As If Life Wasn't Complicated Enough Chapter 2: Vulnerable, a twilight fanfic

Playlist: Existentialism on Prom night by Straylight Run, Dear Maria by All Time Low, and Something I Can Never Have by Flyleaf (only available currently on the Underworld: Evolution Soundtrack Original Score).

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Jasper's POV

When Bella stepped up to the microphone, the crowd cheered. She smiled, looking somehow shyer than usual. Because she was once again single, she got more attention from the males tonight. Only instead of like last time, where she used Edward's jealousy against him, she was alone and available.

"Thanks guys. You rock! Well, to start it off, we're going to keep it slow. And then we'll kick it up a notch. Sound good?" she asked, and everyone cheered. She smiled, and then turned at sat down behind the keyboard.

I stepped forward with Alice, adjusting our positions so that we were all in a line. Bella took a deep breath, adjusted her microphone, and began to play.

The soft notes echoed around the packed club, and the blue colored lights scanned out over the couples. I tensed as I saw it pass over a table at the back. There, sitting by himself, was Edward. The longing in his eyes as he stared at the stage was staggering; it was almost scary.

I switched my focus back to Bella as she began singing.

When the sun came up,
We were sleeping in,
Sunk inside our blankets,
Sprawled across the bed,
And we were dreaming,

Her eyes were closed, but her voice rang out clearly. It was beautiful. I half smiled, as I joined in on the guitar.
There are moments when,
When I know it and
The world revolves around us,
And we're keeping it,
Keep it all going,
This delicate balance,
Vulnerable all knowing,

Sing like you think no one's listening,
You would kill for this,
Just a little bit,
Just a little bit,
You would, kill for this

She opened her eyes at the chorus. I saw her look out over the crowd, relaxing into their swaying.
Sing like you think no one's listening,
You would kill for this,
Just a little bit,
Just a little bit,
You would, you would...
Halfway through the next verse, I saw her stiffen up. I followed her eyes and saw Edward. After a few tense seconds, she hardened her face and close her eyes again, all while still singing and playing.
Sing me something soft,
Sad and delicate,
Or loud and out of key,
Sing me anything,
we're glad for what we've got,
Done with what we've lost
Our whole lives laid out right in front of us,

Sing like you think no one's listening,
You would kill for this,
Just a little bit,
Just a little bit,
You would,

Sing like you think no one's listening,
You would kill for this,
Just a little bit,
Just a little bit,
You would, you would....

Sing me something soft,
Sad and delicate,
Or loud and out of key,
Sing me anything.

As she sang the last few words, she kept her eyes closed. She looked so vulnerable.

I felt a pang of sadness, quickly followed with fury towards Edward. He had changed her from the happy, carefree girl I knew to this somehow more fragile person. She barely loosened up in public anymore. Edward had broken her heart.

The song ended, and all the couples turned to face the stage and clap for her. She smiled, before rising and picking up her guitar. I grinned. Our next song was more energetic, and I hoped that it would raise her sinking spirits.

I stepped forward to the microphone, and began.

I got your picture
I'm coming with you
Dear Maria, count me in
There's a story at the bottom of this bottle
And on the bed

When the lights go out
I wanna watch the way you
Take the stage by storm
But the way you wrap those boys around your finger
Go on and play the leader
'Cause you know it's what you're good at
The low road for the fast track
Make every second theirs

'Cause I got your picture
I'm coming with you
Dear Maria, count me in
There's a story at the bottom of this bottle
And on the bed
Make it count when I'm the one
Who's selling you out
'Cause it feels like stealing hearts
Calling your name from the crowd

Then in the field you'll be the show girl of the home team
I'll be the narrator
Telling another tale of the American dream

As Bella began rocking out with her guitar, I grinned. I was right. Music was so much a part of her that, if she listened to the right sons, they could change her whole mood.

I see your name in lights
We can make you a star
Girl, we'll take the world by storm
It isn't that hard

Ha ha..

Take a breath, 'cause it sounds so easy
Never out of doubt
Now I'm going crazy watching from the floor
Take a breath and let the rest come easy
Never settle down
Because the cash flow leaves me always wanting more

'Cause I got your picture
I'm coming with you
Dear Maria, count me in
There's a story at the bottom of this bottle

She ended facing away from the stage. She grinned at me, trying to catch her breath. I grinned back, laughing. I saw her eyes travel, and as they landed on something behind me, her smile faltered for a few seconds, but then returned somewhat forced.

Before I could turn to see what she was looking at, she signaled me to start the next song.

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Bella's POV

He was here. Edward. I saw him in the back, staring at the stage as if, by looking at it hard enough, it would bring me back to him. I almost lost my confidence, there on that stage in front of hundreds of people, but then I hardened my resolve. He would not control my heart. I was my own person.

When I started the next song, I relaxed. I had loved it when Emmett and Jasper had written this together and then surprised me with it. I think they wrote it for Rosalie and Alice. It was so sweet.

As I smiled at Jasper, he smiled back. He was defiantly my best friend. I then made the informative mistake of looking beyond him, and the sight I saw shocked me. Alice stood there, with a blank expression on her face, staring at me. I felt my expression slip, before I forced it back on. Once again she had misinterpreted what was happening, and I would have to straighten that out.

I quickly signaled Jasper to start the next song. It was a cover by Flyleaf, and it was one of the songs I wrote for another artist.

The lights dimmed, and then they turned on a gray color over me. The rest of the band was in the shadows, but wouldn't remain so. I gripped the microphone, closed my eyes, and sang. This song was a bit darker than my others.

I still recall the taste of your tears
Echoing your voice just like the ringing in my ear
My favorite dreams of you still wash ashore
Scraping through my head 'til I don't want to sleep anymore
As they hit the hard notes, the stage was lit up. Everyone was seen, and it was awesome.
You make this all go away
You make this all go away
I just want something
I just want something I can never have

You always were the one to show me how
Back then I couldn't do the things that I can do now
This thing is slowly taking me apart
Grey would be the color if I had a heart

Come on tell me
You'll make this all go away
You'll make this all go away
I'm down to just one thing
And I'm starting to scare myself
You'll make this all go away

You'll make this all go away
I just want something
I just want something I can never have

In this place it seems like such a shame
Though it all looks different now
I know it's still the same
And everywhere I look you're all I see
Just a fading reminder of who I use to be

Come on tell me
You'll make this all go away
You'll make this all go away
I'm down to just one thing
And I'm starting to scare myself
You'll make this all go away
You'll make this all go away
I just want something
I just want something I can never have
I just want something I can never have

I ended by turning my head away from the crowd, as the lights blacked out except for the spotlight.

The clubbers cheered, and we all smiled. We had gotten through the show.

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We exited the stage, mingling around the club. Alice disappeared after a few seconds, so Jasper joined me at sitting at my table. Emmett and Rosalie were dancing.

"Hey!" he said as he plopped down. He looked exhausted.

I smiled, and then took in how he looked. His hair was messy, wavy and light colored in the lighting. His shirt was unbuttoned at the top, and he was wearing skinny jeans and sneakers. I could tell that he was attracting looks, and I had to stop myself from smiling. Alice would flip if she saw how ruffled he looked, but I think the style suited him.

"Hey. So awesome show, right?" I asked, and he grinned.

"Yep. Oh my gosh, did you see the girl that kept staring at Emmett? It was so disgusting. She was literally drooling."

I laughed, and then suddenly my phone buzzed. I pulled it out and read the message. Alice needed to stop on the way home and buy something, so she told us to drive home without her. Since she had driven some of us there, we would have to jam into Emmett's Jeep. It was a little weird, but I shrugged it off.

Jasper and I talked for a while when I got a text. Rosalie and Emmett were at the car waiting for us. I let Jasper know, and then we went in search of the car. As we walked out, I glanced over to the corner of the club. What I saw there made me sick.

Edward and Alice stood in a corner, making out. It wasn't as if Edward was kissing her, either. They were oblivious to everything else, and I winced.

I quickly darted out the door, pulling Jasper after me. He looked at me curiously as I practically ran to the car, but he followed quickly. Since Alice had driven Rose and I there, she had her own car.

Once we arrived, I got in and pulled Jasper after me. Emmett and Rosalie were in the front seat.

"Alice is going to drive home, she said that she wants to stop and buy something on the way home. She said leave without her." I said, looking out the window.

Rose and Jasper looked at me curiously, but Emmett started driving. He could tell something was wrong. After we drove for a few seconds, Rose turned on the radio. Unfaithful by Rihanna came on, and I couldn't hold it in anymore. I was barely aware of the tears that started running down my face, but then Jasper reached over and brushed them off.

"Stop the car, Rose," he said, and she pulled over and turned around. "Oaky, now talk, bella. This is scaring me." Jasper made me look at him, and I knew he wouldn't start driving until I told them.

"Jasper, I don't think you want to know. It doesn't really have to do with me anyway," I whispered. He looked confused, but Rosalie gasped and covered her mouth.

Jasper turned to her, and then suddenly his features froze. I sobbed again, knowing he probably didn't want to talk quite yet.

After a few seconds, he finally spoke. "Who?" he said, and his voice sounded completely dead.

"Edward," I whispered, and he flinched.

Emmett was a mixture between sadness and anger. He couldn't decide if he wanted to be mad at his sister about this or not. Without saying anything, he turned the car back on and drove home. Instead of going to drop the twins off first, he stopped at our house and got out. I followed, waiting until Rose pulled Jasper out of the car and lead him inside.

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When Alice got home, she was smiling. If we hadn't have known the truth, someone could have thought that she was happy about what she 'bought.' When she saw us all there, she blinked a few times.

And then she grinned. "Hey, guys. What's up?" she said, popping her 'P'. And then she tried to sit down next to Jasper. I stared at her in disgust.

When she sat down, he flinched away from her and wouldn't look at her. She paused, finally taking in our expressions. And then she realized. She suddenly seemed nonchalant, and I felt a fury towards her I had never felt before.

"Alice, leave. Now," I whispered, and then her uncaring expression dropped. She looked at me confused, before smiling.

"What? Did you still love him? Why? Didn't he 'break your heart?'" She used air quotations, and then looked at me with raised eyebrows.

I was pissed. I stood up, walked over to her, and got right in her face. "Its what you did to Jasper. He and I are just best friends. You brought this on yourself. You are no longer my sister," I whispered, deadly calm. I then turned on my heels and returned to my couch.

"Alice sat there, shell-shocked. I could see the wheels turning in her head, and then finally CLICK! She got it. I wasn't ever cheating on her with Jasper. He and I weren't together. She had broken his heart and lost his love for nothing. And now she had lost probably all of her friends.

"B-but…I thought…" I shook my head, and then turned to look at Jasper. He hadn't said a word, but now he stood up and tried to leave. Emmett rushed over before I could get to him, grabbed his arm, and pulled him up the stairs after him.

After she was sure he was gone, Rosalie walked over to Alice. She didn't say anything, just looked at her. And then she slapped her.

"You are no longer my friend. If you try and talk to Jasper, you will wish you never crossed me," she stated calmly, and then turned to face me.

I stood up, and she followed me up the stairs, leaving Alice sitting alone on the couch. I felt nothing.

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