Sugar Baby Bella

by Swirlingtorments

Materially, Edward wants for nothing. Bella signs up to become a high class companion who wants for everything,but is tough and feisty when it comes to her personal space. Possessive Edward is dedicated to pulling her defenses down. Will he succeed? Or be pushed aside like all the rest?

1. Chapter 1: Hard Times

No copyright infringement intended. I acknowledge that Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight and its characters. I just like to play with it.

I hated doing this. Prowling the streets like an animal on the hunt.

I hated not knowing what I was going to eat. What I was going to wear. What I was going to do for money. It was a constant burden.

My life wasn't always like this. I used to be in good standing when it came to money. My family wasn't technically rich, but we got by pretty well. We were what seemed to be a good middle class family. My dad, Charlie Swan, was chief policeman. He left in the early morning with a coffee mug in hand and returned around five in the evening ready for dinner from his loving wife. And like the typical father he would also always ask me the same question at dinner time. The irritating question of how school was. And I would always say the something. 'Good.'

But that didn't stop him from asking me every day.

I used to be a 4.0 college student. Minus the friends and parties. I wasn't really one for social events. I think I got that from my dad. He was quite most of time and kept to himself. I knew he wanted me to be different from him. He tried to so hard to encourage me to go out with friends or parties. Not that that was wrong, in fact it's considered healthy to have friends and a social life. But making friends and going to parties just wasn't me.

I was ecstatic when I got out of high school and into college. However things didn't necessarily turn out the way I expected.

Maybe if I got to finish my college schooling I wouldn't be in the same situation. I'm a college dropout, no friends, no parties, no money, no home, no life.

Past:

I hurried into my truck tossing my backpack to the passenger's side. I quickly shut the door and pulled my hands to my mouth to blow my warm breath on them. It was freezing outside. I've lived here in Forks ever since I was eight, one would think I would've adapted to the weather by now. But my body refused. After all this time, my body still hated the snow, it still hated the rain, in fact it hated the cold in general.

I stuck my keys into the ignition, smiling as my loud engine roared. A gust of heat flowed from the vents and blew my hair across my face. Since it was always cold, my heater was always on.

I ran my finger behind my ear securing a few curls and then shaking off a shiver. I smiled in pure pleasure as my truck pumped out warm head. My truck was old, but the heating worked great, and the engine was reliable. Old cars were made to last, unlike the cars made more recently, which were only made to last a few years.

I drove home in silence, since my radio didn't really work. I mean there was always the option of listening to soothing static, but I'd rather take my chances with the silence. I actually took these perfect moments to think about life. School, college, grades, admission essays, how much I hated the cold, ect. School was important to me, since it was my only escape out of Forks. I would be graduating soon and there was no question on whether I was going to college. It was fact. I didn't particularly like school, but for some reason it liked me, so I did very well and always seemed to be in the top of all my classes. Most people would take one look at me and think I was destined to be a doctor or a surgeon, maybe even an astrophysicist. However most people didn't really take the time to get to know me, they only knew of me. In fact the only people who ever showed interest in me were those who were 'interested' in me and those who were interested in those interested in me.

Mike I guess was one of my friends. He was a showoff at school and often did everything in his power for everyone's attention, especially mine. So occasionally he would ask me about my goals in life to show how interested he was in me; however I only took it for pity conversation. Every time I started talking about my future plans his eyes would glaze over and become bored. And then when he couldn't fake any longer, his eyes would drift down to my chest. At one moment during our conversations I actually called him a chauvinistic pervert, but clearly he wasn't paying attention to anything I was saying because he just kept smiling at me in a trance. I knew he really didn't care about me personally, and I didn't care enough in general to give him any incentive to further his conversations with me. And then I had those who were interested in those interested in me.

Angela.

She was my second "supposed to be friend", but who only really only seemed to be interested in Mike through me.

She would always try to make girl talk, while at the same time letting her eyes dart back and forth from my face to Mike's. I would be lying if I said I wasn't excited to get out of juvenile high school and off to college; the only schooling that actually mattered.

When I pulled in the driveway I furrowed my brow at what I saw. There was a small banner on the front door that read, 'Welcome Home Mother Bird.' I snorted and shook my head in embarrassment. I know most people say that a child will often marry someone like their father or mother, but I hopped to god that I never married someone like Charlie. Not only did I want more, but he was just so strange and opposite of me. However I knew he was just excited that today was the day my mom was coming home from her trip. He had come home early for her arrival, as always. I guess I wasn't really of any consequence to him since he never came home early to spend any time with me. Ever.

However my mother and I were pretty close. When she came home, we would sit on my bed and talk life. But for some reason the conversation always went towards boyfriends that I never had, nor desired at this point in my life. And anyways, with the selections of boys in this town, could she really blame me?

She'd always ask why I didn't have a boyfriend, or when I was going to bring one home. Or she would mention the fact that a school dance was coming up and it might be my chance for a relationship. It always thought it funny how she knew when my dances were even when I didn't. In fact when she mentioned dances I was always surprised I had one, to which she would huff in frustration, convinced that I should have more of a social life.

But I just wasn't interested in anyone. To be frank, I found them all to be very childish. I couldn't wait to get out of high school. I made sure that my mother knew that any plans I had for a social life would begin in college, since that's where life really starts anyway. These little arguments would last at least an hour. Past the time I came home from school and made a sandwich, past the time I finished that sandwich and slithered up to my room, and past the time I had used up my adolescent voice to scream until I was blue in the face. It was immature, but then again so was high school.

Eve when my mother went out of town, our conversations would continue our through email. She worked for Staret, an engineering company, and took a lot of pride in selling their products to other companies across states. My father always grew depressed when she left. Like he had nothing to live for. He and I didn't really have a relationship. I didn't even call him dad, he was just Charlie. It was more of a passive relationship. He talked to me of course. But it was more like "would you please pass the salt", or "it's going to be rainy today." It always rained..

Our dinners together were always in silence. There was the occasional clank of forks or clearing of the throat, but when one of us finished, we immediately stood, washed our dishes and bid the other goodnight. That was our relationship. Dull. My father's down time would consist of turnning on the game or going into his room for the rest of the night with a beer.

I would go to my room, do homework, check emails, or listen in agony to typical high school gossip by phone when Angela called me. She did most of the talking. I added in the "ahs," "rights," hmms," and "no ways."

But when mom came home the house would brighten up. It was alive again. Charlie would actually stay at the table after dinner was over to tell some nerdy joke that he heard at work. He really loved her. I could tell by the way his eyes would light up when she told him about her trip and how many sales she made. Even I had to smile as I listened to her interesting travel stories. She always had one good experience that made me laugh.

I was happy to know she would once again be home and bring life to the house. I got out my truck with my backpack hanging on one shoulder and made my way to the door quickly. I don't know why, but for some reason I was embarrassed that someone might see me walking into this house where that humiliating banner hung on the front door. Despite the fact that we didn't have any neighbors nearby.

I twisted the door knob expecting to find it locked but it wasn't. 'Of course' I thought. I knew how excited Charlie was, but one would think being Chief Police, Charlie would take some precautions in his own home. What if I was murder? What if I was some Schizophrenic homeless person?

I heard the sound of heavy footsteps as Charlie wobbled down the stairs in a hurry. "Welcome home sweetie," he said in an out of breath tone. He had the sweetest smile on his face when he rounded the corner but, it quickly died down when his eyes landed on me. "Oh," he said in an awkward tone, his eyes darting in different directions.

"Don't look too pleased Charlie," I snorted out as I brushed past him to the kitchen. Once there I nearly laughed in mockery of the array of foods that were laid out on the counter. He really went out of his way for her. He must've went shopping all day for this. Charlie never shopped or cooked. And it showed in his sad assortment of muffins, bowls of candy, and plates of cold toast. It actually surprised and made me sick at the same time of how much effort he put into pleasing her.

"Wow, dad" I said in a sarcastic happy tone, "you didn't need to lay all this out for me." He gave me a half awkward smirk while rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well," he said letting his eyes dart in different directions again. I swear sometimes I wish I could just force him to look at me instead of always looking for an outlet. "Your mother's coming home today."

I grunted out a laugh, "how could I not? That banner outside let's everyone know."

"Well I know after travel it can be nice to come home to a nice meal."

"Is that a meal?" I gave him a pathetic look.

"Well it's a start. You know your mother, she'll probably want to cook herself."

"I'm sure that's the first thing on everyone's list after they get home from a business trip."

"Your mother's different. She's not like everyone else. She's special, unique, a treasure. You could stand to be more like her."

"Gee, thanks dad. I'll try to take notes this time." I opened the fridge door and realized that it was completely empty. Everything that would have been inside was laid out on that cold counter, going bad. So I settled for a sad lonely cinnamon applesauce in the back.

"You watch your tone young lady," Charlie pointed and waved his finger at me

"Or what?" I replied dropping my bag on the ground and walking over to pull out a spoon, "You'll pay attention to me?"

"I'm not going to deal with your little outbursts tonight Bella. Stop it." His glare was set and he looked ready to strike me. He never had before, but I didn't doubt for a second that he would. "I just want a nice evening with your mother."

"Just you dad?" I smiled at him mockingly, "What about family?"

"I can't deal with you right now." He turned his back and walked back up stairs.

"Do you ever?" I said under my breath. I wanted to throw my half empty applesauce at his back, but I was too hungry to let it go. Throwing the empty remains in the trash, I grabbed my back pack with one swoop and headed up the stairs to my room. I didn't want to see Charlie, so I tried to ignore him as we past each other in the hallway. He grabbed my arm in a tight grip and let out a heavy sigh.

"I'm sorry Bella. I didn't mean to be so rash, it's just that sometimes you can be too opinionated."

What? Opinionated? That's why he grabbed my arm? Sorry I was born a human not robot.

"Too opinionated? I thought parents were supposed to listen and be understanding," I snipped back at him.

"I have tried to understand you Bella," he said in a frustrated tone.

"Really. When?" He rolled his eyes and threw my arm from his grip as he stalked off. "Exactly Charlie." Although I'm not sure he heard those last words because he disappeared, and shut the door to his room too quickly.

For some strange reason it hurt to see him turn his back on me. I don't why because he's been doing it all my life. But when he grabbed my arm, I guess a small part of me thought I was finally getting some attention from him. That he felt something for me. And that he actually cared? Looking at his shut door I thought I was going to cry. But I didn't. I just turned, walked to my room and shut the door. I threw my backpack across the room and glared at nothing in particular. The sooner I could go off to college the better. In fact the sooner I could get out of this small town, the better. I couldn't stand it here anymore. I felt like I would claw out my own heart if forced to stay in this town. In this house.

My phone buzzed from my pocket. I reached in and fished it out. It was lit up with a text message from Angela. I huffed. I wasn't in the mood for meaningless gossip. I clicked in my code and looked at her message. "Driving to Port Angeles tonight. You in?" Was I ever? I shook my head in disgust at the thought of being in a gossip filled car where Mike would drool on my shoulder and Angela would glare at me when she thought I wasn't looking.

"Sry. My mom is coming home tonight. Maybe next time."I typed in. I smiled as I sent it. For some reason it felt good to have a real excuse to dodge the bullet this time. Most of the time I would say I was tired, but tonight I had good reason.

My phoned buzzed again with her quick reply. It was an instant sad face with a "yeah maybe next time. See ya at school."

"Ok," I said back. I really appreciated her thinking of me, but I just wasn't into all the gossip and parties. In fact I gauged whenever she dragged me with her to go shopping. I didn't mind picking out a few items of clothing that would looked nice, but she picked out everything in the store and wouldn't leave until she found just the right top. Which had to be the perfect color, size, fit, and material. I preferred to stay at home and read, or paint, or even do research on different colleges.

I guess I was just different. Maybe even a little strange. Maybe I was just abnormal.

I heard the door bell ring and six quick knocks in a beat. It caught me off guard but without a doubt I knew it was my mom. Leaving my phone on my bed I ran down the stairs, but quickly stopped in my place when I saw that somehow Charlie had beaten me to the punch.

He leaned down and kissed her lightly on the cheek while taking her bags from her. What a gentleman he was. I rolled my eyes at him and crossed my arms over my chest as I watched my mom stumble in from the cold.

"Wow," she said, her nose red from the icy wind, and her eyes wide with surprise, "Charlie glad to see you're still the same gentleman."

"Of course." He said bashfully setting her bags aside and kissing her again lightly on the lips. I guess most people would like to see their parents getting along and in love, but it made me feel sick. I just couldn't see how my mom ended up with someone like Charlie. I mean thank goodness, or else I wouldn't be here. But still, they just seemed so different. Sometimes I wondered if she put up a front for me.

My mom's eyes darted across the room until they found me. She gave me a mischievous grin, "There's my Bella. Come here you." She said waving her arms. I smiled looking down at my feet as I made my way over to her.

"Hi mom," I said wrapping one arm around her, but she enclosed me with both her arms in a tight squeeze.

"Oh my Bella," she said in a sigh. "One of these times, I've got to take you with me. I just can't stand being without you for so long." She pulled back and took my face in her hands. "When on earth did you grow up so fast? You make me feel like an old woman."

I laughed a little, "You'll never be old mom." She giggled and rubbed her nose to mine before releasing my face. I couldn't help but notice the jealous look in Charlie's eyes as he took in our bonding. I glared at him. A normal person would think most fathers would be happy to see such a loving relationship between mother and daughter, but then again he wasn't what I would call a real father anyways. He cleared his throat and stepped in between us; completely blocking me from her sight. I wanted to claw the skin off the back of his neck, but instead I just stood there and glared at it.

"Are you hungry Rene? I laid out some refreshments," He said like an excited child.

Mom giggled softly. "I can see that. You must have spent all day on this." Charlie looked bashfully down at his feet with a boyish smile. My mom was always so kind to him. I wondered how she did it. How could she act so convincingly pleased at a bunch of cold crap on the counter?

"Well it was worth it." Oh please, any simpleton can pull all the contents out of a fridge and put them on the counter for them to go bad. And to tell the truth they didn't look all that appetizing either. Cold toast, crumbly disfigured muffins, and bowls of tootsie rolls. It just screamed pathetic. She put her hand to his cheek smiled at him.

"You're so kind Charlie. So thoughtful." It would have been a beautiful sight if I didn't know the real Charlie. I honestly could not understand what she saw in him that made her so content. But I guess I should be thankful that my parents loved each other and were still making it work.

"Well, I know it's not you're cooking, but I was thinking maybe it would work until we could find something for dinner." Yeah right. Who wants to cook when they get home from traveling? Why didn't he just order take out? It would have looked and tasted a lot better.

Rene's eyes widened in glee, "why don't we go out? You know, as a family." Charlie smiled at her and nodded in excitement.

"Perfect. Sounds goods. Bella what do you think?" I almost didn't respond as it was foreign hearing Charlie ask me for my opinion. I was under the impression that I was too opinionated. In fact it was hard for me to register that he was even addressing me while in the presence of my mom. Suddenly I existed?

I shrugged my shoulders, "sure."

Mom looked at me with a questioning gaze, but I just gave her a reassuring smile. It wasn't much but she decided to take it as she hurried to grab her coat. "Make sure you grab a jacket Bella, its freezing." I looked at Charlie who was staring at mom's graceful movements across the room and then decided I wasn't going to look at him for the rest of the night if I could help it. I ran upstairs and snatched the first coat my hands could land on then sprinted down the stairs and out the door.

We spent twenty minutes in the car deciding on whether to go for burgers or Italian. On the one hand burgers and fries sounded warm and delicious. But on the other hand Italian sounded more elegant and sophisticated for the occasion. I was asked six times for my opinion, by my mom, which I would reply to with an indifferent shrug. I really didn't care which one we went to as long as we could go somewhere.

Charlie wanted burgers and mom wanted Italian. Finally when Charlie decided to appease Mom by going Italian, she decided she would appease him by going with burgers. I could only roll my eyes and lean my head back against the leather seats of my mom's Cadillac.

Then they went into the 'what's closer' argument, only to come to the conclusion that they were both the same distance just in opposite directions. I considered slowly opening my door and sneaking out; I'm sure I could bum a ride home.

We ended up going Italian.

When we got home, full and happy, I went straight to my room realizing I had forgotten my phone on my bed all this time. I don't know why I rushed upstairs to grab it; it's not as if I was expecting a text or a call. I just felt naked without it and that I needed to check it.

When I saw I had a text I was surprised. However that surprise was quickly replaced by disappointment when I saw it was a picture of Angela and Mike with peace signs in front of clothing store. I rolled my eyes and put my phone on my desk. I needed new friends. No, I needed real friends.

I took a warm shower, washed the smell of spaghetti out my hair, and then crawled into a pair of warm cotton sweat pants and tank. I was expecting my mom to come in any second to plop herself down on my bed so we could catch up. I tried to waste time by checking my email and getting rid of junk mail scams and meaningless offers. I got a little nervous as the clock struck ten thirty. Normally she was already in my room chatting non stop. It wasn't something I ever invited her to do, it was just something automatic for her.

I thought about leaving the safety of my warm room to go get her, but I guess I felt it was just a bit childish. Begging my mother to come into my room and pay attention to me since Charlie never even glanced in my direction if he could avoid it. Maybe it was childish that I thought it was childish.

When the clock read eleven ten I decided I was done playing Solitaire, and had reasoned in my mind that maybe she was just too tired tonight. Or maybe she didn't care. Maybe Charlie was rubbing off on her. I thought for a moment about this before shaking my head violently and slapping myself figuratively for thinking such thoughts.

I knew she was nothing like Charlie. She cared.

I shut off my computer with a yawn and sluggishly climbed into my bed. However I did continue to wonder in the back of my head why she never come in.

Sleep was very easy to find after such a tiring day.

Later that night:..

I jolted awake at the sound of door slamming shut outside my own. I heard familiar shouting voices as my sleep began to wear off.

"Control?" I heard Charlie scream, "you talk about control?"

I blinked a few times in the darkness of my room to get my eyes to adjust. Why was Charlie screaming? And at who? It couldn't be my mom. He would never.

"You didn't give me any choice! Don't act like you're a saint!" That was my mom's voice. I had actually never heard her yell like that before.

"Don't you dare try to blame this on me! You have a family for goodness sakes! You throw that away? For what!"

"Oh and you're such a good father aren't you!" she screamed with bitterness, "you can't even remember your own daughter's birthday."

"Don't give me that shit! You want to talk about me being a good father? Let's talk about you spreading your legs for a complete stranger. Is that what a good mother does? Some role model you are."

I shook my head. Spreading legs? Complete stranger? My heat quickened at the heat of the conversation. Was Charlie actually suggesting that mom cheated? But that wasn't possible, she loved Charlie. Didn't she?

"You've never cared about me! I have needs Charlie!" Her voice was full of sadness and I could just picture the tears coming down her face.

"You have needs! You take off every damn week! You leave me here alone for days with that girl. It's not like you spend any time here. And I guess I know why now! You're busy sneaking around and gettin it on with some other man. Or should I say men? I don't know, you tell me! Just how long have you been at this?"

"That's none of your business."

"None of my business. You bitch! You go off on a pleasure trip, leave me, Bella and then come home like everything is fine. You smile and laugh like you didn't just throw everything down the got-damn toilet. Yeah that's right. You treat us like shit! And the saddest part is that we didn't know you were craping us out just to flush us!"

I heard some rummaging of objects. "Where you going?" Charlie shouted.

"I'm leaving!" she screamed. My heart jumped in my chest. Leaving? I heard her footsteps going down the stairs followed by Charlie's heavy ones. My eyes widened at the shock of the situation as I pushed back my covers, rushed over and jolted out my door.

My feet quickly found the stairs and in a rush I stumbled down them almost tripping on the last one.

"Oh I bet you are!" I heard Charlie's voice say from the kitchen, "run back to that man whore! Does he lavish you with expensive meals?" I rounded the corner and looked at the violent spectacle of my sobbing mom and a hot faced Charlie. I had never seen him look at her with such anger. I didn't think it was possible for him to ever harbor any emotion towards her but love.

"Shut up Charlie! It's not like you would know anything about that anyway. All you care about is a beer and your TV."

She stopped with Charlie behind her when she saw me. Her face was puffy with tear streaks down them. Charlie's face was red and sweaty.

"Mom?" I looked at the bags in her hands. She wasn't really leaving was she?

"Bella," she said her voice catching in her throat. "I didn't mean to wake you." She said as if that was really of any consequence. Sorry for waking me!Waking me was so insignificant compared to the situation at hand. In fact, it angered me inside that she was ready to walk out the door without saying anything to me. She set down one her bags and wiped a tear from her face. "Are you hungry sweetie?" She said with a forced smile. I frowned as I crossed my arms over my chest.

Am I hungry? It was 4:00 in the morning. Was she kidding me? And where the hell was she going without even saying a goodbye to me? Or taking me with her?

"Yeah enjoy your last pity meal with her before she dumps us both," Charlie said looking at me with disgust, "she's off to her new and more exciting life."

I shook my head at my father completely in shock at his words. However I didn't put much weight in them. He was still Charlie. I wanted my mom to speak. Was she actually having an affair? Was she actually leaving me?

"Mom, what's going on?" I said in disbelief hoping she could change the thoughts of betrayal that were running through my head.

"I can't take this right now," she said picking up the bag she had set down and rushing out the door. I heard her slam the door on her Cadillac. I heard her start of the engine. And then I heard her drive off. This whole time I had stood in the same spot, with a shudder.

I heard Charlie yell some very colorful profanities as he threw his beer can at the wall and kicked some of the kitchen chairs to the floor. I flinched as he tripped over a pair of my sneakers that had been sitting out. He heaved a breath of rage as he looked at me with fiery eyes "I want this shit out of here," he said as he picked up my shoes in anger and threw them out the still open front door. "I want it all out!" My eyes widened as he stalked over to me. "I want you out!"

I backed away as he looked like a crazy mad man. I would have called the police if I knew I could escape him, but he was the police. "I can't go anywhere Charlie. Its four in the morning, where do you expect-"

"I don't give a damn! Get out! Get out! Get out!" he yelled his beer filled breath at me. In fear I ran around him and flew upstairs to my room shutting the door and locking it. I put my hand to my face and took a deep breath. Was this really happening? I slapped my cheeks and shook my head. Wake up! Wake up!

Mom was gone. Mom was gone. Mom was gone. I just kept repeating those words in my head trying to convince myself of their truth. But it wouldn't register. Was it true? Did she abandon me? Why would she leave me? Why didn't she take me with her? Didn't she love me?

It all happened so fast. One moment my life was normal and slightly happy and another moment it was falling apart.

I heard the hard knocks and clanks of Charlie throwing some other things around down stairs before I heard his keys and then the front door slam. His engine roared as his car screeched out of the drive way and off down the road.

I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. What just happened? I felt something wet drip onto the center my chest and run down my warm skin. I lifted my hand to my cheek and wiped the tears that were just streaming down without control. With my hand to my mouth to muffle the crying hiccups I sunk down against the back of my door to the floor. After a while I stumbled over to my bed to look out my window that oversaw the driveway and beyond.

I expected to see her Cadillac coming back down the road. I was convinced this was all a misunderstanding. It had to be. Which is why I waited up for hours, even though my eyes felt like heavy weights and were still gushing with tears.

She never came.

The remainder of that night I spent my time crying my eyes out. I tried calling my mom many times, but she never picked up. I emailed her several times, but she never replied. I left her countless messages, but she never returned any of them. I was confused beyond reason. Why would she seek another man? I mean I thought she and Charlie were in love. Granted, I didn't like Charlie but I didn't need to. He wasn't my husband. I always thought their relationship was unexplainable and special. But was the affair really true? I needed to hear it from her.

I curled up into a tight ball with tears still running down my face when Charlie stormed into my room without knocking. He kept all the keys to the doors on his keychain. The light from the hall way shined in and hurt my puffy eyes. I frowned as I took in his disturbing features. He reeked of alcohol, his hair was a mess and his eyes held pure anger. He had been gone for hours; I didn't even hear him come home.

I didn't sit up in the darkness as he stalked over to my form; I just lay there, my eyes following his movements. He was most certainly drunk. If he was going to hit me I wouldn't try to stop him. I'd give anything to feel something. I was numb from the events. Perhaps it would be hard enough to smack me out of this nightmare.

He pointed his finger at me, "When you graduate this year, I want you out. So you better start packing now, cause on that very day I want you out, and I don't give a shit where you go." I didn't say anything to him. I guess at this moment a child would freak out and plead with their parent not to do such a thing but I just nodded. Like it was expected. Like he was a fulfilling what I've always known he would say. It didn't surprise me that he wanted me out. With mom out of the picture there was no longer anything connecting us. As I said before, he and I never had a relationship. But I always pictured our parting a little differently. Preferably with a hand shake and a professional goodbye with a "nice doing business with you."

He turned and stalked to the door. "What about college?" I yelled after him. He laughed at this.

"Go ask the slut. She's the only one that ever cared anyways." He quickly shut the door behind himself. My eyes widened a little. That was the deal. We were to part on my way to college. I could take him kicking me out, yelling at me, calling me harsh names, but no college? That was my life. Without it, there was no having a life.

Over the next few days I tried to hint at the fact that I needed money for college if he wanted me out and the fact that he promised to get me into college. However it was hard to talk to a drunk policeman. He came home every night drenched and reeking of alcohol. He would go straight from the door to the couch or to his room without even a glance in my direction. Like I didn't even live there anymore. I tried to sit down with him on the couch once to take about college. Big mistake. The second I mentioned money for college he stood up and turned towards the stairs. When I yelled he couldn't keep ignoring me he turned around and slapped me so hard I fell and hit the small center table on my way down.

He held no remorse as he looked at me holding my hand to my stinging cheek while my eyes began to water. He didn't say anything as he turned and stalked up the stairs shutting his door.

We didn't speak anymore.

I knew I wouldn't get a penny from Charlie.

And mom? Well, she wasn't taking any of my calls or emails. My faith in her was cracking. I never thought she would abandon me so easily. She just up and walked out the door. Like it was the easiest thing in the world to do. I had contemplated her leaving Charlie, maybe, but never me. At the very least she would take me with her.

On the day of my graduation my mom did return one of my calls to congratulate me. How ironic. That was an awkward phone call. I told her that I was getting kicked out the house since I was now of legal age to be on my own. I had hoped she would be in terrible shock and offer to take me in. But she didn't. She just expressed her sympathy for me.

Any faith I had in her was gone. She did however promise to send me to college. I guess that was a plus. But she didn't want to see me, or draw out the conversations between us more than she had to.

It hurt.

It hurt more than anything I had ever experienced. I thought maybe this was what heartbreak must feel like when others talked about being dumped. I guess I could sort of understand them now. Although I also felt mine was much worse. Mine was deeper. She had dug a hole right through me.

I guess she really was cheating on Charlie since she occasionally took the time to tell me about her new fiancé, Phil Dwyer who was supposedly a good baseball coach. I found it nauseating to listen to. I knew Charlie wasn't a good father maybe not even the best husband, but he did love her more than anything. Even I knew that. Couldn't she see that? She ripped his heart out, which in turn ripped our family apart. It was holding together pretty well, but when she cheated Charlie lost his mind.

With my mother's help, I went to Washington Community College and got my General studies done and an AA in health science. My goal was to be an echo cardiologist. Through my college years my mom only answered a few of my phone calls and emails. They mostly had to do with paying for my classes, books, and supplies which got pretty expensive. I tried telling her about my college life, but she would always pretend she was busy to make a quick getaway.

My hatred only grew towards her.

The only respect I held for her now, was the fact that she was putting me though college. But sometimes I think even she didn't care about my schooling. Every once in a while I would get hints of her irritation about the prices of my schooling. I helped out as much as I could, but it was hard to support myself financially and then also try to study and pay for classes. She complained that I was taking classes I didn't need. She complained that I was a needy child. She tried to tell me that her schooling never coasted as much as mine did.

I had to listen to her cruel rants because I needed her help. I couldn't afford to let her go as my supporter. Without her I would never be able to stay in college.

She never asked me how I was getting along since being kicked out of Charlie's home. She never offered money to help out with anything besides school. In fact it was a sin to ask her for help with anything beyond school. A few times I had to scrape by with my savings just to pay my rent. It was not even including food or other necessities needed.

I stayed in a small cheap apartment that I paid for, sometimes, with my entire pay check while working at a General Drug Store. I could barely keep gas in my car, so on many occasions I tried to walk, or take the bus. As for food? Well there was rarely anything besides boxes of cup of noodles and 58 cent top ramen. I had the basics, of milk, water, toilet paper, bread, and eggs, but I couldn't afford any types of meats or expensive chickens.

That was one thing I missed most of all in living at Charlie's. I didn't even call it home anymore, I called it Charlie's. It was never my home. But the food was good. I could cook when there was something to cook.

In the beginning, I guess because she was feeling like a good mother, Rene would pay for my schooling and then send me some extra money for love. Now it was hard to get the basics out of her just to pay for my classes. My schooling to her was more of a hassle as opposed to something a loving parent would do for their child.

It turned from "how much do you need honey," to "how much it is now? And, are you sure you need all those books?"

She answered less of my calls and emails. It was like she was cutting me out of her life completely but very slowly just to make it more painful. Like we never had a relationship. Like she never had a daughter. Dare I say she was becoming another Charlie?

I was thankful she put me through my General studies, but what I really needed was money for a university. I was never so nervous to talk to her about anything before, but I knew this would be hard. In fact I prepared myself for her rejection. She was now a different person. Changed. I didn't know what to expect from her.

Sad enough, she actually never answered or returned any of my calls when I graduated with my General Ed and AA in health science. The emails stopped. The money stopped. I felt like a bacterium that had be slowly cut off. Quickly by Charlie and slowly by her.

Hers hurt the most.

I tried not to despair. I figured I would try to save up for the university. A lot of good that did. Why is it when someone tries to save up for something, bills suddenly pile in? I started getting bills that I couldn't pay for. Like my registration on my car, my insurance, my medical plan, utilities. In fact one time my car broke down and I couldn't afford to pay to have it fixed. I ended up selling it for a low price to a man who insisted it was a rare find.

But he was a jerk.

I tried to get him to pay me more than seven hundred, but he took one look at me and my desperate situation and refused. He refused to up the price knowing I would have to settle for any little money I could get. I needed money. I would collet cans and pick pennies up off the ground when I had time. My whole life was caving in on me. I left pleading messages on Rene's phone, but she never returned any of them. I had to shut off my computer for electricity purposes and my phone soon followed since I couldn't pay for it.

I didn't bother writing Rene since I didn't know where she lived, and there was also no guarantee that she would even care to return it. A waste of paper and time.

In a short time, I lost the cheap apartment. I got fired from the only little source of money I had for not keeping up store appearances and arriving in a timely manner. It was hard in the snow without a car. I lost my dignity. I stood outside stores and asked for money. I thought people might think I was some kind of free loader so I changed my plea to food. I got a few sympathy meals but for the most part people started to recognize me and then they stopped giving in, thinking I was again some kind of free loader.

And worst of all at the end of the day when I left the store where I stood and begged for necessities, I realized I had nowhere to go. There was no home. There was not even a cheap apartment. There was only snow. I had nothing. And that's when I decided to make a change.

A change for the better. I was angry with life. I was angry that this was the deal I was dealt. It was time for me to do something about it. For the longest time I always gave into others and let them take advantage of me. I trusted others too easily. I wore my heart out on my sleeves. It was time for me to put my heart away and for once take what I needed from others. Everything had been taken away from me. It was my turn to steal.

4.0 student to high class thief. If people thought that they could just take from me and leave me with nothing I would show them a different side to Isabella Swan. It was my turn. And now I was going to take what I needed.

It started with small things since I was never comfortable with the idea of taking things that weren't mine. It took a while for me not to care about stealing from others. Something so morally wrong should not be done with ease. But soon I got the feel of it, I just simply didn't think too much into it. I didn't give it time to reach my heart.

I started to use my assets, my looks, things I didn't need to pay for, but other people sure would.

One day I saw a man who looked rich, but low in self-esteem. I offered to help him with his groceries and after taking one look at my body, he agreed to the help. I knew I wasn't ugly and I also knew I looked pretty innocent. These are the things that I would use to better myself at the expense of others.

He didn't notice I stole his deli meat and hid it in the big coat I was wearing. He gave me his number and address offering to take me to dinner sometime. I said maybe, to keep the playful banter up, but I really meant no. All I wanted was to tour his home for things to steal. Which I did. He was surprised to see me outside his home one day when he came home from work. I really didn't' have much to do during the day since I was beyond broke. He let me inside and we talked about stupid things.

Like I used to do with my mother. Sentiments are a waste of time.

He talked about the weather, colleges, work. I used these opportunities to critique my lying techniques. Maintaining complete eye contact when I told him I was here on a business trip as an editor. Or when I told him that his glasses turned me on and I hopped we could spend more time together, but my work required a lot of my time.

I ended up stealing one of his Rolex watches, a small crystal candy dish and some bread. I sold what I could and saved the money for finer clothes. It would help me to catch my next victim. If I wanted this line of work to happen then I had to at least keep up my appearance. After all that's how I lost my last job. I had to play the part.

It wasn't long before I started stealing everything. It was addicting, and I only got better. From the stuff in people's trash cans to the stuff in their homes. One time I actually managed to steal some high class pearls from some weirdo's wife, who wasn't home yet. 'Wink.' My pray were often men with low self-esteem or who were in sever need for a female's company.

Don't get me wrong though. I never did anything physical. No. I hightailed it out of there before anything like that could happen. I just played in their illusions until I got my hands on something valuable to sell.

I was amazed at how easily I held the victims in the palm of my hands. I was astonished at how a simple look could get a man to render his soul to me. It was this power that made me into a different Isabella Swan. Heartless. Demanding of my needs. I had learned how to control a man's feelings with a simple touch.

The only problem with my new job was that this was a small town and I was running out of pray. It was only a matter of time till my game was up. There was really no place to hide. Most of my jobs where low key. If Charlie ever found out, I'm sure he would find much joy in putting me away in a cell. I needed a bigger territory. Which meant I needed to make big steals to get out. I needed diamonds not pearls.

But who in this town had diamonds? Who in this town had an extreme amount of money? I mean this was a small town. This isn't where the rich necessarily flock to.

One afternoon, I saw a devastatingly handsome man walk out of a local French bakery holding a bag of goodies. I could tell he wasn't from around here. No one shopped at that bakery. Only those with large pockets would pay 15.95 for a pastry. Another clue was that he had sunglasses hanging on the front of his shirt. Who in Forks has sunglasses? The sun is never out here. Not really. Which also meant, he was not from around here. He was wearing a pair of light blue jeans and a long sleeved black polo shirt that was hiked up to his elbows. It was not that cold today, just a little rainy. He looked breathtaking.

His hair was messy and yet not messy. But what really caught my eye was the car he got into. A bright red mustang with black stripes on the side.. He was most certainly not from around here. No one up here drove mustangs. Maybe a very small few drove nice cars, but nothing like what he had. It was mostly Hondas, Toyotas, SUVs and the occasional BMWs.

He was perfect. A perfect pray.

I peeked further around the corner of the ally I was in to get an even better look at him. He seemed to catch my movement and glanced over in my direction. Our eyes met.

My breath caught in my throat. Wow. Piercing green orbs. His plush pink lips smiled at me creating a small dimple in his white cheeks. The smile only lasted for a moment as he reached in his pants pocket for his keys.

I heard the car's tumblers unlock as he opened one of the doors and slid in. Two-seater, with black interior. Nice. He shut the door and started the engine with a showy rumble. It gained the attention of others in the parking lot as well.

There was no way this guy was from around this small town. I would have noticed him.

The windows were tinted so my view of him was now limited. I expected him to drive off, but he just sat there with his car running. I wondered what he was doing and if I should make a move to his car. Maybe he would take me home?

Did he even notice me? Most men did. But he seemed to only glance at me and then quickly away. When our eyes met though, he did smile. A breathtaking smile. I had actually never seen anyone like him before.

I told myself to stop ogling over him, to put my heart away. He was just a man. And men break hearts. People break hearts.

I looked down at my attire. I wore a pair of dark black jeans and a tight red shirt that showed off my cleavage. My hair was down and it curled around my shoulders. I was attractive today. Every other man that passed by me took three glances behind their wife's back.

So why didn't he even glance twice at me?

Why didn't he say anything? If he had lingered outside his car for a while I would have gone up to him, but he cut off all contact and made it hard for me to approach him in his tinted expensive car.

I heard him put his foot to the gas and press it a few times letting it make loud and exaggerated growls. I snorted at this. It was impressive but all I really wanted was his wallet. He then rolled his window down, his gaze on me. I was shocked again at his beauty. I was shocked he made it obvious that he was looking at me. Surly he could have looked at me with his windows rolled up. But he was making it noticeable that he was indeed taking a second look in my direction.

It felt good to know that even over this beautiful creature, I still had control. I ran my fingers through my hair and leaned my body to the side of the wall in a sensual way. His eyes roamed over my body and then met my eyes again with a fetching smirk. He motioned me over to the car.

My heat skipped. He was actually calling me over. So he is like every other man. Helpless and in need of attention. I knew he couldn't resist. I stayed in my position for a minute making him think I was contemplating his offer; hopefully making him want me all the more. He would not want to let me go so easily.

It was just to secure my night with him.

I pushed myself off the wall and walked with a sway in my hips to him. He seemed to notice this as he bent his neck back a little and smiled an amused smirk. I had him where I wanted him, right in my hand. All I needed to do was say the right thing and then I'd be set.

"What can I do for you?" I asked in my best sexy voice. Maybe I laid it on a bit thick because even I scrunched my face in question.

"I wanted to give you something," the man chuckled out as he reached over into his passenger's seat where his hot pastries were sitting. He took out an individually bagged hot pastry and handed it to me. I looked down at it and then back at him and then at it again. "It won't bite," he said truly amused.

Forget the biting! What the hell is this? A pastry? Seriously? I just offered myself to him and he hands me a pastry?I slowly reached out and took the pastry, feeling completely at a loss for words. He smiled again at me as he licked his pink lips.

"I missed my first opportunity." Now I was really confused. I had never seen this man in my life. Was he on crake? I had no idea what to say, but I figured it was my turn to talk. At least to say something.

"Um, thanks. It looks good." Wow, that was the best I could do? Those words would be any woman's downfall. This was indeed one of the worst performances of my life.

The man chuckled again, a gorgeous sound. "It is, I assure you. It's fresh."

I shook my head again in confusion. I must've looked like an idiot. Maybe this was my off night. Hell of night to be off my game. I had a goldmine sitting in front of me and I was blowing it by the second.

"Um, excuse me, how do you know me?"

"I don't. But I remember you."

What does that mean!

I glared at him for a moment wondering if he was taking me a fool, or if he honestly believed the nonsense that just came from his mouth. He raised a brow to my angered face in a curious fashion. Why would my anger interest him? And why did he look at me like I was something to be studied under a microscope? It irritated me.

As if I was the one with the problem. He just turned down the obvious advances of a young girl in order to give her a pastry. He had problems.

He decided to end the silence with a smile, "I saw you on the corner asking for food not so long ago. I missed my opportunity." I blushed deeply.

"Oh," I said awkwardly. A little embarrassed that I asked how he knew me. I wish I hadn't. I don't know why I felt ashamed in front of him. I knew lots of people saw me begging, but the thought of him seeing me in such a situation made me feel slightly humiliated. I was glad he didn't laugh again at the redness of my face even though I knew it was obvious. I could feel it.

"I didn't mean to offend you," he said apologetically. I quickly shielded any emotion from my face and straightened up in stature.

"You didn't. I was begging for food, you think I care who saw?" I tried to sound uncaring and I hoped I was the only one not buying it.

"I suppose not," he said slowly as if contemplating my words. When he looked over me again with his pools of green I saw what looked like concern flash in them. This irritated me. I hated the fact that he thought he could sit there and judge me. Feel sorry for me. Tell me what I was feeling. He didn't know me. He didn't know anything about me.

Besides I was the one who was supposed to be in control, not him. Truth be told, I hated situations I couldn't control. And so far, he was turning out to be just that.

I scowled at him again as I shoved the pastry in his face. This seem to take him by surprise as he backed away to quickly avoid face contact with the hot dessert.

"You can have this back. I don't want it." He looked hurt for a moment but covered it up with a smirk. Is that all he did, was smirk and smile? He didn't reach out to take the pastry from me, even though it was right in his face. H just shook his head.

"It's yours to do what you like with. Although I wish you'd reconsider and enjoy it, I think you would like it." I almost threw it on the ground in my frustration, just to show him how opposed I was, but something in his eyes stopped me. It made me pull the pastry back into myself. His eyes held mine for what seemed like a long while. Maybe it was my pounding heart that made the time go by so slow.

I studied his features. His green eyes, his pale face, his plumb lips that were a nice pink in the cold. Bitable. I watched as they curved up into another one of his dashing smirks, throwing me from my trance. In awkwardness I blushed again, turned and walked away still clutching the warm pastry to my pounding chest.

"I truly am sorry if I offended you," he said again from behind me. I rolled my eyes. He acted as if he cared. But that's what confused me about him. Men only said those things to get me to go home with them. But he wasn't taking me home. So why was he saying such things to me?

I didn't turn as I spoke nor did I stop my pace, "I already told you didn't."

"If you say so," I heard him say before he rolled up his window and dove off. I turned to watch his car disappear.

He was dangerous. The last thing I needed was to get involved with feelings. But he did awaken something in me I'd never felt before. Shame, want, the need to be cared for.

I shook my head violently. That was the old Bella. The old Bella was helpless. The new Bella can take care of herself. She doesn't need anyone else. Especially sympathy.

But when I looked down at the hot pastry I couldn't help the warm feeling that welled up in my body.

"Well maybe just this once," I said to myself.

I opened the pastry and took a bite. It was the best thing I'd tasted in my entire life.

So this is a new story that I had in my head and wanted to get out. I will get to my other stories as well in time. Does anyone want to volunteer to be a betta? I would like to have one. Never had one before. Please Review I would like to know what yall think.