It's Better This Way.
"Bella? Dammit!"
I swallowed hard. Mike Newton had cornered me after gym, and having insisted to drive me home, had parked outside the house, Charlie's cruiser for once, unfortunately running late and not having gotten home yet.
We'd gone into the trail of the pathway behind the house, now alone in the alien greeness, I cursed my old truck for packing up on me for this day in particular.
I hadn't been too fussed about walking to be honest, and then Mike had noticed and been the gentlemen.
He'd been persistant and I'd let him.
Stupid.
Why the hell did I agree?
Because my ass was frozen walking in the drizzle? Or because it was Mike?
I should have stopped there.
It was Mike. Exactly. Who was bound to try something.
"What..?" I asked, my eyes wide with innocence. What had I actually done? He's just turned, looking slightly murderous, even more so at my innocent look. I wasn't fawning it, but I could tell he believed I was.
"What have I done, Mike? What am I doing? You'll have to help me out here," I sighed, fed up of this already.
Mike turned.
His blue eys murderous. Not light blue, not serene or calm anymore. Cold. Heartless. Demanding.
"For christ sake Bella- You know damn well what you're doing!" He snapped.
When had he ever been like this?
When had he even raised his voice, except for when Eric had pounded him with snow on that day I'd managed to escape his over eager, too helpful grasp.
When had he hissed at me, and snarled? It was like it wasn't him..
When had he stepped closer, and when had I been backed against a tree?
Scream.
My insticts were clear.
Something was wrong. I knew that much. Something was definately wrong.
I should scream, yell. Run?
No. No.. If I ran. I fell. I'd look like an idiot and if he wasn't even trying anything, then I'd die of shame.. But then.. Shit.
He was trying something-
He was closer, right in my face.
I'd never realised his skin wasn't as unblemished as I thought.
Maybe it was just at this promiximity that I could tell... Hm. But now wasn't the time for offering him a good brand of cleanser.
"Mike-?"
"Shut up."
That took me back. When had he ever said that?
When had he started ranting on.. Maybe I should be listening to him, trying to calm him down.
"-Ever since you got here, I did..."
I swallowed. Oh god.. He'd only just started, I could tell that much.
"-Every day I helped, damn it. I took you on in Gym when you were useless, I helped you out-"
What on earth was he getting at? Why was he bringing this up? Why was he so angry?
"And I'm grateful for that-"
"Are you hell!" He snapped back, glaring at me. "You never cared, you always just thought I'd tag along and be happy being treated like a petty underdog Bella!"
What... The... Hell...?
"Mike- Mike, just.. Just, look. Calm down, come back out of here and we can sort whatever it is on your mind out."
The boy was obviously somewhat derranged.
"No Bella- Damn it all. You never listen, you're driving me insane! You know what I feel, and you know-"
I zoned out again, trying best to figure a way out of here while he proclaimed undying love, my eyes scanning the proximity we had between us, the length to the trail and how long it'd take for him to cacth me.
With out a doubt. It would take seconds, and who knew what'd happen then?
But.. It was better than this..
Anything was better than this, no matter how much I fell, it was better.
Shoving him roughly away from me, he stumbled, shocked that I packed that much strength.
"Get away from me!" I shouted, shouldering from the tree and past him roughly, stumbling, not really aware of what was going on until the iron grasp latched to my wrist, spinning me roughly around and something collided with my cheek, knocking me off balance as I stumbled, then fell.
I hadn't even run and I'd fallen.
Holding a hand to my face, I felt the twinge of the slap, Mike stood above me as I looked to him.
Now scared.
Scared of what he was capable of.
Scared of what he'd done and what he was planning on.
"Mike.." I whispered hoarsely, holding my face as he crouched down and pulled me up, pressing me back up against the tree's.
It was green.
Too green.
Too alien.
Too unfamiliar.
Too suffocating.
I felt the tears in my eyes before they even formed.
I knew they'd be there, showing how afraid I was. Showing how abused I already felt.
Mike had leant in close, inches from my face, head turning to face me, blue eyes piercing into my own, lips about to brush past mine before his body was suddenly dragged back against his will.
I take it that it was, because of the grunt and gasp of air that came from him as he moved, and fell hard on the floor feet from me, head smacking on the floor, rendering him in a shocked, unconcious, yet alive state.
What the hell...?
And then.
There he was. My saviour. Perfect, except for one thing.. His eyes.
"Edward." I called out, reaching for him as he turned to pull me into his arms, fingers brushing over the mark on my face, bruising already, his cool hands softening the mark somewhat.
"Your eyes.." I murmered, seeing the deep black instead of the butterscotch I was comfortable.
It wasn't safe.
Not for him, I knew if something happened.. He would hate himself afterwards.
He would tarnish the near clean record and ruin his family's chances of staying hidden.
"Edward, come on."
"I can kill him Bella.. Just for that-" His lips skimmed the mark on my face, his arms wrapped around me like a vice, but this one I didn't seem to mind too much. "I can kill him, and hide it.." He whispered carefully into my ear, even though Mike had no chance of hearing, his body lifeless enough for my liking.
Was he dead?
"Is he..?" I began, before he cut across me, shaking his head firmly as Mike groaned.
"Not yet." He said, composed, even in this matter.
"Edward, no. Edward come on.. You can't.. It doesn't matter, just leave him. He isn't worth this, please.."
I was begging him.
I was saving Mike. Even though he had attacked me.
Edward smiled, finally turning to see my desperate state.
"I don't like you being so roused Bella, not if I haven't caused it," His crooked smile tugged at his lips as I noticed his fist clenced, as he held me, directing his anger, holding back still.
Even in this situation, I blushed scarlett.
"Now is hardly the time Edward," I mumbled, turning away.
His lips pressed to my head lightly, fingers brushing over my jawline, down my neck and back up, stopping to rest on the mark Mike had made, before he leant in and captured my lips in a chaste kiss, pulling back and tilting his head.
"Charlie," He spoke the word and I groaned.
Could I leave Edward now?
Alone.
Here.
With Mike led on the floor there?
He seemed to read my thoughts in my expression.
"Do you want me to wait for you?" He asked, looking down to me and threading a strand on hair behind my ear, absentmindly playing with another lock.
Calming himself down.
"Yes," I nodded swiftly, turning to Mike, before turning my back on him.
"Leave him alive, I'm sure you can torment him enough that way," I grumbled, pulling at Edward, but failing to move him. Stubborn git.
He grinned crookedly, walking me to the clearing before kissing me softly.
"Five minutes.." He whispered, before vanishing, leaving me stood there to see Charlie climbing out of his cruiser, newspaper folded under his arm as he stopped, half way up the path.
"Bells?" He asked, turning to see me in the fading light.
"Yeah- Right here, I just.."
Er. What was I doing?
"-I thought I heard something and came out.."
It was plausable enough for me.
"What happened to your face?" He asked as I stepped up to the porch, waiting as he fiddled with the key. The deadbolt unlocked. Swinging the door open and stepping over, listening as I kicked it shut, for some reason listening as if I could hear Edward moving upstairs, but knowing it was impossible.
"I- Fell over, just now, when I heard something.. Tripped.."
I shrugged, and touched the mark, it twinged.
"Typical Bella, I'm ordering pizza, I don't think there's much in.. And put some ice on it before it swells up.." He sighed, hanging up his gun on the nail in the wall before calling to me from the living room to finish his sentence, settling down for a game of some kind.
"I will do, and sure, I'll get some things at the store tomorrow," I replied automatically, heading up the stairs two at a time.
Well, my very own ice pack would be there waiting for me.
It was probably more effective than the stuff in the freezer anyway.