribe members, but they hadn't hung around for long. Although I had recognised most, I didn't really know any of them very well. In fact, I could only actually name about three; two being Embry and Quil, Jacob's closest friends, with the third being Sam Uley. The camaraderie shared this time around between the latter and Jake confused me. On my last visit to the res, the pair hadn't been on very friendly terms and I wondered at this new development.
We made our way to the large shed situated behind the house and he opened the doors with a triumphant "ta-dah!" Being as ignorant about vehicles as I was, I couldn't initially see what the excitement was about-all I saw was a large, battered motorbike sat between two even sorrier looking ones. Then he told me that the middle one had been built entirely from scratch and that was when I started to get impressed.
"It's taken me a while to find all the parts I need," he explained. "But she's getting there."
"She?" I commented, raising an eyebrow. Was he really going to be one of those people who named their vehicles? "Does she have a name?"
"Uh-huh," he replied, confirming my fears. "Sally," he declared proudly.
"Sally?" I couldn't keep from laughing. This was too good an opportunity to waste. "Where'd you dig up that name from? Is your next one gonna be called Harry?"
"Enjoy the laughter while you can," he warned. "'Cos I'll be the one laughing at your bill, when that heap-of-junk car of yours next breaks down."
I pulled my best wounded puppy dog eyes.
"Oh, those don't work on me, Hun," he said, heartlessly.
"But, surely you wouldn't leave little ol' me to fend off the big, bad mechanic alone, would you?"
"That depends."
"On what?"
"Your apology."
I rolled my eyes, before stepping closer to him and placing my hands over my chest. "I truly apologise for my callous behaviour. Please forgive me."
"That was good, but it's not me you've gotta apologise to," he informed me, pointing over to the bike. "It's Sally."
I gave him a disbelieving look, which he countered with a defiant arch of his eyebrows. Admitting defeat, I span on my heels and dropped to my knees in front of Sally, my hands clutched together as though in prayer for dramatic effect. "Oh, great and wonderful Sally, please find it within your rust-covered heart to pardon my insensitive remarks. I swear to dedicate the rest of my life to atoning for my iniquity."
"Iniquity?" Jacob asked, varnishing the word with a layer of repugnance. "Who the Hell have you been hanging out with lately?"
"Sorry. Too many syllables for you?"
"Errrr," he drawled in a deep, slow voice. "What be one o' them?"
We both laughed at each other, before I perched on a stack of car tyres and watched as he started tinkering. We chatted casually as he did so, finally having the catch-up that hadn't been able to begin earlier due to the commotion when Charlie and I first arrived.
"So, how are you settling in?" Jacob asked.
"Good," I replied. "I start my new job tomorrow."
"That was fast. Where are you working?"
"Thunderbird and Whale in Port Angeles. I basically applied in every store I could find out there, even that posh dress shop. Needless to say that particular place was an immediate no."
"Yeah," he laughed. "No offence, but that doesn't really surprise me."
"Well I knew it'd be a long shot," I said. "Then I saw the girl at the checkout and it was clearly a no-go. She looked like a Miyazaki character brought to life!"
As I said this, the shed suddenly went quiet, with Jacob stopping whatever he was doing to look at me. "Which girl was that?"
I gave a brief description of the pale, impossibly attractive pixie and saw his posture noticeably stiffen.
"Sounds like a lucky escape to me," he said, dislike lightly coating his words.
"You know her?" I queried, intrigued by his reaction.
"I know of her," he clarified. "And I advise keeping your distance."
"Why?" My curiosity about her had been piqued since leaving the dress shop two days ago, but Jacob's comment increased it tenfold. I was suddenly desperate to know more. I wasn't usually a gossiping sort of girl, but maybe the small town mentality was sinking in faster than I expected.
"She's bad news," was all he would say on the matter and, seeing how agitated the subject started to make him, I dropped it. It also made me think better of pursuing the topic of his unexpected friendship with Sam, so we changed to less personal-thus safer-matters.
As it had done with Angela, the time melted away and, before I knew it, Charlie's voice echoed through the ever darkening evening, calling my name. I said my goodbyes to Jacob, telling him I'd call once I knew my work rota to arrange another visit. As Charlie drove us home, I couldn't help but wonder about Jacob's warning. The way he said he "knew of her" implied that the dress shop girl had some sort of reputation, but then he had clearly never met her, so what was the source of his information? And, if she did have some kind of connection to the doctor, was he included in that reputation too?
"So," Charlie began. "Did you have fun with Jacob today?"
"I did," I replied, sensing an opportunity to do some digging. "We were laughing about the fact I'd applied in a clothes store for a job." The corners of Charlie's mouth curled upwards upon hearing this. "It was weird, though," I continued. "When I mentioned the cashier who spoke to me, he got a bit funny about it."
"Really?"
"Yeah, he obviously doesn't like her," I prompted, hoping he'd take the bait.
He was quiet for a moment, tapping the steering wheel as the mental cogs turned. "Which cashier is this?"
For the second time that day, I gave a description of the mysterious girl.
"That sounds like Alice Brandon," he remarked. "A nice girl-always friendly and polite. She lives with Dr Cullen on the outskirts of town."
"Dr Cullen? Is he the one who treated you last week?"
"Yeah, that's the one," he confirmed.
So there is a connection between the two, I thought, victoriously. Now my curiosity really was piqued.
"You just said Alice is a nice girl," I said, continuing my investigations. "So why would Jacob have a problem with her? According to him, she's bad news."
"Hmm," Charlie replied and I swore his eyebrows furrowed in unsurprised disapproval just a little bit. "Well, to be honest, the Blacks have never really got on with the Cullens. In fact, none of the Quileutes have. Not sure why. I tend not to get involved in "neighbourly disputes"," he chuckled, before adding with a wink "Unless they get violent. I can't say I've ever had a problem with any of the Cullens, so I wouldn't worry about it too much."
"So, they're related? Alice and the doctor, I mean. It's just that you gave them different surnames, yet grouped them both under Carlisle's."
"Mmm? Oh, well, I'm not entirely sure. I think they might be cousins or something. I've never asked. They all spend so much time together, though; I guess everyone just found it easier to put them under one label."
"All? So there's more than just the two of them?"
"Three, actually. Carlisle, Alice and Jasper."
"Huh," I murmured, signalling the end of the conversation as we went back to our respective tasks: Dad, driving and me, contemplating. I let my gaze drift over the passing scenery as I sat there and part of me wondered why the Cullenshad so thoroughly captured my attention. I'd only met each of them once, yet they were so different to anyone I had ever seen before. I couldn't remember ever seeing them on my previous visits to Forks, so were they newcomers? Judging by how entrenched they seemed to be within the community, they couldn't be that new. It certainly left a lot to ponder and ponder I did, right up until I closed my eyes that night to welcome sleep's embrace.
000
Slivers of sunlight peeked through the scarce gaps in the cloud as I prepared myself for my first day of work at Thunderbird and Whale. With closed eyes, I tilted my head back to bask in the gentle warmth kissing my face. I hadn't expected the sunshine withdrawal to kick in so soon, but it was amazing what over a week of solid grey could do.
On the phone, Jerry said there was no uniform; however, he asked that I wear something reasonably smart. I'd had to rifle rather thoroughly through my clothes to eventually find any garments that fit his request. I finally settled on black trousers, black top and a zip-up brown cardigan, although my hair was left to its own devices, due to the whereabouts of every single hair band I owned alluding me.
Jerry seemed to have no problem with my appearance when I walked through the door, accompanied by the customary bell tinkle. I anticipated that sound getting very annoying very quickly. My new boss certainly didn't like to waste any time as, after a bright and breezy "Good morning", I was led straight to a secluded part of the bookstore to fill in the customary paperwork and find out my hours and pay information. After that, it was over to the cash register to learn the ropes, which wasn't hard. In fact, by my fourth customer, it was like I had been working there a month, rather than an hour.
The day passed at a leisurely pace, which most would have despaired at during a shift, but I didn't mind. Surrounded by something I held such affection for brought on an inner calm that I hadn't felt for quite some time. The store had a peaceful ambience and it was nice to be able lose myself in literary thoughts as I ambled around, either stocking the shelves or serving customers. Of course, my distraction ultimately ended in an act of clumsiness as I tripped over the hem of a trouser leg and dropped the armful of books I was carrying. My face was saved from colliding with the floor by a steadying hand gripping my arm. As my body was returned to an upright position, my eyes connected with a pair of dazzling amber irises.
"Careful," chirped a light, musical voice.
Words failed me as I stared into the face of Alice Brandon. At such a close proximity, the first sense to be stimulated was smell. The scent was hard to describe; it reminded me of the cool, fresh air in the morning following a rainy night, with a subtle floral fragrance permeating through it. Behind that was a faintly sweet smell that lingered in my nostrils. It was bizarre and beguiling. Was it a perfume? No, the aroma seemed to emanate from her, rather than be something she simply wore.
The second of my senses to be alerted was sight as I noticed her immaculate skin. She was either in possession of the greatest foundation ever created or the most perfect skin known to womankind. Her flesh was smooth and clear, with a pearlescent sheen that illuminated every contour of her delicate features. I had never had cause to question my heterosexuality, but looking at the angelic woman before almost made me wonder if I should. However, a gentle niggling at the back of my mind told me it wasn't real, that the enticing pull I felt wasn't genuine attraction, but something else, something...false. The niggling was small, though and, before my observations could continue, her voice rang through the air once more.
"Are you alright?" Alice asked, an amused smile tugging at her lips as she relinquished her grip on my arm.
"I...I..." I stammered, trying to desperately gather my wits. "I'm sorry," I finished, somewhat lamely.
"Don't be," she said kindly, her smile widening. "Daydreaming is a hobby of mine, too."
I blushed in embarrassment, wondering just how absent-minded I had been and made a mental note to concentrate more at work. I bent down to retrieve the tomes scattered around my feet, but saw that Alice had already picked most of them up. When had she done that?
"Oh, I've been meaning to read this one," she remarked, handing the final book to me after glancing at its spine.
I was still too bewildered to properly speak. The sensible part of my brain was screaming at the rest, telling my neurons to stop me acting like a retard and just talk to her. Easier said than done, it seemed as it took me a while to realise she was asking me a question. I mentally and physically shook some semblance of composure into myself as she repeated her question.
"Is Jerry in?" she asked, giving no sign of noticing my backward behaviour.
"Um, yeah," I replied. "He's out the back, I think. I'll go get him for you," I offered, placing the books onto the desk beside the cash register and walking to the staff room. I needed to get a grip and start acting like a normal human being before someone called a doctor. When I returned, she was glancing at the titles on offer in the non-fiction section. She did a quick corkscrew turn as I approached.
"He'll be out in five minutes," I informed her.
"Thanks," she replied. I was about to go back to my previous shelf stacking duties, when she continued. "I'm glad to see your job hunt was successful. Is this your first day?"
"Yeah."
"Then I guess this makes us neighbours," she declared with a warm smile. I could already tell Alice Brandon would be one of those annoyingly perfect people who made it impossible to hate them. "I haven't seen you around before, have you just moved here?"
"Well, I'm from Forks, actually."
"Oh, really? Me too-I moved there a few years ago. What brings you to the Olympic Peninsula?"
"I was born in Forks," I explained. "I moved away with my mom as a kid, but came back for school holidays, before moving back permanently last week." I was surprised at myself for opening up so quickly. I normally shied away from such questioning, but something about the woman before me made me want to talk.
Just then, Jerry entered the shop floor and our conversation was cut short. She flashed a bright grin of familiarity at him and they began chatting, leaving me to go back to my books. I couldn't keep my glances from flitting in Alice's direction as I travelled from shelf to shelf. She looked so ethereal, yet came across as perfectly normal in conversation. Jacob's warning resurfaced in my mind as I watched her. Charlie had no issue and she was epitomising likeability so far. I wondered if there was more going on between her and Jacob than he had let on. There had to be, as no other explanation offered itself.
Jerry disappeared into the staff room once again, before returning with a couple of large text books that looked as though they had seen better days. Before leaving the store, Alice focused her attention on me once more.
"It was nice meeting you," she said, extending a hand. "I'm Alice, by the way."
I took her hand and was shocked by how cold it felt. Clearly the dress shop's budget was reserved for stock, rather than heating. "Bella," I returned. "It was nice meeting you too."
"I'll see you around," she promised and walked to the door, but hesitated and looked back over her shoulder at me. Her eyes travelled up and down my form and the smile that had never left her face widened again. "I knew brown would be your colour." And, with that, she left.
How long I stood there was anyone's guess. Perplexity and wonderment battled for dominance as I processed the last...had it really only been a few minutes? Speaking to her had done nothing but increase my curiosity and I found myself looking forward to seeing her again, if only to find out a little more about her. The encounter ended up occupying my thoughts for the rest of my shift and more, lasting right up until I parked next to my dad's cruiser in the driveway that evening. Charlie hadn't been home long as he was just hanging up his coat on the rack when I walked through the door.
"Evening, Bells," he greeted. "How was work?"
"Good, but nowhere near as exciting as yours, I bet," I replied.
"One look at a chief's daily paperwork would have you thinking otherwise," he quipped.
I went upstairs to change into more casual clothing, before making a start on dinner. After a browse through the cupboards and fridge, I decided to make omelette as I couldn't really be bothered to cook anything more complex. Charlie entered the kitchen to grab a beer and I seized the opportunity for a chat, before I lost him to the television.
"Alice came into the store today," I began. "I actually got to talk to her properly, this time."
"Uh-huh. And what do you think?" he asked and I knew he was wondering if I shared my friend's negative opinion of her.
"She seems really nice. It's a novelty talking to someone who doesn't already know everything there is to know about the chief's daughter."
Charlie chuckled. "Yeah, I can understand that. Well, you never know, as the latest newbies, you two might become good friends."
"Maybe," I shrugged, trying to decipher the meaning behind his comment. Was it offhand chit chat or a subtle push towards making some "respectable" friends? I decided not to delve too deep into that one; it might cloud my own judgement of Alice, which wouldn't be fair to her.
Throwing his bottle lid into the bin, Charlie made his way back to the comfort of the lounge as I continued cooking. It wasn't my best omelette, as I had to work with kitchen utensils that probably hadn't been used since my last holiday in Forks. The food sufficed though, as Charlie wolfed it down in record time. My residence must have had his insides singing with joy that they didn't have to digest any more takeout. Don't get me wrong, I like a takeout as much as anyone, but I couldn't live off the stuff the way the man lounging in the chair beside me clearly had for goodness knows how long.
After finishing my dinner, I went straight up to my room, knowing there would be little conversational opportunity downstairs. It wasn't until staying with Dad that I realised just what a good idea moving back here might be. The house just exuded peace and quiet. Chaotic, however, was probably the best word to describe the vibe in my Phoenix home. My mom was characterised by sound and movement, rarely sitting still for more than five minutes at a time, an environment that did little to promote rumination. She was also surprisingly perceptive for someone so flighty. As with Charlie's reserve, it was both a blessing and a curse.
As I lay on my bed that night, staring at the ceiling as my stereo played softly in the background, I briefly gave into a moment of cogitation. Now that I had a job, what would be next? I didn't follow the train of thought for long. One step at a time, Bella, I told myself.
000
I had no set work pattern, as Jerry wasn't entirely sure when he would need me around most. For my first week, I worked four consecutive days-Thursday through Sunday-to help me settle into the role, with the second week due to follow the same pattern. I settled into the routine easily and, despite being somewhat quiet, Jerry was a very easy boss to get along with. Although by no means lacklustre, the nature of the store's business meant it was rarely teeming with people and this would have killed me were I to work anywhere else. As it was, I managed to squeeze moments of reading in between serving customers and general tasks, which Jerry was fine with as long as my work wasn't neglected.
It wasn't until the end of the first week that I saw Alice again. She had come to return the books she borrowed and I wondered at the arrangement as this was a shop, not a library.
"They're for my cousin, Carlisle," she explained, sensing my curiosity without me having to say a word. "Jerry's quite the book collector and Carlisle likes to borrow a few every now and then."
At least I now knew they were actually relations, which could go a little way to explain the similarity of their eyes. Speaking of which, I noticed that hers were oddly darker this time around. In fact, much of the golden hue had been replaced by an inky black. I wondered if she wore contact lenses, but had never known of them changing eye colour that drastically. Unless, of course, this was her natural shade and she wore those fashionable lenses to make them golden. Judging by her appearance, it wasn't something I'd put past her; I'd only met her twice and already sensed her quirkiness. It was a shame, though, as I had to admit I liked the previous eye colour better than this more regular one.
"Oh, Jerry," she said. "Carlisle said to make sure you're in next Thursday. He said he's going to pop in after his morning shift because he has something to show you. I think it was to do with Byron, I'm not entirely sure." Her gaze flitted between Jerry and me, an apologetic smile gracing her features. "I'm not quite the bookworm you lot are."
"I'll definitely be here," Jerry assured and I saw a glint of excitement in his eyes.
I would have shared his enthusiasm were my mind not overwhelmed by the idea of Carlisle Cullen coming into the shop next week. I couldn't quite determine the reason for this preoccupation with the Cullens (I decided to go with the Forks habit of grouping them under one name). My fascination with Alice had been sparked by first meeting Carlisle, so maybe that was it. I think I also wanted to see what other traits they might share, as I still hadn't forgotten the sensations the sprite beside me provoked when she first entered the bookstore. I was also a little nervous. I mean, I hadn't exactly been my most graceful when I met Alice and the idea of making an ass out of myself in front of an extremely attractive man was enough to bring a pre-emptive blush to my cheeks.
"Are you alright, Bella?" Alice asked.
"I'm fine," I lied, walking away with the pretence of having some task that desperately needed my attention.
A/N: I promise-or, rather, hope-we'll actually get some proper Bella/Carlisle interaction in the next chapter. Hope you all enjoyed it and I'll see you soon for the next update.