Title: Since you've been gone
Penname: xxxIxLovexReadingxxx
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters
Summary: Bella is a famous singer and just got dumped by her boyfriend Jacob. She shows all her pain through her songs... Would someone help her get over him?
Rating: T
Human or Vampire: Human
Submitted for the 'Edwartist and Bandella' contest.
Another day of my meaningless life... I couldn't help but think like that, since the reason for my existing wasn't with me anymore... Just the thought of him hurt like hell. Jacob Black. My ex-boyfriend. And I still loved him with all my heart, but he didn't care. He left me for that stupid bitch Leah. I couldn't believe he fell for her. She was probably just using him as a replacement for her ex – Sam Uley, who left her for her cousin Emily.
I know, it's difficult to remember it all, I wonder how I managed to do it... Anyway, to introduce myself – I'm Bella Swan, a famous rock star. My most famous songs are Because of you, Behind these hazel eyes and My life would suck without you. The last one I wrote because of a fight with Jacob. He was so kind after that. It was like he wasn't the same person. And then she came to ruin my life...
I couldn't keep thinking about him. It hurt too much and it was about time to move on. I sighed.
There was a knock on my door. I got up from the couch and went to open it.
„I knew it! I told you, Rose. I told you she's been crying again" exclaimed Alice sadly while they were coming in.
„Bella!" Rose scolded. „You promised us that you won't cry anymore!"
„I know, I just... I miss him" I said sadly and looked down.
„We know that Bella" Alice soothed me. „But you can't behave like that for the rest of your life. It's not the end of the world!"
„It is. For me. He was the love of my life..."
„He was not. If he did this to you, he doesn't deserve you" said Rose angrily."The stupid bastard. But that doesn't matter, because tonight we're going clubbing!!!" she announced happily.
„Oh yeah, we're going to get wasted and you, little missy, will forget Jacob Black once and for all!" added Alice. „I have a feeling you're going to meet someone there..." she didn't finish, but I knew what she meant.
„Are you sure about this? I mean, I know your 'feelings' about things always happen, but are you sure about the whole 'get wasted' thing..." I trailed off.
„Of course we are, Bella! There's nothing to think about. We are going to the best club in Chicago – 'Heaven'" Alice sang out and I grumbled. „And none of you complaining will do any good, so you should just shut up"
„But Alice, we've been in this town for what, four hours, and we're already going clubbing? I have a concert tomorrow evening and I don't really think fans would appreciate it if I have a HUGE hangover." I tried to discourage her, but ne such luck.
„Don't be silly, Bella. You know you never get hangovers and you never really got that drunk" Rosalie said smugly.
„Oh, come on, you don't even give me enough time to think of a proper excuse!" I complained.
Alice and Rose laughed. „Of course we don't. You are smart and you might think of something we can't object!"
Oh boy. Here it comes. I can feel it...
„Bella Barbie time!!!" Alice exclaimed. Oh, no. „You can't discourage us" she said, having seen my expression.
„Fine" I sighed."But don't go too overboard." I warned her.
„I never do" she said and I shot her an incredulous stare. „Okay, maybe I do, but only sometimes." She admitted. Actually, she went overboard a lot of times, but I just shrugged.
Alice literally dragged me to the bathroom and told me to shower. I did as she said and when I was finished, I put on a bath robe and went back to the room. Alice was already waiting for me with what I think was all kinds of make-up. She sat me on a chair with my back to the mirror. First she did my hair. She didn't do anything special – she just curled it in loose ringlets that flowed around my face freely. She applied black eye shadow and mascara, but she didn't let me see my face until I was all dressed up. I went in the bathroom and looked at the clothes.
She gave me a black mini cocktail dress with a bow that went perfectly with a pair of black stilettos, a gray leather shoulder bag, butterfly earrings and ring, and a bracelet.
I came back to the room to see that neither Rosalie or Alice were there. I looked around the room for the hundredth time today. The king size bed, the plasma TV, the couch, the walls painted in purple with the paintings on them... I was at the best hotel in town – the apartment I was staying in had a kitchen, sitting room, a bathroom and a huge bedroom, which I was currently sitting in. In that instant, I heard the front door open and Alice's shrill voice asking „You like your outfit?"
„Yeah, love it, Al, but don't you think it's a little bit too formal?" I asked.
„Of course it's not. I always pick out the perfect outfits" Alice answered, stepping into the room with an expression of mock hurt on her face.
That's when I saw what they were wearing. Rose was wearing a bright red knee-lenght dress, beige stilettos and a red coat. Alice had black jeans, dark gray tube top, silver platform ankle boots, black stretch belt, slouch bag, sunglasses and key earrings. They both looked extremely beautiful.
„Ummm, Alice, why do you need sunglasses?" I asked.
„Because they're cool" she answered simply.
„Oh, okay"I said."You both look incredible"
Alice looked satisfied. „Do you really mean it?"
„Of course I do. Alice, I thought you never doubted your fashion sense. And, by the way, why do you get to wear trousers and I don't?"
„Because you look better in a dress, duh!" she said like it was obvious.
„Okay" And then, like it was just waiting for the right moment, the thought of Jacob creeped into my mind again. I sighed and looked down. I was surprised that for these few minutes with Alice and Rose I was completely oblivious to the fact that I was broken-hearted. And I realized that there was a big chance that I would be the old Bella again.
„You're thinking about him again, aren't you" Alice gave out an exasperated sigh.
„Not exactly..."
„What do you mean by 'not exactly'?" asked Rosalie.
„I mean that I thought that I'm able to get over him somehow" I answered.
„Thank God" axclaimed Alice happily. "The old Bella is finally back! Now we can go to 'Heaven'"
Me and Rosalie agreed and we left the hotel. We hailed a cab that drove us to the club.
It looked really good on the outside and I couldn't wait to see it from the inside. And, once again, I was happy to have Rose and Alice in my life, to cheer me up when I was feeling awful.
We went inside and I was blinded by the lights. There was a huge disco ball in the middle of the ceiling and the whole place was crowded. People everywhere, and I felt like half of them were surrounding me, screaming 'Bella Swan!!!','Oh My Gosh' or something along those lines. I pushed them away as kindly as I could, saying I wanted to dance. Eventually the girls gave up, but the boys kept walking all around me, trying to make me dance with them, but I turned all of them down politely.
I was just dancing by myself, Alice was talking to some guy called Jasper, and Rose was dancing with another, whose name I didn't remember.
That's when the spotlight landed on me, literally.
„And now..." announced the DJ. „Seems like we have a rock star in the room!" The crowd went crazy. „It's time for the karaoke! Give it up for miss Bella Swan!!!" Everybody cheered.
Oh no...
I tried to hide somewhere, but the crowd pushed me to the stage. I climbed up the few stairs to the DJ and he handed me the microphone. I was standing in the middle of the stage when the song started playing and I was shocked. Behind these hazel eyes by... me. I started singing...
By the end of the song my eyes were filled with tears. When the last notes faded and the crowd went crazy I managed to squeeze in between the people and try to find the ladies' room. I opened one door and went in, the door slammed closed behind me. That's when I realized that this so wasn't what I was looking for. It was some kind of closet. I turned back to the door, but it wouldn't open.
„Shit!!!" I cursed under my breath, I put my back against the wall and slid down to the ground..."What am I going to do now?" I whispered to myself. I knew Alice would come to save me.
Of course! I could call her! I pulled my phone out of my pocket and was dialing Alice's phone number when my phone beeped and there was a sign on the screen: 'No signal'. „Shit, shit, shit!!!" I cursed again. How could this happen to me?
I sat in there for what felt like hours, but in fact was only a few minutes. My tears started falling freely down my face – for Jacob, for the fact that my friends forgot about me, the fact that I was locked in a closet... Thank God that Alice went waterproof with the make-up.
That's when the door opened. „Alice, you're finally here!" I said, relieved. But then I realized that this wasn't Alice. It was a godlike guy, with bronze hair and piercing green eyes. „Don't close the door!!" I shouted, shot up from the floor and ran towards him, but it was too late. The door was closed. „Fuck!!" I sighed, exasperated. The guy looked confused, but when he tried to open the door, realization swept over his face.
„Oh" he said. „I'm sorry"
„You don't need to apologize. I did the same thing twenty minutes ago" I explained. He slid down to the floor too and laughed.
„I guess we should both take a look at our surroundings before we close the door" he joked.
„Yeah" I laughed. „I'll remember that"
„You sang really good on stage, by the way" I blushed. Strange. I never blushed when someone praised my singing.
„Thanks. But that's my job"
„Well, then you're doing your job incredibly well." . I blushed an even deeper shade of red."Oh, and my name's Edward" he continued.
But he seemed to notice something and his expression became concerned. „Have you been crying, Bella?" he asked, terrified.
„Ummm, yeah, it's nothing, I just-" I started, but he interrupted me.
„How can you say that it's nothing?" his voice was shocked.
„Okay, do you want me to tell you the whole story?"
He nodded.
Here goes nothing..."So, my ex-boyfriend's name was Jacob. At first he was my best friend. Then he told me that he loved me. I fell in love with him too. We were together for almost three years and... And then... He left me because of a girl called Leah. I'm sure that she's just using him. i tried to tell him, but he wouldn't listen. He said that I was just jealous and I gave up."
„Stupid bastard..." Edward muttered.
„I heard that" I laughed.
„Sorry" he apologized.
„It's okay, I know he's a bastard. And Alice and Rose keep telling me the same" I sighed.
„And they are...?" he asked.
„My best friends... They're here in the club right now" I explained.
„They're here? Why didn't you call them?"
„I already tried. There's no signal"
„We're so screwed!! Anyway, we were talking about that Jacob guy, I'd like to tell you my opinion. He was a jerk. He missed his chance with a beautiful girl like you. And what did that girl look like?"
„I don't think she's very pretty. She has copper skin and dark hair... and wears short skirts. Well, she looks like a bitch to me."
„The way you describe her, seems like a bitch to me, too. And Jacob was an asshole."
My eyes filled with tears once again and they fell down my cheeks.
Edward stood up and kneeled down in front of me. „I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt."
„You don't need to apologize. It's true." I sobbed.
„Then why are you crying?"
„I... I don't know... It's just that you understand me so well..." He hugged me and wiped the tears away with fis fingertips. A jolt of electricity washed through me. I trembled a little and, when I looked in Edward's eyes, I knew he felt it too.
His head moved towards mine and in that moment I knew I was able to move on. Right now. He brushed his lips against mine lightly, like he was expecting me to push him away, but I didn't. In fact, I wound my arms around his neck and pulled him even closer to me...
That's when the door opened and Alice looked inside. „Bella!!" she sighed happily, right before she realized what I was doing... „See? I told you so, but you were as stubborn as always..." she babbled on and on, and I blushed. Edward smiled at me and helped me stand up. When we got out of the closet, Alice practically ran into Jasper's arms. That was fast. How long have we really been in there?
„Nice, Jasper." Said Edward. Did he know him?
„Do you know him?" I asked.
„Yeah, he's my best friend, along with that clown right there, Emmett" he pointed to the opposite side of the room. I looked in that ditection and saw Rose laughing with really muscly guy. So, his name was Emmett.
„Let's dance" I suggested, and Edward nodded.
That's when my favorite song started playing... Don't trust me by 3OH!3... It was amazing. I started swaying my hips to the beat and Edward did the same, putting his arms around my waist.
We were dancing and kissing, and dancing again, until I got an idea I had to realize right now, before I forgot it...
„Edward, come with me" I told him and started dragging him towards a couch in the corner.
„What are we going to do?" he asked, confused.
„We're going to write a song" I answered happily.
„About what?"
„Jacob" My face fell slightly, but I wasn't sad. Jacob was already in my past...
„Are you ready about that?" His eyes held only concern for me... and something else I couldn't decipher... Happiness? Maybe.
„I am. I'm sure about this, but you have to help me. I can't put my feelings into words..." I said.
„Okay... Try to describe me how you feel"
„I feel like..." I started. „I feel like I'm getting over him, like I'm moving on... Like I'm finally free."
„Hmmmm" He looked thoughtful. „I think I have an idea"
He took a napkin from the table and wrote something on it. Then he turned it towards me and I read what was written on it. Since you've been gone.
1 month later...
I was in the dressing room on one of my concerts. In Chicago. Mmmm, I loved this town. Here I met the love of my life – Edward... Though I still haven't told him that I love him. I thought it was too soon, and, well, maybe he didn't return my feelings and I was afraid of that.
Edward was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago.
Just in this moment the door opened. „Edward, I've been waiting for you, what took you so long?"
„Who's Edward?" asked a voice I never wanted to hear again in my life...
I shot up from my chair and turned around. And there was Jacob, staring at me proudly. „You're more beautiful than ever" he stated.
„What are you doing here?"
„I want to be with you again."
„No way in hell. What happened to Leah?"
„She left for some other guy" he sighed.
„Now you know how I felt. What do you want from me, Jake?" I snapped.
„What's wrong with you? Why are you acting like this?" he asked.
„Why do you think? You left me to be with that bitch Leah. And how did you get in here anyway?"
That's when my phone rang. I looked at the caller ID. Edward. „Hey, where are you?" I said.
„Security won't let me in. I told them I'm your boyfriend, but they said they already let him in."
I glared at Jacob. He just shrugged. „I'll be right there" I said, hanging up.
I walked out of the room and I could feel Jacob behind me.
„Why did you say you were my boyfriend? You aren't. Not anymore" I stated.
„But I'm going to be. Again."
„No, you're not" I said firmly.
„We'll see about that" We took a turn to the right and I could see Edward. I started to smile, but then Jacob grabbed my hand, came in front of me and smashed his lips to mine. Over his shoulder, I saw Edward's eyes fill with pain, and I started trying to push Jake away. But he wouldn't move. Dammit. I kicked his leg with all the force I could muster and when he pulled away, I slapped him with all my might. He staggered back.
I looked to where Edward was standing, but he was gone. I ran in the direction he took off.
„Edward!" I shouted after him. „Wait!!!"
I ran until I saw him, his back turned to me, he was just getting out the exit. „Stop!" I yelled when I got to him.
He didn't. He just kept walking. I walked next to him, trying to explain. „Edward, please understand. I came to take you inside, but he pulled my hand and kissed me. I couldn't stop him. He's like a rock."
I finally saw his face and cringed. His face was filled with so much pain...
„Are you going back to him?" he asked sadly.
„Are you crazy? Of course not. I can't do this. I can't leave you. I-" I stopped myself. I wasn't ready to tell him yet.
„You what?"
Well, I had to. If I wanted to keep him here. „I love you" I looked down. He stopped dead on his tracks and turned to me. He was going to tell me that he didn't return my feelings, or somethin along those lines...
Instead, he lifted my chin with his finger. „Really?" he asked, his expression softened.
„Yes, I do."
„I love you, too." He pulled me to him and kissed me with more love than I could ever imagine.
In the next moment my manager came towards us and said. „You're going to be late for your own concert... Hurry up with the making out!"
I blushed and dragged Edward backstage again. Jacob wasn't there anymore. Thank God.
„You're on in two" said my manager and walked off to somewhere else.
„Good luck" Edward wished and kissed me.
„Thanks"
I went to the stage. The crowd went crazy.
„Hey guys, you ready to rock tonight?" I asked. Everyone cheered. „Okay then. I'm gonna start with a new song tonight. It's called Since you've been gone and you'll be the first ones to hear it!"
I started singing...
Here's the thing, we started out friends
It was cool but it was all pretend
Yeah yeah, since you've been gone
You dedicated, you took the time
Wasn't long until I called you mine
Yeah yeah, since you've been gone
And all you'd ever hear me say
Is how I picture me with you
That's all you'd ever hear me say
But since you've been gone
I can breathe for the first time
I'm so moving on, yeah yeah
Thanks to you now I get what I want
Since you've been gone
How can I put it? You put me on
I even fell for that stupid love song
Yeah yeah, since you've been gone
How come I'd never hear you say
I just wanna be with you
I guess you never felt that way
But since you've been gone
I can breathe for the first time
I'm so moving on, yeah yeah
Thanks to you now I get, I get what I want
Since you've been gone
You had your chance, you blew it
Out of sight, out of mind
Shut your mouth, I just can't take it
Again and again and again and again
Since you've been gone (Since you've been gone)
I can breathe for the first time
I'm so moving on, yeah yeah
Thanks to you (thanks to you) now I get, I get what I want
I can breathe for the first time
I'm so moving on, yeah yeah
Thanks to you (thanks to you) now I get (I get)
You should know (you should know)
That I get
I get what I want
Since you've been gone
Since you've been gone
Since you've been gone