Edward joined a gang and became utterly reckless after the death of his mother. What happens when he meets Bella though? Can she barrel through the walls he securely put up?
Edward's POV
"Edward, Stephen is extremely stressed at work right now and he can't have any more added to it! I'm sorry, but you're going to have to ask him for the money some other time," she said, raising her voice as the rain pounded harder on the windshield.
"But mom, I only need about one hundred and fifty more dollars! I already raised the rest," I pleaded, "I've been saving up for a Volvo for years now!"
My mom slammed her hand down against the steering wheel in obvious frustration, "I said no, and that's final! We just don't have that kind of money to give you right now. I'm sorry, but we can't. I promise, when we get our lives back on track and your step father gets that raise at work...then we will happily give you the money."
My mom and I were on our way home from school. I would have been able to drive myself home, but I didn't have a car. Thus, we are having this argument. "Mother, I'm going to be seventeen in a matter of weeks. I need my own car! I've been using Jason as my damn chauffeur for about two years! I can't even drive myself to school because you and dad take your cars to work everyday!"
"I said no. Damn it Edward, why can't you ever liste-"
The sound of screechy tires against pavement cut my mom off mid sentence. Her head swiveled towards the left, towards her window, as bright lights emerged from behind the curtain of dark rain. Before either of us could react, her head spun in my direction and her emerald eyes, much like mine, were troubled. That look was immediately replaced with pain as the truck collided with the driver's side, and shards of glass soared wildly around us.
My body shot up out of bed as my eyes flew open. I was gasping for air, as if I had been submerged under water for an incredibly long amount of time. I curled in on myself as I fought to catch my breath, all the while clutching at my mattress. I threw my legs over the side of the bed and reached for my nightstand, snatching the pills out of the small drawer. I popped two small pills into my mouth and swallowed them at once. I was calmer almost instantly. Not drugs, Aspirin. They seem to compose me for some reason, back to my cold, expressionless self.
You see, this is quite normal for me. The waking up to find myself being suffocating by absolutely nothing, the nightmares of my mother's death, and not to mention, the horrible life. My mother died a year ago, in a car accident. It was pouring and the truck rammed into the side of my mothers van, crushing her right away as I merely sat there, slipping in and out of consciousness from when my head compacted against the passenger side window. Those images of her dying right in front of my eyes will never leave me. They will forever haunt me, given that I was the culprit.
If I hadn't brought up the issue of me being car-less, none of this would have happened. My mom wouldn't have gotten angry and sped up the car; she wouldn't have been yelling at me and loosing focus while carelessly speeding in the rain; and she would have seen it when the drunk driver ran the red light and came zooming towards us at blinding speed. A tearless sob wracked my body as I fought my memories back and grudgingly dragged myself off of my bed and into my bathroom for a quick hot shower.
I slowly made my way down the stairs that led to the kitchen and grabbed my backpack that lay thrown in the corner of the room. I turned quietly to leave the house through the back door in the kitchen, but just my luck, I had to run into a damn chair. It toppled over and hurtled towards the floor causing a sharp crash against the tile, "Edward, is that you?!" Shit.
I heard the creaking protests of the couch's springs as Stephen hurled himself off of it. He entered the kitchen with a beer in hand, greasy hair, and stained clothing. How the hell can he be drunk so early in the morning?! Fear washed through me as he neared. Damn it, It's one of those days, "Where the hell do you think you're going?" he sneered into my face.
"School," I replied curtly, avoiding his gaze.
"And how do you expect to get there?" I could smell the alcohol on his breath, "Look at me when I'm speaking to you!"
"Jason's picking me up like everyday," I said in a cold dead voice, now looking straight into his eyes.
His eyes narrowed as he let the empty beer bottle clatter onto the floor next to his feet. I closed my eyes and readied myself, knowing what was coming next. His fist connected with my stomach, causing me to double over, gagging. I fell onto me knees and he automatically began kicking me, everywhere. I lay there on the kitchen floor, positioning my arms and legs in a way that somewhat protected my torso and face, but he didn't care, he just kicked my arms and legs as well.
I would fight back, but the fact that his muscles are practically twice the size of mine, I would have no chance. And he wouldn't dare kill me so I don't have to worry about that; he'd know what would happen to him if he did. Stephen is my step dad unfortunately because my real father decided to leave my mother and me when I was nine, he was my role model. When I was growing up I dreamed about being just like him, well that dream ended when he left. He just packed up his things and drove off, never stopping to bid a farewell, and never giving us an explanation for his departure. Three years later, when I was twelve, my mom remarried to this asshole. And look how it all turned out. Great, huh?
He began to beat me a few weeks after my mother died. Of course, he blamed me for her death since it was my fault. I told him about the argument we were having in the car before the accident and he flipped. He slapped me across the face that same day when we got home from the hospital and threw me into my room. Since then, my life has been a living hell.
My thoughts were broken when the house bell rang. Jason.
"Saved by the bell, huh? Not quite. Get ready for when you get home tonight," Stephen spat at me. I cringed in fear and staggered as I rose to my feet. I took a few deep breaths and fixed myself up as much as possible, well just ran a hand through my messy bronze colored hair and ran a hand over my shirt.
Stephen walked towards the front door and opened it, "Edward, your friend's here!"
I walked out of the kitchen and into the living room to see Jason leaning on the door frame and glaring daggers at Stephen's back, who was turned to face me. I grinned roguishly at my step father, "Have a good day today, dad." His eyes tightened for the slightest instant as he turned away towards the TV, ignoring my remark, "Let's go dude."
I grabbed my burgundy and black leather gang jacket off of the coat hanger and shut the door on my way out. And yes, gang jacket.
My life long best friend, Jason, hooked us up with a gang. One of the few gang's here in Chicago actually. We had nothing left to lose so we thought, why not? Well I had nothing left to lose. Jason had a family that loved him. A mother, a father, and a fourteen year old little sister, she was the cutest fourteen year old I had seen in my entire life. I was her second big brother, and she, bless her heart, actually looked up to me. Did I find this wrong? Extremely. In the past I had told Jason that we shouldn't get involved with a group of guys that we didn't even know, but we did. And when you get involved with them, there's no turning back.
Jason and I are in a gang who are named The Cold Ones. I personally think it's a whack ass name, but I'm not going to be the one to break it to our gang leader, Keith. He's bitchy enough already.
"Ed, we're passing by Sean's real quick, is that cool with you? Keith told me to give Sean the extra 10mm semiautomatic," Jason asked me after being safe in the confines of his car.
"Yeah man, that's fine. I'll just wait in the car," I replied, not really interested in why Sean needed another pistol, he already owned more handguns than each of the ten of us, but oh well. We never disobey Keith's orders. We drove down a few more blocks in Jason's red 2001 Integra until we reached the front of Sean's house. Jason set the car in park and reached in the backseat to retrieve the black pistol. He placed it in the back of his pants, in case anyone saw him.
As I waited for Jason's return, I opened his glove compartment to find exactly what I was looking for. iPod. I shoved the little ear buds into my ears and went through his music to find an artist I liked, I found Fireflight, eh, they're alright. I blasted the first song on the list and closed my eyes as I leaned my head against the head rest, listening to the lyrics of Unbreakable. Three songs flew by as a car door slammed; startled, I flinched at the sound but ignored it, and kept listening to music.
In no time, Jason was parking in his usual parking space at Lincoln Park High School. We stepped out of the Integra and made our way to The Cold Ones' usual spot, under a branchy tree, on a chipped black bench, next to the school but still closer to the lot.
Keith, Landon, Matt, Paul, Kyle, Todd and now Jason and I were there, all in our black and burgundy leather jackets. We were only missing Sean and Daniel, the brother's of the gang, "Yo Edward, how's it going man? Does your daddy need a little talking to again?" Matt asked, glancing at the shiner over my left eye.
"No, it's fine."
This is what I meant about Stephen never trying to kill me. The gang knew about his beatings on me. If things ever got a tad out of hand, I'd tell the guys, and they'd give Stephen a little "talk"...well no, to tell you the truth, Keith and four of the other's came to my house one night, with guns and crowbars threatening my step father. They said if he ever tried killing me, Stephen would be dead in a matter of minutes. And to tell you the truth, I believed them.
Jason and I sat on the left side of the bench, near Keith, since we were his left and right hand guys. When Keith found out I could fight, and fight emotionlessly without regrets, he automatically set me higher than the rest with Jason. Why he placed Jason as his right hand man? I have no idea, but I'm kind of glad he did, I get to spend time with the only guy I cared about.
"Hale, I see your little girlfriend took you shopping again?" Paul snickered, towards Jasper Hale, a pale blonde guy that I didn't really know. I only knew he was dating a spiky haired short girl.
Jasper was walking past us with Emmett McCarthy towards the school. But when he heard Paul's comment, he halted, I saw his fists clench into tight fists as he turned towards us. I rolled my eyes; we didn't need drama right now, "Paul, shut up. We don't need anything right now. Hale, sorry about him," I let out soullessly.
Jasper's eyes narrowed but he thankfully turned to walk away, "Yeah and you, McCarthy. Man, I'd tap your girl, she's fucking hot!" Paul boomed.
Shit. Emmett turned his body towards us in a swift motion; I could see the muscles tightening under his skin, "What the fuck did you just say?"
Paul scoffed nonchalantly. He hopped off of the bench and stood a few feet away from Emmett, "I said your girlfriend, Rosalie? Is fucking hot. And that I'd tap that," he replied with an idiotic grin plastered onto his face. I casually rose from the bench, in case a fight broke loose from Emmett's temper.
"Paul, sit the fuck down," Keith finally spoke up in his deep voice, "leave McCarthy and Hale alone."
"But what am I doing wrong? I'm just telling a fellow guy, that his girl's hot. Is that such a bad thing?" Paul asked, with a mocking pout on his face. Emmett couldn't take it anymore; he lunged forward towards Paul but was stopped by Jasper.
"Emmett? What's going on?" his girlfriend's worried voice rang through the parking lot. Her heels clicking hastily as she made her way towards us. It was kind of fucking annoying now that I think of it. Click click click click. I want to chuck those damn shoes at her boyfriend I laughed to myself.
She tugged at his arm to back away from us, smart girl, knows who to stay away from. Her question lingered in the air as nobody responded; instead another click click click of heels approached and I almost cursed them out aloud. I turned my head to the side to see Hale's girlfriend now joining the little quarrel, but also dragging along a girl slightly taller than her, with beautiful long mahogany hair that was covering her face. Wait what the fuck, beautiful?! I mentally slapped myself and shook my head. I don't pay attention to girls anymore; I never found one that I actually cared for. They were all clingy whore's that wanted you for sex. I shrugged my shoulders and sat back down, not really concerned about what was happening.
"Jazz, what's going on?" the midget asked, I didn't know her name.
"Nothing we're leaving. Now." He seized Emmett tightly by the arm and all but shoved him towards the school. Rosalie grabbed Emmett's other hand and pulled him along with her, demanding to know what was happening with us and them.
The short girl was pulling the brown haired girl by the elbow, getting her to walk faster so they could catch up with her people. When I glanced at the brunette girl, at the same moment, her head turned in my direction. I can almost swear my heart stuttered deep within my chest.