GIRLS BREATHE FIRE - Paul Lahote

Chapter 8

Song: Pennies From Heaven (Louis Prima)

RORY'S POV

"I saw him! Rory, I saw him!" Bella called to me as she jogged up the stairs to the Attic.

"What? Who'd you see? Do I need to beat someone up for you? Just give me a name." I started as I went to reach for the bat leaning against my dresser.

Bella reached me halfway and stopped me before I could do anything before pulling me over to my bed and sitting me down.

It was currently February and Bella had finally started getting back to her life which was good to see, tonight she had even gone to the movies with some friends. But now she was frantically running into my room at 11 pm saying she saw someone.

And I wasn't sure how I was feeling about it.

"No, I saw Edward. Well, I guess I didn't really see him but I saw like, a vision of him." She looked at me as I blinked back at her.

"The only way I'll willingly listen to you about this is if you buy me food." I negotiated but to my surprise, she didn't even argue. She just pulled me out of the house to her car and drove us to the nearby 24/7 diner, not even leaving me enough time to change out of my rubber ducky pyjama pants.

We ordered our food and finally, Bella started talking.

"So I was walking back to my car with Jessica when these biker dudes catcalled us and asked us if we wanted a ride. I don't know why but something came over me and I just accepted. And while I was riding I saw like... an illusion of Edward telling me it wasn't a good idea." Bella looked at me expectantly while I went over what she had said.

"I can't believe I'm saying this but next time listen to Ghost Edward ok?" Our food arrived as I said that earning me an odd look from the waiter, not that I really cared.

"I want to find something else, an adrenaline rush that's safer. And well, I thought that my Ex-MMA fighter cousin could help?"

"Ok first of all." I pointed out looking up from my plate of chicken tenders and fries. "I never quit so I'm not 'Ex-MMA' until I personally retire. And second of all, why don't you try that? Attend a few of my classes at the gym and then I'll put you in a ring for some sparring. After all, getting a punch thrown your way is about as thrilling as it can get." I smirked at her to which she scowled back.

"I don't want my adrenaline rush from getting the crap beaten out of me Rory. Just some thrilling hobby. Any ideas?" She shuffled through her own fries while watching me devour my own meal.

"Well, then what about motorcycles? Those things are the reason you're here in the first place, you might as we roll with it right?"

That's when Bella came up with her master plan.

***

"Wow Scrap metal, You shouldn't have." Jacob joked as he pulled the tarp off Bella's trunk revealing two relatively beat-up Motorcycles.

"I saved them from the junkyard. I think they'll probably cost more to fix than they're worth. but then I thought that... if I had a mechanic-type friend?" Bella looked back at Jacob expectantly.

"You being the mechanic-type friend." I jumped in to add my two cents to the conversation as they looked up at me.

"I get it if you think this is really stupid and reckless." Bella continued looking down slightly before Jacob shot her a smile.

"Ya, it's completely stupid and reckless... When do we start?" Bella was happy to hear that as she gained back what little animation she had.

"Now... Please?"

And that how we ended up in his garage. Jacob carrying in one bike, and I, the other.

"That's some serious strength you got there Rebel." Jacob Acknowledged as I placed one bike down.

"You ain't too bad yourself, biceps." I nudged him jokingly as Bella took a seat.

For the next few hours, we all stayed with Jacob as he began pulling apart the broken bikes. Bella would make conversation with him by offering him some tutoring and help with homework in exchange for him fixing up these bikes while I had cleaned up the area surrounding a punching bag hanging in the garage and now aimlessly sparred with it. Nothing but soft music in my ears to move me.

And that was basically our routine for the next few weeks. I would come with Bella once a week While she would go alone the other days and she would talk to Jacob while he would fix the bikes. And on the few days, I was there, I would assist Jacob, use his punching bag or sleep through it all.

Jacob had even looked at me one time after I had woken up when apparently they had been testing the engines and said something like "I think I know why your folks called you Aurora. After all, that was sleeping beauty's name and she the only other person I can think of who would be able to sleep through this much noise."

I couldn't but laugh at how ironic it was but it was something I had always been good at so I guess I couldn't act surprised.

Bellas nightmares had stopped, meaning the screaming had stopped with them and it was nice to see her finally smiling a little more and talking again.

I could only hope that it would last for long enough for her to recover.

Because I wasn't sure how much more screaming that poor neighbourhood could go through.