Chapter 17
Rosalie and I had been making some progress in our relationship, but I wanted to deepen our friendship. I knew that the best way to do this was to learn more about her interests. So, I asked her to teach me about cars as I knew next to nothing.
"Rosalie, would you be willing to show me what you know about automobiles?" I asked, hoping she would agree.
Rosalie's face lit up, "Of course, Bella! I'd love to teach you. What do you want to learn?"
"I've always admired how you've fixed up the families cars over the years," I said, looking over at Rosalie. "And I want to learn too. I want to be able to help you and maybe even do it myself someday. And I have this idea of us working on a project together, rebuilding a car and bringing it back to life."
Rosalie's eyes widened in surprise, and then she smiled the biggest smile I had ever seen on her face. "Bella, that sounds amazing! I would love to work on a project like that with you. But let's start with the basics first, so you know what's what and how everything works. Then we can pick up some junkers, so you can get some experience getting your hands dirty. And after that, we can find something special to work on. How does that sound?"
"That sounds perfect, Rosalie," I replied, feeling excited about what was to come. "I'm ready to learn everything you can teach me."
Together, we spent countless afternoons in the garage, first leaning the basics and then poring over the intricacies of car repair and getting to know each other on a deeper level. The process was slow, but with Rosalie's patient guidance, I soon began to grasp the ins and outs. I discovered just how fulfilling it was to fix something with my own two hands. It was like learning to fight with Jasper – challenging, but immensely satisfying.
After several months of practice, Rosalie deemed me ready for a real project. She knew of a great dealership near Los Angeles that specialized in high-end and antique automobiles. We decided to embark on a road trip together to find the perfect vehicle for us to restore.
As we prepared for the trip, I asked Rosalie, "Are we taking Emmett's Jeep again?"
Rosalie smiled and replied, "No, I think it's time for you to experience one of my cars." We headed to the back of the garage where the Cullens kept their special cars, and Rosalie unveiled a sleek, red Ferrari with tinted windows to protect us from the sun.
I was speechless as I laid eyes on the magnificent car. The sleek lines, the vibrant color, and the flawless exterior took my breath away. "This is amazing, Rosalie," I said, my eyes still fixed on the Ferrari. "I can't believe we get to drive in this."
Rosalie grinned. "I knew you'd like it. Let's hit the road. If we drive this baby at full speed we can make it to the dealership in LA by sunset."
The road trip was an unforgettable experience, filled with laughter and storytelling. I particularly enjoyed Rosalie's anecdotes about some of the Cullen's causing mischief over the decades.
Rosalie had a way of making even the most mundane tales sound exciting, and I found myself hanging on her every word. I couldn't help but imagine what it must have been like to witness some of Emmett's wild antics firsthand.
"Rosalie, you have to tell me more about hippie Emmett in the 1960's," I begged.
She chuckled. "Oh, there's so much to tell. He was quite the free spirit back then. I still can't believe some of the shit he got away with."
"Picture this," Rosalie began, "It was the summer of '69, and we were in the middle of a field party. Everyone was stoned out of their minds, and Emmett decided to show off his superhuman strength."
"What did he do?" I asked, intrigued.
"Well, there was this old van that had broken down in the field, and Emmett walked up to it and lifted it up over his head like it was a toy car. The humans were completely blown away, of course."
I laughed, picturing the stoned humans staring in wonder at the muscular vampire.
"Then, Emmett turned to me and said, 'Come on, Rosie, try some of this stuff.' He had some kind of drugs in his hand, and he wanted to see if it would effect us."
My eyes widened. "Did you take it?"
Rosalie grinned sheepishly. "I did. We both stated smoking it with the rest of the humans. We didn't feel anything, of course, but I wanted to see what it was like."
"What happened next?" I asked, leaning forward in my seat.
"Well, we were sitting in a circle with the humans, and the sun started to come out. Emmett and I both started to sparkle, and the humans thought it was some kind of amazing drug-induced phenomenon."
I burst out laughing, imagining the confused humans staring in awe at the sparkling vampires.
"So, we decided to play along," Rosalie continued. "We told the humans that everyone was sparkling like we were, and they all believed us."
I shook my head in disbelief. "I can't believe you and Emmett pulled that off!"
Rosalie grinned. "Well, you know Emmett. He always did have a way with humans, even when pretending to be high as a kite."
I laughed, feeling grateful that Rosalie and I could now have a real relationship where we could talk and joke with each other like this.
I settled back into my seat, and we continued to talk about the Cullen family's wild past.
Upon arriving at the dealership, we were given permission to peruse the inventory in the back in search of a car that required a full restoration. While admiring the impressive collection of vintage vehicles, my eyes caught sight of it. The body of a 1957 Chevy Bel-Air convertible, widely regarded as one of the most coveted cars of its day. It rested on the ground inconspicuously in the corner. Although it lacked an engine and was pretty much just a hulk, I was smitten and knew that I had to have it. I pointed to the car and exclaimed to Rosalie, "That's the one!" She gazed at the car, beaming, and replied, "It's all yours." Satisfied with our purchase, we departed from the dealership with elated hearts, eagerly anticipating the delivery of our new prized possession in a few short days.
After embarking on the task of totally restoring our beloved car, it quickly became a labor of love. Despite the fact that it took months of hard work and a significant amount of money to restore, we knew that the true value of the car could never be measured in dollars and cents, and we had no intention of ever selling it anyway. As we put the finishing touches on the car, I couldn't help but marvel at the stunning beauty of the vehicle before me. Though it looked like a factory-made car on the outside, beneath the surface, we had completely revamped and modernized every component, transforming it into what felt like an entirely new vehicle. When we finally completed the major repairs, we painted it a gorgeous turquoise hue, adding the perfect finishing touch to what we referred to as 'our baby'. When it came time for the first drive, Rosalie graciously allowed me to take the wheel, and I was instantly struck by the car's smooth, effortless performance, the car was so easy to drive it felt like a dream.
