Mimic | Jacob Black

14. Hope

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Charlie and Julie were being careful at breakfast. Bella had finally had a peaceful sleep again, and while they wanted to know why, they didn't want to accidentally do anything that might erase whatever progress had started.

"What are you kids up to today?" Charlie asked lightly, pretending like he didn't care much for the answer.

"We're going to hang out with Jacob again," Bella answered.

"Oh," Charlie said.

"Do you mind?" Bella said. "We could stay..."

A hint of panic crossed Charlie's face. "No, no! You guys go ahead. Harry was going to come up to watch the game with me, anyway."

"Maybe Harry could give Billy a ride up," River suggested. It would be better to get everyone gone when they worked on the bikes.

"That's a great idea."

Julie was happily eating away at her breakfast. She was clearly pleased that the teens' behaviour was improving.

"What about you, Mum?" River asked.

She thought for a moment as she looked up at him. "I might go catch up with some of the girls from the diner. You kids go have fun."

It was pouring with rain, so they grabbed their raincoats before driving off in the truck. Once they made it through the muddy lanes to Jacob's house, he came running out the front door with a huge black umbrella. He held it over the passenger door as they both got out.

"Charlie called–said you were on your way," Jacob explained happily. Both teens smiled back at him without much thought and greeted him.

"Good call on inviting Dad up." Jacob high-fived River. They headed back to the garage and resumed their positions from the previous day. Jacob spent most of the time talking about his life at school, recent events, things like that. Up until a certain point.

"I'm doing all the talking," he complained. "You guys take over. What's going on in Forks? It has to be more exciting than La Push."

"Not really," River said with a disinterested voice, trying to hide the slight panic that filled his body. He was worried that talking about anything to do with the last few months would push Bella back into her deep depression. "Nothing has been going on."

"Well, what about you?" Bella chimed in. "I know you disappeared into the forest a lot. Were you practising the guitar?"

So she had noticed, and she was talking about it. Bella wasn't as fragile as she seemed to be just a couple of days ago. After the previous day, River was sure Jacob helped her feel better, but he was surprised by just how quick it was helping. It made him realise he was also in a similar state; River had started hanging out with Jacob a lot because he helped combat the issues River developed. Something about Jacob's sunny demeanour seemed infectious. Just being around him had a significantly positive impact on River, and now Bella as well. Speaking of which, Jacob perked up at Bella's words.

"Guitar?"

"Yeah, Dad and Julie got it for his last birthday. He used to take lessons back in Phoenix for a few years, but stopped," Bella explained.

River didn't know it was possible, but Jacob's face lit up even brighter than it ever had before. "You play the guitar?! Why am I only just now hearing about this?!"

River reeled back slightly from his enthusiasm and smiled sheepishly. "I'm not a professional or anything, I've only recently started to really get the hang of it."

"Can you bring it down next time you guys come? Please!" Jacob put his hands together and grinned. "I want to hear you play, it would be so cool."

River didn't really want to play in front of others–he was still too embarrassed, but he couldn't find it in himself to say no to the beaming ray of sunshine in front of him that was Jacob Black. "Yeah, sure I guess. I didn't realise you liked music that much."