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━━━━━━━━☆★☆━━━━━━━━
Bella carries her tray to an empty table but looks over at Mike, Angela, Jessica, Eric and Shelley. Bella takes a breath, then casually joins them. They take note but keep talking.
"I'll kill Tyler if he gave me his flu." Jessica says.
"It's going around. My sister was so sick she couldn't come on our hike this weekend… so she didn't see it." Angela states.
"Ang, maybe you should keep that to yourself." Eric interrupts.
"We saw something, Eric." Angela argues.
"I believe you." Eric smiles at her.
"No, he doesn't. He's just trying to get lucky." Jessica laughs.
Suddenly and hopefully Eric beams. "Is that an option?"
Ignoring him, Angela continues. "It was jet black and huge; on all fours, it was still taller than a person. A bear maybe."
"Or BigFoot." Jessica says.
"Or an alien." Shelley adds.
"Lucky you didn't get probed." Mike jokes.
"We saw it." Angela mutters quietly. She seems serious. And a little scared.
"You're not the only one." Bella speaks, noticing this as well and everyone stares at her. "Dad's been getting reports at the sheriff's station. A couple hikers went missing. People are scared. Now everyone's chilled."
"I did hear some guy talking about it at the store." Mike confirms.
"Last time you clowns doubted my girlfriend." Eric complains jokingly.
As they continue, Angela mouths 'thanks' to Bella. They share a smile and join in, Bella becoming part of the group. It's a good sign.
Soon, Jacob, the twins are currently at a forest clearing in La Push. Bella's straddling the now completed motorcycle which is aimed down a dirt road. Jacob stands next to Bella, holding the bike up. Their proximity is intimate.
Shelley is standing a few feet away from them as always. But watching them.
"You look scared." Jacob says.
"Because she is." The blonde remarks.
"I'm not." Bella lies, making the blonde roll her eyes dramatically.
Jacob runs through the instructions. "Brake?"
Bella taps it.
"Clutch?"
She squeezes the clutch, storing in her brain the name.
"Right. Gas?"
She grips the accelerator to confirm that she got it.
