Billy and Jacob are waiting outside the house when we pull up. The truck is in the driveway and Billy's car is parked along the side of the road. Charlie pulls in beside the pick up and we pile out. Thankfully it's not raining at the moment.
Billy has been Charlie's best friend for years. We always spend time with the Black's when we're in Forks. Billy's face is wrinkled with age and laugh lines. Being in a wheelchair hasn't dampened his spirits. Jacob's cheeks are still round with baby fat and he wears his hair tied at the nape of his neck. He seems to have grown a couple inches since we saw him over the summer. I actually have to look up to make eye contact.
"Well now who are these two lovely young ladies?" Billy turns a teasing smile on Charlie, who is walking to the back of his car. "I know these can't be your girls. They're all grown up!" I roll my eyes but smile. Bell laughs under her breath.
"Billy, you saw us a few months ago!" I exclaim as I go to hug him.
"Is that so?" Billy says as he lets go. "My memory must be slipping. The woes of getting old." Jacob exaggeratedly rolls his eyes behind his dad.
"Good to see you Ari," Jacob greets as I pull him into a hug. Behind me, I hear Bell greeting Billy. When I turn around, the two are separating from a hug.
"Are you two sure you're related to Charlie? You're much too pretty to be related to his ugly mug."
"Hey," Charlie calls from where he is pulling out our suitcases. He tries to glare at Billy, but his twitching lips make it difficult. Bell and I both chuckle and Jacob huffs a laugh.
"Did you get taller again?" Bell asks Jacob as they give each other a one armed hug. "You jerk." Jacob laughs at Bell's teasing.
"Good to see you too, Bell."
"It's Bella, Sharkboy," Bell responds with a light hit to his arm. The old nick name makes me absolutely cackle. Jacob and Bell were obsessed with that movie when we were all little. Bell even wrote fanfiction. The fact that he looks similar to Taylor Lautner makes it all the funnier. He holds his hands up in surrender.
"Whatever you say, Lavagirl."
With that, the battle is on. Bell tackles Jacob to the lawn. Honestly, they've been like this since we were kids. For the most part, Bell is a fairly reserved person, but Jacob had always had a way of annoying her that pushes all of that to the side.
I turn away from the two teens to find the two adults also acting like kids. At some point in their own conversation, Charlie had dropped our suitcases on the lawn. He is now chasing Billy around the truck as Billy singsongs "you can't catch me old man!"
"I'm surrounded by children," I chuckle to myself as I grab our bags and head inside.
The house is fairly small, the same two bedroom one and a half bath that mom and dad bought when they first got married. The bottom floor consists of the living room, the kitchen, the laundry room, and the half bath. Upstairs are the two bedrooms, the full bathroom, and a room too big to be a closet but too small to be a bedroom. They used it as a nursery when we were babies, but now it's more of a library. With three walls of bookshelves, an old comfy couch, and a window seat, it's perfect. Bell and I both love reading, though our preferences differ.
Once up the stairs, I head to the bigger of the two bedrooms. When we were seven, Charlie insisted that since there are two of us, we need the bigger room. I think he just got tired of us leaving half our stuff in his room. I felt bad at the time, but now that we'll be living here full time, I'm glad for it. Not in the least because the windows in there are small and don't open. No night time visitors through there.
Shouldering the door open, I throw Bell's duffle on her bed. The room is set up with a curtain dividing it in two, Bell's side by the door, my side by the windows. The curtain is a red velvet that resembles old fashion theater curtains. I throw it open and freeze.
On the wall is a mural that wasn't there in the summer. An artist's interpretation of Hogwarts castle and grounds at night. Little bright spots on the lake illuminate the boats carrying first years. A large figure on the lead boat is clearly Hagrid. The Forbidden Forest surrounds the lake. I draw closer, suitcase forgotten. There are ghosts floating around the castle. Owls surround one of the towers. A tentacle peaks out from the lake. The best part is the sky. I reach out and trace one of the swirling galaxies.
"Ari you are never going to believe it!" Bell's shout pulls me out of my stupor. I turn to the door just as she comes into view. "Woah." She stops, stunned by the mural as well.
"I know right?"
"Looks like dad got us both something," Bell says with a grin.
"Oh?" I ask, even though I already know about the truck. Bell's grin grows wider.
"He bought Billy's truck for me!" My own smile grows at her excitement.
"Congrats." Bell has loved Billy's truck since we were twelve and he taught us how to drive stick.
"Put your suitcase away. We're eating dinner at the diner and i'm driving!"
I move my suitcase from where I left it in the middle of the room to the foot of my bed. With one last look at the wall, I follow Bell out.