The bikes were finally done.
It had taken weeks of work—countless afternoons spent in the garage, getting every piece of those old machines back into working order. Bella had gotten better with each day, and now, the bikes were ready. More importantly, she was ready.
“Are you sure about this?” I asked, glancing at her warily. She was sitting on the bike, hands gripping the handlebars, no helmet in sight. I had suggested she wear one, but Bella had waved me off.
“I’m sure,” she replied, her eyes fixed on the dirt road ahead. “I need to do this, Jake.”
I couldn’t argue with that. She had been through so much lately, and I could see how badly she needed the distraction. But there was still that tight knot in my chest, the protective part of me that worried she was moving too fast, that this wasn’t the best idea.
“Alright,” I sighed, stepping back. “But take it slow, okay?”
Bella shot me a small, determined smile and revved the engine. The bike sputtered to life, louder than I expected. She gave me a quick glance—more of a ‘watch me’ than a ‘goodbye’—and took off down the dirt road.
For a second, it looked like she had everything under control. The bike wobbled a bit as she adjusted to the speed, but she stayed steady. I followed her on the other bike, trailing behind just in case. The wind whipped through my hair, and the roar of the engines filled the air.
But Bella was going too fast, faster than I had warned her to go. I tried to call out, but my voice got lost in the noise.
“Bella! Slow down!”
She either didn’t hear me or didn’t want to. Her eyes were focused straight ahead, her body tensing as the bike gained more speed. I felt a cold sense of dread twist in my stomach as I pushed forward, trying to catch up to her.
Suddenly, the bike jerked—Bella had hit a bump in the road, and she lost control. The back wheel slid out from under her, and before I could do anything, the bike spun, and she was thrown from the seat.
“Bella!” I shouted, skidding to a stop as I jumped off my bike. She had landed hard, rolling a few feet before coming to a stop in the dirt. I sprinted over to her, my heart hammering in my chest.
Bella groaned, her face twisted in pain as she lay on the ground. Her arm was scraped up pretty bad, blood seeping through a long cut on her forehead where she must’ve hit the ground.
“Bella, hey—are you okay?” I asked, crouching down beside her.
“I’m fine,” she muttered, trying to sit up, but she winced in pain. “Just... a little dizzy.”
I looked at the cut on her forehead, my stomach dropping at the sight of the blood. Without thinking, I grabbed the hem of my shirt and yanked it over my head, quickly pressing the fabric against the wound to stop the bleeding.
“You’re not fine,” I muttered, my voice tight with worry. “You could’ve been seriously hurt.”
Bella looked up at me, her eyes dazed but defiant. “I just fell, Jake. It’s not the end of the world.”
I let out a frustrated breath, shaking my head. “You’re bleeding, Bella. You need to take it easy.”
She winced again, her eyes focusing on the makeshift bandage I had pressed against her head. “Is it bad?”
“Not too bad,” I lied, keeping my voice steady. “But we need to get you cleaned up.”
Bella tried to laugh, but it came out more like a breathy sigh. “Guess I should’ve listened to you about taking it slow, huh?”
“Yeah, that would’ve been a good idea,” I said, unable to keep the grin off my face. Despite the fall, Bella’s stubbornness still shone through.
I helped her to her feet, her arm wrapped around my shoulder for support as we walked back to the garage. She leaned against me, still a little unsteady, but she didn’t complain.
Once we were inside, I cleaned up her cuts and bandaged her arm. Her eyes were closed, but she didn’t flinch as I gently wiped the dirt from her skin. There was something oddly intimate about the moment, and I found myself glancing at her more than I should have. Her skin was so pale against the dark marks of the scrapes, and the way her lips pressed together in concentration made me want to do anything to make her feel better.
After a few minutes, I finally pulled back. “There. You’re all patched up.”
Bella opened her eyes and gave me a soft smile. “Thanks, Jake. You’re really good at this, you know?”
“I’ve had practice,” I joked, trying to lighten the mood. “You’re not the first person I’ve had to patch up.”
She laughed, and for a second, the weight of everything lifted. But then, just as quickly, her smile faded, and her gaze dropped to the floor. I could see the sadness creeping back in, the shadow that had been following her for months.
“I guess... I just needed to feel something,” she admitted softly. “Anything.”
Her words hit me hard, and for a moment, I didn’t know what to say. She was still hurting—maybe more than I realized—and all I could do was be there for her.
“You don’t have to do this alone, Bella,” I said quietly. “I’m here. Whenever you need me.”
She looked up at me, her eyes filled with something I couldn’t quite place. Gratitude? Relief? It didn’t matter. All I knew was that I meant what I said. I’d be there for her, no matter what.
“Thanks, Jake,” she whispered, her voice barely above a breath. “I really don’t know what I’d do without you.”
I smiled, feeling that strange warmth in my chest again. “Well, lucky for you, you don’t have to find out.”
YOU ARE READING
Twilight Midnight Moon
WerewolfJacob Black never expected his life to change when Bella Swan moved back to Forks. He was just an ordinary teen, spending his days working on cars and hanging out with his dad in the rainy, quiet town of La Push. But when his childhood friend return...
