Sunrise

3

Kari's worries were for nothing. Though Bella was back and Jacob clearly had new feelings for the older girl, they didn't see her much. Billy had insisted on going to watch the game with Charlie after the television mysteriously broke, claiming he had some of Harry Clearwater's fish fry to take over anyway. Kari tagged along. Her mom worked a lot and Sam was always with Emily now, so there wasn't anywhere else for her to go. Jacob was practically bouncing in his seat as they made the drive to Forks. They parked on the street and made their way up to the porch before waiting in the rain.

"Oh, hey," Bella said as she walked up from her truck. "Charlie's still working."

"We know," Billy said. His smile turned to one of teasing. "Jacob here wanted to come see you, and I brought some of Harry's fish fry for Charlie."

"I hope you haven't been out here long," Bella mused. She unlocked the door and ushered everyone inside. "I would've been here sooner if I'd known you were coming."

"We should have called," Kari said kindly. "Didn't school end a while ago?"

Bella nodded. "I was with someone. Why don't you guys make yourself at home? I'll be right back."

Kari wandered into the house and sat on the couch, Jacob next to her. Billy immediately turned to the channel for the game he wanted to watch. Bella was back quickly, taking the food Billy had brought and putting it into the fridge for Charlie.

"So how have you been Bella?" Jacob asked eagerly.

"Good," she answered. The girl sat in the armchair. "I've managed to make a few friends, if you can believe it."

"I've heard the kids in Forks are nice," Kari said. "Not that I really know any of them at all."

Bella shrugged.

Kari decided to see how far she could push it. "Have you met anyone particularly interesting?"

Bella's blush confirmed it. "Um, well, actually yeah. I started dating this guy at school. He's really great."

"Really?" Jacob butt in. "Who?"

"Edward Cullen," Bella admitted. She almost sighed in relief when Charlie walked through the door then.

Billy's face had turned hard and Jacob's shocked. Kari kept herself composed. If Bella wanted to associate with those freaks, let her. Kari certainly wouldn't stop her. Perhaps she would've been more concerned if she believed the stories and legends the way her brother and Billy did.

The evening quickly took a turn when Charlie greeted Billy and they talked for a while. Jacob sat, trying to hide his sulking, and Kari let the conversation between her and Bella die out. Billy looked at the girl pointedly as they left that night. "Take care, Bella."

Bella had only nodded.

"I can't believe she has a boyfriend," Jacob said sullenly in the garage the next day.

"Seriously?" Kari asked. She rolled herself out from under the Rabbit. "Are you going to help me or do I get to keep the car in the end?"

Jacob rolled his eyes. "I'd have to fix all your mistakes anyway."

"Why do you care so much about Bella?" Kari asked. "You haven't seen her in, what? Ten years?"

Jacob shrugged. "It was just kind of nice to see an old friend, you know? Rachel and Rebecca don't come around much and you can only handle so much of Quil and Embry at a time. It was nice to change things up."

"What am I?" Kari asked. "Chopped liver?"

Jacob laughed, though it didn't go deeper than the surface. "No. You're my best friend. Nobody could ever replace you. I don't think anyone could handle me the way you do."