Summary: Bella is on her own after leaving everything she owns behind her. Who is the handsome stranger she keeps running into?
Disclaimer: SM owns I just wish I did. :)
Never once when I envisioned my path in life did I imagine I would end up here. Alone. In a new town on the opposite side of the country, no friends, no family, no support system. I gave it all up when I left home, the heartache was too much for me to take. I couldn't live with myself any more and coming from a small town where you see and hear everything about everyone, it hurt too much to hear how happy my ex best friends were.
I grew up the typical American girl, perfect family, perfect grades, and perfect friends. My next door neighbor growing up was Jasper Whitlock and our mothers joked about how we were friends from the moment we both entered the world. Jasper was born first early on the morning of September 12, 1984. I was a day later on the 13th and we have been thick as thieves since. It was only natural that our relationship changed from friendship to romance as we went through our awkward teen years. Jasper was my first dance, my first kiss, my first love, my first everything, as I was his. We had begun dating when we entered our freshman year of high school. This was around the same time that Alice Brandon moved to Forks. Alice and I instantly became best friends, being the fashion queen that she is she kept my styled and beautiful throughout our time together. Jasper and Alice got along for the sake of me, it seemed they were always arguing about something, I would later look back to realize how much of this was actually the sexual tension between the two of them. But as they say hind sight is 20/20.
After high school the three of us moved on to Seattle where we all attended the University of Washington. I was studying to become an accountant, Jasper was psychiatry, and Alice was taking Marketing classes. My sophomore year everything changed.
October 2004
I had the flu for the past two weeks and Jasper and I were starting to get concerned, I was hardly ever sick and when I did come down with something it didn't last longer than a day. Jasper talked me into making an appointment with my doctor. Two days later I left my doctors office in a daze. 20 years old and pregnant. What was I going to do? It wasn't like Jasper and I hadn't talked about having kids sometime in the future but we wanted to make sure we were settled into careers, had a house, grow up a little. I was freaking the fuck out. I was sitting on the couch of the apartment that Jasper, Alice and I shared contemplating how to tell Jasper the news when he and Alice came home. They shared a look before Alice retreated to her room and Jasper sat beside me on the couch.
"How did your appointment go?" Jasper asked as he took my hand. He looked so nervous maybe he already knew what I was going to say.
"Well I'm not sick" I started nervously.
Jasper grinned "That's great I'm so glad there is nothing seriously wrong with you, it makes it so much easier to tell you this."
"But…"I interrupted but Jasper could not be stopped
"I love you; you're my best friend you know that right, I would never do something to intentionally hurt you, that's why I'm telling you this now before it gets to that point."
"Jasper, what are you talking about, please just let me finish telling you about my appointment."
It was like I was talking to a wall I could barely get anything out as Jasper kept on with his ramblings.
"It's not like we meant for this to happen but sometimes you can't fight fate you know…I love her."
I felt like I was dying my chest was splitting in two my breaths were shallow my vision was fading.
"Who, you love who?" I could feel my eyes starting to prick the sensations of tears ready to fall at any moment.
"Alice" he all but whispered to me. "I love her Bella I really love her and I'm so sorry to hurt you this way but I know it's her for me it will always be her." He looked down unable to meet my eyes.
I paced back and forth in front of him for at least 20 minutes not saying a word. Alice finally came out of her room and sat beside Jasper on the couch, looking down at their clasped hands I finally lost it.
"THE FUCK? How could you? Both of you, you are supposed to be my best friends, you don't do this to people you care about. What was I Jazz just a bed warmer to you? What was the talk of marriage and kids…"I whispered the last part realizing I hadn't even told Jasper the news yet from the doctor. I couldn't tell him now I would do this myself. I could be a single mother, I could move back in with my parents, get a part time job…oh my god how was I going to do this. The panic started to set in again and I knew I had to get out of there. "You know what fuck you both; I hope you have a great life together. Please don't talk to me again, don't look at me, and don't even acknowledge that I exist, I am dead to you."
"I started walking to the room Jasper and I once shared anxious to get out of this house before I collapsed in on myself.
Jasper came after me "Bella stop I can't pretend you aren't here, you're my best friend I do love you just not how I love Alice I'm so sorry."
"You know what Jasper the fact that you think you can even fathom the idea that I want to be your friend at this point is beyond my imagination. Friends do NOT do this to each other…You were everything to me Jazz and you used to tell me I was everything to you, I wish you would have told me as soon as you stopped feeling that way, it might make this hurt a little less now. Just leave me to pack; I'll be out in an hour."
Alice who was unusually quiet during the whole exchange finally decided to speak up. "You don't have to leave Bella, this is your house too."
"It stopped being my house the minute the two of you decided to betray me. I'm done talking about this; I don't have it in me to argue with the two of you anymore. Please just leave. Give me an hour and I will be out, you owe me that much at least."
I had packed all the belongings I could and had gone to a motel for the night. The next day my parents had come to pick me up I decided I needed to take a break from school especially with the pregnancy. I decided to keep the pregnancy a secret from everyone for as long as I could until I could come up with some sort of excuse to give people. I was about six months along when my Mom finally took notice and confronted me about it.
"How far along are you Isabella?" she so casually stated while making lunch one afternoon. I was so taken aback I couldn't even come up with a lie fast enough.
"Six months," I hung my head in shame waiting for the reprimand that was sure to follow.
"And the father, does he know, is it Jasper? Your father is going to kill him."
"NO, it's not Jasper and no the father doesn't know it was a one night stand after I found out about Jasper and Alice…" I lied so easily I couldn't let Jasper know about this child I wouldn't have him marry me out of some sense of obligation because I'm sure that's what our parents would force upon us. I hadn't seen Jasper or Alice since the fateful night where he broke my heart. But word travels fast around this town and I heard that he proposed to Alice last weekend.
"What are you going to do Bella? You have plans for your life, how are you going to follow them all while being a single mother? Your father and I can't support you and another baby we just can't honey."
"I don't know Mom, I love this child already, and I'm weighing my options right now. I'm sorry for disappointing you Mom." I hung my head the tears falling steadily now.
"Baby, its ok we will figure it out."
We did end up figuring it out and that's how I ended up on the opposite side of the country 6 years later. I had decided that adoption was the best option for my unborn child. I knew that I could not give the baby growing inside of me the best life that it deserved. I arranged for an open adoption so that if my child ever wanted to meet me later in life he would have that option. I met several times with the adoptive parents, Carlisle and Esme Cullen. Carlisle was a doctor in the Seattle area at the time and Esme was a stay at home Mom. They really were sweet people and the perfect candidate for my baby. It was only a year after the adoption was completed that I had received a phone call from Esme informing me that Carlisle had accepted a position in New York as the chief of surgery at New YorkPresbyterianHospital. I wished them luck and told them to keep sending me pictures so I could keep up with my baby's life.
I'm not really sure what it was that made me decide to make the trip cross country to visit the Cullens. I was sitting at the breakfast table with my parents on a Wednesday morning and it hit me. What had I done with my life? Nothing, I hadn't finished school, I was working at the diner as a waitress, and I had nothing to tie me down to this town. I had no boyfriend; I hadn't talked to Jasper or Alice in years. They were happily married and the last time I was in town I was informed by Mrs. Stanley that they were expecting their first child. Maybe this was the flame I needed under my ass to get going. My parents were not very happy with me when I told them I was moving. They had pretty much supported me since I moved back home and really didn't want me to leave. I knew I had to do this for myself.
10 days later after an exhausting drive I was parked at the bottom of a long driveway of a beautiful house in New York. The house I had been sending my letters to for 5 years. It was everything I imagined for my son to grow up in. A huge mansion right outside of the city limits. I was trying to get up the nerve to drive the rest of the way up the drive way when there was a sharp rap on my window. When I looked to my left I was met with the most stunning pair of green eyes I had ever seen, and they were attached to the most perfect specimen of a man I had ever laid eyes on. I rolled down my window after my blatant eye fuck of this gorgeous stranger. He apparently was out on the streets for a run as he was wearing athletic shorts and a Dartmouth t-shirt that was clinging to his chest that was soaked from sweat. Lord help me now…
"You realize you are parked on private property right? If you don't move along I'm going to have to call the cops and it would be a shame to have such a beautiful lady locked up in one of NYC's finest jails for the night." The handsome stranger grinned at me crookedly.
"I'm sorry I'm just trying to work up the nerve to get the rest of the way up the driveway, I didn't mean to disturb your run." I smiled coyly at him. "No need to inform law enforcements, I'll head up there now."
"You know the Cullens? I haven't seen you around here before" Green eyed stranger asked cocking an eyebrow at me.
"Yeah I know them, this is the first time I've ever been to visit them though hence the not seeing me around." it was so easy to converse with this absolute stranger it was like I had known him my entire life. "I take it you know the Cullens as well?"
The crooked grin came back in full force again. "You could say that." Well I've got to get on with my run before my shift at the hospital. I'll see you around beautiful.
With that my beautiful stranger ran around the corner before I could even get his name.
Now or never I thought to myself after I drove the rest of the way up the driveway. I was standing before the Cullens front door and rang the bell. After a few moments the door opened and I was greeted by a housekeeper who informed me the Cullens were out of town on vacation but would be returning to the city within the week.
Well thought out plan there Bella lets just drive across the country to show up on someone's door step. You might think of checking to see if they were going to be home first. Dejectedly I made my way back to my hotel room after leaving my number with the housekeeper. She promised she would have Esme call me as soon as they were ready for my visit. With nothing else to do, I decided to go out to a local bar I saw down the street from my hotel. As I was sitting on my stool drinking my favorite beer, I felt an electric presence as someone took a seat next to me.
"Well well, if it isn't the beautiful stranger from this morning." I looked to my right where the green eyed god was seated. The universe must be in love with me today, what are the odds that I would run into this perfect stranger twice in one day?
"Hello again, I didn't catch your name earlier when I was interrupting your run. I'm Bella." I smiled offering my hand.
"Edward" green eyed god took my hand in his and gently kissed my knuckles. Edward ordered a beer and we started talking. Before I knew it, the bartender was calling last call and I was dreading have to part ways with the man beside me.
"Want to get out of here? My place is close by." Edward looked nervous as he asked me
"Sure" I said without hesitation. If t his beautiful man wanted me he would have me. I would take what I could get. What are the odds I would ever see him again anyway?
Edward and I quickly walked back to his place he had a gorgeous loft apartment over looking the city. We had barely got in the door before I was pinned against it. Edwards's hands were in my hair and his mouth was on mine before I could say a word. Kissing Edward was heaven. I wanted to combust just from his kisses. I could feel the wetness pooling between my legs and I slowly ground my hips against his. I could feel his hardness press into me and I couldn't wait for him to take me.
"Please fuck me Edward. I can't wait anymore.""God I think you were made just for me Bella I want you so bad."
He carried me to his bedroom and threw me down onto the bed. In an instant our clothes were stripped and he was hovering over me. "Are you sure about this Bella?" Edward asked as rolled on a condom. "Absolutely I am" I responded as I leaned up to capture his lips again. Edward thrust into me and stilled. "Oh God Bella you are so tight, I'm not going to last long baby." he reached down and pinched my clit as he began to slam into me over and over. "Me either, uhhh harder Edward please" The orgasm that followed was easily the hardest I had ever cum in my life. Edward was lying panting beside me. "wow" he whispered as he disposed of the condom. "I don't know if I can ever let you go now, that was amazing." he sweetly kissed my temple.
"I know it was amazing" I yawned and snuggled into Edwards arms falling asleep faster than I ever had in my life before.
I woke the next morning with a start, I definitely wasn't in my hotel room and I felt an arm wrap around my waist. Looking over I saw Edward still fast asleep. Oh my god this was going to be awkward, this was why I hated one night stands, the nights are filled with passion and the mornings are filled with awkwardness and promises to call that never happen. I couldn't go through the awkwardness with Edward. He made me feel like I had never felt before and I wasn't sure if I could handle a promise to call from his that would never come. I quietly tip toed out of bed and redressed myself preparing for the walk of shame.
A few days later I finally received the call from Esme that I had been waiting for. I explained that I decided to take a last minute cross country trip and would like to visit with them. She invited me over for brunch the next day. I was excited to meet Emmett, my son, Esme and Carlisle had explained to him that I was a friend of the family but were waiting until he was older to explain the situation to him. For now, I would be Aunt Bella, which was more than fine for me.
The next morning I was standing on the front porch of the Cullens home waiting for someone to answer the door when I heard a car door shut behind me. I didn't bother to turn around until I heard the velvety voice next to my ear. "Good morning beautiful Bella, I wish I could have whispered those words to you the other morning but someone ran out on me." I turned to look at Edward and before I could explain myself or ask what he was doing here, the door swung open and Esme greeted us. "Oh good you are both here!" Esme excitedly greeted us. "Edward this is Bella Swan, Emmett's birth mother. Bella this is Edward Cullen my son." Edward and I just stared at each other unsure of the reaction we would each get.
The last thought I had before the door shut was Holy Shit I screwed my son's brother.