What Would You Do?
Saturday night was at this real wild party
There was liquor overflowin' the cup,
About 5 or 6 strippers trying to work for a buck.
The dark walls of the club sucked in the dim lighting, my eyes finding it hard to adjust. The combination of blasting music and yelling was overwhelming. With my brother close behind we ventured further into the night club. He headed straight towards the lit up bar, I trailed him unsure of where else to go. Emmett was so used to the climate of clubs and partying but I was different, 'Momma's favourite' he always called me. Emmett ordered drinks for both of us and gave me a nodded as he chucked his shot down. I followed suit cringing at the horrendous taste.
Suddenly the loud music dimmed and light shot up from the left of me. Girls came walking out, each in more revealing clothes than the other. Then I realised this was a strip club, Emmett had lied. I could feel my anger building, my brother knew my obvious distaste for strip clubs. The idea of woman degrading themselves to this kind of work pained be. How one could enjoy watching these girls humiliate themselves for money appalled me, we should be doing something to help them not stand by and watch. The last girl that walked onto the stage made be whole body and mind freeze.
I knew her.
I couldn't remember how. It was highly unlikely for me the recognise a stripper but I just did. "Lighten up Dr. Cullen," Emmett joked to me as he saw me stiffen up. The music picked up again adding a larger beat for the girls to now dance provocatively in front of the hooting men. I knew I was being stuck up but I couldn't help but wondering what types of men would stare at these girls for fun.
Bella.
That was the name of the girl I had noticed, her heart shaped face and large doe eyes were so recognisable even now. She went to middle school with me, Isabella Swan."What's wrong Eddie?" Emmett laughed nudging me.
"Emmett, the brunette," I gestured, he still looked at me blankly. "She went to Forks Middle School," Emmett head snapped towards the girl and his eyes visibly widened.
"Isabella Swan. Right?" He asked, I nodded slowly. The sudden realisation that I hated having. Some people weren't as well off as my family. I knew it was self-centred to say out loud but my family had money, money even my father did not solely earn himself. I would never have to worry about money but I still worked. As did my father, my brother and my younger sister but if we wanted we would never have to work a day in our lives. But here was this girl, whom I went to school with, did this as a job. The thought made me terrified for what else she did.
What if it didn't stop at dancing?
As the men were still hooting and staring at these young girls, it pissed me off. They were staring at her, seeing her as a sex object. It was horrible. I couldn't even look at her, I didn't want to see her body, something I shouldn't of been seeing, at least not here. I wasn't traditional in the no sex before marriage thing, I believe people can do what they want, but I do highly doubt these women are dancing for the fun of it, they needed the money. This wasn't fair.
"Edward, breathe," Emmett told me, it didn't help my distaste for the situation. My whole body stiffened, I wanted to do something but I didn't know what. Not proud of my decision, I walked out. I turned away from the men and the dancers, the alcohol and my brother. I left the club.
The dark streets made me feel no better as I kicked my way down the street, I wandered towards where the wind was coming from. The direction I knew the beach was. This beach always held good memories for me and maybe it would help now.
As a family we used to always come to this beach, me being the oldest had to make sure my sister and brother didn't drown in the ocean. Emmett was trying, per usual, to wrestle Alice to the ground. For my sister being the miniature person she was I was surprise she held our bear of brother off for as long as she did, before he dunked her under the water. Obviously she swam away under him but I couldn't not see any of that, all I saw was my sister not coming up for a breath. I panicked and looked around for our parents but couldn't see them. I ran towards the ocean, Emmett was pretty far out so I had to swim out to them, yelling at Emmett the whole way. Him, believing I was yelling about something else panicked as well. When I reached him, Alice appeared straight in front of me, almost touching noses. She looked confused, she probably heard our yelling from under the water. I then threw my arms over her begging her not to drown. I should say I was only eleven or so but they never stopped laughing about 'responsible' Edward coming to the rescue.
My phone rang then. I dished it out of my jean pockets, ready to face whatever Emmett was going to yell at me but the usual photo of Emmett throwing cake at Mom was not the photo that was displayed. It was actually the display photo for Alice, her short hair the feature of the photo as she kicked sand at this very beach. I pushed the green talk button awaiting my sister's high, energetic voice.
"Eddie. Emmett called, he said you ditched him at the club. Are you alright?" She asked, her loving nature never suppressed. She seemed oddly calm, maybe she really was spending too much time with her boyfriend.
"Yeah I'm fine," My croaked voice gave away my not-fine state. I sighed then, running my fingers through my messy hair.
"Edward," Alice growled softly, I could never lie to her, even as children, Alice always knew everything.
"You remember Isabella Swan? She was in my grade at middle school," There was pause on her side.
"Yeah. Brown hair, large eyes, and pale skin?" Alice listed off, she never forgets a face. "What about her?" I sighed not knowing what I was going to tell her.
"She was there," I said simply, there was a long pause now. I could just imagine Alice's 'so-what?' face as I said that. So I spared her the extra question. "She wasn't just there Alice, she was one of the strippers," It was her time to sigh now. I didn't know what I expected her to say but what she said was not what I thought she would say.
"Why do you care?" She didn't say it in a rude way but she did say it. I gathered all my thoughts, begging myself not to get angry.
"You know my hatred for strip clubs, the whole concept of a place where men and the occasional woman goes to stare down barely dressed women disturb me. It's really the definition of objectifying people, whether male or female. I am pretty sure the strippers don't do it for the thrills, they have to Alice. To make money. What if these women have families they are trying to protect and feed? It's horrid," I paused then, my free fist clenched while I spoke.
"That's not what I was asking," Alice replied evenly, not affected by my outburst. "I meant why do you care if it is Bella or just a random girl? I doubt you would've ran off leaving our brother if it was just a random girl," She had a point, what did Bella represent?
"Alice she was so smart, top of our class. She had the most amazing future in front of her but here she is. How is life so unfair to those who really deserve the best? I don't deserve anything, yet here we have all the money in the world and no where to spend it. She worked way harder than me, she could've of been so much more,"
"Don't use her misfortune to convince yourself you didn't deserve anything." She interrupted me. "You worked hard Edward, you went to an amazing university and graduated one of the best in your year. You are one of the top doctors, rivalling our father. That's amazing. It really is Edward," Alice reminded me.
"Alice but what about her?"
"How would I know Edward? I don't know her situation. Go and find her and talk to her. Maybe there is a way you can help her, find out why she's there," My sister being level headed as always was right. "Also Emmett went home, you should too," We bid each other farewell then, and I walked the few blocks to my flat. Emmett lived the same distance from the club but in the other direction.
I unlocked the door to my flat, met with the gray wall paper of the entrance room. It was an amazing flat, but with only two bedrooms it was still smaller than anyone else's in the families' house. Esme designed it when I first headed to college, I was never convinced about college dorms since we would then have to share a room. It never appealed to me. Emmett did the whole college experience and then got a flat after his second year. Of course our parents funded it, never bothered about the cost. The flat was an amazing gift. My mom designed it perfectly to fit me. With the darker walls and sophisticated further, it was very professional and I really loved it.
I decided to just head to bed, I did have work at noon. Later than normal hence why Emmett dragged me out drinking but I still have to work. When I tried to sleep the thought of Bella and what she could be doing now bothered me. What if she was still working? What if she was doing worse things than just dancing? I didn't really know what to think, I didn't know what she was going through. I want to know.
"Dr. Cullen?" Jessica, one of my nurses, quietly asked as she entered my office, I looked out from the mess of paper work scattered all over. "Do you want David on a IV or should we go ahead with a blood transfusion?" David was one of my older patients, a lovely kid with an unfortunate situation.
"IV, I'd rather not do a blood transfusion quite yet. Can you check on Daisy for me as well? I don't think her parents have stopped by this week," Jessica nodded smiling as she exited my office. I never really liked Jessica, not to be vain but I swore she tried to get with me when she first got here. I was already working here for almost a year but she kept trying to follow me around, telling me she really wanted to learn more about being a doctor. More like want to learn more about me since she interrogated me about my families and my lack of a girlfriend. I always tried to direct her to another topic but I couldn't be rude all the time. Finally she asked if I want to go out for dinner with her after work and after I politely declined saying I had to meet my sister she seemed to have given up. Maybe Emmett had told her he thought I was gay. Whatever it was it worked and she doesn't bother me as much.
The paediatric ward was never boring here, while my father worked down in surgery and in the emergency ward occasionally I had my own space up here. While many did recognise me as Carlisle Cullen's son they still congratulated me on being a doctor and never seem to think I got through the business because of my dad. Which I didn't. Carlisle didn't even put in a recommendation for me when I applied to the hospital. He made me intern and get a recommendation by a different doctor. So while I'm sure my dad's reputation helped me, he didn't help me himself.
"Can I go in and see Edward?" I could here my sister ask, I awaited Jessica's response.
"I believe Dr. Cullen is busy," Jessica replied, of course she does something annoying. To be fair to her she didn't know who my sister was. "I can call him for you,"
"Actually I believe he will just take me now," Alice loved screwing with annoying people. I could hear her walking through the door so I stood to greet her. As she entered the door I saw Jessica open her mouth to say something but I embraced Alice and she shut up. Maybe she got the hint.
"Thanks Jessica but she's fine," I said before Alice closed the door behind us. I laughed at her and she just winked back. "You always loved being mean to people," I commented Alice nodded in confirmation which made me laugh more.
"Yes I do," She smiled, then she got serious. "Did you find Bella?" I was trying to ignore that problem at least until I got off work but Alice always wanted things done quickly.
"You do know I have something called work, where I treat sick children," I sarcastically shot back at her, she rolled her eyes. "I will Alice, eventually,"
"Don't give me that shit Edward, you were the one who was angry about it, so fix it," She reminded me, I nodded. She was right but I just didn't want to deal with it just yet. I was cleaning up the finished paper work for the day since I was off work in less than an hour.
"How should I do it? Do I go back to the club and ask for her, won't that look odd? What if people saw me ordering for a stripper? Alice there is so many flaws to this plan," She glared back at me and I knew what she was going to say.
"Don't give excuses because your scared. Go to the club and ask for her, ask to talk to her not bloody order her as a stripper," Alice was right but it still didn't make me any less scared. Alice admitted she was really only at the office to see dad but came up to see me briefly. She left then, smiling sweetly at Jessica as she left which made me laugh.
I headed home, plagued about the thought of what I should do. I didn't want to involve Emmett this time, so I drove over in my car, I knew I wasn't going to drink tonight. I got to the entrance of the bar, right as it was opening, there wasn't that many people around this time. I looked for the bouncer who was there last night that was so nice to me and Emmett. "Edward! Back for another night?" He chuckled at me and I laughed back.
"Not quite. I was wondering if I could speak to one of the dancers," I said, then realising how odd I must sound.
"Why? I'm security as well so you have to go through me to see the girls," He informed me, I was glad the girls had a guy like this protect them from strange people at the bar.
"Isabella Swan? You can tell her Edward Cullen is here to see her," I tried that not even knowing if Bella would remember who I was but the bouncer went to the back to talk to her. Within minutes he came back out, with a dark haired girl behind her.
"I'll give you guys 10 minutes, no longer or I'll get killed by the boss," The bouncer threatened us and I nodded. Her brown eyes were cast down, in sadness or embarrassment I wasn't sure.
"You remember me?" I asked her she nodded.
"If you are here to pity me I don't want it," Her voice didn't seem angry, but she was clear. She look thin and not in a good way, in a unhealthy way. It made me worry about her.
"I'm not," I almost promised, she gave me a curious look. "I just wanted you know if you need anything, I'm here. Anything really,"
"I don't need help," She cut me off, but her eyes contradicted her words. She looked almost pained.
"I thought you got married that was last I heard of you," I tried to change the subject but I don't think I was successful because she looked even worse now than before.
"I did. Jacob Black," She told me. I remembered the older boy from the reserve back in Forks. Tall, buff dude with many of his similar looking friends. They never got along with my siblings and friends, fights almost broke out between Paul Lahote and Emmett both with the urgency to start a fight, I had pull Emmett off him with the help of Sam Uley. No fights were fought between our groups and I was happy about that.
"Why do you work here?" An angry expression dragged across her face. Then I realised what I said. "I'm so sorry. It's really none of my business," The bouncer gestured to Bella now, she looked at me. "Please Bella, stay safe. Anything you need really just call me," I handed her one of my cards and she nodded. She left then, leaving me standing alone in the parking lot of a strip
(This is chapter one and I have already written chapter two, so leave me a review and I may post it. Just kidding I will post anywayXD )