Disclaimer - Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight.
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EPOV
"No way, Emmett. No. Fucking. Way."
"Lighten up, bro. You need this. You've been cooped up in that house for way too long."
"That's not entirely true," I attempted to defend myself at once, "I've been...to the office, and meetings out of town."
"Wow, impressive, Edward." Emmett said sarcastically. "You know what I mean, outside of work and you stuck in that house, you've barely seen your own family."
Damn, he was right. I hate it when he's right. Had it really been that long?
"Edward, you know I'm right. Hell, even Rose is starting to worry." My older brother's words were not condescending, merely the truth; a truth that I did not want to hear.
"Yeah, but I'm sure she didn't mean for you to take me out for an entire night at a pub. What does she think about that anyway?"
"Dude, it was entirely her idea." Emmett smiled broadly. "Rose thinks that this is probably exactly what you need. She and mom are having a girl's night tonight so we can have a boy's night."
Well, it sounded plausible enough, and if Rosalie thought that I needed something this extreme, she must be on to something.
"Fine," I said resigned with a heavy sigh. "But not too late."
"Sure, grandpa." Emmett laughed loudly and took my elbow, steering me to the entrance of the pub.
Emmett obviously did not know, and I was not about to say anything. It was time. It was time to move on and with my family at my side, I could do it. Not in one shot, but I could do it. As poetic as it was, maybe the best way to move on is to start where it all began.
Gryff's was hands-down, the most popular pub in town. People came here simple to have a good time and nothing else. There was no extreme rowdiness, minus the occasional fights; it was a place to wind-down, check your troubles at the door and enter anew. It was perfect.
The second we entered the tall doorway the blast of music and smells that made the essence of Gryff's descended upon us. The bright flashing lights from the small dance floor above us hit every dark corner and illuminated it a different colour on every cycle. Blues, greens, reds, yellows and everything in between flashed at us; I blinked quickly several times before my eyes adjusted.
Emmett checked our jackets and headed off to a couple of empty seats at the bar.
"It's on me tonight, Ed." He shouted in my ear.
I knew better than to argue with Emmett when it came to something like this. However, he did not know my history with this place and therefore did not know I acquired a tab; a nod of my head to bartender Joe who never forgot a face and it was already taken care of.
"Whatever you say, Em." I shouted back.
"That's the spirit! Bartend!" he shouted to Joe, "We'll start slow for now, Heineken and keep em coming!"
An hour later I was caught up with the majority of family news and gossip. Mom started a new job in one of the top Interior Design companies last week and Emmett's daughter Cate turned eight months two days ago. Other top news included a small scandal involving our Irish relatives which ultimately ended in a wedding between our Irish cousin and an English woman.
"You should see her, Ed," Emmett gushed about Cate, "you would hardly believe she isn't a year old. And looks like her mother through and through, but she's got my hair and eyes."
"She sounds beautiful, Emmett." I admitted, feeling slightly guilty and angry with myself that in my dazed state over the couple months, I never really took notice of my own niece.
A bump into my shoulder caused me to spill half of my beer on the bar counter and my pants. Already frustrated with myself I felt had no patience to deal with an uncoordinated bastard.
"Walk much?" I said as I turned to confront the idiot.
"Years actually." A light musical voice threw me off my guard. I was anticipating a bumbling, drunk man not this.
Beautiful. That one word summed up the creature which stood before me. Her dark brown hair flowed down her back and ended at her hip. She had the palest skin I ever saw which surprised me because my family were naturally pale. Her eyes, however, is what drew me in; expressive in a way that most people hide. In the seconds that passed I decided that it was a trick of the various flashing lights which made her eyes glow deep gold.
"I am sorry about your drink though. Joe? Another of whatever he was having and put it on my tab?" I watched as her slender arm motioned to Joe and was briefly amazed that her skin actually sparkled before I remembered that there were several body lotions meant to give off that effect.
It was not until her small hand came in front of my face with another bottle giving it a little wave. Crawling out of my daze, I cleared my throat and took the drink without saying a word.
"I'll take that as an apology." She said, smiling. Most fucking awesome smile, ever.
"Right, yeah, thanks." I stumbled.
She laughed again, sending a jolt of electricity through my body. What the hell was this?
"Have a good night." The mystery woman and her music voice said before turning and leaving. I vaguely registered the ice cold drink in my hand or the loud music, all that existed was the sight of long curls swaying and a departing figure.
Emmett's snapping brought me back to the bar and reality.
"Dude, you totally froze!"
"What are you talking about? I didn't freeze."
"'Right, yeah, thanks,'? Seriously? You froze."
"Okay, okay, I froze. Big deal."
Emmett's laugh boomed over victory of our little argument and my dilemma. "Then what are you waiting for? Go after her."
"Don't be ridiculous, Em."
"Edward, this is a fun night remember? Now, go after her."
Damn it. He was right again. From tonight it was going to be a new Edward, and new Edward was going to take his big brother's advice and go after a remarkably stunning woman. Taking a sip of the drink Ms Mystery handed me, I stood up, winked to my brother and headed off in her direction.
The pub was crowded tonight; it is a Saturday night after all. Manoeuvring through small crowds of dancing friends and drinking buddies, I came to the more dining section of the club where I saw her.
Her laugh was more infectious than I remembered. Blonde hair shimmered under the lights above dining booths and a bright smile which faltered when blue eyes met mine. Tanya.
This is exactly why I was reluctant to step foot in this place again. Gryff's was filled with too many memories of Tanya and I. It was the place we first met, where we shared our first kiss, where we celebrated after graduation... and after I proposed.
Without sparing another breath I turned around and walked away. My chest felt constricted as it slowly registered that she was sitting next to someone, holding his hand – a hand that was around her shoulder. I couldn't think. I needed air.
"Edward!" Tanya's voice was unmistakable as she shouted to me but I walked on. Stopping to talk to her was nothing I needed.
I practically ran through the back exit needing nothing more than to get free. The cold night's air pricked my cheek the moment I ran out and burned my lungs as I breathed in deeply.
"Edward." The voice called once more. I knew I was being a stubborn kid by not turning to see her or answering her, but it worked.
"Edward, I'm sorry." Tanya sighed deeply behind me and carried on. "I know that must have been hard. Edward, look at me!"
Still, I kept my back at her.
"Fine. Be that way. I know I hurt you and I know I fucked everything up but you wouldn't have been happy with me and you know that. We were together for so long... we lost it. We lost whatever it made us... us."
I heard this all before. What she was saying now mere feet behind me was said four months ago two fucking days before our wedding.
"Who the hell are you to tell me whether I would have been happy or not, Tanya?" My voice sounded unlike my own but I did not fight it. I stayed quiet long enough.
"I was happy. Hell, I was fucking ecstatic. So don't tell me that I would have been unhappy. Do not try to justify your decision by saying you did it for me." I saw her eyes fill with tears. I should have felt some sort of sympathy for it, but she hurt me a lot more than I just did. "Go back, Tanya. Go back to your happy life and just leave me alone."
"Edward, I—"
"No, Tanya. I don't want to hear anything anymore. Just go."
She was obviously shocked but nodded making her tears brim over and walked away.
Taking a few more deep breaths, the cold air cleared my head as I recovered from the high of finally telling off Tanya. Granted, it wasn't the most gentlemanly way to do it, but how else do you confront someone who broke your heart?
Leaning against the cold, wet wall, reality began to sink in along with an odd sense of closure. Finally putting an end to everything to do with Tanya effectively meant that I could successfully begin to move on and I think I knew where to begin.
Taking one last calming breath, I stood straight and headed for the door.
"Leaving so soon?" a voice said behind me.
Turning around I found a tall, long blonde haired man. The smirk he had on his face looked dodgy and untrustworthy. His jacket was open at the front revealing bare skin in the cold Seattle weather.
"Edward, was it? Nice to meet you Edward, my name is James. How would you like to come with me?" he said.
This guy had be joking right? "Listen, James, I'm sure you're a nice guy and everything but you aren't really my type, sorry." I said before turning once more to the door to leave.
"Now, now, Edward... Somehow you are under the impression that you had a choice in the matter." The James character sneered.
"Look, dude, I already told you, this is not my thing. Now leave me the hell alone."
As I attempted to make an exit again, a sudden gust of wind blew and I was once again met with the sneering face of the relentless stranger.
"That wasn't very polite, Edward."
"I don't give a fuck if it was polite or not, just get out of my way."
"Tsk. I'm afraid I can't do that. See, you are very special and hold a lot of potential. I can give you what you need to unlock it; you just need to come with me."
Special? Ha. Yeah right. Nevertheless, this man was getting on my last nerve.
"Whatever you're selling, I'm not buying but thanks anyway." I said with a tone of finality and moved to step around him trying my best to avoid a confrontation.
James' hand came to my shoulder and prevented me from leaving his sight. His appearance had been deceiving as he was truly stronger than he looked. I winced under the pain of his grip and felt my knees weaken.
"I see we have to do this the hard way." He said before I felt myself lift off the ground and fly backwards toward the cold wall.
My back ached, my head throbbed and my vision suddenly became blurred.
"I really didn't want to do that, Edward." James sighed as he stepped in front of me.
"Then, don't." A heard a familiar voice defied.
James' silhouette left my sight and I struggled to listen to the altercation.
"Well, well. Isn't this a great surprise?" I heard James say surprised.
Silence followed his remark before he laughed and spoke again.
"This does not involve you. He's mine now." I heard him say as he came to stand next to me again. I vaguely saw his hand reach toward me and stopped as though it encountered some sort of a barrier.
"Ah, I see. Never mind... it'll all be over soon enough." He said, leaving me again.
Seconds later, I heard muffled speech and a distant crash before slipping into darkness.
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I promise this isn't your typical swap/switch story and I hope you stick with me to find that out.
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