A/N: I own nothing.
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BPOV
A loud bang startled me awake. It took me a few seconds to identify where the noise was coming from, probably far more than should have been necessary, but as I hit the pause button in my iPod I realized it had to be the front door closing. A quick peek out the curtains told me it was still dark outside, and I breathed out in frustration when I thought I heard footsteps downstairs. Irrationally, my heart sped up in fear, but I forced myself out of it immediately.
Hiding behind the door frame, I waited to see whether I should wait for Edward to seek me out or if I should go out there myself.
It didn't take long.
"Isabella?"
My fists closed automatically in reaction. He knew I hated that name. I had told him so myself at least once when we first met. With a newfound confidence, I threw the door open and headed downstairs, finding Edward taking off his jacket and throwing it on the couch. I noticed for the first time he was soaking wet, and his jacket was leaving a big wet stain on the fabric of the couch. I hadn't even noticed it had been raining. Instinctively, I awkwardly picked up the jacket and set it tidily on the coat hanger.
As I turned around I thought I heard him snicker, but any sign of friendliness was gone from his features by the time I looked at him.
"Just Bella."
"Right."
I could see a hint of a smirk in his lips, which gave me the uncomfortable feeling that he was making fun of me, but I wasn't going to let that bother me. I would be the bigger person here.
Clumsily, I held my hand out for him to shake it, which was my own personal way of showing him I wanted no trouble with him and was willing to let bygones be bygones.
I saw him eye my extended hand dubiously before taking it and giving it a light shake. Clearly I was the only one who was willing to let our hostility in the past.
"So," I continued "Apparently we're going to be alone until next weekend."
He didn't answer me. In fact, he didn't even show any signs he'd heard what I told him. Instead, he strode by me, heading to the kitchen. For the first time I noticed water wasn't the only thing dropping off his body. His boots were dripping mud and he was leaving footprints everywhere he stepped.
Following him into the kitchen, I saw him reach for a pizza leftovers that were sitting on the sink and put one slice, which already had a noticeable bite mark on it, to his mouth.
I quivered in disgust and let my eyes fall down to his boots once again. "You should really get yourself cleaned up."
"Why?"
I snickered. That much at least was obvious. He was so wet his hair was sticking to his face and his nose was so reddened I thought I could start calling him Rudolph. He was obviously well on his way to catch at least a serious cold.
I could tell him that, sure, but I had no intention of hinting I cared anything about his well being. "Well, for one you're making the house a mess"
I saw him hesitate before he took another bite to finish off the cold pizza. Smirking, he picked up a paper napkin and cleaned his hands. "It's my house, what do you care if it's a mess?"
My breath caught in my throat. "Esme wouldn't-"
"Leave Esme out of it."
Surprised, I turned around, deciding it would be best if I headed out to my room. We obviously didn't get off on the right foot, and it was best for me to leave before matters got any worse.
Before I could leave the kitchen, his voice made me stop again.
"Look, I have no intention of making new friends, specially with you. I'm fine the way I am and it's going to take more than a fucking handshake or a shitty dinner conversation to make me enjoy spending time with you. Just stay the fuck out of my way and we'll be fine."
Stunned, I turned around to face him. "What the hell is your problem? I didn't ask to spend time with you, you know."
"Everyone else is gone, so now I'm stuck here with you. Believe me, as soon as they're back I'll leave and won't be graced with your presence until next year."
I felt my hands fist again at my sides and reminded myself to breathe deeply before answering. I wouldn't give him the pleasure of seeing how much his words had bothered me. "You don't have to be stuck with me, you know. I don't need you or anyone to take care of me."
"Oh really?" I nodded promptly in response.
"And what do you suggest I do? Leave you here, alone? So when Esme or Charlie call and ask about me you'll lie to protect me?"
I paused to consider it before giving him a decided nod. "Sure. I'll lie. It's not a problem."
"And why the fuck would I believe you?"
I sat on the dining table and sighed. "Why wouldn't you? What could I have possibly done to make you hate me so much when you hardly even know me?" I met his gaze defiantly, daring him to tell me what I did that made him hate me so much.
He shook his head, "Just forget it." He stood quiet for a few seconds, looking at anywhere and everywhere in that freaking kitchen but me. When I finally opened my mouth to call him a prick, he spoke first.
"As if I could leave you alone, you're like a freaking walking accident."
"I'm a what?" Before he could answer, I continued screaming. "What the hell do you think you would do anyway? You're my age. How exactly are you more fitting to take care of me?"
"I'm older than you."
I furrowed my eyes in doubt. I knew Esme kept saying we were the same age, so it had to be a matter of a few months difference. Of course, that would be enough to have him throw it in my face that I'm younger. I tried to remember when was his birthday, and then realized it didn't matter.
Running a hand through my long brown hair, I looked sideways at him. "Fine. I'll make things really easy for you."
I treaded past him and headed to my room, slamming the door on my way in. I could hear him call for me behind me, but I wasn't going to answer him. I hated that every time I got angry I got close to tears, and I wasn't going to let that asshole think he had made me cry.
Furiously, I made my way to the bathroom and started throwing my things back into my suitcase. I wasn't going to stay in this house one minute longer than necessary.
EPOV
Okay, now I felt pretty shitty. I told Esme I shouldn't be the one to stay with Bella because we just never really got along and something would happen that would make one of us leave. And I felt pretty damn arrogant that I had been right, but I never thought it would happen five minutes after she arrived. And I had tried to make things go well too, I even shook her hand and everything.
But now, as I called her, I just felt like an asshole. Because I could hear her moving in there and there was a distinct possibility I had made her angry.
It wasn't even my fault. She just kept looking at me like she was so freaking superior, and then she says I'm messing up my own house, like she freaking owns the place?
I don't really know why me and Bella don't get along. That first year she came to Forks I remembered seeing her at school with the boys from La Push, which had always hated my family and made no pretense of hiding it either, and I heard them saying me and my brothers were freaks. I didn't give a fuck what they said, but seeing her standing there, with them, and then a few weeks later spending the summer with my parents, being welcomed into our family like she's one of us. I hated her from that first moment.
At the time I was much younger, but even then I didn't say anything to my brothers because I didn't want to put Esme or Carlisle in that position, but if she thought I would welcome her she had another thing coming. And she didn't even stop going out with Jacob, Sam and Leah either. I saw them together every once in a while having dinner or going to movies in Port Angeles, in what I could only assume was a double date.
If you asked me, the least she could have done was defend my foster parents. They were doing their best to make her leave that zombie state she had arrived in Forks in, even though I wouldn't say they were successful. I heard a conversation between Charlie and Esme where he told her Bella had never cried or truly mourned the loss of her mother after the car accident. Well boo-freaking-hoo. My parents never wanted me and I didn't treat anyone else like they were inferior. Which she did to me, every year.
Before my hatred for her started growing again, I knocked on the door, hoping the guilt I was still feeling would allow me to treat her nicely for a few minutes.
"Bella?"
I knew she heard me, and I could hear her moving in there back and forth, but she didn't say anything for a while. She was probably wondering if she should answer me.
I knocked again and waited a beat.
"What?" There was no question about the anger in her voice.
I leaned on the door as I spoke, trying to make out what was going on in there. It would be pretty freaking rude to just enter her bedroom, right? "I didn't mean to make you sad-"
Before I could apologize, she swung the door open, nearly making me fall on top of her. I straightened myself and took a step back to study her face. Yep. She was pretty much fuming.
"I'm not sad."
I could see that. I figured since she had been the bigger person earlier, the least I could do was try to make things better now.
Mimicking her actions earlier, I held out my hand, giving her my signature crooked smile. "Friends?"
"Friends?" I instinctively took a step back, worried she might take a swing at me. "You are the most narcissistic, arrogant, selfish, awful person I have ever met, and I'll be damned if I'm spending another second in a house alone with you."
I was still trying to process her insults when I noticed her suitcase was closed on top of the bed and put two and two together with her last statement. She was leaving.
"You can't leave."
"Watch me." And I did. She picked up her suitcase, and carried it with difficulty down the stairs. I followed closely, still torn between letting her go and enjoying this week or making my parents happy. Sighing, I made my decision. "Charlie is already gone." She barely reacted to my words, and looked for her jacket instead. "Damn it Bella, stop being stubborn."
She shook her head frantically as she put her little arms inside the jacket. "I'm not being stubborn. I can take care of myself for a few days. When Esme is back, you're free to go spend your time with your friends and I'll be able to come back. In the meantime I'll be at my own place alone, and you can go out do whatever you enjoy doing. It's a freaking win-win situation if I've ever seen one." She closed her long jacket button by button. I felt tempted to agree with her, no doubt about that.
As she slammed the door behind her, I heard the rain pouring outside and remembered the piece of garbage Bella called a car she drove. What if the thing broke down on her way home? How the hell would I explain what happened to Charlie?
I thought about Esme and how much she inexplicably cared for this girl, and I forced myself to go after her.
