Chapter Text
Bella missed Phoenix, she missed the heat. Her worrying mother- and her new husband. Hopefully Forks would be a good thing, she thought.
The plane trip was long, the car ride to forks even longer especially. Forks was a small town in Washington under the constant cover of clouds and rain. Population: 3,120 people. The car ride was awkward and quiet, the gloom of the rainy day not helping. Her father, Charlie Swan, was the chief of police and he drove quietly, almost nervously, not having seen his daughter in years.
“Your hair’s longer.” He broke the ice gently and Bella looked down at her own hair before looking back at her father. Boring brown and long, held out of her face with a thin, black headband. It had a nice curl to it and although generic, suited her.
“Hmm? Oh- yeah. I cut it since the last time I saw you.” The words came out harsher than she intended, but who could really blame her. Her father had barely ever reached out when she was in Phoenix and although she could tell that her father really did love her, it had hurt.
There was a pause before her father replied. “Oh, musta grew out again.” The car was then quiet again but it wasn't as bad as before. Before Bella knew it they had pulled up in front of a white house. The police car had left dirty muddy tracks in the driveway, it was a wonder how the car wasn't filthy itself.
Bella stepped out of the car as soon as it parked, her dirty converse stepping into the wet grass. She held a cactus close to her chest, a reminder of Phoenix and its sweltering hot days. She used to spend almost two weeks in forks every summer, but it’s been years since she last visited. Naturally Charlie helped her bring in her suitcases and numerous bags into the house, Bella murmuring a “thanks” in response.
The inside of the house was almost cramped, only one bathroom between the two of them. Charlie had cleared some shelves in there for Bella's things. Like the rest of Forks, the interior of the house almost had a cold atmosphere to it. Dark and gloomy. Her old room hadn’t changed much since she was a kid. The place was almost covered in dust. Charlie had barely moved a thing around, having kept the place exactly how she liked it.
He pointed to a lamp. “That's a pretty good work lamp.” he did the stereotypical pose that all middle aged fathers seemed to know, the out of breath hands on hips stance. He then pointed to the bed with a huff. “Sales lady picked out the bed stuff. You uh- you like purple right?”
“Purple’s cool.” Charlie nodded in understanding, looking around the room hesitantly, making sure everything was ok for the teen. “Thanks.” Bella nodded at her father as he checked the room one last time before making his way out of the room with an “Okay” in response, leaving Bella to settle in on her own.
Bella didn’t ‘not like’ her father. She was just a quiet and awkward 17 year old who was trying to get used to a new world. Her new home. Although her father was and still is emotionally unavailable, she didn't ‘hate’ him for it. She appreciated the fact that he thoughtfully went out of his way and got her new bedsheets. They were soft, and creased gently under her fingertips. Charlie swan wasn’t the best father in the past, but he was making an effort now. A visible effort, and that, at the moment was all that really mattered.
The silence however didn’t last long. A car honked its horn outside of Bella’s window, out in the driveway that her father didn't use. Curious, Bella moved to the window to investigate.
It was the Black family, more notably, Billy Black and his son Jacob black. They had driven down in a rough truck that somehow looked dusty and rusty at the same time. It was almost an orange colour, possibly a faded red coat of paint. Her father had gone out to greet the pair, stating that he could almost hear them coming all the way down the road, a nod to how messed up the truck actually was. Bella watched him shake their hands from her bedroom window and decided that she would go down to see them. It was a chance to make friends, what did she have to lose?
She strode out of the house quietly with a smile and her father introduced her to them. “Bella, you remember Billy Black.” he pointed to the older man sitting in the wheelchair casually while leaning against the shitbox of a truck. Billy was wearing a plaid jacket and a beaten up brown, leather, cowboy hat.
“Yeah.” she shook his hand. “Wow, you’re looking good.” she nodded.
Billy grinned back. “Well, I'm still dancing. But I'm glad you’re finally here.” he almost laughed before looking at Charlie. “Charlie here hasn’t shut up about it since you told him you were coming.” he chuckled at Charlie’s almost embarrassed look.
“All right, keep exaggerating. I’ll roll you into the muck.” he jokingly threatened back, shooting his friend a smile. Bella laughed. Charlie turned to walk away from the two teens and Billy followed with another threat.
“After I ram you in the ankles” the man, although wheelchair bound, somehow made a quick movement towards charlie, causing him to have to leap back to avoid being hit.
Charlie held his fists up in response. “Yeah? Bring it!” At this point both Bella and Jacob just stood there watching their parents play like children. It was almost amusing if it wasn't horrifically embarrassing. It didn't help break the ice with Jacob either.
Jacob decided to ignore the pair and simply draw attention away from the embarrassing older men by introducing himself. “Hi, uh I'm Jacob.” he smiled welcomingly. He wore a scuffed black hoodie and blue jeans. His hair was longer than Bella remembered, and it was pinned back out of his face in a half up, half down hairstyle.
Bella nodded, already having recognised the guy, smiling back. “Hey”
“We used to make mud pies when we were little.” He let out a breathy awkward laugh. He was nervous. Their fathers almost dancing together just a few meters away probably wasn't helping.
Bella nodded “yeah right. No, I remember.” He laughed. Bella looked over to the two middle aged men chasing each other around the driveway. “Are they always like this?” It was almost comical.
“It’s getting worse with old age.”
“Ah”
By this point Charlie and Billy were done playing the pair walking back to the awkward teens. Charlie once again leaned on the truck. “So? What do you think?” He hit the truck with his right hand , creating a thudding noise against the back of the vehicle.
“Of what?” Bella replied.
Billy smiled. “It’s your homecoming present.”
Bella looked back and forth between the pair in almost shock. “This?”
Charlie looked at Billy. “Just bought it off Billy here.”
Billy replied. “Yep.” Billy also slapped the truck.
Jacob, excitedly turned to Bella, almost with glee. “I totally rebuilt the engine for you.”
Bella whipped around to look at the inside of the truck, almost ecstatic. “Come on.” She grabbed the side of the truck. “Oh my gosh!” she stuttered, then laughed. “Thi- this is perfect. Are you joking?” In her excitement she didn't see Jacob moving around the front of the truck and as she was opening the driver’s door, accidentally hit him with it. A frantic “sorry” escaping her lips.
She sat in the driver’s seat and Billy snorted a laugh. “I told you she’d love it.” Charlie shrugged and Billy chuckled, making a gesture with his arms. “I’m down with the kids.”
Charlie laughed. “Oh yeah dude, you’re the bomb.” he said sarcastically.
Meanwhile Bella was familiarising herself with the interior of the truck with the help of Jacob in the passenger seat. He broke the silence first. “So uh.. You gotta double pump the clutch when you shift, but besides that you should be good.”
Without a missed beat Bella replied. “All right.” She put both hands on the steering wheel, nervous but thankful. “Do you wanna ride to school or something?” she asked. It was the least she could do after all, they had just given her a car.
He sighed. “Oh, I go to school on the reservation.” Great, she would be going into school blind. No friends, no name, as nobody. She was actually looking forward to having a friend that she could see regularly. It's not like she had many friends in Phoenix but she had some at least.
“Right, right.” Bella shook her head, disappointed. “That's too bad it would have been nice to know at least one person.” Jacob smiled grimly at her, trying to ease the pit of dread that began to form deep in her stomach.
“I’m sure it won't be that bad, the kids at Fork’s High School are nice enough.” He reassured her. He was almost interrupted by the call of Billy Black from outside. They were hitting the road again. Jacob rolled his eyes at his father’s call and reluctantly stepped out of the truck. Bella followed. “It was nice seeing you again Isabella.”
Bella smiled at him as they walked back to Charlie and Billy. “Call me Bella.”
He smiled back. “See you soon then, Bella.” Jacob walked back over to his father, who’s eyes were now darting between the two teenagers. Bella stuffed her hands into her hoodie pockets, unsure of what to do with them.
“See you soon Jacob. Thank you so much for the truck.” Both Bella and Charlie said their goodbyes and watched them get into their car and pull out of the driveway. They then drove back down the road from which they came.
Bella liked Jacob. She thought he was a nice kid, maybe even a friend. Hopefully she’d get to know him better while she stayed in Forks. She could only hope that the people at her new school were as friendly as him.