Sweet Retribution

From the ashes, the phoenix rose.

Bella Swan wasn't one to stay down for long. Even when the odds were against her, she would stand up tall, and see it through. This time wasn't any different. She was a woman on a mission and she would strike when they least expect it.

Bella Swan wasn't one to stay down for long. Even when the odds were against her, she would stand up tall, and see it through. She refused to allow even minor, seemingly insignificant things, like her ex-boyfriend dating another one of her girl friends to affect her.

Edward pretended to be her friend, even tried to hook her up with some guys with which he shared classes. She didn't bother to tell him how much it angered her; it would just bring about another unnecessary fight. He was trying to be nice, at least she hoped he was, and she couldn't complain.

It didn't mean she liked watching Chelsea and Edward walk around campus, hand in hand. Chelsea wrapped firmly around Edward's arm, Chelsea tucked under Edward's arm, Chelsea in Edward's tight embrace, Chelsea with her arms around his neck as she kissed him before running to her dorm.

It hurt and it reminded Bella too much of the times when she was the only thing in his world, before everything went to shit.

Chelsea's too cute and bubbly and Bella just didn't know what Edward saw in her. Hell, she didn't know what Chelsea saw in Edward. Shady, miserable, depressed Edward. They seemed so mismatched to her, like night and day. She didn't know what they would talk about- certainly baseball and the latest happenings with Brad and Angelina didn't make for outstanding conversation.

They didn't just talk, though. Bella spotted them making out many, many times. It was pretty chaste, despite some tongue and gratuitous groping here and there. But they were doing it everywhere. In front of Chelsea's Lit class, against Edward's car, at an 80's-themed dorm party. The worst was when she passed them in the Quad. They were stretched out over a blanket, and Chelsea was laying on top of Edward's chest, shades obscuring both of their eyes as they once again made out, oblivious to the world.

And her.

Bella and Edward never made out in public. He was always for the idea, but she preferred to keep it in private. Now, she wanted some massive PDAs, to show the world how happy she was. She missed making out with someone.

It disgusted her, really. She expected more composure and control from Edward; he needed to grow up. Making out in front of strangers was so high school, and he wasn't in high school anymore. And Chelsea...well, that's how rumors got started.

Rumors. She got most of her "rumors" from Jasper and Alice now. It was easier to call them rumors than what it really was, a plea for information. Edward was now buddy-buddy with Alice and Jasper, and they all went on double dates and Edward hung out in their dorm. Jasper said Edward participated more in the class they had together, and he smiled and joked a lot.

Bella wondered if Edward and Chelsea were having sex. She knew Edward could drop his pants in an instant for the first girl that spread her legs, but she hoped Chelsea would at least pretend to have some virtue left in her.

Misandry. Bella had been accused of by some jerk in her stats class of being a fan of misandry. She knew something about that, but she was an equal opportunist, after all, and delivered just as much hate to the females of the planet. It was extreme, she knew that, but it was a harsh world. There would be no ya-yaing of the sisterhood between Bella and Chelsea. The lines were drawn, even if Chelsea didn't know it.

Deep down, Bella knew better than to feel betrayal and anger towards them, especially Edward. She broke up with him. He had the right to move on.

Still, it bothered Bella when Edward smiled oh-so-genuinely at Chelsea when she said something cute and awesome. She hated the way he would kiss Chelsea to shut her up, and Chelsea would kiss him when he started to get too negative about something. She despised the way he looked happier with Chelsea than he ever did with her.

A part of her didn't want Edward to move on. She wanted him to pine after her while she dated and she wanted him to know exactly what he was missing. When they broke up the last time, she assured herself that she would get herself together and find a guy that was hotter than Edward and better in bed than Edward.

Of course, then Chelsea shook her hips in his direction, Bella was still alone, and Edward was gone before she could tell him no.

Lonely. She was lonely. She missed chatting with Edward about stupid things, snarking at pompous assholes at the movie theater, eating the popcorn he fed to her while watching a stupid sitcom. They were nothing alike, but they managed to get on. Not anymore. Now, he found his puzzle piece connecting perfectly with Chelsea's.

Bella wouldn't allow it to bother her. She couldn't. She refused to miss him. She refused to have any regrets.

It still bugged her when Edward looked so happy, though. He managed to bounce back from anything that happened to knock him down. It was always so annoying. Rise from the ashes. Burn and reborn. Burn and reborn. It was his fucking life story.

Bella wouldn't let it get to her, even if she did hate to watch him move on from her. The need to be happy for him was there, but the fear always overshadowed the attempt at maturity. It scared her a little. He couldn't move on. She couldn't allow it, not until she did first.

Bella wasn't about to stay down. She had to get on with her life or die trying. She couldn't allow Edward to have the happy ending, not when he gave her so much pain. And even if a part of her still wanted him, she refused to have any regrets.

She was just so tired of being lonely.