Chapter 7: Scrap Metal

"Bella!"

Jacob ran around from the side of the garage, and caught Bella up in a huge hug. Even though it caught her off guard, she couldn't deny it felt nice. "'Bout time you came around. I was starting to worry."

"Can't get rid of me," she tried to joke, but was pretty sure it fell flat. "Hey, uh... I brought you something. Kinda like a thanks-for-saving-me/sorry-for-not-being-around-much present."

She threw the tarp off the bed of her truck and revealed the two motorcycles she had rescued from her neighbor's curb.

"Scrap metal," he deadpanned. "You shouldn't have."

"What can I say? I like to spoil my friends."

Jacob snorted.

"Seriously, though," Bella continued, "they'd cost more to fix than they're worth. Luckily, I know a guy."

"Oh you do?"

"Totally. Best mechanic in town."

"Can't argue with that," he grinned, then crossed his arms over his chest as he studied the bikes. "I may be the best, but the parts are gonna be pricey."

Bella shrugged. "I've got a college fund I can dip into."

"Charlie's gonna love that."

"He never has to know."

From where he leaned against the truck bed, Jacob laughed. "Damn. Lying to Dad. Blowing through college money. Repairing dangerous machines- which, I'm assuming you'll want to ride?"

She leaned across from him, flashing what she hoped came off as a confident smirk, because truthfully, she had no idea what the hell she was doing anymore. "So are you in or out, Black?"

"Oh, I'm all in, Swan," he grinned, and his definitely carried the confidence she'd tried to pull off. He winked at her and hauled one of the bikes out of the truck. "When do we start?"

The ordered parts arrived sooner than expected, which was just fine with Bella. At first, the bikes had been her key to the perfect distraction. A way to forget and numb the pain from the hole in her heart. But more and more, she found she was able to do that just by being with Jacob. He made her laugh. Being with him was easy. Comfortable. Nice. Soon she found herself spending every day at the Black residence.

"If we're going to be working on this everyday," she said, taking a sip of her soda and hanging one to Jacob, "we should probably include some homework. Don't want the dads to think I'm a bad influence on you."

Jacob nearly choked on his drink. "You influence me? Please."

"I'm older than you."

Jacob rolled his eyes and went back to unpacking parts and laying them out on an old blanket. "Age ain't nothin' but a number, honey."

"I also convinced you to secretly build us two-wheeled death machines."

Jacob put his hand to his chest in mock horror. "Heavens, what will people say?"

Before Bella could defend herself, they heard voices outside the garage. "Yo, Jake! You in there?"

Bella started to cover up the motorcycle parts but Jacob waved her off. "It's cool. It's just Quil and... Embry, apparently."

"Hey, Jake! What's... whoa."

Both Quil and Embry stopped short when they saw Bella.

"Guys, this is Bella. Bella, the tall one is Embry and the short one is Quil." Quil glared at the introduction and Jacob chuckled.

"Hey," she waved awkwardly from the other side of the garage.

"So," Embry said, surveying the various parts spread out on blankets laying across the floor, "the bike building story is true."

"Taught him everything he knows," Bella teased. Jacob rolled his eyes.

"What about the part where you're his girlfriend?"

Bella choked on her drink.

"I told you the kid had a crush on you," a sweet southern voice whispered in her ear.

"Shit!" Bella shrieked, jumping out of her skin. All three boys gave her a strange look. "Sorry. I saw a, uh... a spider," she tried to cover, not sure whether to curse her mind or her heart for that little intrusion. "Uh, anyway, Jake and I are just friends."

Embry smirked. "Burn."

"I said she's a girl and a friend," Jacob muttered.

Quil crossed his arms over his chest and looked between his friends. "It's funny, I don't remember him making that distinction, do you, Embry?"

"Nope."

"So I guess you guys must have girlfriends then, right?"

"Right," Jacob laughed, the sound filling the whole garage and warming Bella from the inside out, "Quil took his cousin to prom!"

"You want funny, Black? I'll give you funny!"

Quil ran and tackled Jacob to the ground. They laughed as they wrestled and Embry ambled his way over to Bella, nudging her with his elbow. "I got five bucks on Quil."

Bella took half a step back to avoid getting hit by either teen, and laughed. "You're on."

Being with Jacob was so easy. Effortless. He was like her own personal sun. He made her laugh. He made her forget. For awhile, anyway.

Even Jacob couldn't keep the nightmares away