Chapter 6:
Reservations for Reed

Stress wasn't a strong enough word to describe Hunter at the moment. Bella refused to describe what kind of "errands" she needed to run today, she only dragged Hunter along.

They ended up at a junk yard where Bella snagged two very rustic and ugly dirt bikes. There was room for speculation in Hunter's mind but she didn't think too much of it.

It was only when the dull red truck drove past their home, when Hunter knew exactly where they were going. She had no idea when exactly Bella started liking dirt bikes but it was definitely an act.

"Bella, turn this car around." Hunter said, gripping her seat. The truck was speeding down the road, up hills, and around corners. They were getting closer and closer to the location. "You know I'm not welcome there."

Bella rolled her eyes and adjusted her grip on the wheel, "Relax, I checked if anyone was home." Hunter said nothing in response, her witty comments sliding back down her throat.

The truck finally slowed and the sight of the little red house in the middle of the field appeared. They reached the reservation. Without even squinting her eyes, she caught sight of Jacob right inside the garage, his usual spot.

Bella stopped the truck right in front of the house and quickly jumped out. "Bella," Jacob called out, "Where've you been loca?" He beamed, engulfing her into a hug.

Hunter groaned at the sounds of their giggles and took a deep breath, deciding that it was time to reveal herself. She slipped out of the car and strolled over to them.

Once Jacob noticed her, his smile fell. She pursed her lips at that and shoved her hands in her leather jacket's pockets. The way the left things before wasn't that great, terrible in her mind.

He was only mad at her because she chose a random boy over him and she didn't think that was a big deal, which made it worse. But she was still oblivious to how he felt.

Bella noticed the tension and cleared her throat, sending Hunter a silent apology, "I don't know where I've been, uhm." She chuckled, scratching the back of her head. "But I brought you something."

Jacob finally tore his eyes away from Hunter and brought them back on Bella. She clicked open the trunk, "It's a little crazy." She pulled the tarp off the two dirt bikes and Jacob's face lightened.

"Wow," he started, slapping his leg, "Scrap metal. You shouldn't have."

Bella ignored his joke and smiled brightly, like she had been wanting this all her life, "I saved them from the junk yard. They'll probably cost more to fix than they're worth. Unless I had a mechanic type friend to help me."

Hunter awkwardly leaned against the truck, her feet kicking at the dirt beneath her. It felt odd to be back on the reservation after all these months. It was eerily silent other than the two conversing beside her.

Billy wasn't here and neither was the Uley pack, it only made this all the more nerve wracking for her. They could come back at any minute. Would they attack her? Kill her? Would Jacob help her?

Her thoughts were interrupted when Jacob stood next to her and pulled the rest of the tarp off the bikes. She stood up straighter and nearly twisted her ankle trying to move out of his way. "Oh- sorry-" she mumbled with a wince.

He simply ignored her. "Oh be careful, those things are actually heavy so-" Bella was cut off when Jacob lifted the first bike off the trunk with ease, his arm muscles flexing as he did so.

Hunter raised her eyebrows and felt her cheeks burn. Jacob gained some meat on his bones during the time they were apart, it was obvious. Bella chuckled, "Jake you're like buff. How did that happen? You're like sixteen, I don't get it."

He scoffed, "Age is just a number baby. What are you like forty now?" He wheeled the bike away and Hunter watched Bella's face grow a bit worried, Jacob's words doing more damage than it should've.

Hunter nudged her arm and motioned her to follow Jacob into the garage. "It feels like that sometimes." Bella replied, snapping back to reality.

Hunter slowed down, an overwhelming sense coming over her. Her eyes travel to the far end of the field where angry and disappointed eyes stared back at her. Three figures, all shirtless, the Uley pack.

Her eyes lock onto Sam's and for a second, the world had gone silent. She could feel his emotions like they were raindrops. After a few lingering seconds, she pulled her eyes away from his and followed Bella and Jacob into the garage.

____

The rest of the day was spent in Jacob's garage. Hunter sat in an old lawn chair on the far side of the garage, away from the other two who had no problems engaging in their own conversation. One thing that bothered her a lot was how they didn't include her. Sure she was too anxious to speak up, especially now that Jacob practically ignored her existence, but it would've been nice to be acknowledged.

Hunter lifted her eyes off her fingers when the calming tune Jacob had presented to them, was switched off. "That song's good," Jacob started, quickly looking between Bella and the dirt bike he was fixated on. "You don't like it?"

Bella made her way around him and plopped down on a seat right beside him, "Uhm, I don't really like music anymore. I guess." Hunter rolled her eyes and continued to pick at her nails, dirt lining the inside of them.

    "Okay, no more music." He replied, focusing on screwing a bolt in. Hunter watched how Bella lingered behind him, how anxious and eager she was, it was odd. Bella had never been a thrill seeker but if she had to guess, it definitely had something to do with Edward.

She couldn't blame her. When her dad died, she became a completely different person. All the things she used to enjoy became things she hated, everyone she used to hang out with, she cut them off.

Grief and depression can do that to a person. Any great loss can change your life.

   "If we're going to be doing this every day, and I hope we will, we have to like fit some homework in there. I don't want Billy to think I'm a bad influence on you." Bella laughed, leaning closer to watch Jacob work his magic.

Jacob halted his movements and looked back at the dark haired girl, "You influence me? Please." Bella furrowed her eyebrows, "Are you- I'm older than you, so that makes me the influencer and you the influencee."

A laugh rumbled through his chest, "No, no, no, my size and knowledge base actually makes me older than you. Because of your general paleness and lack of know-how."

Hunter gripped the arm rests of the chair tightly and sucked in a breath. Bella dragged her along for what? Clearly she was unneeded. She just remained in a corner, far away from them, and neither of them have muttered a word to her for the entire time they've been there. It was painful.

There was knock on the door followed by a young voice, "Yo Jake, you in there?" Hunter sat up straighter instinctively, afraid that she might get in trouble for being here, no doubt she would.

   "It's alright, it's just my boys." Jacob assured, sending Hunter a look. She pursed her lips in response. That was the first time he looked at her.

Two slender boys strolled in, one of them was short and stocky with short hair while the other was a bit taller and laid back with chin length hair. The shorter one sent her a glare, it didn't last long but it was enough for her to receive the message. She was unwanted.

Hunter tightened her hold on her chair, she could feel the plastic beginning to bend. Every second she spent on the reservation seemed to last an eternity. The want for tension-free air was growing stronger and stronger.

   "Hey Jake." The tall one spoke, sharing a smile with the shorter one when they noticed Bella. Jacob got up from his seat, "Hey guys, this is Bella and Hunter. Guys this is Quil and Embry."

The shorter one, Quil, spoke, "So the bike building story is true."

Bella smiled, "I taught him everything he knows."

   "What about the part where you're his girlfriend?"

The plastic arm rests on the lawn chair snapped off and all eyes turned to her. Hunter fell out of the chair, knocking over a box of tools on the way. The loud metal clanged onto the ground along with her and she groaned.

Her cheeks burned red and her lips folded together inside of her mouth. Embarrassment was an understatement and the timing couldn't have been worse.

She reluctantly glanced up at everyone who watched her with amusement. "Sorry." She whispered, pushing herself onto her knees, "I'll clean this up. You jus- yeah."

She tilted her head so her hair would cover her face and she opened her mouth, mimicking a silent scream. Her hands moved quickly, shoving the rusty, and quite dusty, tools back into the box they were previously in.

They continued their conversation. "Uh, we're friends." Bella replied, gathering herself from Hunter's mishap.

The two boys giggle, "Ooo burn."

   "Actually, remember I said that she's a girl... and a friend." Jacob scrambled, desperately trying to save himself. Hunter bit her lip at this. Did Jacob really tell people that Bella was his girlfriend?

Quil snickered, "Embry do you remember him making that distinction?"

   "Nope."

Bella noticed Jacob's embarrassment and swooped in, "So you guys have girlfriends, that's awesome." Jacob laughed loudly at this, "Yeah right. Quil has actually taken his cousin to prom."

Hunter lifted the box and placed it back on the table it was on before awkwardly shoving her hands in her pockets, wanting nothing more than to disappear.

Embry chuckles at his friend before Quil scoffs, "Yeah that's still a riot. You want funny Black? I'll give you funny." Quil makes a run at Jacob and a  playful scuffle ensues. Embry, amused, saunters over to Bella, "I got five bucks on Quil."

Bella eyes the two boys wrestle and she laughs, "You're on."

Hunter watches on, a gut feeling wrenching in her stomach. She didn't belong here, she could feel it. Even when it was just her Bella and Jacob, she was the odd one out. She was the traitor, the cold one, an abomination.

These were the people her father wanted her to be with, their kind. But it was too late.

____

The next two weeks flew by. Bella dragged her to Jacob's everyday after school and she had no choice but to comply. She didn't mind it though especially since she was trying to avoid Winston who was still attempting to heal their relationship.

Hunter ended up telling Bella about him. About everything from how they met to how his eyes glimmered even without any sunlight. It was safe to say that Bella supported the relationship, claiming that it's good for her to get back out there and find real happiness.

Hunter left out the part where she's been staying up all night and all day to avoid the nightmares she's had and how she's seeing more of her mother everytime she closes her eyes. There was no need to worry her.

Jacob has been warming up to her since she's been in his presence for longer than he was expecting. However, they still had a bit of tension which Bella noticed.

The bike was almost complete and Hunter had contributed to absolutely nothing. All she had been doing for the past weeks was sitting against the wall, doing homework, and re-reading old newspapers that were stacked up next to her.

Only once or twice, Hunter had to flee from the reservation to avoid Jacob getting in trouble. But most of the time, Bella always called ahead to make sure that her undead friend was allowed to come.

Today Hunter remained outside the garage. She wasn't in the mood to listen in on Jacob flirting with an oblivious Bella. He constantly touched her, whether it'd be playful or affectionate it was effortless in contrast to Edward's intense restraint. She could almost see Bella's spirits being lifted.

She layed in the trunk of the truck, her eyes watching the light grey clouds swim across the baby blue she almost never sees. It was times like this when she really missed the sunlight. The way it warmed her skin and made the whole world brighter. She was definitely a day person now.

Hunter heard footsteps approaching and she moved onto her elbows, watching Jacob and Bella exit the garage. "Quil keeps asking to come over, I think he likes you a little too much." Jacob laughs.

   "Oh." Bella replied, "Well I mean I'm not really into the whole cougar thing you know?"

They both giggle and Hunter fully sits up, letting her feet dangle of the truck. "What's up with you and age? I mean how old was that Cullen guy anyway?"

When the words slipped out of his mouth, he instantly regretted it. Hunter watched Bella carefully and sighed when she could see the light behind her eyes switch off again.

Jacob was good for her, but he wasn't enough.

That night Bella had a nightmare. She screamed at the top of her lungs, her mind creating the most terrifying pictures she's ever seen. Her biggest fears becoming a possibility. Hunter knew what this was.

She knew Bella couldn't escape from Edward haunting her. No matter what she did during the day to distract herself from him, when she was alone at night, there were no distractions.

Charlie would tend to Bella whenever she woke him up with her screams while Hunter just sat by her window, staring off into the night.

The sound of her housemate's screams really affected her. It sounded as if she was dying and it terrified her. But she just couldn't look at her. To see the fearful eyes of Bella Swan would set her off. It only enraged her hate for Edward.

When 8am rolled around, Hunter was almost done cleaning the truck. After Bella had fallen back to sleep last night, she didn't have much to do so she just started cleaning up around the house.

She sprayed cleaner on her rag and began to wipe down the headlights. The sound of a car approaching caught her attention. Glancing up she noticed a shiny black truck slowing down. She ceased her cleaning and leaned against the front of the truck, her arms instinctively crossing across her stomach.

The car stopped and a figure emerged. It was Winston.

   "What are you doing here." Hunter sassed, her face unamused in contrast to his. He bared a small smile, happy that he caught her on this early Saturday morning.

He shut his car door and strolled over to the curb, his feet stopping just before. He wasn't completely sure if he should get any closer to her, he didn't want to cross any boundaries. "Hey, I uh remembered your address. I wanted to see you."

Hunter ignored the loud beating of her heart and shrugged her shoulders, "Well you saw me. Goodbye now."

She stood on her feet and started walking to the side of the house. Winston sucked in a breath and held his hands out, though her back was already towards him. He wanted to chase after her so bad but he figured it'd be best to wait here.

Hunter sighed and twisted the hose onto the water source on the ground. She couldn't believe that he actually showed up. She hadn't seen him since Thursday at school but she didn't give him the light of day.

Sure she was being a bit hypocritical but she wanted to give him a taste of his own medicine. She wanted him to chase after her this time and it seemed to be working.

She turned on the water and carried the hose all the way back to the front yard where Winston still stood with a smile. She had to admit that it was hard to fight back her own smile, he was just so contagious.

But she held it back and began to spray the truck with water. "Still here." She mumbled loud enough for him to hear.

He nodded and bounced on his feet, "Sure am." He watched the dry parts of the truck change to a fuller shade of red once the water touched it and grew anxious, "Can we talk? Again?"

Hunter eyed him and slowly rounded the car, making sure to rinse every part of it. "What else is there to say Forge?"

   "That I'm sorry for ignoring you for three months, I'm sorry I got mad at you for pouring yogurt on Briana and Gwen, I'm sorry for defending Briana and Gwen, and I'm sorry for messing with your emotions even though that wasn't my intentions." He finished his rant and Hunter nodded her head slowly.

She was happy that he apologized, it was soothing actually. She was glad that he knew that all of this was his own doing. Winston watched her with anticipation, waiting for her to say something in response.

She stopped spraying the car and walked back to the side of the house. He blew out a heavy breath and ran his hands through his hair spastically. He was afraid that she'd make him leave or say that she didn't care anymore. He was afraid that he had already ruined their friendship beyond repair.

Hunter sashayed back and picked up her rag again, "Okay." She simply replied. His eye twitched slightly and his mouth opened and closed, "Okay?"

She shrugged her shoulders and began to dry off the truck, "Yeah, apology accepted." The sounds of the birds chirping made him itch, he so badly wanted to touch her, to be closer to her.

So he did. With one deep breath, he lifted his foot and stepped onto the lawn. Before he could even stop himself, he was already in front of her.

Hunter's breath hitched and she backed away slightly. In that second they were basically touching chests. She could feel his breath, hear his heartbeat. This is the closest they've been in months. Neither of them would admit it but being this close was healing, it was intoxicating.

   "That's it? Okay?" He whispered, his eyes watching her timid brown ones. Hunter avoided his face and suddenly grew interested in her worn out converse. She has been the same size since middle school, six and a half. "You don't have anything else to say?"

She looked up, her eyes erasing any emotions, "I accepted your apology, what more do you want?" She walked away from him and moved to dry the other side of the truck.

This didn't stop him though, "I want us to be cool. For things to go back to the way they were." He followed her everywhere she went, watching her, waiting for her response.

   "We are cool Winston." She replied, "I just don't think it'll be like how it was before."

He bit his lip and stopped lingering behind her. He had a feeling that she'd say that. He regretted ignoring her because of she defended herself, it only seemed to backfire on him.

There were so many nights where he paced his room with his phone open, ready to dial her number. But so many times, he convinced himself not to call her. He made it seem like she was a monster when she wasn't. She was, based on only three days of knowing each one another, the best person in his life.

He jumped forward after much thought, "Let me make it up to you."

Hunter shut off the water valve and tossed the hose aside, raising her eyebrows at him, "Make it up to me? What