A/N (10/30/10):I finally had the chance to go back and edit the little mistakes that were buggy the crap out of me. Here it is, the completely edited, final copy of Odd Circumstances
Yet another attempt at putting off studying all things Chemistry. Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing...sadly
Bella Swan sat in the cramped space between the worn couch and the wooden coffee table in her father's living room. She brought her knees to her chest as she watched her friends, the pixie-like Alice and the model-esque Rosalie race around the room collecting empty cartons of ice cream and half-eaten packages of cookies.
This was not how she planned on spending her last Friday in Forks. Visitors had been in and out, offering kind words and comforting smiles as they discreetly picked through the packages that her father, Charlie, had gathered on the kitchen table.
And now, late Friday evening, she was waiting for the last of the well-wishers to drop by. Only this particular person was the reason Alice and Rosalie were in such a hurry to clean up and leave.
Edward Cullen. Her past confidante. Her past protector. Her high school crush.
Edward Cullen had just called to let her know that he was 10 minutes away from her childhood home and was bringing provisions. He didn't even take the time to ask permission, knowing that he would be welcome at any time. That was why her best friends, who doubles as Edward's sisters-in-law, were quickly ridding the house of any and all evidence of their latest junk food binge.
"Alright Bella," Alice announced as she walked in from the kitchen, "All traces of the chocolate overload have been erased, so Rose and I are going to get going before Edward gets here. We're supposed to meet our Cullens back at Esme and Carlisle's so we can head to the movies together."
"Sure thing Sprite," Bella responded as she stood up to give Alice and Rosalie parting hugs. "Thanks for coming over and then cleaning up."
"No problem," Rosalie responded. "There isn't anywhere else we wanted to be other than here...well maybe except for with our men, but best friends duties always come first."
"And that is why I love you both," Bella said as she returned to her original position.
Just then the girls heard the crunching of gravel, the tell-tale sign that a car had pulled into the driveway.
"That must be Edward," Alice exclaimed as she gathered her things while shooting Bella a meaningful glance, "We'll just let him in on our way out."
Bella merely nodded, "'Kay, thanks."
"We'll see you before we leave Sunday night. Don't forget to call us when you get to the city. We both know how stressful the first few days in a new place are."
"You got it," Bella agreed.
"Bye!," the three of them shouted simultaneously before Alice and Rose left.
~.~.~.~.~.~
Edward had just closed the passenger door to his old Volvo after lifting the contents of the passenger seat into his arms when he heard the opening of a door.
He turned around to see his sisters-in-law, Alice and Rosalie, exit the Swan home and walked toward him.
"Hey Edward!" Alice exclaimed while trying to sneak a peak at the contents of the box he was currently holding.
"Alice," Edward nodded in response while twisting his torso around to conceal his 'provisions.' "Hey Rose."
"Hello Edward." Rose smiled at him. "Bella's in the living room so you can walk right in. Charlie's out for the night and you're the last visitor so make sure she locks the door after you."
"Of course." Edward grinned at Rosalie's protective nature. "So...how is she?" he asked tentatively.
Rose and Alice exchanged an amused glance and laughed before Alice responded, "Let's just say she is not taking it the way you would think."
"What?" Edward questioned.
"Don't worry," Rose explained through her dying giggles, "Just don't be afraid to ask her about it."
"No, I couldn't pry...," Edward shook his head.
"Edward don't worry," Alice said soothingly, "Trust me, after the volume of visitors that have passed over that threshold, I guarantee you are the last person in both La Push and Forks not to know what happened."
Edward's brows pulled together, showing his lack of an appropriate response.
"Well, we better go meet Jasper and Emmett so we're not late for the movie," Alice said as she began to walk away. But before she reached her rental car she turned around to address her brother-in-law one more time, "Hey Edward?"
Edward turned around, just a few steps from the front door, "Yeah Ali?"
"Someone up there must like you a whole lot because you just got handed a second chance on a silver platter...don't waste it."
~.~.~.~.~.~
Bella was still in her surprisingly comfortable position in front of the couch when she heard the front door open and close and the sounds of footsteps nearing. Her heart sped slightly and her nerves began to make themselves known.
"Hey Bella," Edward greeted her as he set his box on the coffee table and took a seat next to her on the floor.
She rolled her head to the side to face him with a large smile. "Hi Edward. Whatcha got there?" She asked, curious as to what he had meant by the term provisions.
"Oh," he responded sliding the box closer to her, "Just some things that I thought you might need tonight."
"Hmmm," Bella answered as she reached for the box, "You know the last time you said something like that was the day after my first high school party where Tyler Crowley called me a bad kisser, as I recall you brought me hot chocolate then."
Edward nodded, "Yes I do remember that day. I enjoyed punching Crowley in the face before I headed over here with the cocoa."
Bella laughed, "Not as much as I enjoyed seeing his black eye every day for two weeks. You really did a number on him."
Bella reached into the box and pulled out its contents...
...Martini Glasses
...A cocktail shaker
...Vodka
...Creme de Cacao
...Chocolate Swizzle Sticks
...Ice
...A 6-pack of beer
"Edward, what is this stuff?"
"Well, I figured I would make you a couple of Chocolate Martinis," Edward answered as he began pulling the items closer to him, "I mean it's not exactly hot chocolate, but seeing as you are now 23 and not 14, I thought you might want something with an alcohol content of not zero.
"And of course I brought myself beer as I do not intend on turning in my 'Man-card' at any time tonight."
"You. Are. AMAZING." Bella gaped as she watched Edward skillfully make her drink.
Edward merely shrugged his shoulders in slight embarrassment as he passed her the martini glass, "I try."
"Mmmm," was all Bella could say as she took a sip of what had to be the best girly cocktail she had ever had.
Normally she would stick to beer, maybe tequila shots if she was being adventurous, not really liking the overly sweet taste of most girly drinks. But in all honesty, this was a slice of chocolate loving, liquor drinking heaven.
"I take it you approve?" Edward smirked as he twisted the top off of one of the beer bottles.
"Mmhmm," Bella nodded her head.
They sat there for a few minutes enjoying their drinks and allowing the alcohol to take effect.
Bella laid her head back against the top of the couch cushion and closed her eyes. Edward had handed her another cocktail just as she took a breath, ready to retell the tale for the final time that day.
"You should probably ahead a say what's on your mind so we can get it out of the way," she said casually.
Edward turned to face her, his eyes focused on her closed lids. "What?"
Bella sighed, "You don't have to play stupid Edward, I'm saying it's okay to ask me about it."
He shook his head, even though she was unable to see him. "I wouldn't want to be rude or upset you or anything."
Bella let out yet another sigh before opening her eyes and turning toward him, "Come on. You must be dying to know what happened."
"Well," Edward responded hesitantly, "I must admit I am kind of...curious."
"If you want an answer you have to be brave enough to actually voice the question." Bella smirked.
"Okay fine," Edward squared his shoulders, "Exactly what happened between you and Jacob that caused you to call it quits last night, two days before your wedding."
"Nothing happened between Jacob and I." Bella held up her hand to keep Edward from responding. "It's actually what happened when I wasn't around that led to this predicament that I find myself in."
"Are you going to tell me what that was?" Edward pressed, now genuinely intrigued by her answer. Bella nodded.
"Well after the rehearsal dinner, Jacob's father, Billy, caught him snuggled up in bed with someone that wasn't me."
"Wait. What?" Edward exclaimed in disbelief. "How are you not upset about this? Shouldn't you be in bed bawling your eyes out or maybe plotting some sort of physical revenge that would entail sterilizing that mongrel?" Bella shook her head, letting out a chuckle at his response.
"Why would I be upset? Jacob and Jared have been seeing each other seriously for the past 4 years."
Edward's eyes bugged out, "Four years? Four years? You've known that Jacob was with another person for four years and you only now ended the relationship?"
Bella said nothing in response, only placing the now empty martini glass on the coffee table and moving her position onto the couch. She looked at Edward, trying to will him to connect the last piece of the puzzle.
The the figurative light bulb went off as Edward himself jumped off the floor to sit on the couch.
"Wait, Jared...as in a boy?"
Bella nodded, pleased that Edward had finally made the connection. "Well I wouldn't exactly say boy, he is like 6'4."
"Like man...male...man...guy...as in not a female."
"I think it's safe to say that we established that Jared is in fact a dude."
Edward shook his head once again, "I don't understand. Did you guys have like an open relationship or something? Or were the three of you like, exclusive?" His voice rose an octave toward the end.
"Oh, gosh no," Bella exclaimed, finally exhibiting the kind of emotion that Edward was expecting. "Jacob and Jared are straight-up-and-down gay, or at least as straight as two guys who like dudes can be. I had no part in that." Bella waved her hands in a circle as if to signify the relationship.
"Okay Bella, you're going to have to break it down for me because, at this point, I am completely confused ," Edward conceded, running his fingers through his hair.
"Well, I guess the best way to put it is," Bella struggled to find the right words, "I-I've pretty much been Jacob's cover for the past eight or so years."
"Huh?"
"I don't really know how else to explain. I've been Jacob's pretend girlfriend-slash-fiance for almost the last decade."
Edward spent the next few moments opening and closing his mouth, gaping like a fish at this revelation. "Why?...I don-"
"Look it will probably be easier if I just tell you how this happened. Is that okay?" Bella asked, trying to decipher his thought fragmented thoughts.
"Yeah," Edward looked relieved to be getting some information.
"Alright, let me start from the beginning..."
*****8 Years Earlier*****
"Come on Bells, this is a win-win situation for the both of us." Jacob pleaded with an incredibly flustered looking Bella.
"No!" Bella shook her head violently, "Absolutely not! Are you crazy?"
"Not crazy, brilliant. It'll only be for a little while. Think about it, it will fix both our problems. "
"And how do you see that happening exactly?" Bella spat.
"Listen, it will get the rest of the football team off my back and make your guy jealous."
"He's not my guy," she shook her head forcefully, "Even if I did agree to this, I still don't see how this could possible work."
"The plan is foolproof Bella. We pretend to go out for a weeks, making your guy jealous. Once he finally grows a pair and asks you out, we can break up and you can have your happily ever after. Then I'll just feed some pity story to the guys on the team about being heartbroken and I won't have to worry about pretending to like girls until we graduate and get out of this town."
"Jake, you are being ridiculous. There is no way your little plan is going to work."
"Bella, please," Jacob begged, desperation seeping into his voice. "This is the only way I can divert the guys' attention. They're getting suspicious and I don't think they you be as accepting of my preference as you are. I can't risk being shunned from the team, I need that sports scholarship to Seattle U, this is the only way I can make college happen."
That was the truth. A few years back, Jacob's parents were involved in a serious accident, one that left Jacob and his sisters motherless and their father Billy confined to a wheelchair. The family had been forced to restructure their lives in the absence of a mother and the presence of a decreased household income.
Bella's heart melted at the sight of Jacob begging. "Okay, but only for a few weeks. We both know how I am at lying."
"Oh, thank you so much Bells," Jacob threw his overgrown arms around her, "So, so much."
*****Present Day*****
"...and that's how it started." Bella finished her tale, the whole while Edward sat silently with his mouth agape.
"So you've basically been living a lie during the past eight years of your personal life." Bella simply nodded. "I don't understand how you let it get this far."
"Well, things worked out on Jacob's end. The team stopped hazing him about not having a girl, you should know that much, you were the quarterback. Then after you and Emmett graduated, Jacob became the team's football golden boy. Scouts from Seattle U picked him up and gave him a full ride.
"Things didn't work so well with me. That part of the plan pretty much failed. If we had ended it like we had planned, then I would be left with pretty much nothing, so Jacob felt guilty and offered to just keep pretending. It was nice, he was able to comfort me over our failure without sparking rumors because people already thought we were dating."
"How could you let things get to the point of getting engaged? I mean, Bella, you're wedding was scheduled for tomorrow."
Bella raised her shoulders, "I guess I just got comfortable with the situation. I never wanted anything more and I was willing to let Jacob be free to frolic about with whoever he wished, I mean so long as he didn't get caught. And it's not like we ever did anything more than kiss for show, so I didn't feel cheated on."
Edward reached for another beer and the two sat in silence for the second time that evening.
Finally Bella reached over and touched Edward's shoulder. "Hey are you okay?"
Edward was knocked out of his daze. "Oh yeah, I'm fine. I'm just trying to wrap my head around everything you just said. I can't imagine what Billy and Charlie are going through right now."
"Well Billy's obviously upset," Bella explained. "But it has to do with the fact that Jacob felt it necessary to hide this from him. He's more hurt than anything else. At first he was pissed when he thought Jacob cheated on me, but after we explained everything the anger turned to disappointment.
"As for Charlie? Well Charlie is a completely different story all together..."
*****The Previous Night*****
"Bella honey, can you come here for a bit. I wanted to talk to you," Charlie called to his daughter from the living room.
"Sure thing dad, I'll be there in a minute," Bella responded trying to organize the mess of papers on the kitchen table.
It had been hours since the two of them had gotten home from the rehearsal dinner. Charlie had grabbed a beer before planting himself in his favorite recliner. Bella had spent the rest of the evening going over schedules and letters that her editor and publicist had sent her.
Bella walked into the living room and sat on the sofa to the right of Charlie's recliner. "What's up dad?"
Charlie turned the television off before addressing her, "I wanted to talk to you about the whole wedding on Saturday."
"Sure," Bella replied while tucking her legs underneath her, "What's on your mind?"
"Honey, you know you don't have to do this right?" Charlie blurted out.
Bella was taken aback, "What?"
Charlie ran his right hand over his mustache, "Just because you and Jacob have been together for eight years doesn't mean you have to get married or even stay with him."
"Dad, where is this coming from?" Bella hedged.
Charlie turned his brown eyes to his daughter's matching pair. "It's just, I worry that this isn't something you really want."
"Why do you say that?"
"Mainly because you're not acting like a girl about to be married to the love of her life. Most girls are giddy with anticipation or nerves, but you haven't got either. I get that with the book and you moving, things are stressful, but baby you don't seem happy.
"It's like you're resigned to what life as offered you. You're content but not genuinely happy. And that's all I want for you, to be truly happy for the rest of you life. Honey, I don't think that this marriage is what's best for you."
"Dad I-"
**RING** **RING**
"I better get that," Charlie grumbled. "Oh, hey Billy..."
Bella battle herself internally, trying to figure out whether or not the tell her father the truth. What he had just said was by far the sweetest, most fatherly thing to ever leave his lips in the last 23 years.
Unfortunately, Bella was ripped from her internal debate but irate shouting. She turned to see a bug-eyed and very tomato-faced father.
"You caught Jacob doing WHAT!"
*****Present Day*****
"No way," Edward commented. "There is no way that that happened last night."
"I swear it did," Bella contested. "All these years I thought Charlie was pro-Jacob, turns out he was really just pro-Happy Bella."
Edward smiled, "Only you could turn a situation like this into a joke."
"I do my best," Bella replied as she reached to steal one of Edward's beers.
"So what does this mean for you exactly," Edward questioned. "Where are you going to go from here?"
"Well," Bella began before taking a sip, "Jacob and I were supposed to move to New York because of my publishing deal. It's the best place for me and I don't see why I should change my plans because the charade fell through."
"New York? Publishing Deal?"
"Oh, I forgot that you don't know about that yet. I wrote a book as an undergrad and sent it off to a few literary agents while I was getting my Masters. Turns out there's a publishing house in New York that wants to print it. But the whole process is really involved so I decided that a move was in order."
"A book?" Bella nodded. "I had no idea. I guess I should call come home more often."
Bella laughed.
"Yeah maybe you should, that way you'd be more up-to-date on the happenings of your fellow Forks High alums. You're not the only one doing well for themselves Dr. Cullen."
"Wait, how you know about that?" Edward said, confused.
"Of course I know. I also know that you managed to fast-track through med school and you now have hospitals battling to land you in their residency program." Bella shook her head, "You can't honestly believe that Carlisle, the hands down best Neurosurgeon on the Western seaboard, wouldn't announce that to a gossip obsessed town like Forks?"
Edward's cheeks reddened with embarrassment, "Yeah I guess you're right. Anyway, so when is this move to New York?"
"I just changed my flight from next Saturday to this Monday."
"So soon?"
"Yup. The original plan was to go on my 'honeymoon' with Jacob and then fly straight to New York. All my stuff is in already in an apartment over there. The publishing house set it up, all I have to do when I get there is unpack.
"Since the wedding isn't going to happen, I gave Jared my ticket to Hawaii and moved up my flight. I guess I'm just ready to get on with this."
"Mm," Edward nodded his head with understanding. "Well, at least now you can actually have a personal life. You can actually date people that you're attracted to and that feel the same way about you." There was a slight edge to his voice.
Bella furrowed her eyebrows before reclining on the couch, placing her calves on Edward's lap. "You've got it right about the personal life, I'll have Rose, Alice, Jasper and Emmett back once I move to New York. You'll be there too, Alice said you decided on Columbia," Bella answered while staring at the ceiling above. "But as for dating? That's not likely."
"What do you mean? Why not?," Edward asked as he absentmindedly rubbed Bella's sock covered feet.
Bella waged an internal debate before groaning in defeat. "I can't believe I'm telling you this," she threw her arms over her eyes, as if to hide herself during her upcoming confession. "I've kind of been, for lack of a better term, asexual since high school."
Edward choked on his beer, "Excuse me? Did you just say you were asexual?"
Bella groaned yet again, "Not technically. It's just for lack of a better term."
"Okay, no, no, no, no," Edward said pulling Bella's arms from her face. "Now is not a time to be cryptic. You can't say something like that and not elaborate."
"It's complicated," Bella sighed. Edward looked at her expectantly, not accepting that as an answer. "Fine, I'm not really asexual, but I might as well be. There was a guy in high school that I liked for forever, he was the one I was trying to make jealous. Despite the elaborate ruse, he remained oblivious until his graduation. So my feelings were left unrequited and since then no one else has compared. I can't even look at another guy without comparing him to the one eight years ago."
"eight years?" Edward mumbled.
Bella let out a mirthless chuckle, "I know, pathetic right?"
"I don't think it's pathetic at all," Edward murmured.
"You don't?" Bella looked at him in disbelief.
"No, not at all." Edward took a deep breath, "In fact, I know exactly how you feel."
Bella shifted uncomfortably, "How do you mean?"
"There was this girl in high school, but I never got her. Now she's the only one I can think about." There was sadness evident in his gaze.
"Edward, every girl in school wanted you, even some of the guys. You could have had her if you wanted her."
Edward shook his head and chuckled, "Actually she was taken...something that change only recently."
Bella's heart dropped at his confession, defeat filling her to the brim. "That's why you never came back during school breaks isn't it? Why you never call home as often as Esme would like? You were trying to avoid her." Edward nodded in affirmation. "And here I thought it was just because you were eager to get out of school faster."
"Well if she's not taken anymore, then you should go for it," she pressed.
Edward turned his head toward her, "You think?"
"Yeah, I do. It's too late for me, but it's not too late for you to have your Happily Ever After."
Edward's eyes locked with Bella's, trying to will his thoughts into her dense little head.
"You're right," he responded.
"Of course I am," Bella sadly smirked.
Just then, Edward pulled on Bella's legs dragging her fully into his lap. He wrapped his left arm around her waist to support her. His right hand found her left wrist, holding her gently but trapping her in a pseudoembrace.
"W-what..What are you d-doing Edward?" Bella stuttered.
"What I should have done eight years ago," Edward answered before crushing his lips to hers.
Edward kept his lips pressed tightly against hers for a few moments, trying to show her eight years worth of his affection.
Just as Bella's shock was wearing off and she was beginning to respond, Edward pulled back and placed his forehead against Bella's.
"Listen, I heard you earlier. I know you'll just compare me to your high school crush, but I don't care. I couldn't pass up the opportunity." Edward murmured, "I just want a chance. Please give me a chance. I don't care if I'm not him."
Now it was Bella's turn to catch him off guard by moving her lips to his. After hesitantly laying planting a chaste kiss on Edward's own she spoke quietly, "But you are him. It was you."
A broad grin stretched across Edward's face and a wave of relief washed over his eyes as he moved his hand to caress Bella's cheek. "Good, for a second there I thought I might have to hunt some guy down and break his jaw."
They laughed together before engaging in yet another long overdue kiss.
A/N: There you have it... a super long OS. If you liked it and have the time, leave me a review. Thanks for reading!
P.S: I don't mean to offend anyone with this...If it really bothers you and you feel the need, go ahead and PM me.