Chapter 2
I've been in Forks for three months now. Alice and I have become close friends again just like in high school. Rose and I are good friends also. I've been talking with Edward more. Alice swears we are going to get together someday. I am renting my own apartment not too far from Charlie's. My divorce is officially final. Mike takes Chloe every other weekend. He is taking her this weekend and Alice is making me go out with them to some club in Port Angeles.
"Come on honey, we have to pack your bags. Daddy is picking you up in a little bit." I told Chloe walking into her room.
"Mommy, I don't want to leave." She said her lip quivering.
"Baby, I know but you are going to have fun with daddy ok?" She nodded. I packed her clothes and her favorite stuff animal. We sat on the couch and I read her some books. There was a knock on the door and I knew it was Mike. I stood up and Chloe followed me. Opening the door it wasn't Mike, instead in was Edward.
"Hey." He said.
"Hi." I said shocked he was here. "Would you like to come in?" I asked. He nodded and walked inside.
"Hi Chloe." He said kneeling down to her level.
"Hi Eddie." She said giggling. He cringed at the nickname and then stood up.
"Emmett" we said at the same time causing us both to laugh.
"Are you coming tonight?" He asked.
"With Alice I don't have a choice." I said. He laughed.
"That is true." About five minutes later Mike showed up.
"Hey Mike." I said.
"Hi Bella." He looked past me and I saw he was locking eyes with Edward.
"Uh, Mike this is Edward, Alice's brother. Edward this is Mike." I introduced them. Edward walked forward.
"Nice to meet you." They shook hands.
"Nice to meet you too." It seemed like he and Edward were having a staring contest causing awkwardness on my part. Finally it broke.
"Hey Chloe. Ready to go?" He asked. She nodded. I handed Mike her bag then picked Chloe up.
"Bye baby. I'll see you Sunday evening. I love you." She wrapped her tiny arms around me.
"Love you too momma." I kissed her forehead then handed her to Mike.
"Bye." I said.
"Bye Bella." Once I shut the door I fell against it and silently cried. I felt Edward lift me up and hold me.
"I don't like seeing her go." I said through my cries.
"I wish I could say I understand but I don't. I'm here for you though." He whispered.
"Thank you." I looked at him. We were just staring into each other's eyes. Then Alice barged in and I quickly wiped away my tears.
"Let's go party!" She exclaimed. I laughed at her. Then she proceeded to drag me into my room and started attacking my hair with a curling iron.
"So might I ask why my brother was here?" She asked looking at me through the mirror. I blushed.
"I didn't get a chance to ask why he came here. But he came right before Mike got here. They were having some stare down thing. It was weird." I said. She nodded and continued with my hair. Alice moved onto my makeup.
"Don't over do it please." I asked. She smiled.
'Don't worry Bella, it will be fine." When she was done I was handed some clothes.
"Put these on and then come on out." She instructed.
"Yes ma'am!" I said. She glared then laughed. She shut my door and I looked at the clothes she gave me. I put the top on first. It was a dark green silky halter top that had a low cut neckline. The bottoms were a pair of black skinny jeans and then black stilettos. When I looked in the mirror I didn't recognize who it was. My hair was curled softly, falling over my shoulders. My make up was done to look natural with a hint of dark green. I carefully walked out of my room. Alice saw me first. She smiled. When I got to the living room everyone was there.
"Bella! You look amazing!" Rose exclaimed. I blushed. Emmett whistled and Edward looked at me for the first time. He smiled. I blushed and looked down.
"Alice I'm going to die in these shoes." I complained.
"You will forget they are on once we are dancing." She said.
"I mean I am going to fall and break my neck."
"Edward will catch you." She whispered.
"Alright let's go!" Emmett yelled. We left my apartment.
"So the girls are going in my car and the guys are going in Edward's car." We all nodded.
"See you in a little bit." Jasper said to Alice kissing her softly. She giggled. We got in her yellow Porsche and she turned on some music. The whole drive to Port Angeles we were blaring music and singing loudly. We reached the club first so we waited by the front door for the guys. Finally they walked up.
"Took you long enough." Rose said.
"Sorry Rosie." Emmett said kissing her cheek. She smiled.
"It's ok."
"Uh, Alice I forgot to tell you something." Edward said.
'What's up bro?" She asked. I laughed at her.
"Tanya is coming." He said. Her smile was replaced with a frown. Who was Tanya?
"Shall we go inside?" Jasper said quickly changing the subject. I nodded. We walked inside and I stayed by Alice. We got a table and the three of us sat down while the guys went to get a drink.
"Who's Tanya?" I asked. Alice looked at me.
"Tanya is my brother's stupid and fake girlfriend." She answered.
"So you are trying to set me up with your brother while he has a girlfriend?" I asked. She shook her head.
"I didn't know they were together still." She answered.
"Oh." Was all I said. Looks like I'll be sitting here by myself. Emmett and Jasper returned followed by Edward with his arm around some blonde girl who I assumed to be Tanya. They all sat down. I was squished between Edward and Alice. No one said anything.
"So Bella how is my little Chloe Bear?" Emmett asked breaking the silence. I smiled.
"She is good. Mike picked her up tonight. She is starting to call Edward 'Eddie'." I said. He did a fist pump.
"Yes! That was my plan all along and it finally worked." He said. We all laughed.
"I won't get mad at her since she is a little girl, but Emmett if you call me that you better sleep with one eye open." Edward responded.
"Isn't her birthday next week?" Rose asked.
"Yeah, my little girl is going to be three." I sighed. Everyone smiled.
"Who is Chloe?" I heard Tanya ask.
"She is Bella's daughter." Edward answered. She looked at me.
"Wow, single with a three year old daughter. Kind of irresponsible don't you think?" She said. I didn't even know her and she was already judging me.
"Actually Bella was married." Alice added.
"That guy was smart to divorce you." She said.
"Excuse me. You don't even know me. At least I am responsible enough to take care of a child. I would hate to see what would happen if you had a kid. I would say think before you speak but that might be hard for you." I said not caring she was Edward's girlfriend. She looked at me with her mouth hanging open.
"Excuse me Alice." I whispered. She and Jasper moved. I slid out of the booth and walked outside.
"Careful Tanya, you don't want to catch a fly." I heard Rose say as I walked away. Once outside I heard heels follow me.
"That was awesome Bella! I've wanted to say something and I've only known her for a few weeks." Alice exclaimed wrapping her arms around me.
"Thanks Ali, but I'm afraid I just ruined my friendship with Edward." I whispered.
"He will realize one day that she isn't the one for him." Alice said. I smiled.
"Want to come back inside? Maybe make Edward jealous." Alice suggested. I laughed.
"I'll come back inside but I don't know about the making Edward jealous." I said.
"It'll be fun Bella." She replied pulling me back inside. I ran into someone.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. Are you ok?" Alice had continued on her way to the table.
"Bella Swan, the same old clumsy girl." A deep voice said. I looked up and recognized the person. It was my childhood friend Jacob Black.
"Jake?" I asked.
"The one and only." He said. I wrapped my arms around him in a hug.
"I haven't seen you in forever. How have you been?" I asked.
"I've been good. What are you doing back down here?"
"My husband and I got divorced so I moved back here with my daughter." I explained.
"Oh ok. Are you here by yourself?" He asked. I laughed.
"No way. I'm here with Alice, her brothers, her boyfriend and his sister."
"Alice Cullen?"
"Yeah."
"I haven't seen her in a while either." He said.
"She is right over there." I pointed to the table everyone was sitting at.
"Let's go." He said. We walked over there.
"Hey Alice!" Jake said.
"Jake?" He laughed and nodded. She stood up and ran over to him. She introduced him to everyone. When she got to Edward, he simply nodded then began talking to Tanya. I rolled my eyes.
"Bella want to dance?" Jake asked me. I looked at Alice and she nodded.
"Sure." I replied. He smiled and we walked to the dance floor. Soon after Edward and Tanya appeared. After a while I told Jake I was going to step outside for some air. He followed me. I was enjoying the light breeze sweeping across my face when Jake began speaking. I opened my eyes and looked at him.
"So what is up with that Edward guy?" He asked.
"I may have told off his girlfriend and now we may not be friends anymore so he is probably mad at me." I said.
"Really?" he asked. I nodded. The silence came back. This time instead of talking Jake kissed me.
"Jake." I said and he pulled away.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."
"It's ok, but I think it is better if we are just friends. I'm not looking for a relationship right now." I answered honestly.
"I understand. Friends?" He said. I smiled and nodded.
"Friends." He gave me a hug and kissed my cheek. We walked back inside.
"Jake! There you are!" Someone yelled.
"Hey Bella, I have to go. I'll see you around?" He smiled.
"Yeah. Bye Jake." I said.
"Bye Bells." Then he left. I walked back over to the table. Rose and Alice were smirking, Emmett and Jasper looked lost, Edward looked mad, and Tanya was just there staring off into space.
"Bella, mind if we have a word with you?" Rose asked.
"Sure." I replied. She and Alice stood up and dragged me to a corner.
"What is going on with you, Jake and Edward? I think you just caused a love triangle." Alice said laughing.
"Nothing is going on. Jake and I are just friends. Edward has Tanya. End of story." They raised their eyebrows.
"I'm serious."
"Ok we believe you. By the way, awesome job telling Tanya off." Rose said.
"Uh, thanks. Hey do you two want to help me plan Chloe's birthday party?" I asked. They nodded, huge smiles forming. We walked back to the table and Tanya was gone. Edward and I still hadn't spoken to each other. After a few more dances we all decided to leave. Alice and Rose dropped me off at my apartment. I fell asleep that night crying because of all the chaos Tanya caused. She hurt me and caused me to go off on her, making me lose a friendship and the guy I dreamed of every night.
