Twilight - Fire & Ice

Jackson

After school had ended, Jessica, Eric, Mike, Tyler, Angela, Bella and myself hung out by our vehicles talking about a trip to La Push to do some surfing. Since I already made plans with Alice I quickly declined, while Bella accepted the offer.

Once everyone who was going was satisfied with the plans for the weekend, one by one they began to leave. I got into my 'stang and waited for Bella who was saying bye to Angela and Jess. Then finally we were on our way home.

"So, what do you think of our new friends?" I asked as I turned onto the main road that ran through town.

Bella who was already reading on the English assignment glanced up, staring out the windshield. "Uh, they are nice. I like Angela."

I rolled my eyes. "You know we've already read that book like five times since we've started middle school. So why are you reading it again?"

She shrugged her shoulders as she flipped the book over in her hands to look at it. "I like this book."

"Of course you do, it's a great book but do you really want to be reading it?"

She silently shook her head before going back to her book.

My sister intrigued me with her low maintenance personality. She seemed easily fascinated by just about anything. I was the same, to an extent but when it came to books I could never read a story more than twice.

Ten miles later I pulled into the long drive that led up to our home. Our father was out front sweeping the porch as we pulled up. He smiled and waved when he saw us.

Parking, I got out of the car and grabbed my back pack before I walked over to my father and gave him a hug. He kissed me on the cheek and then turned to do the same to Bella who gave him an awkward one-armed hug.

Bella isn't a physical type of person, even as a kid. To her, when it came to affection and touch, less was more.

"How was your day girls?" My father asked as he continued sweeping.

"We made some friends." Bella replied before heading inside.

Dad watched Bella enter the house and gave an eyebrow raise at me before leaning the broom up against the house.

"Did everything go alright together Soph?" My father asked.

I nodded my head. "Yeah, she is fine. Today she got set an assignment for a book she really likes. She was already four pages in by the time we pulled onto the drive."

Dad always worried about Bella because she kept to herself a lot, didn't talk much and rarely complained. When comparing to me, she was too tame.

"What about you, how was your day?"

I smiled. "Since you asked daddy," I began in my sweetest voice. ",I was wondering if Friday Alice could spend the night and then Saturday we can go into Seattle to do some shopping."

"Well," My dad ran his fingers across his mustache. "It is the first week of school, and you are just getting settled in."

I frowned.

"But, I will definitely think about it and let you know."

That was my dads way of saying 'I will say yes but I don't want you to think you will always get what you want.'

"Alright." I smiled before giving my father another hug and kiss and then heading inside.

My father followed behind me and went straight for the living room where he took a seat. Respectably I got him a beer out of the fridge and popped the top before taking it to him. The second it was in his hands it was to his lips.

"Thanks Sophers." He said before turning his attention back to the television.

I went back into the kitchen and grabbed a carrot from the fridge and sat on the counter to begin eating it. Just as I took my first bite Bella walked in and started pulling pots and pans from the island cupboard.

"Don't eat too much it will spoil your appetite." she said to me.

I rolled my eyes. "Bella, I'm not an infant, you don't need to remind me."

She grinned before pulling thawed chicken breast out of the fridge along with some vegetables that were skinned and diced.

"Uh, Bella..." I began.

Before I could get another word in she lifted up the ziplock that they were stored in and revealed a second bag of vegetables underneath that were also cut but unskinned.

She glanced up at me. "What is it?" she asked as she began seasoning the skinned vegetables.

I shook my head. "Nevermind."

"You thought I forgot didn't you?" She asked me.

I smiled.

"You know I've been cooking for you, mom and myself since I was able to reach the stove. I know your eating preferences like the back of my hand." she said smugly.

She gave me a half grin as she pulled out a thin baking sheet and spread out the unskinned vegetables before showering them lightly with coconut oil and sea salt.

"Sorry for doubting you." I chuckled.

Bella laughed. "You say that every time."

"Well, we are human and humans can make mistakes." I reminded her.

"Yes, indeed."

That was the last thing Bella said before she gave her full attention to her cooking. I decided to leave her to her thing and I went upstairs to my bedroom. I smiled as I shut my bedroom door and began undressing out of my outfit.

Don't get me wrong, I love looking great but that always came with a cost and that cost was comfort. Whenever I was home I liked to be comfortable. But even when it came to comfort I did my best to make sure my comfort looked good.

I hung my worn outfit on a hang and hung it on the left side of my closet. That was my 'dirty laundry' side. I had my own system when it came to dirty laundry. I always hung my outfits back up because my outfits were outfits, I liked to keep them together. I had a basket for my soiled bra's, a basket for my socks which I folded together so I never lost any, and a basket for my underwear.

Whenever I did a load of laundry I washed each separately in order to keep from mixing of germs from various body parts. Socks washed alone, underwear washed alone, bra's washed alone and outfits, I did five outfits per load to make sure I got them clean.

The idea of germs disgusted me.

After I put away my dirty laundry to its appropriate place I slipped into a pair of grey yoga pants, a sports bra and a slim-fit burgundy t-shirt.

This was my comfort.

Grabbing my I pod and my yoga mat I went out onto my balcony and set up to do some yoga and Pilates to unwind for the day. This was how I kept my mind at ease, stayed fit and made sure I stayed flexible.

I had just came out of my sun salutation and went into my warrior pose when a familiar bronze male popped out of the woods and began running this way.

Finishing my stretch I stood up straight and waved as I realized it was none other than Jackson.

"Hey Jack-Jack." I teased as he came up the stairs to the balcony.

I held out my arms and we exchanged a warm embrace.

"Hey Sopher's." He teased back.

I scrunched my face up in displeasure at the memory that accompanied the dreadful nickname that I was given as a child.

"Hey, come on now." He said before he pulled me back against his chest. "I was just playing."

I wrapped my arms around him and smiled against his chest. "I know, and so was I."

Jackson and I had a very gentle companionship. We were affectionate in means of hugs and long embraces only because we were so close. He was my best friend.

As kids we would always be by each others sides as playmates. When his mother died I was there as a shoulder to cry on or a confidant. As preteens we grew closer but in a sense of wanting to protect each other. Now that bond between us was stronger than one could imagine.