Hold Your Breath, Make a Wish, Count to Three

Bella came down the stairs with a bounce in her step. She continued to make breakfast in this surprisingly happy demeanor. Charlie entered the kitchen and attempted to hide his surprise. “So what are you up to today, Bells?” He asked poring his coffee.

“I think I’m going to hang out with Jacob again.” She softly smiled as she moved the food to the table.

He nodded sitting down. “Oh.”

“Do you mind?” Bella said pretending to worry for Charlie’s sake.

“No, no!” He said quickly, panic in his eyes. “You go ahead. I’ve got Harry coming up to watch the game, I just wasn’t sure what to do with Gabby today; she’ll get bored here with just us.”

Bella paused, she momentarily forgot about the cousin that moved in with them last night. “I’ll take her with me.” She said after a moment, thinking Gabby could keep a secret. “Maybe Harry could give Billy a ride up.” She added, the less witnesses the better.

Charlie nodded, a bit more excited now. “That’s a great idea.” The pair then heard a soft creaking in the stairs followed by quiet footsteps. “Good morning, Gabby.” He smiled toward the door.

The girl had grown a bit since Bella saw her last, but not much. Her baby face had slimmed some signally maturity and her brown curls were now much longer, cascading down her back. Lastly Bella chuckled softly at how pale the young girl was. Her ivory skin was lighter than Bella’s, but together the two girls could pass as sisters. Gabby returned the greeting with a smile, showing a row of perfectly straight and white teeth. Bella remembered Charlie saying the girl didn’t talk much.

A tug pulled at the whole in Bella’s chest when she continued to study the girl. With her natural beauty, fair skin, and perfect smile she could almost pass as a Cullen, if Bella didn’t know any better. She cleared her throat and spoke. “So Gabby, I figured you can come to the Reservation with me today, I have some friends that live there.”

The small girl tilted her head to the side slightly, pondering the idea. Finally she nodded a small, close lipped, half smile on her lips. Charlie smiled back and said, “So it’s settled then.”

*** *** ***** **** **** *** **

“Sorry about the stereo, it broke.” Bella lied, motioning to the large, gaping cavity in her dashboard. As she spoke, her eyes flickered to the girl in the passenger seat than to the road.

“I really don’t listen to much music.” Gabby softly whispered, looking down at her blue polished nails. Today Gabby painted them to match her navy sweater. A long gray scarf was around her neck, matching the gray Ugg boots on her feet. She also chose dark jeans and braided her long tresses into a singular side braid, it hitting almost at her waist. Bella nodded, musing they would get along great.

As they got closer to La Push, the rain seemed to pour down harder till finally Bella concluded it fell like water slopped from an overflowed bucket. She pulled up in front of Jake’s and cut the engine as Jake himself ran outside and met her with a black umbrella. “Hey Jake.” Bella smiled.

“Good call on inviting Billy up.” He laughed when he held his hand up for a high five and Bella struggled to reach it. “Who is this?” Jacob asked noticing the smaller girl in the truck cab.

Gabby blushed, her cheeks painted a rosy red. “That’s my cousin Gabby. I hope you don’t mind if she hangs out with us today?” She said, it sounding more like a question. Billy mentioned Charlie’s brother dying and that his kid was moving in with he and Bella.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Gabby.” He smiled widely causing her blush to only deepen. She then exited the truck, opening the cheetah print umbrella she brought with her. Gabby then continued to follow Jacob and Bella into the little red house.

Gabby decided she liked the house as she stepped inside. Jacob mumbled something about showing Bella his room leaving Gabby in the living room. A man in a wheel chair wheeled in. “Oh!” He said surprised upon seeing the small girl standing by his couch. “Hello there.”

Gabby only looked down at her shoes as the blush on her cheeks rose again. Jacob and Bella then came back into the room. “Dad don’t scare the poor girl.” Jacob said smiling.

Billy looked up at his son with wide eyes. “I only said hello!”

“Don’t take it personally, Billy.” Bella said smiling. “Gabby doesn’t really say much; she’s just a little shy.”

Gabby looked up and smiled a little at the old man. He grinned back, as another joined them. “Well you ready to go, Bill?” Harry asked entering the house. He then noticed the girls and Jake. “Wow, it’s good to see you Bella. Been a long time.”

Bella nodded. Harry Clearwater was an old friend of Charlie’s; he, Billy, and Harry all grew up together. “You to Harry.”

“You must be Gabby.” He smiled turning to the girl to his left. Gabby stared at him, her head cocked to the side. She thought this man was nice, but had an odor to him; he smelt like a fish. She then noticed the fishing lures in his hat.

After a while she nodded, smiling. “Well we outta get going.” Billy said wheeling to the door. “You kids be good.”

After they left, Bella turned to her. “Gabby, can you keep a secret.”

*** *** *** **** **** ***

When Bella said secret, Gabby wasn’t exactly thinking motorcycles. Her father had owned one but her mother never let her ride it with him. Gabby’s brow furrowed as she thought of her Mom and Dad. It hurt to think about them, but she told herself the day they died crying and pretending life was going to just stop wasn’t going to help anyone, so she just didn’t. They three had spent the day going through muddy junkyards looking for parts. They stopped for pizza on the way home, Jacob chatting to Bella on how good they did today. Gabby sat on the bar stool alone while Jake and Bella ordered.

“Don’t look so glum, chum.”

The words came from a boy man to her left. He had the same russet skin as Jake, but he stood a little taller, giant level, and his boy was filled out and muscular where as Jake’s was leaner and he referred to himself as a beanpole. This man’s hair was also cut short, sexier. He was absolutely the most beautiful person Gabby had ever seen. “Huh?” She asked dumbly, wanting to smack herself afterward.

“You look a little down.” He shrugged with a simple smile. “I’m Paul.”

“Gabby.” She whispered. “I don’t look glum, I just don’t like pizza.” She mumbled matter-of-factly, the brush on her snow white cheeks bright red.

Paul’s nose crinkled up, causing Gabby to think he was that much more adorable. “You don’t like pizza? That’s just un-American.”

“I always thought I seemed more Canadian.” She said, causing him to laugh. Her eyes widened at the words that left her lips, horrified she said that aloud.

“Anyway if you don’t like pizza, what are you doing here in a pizzeria?” He asked, smirking.

She laughed callously. “My cousin and her friend brought me; they’re getting food.”

Paul glanced behind her to see Bella with narrowed eyes, and Jacob making his way toward them. The man behind the counter at that moment yelled out. “Order for Lahote!”

Paul began to move and Gabby asked. “Is that your last name?”

“Yup, and those are my pizzas.” He said taking the four large boxes. “What is yours?”

“Swan.” She said quickly. “And you are going to eat those by yourself?”

He laughed at her once more. “No, no. My two friends and one of their fiancé’s are going to help.”

“That’s still a lot of pizza.” She mused. Paul loved how soft her voice was and how she seemed to barely speak above a whisper.

“Yeah it is.” He nodded, smiling crookedly. “Well I better go, it was great meeting you Miss Swan, and hey this is a little forward, but you want to come to a beach party with me tonight? Your cousin can come to. It’s at first beach.”

He was gone before she could even think about declining.

**** **** ***** **** *** *

“Who was that?” Bella asked once they picked a table and began eating.

“Who?” Gabby asked softly playing dumb.

Jacob raised an eyebrow at the girl before saying, “It was Paul Lahote, a guy from the Rez. He hangs around with this guy Sam. He’s like eighteen.”

“He looks older.” Bella murmured. “What he want?” Gabby nibbled softly on her bread stick, shrugging. “You talked to him, so you must know something.” Bella said playfully, surprised at how quickly she took to this ‘Paul’.

“He just talked. Actually invited us to a party.” Gabby mumbled, that Bella almost didn’t catch it.

“Really?” Bella said. “Well do you know about this party Jake? Should we check it out?”

“It’s on first beach. People from Forks will probably be there, you’ve gone to one before.” He said a little uncomfortable. He didn’t really like Paul and his friends much.

Bella remembered when she first saw Jake again and saw Sam, remember Paul was with him. “Well what do you think.”

“I’ve never been to a party.” Gabby mumbled. Where she skipped two grades, all the other kids were older and never invited her; she was the quiet freak.

“Then we’ll go.”

*** *** *** ** *** *

A vampire sat cautious in the woods carefully observing her prey, just as an expert hunter would. Bella wasn’t alone today; the dog-to-be was with her again, and a smaller girl. The scent coming from the smaller girl was intoxicating, like the scent of a flower she hadn’t smelt in a hundred years. She’d finally kill Bella as revenge for James, but this girl, she’d kill her as her next meal.

It would be hard, Victoria concluded on how weak the petite girl was, almost like a small defenseless rabbit. The small that bothered her next was of a dog, as she noticed one talking to her. She recognized him as the wolf that badly tracks her on occasion. She’s always hated werewolves, but this new girl is to be her prey because, well, she liked a challenge.

**** *** **** *** *** ***

Paul was nervous as he fidgeted and adjusted his shirt once more in Sam and Emily’s . “Calm the hell down bro.” Jared said laughing at his friend’s demeanor.

“Shut up.” Paul snapped. He was freaking out enough, without Jared’s banter.

“Oh leave him alone,” Emily, Sam’s fiancé said smiling. “It’s cute.” She said, half her face warming. Scars decorated the other half, a constant reminder to what could happen if one of them lost control. “Here, let me fix your collar.” She said, fixing it on his button down shirt. He also wore light blue, holy jeans and white sneakers. “There, you clean up nice Paul.” She smiled. It was time to get to the beach, so he and Jared bid Emily and Sam goodbye going about there way.

About an hour into the party, there was no sign of the ivory beauty he had be pinning over. “I don’t think she’s coming.” He said deflated to Jared.

“I’m sorry man.” He said shaking his head.

Paul sat down on a log by the bonfire, his head turned looking into the ocean. “This seat taken?”

He turned around quickly to see Gabby standing by him. A smile graced his lips, as he noticed he was almost taller than her sitting down. “Only if you are the one that takes it.”