A/N: Hi… (gives my lovely readers an apologetic look) I'm aware that in the authors note I posted last month, I mentioned this new chapter will be posted soon. I'm sorry for the delay, again, (sigh) life was hectic last month and into this one :( Anyway, I have said all of the excuses regarding what's been going on, so no need to reiterate. I apologize again though; I can't believe the last chapter I posted was in May, yikes! I will try my best to update sooner for the next one. I can't make any promises, but I will do my best. Anyhow, I want to make this short and sweet so all of you dears can get to reading! I hope you are looking forward to this chapter, I am eager to read your thoughts! Quickly, I just want to dish out the usual thanks. Thanks to those of you for still sticking around and being patient! Thanks to my new readers, for adding this story to your favs and alerts. All of you are awesome! Chat with you more at the end :)
***Disclaimer: All things Twilight are the beautiful Stephenie Meyer's. I just love playing with her characters, thank you Steph!
***My beta is the gorgeous Serenshadow, who is also such a dear friend! Thanks for all your fab beta work, for making my chapters readable, and for your endless support as always!
Chapter 6: Unpleasant Encounters & Reuniting with Family
**BPOV**
Charlie was not kidding.
This truck is ancient.
However, that Jacob Black person is knowledgeable about cars; and is a damn good mechanic.
The truck runs almost good as new; keyword being "almost."
For driving from point A to point B, this rusty old hunk of metal is reliable.
However, if I want to cruise along the highway at a comfortable speed of eighty miles per hour, this is so not the ideal vehicle.
Charlie repeatedly made sure to remind me before I left the house that if the truck goes over fifty she will start to rattle.
Jesus, fuck my life!
You know things could be much worse! Build a bridge and get over it Swan!
I sigh, turning the truck right and drive past the Thriftway sign. I enter the parking lot and glance around for an available space. There are plenty to choose from the looks of it.
Shit, it's a ghost town around here!
Odd, most grocery stores are jammed packed on a Saturday.
True, but this is Forks not Jacksonville, remember?
Yes I do, don't remind me! I exhale sharply and carefully maneuver the truck into an empty space, cutting off the engine.
Well, lets get it over with; this should be interesting.
I pull the key out of the ignition, grab my purse from the passenger seat, and open the door. I slam it closed before sprinting across the parking lot as light sheets of rain attack my body.
Perfect!
When the automatic doors open, a freezing blast of cold air blows over me as I enter the store. I give the entire front a long, critical once over and shake my head, incredulous. Has this town ever heard of a makeover? Good God it is obvious this store hasn't been remodeled since the nineties, how sad!
I search for an available cart and once I find one, I place my purse inside, retrieve my list and quickly read it.
Oh, this will take a while; damn you, Charlie!
While pushing the cart, my eyes take survey; searching for the dairy department. Once I spot it, I head over and try to ignore the cheesy seventies background music that is accompanied by the irritating register beeps. I wish I had brought my Ipod; it would have made this shopping trip tolerable.
After arriving at the dairy aisle, I grab the random things that are on my list and toss them in the cart. However, to my dismay, I am unable to find the last item I need from this aisle.
Unbelievable, they don't carry organic milk here!
I search the area a few times, feeling and looking like a complete moron. Just when I'm about to give up and continue on, I feel a gentle tap behind my left shoulder. I yelp and flinch in alarm, then spin around to confront the person who frightened the shit out of me. I look up and study the tall, medium built, attractive guy who appears to be around my age.
He stares at me with wonder and amusement with his head titled sideways. His lips flash a friendly smile, though I don't miss the hint of playfulness in his dark blue eyes.
God, what a nice pair of eyes he has!
Discreetly, I check him out some more and admire his stylishly cut dark brown hair, which has too much hair gel on it for my taste.
A clearing of the throat snaps me out of my musings and I blush, realizing he caught me red-handed.
Wow, awesome job with being discreet Bella!
I take a step back as he closes the slight bridge between us and he chuckles under his breath.
"Is there anything I can help you find, Miss?"
I give him another once over and figure out he's an employee here. Uh yeah, the Thriftway uniform he's wearing is a dead giveaway!
I suck in my bottom lip between my teeth, shake my head and mutter, "Uh…no thanks. I'm good."
He laughs again and arches his brow questioningly. "Really, are you sure? Because I have watched you wander around this aisle for the past five minutes. So it appears you are looking for something."
What a nosey smart-ass!
He grins smugly and unabashedly eye fucks me, his blues lingering on my breasts longer than necessary. Whoa, that is a little inappropriate…though somewhat flattering too. It has been quite a long time since a guy has checked me out.
Ah Bella, come back to Earth! A little reminder, he's behaving unprofessionally by ogling you and watching your every move. If that does not spell creepy stalker, then I don't know what does!
I clear my throat and take another step back. He doesn't even notice since he's still occupied with eyeballing my boobs. Now I am feeling a little repulsed over his vulgarity.
"Um excuse me…" I glance down at the nametag attached to his shirt, which says Tyler. "Tyler. Is it part of your job description to spy on your customers?"
Along with checking them out, as if they are a piece of meat!
Tyler howls in a fit of laughter and then quickly stops after noticing the serious look on my face. He frowns and shakes his head rapidly. "No, of course it isn't! I was here stocking the eggs in the cooler minding my own business, when I saw you. You know what, never mind. Sorry I bothered you. Are you sure there isn't anything I can help you find?"
I sigh, feeling not only humiliated but also foolish for assuming. Of course he wasn't spying on me, he was just doing his job and happened to notice the strange girl wandering all over the place.
Stupid Bella, you are seriously stupid! Bet he won't be asking you out on a date anytime soon!
What, who said anything about a date? I am not interested in seeing anyone currently. Then again, he is pretty cute!
Hello, what happened to you being freaked out over the way he eye-fucked you not even two minutes ago?
My cheeks flame and Tyler smirks at me, his eyes shining in humor as he waits for my response. God I'm sure batting a thousand with him!
I inhale deeply, breath out slowly and run my fingers through my hair. "Well now that you mention it, yes. I was looking for…does this store carry any organic milk?"
I want to melt right into the shiny linoleum floor when he glares at me as if I have grown a third eye.
"Organic?" he repeats, eyeing me in surprise as his face holds a pensive look.
Oh Jesus, don't tell me he doesn't know what organic milk is; or that they don't have any in stock. I already feel like a moron as it is!
"Oh, that nasty…uh I mean healthy stuff. Yeah, we have it. Let me show you where it is." Tyler gestures his head to the right and strolls off, leading me over to a small display where the organic products are.
Well no wonder I couldn't find it, it's hidden in the far end of the dairy aisle! Do they even want their customers to buy some of the products? Do they purposely hide the items from shoppers?
Once I retrieve what I want, thank Tyler and head over to the next aisle, his voice halts me in place.
"Hey, wait up! Uh, can I ask you something?"
Curious, I turn around and nearly bump right into him. He takes a deliberate step towards me, smashing his chest against mine and I gaze up, noticing our faces are inches apart. I take a step back, stopping when we are at a comfortable distance and nod my head in answer.
Tyler appears nervous as he shuffles his feet awkwardly and scratches the back of his neck. "So, I was uh… wondering. You're Chief Swan's daughter, right?"
Holy hell, how does he know that? I'm aware the news of my arrival is the talk of the town, nonetheless how does he know who I am? Were there flyers posted around all over the place with my face plastered on them; or do I look like my father that much?
As if Tyler has tapped into my mind, he answers my internal questions. "I heard about you moving here this weekend, and also the Chief has been showing your picture around to everyone who will look."
He chuckles and my cheeks flush five shades of red. Oh no, Charlie didn't! Oh do I plan to confront him with this embarrassing piece of information when I return home!
"Oh come on, don't be embarrassed. So…you're Isabella, right? I think its cool your dad cares." Tyler grins reassuringly and I half smile in return then roll my eyes.
"Sure it was very cool of him to show my picture to everyone in town. By the way, it's just Bella. Call me Bella."
Tyler nods and extends his hand for me shake. Wow, the people around here are very formal and friendly, aren't they? I wrap my hand over his and shake it lightly.
"It's nice to meet you Bella. I'm Tyler, of course. Tyler Crowley. So, looks like you will be attending Forks High in the fall, huh?"
I pull my hand from his and fold my arms over my chest. "It's good to meet you too Tyler and uh…yeah, guess so."
Tyler nods excitedly, his blues gleaming as he grins from ear to ear. "Cool, so I realize we don't know each other and I'm usually not this bold but…you see there's a party tonight over at my friend Connor's. He lives in this huge two story house over by the lake." He pauses and laughs nervously.
All right, call me insane but I find his awkwardness to be adorable. Forget that, did you catch how he is about to ask you out on a date? Hold up, I just moved here and already I have a potential suitor! Whoa, easy there Swan, don't get ahead of yourself now!
"So I am wondering, actually hoping, if you will be my date to the party?"
Oh shit, well that was unexpected! I consider his offer long and hard for a full minute. On one hand, I really want to go. However, on the other, something doesn't feel right about this party.
Oh come on, live a little! When was the last time you behaved like a teenager and had some fun?
Sadly, the answer is far too long.
Before I gave the invitation some more thought, I blurt out, "I'm sorry Tyler but I already have plans this evening."
He raises his brow suspiciously and cocks his head to the side. Crap, he doesn't believe me! No, that is ridiculous; he doesn't know me enough yet to figure out I am a terrible liar.
"You have plans? But you just moved here, right? It's safe to assume you haven't met anyone else yet." Tyler closes the gap between us and I saunter backwards right onto a shelf.
Perfect, I just allowed him to corner me! Suddenly the gaze in his eyes makes my stomach flip and my heart pounds roughly against my ribs. It's a good thing I listened to my instincts; Tyler isn't what he seems!
You should have walked away and continued shopping after he helped you find the milk!
"Come on Bella, go with me. It will be fun, I promise." He licks his lips as his blues intently scope my body and I cringe in disgust.
I was just beginning to like him and had given him the benefit of the doubt. What was I thinking?
Panic rises in my chest and I uncross my arms, dropping them to my sides. "Are you always this forward with customers?"
A pleased expression etches on Tyler's face as a sly smile creases his mouth. "No, I only give extra attention to the deliciously sexy ones."
Did he just imply I'm deliciously sexy? For God sakes, is this dude for real? To think I bought into his cheesy but somewhat cute charms! How did he go from acting friendly to borderline creepy in a matter of a few minutes?
My back presses deep against the shelf behind me as Tyler places his arms above my shoulders and leans his face too close to mine. I search around the aisle in panic hoping that someone, anyone will find us and intervene.
Damn, no suck luck, I am on my own!
I shudder before him and turn my face to the left as his hot breath wafts over my skin. "I have a feeling you're not so innocent Bella Swan."
A chill races over my spine as Tyler's index finger strokes across my right cheek. I turn my head, face him, and glare at him with narrowed eyes. What is that supposed to mean?
Fucking weirdo!
I attempt to duck underneath his right arm but he roughly shoves my body against the shelf and I wince over the sharp pain. All right, I need to end this, now. I seriously don't like where things are heading.
"Okay, fun is over Tyler. Thanks for the invite but I'm not interested. So, please get off me."
Tyler snickers and shakes his head. "Fun? You haven't had fun yet. Hey, listen, I can take a break in about ten minutes. Meet me out back and I will show you a great time. We can have our own private party. I mean since you're too busy for me tonight and all."
He presses his face against the crook of my neck and nuzzles my skin. Another tremor glides over my spine and a knot of fear attacks my chest. This isn't happening, not right inside a very public place! I can't believe there is not a single person around that might be overhearing this; it just figures!
You got this Bella; just shove him as hard as you can. Then run and go report his ass to a manager. Just do something, quick!
"Tyler, stop! That's enough, let me go!" I place my hands on his chest and shove him as hard as I can.
He stumbles back, to my surprise, and his eyes widen in disbelief. However, the menacing look on his face makes my blood run cold.
"Oh big mistake you made little Swan." He spits through clenched teeth and crosses a single step, flushing his body with mine.
Oh shit, what do I do now? I'm such an idiot for getting myself into this mess!
"Here I am being nice by welcoming you to town and inviting you out for the evening. Yet you just had to be a bitch and turn me down, didn't you?"
Tyler has a stormy look in his eyes as he towers over me. I throw him a detached look, refusing to show any ounce of the fear I'm harboring.
I snort sarcastically. "This is your idea of being nice? Well, then I'm definitely not interested. Now let me go and maybe I won't let my Dad come anywhere near you with his shotgun!"
Tyler throws his head back and guffaws obnoxiously. What an asshole! "Please, like I'm afraid of your old man. Come on baby, lighten up."
His hand slides up my chest and his fingers rapidly undo the first button of my blouse. No way am I allowing this disgusting pig to do what I think he's trying to do!
"Stop it; don't touch me!" I yell, raising my voice on purpose to stir up some attention.
I smack his hand and attempt to shove him away but Tyler proved to be stronger than I thought. So I need to make a scene in hopes a fellow employee, hell even a customer, will overhear and try to intervene.
"Help, somebody-" I start to holler, only to have my mouth covered by Tyler's large hand. My eyes widen in alarm as his nostrils flare and an irate expression etches on his face.
I gulp and struggle in his firm grasp as he growls under his breath, "Oh, so that's how it's going to be, huh? You want to play, do you baby? All right, then why don't we," Tyler's voice trails off as a different voice speaks, catching us off guard.
"Excuse me, is there a problem here?"
Tyler's head spins around as I peek behind his shoulder, and then gasp, realizing whom the voice belongs to. My eyes almost pop out of their sockets as I stare at the very man who gave that poor server a difficult time over at the diner. Mr. Masen they call him.
What is he doing here?
Ah I don't know genius, probably grocery shopping as one does when they go to a supermarket!
I observe Mr. Broody intently from head to toe and feel there's something peculiarly familiar about him. It's his appearance, the black baseball hat, black sunglasses and he's sporting a full-grown beard. Dude seriously needs to shave! And what's with the whole dressing in only black deal? Very strange and mysterious this Masen person is.
I didn't have a chance to ponder this any further because Tyler's voice snaps me back to the present.
"No, there's no problem here Masen. You saw nothing. Now get out of here!" Tyler throws him a stern glare and then turns to face me again. I ignore him, my eyes only on the man who came to my rescue.
"I'm afraid I can't do that Tyler." Mr. Masen replies in a tone so deadly calm, it made me shudder.
"Look Mr. Masen, you're not my damn teacher anymore, so you don't get to tell me what to do. Mind your damn business!" He snaps through gritted teeth, throwing him a steely glare.
Surprisingly, instead of being intimidated, he appears quite amused over Tyler's attitude. Mr. Masen shakes his head, takes a step towards Crowley, and removes his sunglasses. My mouth hangs open instantly the second I gaze into the deepest pair of green eyes I've ever seen. Oh God, those eyes, I have seen them before!
A flashback reminds me of exactly when I looked into those eyes and my heart catches in my throat. It's him! The next-door neighbor, the one I saw talking to himself last night and spied on innocently. Oh, shit! Well, this is awkward, and humiliating. Forget about that for a second, did you happen to catch what Tyler said? He mentioned Mr. Masen used to be his teacher. Well this little tidbit of information is interesting!
I break out of my thoughts when Mr. Masen's low and threatening tone speaks. "Yes, you're right Tyler. I am no longer your teacher. However, this is my concern since I happened to overhear what was going on. I'm sure your boss would want to be aware that one of his employees is harassing the Chief of Police's daughter. I am positive Chief Swan wouldn't hesitate to throw your ass in jail if I were to inform him what I just witnessed."
Mr. Masen's eyes flit over to me as he adds, "Furthermore, I'm sure his daughter will have no problem sharing the details of what you tried to do."
I nod my head, confirming and admire his captivating greens. He may be an odd, moody asshole but lord does he have beautiful eyes! Masen switches his attention back to Tyler with a livid expression on his face and a chilling dark gleam in his eyes.
"Now, I suggest you back the hell away from her, before you regret it." Though his tone was composed, I didn't miss the underline of malice to it.
Tyler shakes his head, his face displaying a peeved look as he waves his hands defensively. "Whatever, Masen. I'm only backing off because I have to get back to work and don't want any trouble with my boss."
I refrain from laughing, because that statement couldn't be any further from the truth. If you ask me, Tyler looks scared shitless of Mr. Masen!
He then sneers at me as his eyes appraise my length one last time.
God, I'm so tempted to punch his damn lights out!
"See you around Bella," Tyler says and winks suggestively. I roll my eyes, casting him a look of utter disgust.
Finally, he turns around and strolls off, leaving Mr. Masen and I alone.
Alone.
I direct my attention to Mr. Masen and notice he's eyeing Tyler's form as he turns right, and then disappears. God, if looks can kill, then Tyler would be a dead man by now! I watch nervously as Mr. Masen clenches his jaw tightly and closes his eyes. Then exhales sharply and I consider briefly whether to ask or not if he's all right.
Him, what about you? He should be checking to see how you are doing, not the other way around!
My thoughts cease when his dulcet voice says. "Hey, are you all right?"
I nod slowly and gaze wearily at his face. Honestly, I don't know why he even bothered to ask, he doesn't appear the least bit concerned about my well-being. If anything, the indifferent expression on his face clearly shows that he doesn't want to be in the same room with me.
Wait a minute! Where he is going? He just rescued my ass, checked to see how I'm holding up and now he's walking away? I didn't even have the chance to thank him!
"Wait, please! I…"
He spins on his heel, looks at me agitatedly, and groans under his breath. "What?" he snaps in a clipped tone that makes me tremble.
My insides grow frigid and my stomach is feeling queasy as my heart hammers against my chest. Something about him is very off; nonetheless, it isn't enough to frighten me away. Why is that?
Because you're an idiot, now thank the man for his assistance and leave!
"Well, I just, I wanted to, um…" I stammer, feeling ridiculous for losing my ability to form a single sentence. For crying aloud Bella, just spit it out!
"You wanted to, what? Just say it; I don't have all day to stand around here. You already interrupted my time, so make it fast."
I blink at him in bewilderment, shock, and curiosity gripping my chest. As his bitter words settle in, my blood stews and I throw him an incredulous glare. Did I hear him correctly? Did he have the audacity to imply that I ruined his precious shopping trip? Well, excuse me for being sexually harassed! He didn't have to come to my rescue, no one asked him to! That's true, but be honest with yourself, you are thankful for his help.
I found the courage to speak again, though I didn't dare to gape directly at him. "I, well I want to thank you for helping me and-"
"No thanks are necessary. I wouldn't be able to deal with a guilty conscience knowing what I witnessed and didn't offer my aid." He shrugs his shoulders as his face displays a slightly arrogant expression.
Why that cocky bastard, he only helped to ease his conscience, that's it? Unbelievable!
"Is there a problem?"
I didn't answer, struggling to find my voice again as the anger within consumes me. His brows then crease and his lips purse as he stares deep in my eyes, contemplatively. "Well, if that is all…"
"No, no! I'm not finished, what is your problem?" I demand, in a voice laced with fury.
Whoa Bella, it's not the greatest idea to test his nerves! Hope you know what you're doing!
He casts me a deliberate gaze and the chilly flash in his eyes makes me feel about two feet tall. "What is my problem? I'm not the one with the problem, you are! Are you aware of your disturbing habit of spying on people? Do you get a thrill out of it? Perhaps I should disclose to the Chief how his daughter disobeys the law by peeping into others-"
"Excuse me? How… are you… kidding me? I wasn't spying on you that night! I was… uh," I'm flustered and pissed off at myself over how stupid I'm behaving and sounding.
"Yes, you did. You were spying. That's when a person watches someone without their knowledge-"
"I'm aware of what it means, all right? I'm not stupid! Listen, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it…"
Dammit, why am I allowing this grumpy asshole to get underneath my skin? What did I do to make him dislike me so much?
Uh, let's review, shall we? He caught you spying on him, and then he helped you out of a harmful situation with a creepy classmate. How do you expect him to react?
"Look I helped you, so I've done my good deed for the day. Now if you excuse me, I would like to return to my shopping. Oh and a word of advice Isabella, stay the hell out of trouble." He advises in such an icy voice, I cringe.
Apparently, he didn't scare me enough because I grab the back of his arm, freezing him in place. He then spins around and throws me an enraged glare.
"Take your hand off me!"
"No." I murmur, swallowing hard and struggling with putting on a brave face.
He chuckles dimly, shakes his head, and takes a step, closing the gap between us. His warm breath blows against my skin as he leans in, and my heart thunders roughly as his livid eyes lock on mine.
"Now listen carefully, because I will only say this once. Stay away from me. Don't spy on me, or try to talk to me again. But most of all, don't even bother trying to be my friend. I don't want one, and never will."
Before I had the chance to process his appalling, cruel words, he stalks off and leaves me frozen in place with my mouth hanging open. A light blanket of wetness covers my eyes and I blink, willing them away.
I can't believe that just happened! I never felt so humiliated, idiotic, and slightly terrified in my entire life. What could have happened to make him so bitter, so angry, and hate the world?
Despite his warning, I'm determined to uncover more about him.
I just hope my heart won't burn in the process.
***TP***
I huff through clenched teeth, whirl my cart around, and head over to the next aisle. Then I stop dead in my tracks when a female's voice hollers at me and I gesture my hands up in the air. Will I ever finish this shopping trip? I just want to go home and pretend what occurred moments before never happened. However, God has other plans.
"Uh, excuse me... you're Chief Swan's daughter, Isabella, right?"
I turn to my left and spot a short girl with curly light brown hair standing in front of me with her hands on her hips. I also notice she's wearing a Thriftway employee nametag that reads Jessica. I swear, don't these people actually work, instead of parading around and harassing customers? Her mouth curves into an amused grin and her eyes are shining with excitement as she looks at me curiously.
Oh, I can tell already she is one of those town gossipers! I'm aware of her kind; I knew plenty of them back at my old school. I don't have time to deal with her.
I nod my head in reply, exasperated and say, "How did you know I'm… never mind, and it's Bella by the way."
An awkward silence follows and I grow uncomfortable as Jessica just glares at me. Then she breaks the ice. "So, I'm curious, what did you do to piss Mr. Masen off? I've never seen him so angry."
I give her the brush-off and mumble, "Nothing, I didn't do anything. Excuse me." I proceed to stroll away and she follows right beside me, like a loyal dog to its owner. Geez, for a little thing, she moves fast!
"Look, I don't know what happened, or what was said, but word of advice; stay away from Mr. Masen. He is not the person you want to get on your bad side."
"No kidding." I mutter, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
"I'm serious. Stay away from him."
I cease in place, turn my head, and glare at Jessica dead in the eye. This is stupid, why is it almost everyone in this town is afraid of this guy? It doesn't make any sense! For example, take Tyler. He doesn't seem to be the intimidated type. However, the second Masen dishes out a threat, Tyler chickens out and scurries off. Now this snooty bitch is threatening me, what gives? Does she have a thing for the elusive Mr. Masen?
"All right, I'll bite. Humor me; fill the new girl in please. What's Masen's story? Why are some people scared of him?"
Jessica chuckles and shakes her head in disbelief. "Wow, your dad didn't fill you in at all, did he? I'm surprised he hasn't considering you live next door to Masen and all."
Okay, this girl is grating on my last nerve! I am in no mood for trying to solve her cryptic words!
"Well my dad hasn't said much about him, so why don't you fill in the rest of the blanks? Since you brought it up." I raise my brow and cross my arms over my chest, hoping she will finally dish out a straight answer.
She appears thoughtful for a few seconds, then gestures her hands back and forth. "Sorry, I don't have time to explain it right now. I need to punch out for my lunch break. But, why don't you ask the Chief himself? Better yet, Google him. You will find all of the answers you are looking for on there." Jessica smirks and quickly strides away before I can stop her.
Okay, what was that all about? I swear this town is strange; I truly understand now why Mom didn't like living here!
I shake my head incredulously, and then finish the rest of the shopping. I discreetly search for Mr. Masen while navigating from aisle to aisle, but he was nowhere in sight. No matter how hard I try, I'm unable to shake the image of his face and eyes out of my thoughts.
Something about him is luring me in and I can't pull back. I don't want to. To hell with his warning, I have to see him again.
***TP***
**EPOV**
Jesus Christ, what the hell is the matter with me?
I acted like a complete asshole to Isabella Swan! The things I had said to her were downright cruel and uncalled for!
She was nothing less than polite to me, even offered her thanks for my assistance. And in turn, how did I react? I shut down and lashed out at her.
I mean really, the poor girl did nothing to deserve such ill treatment!
Hello, do you need a reminder? Here's a recap, she spied on you without your knowledge at your own home, and then over at the diner. Lastly, just minutes ago she disturbed your shopping trip, thanks to her being in a sticky situation with Tyler Crowley. You just had to interfere and play hero, didn't you?
Well, in my defense, I certainly couldn't just walk away. I had to intervene and come to her aid. She had no idea the kind of character Tyler is, a no good, vile being who has zero respect for others; especially women. It's a good thing I arrived when I did.
I admit the fear I noticed in her eyes when I found her with Tyler, rattled me. So much that I didn't even second guess my choice, just reacted. Whether it was Isabella, or any other woman, I couldn't allow Tyler to have his way with her.
Wait a second; am I seriously implying I'm relieved for coming to Isabella's rescue? Why am I even wasting my time thinking about her? I swear the girl has been a thorn on my side ever since she arrived in Forks!
I reflected to earlier when I warned her to keep her distance and chuckle bitterly. How is that even possible? She's my next-door neighbor, I'm bound to see her every once in awhile. And remember Isabella is Chief Swan's daughter. Therefore, when he is around, I'll have no choice but to be pleasant to her.
Here's a simple solution, I'll avoid her to the best of my ability. Good luck with that idea!
I sigh crossly and storm over to the checkout line, ready to leave this place. Oh thank God, Jessica Stanley isn't at her register. At least I can checkout in peace; I don't want to deal with her nonsense after everything that unfolded.
While waiting in line, I subtly look around for a particular someone. I scowl agitatedly and shake my head. Have I truly lost my mind? I cannot believe I am trying to find her!
Out of my own control, images of her brown eyes and anxious face clouds my mind and I try to rid them. I think back to when she had the nerve to deny my accusation regarding her spying on me the other night. If she just had admitted her wrongdoing, than perhaps I wouldn't have lost it and accepted her apology. I could have handled that entire conversation better though, instead I allowed her to push my buttons.
I curl my hands into fists and exhale deeply, hoping it will settle my nerves. Why do I keep thinking about her, what is it about Isabella Swan?
All right, enough Masen, you need to quit obsessing over her!
I have to get out of here and leave it all, and her, behind.
Thankfully, I am out of Thriftway minutes later, back inside my car and driving home to put away the groceries. Then it's off to visit my parents. I'm really looking forward to seeing them. Family time sounds perfect right about now, a distraction is exactly what I need.
***TP***
The moment I arrive at my parent's home, a bundle of nerves weighs on my chest. As my eyes land on their modern two-story home, a wave of remorse plagues my heart.
It's been much too long since my last visit and I regret it more that words can express. However, on the bright side, I'm relieved I finally came to my senses, that I'm putting an end to my self-pity and allowing them back in my life. They certainly didn't deserve the walls I built between us.
Bottom line, I miss them, all of them. I need my family, their support and love; it will help me move forward.
Moving forward…
I take a deep, long breath and release slowly. Well, here goes. I cut off the engine, pull the key out of the ignition and open the door. After exiting and slamming the door shut, I notice familiar vehicles parked in the driveway. Huh, it seems my parents invited some guests, not just any guests, my siblings. I shake my head and run a trembling hand through my already disheveled hair.
Dammit, I didn't prepare myself for this. I haven't seen the others, besides Alice, in a few months. It will be interesting, to say the least, all of us together in the same room. How will they react to seeing me, how will things go?
You know how they feel; they have only ever given love and compassion to you, and always will. They are your family after all.
My family.
A nervous half-smile twists my mouth as I timidly stroll over to the front door. I sigh quietly, and then ring the doorbell. Brief moments pass, and the door flings wide open. Standing to welcome me is my beautiful mother. Immediately her slim arms circle firmly around my middle, before I have the chance to greet her hello.
I return her warm embrace, holding her gently, and she murmurs against my chest. "Edward, it's so wonderful to see you, actually see you. I've missed you, so much."
My heart sinks at the sound at her broken, wistful voice and I swallow thickly. "I missed you too, Mom."
I must admit it is truly comforting to be back at home and surrounded by the people who care about me.
***TP***
A/N: Hello again! So, uh, what can I say? Isn't shopping at the Thriftway is quite the experience? Haa. Poor Bella! Girl couldn't catch a break in this chapter. First there was Tyler, what a freaking pervy jackass, and then Mr. Grouchy Pants Edward. Goodness was he beyond harsh to Bella. However, you guys did get a tiny peek into his mind, his point of view of how he felt about what happened. At least he realized the way he behaved was out of line. The question is though; will his guilt over how he treated Bella be enough to make him maybe apologize to her next time they cross paths? You shall see, (wink). So what are your thoughts regarding the incident with Tyler? What do you think of Edward's reaction, him and Bella's argument?
And, how about that Jessica, huh? Annoying as always, right? I really look forward to reading your thoughts! I am sure many of you are peeved at Edward, which is totally understandable! However, let me assure all of you that he will eventually come around when it comes to Bella. Oh and I'm sorry for leaving a little cliffy at the end. The scene with Edward visiting the family is long, so I figured that was a good place to end the chapter and continue it on in the next one. I have a feeling all of you will enjoy Edward's reunion with his family. Chapter 7 will also be in Bella's pov too and… well you will just have to read it and find out what happens :) So I have some good news, chapter 7 is just about finished! Hopefully, (crosses fingers) it won't be several months until I post it, more like a week or so. I will try my hardest sweeties!
All right, before I finally shut it, I just wanted to give you a friendly reminder that I am on Twitter under Vampgirl792011. Follow me and I will follow back, I love chatting with my readers! I am also on FB, it's a fanpage, vampgirl79 fanfiction, hit the like button and say hello! So with that, thanks for reading and don't be shy, please leave a review! It makes me happy, I love hearing from all of you! I reply to each one also. Again, I appreciate all of the support and understanding; it means so much! See you soon, xoxo, Leslie
