Disclaimer: I don't own it.

Chapter Three

I fidgeted with, well, nothing. My fingers tangled with one another as I looked around nervously, my thumb tapping out a rhythm with the contact of the pads of my fingers.

I was so out of sorts right now, what did this guy want with me? He was fucking gorgeous, and if I really thought about it, possibly crazy since he was here, in front of me, again.

"Can we get out of here?" He looked around at the people beginning to crowd around us. It was then I noticed the bar was much fuller than before I went on stage. People began to fill every corner as the next performer got ready to take the stage.

"Yeah, sure, that's fine." I nodded.

He obviously was just pissed he didn't get in my pants last night and was trying to rectify that before he dropped me like a sack of potatoes. This I knew, this I could handle.

I looked up at him and smiled, hooking my finger into his belt loop. "Do you want to go to your place or mine?" I asked, tugging him closer to me.

He looked down at me, his brows pulled together before what looked like understanding washed across his face. I couldn't read this guy, obviously he wanted to have sex with me last night, why should tonight be any different?

He shook his head and swept my hair over my shoulder. "I was thinking we could walk to the diner about a block from here, I hear they have great pie." he smiled.

"Pie?" I asked, stupidly. What the hell was going on here?

"Pie." He nodded stiffly before grabbing the hand I still had around his belt loop and threaded my fingers with his.

His hand was large and warm and comforting. It covered mine completely and made me feel safe. I immediately pulled my hand back and shoved it into my pocket. I had let someone make me feel safe before, and I was still paying for it.

He looked over at me and I could tell he was confused by my response, but I just couldn't go there with this guy. I wasn't looking for someone to make me feel warm and safe, I wasn't looking for anything other than an escape from the shittiness of my life, even if it only lasted for a little while.

He sighed before waving his arm in front of him, clearing a path for me to walk. His hand ghosted over the small of my back as we weaved our way out of the bar, people shouting out random things as we passed.

The walk to the diner was quiet and awkward― definitely awkward. My mind was a jumbled mess and as hard as I tried, I couldn't seem to wrap my head around what his motive.

I could feel his eyes on me every couple of minutes, it made me feel strange, the muscles in my neck taut with awareness, but body was sparking with something else entirely― I hated it.

I knew what it was like to have my body set on fire, to feel like I'd grabbed an electric fence, the current shooting through my body, pulsing. I also knew what it felt like to hang on too long, the burn that starts rushing through your veins as your mind cries out too much, let go! I ignored those cries for far too long, the damage now irreparable.

"What are you thinking about so hard over there?" Edward whispered, causing me to jump.

I exhaled heavily. "I just get lost in my head sometimes, you know?" I chanced a quick glance to see him nod slightly before shifting his gaze in front of him once more.

"Yeah, I do know. That's not always a bad thing though, not if it results in you singing like you did tonight." He smiled as he opened the door to the diner and ushered me inside.

I squinted against the harsh light after walking in almost total darkness for the past few minutes. It was quiet in here, only a few people dotted the bar and booths. A soft buzzing noise filled the air from the florescent bulbs, with the occasional clank of pots and pans from the kitchen and the scraping of knives and forks against plates.

It was easy to fade into the white noise around me and focus on something other than the man leading me to the booth in the back of the diner. As soon as we sat down an older lady with graying hair walked over to our table.

"What can I get you folks tonight?" she asked with a friendly smile. Edward looked over to me as I waited for him to order something, but he remained silent. The waitress shifted her footing and I realized he was waiting for me to order.

"Coffee." I said more like a question. I'd forgotten we actually came here to eat so my brain was a little slow on the uptake right now. Plus, I really needed some fucking rest.

"Two coffees and two slices of pie, whatever you have that's fresh tonight is fine," he said with a smile.

"Soooo," he started, clearing his throat.

"I don't know what I'm doing here," I blurted out, because this freaking awkwardness was going to kill me.

"I just want to talk to you Bella, I had a lot of fun last night." I winced at his words, I really didn't want to talk about last night. "I want to start over."

"Look. Here," he said, holding his hand out to me. "Edward Cullen, it's nice to meet you."

I stared at his proffered hand for a beat before taking a deep breath and sticking out my own hand.

"Bella Swan, nice to meet you as well," I responded, feeling a little stupid and a lot uncomfortable. But then he smiled, and it was real, and flashes of last night when we were in the bar talking and laughing flickered in my mind making thousands of butterflies explode in my stomach.

"So what do you like to do in your spare time?" He posture relaxed as he leaned against the back of the booth.

I stared at him for a second before I realized we were really starting over. This man was making my head spin trying to keep up, I really needed to stop acting like a special person.

"Uh, well, I like to sing, obviously. I work at the bar full time, and I take a couple of music classes in between." I shrugged.

Why do you waste your time with this shit Bella? What do you honestly expect to get out of this?

I sucked in a sharp breath willing his fucking voice out of my head, I was so tired of having him in my head. He had no place in my life now, real or imagined.

"What about you?" I leaned away from the table as the waitress set down our coffee and apple crumb pie― there may be hope for this night after all. I grabbed my fork, scooping a large piece of pie in my mouth, God, I didn't realize how hungry I was. When did I eat last?

"Good?" he chuckled, causing my eyes to snap to his.

Fuck, I should probably stop whore moaning around my fork. I nodded my head and set my fork down, tapping my thumb to the pads of my fingers waiting for him to speak.

"Well, I'm afraid my life is a little more boring." He laughed, nervously. "I graduated college last year and right now I'm working as a subcontractor doing website designs."

"Wow, so you're like a computer geek?"

I was pretty sure I sounded as stunned as I felt. Of all the things I pictured him doing, working on a computer all day wasn't one of them. He laughed as I covered my face. I'd just called him a fucking geek. Awesome.

"Sorry," I mumbled, still palming my face. I peeked at him through my fingers when he tugged on my hand, a grin plastered on his face.

"Hey, don't knock it. Last week I helped design a new web page for a hemorrhoid cream company. I got to make the tube of cream dance around smiling. Tell me that's not badass," he deadpanned. I couldn't help it, I laughed. Was the guy for real?

"There you are," he whispered, causing my smile to falter as his words and tone sobered me immediately. "Hey, don't do that. You don't have to shut down on me." Suddenly a memory from last night flickered in my mind.

"Hey, don't do that you crazy girl, you're only gonna make it worse."

He laughed as he dabbed the napkin on the front of my shirt where I had been furiously rubbing it, causing the stain to spread. I wobbled on my stool, giggling when I almost tipped over. He grabbed my arm laughing as he steadied me back onto the stool.

"Where have you been all my life?" I sighed, dramatically. "Edward Cullen, stain fighter extraordinaire, saving one shirt at a time." I giggled and hiccuped at the same time, which kind of hurt, but also sounded so ridiculous it made me laugh harder.

"Well I couldn't jump right into rescuing pretty girls with my mad stain fighting skills," he responded seriously. "I had to work my way up the ladder."

"What are we even talking about right now?" I laughed. He snorted, which sounded so strange coming from such a pretty package.

"I have no idea," he chuckled, stepping in between my legs. "But I think I could stand here talking nonsense with you all night and never get tired of it." His voice had lowered as his nose ghosted over the shell of my ear, his breath fanning across my neck causing me to shiver.

"Fuck." I breathed.

"Yeah."

"Hey," he called, snapping his fingers in front of my face, causing me to startle. "Where'd you go?"

I cracked a smile at him, if I was going to remember anything from last night, I wanted it to be those kinds of memories.

"Oh, I'm just wondering what a super hero, stain fighter like you is doing slumming it in a dive like this?"

He leaned back into the booth, his shoulders relaxing as he took a sip of his coffee.

"Pfft, you see that old guy over there?" He nodded to the guy leaning over the bar. "That's my bread and butter right there, his shirt gets way more action than his mouth."

I stared at him in disbelief for a second before I couldn't contain my laughter any longer and lowered my head to the table to quieten my snickers.

"Oh my God, you really are a geek."

I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt like this sober, well, mostly sober.

A loud ruckus at the front door pulled our attention away from one another and our completely ridiculous conversation. It was a group of about five people, two of which caused the color to drain from my face. I swiveled my head back to Edward, my eyes wide with panic.

"What's wrong, do you need-"

"Hey Iz, what the fuck are you doing here girl?" A loud voice interrupted from the bar.

No, no, no, no. Not now. Why now? I pulled in a deep breath steeling myself for what I really hoped wouldn't become a confrontation. I looked over as I heard him approach, ignoring Edward's confused face.

"Peter." I nodded, my focus on the wall behind him. It wasn't that Peter was a bad guy, it was his best friend I had a problem.

"What, that's all I get? I'm hurt Iz." He reached out and ruffled my hair.

I sighed, Peter and I had been friends since I was ten, but he picked a side and I couldn't forget that. Realizing I wasn't going to engage him in small talk, he cleared his throat and straightened his posture, pulling his hand off the top of my head.

"So, have you seen Garrett lately?" he asked, shortly.

He might as well have punched me in the gut. He fucking knew I hadn't seen him. I gritted my teeth together, my thumb rapidly touching the pad of each finger; index, middle, ring, pinky; pinky, ring, middle, index.

"He misses you, you know, or I guess maybe you don't know, since you seem busy."

He narrowed his eyes as his gaze flickered to Edward. I didn't need Garrett to hear about Edward, he was perfectly fine leaving me alone as long as he didn't think I was involved with anyone else.

"Edward's just a friend." I said, waving my hand dismissively.

My eyes darted quickly to Edward's, and motherfuck, I just couldn't do anything right. I watched as his shoulders slumped and the light seemed to fade from his eyes. I wasn't worth all this trouble, I had to get out of here, now.

"A friend, huh?" Peter asked, looking between the two of us. "Well that's good, I'd hate for you to get someone attached to you when we all know you'll be back with Garrett soon anyway." His tone was matter of fact as he stared directly at Edward.

I wanted to tell him to go fuck himself, that there was no way I was going back to Garrett, but I also didn't want someone as sweet as Edward getting mixed up in my shit. So I acted like the coward I was and nodded― it fucking killed me.

"Well," Peter said, the huge smile on his face like a knife scooping out my insides. "I guess I'll see you around soon then." He turned and walked back to the bar as I stared down at the table, unable to look Edward in the face.

"So, that...was fucking awkward," he joked, trying to lighten the mood. It fell flat. I was all out of smiles now. I needed to leave.

"Yeah, fun times with Bella," I said sarcastically, pulling money from my pocket.

"What are you doing?" he asked, covering my hand with his.

"Its been a long day Edward and I'm tired. I think I'm gonna head on home now, but thanks for the company." I grabbed my shit and slid to the edge of the booth.

"So that's it? You're walking away from me, again?" He sounded so fucking distressed.

"I don't understand what you want from me. I'm a mess. We've laughed and I've enjoying hanging out with you, but you saw what just happened. I have baggage. Lots of baggage." I was drained, defeated.

"I'm pretty strong you know, I think I can carry your baggage, if you'll just let me. I may even be able to lighten your load." He stood with me, reaching out and cradling my jaw in his hand.

"I see you, under all the bullshit. I see you, just let me in."

A throat cleared loudly and purposely letting me know I was being watched. I stepped back from Edward, even though every inch of my body screamed for me not to.

"I'm not worth it." I whispered, before turning and running out of the diner. I needed to be alone, I needed to not be attached to this man, and I needed to not blame myself for the flash of pain that ripped across his face when I turned my back on him, again.

A/N

Dude, your reviews, I can't even. These two are very close to my heart and I promise to try and do them justice. The fact that I actually have people reading this is more than I ever imagined. Thanks to Meg and Jules for reading and editing and pushing me, I love you bitches.