I almost run straight into Leah as I come through the tree line.
"What's going o-", I start but Leah shushes me and points ahead. In front of us is a muddy field littered with what looks likes the starts of a small scrap yard. Not too far from us, in the middle of the hollowed out cars and small piles of parts, is a weather battered shed and two young guys by the front.
"What is this asshole up to now", she mutters, staring at the two guys.
"That is my final say on the matter!", shouts the taller of the two guys with short roughly chopped black hair, I am surprised I didn't hear them earlier, "if this continues I will find someone who will listen".
"You can't be serious! This is my families land, I can talk to whoever I want on it!", cried the guy with long black hair.
"When it regards business relating to Forks, a council representative needs to be handling the matter", says shorter haired guy. Business relating to Forks. Yay. Why do I have a feeling this might cause a hiccup in my already disastrous plan.
"Oh and since you have been a representative for a whole of two minute now you're the only one who can talk to anyone outside the res?", says the longer haired guy.
"That is exactly what it means Jacob and once you realise that this is how it is going to be moving forward the easier everything will be", says the shorter haired guy, standing over the long haired guy Jacob.
"Shit, stay here", she says, quickly pushing me towards a near by moss covered log. Yeah that's not happening. I follow Leah at a short distance down towards what feels like a soon to be battle ground.
"And who exactly is it easier for who Sam?", she calls out.
"This doesn't concern you Leah", Sam growls, not taking his eyes off the boy in front of him, "Right Jacob?", the boy seems to unwilling nod as he shifts under Sam's glare.
"Yeah it's fine Leah, don't worry", mutters Jacob.
"See? He said it's fine, now leave", barks Sam.
"What the hell is wrong with you Sam! I will leave when Jake tells me to, or is he not allowed to even speak in your presence", she demands.
"I said leave! There is nothing further for us to discuss!", orders Sam.
"Who do you think you are ordering us around! I bet the council would love to hear that their favourite golden child is running around the res bullying his so called friends and just lording himself over the rest of us peasants that stand beneath you!", says Leah.
"Leah it's fine you don't need to do this", says Jacob.
"Like hell I don't, I don't know what happened to you Sam Uley. First you toss me aside like yesterdays trash with absolutely no notice and now I find you bullying your so called friends like some little toddler in the school yard who was told it's nap time", she says making her way in front of Jacob. I start to make my way closer as soon as I notice him starting to shake.
"You have no right to talk to me like that!", he shouts.
"No, you are the one who has no right to treat us like pieces of shit under your shoe", she yells, pushing Sam in the chest.
"Don't. Touch. Me", Sam snarls and I feel the hairs on the back of my neck rise instantly. Something here is really off, that sound wasn't normal. Leah flinches back and if I hadn't been standing so close I would have sworn he had hit her. Her reaction seems to have been enough to snap him out of what ever had taken over him and the change was immediately apparent. It was almost like a different person was standing in front of them. He shook his head like he was trying to clear an unseen fog and as he looked up to Leah standing in front of him, it seemed like the realisation of what had happened suddenly dawned on him. He immediately reaches towards her but Leah quickly pulls back in line next to Jacob.
"Leah I'm-", he says, his voice sounds almost like it's broken. Leah just holds up her hand to him.
"Don't Sam, I heard your apology last time and it clearly meant nothing. Just get out of here and go cool off before you hurt someone", she says, "come on Jake I got someone I want you to meet". Leah grabs Jacob's arm and pulls him away, leaving Sam alone looking like a shell of what he was moments ago.
"I'm sorry", he almost whispers before he turns and runs towards the forest at the back of the garage, and with one final look towards Leah and Jacob, disappears among the shadows of the trees.
As Leah and Jacob come closer I get a closer look at him, and despite his height, he doesn't look like he is older than 15.
"Jake, new girl. New girl, Jake", she says.
"Uh hey, nice to meet you", I say.
"Yeah you too, sorry about, umm all of that", he says.
"Cut the shit Jake, its not your fault", says Leah, "Sam is an asshole. End of story".
"He wasn't always like that", mumbles Jake.
"Don't you go defending him! Jake he looked ready to knock you out!", says Leah, turning on Jake.
"He wishes he could take me on", Jake says with a weak chuckle.
"Jake I don't know who that is, but that's not the Sam we knew. You gotta be careful", she says.
"Ummm sorry but didn't you literally just push him when he was, literally SHAKING with anger?", I ask.
"She's right Leah, you out of anyone can't talk about pissing off Sam, after what hap-ooft!", exhales Jake as Leah punches him straight in the stomach.
"What was that for?", I ask!
"Meh", Leah shrugs, "he has been warned about bringing up the past, I was just following through". She walks off towards the inside of the garage, leaving Jake doubled over trying to catch his breath.
"Uhh you ok?", I ask. Jake holds his hand up, and takes a deep breath as he straightens himself up.
"Yeah, believe it or not growing up with Leah meant you learned how to take a hit", he says, rubbing his stomach, "she was holding back then, you should see her when she's actually mad".
"Don't tempt me!", calls Leah from the garage, "now hurry up and get your ass in here, I got places to be!".
"It's a Monday afternoon, you have no where to be", calls Jake.
"You want round two Jacob Black, because talk like that is how you get round two", she calls.
"Alright grumpy butt", says Jake turning to me, "come on, I'll show you where the magic happens".
Inside of the garage is Leah looking over a car that looks to be in the middle of a serious over hall. The engine is missing, a door has been taken off and only three of the wheels have tires.
"Aren't you meant to be making to cars better, not worse?", she asks, kicking the dented rear bumper.
"It's a work in proce-", quickly defends Jake before taking a deep breath and pinching the bridge of his nose, "nope I am not doing this again". Leah lets out a small laugh before collapsing on a patched up couch at the back of the garage.
"Alright new girl, I have delivered you here in one piece. Now spill it, why did you come all the way out to the res, because I know it wasn't for the quality service", says Leah.
"Leah I swear to god-", says Jake before Leah shushes him
"Zip it Black, new girl talk", she says.
"Well its kinda a long story", I say.
"After what just happened I could use I long story", says Leah.
"Well lets see, new girl as you know. Today was the first day, met some good people, then I sort of ran out of the cafeteria", I say.
"Uhh why?", asks Leah.
"Well I saw, umm well something I didn't think I would see and it just brought up some stuff", I stammer.
"Like what? Oww!", says Jake as Leah hits him over the back of the head, "what was that for?".
"Jake that was the vaguest sentence ever, she doesn't want to talk about it", says Leah.
"Oh sorry!", says Jake.
"Boys", says Leah rolling her eyes, "now keep going, how does this all lead to you ending up here?".
"When I came back, every one asked me what happened, and I couldn't tell them why I actually ran off, so I kinda, maybe, might have said my car got towed..", I say.
"Ahhh, got it," says Leah.
"What I don't get it, why did that bring you here?", asks Jake.
"Did you see her drive up the road?", asks Leah.
"No she walked out of the woods wi-Ohhhh. You need a car!", says Jake.
"Yeah one of the kids mentioned this place so I figured if I could come here buy a car and then wouldn't be caught…", I say.
"That's really smart!", says Jake.
"No its not, that is the stupidest plan I have ever heard! I expected better from you new girl", says Leah.
"I wouldn't have thought of that!", says Jake.
"That doesn't hold the bar as high as you think, seriously new girl I am really disappointed", says Leah.
"I know! I know, I know, but I froze and now I'm here and I honestly don't know where to go from here", I say, collapsing on the couch next to Leah, "its just been a really long day".
"Well if you need a car I can help! We have heaps of cars, here let me get the list", says Jake, "anything in particular you after?".
"Umm anything with 4 wheels that can get me from here to school tomorrow is fine by me,", I say.
"Ok I have to draw the line right now! We are talking about a car not a piece of gum that you spit out once your done!", says Jake, "a car is a sacred piece of technology that must be appreciated! ".
"Chill out nerd, she just means she doesn't have much money", says Leah.
"Ok seriously are you in my head or something?", I ask her.
"Nah you are just way too easy to read", she says, "now what's your budget?". I tell her.
"I know the place isn't much to look at but you might have to negotiate a little better than that", she says with a dry laugh which is short lived as apparently my internal embarrassment is not as internal as I would like. "Oh your serious. Ok that's fine. Let me think for a second".
"Do you know anything about cars", Jake asks.
"I used to hang out in my uncles garage a lot", I say.
"Both of you shush, my genius needs silence", says Leah getting up to pace around the garage. Jake quickly takes her spot next to me on the couch.
"Did he ever teach you much about them", asks Jake. I have to hold back a laugh, uncle enjoyed his cars but there was no way he would have the time to work on them.
"Not really, it wasn't really a garage like this", I say, Jake sits back against the chair and mentally hit my head, "not what I mean! I just mean that it wasn't really a place where people worked on cars, it was so neat, - not that I am saying this place isn't neat. You know what I am just going to see myself out". I quickly move to make my escape before Jake softly laughing.
"Its ok no offence taken", he says.
"The short answer is no, he didn't teach me. I wanted to learn but I never had the time", I admit.
"Well that is actually perfect because-", says Jake before Leah cuts him off.
"Look all this bonding is cute and shit but it is not helping me thing about-", Leah stops suddenly spinning to look back to us, "Jake you're a genius!".
"Obviously, but what was it this time?" he asks.
"Sam said you can't talk to the Forks guest right?", she asks.
"Yeah?", he said, the foul taste of the order still clearly there.
"Well what if you hired an actual Forksian to talk to them, then he doesn't have to hang around and can handle all his 'council representative' bullshit!", she says, "I mean you pretty much do all the work anyway? Plus this could all be part of your "civic duty" hours! Jake this is perfect!"
"Sorry can someone get me up to speed?", I ask.
"You can work here!", says Jake as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"What! First of all, I don't know enough about cars to even know how much they cost, let alone work in a garage! Secondly, and probably most importantly, you don't even know me! Why on earth would you guys give me a job!", I say.
"I like you", said Jake as if it was the most obvious fact in the world, "plus you are probably the first person Leah has ever vouched for aside from her own brother so I am curious to see why".
"Just so we are clear, I am not vouching for you. I am trying to find loopholes in assface's archaic rules", she grumbled.
"I take that as she is vouching for you", said Jake with a small smile.
"Bu-but", I start to say, but my brain still seems to be taking a moment to catch up on how this is all happening.
"Look new girl, you are the one who wanted a car, well cars cost more money than what you have", said Leah. Damnit! She isn't wrong, I need to get a car. Plus it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a car in a town full of vampires, not that it would matter with their super speed, but cars are faster than me. I really didn't want to have to repeat that run through the forest again. Wait that's a good point!
"Hang on this is never going to work", I say shaking my head.
"And why is that", says Leah crossing her arms.
"By the time I get here on the bus every day it will be time to turn back around", I say, quickly flushing out the flicker of disappointment before it can bubble.
"I know exactly how to help with that!", says Jake jumping off the couch towards what seems to be a large pile covered in an old, rusted tarp.
"Since it is a family business, once you are an employee you can borrow equipment from the garage, with permission from the boss of course", starts Jake, flicking up an imaginary collar.
"Not that I have accepted", I cut in, but Jake just ignores me and continues.
"Which means that you can borrow a company car to get to and from the res", he says. I start to object but Jake pulls away the tarp to reveal a giant old red chevy with every edge detailed in rust.
"Now it is a little loud when you start her, but Seth said it sounds like-", he starts.
"A monster truck", I whisper.
"Yes!", he said, "now I know that she's not much to look at but-". Jake's voice starts to trail out as I take in the old truck. I cannot honestly be contemplating this can I? I mean yes this will solve the car issue at school and I mean, I have always wanted to learn more about cars. No! This won't work, I need to focus on the coven of vampires, not hang around here every afternoon. Then again, I came here for a normal life didn't I? Hanging out with friends, getting a job this was all part of it, plus I might even be able to get out of that damp run down motel.
"Hey new girl", says Leah, snapping her fingers in front of my face breaking my internal debate, "are you in or not?". Today has just been one chaotic moment after the next, yet I still ended up here. Father always said that fate does not control us but it does provide suggestions that we can choose to accept. Today has been felt like a lot of strongly worded suggestions. Screw it! The Cullens be damned, I came here to have a life not dictated by vampires and for the time in forever I am going to make it happen. I turn back to Leah and Jake.
"I'm in", I agree.