Summary: Bella is unemployed. Edward big shot CEO is in need of a secretary. When Bella gets appointed to him it is a shock for them both. Because they know each other, Bella bullied Edward. He was past all his demons, now they are all rushing back to him.

2005- High school

"Freak"

"Get out of the way loser"

"What the hell? Get away from me geek"

I mumbled sorry after sorry as I walked down the corridor. Twisting so I didn't touch anyone, moving quickly so I didn't slow anyone down. This is my life at school and has been for a very long time. I don't know I started to get picked on- I can't remember. Maybe it was after I got my glasses? Or when I got braces? Or when the acne appeared? "Pizza face" someone very kindly called me yesterday. I try not to let it get to me, but it is hard. The thing is, it is not just one student picking on me, it's the entire school. Even freshman pick on me, me being a senior. I hate being at school. The only way I can disrobe being bullied is that every self doubt you have in your head being spoken allowed to you. I don't understand why they do it, do they think I don't know I have acne? Or that I don't know that I look ugly? Why do they feel the need to tell it to me?

I can't wait to get out of here, to go somewhere far, far away and never come back. I would have moved earlier but my grades are really good here and Mom said that if I moved they might slip with the change. She doesn't know that I am bullied- and I like it that way.

I finally made it to extension math and sat in my seat up the front. Where else would I sit? At the back? The though of me sitting at the back was so humorous I almost laughed. But I didn't, I haven't laughed in a long time. The back is for the cool kids, and as any kid in the school will tell you, I am not cool. I don't turn when I heard the chair next to me was being scraped back along the ground. I knew who it was, Bella Swan. She was my biggest tormentor; she was the one that started the bullying.

"Hey c-c-c-c-Cullen" She sneered. Making fun of my stutter, nice. I didn't always have a stutter, only when I was at school because of how nervous I got. I just ignored Bella but I could hear laughter from the back of the room and knew she was putting on a show for them. When there was an audience it was always worse.

"What you got there?" She was looking into my backpack. I looked down and saw what had gotten her attention, my phone. I gulped, she had that evil gleam in her eye, she was going to do something. She snatched the phone out of my bag and held it to her chest.

"Lets see what's in here shall we?" She slid the lock screen. No! my brain shouted, but I remained silent, sweating and breathing quickly, maybe if I just let her do whatever she wanted it would be over soon. I saw her skinny finger press the messages icon.

"Who has our Eddie been texting?" Bella sneered.

I knew who I had been texting. There were only 2 people I ever texted, my mum and my sister, the only two people I let in. And very soon Bella would know that too.

"Alice? Who is Alice, toad?" Did I forget to mention they all call me toad?

"No one" I mumbled. Leave me alone, leave me alone

Then she started to read out the messages: "'How are you feeling sweetie?

All right, I miss you though

I miss you too Ali-bear,' Awww isn't this the sweetest? Toad has a girlfriend!" Alice was not my girlfriend, but I knew she wouldn't believe me if I told her the truth.

"Everyone! Eddie toad over here has a girlfriend!" She stood up and told the whole class. I was so embarrassed. I stood up and snatched the phone back and then shoved it in my bag. I wanted her to stop before she started teasing Alice. No one, teases Alice. Alice is going through enough.

Finally the teacher came in and Bella sat down and pretended nothing happened. Then the lesson started.

12-35-2 I put the combination into my locker and put my books back.

"Hey toad!" I slowly peered my head out of the locker wondering if Bella was alone or not. That would be the gauge of what about to happen. I had learnt that over the years, if she was alone it would not be too bad, if she was with a bunch of girlfriends it would be humiliating, but, if she was with boys as well? That was when I got beaten up. The usual gang was Jacob Black, Mike newton, Jasper Whitlock and of coarse there was Bella, Jessica Newton, Lauren Malloy and occasionally Rosalie Hale. But Rosalie never picked on me and would just mouth Sorry the entire time. I didn't understand why she would come along if she didn't want to join in.

This time there were 5 more guys than usual. They were all in my gym class, Ben, Tom, Cameron, James and Carl. This was going to be bad.

They all nodded at me.

What is going to happen to me?

Mike held up a blindfold. "We are just going to go for a little drive alright?" Oh no.

Rosalie was nearly crying and mouthing 'sorry' so continuously I knew this was going to be really bad.

"W-w-w-where are we g-g-oin-n-n-g?"

"That's for us to know and you to find out" Bella took the blindfold and pushed me against the lockers. Then she tied it around my eyes. I hated the dark, always had. I was led out towards the parking lot. Finally I knew we were at the car because we stopped. I could hear doors opening and closing as people clambered in.

"No seat for you, you don't deserve it, you toad. You get someplace else" I heard Bella open another door, but it didn't sound like the rest.

"Get in"

She pushed me in. It was a boot of the car. Not a boot you get if you have a hatchback, a small boot. A closed in boot. I was tall, 6'2, I wasn't going to fit easily. I was scared, there was going to be no space. She shoved me and shoved me until I was in. Then they started driving. I bounced around like a ball in a cup. It hurt, I wanted to cry from the pain but I would not. I never did, not in public. I would wait until I got home at least.

I knew they were driving fast just to hurt me. They were swerving, they would drive and then abruptly stop and they would spin in circles. It hurt. It hurt really bad.

I was so relieved when the boot opened, I was finished, I could go home.

"Don't think we are done with you yet you toad" Everyone laughed at Bella.

"D-d-d-d-d-o I-I-I get-t-t-t to t-t-take t-t-his o-o-f-f-f-f-f-f" I touched the blindfold.

"D-d-d-d-d, stop it toad, you sound like an idiot", They all laughed again.

They lead to me towards something, I didn't know what but I could hear rushing water. That was not a good sign.

"Maybe we shouldn't, maybe we should just let him go" That must have been Rosalie.

"Come on Rose! It will be fun"

At least 3 of them were pulling me towards the sound of rushing water. It was getting louder and louder as we got closer.

Then I was tripped from under my feet and fell on my back. They laughed again. Instead of letting me get up someone turned me around so I was on my hands and knees. Then they pushed my face down, down into the water. I was not expecting it so I inhaled just as my face came in contact with the water. I coughed under the water, stupidly trying to get the liquid out of my lungs but more came in. I tried to fight them and to get my face back to air but they held my head down. Finally when I was starting to feel as though I might loose consciousness I was let up for air. I gasped and spluttered and vomited water all over the ground. There was still laughter- why did they find me is so much pain so funny? Then without warning I was pushed back underneath. This pattern continued about 3 times before someone ripped my head out of the water.

" .enough! You have had your fun now leave the poor boy alone." Rosalie yelled at them. Despite the water in my lungs, the burn in my throat and the liquid raising up to my mouth that soon I was going to vomit I felt strangely happy. No one had ever stood up for me, ever. Sure enough I did vomit, all over the floor once more.

"Leave him alone, go away all of you." She was holding my head in her lap now and stroking my hair. She reminded me of my mother.

I could hear voices muttering as they all left. And then it was just her and I.

She took off my blindfold and looked into my eyes with tears streaming down her face.

"I am sorry Edward. I am so sorry" She cried still holding my head. I wanted to tell her it was alright and I was going to be okay but I couldn't. I was too sore and too exhausted. She pulled me up and hugged me. This was the closest I have ever been to a non-blood related girl. But I felt to attraction towards her, I just felt empty and alone.

"I am so sorry. I knew what they were going to do and I didn't even try stop them. I should have stopped them. I should have tried. I should have stopped them a long time ago. I just watched, watched them bully you. I am so sorry." Her sobs rocked us back and forth.

"Rosalie, its okay" I whispered. It was all my voice allowed and I hoped she could hear it. After what felt like a long time she stopped crying and turned to face me.

"How are we going to get home?" She asked smiling a little. "They drove us here, we have no way back."

"M-m-my phone" This time it was not a stutter, I realized I was shivering. She reached and got it from my pocket.

"Who do I call?" She asked

"I-i-its under m-m-om"

"She dialed the number "Hello Mrs. Cullen? This is Rosalie Hale" "There was an… an accident and Edward really needs you to pick him up" There was a pause" " We are at the damn, right next to the car park. Thank you Mrs. Cullen…. He is not really alright, he needs you. Thank your Mrs. Cullen" Then she turned back to me after she hung up.

"I am leaving town Edward. I just thought you should know." What? The first time I make somewhat of a friend they leave town?

"W-w-why?"

"Because look what they did to you, that can't happen to me. I leaving in the morning and I am not coming back."

Then she gave me one last hug and then ran away.

I waited, for my mother all alone. When she came I lied that me and a couple of friends were jumping into the river and I hit my head at the bottom. They left because it freaked them out.

Then I had an epiphany, maybe being alone wasn't so bad. Having Rosalie leave me hurt me more than never having her there for me in the first place. From then on I let no one else in and no one else get close to me. That was the day I became cold, cold and empty.

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Next chapter is present day and the story will fit in with the blurb. I update every Wednesday :) . Please leave me a review? Thank you all xo

-Darkened Edwardian