A/N: Thanks again for the reviews. We are getting down to the plot now!
Enjoy!
Bella had everything set up for when Veronica and Logan arrived.
I knew of Troy Vandergraff. He moved here at the beginning of the year. His family's rich making him and 09er. By looking at him you would think he is normal but from what I've seen and heard from Veronica he is anything but.
Bella heard a knock at the door. She opened the door and let Veronica and Logan in.
They immediately went to the couch and began investigating Troy.
Bella went through her Prying Eyes website and found out quite a bit about Troy.
"Ok. Troy had been expelled from 6 different private schools all on the east coast. The first three for drug possession. The fourth one was for dealing. The last two were for…" Bella scrolled down the screen. "Sexual harassment. Wow, ten girls have restraining orders on him. Two of them are teachers," Bella said raising her eyebrows.
Logan got up and began pacing around the small room, Backup followed him wanting attention. Veronica kept her eyes on Bella waiting for her plan. Bella sat thinking of what to do.
What is the best way to expose Troy Vandergraff…or at least get him out of town to stop harassing my best friend…What to do?
"I think I have an idea," Bella announced.
Logan stopped pacing to look at his friend for an answer. "What are you gonna do, Bella?" Veronica asked uneasily.
Bella smiled evilly. "I go undercover. Either run Troy out of town or expose his secrets," Bella said like it was the easiest and most brilliant plan in the world.
"Bella he could hurt you!" Veronica exclaimed outraged at Bella's idea.
"Bella I agree, I don't think it's a good idea," Logan added looking at her concerned.
"Guys I can handle myself. If it gets to be too much I will go to my dad. If I can run him out of town or get him into some serious trouble, he will leave you alone," Bella said. "Besides now that I've thought of it, you guys are going to have a hard time changing my mind."
Veronica and Logan still weren't convinced.
"Between having you guys around and Jake and the rest of the PCHers, I'll be fine," Bella said.
"Fine, but when I asked for help I didn't mean this much," Veronica said.
"I know, but this guy is a creep. He needs to go down. Just think of all the others he's done this to."
"She's got a point Ronnie," Logan shrugged.
"Yeah, well I owe you big time for this," Veronica said getting up.
"Yeah you do," Bella said following them to the door.
"Thanks Bells. I'll see you tomorrow," Veronica said.
"Bye guys," Bella watched them leave.
Now, how am I going to get Troy to notice me without living up to my reputation? Let's see. Troy and I are in Biology together second period and just so happens to be my lab partner. This could work to my advantage. After all he does always hit on me. I could just go along with it and flirt back… Hmm tomorrow at school will be very interesting.
Bella wore a subtly sexier outfit to school. A skirt slightly shorter than the ones she normally wore. A shirt that dipped just a little bit lower. And exchanged her butch boots for girly wedges. And the guys noticed.
Mike seemed to get over the fact she broke his nose just last week and said "Wow, gutsy taking your night job to school, Izzy. Why don't you go try the boy's locker room? I'm sure the football team would love your services!" Mike laughed along with his toadies. Emmett, Jasper and Edward stood awkwardly with the group of guys, not knowing what to make of the situation.
"Watch it Mike, karma's a bitch and you already had to get a nose job," Bella snarked, ignoring Emmett, Jasper, and most of all Edward.
Her remark shut Mike up.
Bella continued to class with a smirk on her face.
Now to begin my little undercover project with Troy.
Troy seemed overjoyed with the fact Bella was actually talking to him and flirting with him. He especially enjoyed her outfit.
"So, if you're not busy tonight, maybe we could go to dinner. What do ya say?" Troy asked as they exited the class.
"Umm," Bella started unsure.
"Come on a pretty girl like you needs to have some fun, and I'm fun," Troy said.
"Sure," Bella smiled up at him.
"Great! Pick you up at seven," Troy beamed waving goodbye to her then walking to his class.
Bella had already decided to skip her next class so she walked slowly to her locker after the bell rang. After all her next class was P.E., which she wasn't too fond of, and she still needed those pictures of the locker inspections and there just happened to be five during this class period.
"Are you just going out with him to shove it Edward's face or do you really like him?" Alice asked darkly from behind Bella.
Bella turned to face her leaning back on her locker. "Not that this is any of your business, but it has nothing to do with Edward."
"Oh really? So it's just a coincidence that the day after we come back, you start dating some guy?" Alice asked disbelievingly.
"Yep, just a coincidence," Bella said in an emotionless tone.
Alice scoffed, "Wow you really have changed. I mean I knew you changed but I didn't think you had turned into some heartless bitch who just wanted to hurt someone else, like Edward."
Bella shook her head, "You have some nerve, Alice." Bella stood up and walked closer to Alice. "You have no right commenting on how I've changed or my actions or whether I'm being a heartless bitch," Bella said coldly. Then she smiled, "I admire you are trying to take care of your family, but it is kind of self centered of you to think this is all about you guys when it's not."
"I guess you're right, but can you blame me?" Alice admitted.
"Nope. I know how it looks. And if you guys had been here the whole time and Edward had just broken up with me your actions would be justified, but in this situation where you all left without a word, it's not."
Alice nodded looking at the ground. "Troy Vandergraff is a bad guy Bella. If you knew the stuff he's done…" Alice said after a moment.
Bella shook her head in disbelief. "Edward listened in on us didn't he?"
Alice only nodded.
Bella was fuming. "You guys are unbelievable! Do me a favor and stop sticking your perfect noses in my business. If you need to find something out just look into you crystal ball, Alice. And don't you dare underestimate me. I'm not as naïve as I was before you guys left," with that, Bella left and went to take her pictures for the newspaper.
Bella was quiet and still angry from her encounter with Alice.
"What's this I hear about you having a date with rich boy, Troy Vandergraff?" Jack finally asked.
Bella gave him a look that said "I'll tell you later." Bella noticed someone was missing from their table. "Where's Tyler?" she asked.
"Our boy made the varsity basketball team. He's sitting with them," Jake said.
"I guess that's the last we'll see of him," Bella said looking at the table the basketball team sat at. Sure enough Tyler was sitting with them, right next to the star player, Wallace Fennell.
"What makes you think that?" Jake asked.
"Oh come on. Last year? Wallace was new. You taped him to the flag pole just like Tyler. Wallace and I hit it off after I stopped him from delivering that evidence of some of your friends robbing the convenience store he worked at. Then he got on the basketball team and that was the last we heard from him," Bella reminded him.
"Those basketball players sure do breathe basketball don't they?" Jake said.
"You got that right. Oh well I have you Jakey!" Bella said throwing an arm over her best friend's shoulders.
"Yeah, yeah," Jake said shrugging off Bella's arm.
"Hey now, that's not how you treat your BFF!" Bella teased.
"Bella," Jake groaned getting up and walking towards the school.
Bella got up and followed. "You know you love me Jake! Come on!" Jake was a few feet in front of her and still walking away. Bella stopped, "Jake!" she called, Jake kept walking. "I'll bake you your favorite snickerdoodles!" Jake finally stopped.
Bella caught up with him. "I knew you would cave if I offered to bake you something!" Bella said triumphantly.
"I didn't cave. I just felt bad leaving you," Jake said, though he really did love her cookies.
Bella punched him in the arm.
"OUCH!"
"That's what you get!"
The two walked into the building laughing and joking.
The Cullens watched the exchange. They sat at their own table away from the 09ers.
"She's friends with him?" Emmett asked in astonishment.
"Does she even know what he really is?" Jasper asked.
"Yeah. She found out soon after we left," Alice said quietly. Her conversation with Bella still bothered her. The only one who knew what happened was Edward.
"She's gonna get hurt if she stays friends with him," Edward said darkly.
"Like she could get hurt if she's friends with us? You can't tell her who she can and can't be friends with Edward," Alice said.
"I know, but what about Troy? He's dangerous!"
"You know what she said to me. Maybe we should let her do what she wants. Besides, even if we don't get along with the PCHers, Jake would do anything to protect her," Alice said.
Edward clenched his jaw and walked off by himself.
"He really misses her," Rosalie said watching her brother walk away.
"He left without saying goodbye. He told us he was going to. Imagine what us leaving did to Bella?" Alice defended Bella.
The group was quiet for a moment. "You know her mother died of cancer a couple months after Angela died," Alice said.
"No. Did you see that in a vision?" Emmett asked. Bella had always been like a younger sister to him.
"Yeah. I would have told you guys, but then we would have wanted to come back, and we weren't supposed to."
"Bella sure has had a rough couple of years," Jasper said.
"Maybe we should just give her space…or try to," Rosalie suggested.
"Try to meaning we can still stop her from doing something very….Bella?" Alice asked.
"And lets not tell Edward," Emmett said.
"We should keep an eye on both of them," Jasper said.
The family agreed on their plan and left for their classes.
Bella came home after school and went to her closet.
What does one wear when meeting a creepy stalker who has a history of sexual harassment?
Bella looked through her closet and found a simple dress that would be perfect.
Bella explained how she was going undercover to help out Veronica. And Jake said the only way he would let her do that is if he was nearby at all times she was with Troy. She had agreed. She would never tell Jake this, but she was glad he was coming. Troy scared her.
Bella was done up for her date and she walked into the living room.
"You're all dressed up. Date?" Charlie asked his daughter from the couch.
"I guess you could say that," Bella said uneasily.
"Do I get to meet him?" Charlie asked.
"Nope. It's for a case," Bella said.
"Bella," Charlie warned.
"It's for Veronica and Jake is going to be nearby at all times. Unseen by the guy, but nearby. So there's nothing to worry about," Bella said.
"Alright," Charlie said unsure, "But if it becomes too much or this guy is really bad, you come to me Bella. Understood?"
"Yes. Now I am meeting him at 7, so I better go," Bella said grabbing her purse.
"Do you have your taser?" Charlie asked.
"Always," Bella smirked.
"That's my girl!" Charlie smiled. "Bye Bells. Be back by 11."
"See ya dad."
Bella walked down to her car. After talking to Jake she had decided to tell Troy she wanted to meet at the restaurant. Bella was glad Jake had made the suggestion.
As she drove to the restaurant, Bella noticed a familiar motorcycle pull into the street behind her and follow her to the restaurant.
Bella winked to the motorcycle as she met up with Troy in the parking lot.
"Hello gorgeous. I'm glad you decided to meet for dinner," Troy smiled at Bella.
Bella resisted the urge to shudder. "Me too," she said.
The rest of the evening went the same. Bella didn't get much information, but her goal was to get Troy to believe she liked him and to start going out with him. From there she would start bringing up his past to see how he would react.
"I had a great time," Troy said walking out of the restaurant.
"Me too," Bella said.
"So…Maybe we should do it again soon?" Troy asked nervously.
Bella smiled that looked genuine. "I'd like that."
"Great!" Troy smiled relieved.
They reached Bella's car and stopped in front of it.
Troy looked at Bella with sincerity in his eyes.
If I didn't know what he did to Veronica, I would think he was a great guy. It's scary knowing what he could do to girls, and what he almost did to all those girls who have restraining orders on him. I didn't tell Veronica or Logan this knowing they would freak out, but Troy raped one of the girls. He was sentenced to a year in jail and got off after six months with probation.
Bella was lost in her thoughts and was jolted back when Troy almost kissed her. She pulled her head back just in time for him to step back.
"Ok. Well then. Goodnight to you madam," Troy said opening her car door with a grand gesture. Bella got in, in a daze. A sad look on her face. Troy shut the door for her and walked to his car with his head down. Jake waited for Troy to drive away before walking over to Bella.
"You alright?" he asked.
"Yeah, just a little pissed at myself. I could have just blown my cover," Bella started at the steering wheel of her car.
"Bella, just explain it to him tomorrow. Use Cullen as an excuse," Jake said.
"That's a good idea. Thanks Jake. I'll see you tomorrow," Bella said pulling on her seatbelt and starting her car.
"See ya Bells," Jake said walking towards his bike.
Ok Bella. You have to be convincing. Even if that means kissing him….You have to do it. Just imagine it's someone else….