sparks fly~ paul lahote

ⅹⅳ. lunchroom gossip and motorcycle crashes

At school, the next day Diana was sure the minutes turned into hours. Mike had been shamelessly flirting with her, Angela and Eric had talked her ear off about the paper, and Jessica had asked if she would go shopping with her this weekend. Meanwhile, as all of this talking went on around her, Diana was stuck in her own thoughts... thoughts about Paul.

She was torn. She had loved Christopher so much, losing him took a toll on her, a wound that cut so deep she worried if she would ever forget it. She didn't necessarily want to forget him, but the pain of losing him. She wanted to be able to move on, Sam was right; this was her second chance. Paul was her second chance and she wanted nothing more than to be happy with him.

There was a lot of pain, she felt as though she were drowning in it, but there was even more anger. It was those damned wolves who took her mate in the first place, if not for them she'd still be happy. She felt that it was all very ironic. The same thing she hated, the people that stole her happiness, would be the people to bring it back? She cursed to herself and tried to zone back in on her conversation with Bella.

At lunch, Diana caught Bella staring longingly at her friends' table. Diana knew how much she missed them, how normal they made her feel.

"Let's sit over there today," Diana suggested. Bella smiled slightly and nodded.

The duo moved over to the table and sat down. Their friends took note, but kept talking, "I'll kill Tyler if he gave me his flu." Jessica complained.

"It's going around," Angela chimed in, "My sister was so sick she couldn't come on our hike this weekend... so she didn't see it."

"Ange," Eric muttered, "-maybe you should keep that to yourself."

"We saw something, Eric." She insisted.

Eric nodded, hurriedly, "I believe you."

"No he doesn't," Jessica butted in, "-he's just trying to get lucky."

Eric was suddenly hopeful, "Is that an option?"

Angela ignored him, "It was jet black and huge; on all fours, it was still taller than a person. A bear maybe." Diana's eyes widened.

"Or bigfoot," Jessica joked.

"Or an alien. Lucky you didn't get probed." Mike added.

Or a werewolf, Diana thought to herself. Angela got quiet, and Diana noticed the look of fear in her eyes, "We saw it." She said softly.

Bella spoke up, "You're not the only one. My dad's been getting reports at the station. A couple of hikers went missing, people are scared."

Now everyone seemed scared.

Mike decided to chime in with, "I did hear some guy talking about it at the store."

"Ha! Last time you clowns doubt my girlfriend," Eric sassed. As the conversation continues, Angela mouths 'thanks' to Bella. The two share a smile and join in, Bella becoming a part of the group again.

Diana admired the group. Friends through thick and thin. Maybe not always nice or genuine, but always there. The vampire missed that, friendship. Not many of her relationships lasted long.

She could never tell them about herself, and she either outlived them or had to run away from their questions, so, building friendships like this was never a priority on her list. She was slowly beginning to realize... maybe it should've been.

⎿✶⏋

"You look scared," Jacob commented.

"Well, I'm not," Bella shook her head. Diana could tell that her friend was lying.

They were in a large field, out at the edge of the forest, and Bella was sitting on one of the completed motorcycles, Jacob stood next to her holding the bike upright. There seemed to be an intimacy to their proximity, making Diana slightly uncomfortable. She coughed, to get their attention. Jacob cleared his throat and refocused himself.

"Brake?" He asked.

Bella tapped it.

"Clutch?"

Bella gripped it.

"You ready?"

Bella nodded and Jacob grinned, then kickstarted the bike.

"Now, slowly, release the clutch," Jacob said.

Bella did and moved forward a bit. Jacob stepped back beside Diana and Bella moved forward again. Then, she turned suddenly and her hand slipped off the clutch. The bike bucked Bella backward and fell on top of her. Jacob rushed to her aid and picked the bike up off her.

"You okay? Bruises, breaks-?" He asked, worriedly. Diana was slightly worried for the girl, but she heard no bones break so she left Jacob to the mothering.

Bella shook his worry away and rose, "I'm going again."

Jacob hesitated, "I'm not sure that's a good-" but Bella ignored Jake's protests and hopped back on.

"Guess we're going again," Jacob sighed. Diana wished he would've been less lenient, but stayed quietly seated on the tailgate as Jacob reviewed instructions, "Now, what are you going to do with the clutch?"

"Release it slowly," Bella answered.

Jacob nodded and kickstarted the bike again. Bella released the clutch, slowly at first. Then, she kept going, a little faster. Bella looked as if she might make it, for a moment... But, then she kept getting distracted; she kept looking side to side like she was seeing something, then she saw the curve in the road ahead.

"I don't-," she yelled back to her friends, "How do I turn!?"

"Bank it! Bank-" Jacob tried yelling.

"Hit the brake!" Diana screamed.

But Bella did neither of those things, instead, she lost control of the handlebars and went flying over the bike. She landed hard, hitting her head on a nearby boulder.

Diana could smell the blood and she choked on her breath. Jacob had hopped on the other bike and raced after the girl, who looked like she was struggling to sit up. Diana couldn't be bothered to move though, she thought she might kill the girl. Her blood smelt so sweet, so warm and decadent. Diana groaned and began to jog, at human speed, toward her friends.

As she approached, Jacob's firm voice surprised her, "Forget it. I'm revoking your motorcycle privileges. Man, look at your head."

Diana saw blood dripping down Bella's forehead, from her hairline. Jacob took his shirt off to wipe it up, but Bella saw Diana now, and she shrunk away.

"God, I'm sorry," she breathed. And while Diana knew Bella was talking to her, Jacob scoffed.

"You're apologizing for bleeding?"

Bella's eyes left Diana, who kept her distance, and she looked back at Jacob, "It doesn't bother you?"

"It's just blood, Bella," Jacob said, bending over her and carefully tending her head. There was a moment of silence and Bella watched carefully as he dabbed at her head with his balled-up shirt.

When Jacob caught her stare he raised a brow, "What are you staring at?"

"Jake, you're sort of beautiful. " Bella said with a dreamy sigh, still staring.

Jacob seemed surprised, but Diana chuckled behind them, momentarily distracted from the smell. Bella and Jacob shared a moment, then Jacob smiled and chuckled.

"How hard did you hit your head?" He asked. Bella blinked, then shook her head.

"Oh, yeah I-" she stuttered and chuckled at herself. Jacob helped Bella up and the trio made their way back to the truck.

"Man, I didn't even get to ride mine," Diana pouted, jokingly. She felt like she was walking a tightrope with these two. Any day now she'd be a simple third wheel. She didn't know if that scared her or angered her, regardless, she could hardly refrain from chewing her nails.