A/N: Chapter 2 take 50000?
Music: The Golden Years: British India, Kiss the Haze: House of Fools
Chapter Two – The Golden Years
Work had been hell for the past two days. My manager had cracked a tantrum after I had returned late from my lunch break, yes I had been late. Pfft. A whole five minutes late. Following my encounter with Edward and Emmett I had tripped up the escalator and in true Bella class, I had skinned my knee. I'd rushed in just as my manager had "been about to send out a search party." I had wanted to scream. But instead I found myself nodding and apologising as I relived my break, over and over. Shit, it was two days later and I still hadn't been able to get that stupid kid out of my head. I didn't know what was wrong with me; I couldn't forget his ridiculous crooked grin, his arrogant assumptions or the amusing way he pouted when the look of complete frustration crossed his pretty little face. I spent this shift working on autopilot my heart thumping loudly when I served someone with similar hair.
I hadn't even had time to tell Rose about him yet, some great room mate I was. I wanted to laugh and then cry, because there was so much to tell Bella. God I was lame. Any interaction with a male caused an out pouring of the events to Rose. Somehow, I had become one of those people who had awkward conversations and felt the need to run to my best friend and blurt it all out like some ashamed high school kid with a crush. Hell, if I wanted to be perfectly honest with myself, it was a high school crush. Still, I would tell her tonight at Jimmy's birthday shin dig. Maybe, if I kept a monopoly on her all night Jimmy would stay away from me. Yes, I had tonight off and most of tomorrow. I could finally relax and sleep in, perhaps the instant replay of Edward was a hallucination brought on by lack of sleep. Yes by tomorrow everything would be back to normal.
I hated walking through the car park at night; it was eerie, as though it was almost too bright, too fakely lit up. I stumbled towards my car, my balance, heels and my exhaustion as much a factor as any. There had been some shifty dealings at the centre lately; one of my work mates had his window smashed in. and though I knew my car wouldn't be broken into, I laughed out loud at the thought, I was worried about what would happen to me on the way to my car. My red Chevy truck was…well Rose called it old, I preferred the time, well loved. I was surprised it was still running, though the last month or so it had definitely been on its last legs. The amount of times Rose had refused to pick me up, yet gain, had placed the RACV on speed dial. I refused to get rid of it though; it had been a present I'd received from my late father. Besides, I never had to worry about it being stolen nor did I ever lose it, the truck always stood out in a crowded car park. I was half way to my car when I heard a loud ripping noise. I looked up and saw bright headlights flying down the road towards me. If I squinted I noticed it was connected to a speeding yellow car though I didn't get much of a look as I literally had to jump back off the crossing, my heart pounding a little. Shock overtook me quickly when I noted a little black haired child sat behind the wheel. What the fuck was a child doing driving that? It took me a moment to adjust and behind the tinted windows now, I could clearly see she was no child. The driver just seemed to be a miniature person. I laughed loudly. The car stopped for a brief second, indicating at the exit and my heart stopped in my chest. The light illuminated the passenger seat and I got Goosebumps. I arched my neck a little, hoping to catch a better look. Yep, that was most definitely Edward in the car.
I hopped in my car and after three false starts I was away. The streets were empty now and when I glanced at the clock, something I always seemed to be doing lately, I saw it was after 10pm. I was so late and Rose was going to kill me.
Arriving home, I realised Jimmy and his friends would probably already be at my apartment. Cringing, I dragged my feet up the stairs. We had a staircase running up to all the apartments in our building. Rose and I lived on the fifth floor, it was a pain when, like now the elevator was broken. I got to the second floor when I hear Rose call my name. I glanced up and for a moment I was startled. Rose was coming down the stairs; she looked far more dressed up than usual. Her staturesk body covered in a tightly fitted knee length red dress. I smirked, that dress meant one thing, and she was reeling someone in. Rose did a bit modelling as a teenager but hated all the moving around, so now she modelled part time, preferring to follow her bizarre love of all things mechanical. As stubborn as I was, Rose was studying to be an engineer despite the constant plea's from her modelling agent. She belonged with the Edward and Emmett's of the world, she was undeniably beautiful. In fact the more I thought about it; the two would have been perfect for one another; I'd been with them both on occasions when the married shop assistants checked them out.
"Hello Isabella, I won't even dignify your lateness with an argument because I am in too good a mood…" I scowled at her and she just smirked. "Oh…James and about six of his mates are at ours, having some sort of pre-drink thing before we go out." She spat it out warningly probably trying to test my mood.
I groaned loudly, "I didn't even think Jimmy had six male friends! And Rose I hope you know that tonight I don't want it to be late." Her face dropped into a pout. I was screwed now; no way could I resist her.
"Bella. You can't always worry about the time! You're very late to your best mates birthday AND It has been like three weeks since you last came out with us….and you told me yourself, you have tomorrow off….please I don't want to be the only girl at the end of the night. " She pleaded and I scrunched my nose up.
"Fine…. Where are you going?" she shrugged. And began trudging past me. She was about three steps behind me when I called out, "and Rose?" Her perfect eyebrows rose in question. "What's his name?" she bit her lip and her demeanour dropped instantly.
"He is not interested. A bronze haired one, they refer to him as Masen." My jaw dropped, she spat out each word with such venom I was scared for the poor chap. Oblivious to my fear she continued on, "yes my dearest, Me." she seemed shocked. I was shocked; no one in all the three years I'd known Rose had ever rejected her. I came up with the only possible clause.
"He must be gay." She tilted her head back and laughed.
"Yeah, I thought so too. Especially when I saw how close he is to that best mate of his, but he has a reputation on campus, so I really don't know."
"Rep?"
"Yeah, he's pretty good apparently." She laughed when I blushed. Why in gods name would she want a boy with a slutty reputation? It was beyond me.
"So why?"
"For fun. It is after all going to be an incredibly boring night. I mean seriously Bella, if James hits on you one more time I might stick my own tongue down his throat just so he'll shut up!"
"Please I don't need disturbing visuals."
"I'm just saying. He is incredibly annoying to be around when he is all over you. Just kiss him already."
"Rose, you know exactly why I can't…plus it is only when he has been drinking… other than that we are friends." I emphasised the word 'friends,' Jimmy never seemed to understand it.
"So? I am sick of it; he glares at any guy within a ten foot radius of you. I get it, you see him as a friend but he has that weird predator thing going on. Bella, I never have trusted him so either kick him to the curb or put him out of his misery…. Give him a kiss?"
"Rose, you know Jimmy as well as I do. If I kiss him or even if I pretend to be interested his advances will increase ten fold and I DO NOT LIKE HIM."
"Yeah I know …. I better go; I'm off to pick up some more lemon… I want to toast James birthday with shots of tequila…plus I know you'll be more than happy to oblige." I plastered a fake grin on my face before I dropped it into a sarcastic pout. Rose laughed again. She knew as well as I did that I had a love hate relationship with Tequila, it meant lovely evenings that lead to bad memories, bad hangovers, and bad times. She scooted down the flight of stairs then, waving and laughing the whole way. Now, that I knew what was waiting for me inside, I wanted the trip to be as long and arduous as possible. Not the quiet night home I was craving, not even the few quiet drinks for Jimmy's birthday, No, it was too be a night of embarrassing memories and avoiding Jimmy's drunken moves.
My keys got stuck in the door, I could hear voices on the other side and I was about to knock when with one last jiggle the door opened. Opened was an understatement, I sort of fell into my apartment, the door flinging myself into the room. I heard a muffled laugher but when I looked up only no one was paying me attention. I turned towards the noise ready to greet them all and welcome them to my couch. It was after all my apartment. But as I opened my mouth, I saw them and the words were caught in my throat. There sitting on my couch was Emmett and Edward. I shook my head slightly. No I was correct. Sitting on the couch talking to Jimmy was Edward and Emmett. I couldn't fathom the connection in my brain. I couldn't register what was going on.
It took a second. Emmett was telling a story, I cringed when I realised which one. My face blushed. Had I really been that crass?
"….and then this chick was like 'excuse me pretty boy what size are you?" and Masen just stood there his mouth flapping open… ha-ha you should have seen Ed's face. I mean seriously, he has never been shut down by a chick before and she was….you know what I mean-"Emmett took a bite of what ever was on his plate. I was too busy studying Edward's face. The same green eyes, the same dishevelled hair. My heart rate increased and I found myself inwardly cursing myself again, when he spoke. Oh my god Swan are you holding your breathe? What is wrong with me? I tried to silently walk through to my room but I was caught up in Edward's voice. Again the words only registering a few seconds later.
"Emmett, shut up. She was just wow. And I was just…ahh you know?" the rest of the boys murmured in agreement. To be honest I couldn't name any of the other boys. There were another five of them. All Jimmy's supposed friends. Friends, I had never seen in the four years I'd known Jimmy.
"Ha. My man Edward here, clearly got owned," Emmett's voice wound down, when he saw me. His hand which was lifting food to his mouth froze mid air; Edward was too busy shoving food in his face to notice.
"I have to find out her name at least though… her legs…man they are something that kept me awake last night…" he winked at the boys before laughing. The sound of his laughter was something I had never heard before but wanted to again. Even if it meant he was objectifying me to all his newly found friends. The other boys chuckled along and they all seemed oblivious to Emmett's predicament. I had to laugh, of all the places in the world. The owner of the eyes that had been captivating me for two days straight was sitting on my couch, shoving food in his mouth.
"Hey Em maybe we can go back to the store…what was it again?" his eyes finally connected to Emmett's face. His head snapped in the direct of Emmett's gaze, which was squarely on me. Feeling his eyes on me, the heat rose up my neck. I'd always heard the expression 'and their eyes popped out of their head' but I had never seen it before. The expression on Edward's face remedied that. He tried to keep talking though, fumbling over his words. "…real….real….rea-"Jimmy looked up at me then, trying to work out why the boys had pattered off. He jumped to his feet, pulling me into an awkward hug.
"BELLA!" His hands lingered on my lower back for a second longer than normal and I flinched back at how drunk he was.
I smiled, "happy birthday Jimmy." He grinned proudly. He kept his hand on my waist, I subtly shrugged it off and he turned back to the boys.
"Oh, sorry guys, Edward, Emmett, Tyler, Eric, Ben this is Bella...the other owner of this fine establishment." I grinned widely then and couldn't help myself.
"Hey guys, nice to see you're making yourselves at home and yes….Hello pretty boy." Edward coughed. Silence filled the room as they all tried to work out why Edward's face had suddenly paled. The other boys were looking between the two of us trying to work out the connection. Geez were all boys this stupid? Clearly the story had just been told. Realisation flickered across their faces and they all slapped Edward on the back. He tried his best to grin but I could see how embarrassed he was. Ahhh payback was sweet.
"Hello… Bella?" I tilted my head to the side and nodded. His nose scrunched in anger and I raised my eyebrows. How dare he be annoyed that I had taught him a lesson two days earlier… right this second I was not impressed with his re-telling of the story thus the look on my face. Finally he nodded, well, now he knew it. A loud forced cough brought me away from Edward's eyes though and Emmett surprised me, he must have jumped to his feet when I was looking at Edward because he was currently walking towards me. My first impressions had been correct, Emmett was a huge guy. He towered over me but more, his muscles scared me, shit he was going to strangle me. His infectious laughter was the one booming around my apartment though and I couldn't stay surprised for very long. As he charged at me he held out his arms encouraging a hug. I obliged just as he screeched.
"Bells!" As he released me, I noticed Jimmy standing there, his jaw rigid. Great. I shot him a warning glare; Idiotic, jealous, platonic friend.
The night quiet honestly was not very epic. I gave Jimmy his present, my cheeks blushed when he unearthed the t-shirt Edward wanted. Emmett laughed loudly and Edward had eventually joined in. It started to rain at about eleven and the boys sulked about going out, complaining about having to line up while Rose and I could just stroll in. In the end Jimmy suggested we all just stay in and I was fine with that. I didn't even care when half the boys asked if they could invite some more people over. I shrugged my shoulders; Rose returned and nodded before claiming "Bella is the best hostess!" great. Now I was left to be the sober apartment owner. People arrived, some I knew, most not really. I attempted to befriend a few people; it wasn't working very well though. I was drawn to Edward in the corner of the lounge room, even with my back to him I was hyper aware of how he was standing. I had wanted to be sick when Rose had returned and latched herself to his arm. Hadn't it been me who suggested they were perfect for each other? Plus, wasn't it also me who wondered who would want someone with a lousy reputation. So while I wasn't watching Rose interact with Edward, I also wasn't watching every single girl that entered my apartment making a bee line for him. Clearly this display, matched with what Rose had said about the 'bronze haired one" confirmed what deep down I already knew; Edward was the boy with a slutty reputation. Just my luck, become obsessed with someone I could never ever get. Rose kept him fairly entertained throughout the night, swatting away any of the other girls that approached him. Oh and she was touching him whenever she got the chance. I tried to stay clear, I really did. I served drinks in the kitchen and stayed away from the tequila. Jimmy hung around for a while until I shoved him off on some girl with black hair, announcing the birthday boy needed to dance. Emmett joked around with me for a while; his eyes I noticed never strayed from Rose. I also spent a lot of my time chatting t Ben's girlfriend Angela, we shared a class together and it was good to chat with someone else sober. I didn't speak to Edward once; in fact I congratulated myself from staying away. Why would he want me when rose was giving him her undying attention? I convienently talked my way out of Rose's claims that he rejected her by deciding this was his game plan. I didn't want to embarrass myself any more by talking to him, nor did I want to get my hopes up because he spoke back. Angela asked me at about a quarter to two, why he kept giving me death stares , I shrugged and when I did, by chance glance in his direction and his eyes drilled into mine, I called it a night. My bed was soft and comforting. I closed my eyes willing myself to think about anything but Edward.
A/N: I hated the flow of this chapter. So to get back into the midst of writing I am updating all the chapters. A few other details will pop in.….
