A/N: I love my RRAL's. You guys make me so very happy. XO
Thanks to my amazing beta team: itsange and rae1990. I can't say enough about them & how much they help me. This is our first chapter together & I think they did a great job. They didn't even yell at my comma problem. I'm thinking of starting a 12-step program for comma's. Love you ladies! XO
Thanks always to go to my prereaders: MyEdiction, lisamichelle17, and irshqq79. I appreciate all the notes & time you take to help the story be the best it can be. Love my Triple Goddesses. XO
This chapter is dedicated to Rach and Ange.
I don't own Twilight...that's all.
Chapter 4: 10 and a half hours: Part Two
Bella was in her bedroom getting ready for her night out with Jacob. Since her other friends would be with Alice, meeting Jasper, she was the lone man out. Not that she minded, Jacob was great company. He practically came with a fun guarantee. There was also the chance that Edward would be out with them. After the debacle at the hospital, Bella didn't think she could face him in the real world, although Alice did try to get her to go out with them. Apparently, Edward had ordered a brunette for the night. When Bella became angry at this, her friend silently questioned her reasoning. She came up with the only logical conclusion; Bella had it bad for Edward Cullen. So, Alice did what any good friend would do, she asked Angela, a brunette, to come out with them. No one said that the girl needed to be single.
The door to Bella's room burst open just as she finished putting on her bra.
"Bells! Let's shake a leg," Jacob said as he stood in her doorway.
"Calm down, twinkle toes. I just have to put my top on. And my dad's gonna kill you if he catches you up here while I'm half naked. Even he's not that cool."
"Chillax, doll. Chuck and Nay Nay were on their way out the door. Besides, I've seen them before." Jacob had been calling Renee, Nay Nay since he was a baby, and only called Charlie, Chuck, behind his back.
"Yes, but my father doesn't know that. Where did they say they were going?" she asked as she put her top on.
"Down to the rez. It's Dad and Momma Sue's anniversary, so there's a party."
"Oh yeah, my mom did mention something about that. So, where are we going?"
"Dinner first, then I was thinking of Hex. Sam was there last weekend, and he said it's pretty cool. Good music, good drinks, dancing…" he said as he grabbed Bella around the waist and pulled Bella up against his body. Jacob was a great dancer, it was amazing the grace this behemoth of a boy had. Finally, he let Bella go, and they left her house.
During dinner, Bella sent a text to Rose asking her if they wanted to meet up later. She was actually fishing for information. Edward Cullen information. Unfortunately, not only did Rose not give her what she was looking for, but she never replied. This did not sit well with Bella. Rose was crazy about her phone and returning all texts. She was beginning to imagine the worst things happening. Jacob noticed she was getting a bit anxious, so he took her hand in his and began to stroke her palm with his thumb. Bella started to relax as he knew she would. He had always had this effect on her, it was like they were one soul and had been that way since she was born.
The first time Jacob had met Bella she was two weeks old. His mother was still alive and Renee had brought her new bundle of joy over to meet the Blacks. Jacob was two and didn't know what the fuss was all about. Plus Nay Nay was not gushing over him like she normally did. She was too busy making funny noises to the little pink baby. Rebecca and Rachel, his sisters, loved her though. They wanted to hold and feed her, but would decline when asked to change her. While everyone was in the kitchen eating dinner, Jacob went into the living room to look at the sleeping baby. He truly did not understand the appeal. She didn't even talk! Then there was the crying. Nevertheless, he touched her hand with his pudgy little finger and with lightening reflexes, she grabbed it and opened her eyes. Big brown eyes met his, and that was all it took. From that moment on, whenever Bella was around, Jacob was at her side. Or at least this is what he was told by his mother.
They were inside the club when Rosalie finally texted her back telling her that no they wouldn't be meeting up because they were in Port Angeles at Hex. Bella didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Standing at the bar to order their drinks, she showed the text to Jacob. He chose the former, as he threw back his head in laughter. Being as close as they were, he of course knew about Edward Cullen. There were no secrets between these friends. Bella let Rose know that they were at the same place and asked where they were. She was stunned by her friend's next text.
VIP lounge? Who the hell do they know? Bella thought.
Bella and Jacob found their friends just as Edward was stating that he was looking out for Bella. She couldn't help herself. Especially when, after she spoke, he got a good look at her and his mouth dropped open.
"Hi, Edward."
His eyes bugged out, and she knew that he could read what her tongue ring said. She was certain that she had him by the balls.
"Bella? Uh, hi. How are you?"
"Just peachy. You?"
"Great. What are you doing here?" Edward asked abruptly.
Bella was taken aback by the tone of his voice, and Jacob was just plain pissed. He decided to set Cullen straight.
"My angel wanted to go out dancing. I heard this place was good, but apparently they let just anyone in."
"My cousin owns this place," Edward snarled. "And how the hell did you get in?"
"I have my ways, right honey?"
Bella looked up at Jacob, who had now placed his arm firmly around her waist. She knew what Jacob was up to. Anytime there was another male around, regardless of age, he went into his protection mode. To him, no one was good enough for her.
Jasper, thankfully, got up and came over to his friend.
"Hey, Bella, good to see you again," he then turned to greet Jacob. "I'm Jasper Whitlock."
"Jacob Black, it's a pleasure," he said, as he bit his lip and looked the blonde guy up and down.
Bella rolled her eyes at him, he was such a flirt. She said hello to Jasper then went over to her girlfriends. There was a big guy sitting next to Rose, and she introduced him as Emmett, Edward's brother.
"You're Bella?" he asked. "Bella Swan?"
"Yes, I am," she said, wondering what his interest was.
"You volunteer at the hospital where our father works?"
"Yeah, I do. So what?" Bella thought that he was being a little nosey; and weird.
"And you enjoy it?"
"Not as much as you're enjoying asking me all these questions."
"Oooh, sassy. I like it," he said, winking at his brother.
What the hell? Bella thought.
Introductions were made, and Bella and Jacob sat down with everyone, but there was definitely an uncomfortable vibe going on in the small area. Conversation flowed, however, everyone was watching Edward and Bella very closely. Bella was turned slightly away from him, and he couldn't help but look at the tattoo that graced her back. When Jacob caught him staring, Edward held eye contact, not backing down. The waitress came by with another round and took the newcomer's orders. Jacob draped his arm around Bella, and she snuggled in closer to him. Emmett decided to resume his inquisition.
"How did you two meet?" he asked the couple.
"I've known Bells since she was two weeks old. Right cupcake?" Jacob said.
Bella heard Edward mumble something that sounded suspiciously like pervert, but she wasn't completely sure.
"Isn't that sweet?" Rose asked. "They've been practically inseparable ever since. Jacob was her first kiss."
Of course, they all agreed with her that it was sweet. Except Edward. He found it a little creepy. Watching Jacob put his paws all over Bella was making him sick. How dare he have his arm around her? And what was with all the cutesy nicknames? He didn't need to stake his claim so loudly.
"So Bella, you also go to The Volturi Academy?" Emmett asked.
"Yeah, I'm a junior."
"Edward was accepted there, but he didn't want to go. He called the school pretentious."
"Jesus Emmett, I didn't say it was pretentious," Edward argued.
"Uh, yeah you did. I believe you're actually words were 'why would I go to a school with a bunch of pretentious dickwads who probably only got accepted because of Daddy's bankroll.' Or something very close."
Edward was impressed, his brother actually got what he said verbatim. He was still going to kill him though.
Bella looked over at Edward with a mixture of surprise and disgust. Surprise that he had been accepted into the Academy, and disgust for thinking it was pretentious. She knew she was being baited, Emmett had a spark in his eye, and she wasn't going to bite. This time.
"Well, Edward is entitled to his opinion. I certainly didn't get in because of my Daddy. There are people that think the Academy is pretentious, but those are usually the same people who don't take the time to get to know any of us. So Edward, tell me how you only got community service?"
There, she put him in his place without having to actually say it to him. And she didn't yell at him, which is always a good thing. Bella hated being judged on where she went to school. People automatically assume she's a snob, when in fact, she is the exact opposite. Of course, she had no problem judging other people, and freely admitted it.
"I find it's usually hard to get to know someone if that person ignores them," he shot back to her, deciding to ignore the question about his community service. In truth, yes, his Daddy did get him out of any jail time.
"Maybe it's a hint, and you're just too thick to realize it."
"You have no idea how thick I am."
"Oh, that's really clever. Is that why got you accepted into the Academy? Your talent to make everything about you?"
By this time, they had tuned out everyone else. Neither one of them had a clue that their friends sat back, mouths opened, and watched them volley insults back and forth as if they were at a tennis match. They were now facing each other, giving each other venomous looks.
"So, now I'm conceited? You don't even know me. I, at least, made the attempt to get to know you. But you shot me down at every turn."
"Give it a rest, Cullen. I know all about you and what you do when you want to get to know a girl."
"You've asked about me," he stated with a sly smirk.
Shit, she thought, I just stepped into that one.
"You wish, Cullen," she said. It was the blush that gave her away.
"I don't have-"
"Enough!" Jacob growled.
They were startled back into the presence of the others. Edward couldn't believe that Jacob had let their argument get that far. To him, it was almost like foreplay, there was no way Bella's boyfriend didn't sense that. So why did he just sit there and let it escalate? He was no fool, Jacob was huge and could most likely pummel Edward. That still didn't explain why he had remained quiet as Edward antagonized Bella. What kind of boyfriend does that?
"Bella and I are going to dance," Jacob said to the group. He stood up and held out his hand.
"C'mon, doll."
Bella accepted his proffered hand, and they left everyone in a stunned silence.
"Edward? What the fuck was that?" Jasper asked.
"Whoa, how come this is on me?"
"Because you started it," he blamed.
"Actually, Emmett started it when he informed her of what I said about her school. But no one cares about that do they? How about the fact that Jacob let his girlfriend get talked to like that? Is that normal? And what the hell is wrong with you three?" he said, looking at the girls. "What about the fucking pants and the ya-ya's? Aren't you supposed to stick together?"
It took a minute for him to process the looks on their faces. He felt like a mouse, trapped in a corner, and they were the three cats that were going to eat him for dinner. After they were done pulling him apart.
"Oh, we stick together, Edward. Make no mistake about that," Rosalie informed him.
Edward understood the warning, loud and clear. They did not feel that Jacob Black was the enemy. Edward Cullen was. He hated to think of what they could actually do to him.
"What pants are you talking about, Edward?" his brother asked.
"He means The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. It's a book and movie," Angela answered.
"So is The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood," said Alice.
The girls were offended to be compared to chick lit. Jasper was thinking it may be good for Edward to carry a shovel with him from now on, since he just keeps digging himself a deeper hole. Emmett held no sympathy for his little brother, he thought he needed to be brought down a peg or two, and he would have a front seat to that show if he was lucky.
Bella and Jacob made it to the dance floor and immediately fell into an easy rhythm. Framing Hanley's cover of "Lollipop" was playing, and Bella let all the stress of the last thirty-minutes drain from her. Jacob was always the safest person for her to dance with. They could really get into the heavy bass and hypnotic beats of the songs, and she didn't have to worry about Jacob getting the wrong idea.
"So, that's Edward Cullen," he said to her.
"Yep."
"C'mon doll, you can't fool me. You want him. Bad."
"Shut up twinkle toes. He's just another guy."
"If you believe that, you're not as smart as you think you are."
Bella pondered this. He was just a guy. Sure it was true that he made her heart race and her body feel warm all over. Yeah, she thought of what it would be like to kiss those lips and have his hands wander her body. She had even imagined what it would feel like to grind her hips into his, desperate for the friction that would lead to her release. By this point, thinking about him was getting her excited, and she pressed her body further into Jacob's.
"What the hell are you doing honey?" he asked in a panic.
"Fuck, I'm sorry Jake," she said, putting some distance between them.
"You're right, he's just another guy," Jacob said, laughing at her.
The friends continued dancing, and Bella pushed any further thoughts of Edward Cullen out of her head. She was intent on just enjoying herself, then she made the mistake of looking up to the V.I.P. room. Edward was standing at the railing, watching her. It was difficult to decipher the look on his face, there were so many emotions. He didn't take his eyes off of her as he gripped the metal bar which was the only thing keeping him from jumping down to the dance floor and taking her from Jacob.
She's mine, he thought, and was stunned at this. For all the girls that he'd known, Edward had never had a girlfriend. In fact, he'd never even felt possessive over any of them like he did with Bella. He wanted to possess her in every way possible. He was so engrossed in watching the scene on the dance floor that he had no idea they were joined by someone new, until he felt someone standing next to him.
"You know you have nothing to worry about," said a deep voice.
Edward turned and stepped back when he saw the man standing next to him. He was taller than Edward, almost the size of Emmett, with short jet black hair and brown eyes.
"What are you talking about?" he asked the stranger.
"Bella and Jacob. They are really close, and they seem like an old married couple, but there's nothing going on."
"You call that nothing?" he asked, pointing to the couple as they danced incredibly close.
"I'm not going to lie, it does take some getting used to. I'm Sam, by the way," he said, holding out his hand.
"Edward." They shook hands, and Sam sized him up.
He really doesn't know, Sam thought.
"Well, take it from me, Edward, you can't come between them, and you don't want to. Just know that after all the dancing, and hand holding, Jacob goes home with me."
Edward choked on his drink. It was almost too good to be true. Jacob was not Bella's boyfriend. He wasn't even competition. After getting a hold of himself, Edward smiled. There was a chance that he could have her, oh, how he wanted to have her.
"I didn't think you knew. I'm not saying Jake won't give you a hard time. He's crazy protective of her. Even in the beginning, he rarely left her alone with me."
When Edward gave him a questioning look, he explained.
"No, not like that. He has zero romantic feelings towards her. It's not like he thought I'd hit on her or anything, he just has always been her champion, you know her knight."
"Why are you telling me, a stranger, such personal things?" Edward asked.
Sam patted him on the shoulder. "Because you're looking at her the way I look at him."
"She's hot, how can I not look at her?"
I wasn't looking at her in any special way. What is he talking about? She's just another girl that caught my eye. Yeah, and if you believe that I have a bridge to sell you.
"Okay man, if that's the way you're playing it, that's cool. Now, this is the part where I tell you that if you harm one hair on her pretty little head, not only will you have to deal with Jacob, but you'll have to deal with me, too. She means everything to him, and he means everything to me. We will beat your ass."
Edward didn't doubt Sam's sincerity or ability to kick his ass. Both of them were huge, and he knew he would not win against them. At least, not if it was a fair fight. Sam went over to talk to the others, and Edward continued watching Bella. How things have changed with one conversation. Looking at them with this new perspective, he was amazed he didn't see it. Sure, they were affectionate, but now he could see how they almost treated each other with reverence and respect. Jacob was focused on Bella, but was also sweeping the immediate area around them for any threats. He really was her knight. Edward couldn't help but get a little jealous. Edward wanted to be Bella's knight.
Down on the dance floor, Jacob noticed that Sam was here, and he was talking to Edward. When he saw Edward spit out his drink, he knew Sam must have told him that they were a couple. The look on his face as he realized what he was just told was priceless. Jacob knew then that Edward had it just as bad for Bella. He knew it would happen one day. There would be a guy that would come into her life and steal her from him. Jacob could only hope that it was someone worthy of his friend's heart. Edward definitely seemed worthy. It was selfish of him to want to be the only guy in her life, she was growing up after all. Truthfully, she was always more mature than her age. He just hated having to let go. Deep down, he knew nothing would really change between them, but he was still scared of that possibility.
Jacob caught Edward's eye and jerked his head, telling him to come down there. He turned Bella so that her back was to him and when Edward reached them, he handed off the only girl he ever loved to someone who could love her as she was meant to be. Edward smiled at him gratefully, knowing he was being passed the torch. He easily took Jake's position behind her, and when he laid his hands on her hips she stiffened a little just before relaxing into him.
Bella knew the hands on her were not Jacob's. She never had such a reaction to him before, not even when she had a crush on him at the tender age of twelve. As she relaxed into the hard body, she knew it was Edward. With his hands on her hips, he drew her in more closely to his body. She fit into him like a glove. The curve of her ass was being cradled in his hips, and her head rested perfectly right in the crook of his neck. The blush that ran throughout her body was inevitable. The song changed, and the beat became erotic as Edward turned her in his arms so that she now faced him. His hands remained on her hips, and she slid her arms around his neck pulling his head closer. So close, in fact, that they were sharing the same breaths.
If it was possible, Edward moved even better than Jacob. Her breasts were crushed against his chest, and she felt every breath he took. Bella's body opened to him, and when his hands found her ass and brought her in very close contact with his erection, she couldn't help the moan that escaped. Later, she would tell her friends that she was drunk and didn't remember any of it. Especially the part where she pushed her hips further into him, creating that friction she was thinking about earlier.
Edward bent his head to her shoulder, torturing her by slowly dragging his nose up to the base of her neck then up to her ear as he inhaled her deeply. The breath he let out against her ear made her shiver, and it affected his body further. They both wished they were not on a crowded dance floor. When she felt his lips on the shell of her ear, she melted.
"Bella," was all he said, but it said everything. She heard longing in his voice. And desperation. Bella was well acquainted with both feelings. They'd been plaguing her for two weeks. As she was about to respond, they were interrupted.
"Can I cut in?" asked some skanky ho.
"No," Edward said, just as Bella said yes.
She pulled away from his arms and felt his absence immediately. He had a hurt look on his face, and when he reached out for her, she walked away.
Oh, this is bad. This is so very, very bad. So why did it feels so good, and so right? I cannot let him get to me like that. We work together. He's not boyfriend material. I don't want a boyfriend! Liar. Now I'm arguing with myself. I should just fuck him out of my system.
There was only one problem with Bella's argument. When Edward held her, she felt safe. She didn't think she'd be able to fuck that out of her system.
Bella knew what she should do. Place a call to Peter, and let him help her forget all about Edward Cullen and the feelings he stirred up inside of her. Feelings that had no business of being there. She couldn't do it though, it wasn't fair to Peter to use him to forget someone else. No, Bella would be going home alone and taking care of herself. When she made it back upstairs and said hello to Sam, she went to the balcony and looked for Edward. There was no sign of him.
Hmmm, he sure moves fast, she thought. Then she became infuriated. He had acted like he wanted her! She felt the proof rubbing on her while they danced. Bella knew that she should have listened to what she'd heard about him. Edward Cullen was a player, he'd slept with most of the girls at Forks High. It shouldn't hurt her, but it did.
)O(
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Hmmmmm...I believe that is it. Going to be watching the Mtv Movie Awards tonight. I always feel like I'm forgetting something.
Okay, until next time lovelies...xo