IC Time: May 9, 2007
Location: The park, Cullen House
Synopsis: Esme meets the new wolf in town, gets a surprise and runs into Jacob
Submitted by: Esme
It's a typical, overcast early evening in Forks, Washington, not a single ray of sunlight able to peek through the clouds to the town and it's denizen's below. Due to the lack of sunlight, many of those denizen's are out and about, inclusive of Esme, who's now found herself seated on one of the swing's in the deserted park, as it's a common dinner hour for most humans.
"Yeah, I'll be home late." A quiet voice is accompanied by footsteps along the street leading to the park. "Stay safe." The static filled reply has the warped sound of a cellular phone. "Sure." Kaya removes the phone from her ear and clicks the 'end' button before shoving it into her pocket with more force than necessary. As she passes the fence lining the park, the girl pauses, her nose twitching and then scrunching slightly as she stands perfectly still. Her eyes move before her head does, following towards the woman seated on one of the swings. For a moment, her face goes blank, eyes showing the war of emotions within. Then, she steps into the park, blowing a few strands of short hair out of her eyes as she begins a casual approach.
Esme can't help but crinkle her nose as she catches whiff of the familiar, Quileute wolf-scent. She certainly has nothing against the werewolves, except their scent. Looking up, she spots the newcomer and smiles, offering the teen a polite wave. "Good evening," she greets.
A smirk finds it's way onto Kaya's normally composed face, perhaps in amusement at the shared response from both werewolf and vampire. She stops a distance away, a small bit of twitching in her hands showing that she isn't quite in control of herself as the rest of her may seem. "Evening." The girl's quiet voice replies, rubbing a hand underneath her nose as if trying to clear the stench, but not trying to be too impolite. "You're one of the Cullens, aren't you?" She asks after a pause, thrusting her hands back into her pockets.
Esme watches the wolf for a bit, head tilted to the side, as if examining the teen. Upon her question she nods, offering a bright smile and a laugh. "It's the eyes, isn't it? They always give us away," she states, still laughing slightly. Evidently, this amuses her. "I'm Esme Cullen, though you knew the last part."
Raising one shoulder in a half shrug, the girl leans against a lightpost. Her posture might seem almost relaxed, if it weren't for the twitching her hands still make within her pockets. "The eyes and other things…" She lifts one of those trembling hands and taps it to her temple. "I got filled in when I got here." She explains, her face seeming a bit tight. Strain. "They don't always think of you blo—" She winces and cuts herself off, gritting her teeth. "I don't get names, just pictures. Still too new to this to be in on everything." A near growl of frustration edges up from her chest before she forces it back down with some effort, eyes closing. "Kaya. I'm Kaya."
Esme listens to the teen, nodding as she does so. "Ahh, yes, I suppose you've heard from Jacob and the others," is noted with a pleasant chuckle. "Well, it's very nice to meet you, Kaya, and, you can come closer, if you wish. I promise that I won't bite," and she really means that. "You'll get to know the rest of us Cullen's over time, we're not that hard to find, just ask Jake," the woman notes with a chuckle as she pushes back in the swing, eventually letting go so that she's moving back and forth. "Where are you from? If you don't mind my asking, of course."
"The others." Kaya mumbles between her clenched teeth, taking a few deep breaths to steady and calm herself. "I hate this." She snarls under her breath, balling her hands into fists and then forcing them to relax again. As her eyes open, she seems to slip back into focus. "I'm sorry." She mutters. Apologizing to a vampire? "I'm new to this. I never used to get like this." Trying to explain, but then she shakes her head, watching Esme with curious eyes. "I know you guys aren't… bad. I get that." She trails off, as if not sure what else to say. Luckily, the direct question saves her from her own thoughts. "Portland. There's one of your kind running loose there. Killed a friend of mine. Turned me into this…"
Esme nods slightly. "You're a new… one," she says, deciding that calling Kaya a 'wolf' in public, would be a bad idea. "It's okay," the woman says in a motherly, reassuring tone. "It's a natural instinct, you're not supposed to like us, at all. We're not supposed to like you either," she points out in a gentle manner. "You're lucky, you've got Jake to look up to, he'll do a good job at keeping you in the right," the woman finally finishes, falling silent again for a few moments. "I'm terribly sorry about that. We're not all like that, fortunately. I wish this hadn't fallen on you."
"New." Kaya replies, it seems that the shorter sentences are able to come out with something closer to her normal voice. Her chest rises and falls with deeper than necessary breaths. Finally, she seems to calm a bit, although the shaking in her hands continues. "It's stupid." She mutters to herself. "Up until two weeks ago … all this was fiction." She mouths 'vampires and werewolves', but doesn't say the words out loud. "Instinct." The word comes out almost as a curse, but her face softens again, only twitching now and again beyond her control. "I see with my eyes, not theirs. You stink, but I can't hold that against you." She manages to get this much out, her voice seeming almost shy when it's not caught up in the effort at self-control. She opens her mouth, then seems to decide better of her words. "Me too. Figured you should know what's going on in Portland. Close enough it might cause trouble."
Esme laughs slightly. "Don't worry, Dear, you stink too," she points out with a pleasant smile. "It's quite alright, though, we all," she motions between herself and Kaya, indicating all 'mythological' creatures, "had to deal with it at some point in time. We weren't born this way, well, you kind of were, but my family and I…" a shrug is given and a smile. "Thank you, for the information, I appreciate it, I know my family will as well."
"I'd go back and take care of it myself but… Sam won't let me. Too dangerous." Kaya's tone takes on a slightly bitter edge, her face curling with a show of teeth that looks wholly inhuman on her features. She snaps her jaw tightly closed, and breaths in between her teeth. "I hate feeling helpless." She admits, and then lifts her gaze to look back at Esme. She lets the breath go out of her nose, slowly. Then, an amused snort follows. "Yeah, I probably do." She raises one arm of her jacket and sniffs at it before shrugging. Cautious, the girl takes a step forward, as if testing her own self-control. "So your family… how many are there?" She pauses, knowing that the question may sound suspicious. "I keep seeing faces, but the others don't like to think about you. I haven't… shared minds with Jacob yet. I keep missing him." She laughs as if such a thing were humorous somehow.
Esme nods slightly. "Sam's probably right, though. For all intents and purposes, you're young, and to go chasing after… one of us, especially one who's new as well, it's all a very dangerous affair," she points out. At Kaya's question she shrugs. "Seven, for now. Rosalie and Emmett, Alice and Jasper, Carlisle and myself and Edward," she lists each vampire off in pairs, not thinking to mention Bella in there. "Jake is a good kid, you'd learn a lot from him," she notes, smiling.
"Young isn't the half of it." Kaya replies, taking a few more steps closer, but stopping at the edge of the area surrounding the swings. "Too small to be a decent fighter, but I've got good eyes, good ears. So I listen." She seems a little irritated, but it's better under control now. It's hard to accept becoming a mythical creature, then to find out you're one of the smallest and weakest of your group of mythical creatures. "I just hope someone stops them. She had a family, you know? A kid sister who loved her, and the two best parents a kid could have." Her face seems calm, but the girl's eyes are glassy, echoing the depth of emotion behind them. She mouths the names of each of the vampires mentioned, and then nods her head. "I'll remember. Figure your diet isn't much different than mine. Just leave me a few elk, okay?" She tries to make a joke, but it comes out flat.
Esme nods, again, she's really good at listening. "I understand, you want to be able to get out there, and do what you have to do, but you're not able to, for whatever reason. You're fa… pack… won't let you step up and protect those you love," she gives, in a voice that says that, just maybe, she understands more than she's letting on. "I hope someone does as well. If they get too out of control, which I hope they don't, than it'll be up to our law enforcement, and they won't hesitate to step up," the woman notes, before laughing. "Oh, don't worry, we leave enough for your kind, we tend to take our meals out of town anyway, as much as we can, at any rate."
A white car turns into the parking lot of the park. It's a model that isn't like any around town. The front door opens and out steps Carlisle closing the door behind him. Pocketing the keys he heads into the park to try and find his wife. His movements along the sidewalk seem almost graceful, looking around he notices her off at the swings. Stepping into the grass he heads out that way briefly nodding to anyone else he may pass.
A bit of emotion slips through Kaya's careful mask, an eyebrow lifting curiously as her eyes blink. Her head tilts to the side in a fashion that reads as canine even in this human body. There is surprise there, and perhaps some sympathy. "Guess it's not something unique to my kind." She manages the smallest of smiles, the first she's really managed to make since this whole mess began. However, it falters as her eyes sweep to the white car. Her body tenses slightly as her nose burns with a second blast of that hideously sweet scent. Swallowing, the girl steps back a few paces from Esme, thrusting her hands into her pockets again.
Esme smiles slightly. "It's not, Kaya, it's something that many people feel," she notes as her gaze sweeps out towards the newest arrival. She doesn't even need to look his way to know it's him. "It's okay, Kaya, he's my husband," she offers, her smile brightening a thousand times as she jumps agilely off the swing to go and welcome Carlisle with a hug. "Carlisle, this is Kaya, she's new to the tribe. Kaya, this is Carlisle," she introduces them.
Carlisle hugs his wife gently, "Hey." he smiles brightly to her before regarding Kaya a moment. "Nice to meet you." he slips an arm around his wife. Hearing that se is new to the tribe makes him wonder a moment, interesting that seems to be new wolves all around them lately.
Kaya's body remains stiff with the exception of her trembling hands, looking between the two speculatively. After a moment, she mouths the word 'husband' to herself, trying to make sense of what she's seeing with the images of vampires from the myths she's heard, and it doesn't add up. So, like so many other things, she's forced to adjust her mindset based on what she sees, not what she's been told. "A pleasure." The words could be sarcastic, but there's too much effort there as she tries doubly hard to keep herself under control. "Didn't know blo" She clenches her teeth, and then tries again, " your kind had those kind of relationships." Apparently there's a lot this newcomer wolf doesn't know.
Esme smiles, sweetly. "She's from Portland, moved down here," she nods, gently, offering a loving look towards Carlisle, hopefully not sending Kaya into any sort of shock in the process. "Some do. We can, I think our diet allows for the relationships we have. We're a family, in almost every sense of the word," she gives with a nod. "When you get a chance, you should ask Jake, he spends a lot of time up at the house."
The expression on Kaya's face is more one of surprise rather than shock, but it passes and is quickly composed behind the calm expression that she's trained so well onto her features. An expression that doesn't reach as far as the trembling that still claims her hands and makes her pockets look as if she had a vibrating phone shoved in them. "A family." She says the words slowly, and then nods even slower. Well, if a couple of blood-suckers could find love, perhaps it's possible for a screwed-up teenage werewolf? The thought flickers in her eyes but doesn't go further. "I think I'll have a lot of questions for Jacob. Good thing he already gave me permission to pick his brain."
Esme nods. "A family. It's possible that the bond between our family is stronger than a normal human bond," she notes, gently. "Carlisle, for instance, is my soul mate, he's my life, absolutely everything to me," is noted with a chuckle. "As I said, I'm glad you have Jacob to talk to. He is a very good source of information, at least, in my opinion," Esme may be a wee bit biased.
There is something undeniable about the way that the two vampires look at each other, something that would probably set any single person's heart on edge with longing for something like that in their life. Kaya brings a trembling hand up to her chest and then nods her head, not able to find words for a moment as her brain tries to make sense of this very peculiar evening. It has been… illuminating in a number of ways, and puzzling in so many others. "Well, I shouldn't keep you two." She mumbles under her breath, but certainly loud enough for those with enhanced hearing. Rather than moving back towards the sidewalk, the wolf-girl turns instead towards the fence and the forest beyond.
Esme tilts her head slightly. "You don't have to go, Kaya. Unless Carlisle came to take me somewhere," she gives with a shrug and a laugh. "It's nice to meet you, though, say hello to Jacob for us, tell him to stop in soon, if you wouldn't mind?" she enquires in all politeness.
The girl pauses a short distance away, and then looks back over her shoulder. The faintest of smiles pulls up the corner of her mouth, but the trembling in her arms has gotten worse. "I do. Don't want to push it too much." It's a wise decision, especially as a shiver runs up her spine. "I'll make sure to let him know." She lingers for a moment longer, but it seems that the girl's self-control is at it's limit. She's still young to this life yet. "Goodnight." She manages to get out before racing towards the fence, flinging herself over with one long leap like a track runner, hitting the ground at a sprint before disappearing into the forest.
Esme sends a wave after Kaya before wrapping an arm around her husband, casting that all too loving look up at him, something most humans would probably think as sickeningly sweet, or cute, or what not. "Poor girl," she notes, quietly, as she watches the wolf take off. "I'm glad she's got Jake to look after her, she'll be okay," the woman nods her head in an affirmative motion, certain of her own words.
Carlisle just silently nods his head watching the girl take off. "I want to show you something my love." he grins and reaches into his pocket pulling out a large strip of cloth. Placing it over her eyes he ties it in the back. "Can you see anything?"
Esme blinks and turns her head up, again, before closing her eyes, easily assenting to the blindfold. "No, nothing at all," she responds, truth evident in her voice as she speaks. "What is it?" she questions, not as patient as she probably should be.
Carlisle smiles taking her by the hand, "Just trust me." Leading her out to the parking lot he stands behind her once placing her directly in front of the car. "I got you something special. I can be a little sneaky when I want to be." he says not removing the blindfold just yet.
Esme can't help the smile. "Of course I trust you, Love," she gives with a laugh as she's lead to, who knows where. "And I know you can be perfectly sneaky, downright devious, when you want to. It's a very special part of you that I love," just like every other part, of course. Esme is biased, though.
Carlisle removes the blindfold revealing a car, the exact one he found that she had upon her computer. Reaching into his pocket he then hands her the keys. "I thought it was about time you got your own car."
Esme blinks and stares at the car for a few moments, before she manages to take the keys. She doesn't go to the car, though. Instead she turns her ear to ear smile upon Carlisle and firmly wraps her arms around him. She'd probably have tackled him, if she thought she would succeed. "It's wonderful, Carlisle! You amaze me."
Jacob arrives. "Wow, who's ride is that?", he says with his eyes shining. "You shouldn't have… it's not even my birthday."
Esme offers Jake a smile. "You wish, Jacob," she gives, running a hand possesively along the vehicle. "It's mine," is that a gleeful smile on her face? Oh yes it is! This is /her/ car. Her perfect car.
Jacob beams, "Sweee-yee-eet", he says, turning the word into three syllables. "Does it have a grenade launcher installed? You know, that might not be a bad idea!" "Whoa… look at those seats!"
Esme laughs. "No, Jake, it doesn't have a grenade launcher. It's a car," she gives, "a nice, normal car," a very ostentacious, draw attention everywhere you go kinda car. "Yes, the seats, the car, it's all very, very gorgeous…"
Jacob says, "But you don't understand Esme…"
Jacob drops his voice, "You could make this thing into a frickin… tank! Think about it… safety!? Speed…. fragile humans?"
Esme chuckles, again. "I just wanted a normal car, Jake, and that's exactly what I have. I don't need a tank, I don't need a grenade launcher. Just a car, so I can stop borrowing Carlisle's," she points out, chuckling.
Jacob cocks his head, looking coy, "So… where we going?", he says, sticking out his thumb. "Can I get a ride, Mrs. Cullen.", he waggles his eyebrows up and down dramatically.
Esme chuckles. "Get in," she gives as she unlocks the vehicle and climbs into the drivers seat. "And I hope you mean my home, not yours. I can take you to the treaty line if you mean to your home," she responds, shaking her head as she grins in that cat that caught the canary manner, sliding the key in place and starting the engine.
Jacob points, "In this car… you can take me wherever you want." He hops in, commando style. "Oooh yeah… this is style."
Esme laughs as she watches Jake truly act like a teenage boy. "I forget how young you are, Jacob Black," she states as she pulls out of the parks parking lot, and takes off, at a /human/ speed, down the road, headed towards. None other than the Cullen house.
Jacob lets his hair fly! "All right…", he says, triumphant. "I hope I see someone I know…. that'd be so.. oh man."
Esme snickers, shaking her had as she listens to the wolf. "You just wanna tell everyone that you got a ride in a Mercedes, huh?" she questions with a laugh as she opts to drive around town a bit, allowing for plenty of time for Jake's friends to see him.
Jacob holds up a hand, "Excuse me? No… no no no.. I don't want to tell people I rode in a Mercedes. You mistake my /intent/ Mrs. Cullen. I want everyone I know to see me get out of this… this… this kickin ride! Oh yeah."
Esme drives the vehicle through town square a bit. "Well, if you tell me where all your friens hang out, Jake, I can arrange that for you," possibly. "And, what have I said about calling me Mrs. Cullen, it's Esme," or mom, if he truly desired, whichever he wanted use.
Jacob drops his cool for a moment, startled. "Mom…", he says quietly "Uhm… well, I'll have to ask her about that. I'm doing a vision quest this weekend. It's kind of a big deal!" "Maybe I'll see my Mom then… sometimes I do." He shrugs.
Esme smiles and moves her hand to pat Jake on his arm. "I hope you do, Jake. I bet she's a sweet woman," she notes, with a nod of her head. "She must of been, to have such a good son, like yourself," is given, the tone she uses says that she firmly believes in the words she speaks.
Jacob thinks about that, "Well.. most of the guys aren't really at a place you can get to but maybe… maybe I'll arrange a movie or something and you can chaparone and we can arrive /late/ and I can get out at the curb all… flashing all my star quality. "No red carpet though… red is unlucky."
Esme laughs. "I didn't think they would be. Now, had it been the bonfire, and I had this car, you woulda had a sweet ride there," she offers with a shake of her head. "You let me know when you decide you want to show of your connections, though, Jake, I don't mind driving around," now that she's got her own car and doesn't have to borrow her husband's.
Jacob's eyes light up, "That.. is a deal! This is my favorite car of your whole family… do you know it's got more horses under that hood than a GTO? Oh man, and the ride… coommfooor-table." "Yes!"
Esme just laughs, again. "Really, Jake. Have you been in any of the other cars in the family?" she questions with a grin. "Rosalie's car, or, Alice's Porsche, or Bella's car, what about Edward's Volvo or Vanquish, Carlisle's Mercede's," she lists them off like it's nothing. Only a Cullen could name all those fancy cars and not even blink.
Jacob shakes his head, "I've not been in any of their cars — I know a lot about their cars because… well, cars are what I know — and I do like Porche, as a brand — but.. this is… this is really something."
Esme quirks a brow. "Well, if it's something, why don't you fill me in on what it is. You're probably more of an expert than I, anyway," she responds. Though she can easily get Rose to fill her in on all the specs.
Jacob rattles off the specs like they were written on the back of his eyelids. "This… has got a 5.5 liter V8 engine. 32 valves… oh man… that means it develops about 382 break horsepower… Seven speed transmission, zero to 60 in 4.7 seconds — and…. he looks around the inside, it's fully loaded — all the trimmings. "Did you know they designed the shocks specifically for this frame so the ride would be extra quiet… did you know they spent almost eight months on that alone? The only thing is that the trunk is a little small.", he finishes.
Esme grins as she listens to Jake rattle on, eventually hitting the road surrounded by forest, that can only lead to one place. "I wonder if Rose has seen this yet. I'm sure Alice has," she gives, her foot not hitting the gas pedal, even though she does know that the car can pull the speeds her family likes. She's a fairly human vampire.
Jacob chuckles, "You have chosen… wisely."
laughs. "You only wish I'd chosen. Nope, this was all Carlisle's doing," she states as she pulls the vehicle into the Cullen garage.
Jacob arrives in the house, careful of his feet. He sits at the kitchen table, "Can we go again?", he says excitedly.
Esme shakes her head, not letting go of her new keys. Shiny. "Not right now Jake. You're like a kid in a candy store, seriously," she gives, shaking her head some more and laughing the whole while.
Jacob smiles, "That car is candy… you know how hard it is going to be for me not to borrow it?" "Can I borrow it — sometime next year, maybe when the new-ish-ness has worn off a little?"
Esme quirks a brow in Jake's direction. "You cannot borrow my car, Jacob Black," she states, shaking her head. "That's my baby. Nobody borrows my baby…"
Esme quirks a brow in Jake's direction. "You cannot borrow my car, Jacob Black," she states, shaking her head. "That's my baby. Nobody borrows my baby…" (re)
Jacob looks horribly disappointed. "Okay…", he says, looking downcast.
Currently Jake is sitting at the kitchen table thingy, begging that he should be allowed to borrow Esme's car. Esme is standing not too far away, car keys still in hand. They've both just come in from the garage.
Esme grins victoriously at Jake. "Ask Ed if you can borrow one of his cars. You might total mine if I let you out with her," she states, shaking her head, still flipping the keys around in her hand.
Rose has been out doing … whatever it is Rosalie's do when Emmett is busy playing video games. She comes in through the back window, however, dropping out of a tree right in next to the kitchen, heels clicking on the white floors.
Bella had been upstairs doing her homework and finally comes down this evening as she hears familiar voices in the kitchen. "Oh Hey Jake, thought I heard you in here." Bella says with a smile as she enters, before going over to give an embrace to Esme. As Rosalie enters she inclines her head to Rose, "How many balls today?" She says trying to be encouraging.
Jacob greets Bella, "Hey Bells… Esme's got a great new car and she won't let me borrow it." He sniffs. "Make her see reason… I've never totaled a car in my life…" "Although I might put in a grenade launcher.", he muses. "Hey Rose!", he smiles, looking more glad to see her than he really should, what's gotten into those two lately. He's eager to hear about her luck today too.
Esme smiles as both Rose and Bella enter the kitchen. "Hello girls, how were your days?" she enquires of the two, before quirking a brow at Jake. "If I even hear word of there being a grenade launcher installed in my car, Jacob, you will rue the day you ever heard the name 'Esme'," she gives in a truly evil like tone. "Yes, Rose, please, keep us updated."
Rosalie moves toward the others at their query, pausing only to drop two balls into the bucket by the back door. Yes. Rose and Jacob have been just a little odd lately. She comes into the kitchen and actually leans on his back, resting there both as she hands him a golf ball over his shoulder and after. "I only found three. Who knows if that is good or bad."
"Oh? Well I am sure its a fine car, surprised one of the family hasn't gotten one for you before now. I should have given you mine…I miss my old truck sometimes." Bella responds to the news of the car. She dips into the kitchen to get herself something to drink and looks over the counter to Jacob, "Care for something?" She asks before looking to Rosalie, "I wasn't sure if it would help if I stashed one, figured I would be a bit easy for ya…" Though Eddy did do a grab and carry run once.
Jacob doesn't object to Rose, taking her use of him as a prop in stride. "You miss your truck?", he says with a slow smile, "Yeah, another beautiful car… for different reasons." He's quick to assure Esme. "I don't know, I think three is pretty good. I wasn't exactly trying to go easy on you…", he admits saying, "Uhm, I guess if you have some apple juice I'll take some..", he says. Unlike most teenage boys Jake eats pretty well, except for the occasional nachos and pizza.
Esme finally sets the keys down, far away from Jake, to be certain. "You're doing a good job, Rose. I'll have to go and drop a few about for you," she notes, nodding her head slightly and giving Rose a proud little smile before she finds herself a place in which to sit. "Carlisle probably got tired of my constant use of his car, I wouldn't blame him," is noted with a crooked little grin and a laugh, though she makes no comment on Bella's truck. She wasn't really fond of the old clunker, herself.
Still propped on Jacob, Rosalie nods to both Bella and Esme. "It's good enough, I suppose. Who knows how many are out there. I just go in a certain direction for a while until I catch a scent. I don't know that I'm ready for you to hide one yet, Bella. I don't know your scent that well. It will just blend in with all the other humans. The balls here in the house have all been scented by Emmett." And apparently, now Jacob is getting involved too. "Forget the truck Bella. It's gone." Rose is a pretty point blank about it. Especially for someone who so clings to a human life 74 years gone.
"I reckon I felt safer in that old beast, though I am assured of the safety features in the thing I ride now." Bella says with a shrug. Maybe one day she will appreciate the contents of the garage. She reaches into the fridge before pouring two glasses of Apple juice. She glances over to Rosalie and nods, "Let me know when…I am happy to help." At the demise of the truck is talked about, Bella rolls her eyes a bit, "And even if he won't admit I think Edward might have something to do with its demise…" Though there is a touch of amusement in her voice.
Jacob isn't so amused, scowling as Edward's name is mentioned in connection with the words 'truck' and 'demise' "Well, if you don't trust me to borrow it, can I at least get a ride to the movies sometime next week. I wanna go see Spiderman 3… it just came out." Makes sense that Jacob Black would be down with Super heroes. "Remember what we talked about?" "… and I can hide some more targets for you rose." He takes the apple juice happily "All right… top down in that car, you get thirsty…" Then he takes in a breath, making a show of covering his neck with his hand, "Not that kind of thirsty though."
Esme nods towards Rose. "It's plenty good, you've been working on it for such a short time in comparison to others, Rose. I'm very proud of your efforts," she offers in the tone that implies she's being a mother at that moment in time. "And she's right, Bella, that truck is gone, thank goodness, and you're probably safer in the car than you were in the truck any day," Esme points out, logically, of course. Now, as Jacob speaks, Esme rolls her eyes. "I did say I'd give you a ride to the movies, I know you want to make your friends all jealous," and that is ammusing, of course. "Eww, Jake, you smell too horrible to even try to make a meal out of… stinky dog."
Rose pokes Jacob when he gets grouchy about the truck. "Just keep hiding the ones I return to you. That will help. And like I said, no fair hiding them across the treaty line. That is cheating." She clears her throat. "I'll take you to the movies if you want, Jacob? There is something I need to discuss with you anyway."
"I would go with ya, but exams next week Jake. Some of us go to school around here whether we like it or not." Bella says with a faint smirk at it, considering it was one condition of being turned. Well she is nearly done, she won't break the contract now. Bella looks over to Esme as she talks about how stinky he is, "Is it really that bad?" She asks with an odd hopeful lilt to her voice, "I mean, I won't be tempted after?" She gives Rosalie and Jacob a curious look at their interaction but speaks nothing of it as she takes a drink instead.
Esme shakes her head in Bella's direction. "You won't. Wolves really do smell absolutely horrible," she notes with a laugh. "Jake's okay, he still smells bad, but he's tolerable," the woman gives as she tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. "Oh, that's a good idea. Jake should go with you, Rose, then all his friends really will be horribly jealous," because no one would get jealous of him riding with Esme, except for the car, but Rose is, according to most guys, HAWT.
"Well, its not like I'm going to give him a fake smooch or anything when I drop him off. And I'm driving with the top down. Cause he reeks." Rose pushes off of him, finally, trying to avoid whatever swat might be coming. "I don't think you'll have a problem with wanting to eat him."
"Well he wants to be there…I wasn't sure if it was safe." Bella says in a low voice as she glances at Jacob then back to the vampire ladies, "Made him promise to listen to you guys on that regard." Might as well have that promise witnessed. Bella gives a little giggle at the image of Rosalie smooching Jacob, "Oh dear…" She murmurs as she as shakes her head, "That WOULD be funny…"
Esme crinkles her nose slightly. "No, it wouldn't, the only reason Rose would be doing something like that would be to attempt to kill the poor boy," is given, though this causes the woman to laugh. "Though, Rose, if he does decide to do anything to my car, you have complete and total permission to take him out, whatever means necessary," her voice is completely serious as she speaks.
"Who are we taking out?" Comes the bell-like voice of Alice, the waifish vampire arriving in the kitchen from the stairs. She smells faintly of citrus, the flavor of her shampoo. Her hair is damp and extra spiky today.
Jacob sets his glass on the counter and makes his goodbyes, an almost smug look at Bella, even if overlaid by distaste over the event. He will likely get his way on this issue, "See you later Jake." Bella says with a shooing gesture to him before looking back to Esme. "I am glad…but he is gonna rub it in I think, he was stubborn enough about it before when he thought I would try to kill him after I turned." She looks up as Alice chimes in and gives a fingerwave, "Jacob and Esme's new car…"
Esme chuckles. "He'll be safe, even if he can be annoying," is given before she raises a brow. "Jacob's car? Oh no! That's /my/ car. Jacob doesn't get to even think of driving it, otherwise I'll make sure he doesn't see the light of day again, personally," it's unfortunate that her voice is perfectly serious as she says these words. "He's a menace to my car, he won't be driving it. Hi Alice," as she greets her daughter, her voice turns from threatening, to cheery.
"The way your family drives and you are worrying about Jake? He probably would drive half the speed of Edw…never mind, take that back. He would probably try to match it just to prove he can." Bella replies with a shake of her head as she moves to sit at the table.
Esme nods. "Exactly. My car is safe with my family, not that anyone but myself will ever get to drive it," she states in a possessive manner. "Jake doesn't get to drive it, he might total it, and then I'd feel bad, since it's brand new," is given with a frown.
"And you would feel bad if he got hurt as well I am sure." Bella continues with a smile on her lips, teasing her 'mother'. "I wonder what kinda car Eddy's got for me under that sheet, he refuses to let me near it. Maybe being a vamp will give me more pleasure about cars, I honestly was happy with my beat up Chevy."
Esme shrugs. "Not if he wrecks my car, it's a beautiful car," yes, she does have a certain amount of appreciation for vehicles, especially nice ones. "That's actually a good question, Bella, he's not sharing, at least not with me," she gives with a wink and a laugh. "He probably thinks I'll tell you, though I can keep a secret," she is a mother, after all.
"It is probably gonna be one of those horrid flashy numbers in bright red or yellow." Bella says with a wrinkle of her nose. The best thing about the guardian it is a nice plain black and only car freaks really know how special it really is. She settles back in her seat and looks up to Esme, "Just have my exams to go next week…then…done! My part of the contract completed."
Esme snickers. "I don't think he'd force a flashy car on you, Bella. Alice and Rose like flashy vehicles," not that Esme's nice, sleek and white convertible is any less obvious in it's flashiness. "You're almost there, Bella. And, hey, even if you don't pass, you'll have plenty of opportunities to take the class again," go ahead, rub it in, as her and Carlisle are the only Cullen's not to matriculate numerous times.
"Well we will see…" Bella says not sounding so sure. Edward does like to collect cars. Bella nods to her words about school "And he can't even accuse me of just taking fluff courses either. I did it the hard way, of course it helped to keep my busy." Calculus, Historical Literature, Government science…and a few other fun classes.
Esme laughs. "You'll do fine, Bella. I'm sure Edward will make sure you pass your courses as much as he possibly can, without doing the work himself," she points out with a shake of her head. "I suppose you're looking forward to the wedding, as much as you can?" she questions, with an upraised brow.
"I suppose so…It is not like I have to do anything but show up and not fall on my face. Alice is taking care of everything else." Bella says though its not a complaint, she is more or less content with the arrangement. If its a fiasco Edward will kill Alice, what’s there to worry about?
Esme smiles and moves to pat Bella's hand. "You won't fall. You're father will be there, won't he? He'll keep you on your feet, at least until you make it down the aisle to Edward's side, and then you'll never have to worry about tripping and falling again," is offered.
"Maybe I can get dressed in the study…no stairs." Bella says hopefully before glancing to the hallway, "Though I rather think Alice will want the best entrance possible…" She gives a helpless sigh and a shrug. "Yeah my dad will be there…"
Esme snickers. "I highly doubt that that would work, Bella. Alice will, as you said, likely want you coming down the stairs, so she won't allow you to change in the study. And, since Alice has this all planned out…." not that the pixie won't get two or three more weddings to plan.
Esme gets to her feet and smiles. "Take care, Bella, and make sure you get some sleep, you can't be fully coherent," she states, before she exits the kitchen, making her way up the stairs, likely to the room she shares with her husband.
