All For Nothing

Chapter One – The Party

EPOV

I stood in front of the full body-length mirror in my bedroom to inspect my appearance.

In my opinion, I'd scrubbed up well, though I didn't seem to look any different than I usually did. I was wearing a green and white checked shirt – my sister Alice insisted that it brought out my eyes – some khakis and my Chucks. At least I'd made some kind of attempt at taming my wild bronze hair with some gel, be it in vain. It had looked so stupid that I nearly went and showered all over again, eliminating Ali's hairdressing handiwork, but needless to say, she wouldn't let me. She ended up running out of the room in a huff because I refused to let her fix it after I'd ran my hands through it several times in an attempt to sooth my nervousness.

Alice always examined us before we left the house, anyway, even my mom and dad, Carlisle and Esme Cullen. Not that Carlisle was around much anyway. His job kept him out of the house pretty much all day, and what family time we'd managed to snag was usually interrupted by mysterious random phone calls on his mobile, which none of us ever felt it necessary to question, and he apologised profusely before grabbing his jacket and car keys, kissing my mother on the head and strutting out the door.

So I usually just didn't bother with trying to bond with him. I'd even stopped calling him Dad because I just didn't admire him as the father figure I used to. Not since Em, Alice and I found out his secret. A secret so dark that we had to swear on our lives never to tell another living soul.

My older brother Emmett liked to tease our little sister sometimes by wearing really stupid shit that no-one would be caught dead wearing in public. We all have a good laugh at Alice's expense, but never for long because everyone has to pay attention when she pouts and her big blue eyes begin to water.

Emmett was like the fucking hulk. He had the build of a rugby player, and had curly black hair. But although he was immature and childish, he had a good heart and one flash of his dimpled smile and girls were putty in his abnormally large hands.

Alice was one of those happy-go-lucky people who couldn't care less what people thought of her; although her credit card budget and designer label indulgences said otherwise. We weren't allowed to leave the Cullen residence without an Alice-approved outfit, i.e. something a little over a hundred dollars and nothing yellow.

Ali loved to play dress-up. I'd often see her heading up to her room with her newest 'victim' in tow – or, as she liked to call them, friends. But the sad thing was that when she had no-one to play with, I was always the one somehow roped into her antics and made-over. It was always a harrowing experience.

She'd always tell me, as she rooted through my closet: 'If you've got it, flaunt it.', which only succeeded in further fuelling my annoyance.

I mean, I was no fool. I know I was a good-looking lad. In fact, not to sound like a pompous ass or anything but I practically had the entire female population of Forks and Port Angeles at my disposal. Although that should perhaps be a good thing, depending on how you look at it, but it really wasn't. Everywhere I went there were girls checking me out, flirting, asking me out, throwing themselves at me. I never accepted, of course, but it always pissed me off and made me uncomfortable.

I knew what I needed. A girlfriend. Someone to spend time with, spoil rotten, share my love with, and someone to stake her claim on me to fend off the other girls.

And the reason I didn't have one?

Isabella Swan. The only girl I would ever consider sharing my time with, save for Ali and my mother. She was beautiful. She had these gorgeous deep chocolate expressive eyes, and where brown was perhaps deemed boring or common, hers were unique and warm, inviting... just, Bella. Her dark orbs perfectly matched her shiny mahogany waves that fell down her back resting just above her waist and I often noticed that when the sun caught it, her hair took a natural red tint. Absolutely fucking amazing.

She was slim and petite, with glorious curves in all the right places, and one of my favourite features about her was that adorable blush that caused me to melt inside. She was smart, I knew that, and I found her intelligence incredibly sexy. She was funny and cute and pretty... perfect girlfriend material, don't you agree?

There was one minor complication that stopped me from jumping in with both feet and asking her out. One little thing that stood in my way.

My father was in the Mafia.

And I wasn't permitted to get close to anyone.

I'd always found it unnervingly unfair that Alice was allowed friends when I had to act like an antisocial jerk who turned down dates with popular girls and denied an acceptance to the High School football team because Daddy Dearest forbid me any freedom at all. I was an eighteen-year-old virgin, for Gods' sake, which was practically unheard of in our little town. Everyone knew who slept with who; word always got around fast thanks to Jessica Stanley, the gossiper and first-class bitch. I wouldn't normally use that derogatory term to describe a lady, but to be blunt there wasn't anyone who hadn't been fucked by her save for my family. Maybe that sounds a little extreme, but if you ever met her you'd agree with me. And plus, she was always a bitch to Bella so that alone made her high on my shit list.

Not that I wanted to date any of the girls in Forks, anyway, Carlisle's interference or no. I believe I have already mentioned I only had eyes for one girl, and hey... I hear the forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest. I was waiting for the right time to disobey my father, biding my time, if you will. Saving myself for my beautiful Bella. She was always under the radar, never getting herself involved with anything out of school or extra-curricular. There was never any gossip about Bella, and she was not a gossiper herself, but there were, however, circulating whispers about her klutziness during Gym. It constantly angered me that these stupid big-mouthed chatterboxes held no concern for Bella's health and apparently, even worse, they found it amusing.

Once I even heard that she was shoved down the bleachers by Lauren Mallory, but that's just a rumour. Bella wasn't in school the next day.

I took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, wondering for the millionth time what the hell I was doing. I'm going to have fun, I stated confidently in my head, before the annoyance of my subconscious kicked in. Yeah fucking right. You're gonna have girls pawing at you the second you step through that door, and you can't drink because you'll be driving. You won't be comfortable making conversation with anyone because you've never had to before.

"It's a fucking miracle we're even going, Ed," Em said as we walked to the garage with Alice bounding along at our side in what she frequently referred to as her 'Little Black Dress'. And little it certainly was. Em and I had grumbled about how tight and short it was, but she just told us to back off and slipped the highest heels known to humanity on her dainty feet. Nobody argues with Mary Alice Cullen.

I pressed the automatic unlock button on my keys and we all piled into my precious Volvo. "I know," I sighed, waiting for the slow electric garage door to rise open. "Why the fuck do you think he let us go in the first place, anyway? We're not allowed to socialise, and he must know what teenage parties entail, right?"

They both shrugged as I pealed out of the driveway and drove at my usual maniacal speeds of around eighty miles an hour.

"Maybe Mom had a hand in the persuasion," Ali suggested, staring into space as she so often did when she had something on her mind. Her face took on a dreamy, far-away look. Em and I shared a concerned brotherly glance.

"'Sup, Pix?" Emmett called over his shoulder from his seat beside me as the passenger.

He appeared to have startled her, and she seemed to be having an internal battle to drag herself away from the Fairyland in her brain and back into the real world. Her eyes shifted between Em and I for a few long seconds, before she rolled them theatrically and diverted her gaze out at the scenery that whipped by at exhilarating speeds. A gentle smile settled on her mouth as she avoided looking at us.

"Something's going to happen tonight, I can feel it," she said softly, the corners of her lips still upturned. "I can feel it. A new acquaintance, I daresay."

Em and I grinned. Alice had this spooky way of predicting things. You should never bet against my little sister, she kicked serious ass.

However, I couldn't help but agree with her. A feeling coursed through my body – one that I'd felt before but not of this level of intensity. It was not a sense of impending doom, but a warm, lovely feeling of anticipation rushing through my veins – the feeling I used to get when Mom made me play piano in front of some distant relatives when I was ten. Something was going to happen at this party, that much I knew; although as of yet I wasn't quite certain what.

We pulled up to the suburban house belonging to Tyler Crowley, some dude on the football team. As I parked on the kerb, purposely taking up more space than necessary to ensure a safe distance around my precious Volvo, Em, Ali and I looked up at the poor excuse for a house and then at each other.

Em gave a low whistle. "Damn," he said quietly. "I'm trying not to be an insensitive ass here, I really am. I didn't expect it to be so..." He waved his beefy muscled arms around in placement of his absent words so enthusiastically he nearly thumped me in the face and gave me a black eye. I shoved his arm away jokingly, shaking my head.

"Old?" Alice suggested helpfully.

I chuckled. "Somehow I doubt everyone owns a Mercedes and a pool in their backyard like us," I smiled, starting to feel a little better about the situation. I wasn't really taking the piss out of Tyler's family's financial state, more comparing our massive mansion to this small pathetic excuse for a bungalow. It wasn't particularly clean, and there were several clusters of garbage strewn out in front, but I could imagine it as a place Tyler called home. Sometimes our house was really just that. A house. And I often felt as though I shouldn't have the opportunity to enjoy state-of-the-art shit when I knew how the money that bought us it was obtained.

I think the others' thoughts were taking the same direction as mine when an awkward silence settled over us.

"Let's get this over with," I sighed, grabbing my keys and jumping out the door. Suddenly I wasn't feeling so care-free any more. I needed a drink. Not one of the alcoholic kind, mind you, no matter how much I felt I deserved it. Carlisle would probably be waiting on red-alert inside the door to pounce as soon as we got back, breathalyser in hand.

The others followed suit and we walked with heavy spirits into a stale-smelling hallway, where jackets and outdoor clothing were strewn around messily. Loud, irritating music that was hard on the ear pulsed through the house, apparently coming from behind a closed door that appeared to be the living room.

Alice and Emmett waved to me before opening the door and slipping through it.

I decided to go into the kitchen, dodging couples in sloppy wet embraces and ashtrays filled with piss. Inside, I was surprised to find that I was the only person in there, apart from a girl whose back was facing me as she stood at the sink. She had shiny brown hair – and I only knew one person with that hair. I remembered that gorgeous hair from my fantasies.

I smiled as I entered the room, closing the door behind me to quieten the music a tad and to give us a bit of privacy. It clicked shut, and Bella gave a startled gasp as she turned her beautiful face round to look at the door and see who had arrived.

The first thing I noticed was that she was wearing makeup. Not an excessive amount, but enough to know it was there. She didn't need it, that was true, and as usual her beauty astounded me.

She smiled softly to which I reciprocated by smiling back crookedly, and she turned back to focus on her task. I walked around her so that I was sort of to her left and a bit behind her, leaning up against the fridge.

I took advantage of the angle to admire her choice of dress for the night. She was undeniably gorgeous, and although her outfit was slightly more modest than some of the other skanks I'd seen upon arrival, she was showing a damn sight more of her creamy white skin than usual, not that I was complaining.

I first focused intently on her feet. Black flats, no heels. Was it really any wonder, though, considering her crappy balance and co-ordination? I guessed not. I raked my eyes slowly up the backs of her amazing legs, up to the hem of her dark blue dress. Her ass was looking mighty fine, as per. Then I got to her hair. Oh, God, that hair. I wanted to weave my fingers into it, turn her around and stare into those chocolate eyes, lean forwards and...

"I can feel your eyes on me," she said softly, and I'm ashamed to say her musical voice startled me in the silence of the kitchen. Although her face was hidden from my view I could hear the smile in her voice, which in turn made the corners of my lips turn up.

"Can you blame me?" I replied with a playful undertone that I hoped she'd pick up on and not take me for some fucking perv or some shit.

"What do you mean?"

I grinned, stepping forwards so that I was beside her and leant forwards on my arms on the worktops and I could see her pretty face. I also noticed that her dress had a fairly modest neckline, but dipped into a low V shape so that she wasn't showcasing her goods but making them known. This girl was perfect.

"Seriously? You really have to ask?"

I saw her smile widen at our flirtatious banter that I looked forward to in Biology every school day. I never spoke to anyone else unless absolutely necessary, but Bella had only arrived last semester and needed a friend, and certainly none of the whores or perverts at Forks High was going to give her it.

"Enlighten me, then," she said with a quiet giggle. Music to my ears. And I didn't mean the music that was currently pounding next door.

"You look absolutely stunning, Bella," I complimented her, and just like a switch, I'd triggered her blush.

God, that blush.

She looked so delicious in that moment I just wanted to kiss her gorgeous face off. I didn't care about Carlisle and his stupid 'safety' rules. He couldn't deprive me from living my life any longer.

"Thank you, Edward."

"Any time."

"You don't look so bad yourself..." she trailed off, biting her lip in such a sinful way that I felt myself getting hard.

Not now! My brain was shouting at my cock. Not in these fucking trousers!

I just smiled.

"Hmm. What are you doing in here all alone, anyway?" I wondered, looking down. She was busying herself with cleaning the dishes. "What the fuck, Bella? I know you want to be helpful – believe me, I really do know you – but in this case you are the guest in Tyler's house."

She sighed, carefully putting the bowl down that she was soaping up.

I want to be that bowl.

"I know," she said quietly, drying her hands and turning to face me. She lifted her eyes to mine, and I was sure I wasn't imagining the electrical hum in the air sparking between us.

"Then why are you washing up?" I whispered, because it felt wrong to ruin the magic of the moment.

She shrugged slowly, only just maintaining eye-contact with me. She blinked, seeming to fight back tears. Before I knew what I was doing, I was reaching forwards and stroking her cheek, lightly brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. The touch of my finger on her flaming hot skin fizzled with the usual energy that always seemed to burn between us.

"Do you feel that?" I asked, wondering if, in fact, it was just me who was feeling like he was getting electrocuted.

Her eyes had strayed from mine, tracing the homely fridge magnets from weekends away holding pictures of the family beneath them. Suddenly her gaze whipped back to meet mine, and she gave a little gasp.

"I thought I was the only one," she murmured, looking incredulous and, I think, happy at the same time. Although her smile was small it was still captivatingly and undeniably happy.

I stepped a little closer to her, taking each side of her face into my hands and stroking my thumbs adoringly under her eyes, which were gazing up at me as if the sun was shining out of my ass. I'd never felt an urge quite like the one that was screaming at me to lean forwards just slightly, and then we'd be kissing.

And so that's what I did.

I leant forwards slowly, so slowly, giving her the chance to pull away if need be, but the eager smile on her cute pouty mouth lead me to believe that we were finally going to get our moment. Finally!

Her chocolatey brown eyes stayed connected with my vibrant green ones and she proceeded to lean in towards me, and I stepped forwards so close that our chests were pressed tightly against each other. I gently let go of her face, as she seemed to be fine with this, and placed my hands on the small of her back to keep her where she was, but not so tightly that she couldn't move if she wanted, even if I was kinda hoping she would stay there.

When our lips finally met, we both closed our eyes and there was a burst of colour behind my lids, the most delicious sensations coursing through my body. Bella's lips were soft as they moved in sync with mine, a slow, sensual and sweet kiss that was unrushed and was beautiful, because it was shared between my Bella and I.

As I rubbed small circles in her back with my fingers, I felt her slip her arms around my waist and tugged herself even closer.

It was the best experience of my life.

My first kiss.

I was also getting a buzz not only from the drug that is my Bella, but from the knowledge that I had deliberately disobeyed my father for the first time in my life.

I ran my tongue along her bottom lip, begging for entrance. Once I was granted permission, I plunged in and rubbed my tongue on hers, revelling in the divine taste of Bella.

Fleetingly, I wondered what this meant for us. I knew that our friendship, whatever you wanted to call it before the party happened, would possibly never be fixed again. Whatever we had was maybe ruined, but in that moment I couldn't care less. I was going to ask Bella on a date, that much I knew, but I also knew that we would have to keep it low-key and secret. I hoped she wouldn't mind, because I was afraid she'd get the wrong idea and think that I was ashamed to be seen with her or something. Shit, what if she did think that that was the case? It definitely wasn't; I desperately wanted to show Bella off to the world and yell HEY, BITCHES! BELLA'S MINE!

I'd caught that slick bastard Mike Newton checking her ass or cleavage out multiple times before, and poor Bella seemed to be oblivious.

She'd been really edgy and jumpy in Biology after lunch once, and I managed to coax it out of her that fucking Newton had cornered her in the hallway and asked her out. When I'd asked her through clenched teeth whether or not he had touched her, she denied it but was still nervous of any kind of touch from me for a few more days. Eventually she'd calmed down and given me the whole story – he'd forcefully pushed her into the wall so hard that she'd gotten a sore back, and then proceeded to threaten her by saying that he'd hurt me in some way, apparently.

I'd had to try hard to fight back a laugh. Clearly, she had not taken the time to compare my body to Mike's pathetic weedy one. Em kept me on a pretty strict work-out regime at home and I hated to say it, but it actually worked. Mike was lanky though not as tall as me, and he didn't look as muscled and toned as I did, even I could tell.

Bella had refused my offer to 'have a word with him' for her. Little did she know that the only reason Mike was off school the next day was because he was tending to an extremely out of place nose. My brother had taught me well.

When we broke away for air, we both leant back on our heels and just smiled at each other, still holding our arms in place.

She cleared her throat a little, and I quickly assessed her beautifully dishevelled appearance. Her skin was flushed and her eyes heavily lidded. Her hair was slightly mussed... I'll admit to tangling my hands in it throughout our passionate embrace. I'll bet mine wasn't much better. Her little hands had somehow gotten up there into my bronze curls and had tugged at the strands.

She was about to say something, by the looks of it.

She licked her lips to prepare herself, I suppose, but that distracted me and my eyes darted down to where her cute tiny pink tongue was poking out of her mouth. She laughed, which in turn made me grin like an idiot.

"Edward," she smiled softly. "That was-"

BEEP! BEEP!

The beeping of my cell indicating a text message interrupted her words. I cursed inwardly and growled outwardly.

"Shit," I groaned, making no effort to remove my hands from just above her ass to my pocket.

She giggled quietly. "It's ok." She didn't seem angered or pissed, though I definitely was. The only people that had my cell number were my family. And seeing as Alice and Emmett were there with me, I doubted it was either of them.

My mom was not very advanced as far as modern technology went. She knew how to use a computer, and how to operate a tv, but that was about it. Hell, I wasn't sure she even owned a mobile. So it couldn't have been her.

Which left only one more person. He wasn't even remotely near to me and he was still ruining my life, the most important moment at that. It was as if maybe he knew what had just happened. Like he had a sixth sense or some shit. Wasn't that a skill killers were supposed to possess?

Apologising to Bella, but keeping one hand on her, I reached into my pocket and opened the message.

Get the fuck home right now, Edward. -Dad