A/N - Nope, still not a Twilight owner...
Always a big thanks to Alex..
I dont have anything to say today.
**Continued 11 years ago**
I was hoping that I was in the middle of some kind of nightmare, one where my conscience would wake me up at any moment. But it never happened. This was really happening to me. There was no breaking away. James was becoming more aggressive by the minute. The look in his eyes was as if he was truly enjoying what he was doing.
He took the other hand that was not on my waist, with his grip as strong as any grown man and brought it up to my breast. He started squeezing and groping them with more force by the second. It hurt - it felt like he was going to rip them right off.
"James, please get off of me!" He put his hand over my mouth stopping me from my begging. I began crying, harder then I could ever remember crying in my life. He bent back down, trying to kiss my neck, moaning with each peck, as if it would get me in the mood for what he was trying to do to me.
"Bella, I just want you so bad. Come on just let me." I continued to struggle against him, but my body was losing its strength and I did not know how much longer I would be able to try and fight before my body went numb. "Stop fighting it." He said.
I closed my eyes unable to look at the monster on me. My hands were trying to push up on his chest but he was too heavy for me and would not budge.
One of his hands was back on my thigh, working its way up my skirt. It was icy and made every inch of me shiver. I didn't know how I found the outdoors pleasant tonight. It felt like my body was frozen and completely stiff. I was trying to kick him but he was basically laying on me and it was no use. "James please got off!" I mumbled under his hand.
"James? What the hell are you doing?" Someone else was there. Hope streamed through every vein in my body. "James get the hell off of her." I was crying too hard to fully hear the voice clear enough to recognize it. But I knew that I had heard is before.
"Dude it's all good. Just go back inside."
"I don't think it is, now, get off her now!" The voice was now angry and demanding.
"Just fucking go back inside!" he demanded. When he spoke that time he took his hand off my mouth in order to prop himself up to tell at whoever it was.
"James get off me please," I was able to get out through the tears. His hand started moving again and was now all the way up my skirt. I figured that the person who had come must not have seen the same monster I was looking at and took off. My hope had vanished and all fear had returned.
In the midst of all my horrid thoughts of what was about to really happen to me the weight of the body on top of me was gone.
There was a figure with a white coat on standing at the foot of the bench over James, who was now on the grass with leaves sticking out of his hair.
"What the fuck do you think you are doing?" James screamed at the person, struggling to get to his feet.
"What do you think you are doing?" the person asked him.
"Bitch, I told you to go back inside!" James went to swing his fist up at the other boy but he was quicker. The person caught James's fist and within the same second nailed his own into his face. James was back on the ground holding his face in his hand. "Are you kidding me?"
"I told you to stop, but you never listen do you? You always think that it has to be your way all the time and that you won't get caught for the stupid shit that you do." He was angry.
"You know what, that's it. We are through." James had a deathly look in his eyes as he got up. He looked down at me, and walked around to the front of the house.
We both watched him walk away as I grabbed the back of the bench to pull myself up. I brought my legs up folding them under me and wrapped my arms around myself. My entire body was shaking and rocking back and forth with continuous fear and confusion. I looked down at the pool water. The calmness of the tiny waves being made were helping to calm me.
"Bella?' The boy who was standing at the side of the bench asked. "Are you okay?"
I shrugged my shoulders and pulled my body tighter to myself. I was not sure whether to scream, cry harder, or run. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him take off his white coat. He slowly walked around to the front of me and draped it around the back of my shoulders. The fragrant of the coat was perfumed of lavender and oak. It was soothing as I continued to inhale.
I looked up that the person who just stopped any girl's worse nightmare from happening to me.
It was Edward.
I inhaled a giant breath of surprise. I didn't understand at all what had just happened. James and Edward were cousins and always seemed inseparable and Edward had given James a bloody lip over me. Of course what James had just been doing was wrong and I was thankful Edward had stopped him, but all he had to do was pull him off.
I still had tears streaming steadily down from my eyes. I knew the horror was over but I was in shock. Edward sat down carefully besides me and pulled me into his chest. I was not able to stop myself from releasing all the emotions as I was now crying hysterically. It was weird that here I was leaning on his shoulder crying when he was practically a stranger, but I felt safe. His arms around me felt like a safe haven as if he wasn't going to let anything by them. I was warm and comfortable.
We sat there for at least twenty minutes until my sobbing slowed. I didn't want to move from that position, especially to go back inside. I knew that I was going to have to face Alice, and of course as soon as she saw the mess I had become she would know that something was wrong, even in her state of intoxication. I was glad that there was no mirror around, I was sure that my face was completely flushed and rid of tonight's make-up.
With that thought I didn't want to look up at Edward. I was sure I looked like hell. Thinking of anything other then what just happened, I slowed my crying and was now breathing closer to a normal rate and the hyperventilating had stopped.
"I'm sorry,' he said down to me in a tone full of kindness and guilt. Now I could not resist my curiosity to look up at him. He used the sleeve of his shirt and wiped the tears from my eyes.
"What?"
"He was so drunk tonight, and I should have been keeping a better eye on him." He was so sincere and seemed to be taking partial blame for what just happened.
"It's not your fault. I should have had someone come out with me. Or went back inside as soon as I. . . got a hold of myself."
I thought I heard a small giggle in the silence. Anyone who was not totally trashed would have seen that I left to get sick.
I went back to looking at the water which was now peaceful. I noticed that the coat he had draped around me was a doctor's lab coat. The material of the coat was too nice to be anything that he could have gotten in a Halloween store. I looked around it to see if it had a name patch on it.
"It's my grandfather's." He said noticing me looking at it. "Neither of my parent's coats fit me."
"How many doctors do you have in your family?"
"It sort of runs in my family. My parents actually met in medical school. My mother's a gynecologist, my father is an ER doctor, and my grandparents were family doctors. My older brother just got accepted into medical school. I can tell that they hope I will follow that plan as well." There was sadness to him now.
"And you don't want to?" I was trying to keep the conversation going. I wanted to talk about anything that didn't make me think of what had happened; anything that would avoid any other kind of breaking down.
"My parents are amazing people, don't get me wrong. I have a great relationship with them and I really am close with them. They wouldn't be completely disappointed in me if I didn't do it. But I fear they would think that I was not living to my full potential. I see how my parents have helped so many people and I want to be able to do that as well."
"You seem to be pretty good at the helping people part." I sat up with a small grin on my face.
"Did you want to go back inside?" He asked.
I shook my head at him as I was not ready to face anyone. Actually I did not want to go back inside at all. I wanted to stay here with him; he kept me calm. I am sure that a panic would set in if I went inside.
"Do you need a ride home?"
"I came with Jasper and Alice." I said.
"I don't think that either of them will be leaving tonight. They both have had too much to drink to even make it to a car." His eyes stared at me. I was sure there were not a set of more gorgeous green eyes in the entire world. In the dim pool light they seemed almost a glowing emerald. They sank into me and I thought that I could melt.
"Are you offering?" I stared back engrossing myself in the beauty.
"Yes. I am sure that you don't want to stay here tonight. I was supposed to be James's DD but after that I don't think he will need my services anymore." Hearing his name now made me flinch in horror.
"Okay." He was right; there was no way after what happened that I was staying here now. We were originally planning to stay like we did at just about every party we went to.
"I need to tell Alice and get my bag out of the car." I started to wipe under my eyes, hoping to get all the trace of smudged make-up, even though my face felt so puffy I was sure that anyone would know that I had been crying. Edward then grabbed my arm and pulled it down.
"Don't. You look great." He smiled at me and brushed my hair back out of my face. "I am guessing that you don't really want to take this up with Alice tonight. If you want I'll just go in and tell Jasper that you're not feeling good and need to go home, is that okay?"
"Yes, thank you." I really was not in any condition to tell Alice, not tonight. I definitely was not ready to talk about it yet, I needed to process it for myself first and I didn't want to tell, not in the condition is was currently in. She would make a scene out of it and then everyone would know. I was happier just sneaking away. She would get a hold of me later.
"Come on." He stood up and reached for my hand to help me. He had inches of height on me and I had to tilt my head back as far and I could to look up at him while I gave him my hand. It took me a while to get my balance correct, realizing that I still was feeling a little tipsy from what I had drank. He held on to me until he was sure I was stable. I straightened myself up and started to walk towards the door. He walked next me, so close that our arms were brushing. I stole a glance at him. He looked cautious, as if something was going to happen and he was going to have to jump in front of me.
I was just ready for this night to be over with and to be home in my own bed. I wanted to be able to forget about this night ever happening. Actually I wanted to be able to rewind time, not taken the shot, not drank at all, or never even agreed to come in the first place.
Edward stopped when we got to the door, hesitating to open it. "Okay, I don't want to leave you alone out here alone and you probably don't want to go back inside but sorry you have to." I cocked my head sideways to look at him and he was grinning at me.
"Bossy now aren't we?" I began to return the smile but stopped at first thinking that it would not feel quite right to do right after what just happened to me, but it felt so natural. Either that or is was still effects of what little I did drink.
"Just being protective. I am not sure where James is and I don't want him anywhere around you."
Oh he could look out for me any time, day or night, that he pleased. I giggle at my drunken thought. He looked at me, smirking, obviously wondering what I found so amusing.
I was happy that he was the one who had found me. There was no awkward feeling between us after what we had just been through together. "It doesn't look like he is in the kitchen. Are you okay to stay in there while I go find Jasper?"
"Yes." He slid the door open and grabbed my hand pulling me through behind him. He stopped to close the door and surveyed the room, then walked me to the kitchen sink and got a glass out of the cabinet.
I suddenly felt like Whitney Houston and that I had my own personal bodyguard, but I was going to skip the singing part of the story.
"Here, get some water to drink and I'll be right back. Just please don't leave from this spot. I don't feel like going on a treasure hunt tonight." He handed me the glass.
"Treasure hunt?" Could there possibly be anything worth calling a treasure in this terrible night.
He sighed and shot me a small smile. "I'll be right back." He walked away leaving me confused. I thought my stomach was going to fall out of my body and fly away with how fluttery it was from the butterflies.
Yes, he was a treasure. I glared at myself, trying to push my odd thoughts out of my head. But could not help smiling inside. I needed to get a grip on reality and remember what just happened. With that thought it all came back to me and the smiles faded.
While I was waiting for him to return I gulped down two glasses of water, keeping my back to everyone, still unsure as to how bad I looked. There was a toaster on the counter and I bent down to look into it to see my reflection…I was a mess. My face was all splotchy, my hair was ratty, and there was mascara under my eyes giving me a raccoon look. My eyes were also red and puffy. I took his coat off my shoulders and reorganized my costume that was now looking even more ridiculous. I grabbed a paper towel, got it wet, and started wiping the mascara off, wishing I had put on the waterproof instead tonight.
At least people would most likely think that I was fixing myself up because I looked drunk and not that I was attacked. If I was just standing in the corner alone it would look suspicious to some. I was always with people and never one to be alone in a corner even though sometimes I envied those people for the quiet they got. Once most the make-up was off and fixed I started running my fingers through all my hair, trying to get all the knots out.
I felt a hand on my lower back. I jumped and turned around.
"Sorry." It was Edward and he had his hands up as if he was surrendering. He looked about as scared as I did. "I didn't mean to frighten you. Are you ready to go?"
My hands were clung to my chest and my heart was racing. I was freaked out but I nodded my head.
He grabbed the coat off the counter and held it open as if for me to get into it. "Here put this back on. It's cold out." I stepped towards him and put my arms into the sleeves of the coat. He lifted it up over my shoulders pulling it around me. His hands stopped on my shoulders and he spun me around. "Ready?"
Stunned, I nodded again.
"Here you go." Jasper ran into the kitchen breathless holding my bag. I looked at him as his eyes widened. "Damn girl, you do look sick. A little too much beer?" He grinned.
"Yeah." I answered him as Edward grabbed my bag from him and slung the strap over his shoulder.
"Okay, well get better and see you Monday." I gave him a quick smile as he walked back into the other room.
Edward put his arm around my waist leading me out of the house and kept it there until we got to his SUV. He thankfully blared the heat on high, warming me up in just a few minutes. I reached in the back to get my phone out of my bag. When I flipped it open I went to Alice's name and sent a text.
Sorry about leaving tonight. Don't worry. Have fun and call me tomorrow
I figured she would not get the text until late and I probably would not be hearing from her until tomorrow afternoon which would give me time to figure out how I was going to tell her.
I looked at the clock and it was only quarter till midnight. My parents would be getting back from their party soon. That was going to be interesting seeing them when I got home since they were not expecting me until tomorrow.
The ride was too silent. I opened my mouth to start talking at the same time that he did.
"Oops. Sorry go ahead." He looked up over at me.
"What are your parents going to think about you punching your cousin?" I asked hoping he would not get into any trouble for what he had done.
"James is not actually my cousin." He kept looking at the road unable to see the confused look on my face.
"But everyone -," He lifted his hand up cutting my words off.
"It's our parents. Our moms have been friends almost their whole lives and we were raised close. We lived here until I was twelve and we moved to Illinois for a job that my dad got. Our families still stayed close; taking trips together and always visiting." He paused having some thought. "My mom never really liked it where we were and she was finally able to convince my dad to move back. He wanted to wait one more year for me to finish school but I knew how much my mom really wanted this so I agreed with her."
We sat in silence for a moment and I thought of what they might have been like when they were younger; little boys running around in the corn fields and making mud pies. I then remembered pictures that had been in James's house. There was another family in many of them. It had to have been Edward's.
"James has changed a lot throughout the years. He is the more rebellious one and does whatever he wants. I don't agree with most of the things he does. But when I moved back I was forced to be taken under his wing to meet people and not just sit at home. He thought that would be more smart of me being his wing man all summer. I was happy when school started and I was able to branch off from him some."
When he brought up the summer it made me remember months ago when I found out about him messing around with multiple girls while I was out of town. Edward had been there and witnessed it all. "You were with him over the summer?"
He sighed. We were at a stop sign. He looked down before he answered. "Yes. I was. And I know what you are getting at. Don't listen to him. It was true about what he was doing. He thought that he was going to be able to run around all summer and do anything and that you would not find out. He forgot to factor in that Alice was at almost every party that we were at."
Hello Mister Straight-Up-Honesty. I am finally warm, possibly too warm, and I roll down the window for some fresh air. Also, hoping that it will help take some of the smell off me.
He stopped talking and continued driving.
"Do you think that he will tell his parents it was you who did that to him?"
"Definitely"
"Will you get in trouble by your parents?" I looked from the passing road to him.
"No. They know how I feel about him now and once they hear about what he did to deserve that they will understand."
I wanted to demand that he didn't tell his parents about what happened but he wouldn't pause.
"Also, when I tell them about the amazing girl I did it for they will understand my intentions."
I think my eyes may have bugged out of my head.
I could not help but let an embarrassed giggle out. He started to turn his head towards me; I looked down in time to hide my new cherry red colored face from how bad I was blushing.
Next thing I knew we were pulling up to my house. Edward parked next to the curb, turned off the car and shut off the headlights. The lights were on in the house which meant that my parents beat us back. I turned to Edward to thank him for the ride home. He was smiling enormously and staring past me out the passenger side window.
"What?" I questioned him. He didn't speak. He just nodded his head forward towards the house. I quickly turned around and saw what he was smiling about. My parents were in the living room dressed still in their costumes; people from the flapper era. They were dancing in the living room. The way they held each other close you could see they were totally happy and completely in love with each other.
I suddenly was not as excited to be home as I thought I was going to be. They were not expecting me home tonight and I didn't want to ruin their night of having the house alone. Even though they would not admit it to me, they would be a little upset about me being home. Of course, I would have to give them some kind of an excuse. I knew I would not be able to tell them why I really left. They would call his parents and before you would know it the whole town would know.
I leaned my head on the head rest and sighed, closing my eyes
Edward cleared his throat and I turned to look at him. His eyes were on me.
"They weren't expecting you home, huh?"
"No."
"When were they expecting you?"
"Tomorrow…afternoon probably." I studied his face trying to figure out what he was getting at.
He smiled watching Charlie twirl my mom around and gazing into her eyes. "Okay well I don't know how to really say this so I am just going to say it straight. You can come home with me."
I looked up at him shocked. Co-Ed sleepovers were not a major thing at my age and in my town. We had them quite often after movie nights and parties but he asking me caught me off guard.
"No. No. No." He laughed. "You're taking it the wrong way. My parents are having people over tonight for Halloween also and I am sure that there are still a people there. But we have plenty of room and might even have fun. And, okay," He looked down into my eyes, his tone getting really serious, "this might sound a little corny but I'll be more at ease knowing that you are safe the rest of the night." He started to bite his lip as soon as he was done talking.
He really was serious. He wanted to keep me safe and I was more than willing to let him but I was still hesitant. It sounded tempting; my parents could have their night and I would have time to get myself together.
"And your parents?"
"Oh don't worry about them. My parents will understand."
Before he could say anything else I took my chance, "Do you have to tell them?"
"Yup!" He seemed so confident. "Brian has done a lot of stupid things in his life but this was the last straw. I am not going to let him get away with doing this to you."
I looked down fiddling with my phone. "You don't have to do that.
He reached and grabbed my hands, stopping my nervous play. "I am involved now."
I continued looking down. Mesmerized by his hand on mine, I nodded in agreement.
"So?"
I looked up meeting his eyes there twinkling with the hope that I would say yes. I could not resist those.
"Okay." I caved in.