Chapter Seven: Repetition (Meyer's title seems appropriate)

Bella decides to drive out to the Cullen residence. Why, after all this time? Who knows -- Bella's mind doesn't work like yours or mine. She thinks that maybe she'll hear the Voice of Edward again if she finds the place.

She gets there, nothing happens. Okay.

Then she goes over to hang out with Jacob, who's busy fixing up the bikes. Jacob is afraid Bella is only using him for the bikes, so Bella agrees to hang out during non-motorcycle activities too, like doing homework. The two basically hang out every day now. Bella's entire life is Jacob and school, and school bores the crap out of her. She really needs to learn how to be a little more well-rounded -- these all-consuming relationships can't be healthy.

After a few days of this, Bella gets the call from Jacob she's been waiting for: the bikes are ready to go! Now the clumsy girl with no motorcycle experience can finally get around to hurting herself again. On their way to a spot where they can ride the bikes away from prying eyes, Bella spots another way to injure herself; some of the La Push kids like to dive into the Pacific off of obscenely high cliffs.

Actually, that little group is known as the La Push gang. Not really a gang; as Jacob puts it, they're "hall monitors gone bad." They're all about keeping it real for the Quileutes, kicking meth dealers off their land and having some tribal pride, and generally doing the kinds of things you'd expect from an after-school special. Still, Jacob seems to think there's more to it than that, and he doesn't like them one bit. What really bothers him is that they act like he'll be joining their gang soon. It's as if they know he's a main character in a popular teen book series, and he'd be the perfect person to give their gang some more exposure.

As Jacob becomes obviously upset -- he's lost friends to this "cult," and he's afraid he's next -- Bella gives him a big hug, remarking that he's only a friend. You know, because he's warm and living, all the things you don't want in a boyfriend. Jacob has other designs, and Bella knows it, but she says nothing. Maybe after she gets her bike, just to be safe.

To avoid any more awkwardness, they decide it's motorcycle time. Bella is ready to go -- I place the odds of her being hospitalized in the next chapter at 1-10, and the odds of her coming out of this unscathed as a competent rider at 5,000-1. Place your bets!