A/N: I hope you all are enjoying this! Some feedback would be amazing!
mustlovertp is still the best Beta and Pre-reader around! Love her!
*DISCLAIMER* I OWN NOTHING TWILIGHT!
BPOV
Well, that was interesting. I honestly didn't expect Edward to crack so easily. Here I had braced myself for the worst, thinking that maybe his relationship with Jessica was abusive or that she had left him high and dry with a broken heart.
But no, it all boiled down to her being too much like his fucking Mother. Anti-climatic, much?
One thing I did get from Edward's little confession...he has no fucking idea what he wants. He says he wants someone who will push and challenge him. He better be damn sure he means that, because he just might fucking get it and I'm not entirely convinced that the man-child in front of me with a Mommy complex can handle it.
After Edward finished chain smoking, we decided to head back inside and warm up. I plopped down on the couch and pulled a manuscript and my glasses out of my messenger bag.
"What the fuck, Bella?" Edward whined. "You're going to fucking start reading that now, while I'm still here?"
Oh Edward, it's time to get schooled in the ways of Bella. You poor, poor man.
"Absolutely. It's my job, Edward." I say, slipping on my glasses and grabbing a highlighter and some Post-It notes from my bag.
He gets up and starts pacing then, running his hands furiously through his hair.
"Seriously? You fucking invite me over here and then you're going to read?" he yells. "What the hell am I supposed to do? Sit and watch?"
"You can if you want." I say indifferently. Watching him covertly out of the corner of my eye. "Although that could get really fucking annoying."
He sits down heavily on the opposite end of the couch, his elbows resting on his knees. He just sits there and stares a hole in the floor for a good 10 minutes.
Out of nowhere I get, "Put some clothes on. Let's go down to the club for awhile."
I look up from my manuscript, my expression letting him know that I am already over his bullshit.
"No." I say simply.
"No?"
"No." I say sternly. "As in, not going. End of discussion. Give it a fucking rest already."
Edward gets up and starts pacing again. He's going to wear a fucking hole in my carpet at this pace.
"Well, I'm not a middle aged, blue collar snob, Bella. I'm not going to sit home on fucking Friday night and watch you work! We're in our early 20's for fuck's sake! If you're going to get stupid, now is the time!"
Alright, that does it! I slam the manuscript down on the coffee table and stand up.
"Look, you spoiled fucking brat!" I seethed. "I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth, alright? I've actually had to work hard for everything I have and let me tell you, I didn't get where I am today by renting a fucking bar stool at the club every weekend! This is MY life, Edward, and in MY life work comes before play. You want to go to the club, fucking go! I'm not stopping you. But don't stand in MY fucking living room and tell me how MY life doesn't work for you! Especially since you're not officially a part of it yet!"
This Motherfucker has the nerve to look taken aback by what I said.
"You're a bitch!" he spits, grabbing his coat from the arm chair he threw it in earlier.
"Tell me something I don't know, Asshole!"
EPOV
I couldn't get out of this bitch's apartment fast enough. I make sure to slam the door so hard, I can hear pictures falling off the wall...good!
I no more than make it two steps down the hall, when the door opens and slams again. Twice as hard as I slammed it and then the locks immediately engage.
Yeah, how mature of you, Miss Swan.
I readjust my hardened cock and get on the elevator.
An hour later...
"Eduardo! How's it hanging man?" Emmett booms across the bar.
I stuff my jacket in an open spot between the beer taps and the mini fridge and then flip him off.
"That good, eh?" Jasper laughs, stepping up to the bar with Alice and Rosalie.
I grunt at him and poor myself a shot of Tequila.
"Seen Bella recently?" he chuckles.
I lean into the bar on both hands and laugh humorlessly.
"Fucking bitch invites my ass over for dinner, cons me into having a heart to heart talk and then pulls out a fucking manuscript and acts like I'm not even fucking there!"
"That's Bella!" all four of them laugh in unison. Like it's an explanation and an excuse.
"Yeah, well Bella can kiss my ass." I say, tossing back another shot.
Alice just shrugs then, "I don't know what to tell you, Edward. When it comes to her career and future, she's driven. She see's what she wants and goes for it."
"So what you're saying is that she doesn't see me as a part of her future and that I am a disposable distraction?"
"I didn't say that." Alice back peddles. "I'm just saying that she's different from the other girls you usually go for."
"Yeah." Rose snorts. "She has a brain, doesn't sleep around and won't put up with anyone's shit. She's definitely the polar opposite of your type Edward!"
Now I'm pissed the fuck off. By the time Rosalie had finished her little "speech", I had already morphed my father's head on her shoulders.
"Don't "type" me, Rosalie. Don't even fucking dare!" I threaten. "I've never met anyone like Bella before, so therefore it's unfair to say that she isn't my type. I would've had to have met and rejected someone like Bella for that to be true, OK? But trust me when I say...not meeting someone like her, hasn't been for lack of trying! It's not easy to meet the "diamond in the rough", in a sea of fucking Barbie wannabe's, so just shut your fucking pie hole."
With that, I slam back another shot and push myself through the crowd to the office. Fuck Bella, fuck Rose, and fuck all of them. Everyone thinks they have me all figured out! I think it's time I found some new fucking friends!
BPOV One week later...
"So, have you talked to Edward lately?" Alice asks over lunch.
I fucking knew there was a reason why she asked me to meet her. I hope she chokes on her tuna salad.
"Not technically." I mumble into my chicken salad sandwich.
"OK. What is that supposed to mean?"
Nosy bitch!
"It means that he does this thing, where he calls my phone, blocks his number and doesn't say anything. Sometimes we just sit there and listen to each other breathe and sometimes I ramble on like fucking idiot, OK!" I blurt, my hands gesturing wildly in frustration.
Alice drops her fork on her plate and sits back in her chair. This would be her, "I will get what I want from you, by any means necessary" pose. I'm so fucked! The last time we played this game, she attacked my ass with an eyelash curler!
"If he doesn't say anything and blocks his number, then how do you even know it's him? You could be telling personal stuff to a random sicko, Bella!"
Oh yeah. Queue the protective preaching!
I roll my eyes my at her...she flares her nostrils. This is a song and dance we've perfected over the years. Unfortunately her signs of intimidation are much more believable then my own.
"Ugh, Alice!" I whine. "Do you really think I am that dumb? Honestly, I'm the Police Chief's daughter! I know its Edward, because he's done this before. I invited him over for dinner while he was saying nothing and when I got to my apartment, he was there waiting for me."
Her posture deflates some then. "So you're saying that he calls and says nothing. No, "Hi, how are you." just silence."
"Yup" I say, popping the "p" and taking a bite out of my sandwich.
Alice stares off into space for a few minutes, deep in concentration. "That's so messed up!" she finally concludes.
"Ya think?" I quip, rolling my eyes.
"No! Not that!" she says, waving her hand around. "I mean, yes, not talking is strange. But what's messed up is WHY he's calling to begin with. I mean usually when Edward says he's done with someone, he's just...done. It's like the person never existed."
"Yeah so?" I shrug. Not seeing her point.
"Bella!" she screeches. "I think Edward is in love with you!"
I reach over the table and start poking my fork around in her tuna salad.
"Bella! What the hell! That's my lunch!"
"I know! I'm just looking for pill casings or something that would explain how you made the leap from annoying late night, non-talking phone calls to him being in love with me! You sound like a fucking crazy person, Alice!"
Alice smacks my hand away from her food and picks her fork back up, leaning over the table, like she's about tell me a secret.
"Think about Bella!" she says, tapping her temple. "Why would he call you and say nothing like that?"
"Because he doesn't have anything to say or just wants to hear my voice?" repeating what he told me that one night on my balcony.
"Exactly!" she claps. "I think he has plenty he wants to say, but doesn't know how. So he settles on hearing your voice instead. In other words...he MISSES you, Bella!"
"Eh, maybe." I shrug, acting like I'm dismissing her theory entirely. It'll buy me some time until I think it over alone and decide if it holds water.
"No maybe, Bella." she says, shaking her head and grabbing for her Blackberry. "This is so great! I totally have to text, Rosalie!"
"NO!" I flew over the table and started trying to swat her piece of shit purple phone out her hand. I mean, really...who has a purple phone?
"Don't you fucking dare, Alice!" I yell, still struggling to grab her phone.
"But he's in love with you, Bella!" Alice laughs. "This is the gossip of the century!"
"Who's in love with you, Bella?" a smooth voice asks from behind me.
FUCK! I would know that voice anywhere. I sit back in my chair and notice that my tit had landed in Alice's tuna salad. Great! Would you like to stay for lunch, Edward? There's plenty of salad on my tit to go around!
I grab my napkin and start frantically wiping at my shirt, which only spreads it all over and makes it worse, before turning around and offering Edward a nervous smile.
"Oh hey, Edward! What are you doing here?"
Could I sound anymore retarded?
"I was in the neighborhood," he replies stiffly. His eyes locked on to the tuna smeared across my chest.
"Edward!" Alice sings. "You're just in time! Bella and I were just discussing how you can tell a man is in love with you!"
My eyes are as big saucers, as I frantically kick at her under the table. Hoping to make contact with one of her shins.
"Really." he says dryly. Staring at me like I'm the Anti-Christ.
"Yeah." Alice goes on, clearly enjoying the reaction she's getting. "This guy wants Bella and keeps doing things out of character for him, but she still refuses to believe it's love."
Mother of fuck! This time when I kick, I know I've made contact when she squeaks and kicks me back. Bitch!
"Anyone I know?" Edward asks anger evident in his tone.
"No!" I say, desperately looking for away out of this conversation.
"Oh, Bella's just being modest. It's actually Marcus. You know the guy that works in my office?" Alice says, with a big shit eating smile on her face.
"Um, I have to pee and clean myself up. Be back in a sec." I practically run for the ladies room. I'm going to fucking kill Alice!
EPOV
I watch as Bella retreats to the ladies room. What I wouldn't give to have been her napkin a few minutes ago.
I sit down in Bella's abandoned chair and stare Alice down. "Marcus? Really Alice?"
Her smile gets impossibly bigger.
"Yes, Marcus. He's a good man, Edward." she explains. "Plus he's just as career driven as she is, they have lots in common."
I can't help but fucking laugh.
"Alice, Bella doesn't have anything in common with that, Douche and you know it," I challenge. "He would fall in love with a parrot if it showed him affection."
"He would not!" she defends.
"Yes he would." I took a drink of Bella's water and fished out an ice cube to suck on. I even wave my hand around flinging water everywhere just to piss Alice off.
"He's a total Leg Humper and you know it." I laugh.
Alice leans back in her chair, crossing her arms in front of her chest, signaling that I am really not going to like where this fucking conversation is headed.
"Well it's better to be a Leg Humper, than a late night prank caller, Edward!" she smirks. She's got me by the balls and knows it.
"That's none of your fucking business, Alice!" I can't believe Bella fucking told her about that!
"None of my business?" she says, slamming her hand down on the table. "You haven't talked to anyone in a damn week, Edward! You won't return Jasper's calls...your best freaking friend! You haven't been into the club or anything. Even Jake is having trouble getting a hold of you. No one knows if you're dead or alive and then I find out that you've been calling Bella for a freaking week and haven't said anything! THEN, you just show up, out of the blue, at this obscure little deli completely across town from where you live. THAT tells me that you "bumping into us", isn't exactly on accident. I think you were following Bella!"
I should change my fucking name to cellophane!
"I wasn't following her," I mumble. "I was going to her work to ask her to lunch. I saw her walk out of her office, so I was trying to catch up to her. When I saw that she was meeting you, I went to park my car and was just coming to see if I could join you."
She sighs then and gets pre-occupied stirring her coffee for a few minutes. Thank god. Maybe she's willing to drop it.
"Do you love her?" she asks suddenly.
Yeah, no such luck. I should have known that Alice would be as fucking blunt as a sledge hammer. It's time to be diplomatic.
"That remains to be seen." I say coyly, swirling the ice cubes around in Bella's glass.
"You love her." Alice says incredulously, it's not a question.
"Look Alice," I fold my elbows on the table and lean in towards her. "Whatever I feel for Bella, is better left between me and Bella. I don't want us to become the subject of fodder in your gossip filled text messages with Rosalie. You WILL stay out of this one, Alice."
She starts packing up her stuff. Tossing her crap back in her purse with force.
"You're right, Edward. I'm not going to get involved. But I will say this...you better know what you're doing. Bella is a strong woman and she's going to push you. I hope you're prepared for that. These disappearing acts you're prone to when someone challenges you, just isn't going to fly. Either you're there or you're not. Bella doesn't need someone with issues! Please think about that before you start anything with her."
Fuck you.
"Fair enough." I sigh. "But for the record, Alice. I think you and I both know that I'm someone with issues and there's no way around that. If you honestly think she needs someone better than me, then maybe you shouldn't have fucking introduced us."
I watched as Alice's eyes bugged out her head in realization.
"Oh God, Edward, that not what I meant! I just meant that you need to get your...issues... under control!"
As if...
"It's OK, Alice. I get it. Alls well. But do me a favor would you? Go home to Jasper and tell him to 'Fuck Off'. That should make us even."
BPOV
By the time I returned to the table, Alice was long gone and her bill was left unpaid.
"Don't worry, Alice. Lunch is on me!" I mumble sarcastically, digging through my purse for my wallet. Completely ignoring the snickers coming from Edward.
Dick.
"So," he says, hesitantly. "Do you have to be back to work soon?"
"I have about a hour," I say, still digging through my purse looking for my Tic-Tacs now. "But I'm going to go home and change my shirt I think. It probably doesn't look very professional to come back from lunch, wearing your lunch."
After a few minutes of relentless searching, I finally produce a container of Tic Tacs and hold them up like I found the meaning of life.
"Oh. Congratulations." Edward smiles. He's clearly amused by my antics with the Tic Tacs.
What can I say? When I'm on a mission, I'm focused.
"Can I at least give you a ride?" he asks.
"Uh, ssssure. Thanks. Let me just go pay the tab and we're out of here."
He reaches over and yanks the bill out of my hand and heads into the deli.
"Um Edward," I yell after him. "I have money, I'll get it!"
He ignores me. Fucker!
I wait until he's done and then I attack.
"I'm not some charity case, you know. I can pay for my own damn lunch!"
He looks at me like I slapped him. "Can't you just thank me and get over it?"
OK, he might have a point and MAYBE I'm being ungrateful and rude. But I don't want him to know that. Now, how does one fall on their sword, without falling on their sword?
They change the subject.
"So where's your car?" I say, turning and walking away from him.
EPOV
Yeah, this bitch is a piece of work! She's made deflection an art form!
I grab her arm and jerk her to a stop.
"I'm not going to get into with it you, Edward. I get it, you paid for lunch. Thank you very much, but I didn't ask you to do that."
How can someone be so completely annoying and frustrating, yet adorable at the same time? Clearly she has issues with people doing things for her.
"Thank you and I know you're not a charity case. But what I wanted to point out, is that my car is the parked down there." I hoist my thumb over my shoulder. "You're going the wrong way."
She stomps her foot and growls at me. God I fucking love her!
Do we love or hate this version of Edward and Bella? Any thoughts as to where this is going? Let me know!