brown skin。 〃Speak of the
devil；〃 he mumbled； 〃and the devil shall appear。〃
〃Jake？ Are you out here？〃 The shouting voice was closer now。
〃Yeah！〃 Jacob shouted back； and sighed。
We waited through the short silence until two tall； dark…skinned boys strolled
around the corner into the
shed。
One was slender； and almost as tall as Jacob。 His black hair was chin…length
and parted down the
middle； one side tucked behind his left ear while the right side swung free。
The shorter boy was more
burly。 His white T…shirt strained over his well…developed chest； and he seemed
gleefully conscious of that
fact。 His hair was so short it was almost a buzz。
Both boys stopped short when they saw me。 The thin boy glanced swiftly back
and forth between Jacob
and me； while the brawny boy kept his eyes on me； a slow smile spreading
across his face。
〃Hey； guys；〃 Jacob greeted them halfheartedly。
〃Hey； Jake；〃 the short one said without looking away from me。 I had to smile
in response； his grin was so
impish。 When I did； he winked at me。 〃Hi； there。〃
〃Quil； Embry—this is my friend； Bella。〃
Quil and Embry； I still didn't know which was which； exchanged a loaded look。
〃Charlie's kid； right？〃 the brawny boy asked me； holding out his hand。
〃That's right；〃 I confirmed； shaking hands with him。 His grasp was firm； it
looked like he was flexing his
bicep。
〃I'm Quil Ateara；〃 he announced grandly before releasing my hand。
〃Nice to meet you； Quil。〃
〃Hey； Bella。 I'm Embry； Embry Call—you probably already figured that out；
though。〃 Embry smiled a shy
smile and waved with one hand； which he then shoved in the pocket of his
jeans。
I nodded。 〃Nice to meet you； too。〃
〃So what are you guys doing？〃 Quil asked； still looking at me。
〃Bella and I are going to fix up these bikes；〃 Jacob explained inaccurately。
But bikes seemed to be the
magic word。 Both boys went to examine Jacob's project； drilling him with
educated questions。 Many of
the words they used were unfamiliar to me； and I figured I'd have to have a Y
chromosome to really
understand the excitement。
They were still immersed in talk of parts and pieces when I decided that I
needed to head back home
before Charlie showed up here。 With a sigh； I slid out of the Rabbit。
Jacob looked up； apologetic。 〃We're boring you； aren't we？〃
〃Naw。〃 And it wasn't a lie。 I was enjoying myself—how strange。 〃I just have
to go cook dinner for
Charlie。〃
〃Oh well； I'll finish taking these apart tonight and figure out what more
we'll need to get started
rebuilding them。 When do you want to work on them again？〃
〃Could I e back tomorrow？〃 Sundays were the bane of my existence。 There was
never enough
homework to keep me busy。
Quil nudged Embry's arm and they exchanged grins。
Jacob smiled in delight。 〃That would be great！〃
〃If you make a list； we can go shop for parts；〃 I suggested。
Jacob's face fell a little。 〃I'm still not sure I should let you pay for
everything。〃
I shook my head。 〃No way。 I'm bankrolling this party。 You just have to supply
the labor and expertise。〃
Embry rolled his eyes at Quil。
〃That doesn't seem right；〃 Jacob shook his head。
〃Jake； if I took these to a mechanic； how much would he charge me？〃 I pointed
out。
He smiled。 〃Okay； you're getting a deal。〃
〃Not to mention the riding lessons；〃 I added。
Quil grinned widely at Embry and whispered something I didn't catch。 Jacob's
hand flashed out to smack
the back of Quil's head。 〃That's it； get out；〃 he muttered。
〃No； really； I have to go；〃 I protested； heading for the door。 〃I'll see you
tomorrow； Jacob。〃
As soon as I was out of sight； I heard Quil and Embry chorus； 〃Wooooo！〃
The sound of a brief scuffle followed； interspersed with an 〃ouch〃 and a
〃hey！〃
〃If either of you set so much as one toe on my land tomorrow〃 I heard Jacob
threaten。 His voice was
lost as I walked through the trees。
I giggled quietly。 The sound made my eyes widen in wonder。 I was laughing；
actually laughing； and there
wasn't even anyone watching。 I felt so weightless that I laughed again； just
make the feeling last longer。
I beat Charlie home。 When he walked in I was just taking the fried chicken out
of the pan and laying it on
a pile of paper towels。
〃Hey； Dad。〃 I flashed him a grin。
Shock flitted across his face before he pulled his expression together。 〃Hey；
honey；〃 he said； his voice
uncertain。 〃Did you have fun with Jacob？〃
I started moving the food to the table。 〃Yeah； I did。〃
〃Well； that's good。〃 He was still cautious。 〃What did you two do？〃
Now it was my turn to be cautious。 〃I hung out in his garage and watched him
work。 Did you know he's
rebuilding a Volkswagen？〃
〃Yeah； I think Billy mentioned that。〃
The interrogation had to stop when Charlie began chewing； but he continued to
study my face as he ate。
After dinner； I dithered around； cleaning the kitchen twice； and then did my
homework slowly in the front
room while Charlie watched a hockey game。 I waited as long as I could； but
finally Charlie mentioned the
late hour。 When I didn't respond； he got up； stretched； and then left； turning
out the light behind him。
Reluctantly； I followed。
As I climbed the stairs； I felt the last of the afternoon's abnormal sense of
well…being drain from my
system； replaced by a dull fear at the thought of what I was going to have to
live through now。
I wasn't numb anymore。 Tonight would； no doubt； be as horrific as last night。
I lay down on my bed and
curled into a ball in preparation for the onslaught。 I squeezed my eyes shut
and the next thing I next I
knew； it was morning。
I stared at the pale silver light ing through my window； stunned。
For the first time in more than four months； I'd slept without dreaming。
Dreaming or screaming。 I couldn't
tell which emotion was stronger—the relief or the shock。
I lay still in my bed for a few minutes； waiting for it to e back。 Because
something must be ing。 If
not the pain； then the numbness。 I waited； but nothing happened。 I felt more
rested than I had in a long
time。
I didn't trust this to last。 It was a slippery； precarious edge that I
balanced on； and it wouldn't take much
to knock me back down。 Just glancing around my room with these suddenly clear
eyes—noticing how
strange it looked； too tidy； like I didn't live here at all—was dangerous。
I pushed that thought from my mind； and concentrated； as I got dressed； on the
fact that I was going to
see Jacob again today。 The thought made me feel almost hopeful。 Maybe it
would be the same as
yesterday。 Maybe I wouldn't have to remind myself to look interested and to
nod or smile at appropriate
intervals； the way I had to with everyone else。 Maybe but I wouldn't trust
this to last； either。 Wouldn't
trust it to be the same—so easy—as yesterday。 I wasn't going to set myself
up for disappointment like
that。
At breakfast； Charlie was being careful； too。 He tried to hide his scrutiny；
keeping his eyes on his eggs
until he thought I wasn't looking。
〃What are you up to today？〃 he asked； eyeing a loose thread on the edge of his
cuff like he wasn't paying