I'm really, really sorry for the delayed update. I'm writing something else at the moment, and felt more inspired to continue that over the last week.

Part Ten

I

"What do you think? Jake?"

"Hmm? Ouch, what the hell was that for?"

"I need your help deciding if I should skip English or Chemistry tomorrow, and you are lost somewhere in Bella-Swan-fairyland."

"I was not-"

"Sure, you just randomly sit there with your eyes all dreamy, not giving a fuck about my much more important problems. Dude, I can't read minds, but with you I don't need to. It's like you have a billboard plastered to your dumb head saying I want to fuck Bella Swan."

"Shut up, Embry."

"Not until I get an answer."

"Oh, I don't know. She's always coming over here, and I think she really likes me, but there's never any... She's just here, you know. There's nothing more, ever. But... maybe that's better."

"I meant school, but whatever. Dude, ever thought about actually doing something about it? If not, for the love of the little bit of Quil's brain, just do something."

II

Jacob hears the roaring of her truck, pulling up slowly in the driveway, and he drops the screwdriver in his hand, not really caring much where it lands.

"Hey, Bells!" he greets her as he meets her halfway, immediately catching her small body, wrapping her up in his arms. She is so light that he easily lifts her of her feet, and she is pressed so close against his chest that he can actually feel her giggling. The rush it sends through his entire body is almost embarrassingly obvious, and he quickly sets her back down on her own two, clumsy feet.

"I brought you something," Bella says with a grin so wide Jacob is impressed he can still recognize her at all.

She tugs at the sleeve of his shirt, and together they stumble back towards the truck. When Jacob sees what is hidden in the trunk, he stops dead in his tracks.

"You... You did not..."

"I did, they weren't expensive at all. They wanted to get rid of them, really."

The two dirt bikes are in a disastrous state, but Jacob does not care.

"Why?" he stutters, eyes flickering between the pile of scrap metal and the proud grin on Bella's face.

"I thought we could fix them up. And go on that camping trip you suggested. Do you think we can get them done before school starts again?"

She looks so enthusiastic, and he can feel himself falling a little harder for her. There is no way she actually cares about the bikes, or camping (he still remembers her wrinkled nose when he had suggested it).

But she wants to fix the bikes with him. And go camping with him.

III

"So, Bella," Jessica chatters next to her, distracting Bella from the fact that Edward Cullen is staring at her again from across the cafeteria.

Why the mere fact that she exists seems such a hardship for him is still a mystery to her. As much of a mystery as he is himself.

But Jessica is merciless when it comes to attention, and so Bella quickly finds herself facing pink shirt and straightened hair instead of the death glare she can still feel prickling in her neck.

"I hear you've been down to La Push quite often lately," Jessica continues, her fingers playing with the sleeve of Mike's shirt.

Bella does not even bother asking how she came to have that information. This is Jessica. She just knows these things.

Lauren raises her perfectly plugged eyebrows and leans closer, and Bella knows they are both eagerly awaiting a juicy story.

"Yes," Bella answers simply, taking a sip of her orange juice.

"Any specific reason?" Lauren investigates further, leaning closer as if this was a top secret meeting.

"I have a friend who lives there."

"A friend?"

"Yes."

"What kind of friend?"

Bella wonders for a second what kinds of friend there are. But then she realizes that Jacob is indeed a different kind of friend to her than Jessica, Angela or any other person at this school. She gets along very well with them, with Jessica who does all the talking and with Lauren who just judges and with Mike who gives her looks and with Angela who can be as quiet as Bella herself.

But when she thinks of how happy she is with Jake, of how much time she spends with him, and wants to spend with him, of the ease in their conversations, of how he would be the person to confide in, she realizes that Jessica's question is a good one.

"You know, a friend," she answers casually, turning the cup with orange juice in her hand.