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〃Well； what do you know！ It's good to see you； Bella。〃
We shook hands。 Mine was lost in his wide grasp。
〃What brings you out here？ Everything okay with Charlie？〃
〃Yes； absolutely。 I just wanted to see Jacob—I haven't seen him in forever。〃
Jacob's eyes brightened at my words。 He was smiling so big it looked like it
would hurt his cheeks。
〃Can you stay for dinner？〃 Billy was eager； too。
〃No； I've got to feed Charlie； you know。〃
〃I'll call him now；〃 Billy suggested。 〃He's always invited。〃
I laughed to hide my disfort。 〃It's not like you'll never see me again。 I
promise I'll be back again
soon—so much you'll get sick of me。〃 After all； if Jacob could fix the bike；
someone had to teach me
how to ride it。
Billy chuckled in response。 〃Okay； maybe next time。〃
〃So； Bella； what do you want to do？〃 Jacob asked。
〃Whatever。 What were you doing before I interrupted？〃 I was strangely
fortable here。 It was familiar；
but only distantly。 There were no painful reminders of the recent past。
Jacob hesitated。 〃I was just heading out to work on my car； but we can do
something else〃
〃No； that's perfect！〃 I interrupted。 〃I'd love to see your car。〃
〃Okay；〃 he said； not convinced。 〃It's out back； in the garage。〃
Even better； I thought to myself。 I waved at Billy。 〃See you later。〃
A thick stand of trees and shrubbery concealed his garage from the house。 The
garage was no more than
a couple of big preformed sheds that had been bolted together with their
interior walls knocked out。
Under this shelter； raised on cinder blocks； was what looked to me like a
pleted automobile。 I
recognized the symbol on the grille； at least。
〃What kind of Volkswagen is that？〃 I asked。
〃It's an old Rabbit—1986； a classic。〃
〃How's it going？〃
〃Almost finished；〃 he said cheerfully。 And then his voice dropped into a lower
key。 〃My dad made good
on his promise last spring。〃
〃Ah；〃 I said。
He seemed to understand my reluctance to open the subject。 I tried not to
remember last May at the
prom。 Jacob had been bribed by his father with money and car parts to deliver
a message there。 Billy
wanted me to stay a safe distance from the most important person in my life。
It turned out that his
concern was； in the end； unnecessary。 I was all too safe now。
But I was going to see what I could do to change that。
〃Jacob； what do you know about motorcycles？〃 I asked。
He shrugged。 〃Some。 My friend Embry has a dirt bike。 We work on it together
sometimes。 Why？〃
〃Well〃 I pursed my lips as I considered。 I wasn't sure if he could keep his
mouth shut； but I didn't have
many other options。 〃I recently acquired a couple of bikes； and they're not in
the greatest condition。 I
wonder if you could get them running？〃
〃Cool。〃 He seemed truly pleased by the challenge。 His face glowed。 〃I'll give
it a try。〃
I held up one finger in warning。 〃The thing is；〃 I explained； 〃Charlie doesn't
approve of motorcycles。
Honestly； he'd probably bust a vein in his forehead if he knew about this。 So
you can't tell Billy。〃
〃Sure； sure。〃 Jacob smiled。 〃I understand。〃
〃I'll pay you；〃 I continued。
This offended him。 〃No。 I want to help。 You can't pay me。〃
〃Well how about a trade； then？〃 I was making this up as I went； but it
seemed reasonable enough。 〃I
only need one bike—and I'll need lessons； too。 So how about this？ I'll give
you the other bike； and then
you can teach me。〃
〃Swee…eet。〃 He made the word into two syllables。
〃Wait a sec—are you legal yet？ When's your birthday？〃
〃You missed it；〃 he teased； narrowing his eyes in mock resentment。 〃I'm
sixteen。〃
〃Not that your age ever stopped you before；〃 I muttered。 〃Sorry about your
birthday。〃
〃Don't worry about it。 I missed yours。 What are you； forty？〃
I sniffed。 〃Close。〃
〃We'll have a joint party to make up for it。〃
〃Sounds like a date。〃
His eyes sparkled at the word。
I needed to reign in the enthusiasm before I gave him the wrong idea—it was
just that it had been a long
time since I'd felt so light and buoyant。 The rarity of the feeling made it
more difficult to manage。
〃Maybe when the bikes are finished—our present to ourselves；〃 I added。
〃Deal。 When will you bring them down？〃
I bit my lip； embarrassed。 〃They're in my truck now；〃 I admitted。
〃Great。〃 He seemed to mean it。
〃Will Billy see if we bring them around？〃
He winked at me。 〃We'll be sneaky。〃
We eased around from the east； sticking to the trees when we were in view of
the windows； affecting a
casual…looking stroll； just in case。 Jacob unloaded the bikes swiftly from the
truck bed； wheeling them
one by one into the shrubbery where I hid。 It looked too easy for him—I'd
remembered the bikes being
much； much heavier than that。
〃These aren't half bad；〃 Jacob appraised as we pushed them through the cover
of the trees。 〃This one
here will actually be worth something when I'm done—it's an old Harley
Sprint。〃
〃That one's yours； then。〃
〃Are you sure？〃
〃Absolutely。〃
〃These are going to take some cash； though；〃 he said； frowning down at the
blackened metal。 〃We'll have
to save up for parts first。〃
〃We nothing；〃 I disagreed。 〃If you're doing this for free； I'll pay for the
parts。〃
〃I don't know〃 he muttered。
〃I've got some money saved。 College fund； you know。〃 College； schmollege； I
thought to myself。 It
wasn't like I'd saved up enough to go anywhere special—and besides； I had no
desire to leave Forks
anyway。 What difference would it make if I skimmed a little bit off the top？
Jacob just nodded。 This all made perfect sense to him。
As we skulked back to the makeshift garage； I contemplated my luck。 Only a
teenage boy would agree
to this： deceiving both our parents while repairing dangerous vehicles using
money meant for my college
education。 He didn't see anything wrong with that picture。 Jacob was a gift
from the gods。
6。 FRIENDS
THE MOTORCYCLES DIDN'T NEED TO BE HIDDEN ANY further than simply placing them
in
Jacob's shed。 Billy's wheelchair couldn't maneuver the uneven ground
separating it from the house。
Jacob started pulling the first bike—the red one； which was destined for me—