Jukebox ✬ Jasper Hale

↢ 7 ↣

  there's s o m e fluff okay it's really cute 

---

     "Somber boy, hold me close. Somber boy, you're far too near. Come, pretty boy, give me a rose soft as cashmere. Tenderly, with our love and the stars above, you'll run away with me. Oh, my darlings, find your wings and fly free." I sing along with the Andrews Sisters in the backseat of the rusty, orange truck Charlie bought for Bella. Another summer day waning down, another summer day spent alone. I keep humming along to the ballad, relaxing on the relatively comfy cushions and increasingly intense warmth. Cracking open the window causes the sun's rays to beat down harsher than ever, but the uncomfortable heat is much appreciated after yesterday's events. 

     I wish I could visit Seth, the friendly soul who could potentially be my first friend here, but Mom and Charlie are at work, leaving me alone with a house full of nothing and a car I'm unable to drive. Slumping in my seat, I close my eyes and imagine sitting at the table eating lunch with his benign family, minus his prickly, overprotective sister Leah, and watching Seth scarf down an insane amount of burgers and fries like every teenage boy ever.  I can visualize myself being stiff as I'm welcomed before I enthusiastically walk around the reservation as Seth attempts to be a funny tour guide. He'll take me to the beach to watch the sunset, an overly romantic gesture too cliche for its own good that somehow fits his personality to a tee, and end up nervously grabbing my warm hand in his own like it's a first for him. I'll smile at his clumsy, bashful actions like I am now and assure him everything's okay in order to calm him down, yet he'll still remove his hand, and I'll only take and hold it again in response. 'You're cute,' I'll say, and he'll be red-faced and tongue-tied, trying to hold his emotions all in and not 'gahhhh,'  overcome with delight. 

     I'll push him into the numbing ocean waters while he's wonder-struck, shocking him into promptly enveloping me in a back hug as he drags me all the way down to the shallow bottom. Shrieking and splashing around, we'll end up having a blast of fun before ending up getting chastised by his parents and mine. Still, we'll grin mischievously at each other as I depart with borrowed clothes and dripping hair tangled haphazardly with sand stuck in it. 

     I sigh and stop daydreaming to see the clouds coming in, no doubt of the prospect of rain within hours, or even minutes. As I expected, raindrops are quick to cover the ground, making it slick and oil-like. The sound of water pit-pattering on the top of the truck's cab soothes me knowing I have something protecting me today. It doesn't take long for me to doze off in comfortable isolation, nothing but music helping me brave through Forks. 

     "How come I didn't know until know?"

     "It's complicated, Bella. She...she's living with us." 

     Distant voices cause me to stir awake, and I blearily open my eyes as they approach. 

     "But you're not even married to her," a female voice reasons, tinged with perplexity. 

     "I know, but Alex is a great woman, and her daughter's also very nice." Charlie responds pacifically. My guess is that Bella has arrived. 

     "She has a daughter?" The person I assume is Bella seems more overwhelmed than upset.

     "Delilah's 15, and she moved here a week ago, so she's new to Forks, too. I hope you two can get along as you get adjusted living here. It wasn't easy for her either."

     "Yeah, well, I might be nicer if you had told me about your new family before I packed my bags and flew up all the way here," she says sardonically. It's a low blow, and I'm sure Charlie is hurt by that remark, but heels scrape gravel and silence falls, no reaction coming from him. 

     "Well, how do you like your homecoming gift?" With a sharp pat to the edge of the truck bed, Charlie steers the conversation to a lighter, less serious topic. 

     "Wow! Dad, I love it! Thanks!" Bella gets distracted by the truck and I slouch further down in relief that a terse topic has been avoided. 

     "I'm glad you like it," Charlie says, relaxing at the shift in mood. Keys jingle and the driver's door opens, letting Bella slide into the front. 

     "This is perfect!" she exclaims, looking around the interior. She turns and spooked, she screams for a split second. 

     "Woah, honey. Is everything all right? You know, it's old, so there are probably some insects around," Charlie speaks as he peers into the truck. 

     "Dad! There's a girl in the back!" Bella looks at me, dumbfounded. I grin sheepishly and give a halfhearted wave. 

     "Oh, that's just Delilah," Charlie dismisses her concern. "Delilah, meet my daughter Bella. Bells, meet Delilah, my girlfriend's daughter." 

     "Hi. I'm Delilah, but I prefer Lila," is all I say as she stares at me, still slightly scared from the surprise. 

     "I'm Bella..." she utters after a while, and we shake hands politely but uncomfortably. 

     "I guess we're living together now, huh?" 

     "Yeah," she nods slightly. 

     "You wanna watch B-grade horror films after you unpack?"

     "Sure? I mean, there's nothing else to do." 

     "Look, Charlie. Aren't you glad we're bonding already?" Bella and I both grimace as I say it, cringing, and laugh at each other's faces afterwards. 

     "Non-related acquaintances that may be sisters soon?" I ask as I hold out my pinky. 

     "Non-related acquaintances that may be sisters soon." Bella agrees and links my finger with hers. 

     "Sweet." 

--

Disclaimer (bc people are gonna jump on me if I don't): I don't own Twilight, it's characters, plot, or dialogue. What I do own is everything else that drives this fanfiction. 

this is cute I live for sisterly interactions between Lila and Bella 

k bye