Edward's POV
It's been a month since I've seen Bella. I see her on occasion but not like I used to. We used to be together every day and now if I'm lucky I see her a couple times a week. I ache being away from her, it's as if a part of me is missing. I've been spending so much time with Tanya that I've neglected the most important person to me, Bella. It seems like ever since I started dating Tanya that Bella has closed herself off from me and the rest of the gang isn't exactly friendly and I have no idea what I did. It couldn't be because of Tanya, could it? Well no matter. I miss Bella.
Bella's POV
"Why am I doing this again?" I asked my two lovely best friends who were fussing over which outfit I should wear on my hell date with Mike Newton.
"Because it will be good to get you out, you can't sulk around forever." Alice replied.
"I'm not sulking! Just because I like to stay in and read instead of being the fifth wheel doesn't mean I'm sulking! Plus why does it have to be Newton?" I asked my voice laced with distain. "He is so disgusting! Why couldn't I have gone out with Jacob? He's nice and I like him, not in a boyfriend sense but in a friend sense." I commented thinking of how Jacob and I had gotten pretty close to forming a friendship outside of school instead of just being school mates.
"Because I don't like Jacob that's why. We picked Mike because it is an easy transition into dating. You have no chance of falling for him but he is good practice for when you go on a date with somebody you do like. You can practice your moves." Rose commented. I still had no idea what Jacob did to her but ever since freshman year she has hated him.
"What moves? I have no moves! I think you have forgotten that I don't talk to guys unless they are my brother or a best friend!" I practically yelled.
"Awww, I'm one of your best friends Bella?" Jasper asked with a smirk.
"Of course you are! You are like a brother to me, sometime a better one than the one I have!" I replied while hugging Jasper glaring at Emmett. I still hadn't forgiven him for scaring me earlier.
"Aww come on Bells, I was just joking around with you a bit. You know you love me! Forgive me please?" He said with a puppy pout.
"Damn you and your pout! Fine I love you too and I forgive you, but I will love you more if you get me out of this date! Please?" I pleaded while giving both Jasper and Emmett my adorable pout which I knew they couldn't refuse. Nobody could, it was my secret weapon.
"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT! EITHER OF YOU!" Alice yelled from my closet.
"Damn! Fine I'll go but I'm not going to enjoy it!" I resigned.
"Who would? It is Newton after all." Jasper replied while nudging me and laughing.
"Okay, enough jesting out you two. We have to get her ready for the date." Rose commanded while pushing the boys out of my room. She then turned her back from the door and faced me with a devious look on her face. Uh oh!
Forty five minutes later I was what Rose and Alice likes to call jumpable by wearing a navy blue wool dress that went to my knees and has ruffle sleeves. (Picture in Profile)They had me wear a pushup bra and it actually worked. For once I had cleavage and I have to say I looked good. They paired the dress with cute gold ballet flats, they planned to put me into some heels but I refused to and they agreed after I scared them into thinking I would put up a fight literally.
I was broken out of my thought by a wolf whistle. I picked up my head and saw Jasper and Emmett smiling.
"Damn Bella!" Jasper said with wide eyes and his mouth slightly ajar. I blushed and grabbed my gold clutch and keys to my midnight blue 2009 Saturn Outlook (Picture in Profile).
"Alright I'm off to meet the most horrendous man on the planet. Wish me luck!" I said while walking out the door.
I still don't know why I was doing this, yeah Alice said I need to ease into the dating realm but I don't want to be with anybody that isn't Edward. I know him and I won't happen but it wouldn't be fair to the person I'm dating when I compare them to Edward and when I'm in love with somebody else. I think I'm just going to tell Mike that this is us as friends hanging out because I don't want to lead him on and make him think he has a chance.
I pulled up to the restaurant and spotted Mike sitting at a table waiting for me. Well here we go.
I walked into the café and spotted Mike sitting in a table on the patio. He spotted me and waved his arms like a maniac. Dear God help me!
"Hey Bella, I was getting worried you ditched me." Mike said while laughing and hugging me for a little too long for comfort. I pulled myself away and sat in my chair across the table from Mike.
"Mike I think you should know that I'm in love with somebody and I don't really think it would be fair to lead you on. So this isn't a date okay? We can hang as friends but nothing more. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier. I really hope I didn't lead you on." I told Mike hoping he wouldn't be mad.
" It's okay Bella, I understand, not to hurt your feelings but I'm interested in Jessica. I'm sort of using you to make her jealous. I'm sorry, please don't be mad. Also I figured t would just us be hanging since the whole Edward thing." Mike said cringing as if waiting for me to hit him. He doesn't like me? He knows I'm in love with Edward?
"Whoa, wait. How do you know I'm in love with Edward? You don't like me? Why do you flirt with me all the time then? Jessica? What? I'm so confused!" I said with my head spinning at this new revelation.
"Everyone knows you are in love with him, except him. He really is an idiot to not realize you are so great. That's why no guys try to go out with you; they know they can't compete with Edward. Sorry. I flirt with you because it drives Jessica crazy and she makes out with me more when she's jealous. I shouldn't and I'm sorry but I knew it wouldn't affect you so that's why I chose you. I was also hoping that maybe it would make Edward jealous, just trying to help. Once again I'm sorry."Mike said with sincerity. Holy crap, Mike was actually a good guy and not a creeper like I thought. He was just using me and helping at the same time.
"Wow, I always thought you were a creep this whole time. Sorry for that. It's okay if you use me to make Jessica jealous. Now that I know I don't really care, wow. This opens up so much more stuff. Man, I never knew. Holy crap, this is great! I'm so relieved you don't like me!" I said while hugging Mike.
"I do like you Bella, just as a friend only. Now that this I all settled, why don't we order? By the way do you think you could flirt back or make it look like it? Jessica is in the dress shop across the street." Mike said while throwing his head in Jessica's direction and I slyly looked and there she was peering out the window at us.
"Sure no prob. Mike if you would have just told me all of this sooner I would have helped you out. So are we friends now?" I asked while putting my hand on Mike's and smiling.
"Most definitely. I'm so glad you aren't crept out by this. Thanks for the help Bells." Mike said while smiling and ordering hamburgers for us both.
The rest of the lunch went on pleasantly. We 'flirted' or so it looked to outsiders and just ate and talked. Jessica's eyes never left us and we decided after lunch we would walk around the park that was just around the corner and give her a little fun.
It was a beautiful day and flowers were blooming. I love spring. Mike and I held hands as we walked and talked about school, work, and life in general. He was proving to be a good friend and I actually liked him as a human being. We fed the ducks a little and then called it a day. I said goodbye to mike and we decided to hang out next weekend. I started walking to the book store down the street so I could apply for a job, the week prior I noticed they had a help wanted sign up. I walked down the alley that led to the next street when I heard footsteps behind me. I sped up my pace hoping nothing would happen. I knew self defense but I never used it in a real life attack. The two men following me sped their pace up to match mine and that's when I freaked and started to remember the moves to use when being attacked. I was so focused on the moves I had yet to notice a man coming at me whom knew the other two attackers. The closed in on me and I braced myself for being hit.
"Hey there baby, you wanna play for a while?" The first attacker asked while shoving me into a wall. He had long black hair pasty white skin and black eyes. I tried to get through the three men crowded around me.
"Move and leave me alone." I said while trying to escape and once again was blocked and pushed back.
"Come on pretty girl you know you want to stay and have a little fun." The second attack said while trapping me to the wall by holding my shoulder against it, hard. I knew I would have a bruise later.
"I said leave me the hell alone and don't you touch me!" I said while kicking the second attacker in the shin. The first and third men held me against the wall while the second man came up to me and held me by my throat and punched me in the stomach. He took his hand a fondled my breast through my shirt.
I kicked him in the groin as hard as possible and screamed as loud as I could.
"HELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" I screamed at the top of my lungs before the third man placed his hand over my mouth and started to kiss my neck hungrily.
I bit into his hand and punched him in the stomach and started to run when I was grabbed by the second man and shoved to the ground with him mounting me. I prayed for help and was pleasantly surprised when I heard someone fighting with the other two attackers. Thank god someone has come to help me. I tried to throw the attack off me but he had to be two times my weight if not more. Damn! He was ripping my dress off with a wild look in his eyes when he was thrown off of me. I looked up to see my savior and it was him. My love, my one and only, my Edward.
Edward's POV
I was walking down the street to meet Tanya at the café on the corner of main when I heard someone screaming from the alley way. I ran to see what the screaming was about and there was a small women being pinned to the wall by two men one whom looked to be kissing her neck and a third man on the ground holding his crotch. I ran down the alley to help the women being attacked. I fought off two of the attackers and pulled the third attacker off the poor women when I looked down and saw Bella. My Bella, her dress was torn to bits and pieces and she was bloodied and battered. It wasn't just a women being attacked but my Bella. Fucks no were those shit heads going to live after this. I took the third attacker and was hammering his head into the wall when Bella yelled for me to stop.
"Please Edward, don't kill him!" She yelled at me with fear in her eyes. She was scared I would murder this animal. I ran to her to make sure she was okay after I threw the man onto the other two men who were knocked out. She said she was fine just bruised and a little bloody. I pulled my cell phone out and dialed 911 and told them what happened. I took my shirt off and handed it to Bella for her to wear over what used to be a dress.
I sat down and pulled her into my lap and held her as close as possible without hurting her. My Bella was almost hurt. I lifted her head and looked into her eyes to make sure she was okay.
"What happened here Bella?" I asked while looking into her beautiful chocolate orbs. She was so beautiful even broken and bloodied she was the most gorgeous women I ever laid eyes upon.
"I was out on a 'date' with Mike and it was over and before I left I wanted to go to the bookstore and apply for the position cause they are hiring. I took the alley to get there faster. Well when I was half way through those two men." I aid while pointing at the two assailants "started following me and I quickened my pace and so did they and then the third guy started coming the other way and the crowded me in and pushed me against the wall. I tried to get away and fight but I wasn't strong enough. Oh Edward! I'm so glad you're here! Promise me you'll stay with me! Please stay with me!" She pleaded with me looking up at me with nothing but adoration and love. That's when I realized I love her. More than friend love, I'm in love with her. How I couldn't have seen it before I'll have no idea. Bella is perfect.
"I will stay with you as long as you want me." I said with sincerity. It's true; I would stay with her forever.
"That may be a long time." Bella said with a small smile on her face. I couldn't help but smile back at her.
"I don't mind, love." I replied. Did I just call her love? Hmmm. It seemed to fit, and Bella liked it. She smiled at me and hugged me tightly.
"Forever." I heard her mumble although I don't think I was meant to. My heart swelled at the thought that she wanted me to stay with her forever, even if we were just friends. I sighed, I finally got my Bella back.
"Forever." I repeated into her ear before pulling her tightly and kissing the top of her head. Our moment was cut short by the sirens.
After Bella and I gave our reports we were driven to the hospital to be bandaged up. Carlisle was on shift and took care of Bella and I. The hospital of course called Emmett and that meant the rest of the gang would come. It turned out I got a broken hand and busted lip along with a few cuts on my cheek and a bruised rib. I fared better than Bella though; she had two broken ribs, a cracked skull which she had to get 23 stitches for, a dislocated shoulder, and cuts on her legs, abdomen, chest, arms, and face. After I was fixed up Bella ordered me to get in bed and hold her. She was still shaky and wouldn't let me go. I didn't mind though, she was okay and that is all that mattered to me.
"Bella! Are you okay? What happened?" Emmett yelled while running to hug his sister. It was sort of awkward because she wouldn't let me go, it was like she was scared I would disappear. He stared at her then at me and smiled hugely before bringing me into a big hug.
"Ouch Emm! Bruised rib. Take it easy." I said while staring at Bella.
"Geez Bells, you go on one date and end up in the hospital! You probably shouldn't date anymore if this is where it gets you." Jasper joked. Wait, date? What? She was on a date?
"Bella, you were on a date? With who? When? Where?" I questioned. Where was her date when she was in trouble! Stupid asshole.
"Um….I was kind of on a date with Mike Newton….We went out to lunch and walked through the park. I told him bye and left. He went back and I was trying to get to the bookstore. Then they men attacked me in the alleyway like I told you." Bella said shyly and looking somewhat ashamed.
"Oh, well did you have fun?" I asked hoping to god she didn't like him.
"Actually yeah! It was amazing, best date ever. Though I don't have anything to compare to it was an amazing outing. I'm so happy I went. He is such a great guy, I really like him." Bella said with a smile and twinkle in her eye. Newton? Really? He doesn't deserve her! She is too amazing for him.I looked around at everyone else and apparently I wasn't the only one stunned.
"Really Bella? Newton was amazing?" Rose asked with utter shock written on her face.
"Yes Rose! You and Alice were the ones to talk me into this and I'm glad you did. I'm so happy to have him in my life." Bella said with a smile looking at me the whole time. Her eyes filled with mischief and love. What was she doing?
She laughed before saying "He was using me!"
"What?" Okay, now I was seriously confused.
"He has never liked me, but he does like Jessica. He would flirt with me because he knew I wouldn't reciprocate and it made Jessica jealous. She would in turn make out with him like mad. When we had lunch we pretended to be flirting and touching because Jessica was in the dress shop across the way watching us. We just hung out as friends." Bella stated with a smile. She didn't like him like that! Thank god. Wait why wouldn't she reciprocate with the flirting?
"Bella, why did he think you wouldn't flirt back?" Emmett asked the question that was at the top of my tongue.
"Well apparently all the guys at school know I'm in love with a certain guy and know they can't compare to him. That's why no one ever asks me out because my heart is already taken by somebody. Funny huh?" Bella asked her voice quivering a little. What could she be nervous about? Hmm. Wait, she was in love with somebody. Who?
"Bella, who are you in love with?" I asked looking into her eyes.
"Okay that's enough questions for now! She needs to rest, all visitors out please! Thank you!" the nurse said while pushing us all out. Bella waved bye and smiled sweetly at me. I came way too close to loosing her today, I wasn't ever going to let go of her, figuratively speaking. First before I set out to win her heart I have to break another, Tanya. Shit. I was suppose to meet her for lunch, oh well! I started to head out to finish this as soon as possible. How I thought I could have loved Tanya was a mystery. My family hated her, Bella hated her, and she wasn't very fond of them either. How could I pick her over them, I'm such an idiot.
"Edward! Where are you going?!" Alice yelled after me.
"I'm going to break up with Tanya, I'm in love with somebody else!" I said smiling while running off to end a relationship so I could start another, hopefully.
I drove over to Tanya's place as fast as I could. I walked up to the door and I heard, wait no, was that moaning? Tanya was moaning, was she by herself or was someone else there? Crap, this might be easier than I thought. I opened the door to Tanya's bedroom and found her on the bed mid action with….
Hey all! Sorry for the late update, I have been sick for the past couple days. I promise the next chapter will be up within the next couple days and I will be cowriting another story with DennyRose so keep your eyes open for it. Please review and I hope you enjoyed. Once again any question just PM me!
Thank you winternow, twilightluvr1, dennyrose, vampiregurl, kaceekittykat, shoecraz, and mars 32 for the reviews! They were greatly appreciated!