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.


The relationship with Edward was new. Very new. Still in the giddy stage new. Still in the breathless when they kissed new. Still with the giggling silliness new. And Chelsea loved it.

She called him her tall, dark, and handsome -Handsome would suffice, he'd said-, he called her his strawberry daiquiri. She loved the pet name "Daiquiri," it made her feel like an audacious spy. It was so silly, and she even though she had publicly scoffed at names like "Bragelina" and "TomKat," she found them secretly precious, and it thrilled her to no end to actually be involved in one of those "cute" relationships.

She had never been in a relationship like this, with the cutesy names and the forehead touches and the caresses and the soft whispers in her ear. He was just downright gentle and treated her with care, and it was nice.

It came with a price, though. Her growing friendship with Bella halted in its tracks, and the whole thing between her, Edward, and Bella was nothing less than awkward at all times. Bella was a fantastic actress, though, and even hung out with the group every once and a while, never showing any sign of vitriol or pain. Chelsea decided not to walk around on eggshells in front of Bella- if Bella hadn't wanted her and Edward to date, then she would've said so.

Deep down, Chelsea was afraid that Edward was throwing himself into this relationship too soon. She had hoped for something free-and-easy, but he jumped into the boyfriend role far too quick, far too soon for her liking. It was almost like he was trying to overcompensate for something. She needed for him to be sure that he was over Bella, just so she wouldn't get hurt.

Edward assured her he was over Bella, so she decided to believe him, because she was falling for him as hard as she wanted to believe he was falling for her.

Chelsea wasn't in love with him yet, it was far too soon for talk like that. But she was into him. He made her smile. And he made her heart race. She had told her father about her new relationship, and her father was genuinely happy for her. He even suggested that Edward fly in during the summer, and she was thrilled, telling him to get the guest room ready.

Alas, her mother wasn't so pleased. She had sniffed that Chelsea should find a man with a job, who wasn't just spending daddy's money. After that conversation, Chelsea told her father to forget about the guest room and convinced Edward to take up some communications and writing courses, because the idea of dating the next up and coming writer was suddenly appealing. The more she thought about it, the more she found it to be romantic, and once Edward found out about what her mother had said, he even joked that they could be bohemians living in squalor together.

Chelsea also decided not to tell Edward that her mother thought they were moving too fast, too soon, and that the relationship would crash and burn before it had time to fully develop.

As the weeks and months went by, she found her inner romantic taking over and pushing aside all logic and reason.

Edward might not be completely over Bella, but Chelsea could pretend, as long as he kept smiling at her.