𝐈𝐊𝐈𝐆𝐀𝐈 :: paul lahote

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝓲𝓿.

iv. FORBIDDEN GLANCE.

FLEUR LOCKLEAR, BELLA SWAN, AND JACOB BLACK SPENT THE NEXT DAY RUMMAGING THROUGH SPARE PARTS IN THE LOCKLEAR'S GARAGE. The air was thick with the scent of old oil and rusted metal, a symphony of clinks and clatters accompanying their search. As they drove back to Jacob's place, the boy pointed out the gaping hole in Bella's dashboard. From the backseat, Fleur tensed, knowing how sensitive the subject was. Bella had practically clawed the stereo that used to cover it with her nails, not bearing to listen to any music.

But to Fleur's surprise, Bella merely shrugged at Jacob's question. "Yeah," she lied when he asked if it had broken. Fleur grinned softly, pleased to see her friend opening up to someone besides her.

Jacob poked around in the cavity. "Who took it out? There's a lot of damage..."

"I did," Bella admitted, her tone nonchalant.

He laughed, a rich sound that filled the car. "Maybe you shouldn't touch the motorcycles too much."

Fleur grinned from the backseat, her heart lifting at the lightness in Bella's demeanour.

Bella shrugged. "No problem."

On the way back, Jacob chattered about his friends and school, weaving tales of mischief and camaraderie. Fleur, much to her surprise, noticed Bella asking questions, genuinely curious about his stories. She wasn't just pretending to be interested—she truly was.

"I'm doing all the talking," Jacob complained after a long story about Quil and the trouble he'd stirred up by asking out a senior's steady girlfriend. "Why don't you take a turn? What's going on in Forks? It has to be more exciting than La Push."

"Wrong," Fleur sighed, her voice a soft melody of exasperation.

Bella nodded in agreement. "Yeah. There's really nothing. Your friends are a lot more interesting than mine—except for maybe Flo. I like your friends. Quil's funny."

Jacob frowned, a thoughtful look crossing his face. "I think Quil likes you, too."

Bella and Fleur laughed, their voices mingling like a harmonious duet. "He's a little young for me."

Jacob's frown deepened. "He's not that much younger than you. It's just a year and a few months."

Fleur had a feeling they weren't talking about Quil anymore, but she didn't point it out. Bella's voice was light, teasing. "Sure, but, considering the difference in maturity between guys and girls, don't you have to count that in dog years? What does that make me, about twelve years older?"

He laughed, rolling his eyes. "Okay, but if you're going to get picky like that, you have to average in size, too. You're so small, I'll have to knock ten years off your total."

"Five foot four is perfectly average." Bella sniffed, her tone mock-indignant. "It's not my fault you're a freak."

"Well, Bells, I'd say you're actually the youngest," Fleur chimed in, her voice a warm lilt. "I'm five foot nine, so that makes me the middle child, right?"

The trio bantered like that all the way to the Black residence, still arguing over the correct formula to determine age. Fleur lost two more years because she didn't know how to cook, but gained one back for knowing how to change a tire and other basic mechanics of cars.

They were sitting idly in Bella's car and currently, Bella was twenty-three, Fleur was twenty-five, and Jake was thirty. He was definitely weighing skills in his favour, but the girls didn't comment on it, though Fleur did roll her eyes in annoyance every time he added an unnecessary year or two.