Disclaimer: Nope, as much as I'd like to, I still don't own Twilight.
10th September 2009
Edward
"It'th not funny." Bella whined, glaring at me as I sat there chuckling at her, finding the situation hilarious to be honest.
It had been three days since she'd had her tongue pierced and while she'd been fine for the first two, this morning was the day her tongue decided it was going to swell. She had woken up, mortified that she could no longer say the letter 's' for the moment. Me, on the other hand, well, I found it funny as hell.
"Oh, it really is." I glanced up at her to see that she was sitting on the sofa, her legs tucked up underneath her, as she glared at the blank TV screen. She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest as her gaze moved to out the window.
"Thit." She launched herself off of the sofa and up the stairs as I heard my parents car doors close. They'd been out shopping in Port Angeles for the day, which I guess worked out well for Bella. She had been planning on spending the day with her friends, but had called Alice once she found out that she couldn't speak properly. The little pixie found it as funny as I did, but came up with an excuse for her.
Thank God its Saturday is all I can think.
I had to hand it to Bella though. She had gone through with the piercing and kept it in as promised. Being completely honest, I had expected her to flat out refuse to get it done or take it out as soon as we got home, claiming that she'd had it done and keeping it in wasn't part of the request. Which it wasn't so if she'd done that, I couldn't argue with her.
Yeah, she may whine that it hurt from time to time, but I had to commend her for having the guts to get it done in the first place. Maybe she was serious about her whole trying to make things right, thing. I know that getting her to put a hole in her tongue doesn't really qualify as such but hey, I'm allowed to have a little fun, right?
I glanced up as the door opened and my mother walked into the house, beaming at me.
"Hello, sweetheart." She walked over to me and pressed her lips to the top of my head. Always one for affection, my mother. "How's your day been?"
"Placid." She hummed in acknowledgment as she ran a hand through my hair.
"Where's Bella?" I could see her reflection in the window as she looked for our little lodger.
"She wasn't feeling well so she's gone to bed early." I lied easily. She had promised to make me cookies – well, actually when she said it, it came out as 'cookieth' but whatever, you know what I mean – tomorrow if I told my parents that. I didn't know how good a cook she was, but cookies are cookies. And who's going to turn them down?
"Alright, then." She pressed her lips to the top of my head again before making her way into the kitchen to get started on dinner.
It surprised me that Bella hadn't made some kind of comment on my mother's affectionate qualities, as I was sure she would have done two years ago. Without a doubt.
I'd caught her watching my mom from time to time, a contemplative yet sad look on her face and I couldn't help but wonder if everything between her and her own mother were copacetic. Maybe that was why she hadn't commented.
I hadn't brought it up, not wanting her to think that I was prying, because no matter how civil we might be towards each other now, that wasn't something either of us were comfortable with.
I closed the magazine I was reading and stood up, stretching out before making my way upstairs.
"Dinner's in half an hour." My mom called up to me as I made my way up.
"Alright." I wondered if she would tell me to mention it to Bella, and was mildly surprised when I heard nothing. It was as if she knew that Bella wouldn't be coming down for dinner, which she wouldn't, and didn't want to push it. That was one thing I really hated about my mom. She could read anyone like a children's book. It was as though no one had any secrets from her.
And it sucked to be honest.
Yeah, I love my mom and I'd be lost without her, but I'd like to have some things remain in my knowledge only.
It's like, she knew when Kate and I had first slept together. Now that was embarrassing. Anything more mortifying than having your mother know that you're no longer a virgin as soon as you walk into the kitchen in the morning? Anyone? Didn't think so.
Opening the door to my room, I found Bella curled up on the sofa, which she had flattened out again. She was on her side, her back facing the door as she lay there. I couldn't help but feel a little bad.
"Are you okay?" I asked, closing the door behind me and sitting in the centre of my bed.
She jumped slightly, clearly not having noticed my presence before I spoke, turning over to look at me. "Yeah." She sighed. "I jutht hate not being able to thpeak properly that'th all." She grimaced at how the sentence came out and I chuckled slightly. She glared at me and I held up my hands.
"You're not the only one who goes through it." I told her and she sighed again, nodding.
"Did you?" She looked at me and I shook my head. The place I went to had some kind of weird technique that causes minimal to no swelling. It was pretty cool actually. "Thee? That'th not fair. Thtop laughing at me."
"I'm sorry." I told her honestly. It wasn't my fault she sounded so damn funny.
"I gueth I detherve it." She scowled at me as a burst of laughter I couldn't hold back broke through. I really couldn't help it. She sounded so fucking funny. She rolled her eyes and looked out the window as I lay back on my bed.
"Maybe you just talk without using the letter 's'," I suggested and she laughed dryly.
"And how do I do that?" She asked sarcastically and I propped myself up on my elbows, raising an eyebrow at her. "Yeah, I get that I jutht did it, but it'th to hard to do all the time."
"Edward!" I heard my mom calling me from downstairs and I looked at Bella.
"I'm guessing you don't want dinner?" I looked at her questioningly and she shook her head. "I told my parents you weren't feeling well, but my guess is that that little lie will only work until tomorrow lunchtime, afternoon if you're lucky before my dad goes all doctor and wants to look you over."
"I'll work thomething out." She waved at me to go downstairs before pulling her pyjama's out of her bag and walking towards me to get changed in the guest bathroom.
"Just use mine." I told her pointing towards my en suite. "It's easier than going downstairs, you're less likely to get caught and it's fine as long as you don't leave any girly shit in there."
"Thank you." She smiled at me before turning around and making her way back across the bedroom.
I turned around and walked down the stairs to where my mom and dad were setting up for dinner. There was a fourth place set out and my mom looked at me expectantly and I shook my head, indicating that there would be no Bella this evening.
"Maybe I should take a look at her." My dad looked at me concerned and I snorted internally. He was a day early in that request.
"Nah, she's kind of dozing off at the moment, she'll be okay." He looked at me sceptically and I stared straight back.
He sighed, letting it go before sitting down at the head of the table, while we sat down either side of him.
"So, what did you two get up to today?" My dad asked as he helped himself to a rather large helping of the vegetable lasagne that my mother had obviously prepared earlier on in the day and just put in the oven when she got home. She might have been an amazing cook, but not even she could make it that quickly. I didn't think, anyway.
"Nothing really." I shrugged, helping myself to some, just as my father had done. Though I wasn't as much of a greedy bastard as he was. To be fair though, he didn't get to spend the evenings at home very often, so when he did, he crammed himself with as much of my mom's cooking as he could, because it sure as hell beat hospital food. I swear, they even give the doctors shit to eat.
"Are you telling me, that two teenagers stayed inside and did nothing on a Saturday?" He looked at me, quite shocked and surprised at that fact.
"You make it sound like that's unusual." My mom laughed, tucking into her own food.
"I would have thought that you'd be out of the house like a shot, doing whatever teenagers do these days." He shrugged and I had to laugh at his wording.
"'These days'? Dad, you make it sound like you're ancient." He raised an eyebrow at me and I laughed again. "And besides, it's Forks. What is there to do?"
"Touché." The both of them chuckled before a comfortable silence fell over the room. While other houses might have a hustle and bustle at meal times, we were just content to be with each other. Having time with my Dad was a rare occurrence and even now, I knew that in about an hour or so, he would be leaving to start a seventy-two hour shift at the hospital.
Dinner and desert were practically silent before my Dad and I cleared away the plates and mats.
"Edward." My dad sounded nervous, which I didn't really know what to do with, considering he was confident about practically everything. "I need to discuss something with you."
"What?" I stood up straight as I closed the dishwasher and turned it on, turning to face him. He was leaned back against the counter, his brow pinched in the way it did whenever he was trying to word something correctly. "Is everything okay?" I couldn't help but feel a slight panic welling up in my chest and it was clear that he noticed.
"No, no, everything's fine." I relaxed slightly, biting down on my lip, drawing the piercings into my mouth. He scowled at me as the metal hit my teeth and I released it immediately, knowing he hated the thought of my teeth being damaged. "Edward . . . you mother and I have noticed . . . how close you and Bella are getting . . . and um . . ." Holy shit!
"Dad!" I held up my hand stopping him from talking. His expression was one of mild irritation and relief. "We really don't need to have this conversation. You and mom mortified me with the sex talk three years ago, remember?"
"We just want to make sure that you're aware of the consequences of anything happening between you and Bella." He sighed, running a hand through his hair and I had a distinct feeling that mom had put him up to this.
"There's nothing going on between Bella and me." I stated firmly. "And there won't be. She's just here because of some project that we have to do. That's all."
"All right." He mumbled, looking at me in the same way as when he had found out about me and Kate. He and mom hadn't felt the need to reaffirm the sex talk when I was going out with her, which would have been more appropriate because we were actually having sex, whereas Bella and I weren't and probably never would be.
Wait!
Probably?!
Where did that come from?
No, Bella and I would not be having sex. No way. Not a chance.
"Just . . . be safe." He mumbled quietly before making a swift exit from the room. It still amazed me that he could go about each day telling people about whatever problems they had, before he got transferred to Chicago, as a general surgeon and yet, he couldn't endure a minute advising his own son about sex. It was pretty fucking funny if you ask me.
I chuckled as I walked into my bedroom to see that Bella had drawn the curtains that rested either side of the balcony doors and was settled back reading a book.
"What'th tho funny?" She asked, looking slightly pissed at herself for still not being able to speak properly, even though about an hour had passed.
"I think . . ." I sat down in the centre of my bed as I spoke. "My Dad just tried to have the sex talk with me."
"I thought you'd already had thex." She raised an eyebrow, a small smirk playing on her lips.
"Oh, I have." I answered, not ashamed at that fact, as I blinked as I saw something that looked a little like disappointment flash across her face. Must have imagined it. "But the funny thing is, they knew that about me and Kate and yet they say nothing."
"Tho what brought it on this time?" She asked, setting the book down and turning to face me.
"I think . . . maybe they think that you and I are together." I shrugged and her eyes widened slightly.
"They think what?" Her voice was slightly alarmed, but not as much as I'd have thought. I shrugged again and she shook her head. "Why would they think that?"
"I don't know." I shrugged, laying back on my bed. "I'm not really interested in what goes on in my parents minds thank you very much." I told her and she chuckled slightly.
"You know, it wouldn't thurprithe me, if it wath my dad that had thuggethted thomething to your Dad." She giggled and I sat up raising an eyebrow at her. "What? You know what I mean."
"Could be. But I don't know. He kind of tried to give the talk, I reminded him that they'd already embarrassed me and the two of them, trying to give me the talk three years ago before telling me to 'be safe' and walking swiftly out of the room."
"Huh. That thoundth a lot like the dithcu- talk," I could help but laugh at her replacement of words. Personally, I probably would have done the same thing. "I had with Charlie. He tried to give me the thex talk but I told him Renee had already gotten there when I wath fifteen."
"Dads." I sighed, resting my head on my hands behind me. "Always get there too late."
"I think they plan it that way." She added thoughtfully. "You know, they know that if they wait till a thertain age, the mother will have gotten to the child about thex firtht so they can at leatht thay they attempted it."
"That's a pretty good theory, actually." I had to agree it was. Certainly sounded like my dad.
As I sat there, contemplating Bella's theory and placing it to my dad, my phone started ringing. I knew it was James by the ringtone playing out into the room and I couldn't help but wonder why he was calling. Normally, he would be out right about now, considering it was around midnight on a Saturday night in Illinois right now.
"Hello." I called into the phone, greeted by a round of laughter, proving that James was in fact out and just rubbing it in my face like the bitch he was.
"Dude, think fourteenth of October to the sixth of November and what do you get?" He asked and I couldn't help but wonder how fucked he was already.
"Um, three weeks and three days of shit weather?" I asked, making a face at the phone, even though he couldn't see it.
"What the fuck?" I could practically see James's face scrunching up in confusion. "What are you on about, dude?" Yeah, he was definitely pissed. That was the only time he ever called me 'dude'.
"What are you on about?" I fired back quickly. "And where the fuck are you?"
"Katie's house." He replied, a laugh coming from next to him as I heard Victoria call 'hi' to me from wherever she was. "Vicki says hi."
"Tell her I say hi back." I chuckled, lying back on my bed again, shaking my head. "So what are you on about, you pathetic alcoholic."
"Hey! I am not an alcoholic." He stated firmly and I could practically see him standing there, swaying as he stared indignantly at the phone.
"No, you're a drunk." I laughed into the phone. "Alcoholics go to meetings."
"You see?" I couldn't help but laugh at the tone of his voice. He had to be completely off his head.
"All right, what was it you wanted to tell me?" I rolled my eyes as he stopped, clearly confused at my question. James was easy to confuse as it was, but throw alcohol into the mix and you've got yourself a show. "Because we both know there was something."
"Oh yeah!" He bellowed down the phone, causing me to move my head away to save my eardrum. "So, have you guessed the dates yet?"
"I'm surprised you remember that far back in the conversation." I chuckled, knowing that I was getting him. Drunk James was just too easy to wind up.
"Shut the fuck up, man." He whined and I laughed, knowing that I'd got him. "I'm being serious."
"I know. I know." I sighed, rolling my eyes again, trying to put the dates he'd mentioned to something in my head. I had a feeling I should know about it, but for some reason, whatever it was, was eluding me. "Can't think."
"Well, put it this way . . . I'll finally be able to see what the Space Needle looks like in real life." I could practically see the smug smile on his face as I sat straight up on my bed.
"Oh fucking Hell! How the hell did I forget about that?!" My little outburst had caught Bella's attention and to be completely honest, I had forgotten she was in the room. Oh well.
"The Seattle trip." He laughed, and I knew that I had the stupidest fucking grin on my face. "Don't tell me you forgot all about us coming to see you?" He had mock hurt in his voice so I knew that he was being an ass, but I couldn't really bring myself to care.
"Honestly, I did, yeah." I nodded, laughing as I lay back on my bed. "When is it, again?" I felt my brow furrowing as I thought about when he had said the trip was, trying to match it up with what I remembered from previous years.
The trip to Seattle was something that occurred every year at my school in Chicago. Only Seniors were permitted to go and most just saw it as a way of getting out of school for a little over three weeks. I don't know if there was some sort of educational purpose to the trip and this year I didn't really care. Apart from the fact I wasn't included in the trip, I had my best friends coming closer than I'd thought they'd be before we left high school, so the pondering on that part was pushed to the back of my mind.
"Fourteenth of October, man. Whoops. Sorry." I laughed out loud at the imagery his little commentary was conjuring up here. It was blatantly obvious that he'd either just spilled his drink all over someone or walked into someone and was now apologising for it. "We're going to try and convince ol' whatsername to let us come see you."
"Cool." I shook my head at the phone, wondering how I'd ever managed to understand this guy in person, let alone over the phone. He spoke nothing but nonsense. The way he spoke about one of the teachers made it sound like I should know who he is, but I knew from talking to Kate that they'd had several new ones this year, so I had no idea. "Anyways, you're fucked so I'm going to hang up now."
"Fair 'nuff." He slurred down the phone, accompanied by an 'oof' straight afterwards. "Talk to you later, man."
"See ya." I hung up the phone, laughing and shaking my head.
"What wath that about?" I looked over at Bella, having completely forgotten she was in the room with me.
"Just a friend from Chicago." I shrugged and I saw her eyes narrow out of the corner of my eye.
"Going to elaborate?" She challenged and I smirked to myself, shaking my head.
"Nope." I replied, placing my phone on the bedside table before grabbing my sweats and t-shirt and making my way into the bathroom.
I changed quickly before throwing my clothes into the hamper by the bathroom door and making my way over to the bed. I turned out the light, considering Bella was already curled up and had her eyes closed. I doubted she was asleep, because not even James could conk out that quickly, unless he'd drunk a whole keg to himself. Which he'd tried on more than one occasion. I didn't stick around for the aftermath of such occasions.
I rolled onto my side and closed my eyes, sighing gently as I thought of the fact that my friends were all out in Chicago and yet I was in Washington, going to bed at ten o'clock on a Saturday night. A couple of weeks ago, I would have been with them, getting fucked beyond all recognition and not really giving a shit. And now, here I was, lying in bed, with the girl who made my life a living hell for years laying a few feet away on a flattened sofa.
Oh, how life fucks us over sometimes.
Arriving at school on Monday, things were the same as they'd been since the project started. It was as if Bella arriving in my car was the most amazing thing to happen to this place in the last hundred years or so. But then again, considering how we had been before I'd disappeared – because to them, that's what had happened – it very well could have been.
Sitting down at my desk in History, I dropped my bag on the floor beside me and rested my head on my arms, firm in the belief that it was too fucking early to be dealing with Nazis and whatever other shit went on in this class.
"Um, Edward?" I looked up to see Brittany standing there with a small smile on her face. She looked apologetic and I knew that it was because she had interrupted my internal 'hating History' rant – as she had dubbed it. Apparently, I had the same scowl on my face every morning that disappeared right after the bell went for second period. She had asked whether it was because I hated the subject that much, or because I had to sit next to Tanya.
I had replied with a firm 'both'.
Tanya, it seemed, had not given up in her whorish endeavours. Not that I had ever expected her to.
"Hi, Eddie." She crooned, sitting down slowly in her chair, probably to try emphasising whatever she thought she had on that particularly unappealing body of hers. Sure, she was pretty, but slathered in make-up? Nuh-uh. And just knowing how much of a whore she was put her way down there on the attractive scale. Didn't stop her trying, though.
"What can I do for you, Brittany?" I asked, looking up at her and completely ignoring Tanya.
"I just wanted to let you know that even though my parents are being anal about all of this, I'm alright to start whenever you are." I nodded, knowing that she was talking about the tutoring I had promised her. It was clear that she didn't want to say anything incriminating in front of Tanya, who would no doubt spread it around the entire school in less than an hour. Bella had, surprisingly, kept her word and kept the knowledge to herself, not even letting Alice in on the secret. I honestly didn't expect her to keep her mouth shut.
"Well, I'm free anytime. You free at lunch?" She nodded. "Well, meet me where I was sat the other day and we can work something out."
"Thank you." She whispered quietly and I nodded, giving her a small smile as she made her way to her seat a few rows behind me.
"Never thought you'd be one for banging the loser." I heard Tanya snicker next to me, followed by the incessant giggling of her two little cronies.
"Only a loser in your eyes." I shot back, grabbing my notepad from my bag, along with a pen.
"And everyone else." She replied, her tone turning snarky and mean. I guess she didn't like the fact that I was sticking up for Brittany rather than laughing alongside her.
"Well, better a loser . . . than a whore." I smirked at her, knowing I'd hit a button when her jaw dropped and she huffed like an indignant toddler.
"You can't say stuff like that to me." She blinked at me, her overly made-up eyes widening as I smirked triumphantly at her.
"Well, obviously . . . I can." I turned to face the front as the teacher walked in, cutting off any chance of a comeback that Tanya may or may not have had. Knowing her limited intellect, it wouldn't have been worth listening to anyway. Yeah, I know all about not judging a book by its cover and all that shit, but hey, there is nothing going on in there.
School passed in a blur of the daily monotony that permeated the dank and dreary walls of the institution. I wanted to find some inspiration in this dismal little town, but it was evading me. All I could think of was how much I wanted to get out.
Having lived in Chicago for the last two years, I had gotten used to weather other than constant precipitation. I had gotten used to a blue sky and sunshine. Here gaining those two things was like winning the lottery. Something that rarely happens.
The answer to the question of why my parents wanted to move back here always evaded me completely. Maybe it was because this was where they had chosen to settle down after college. Maybe it was because it was where they had had me.
I don't know.
Walking out of school, I couldn't help but be thankful the day was over. Sure I had four more of them to endure, but for some reason, Monday was always the worst day.
I wondered if it was the same the world over.
Bella was going out with Alice straight after school, so that left me with some time to myself. Mom was with a client until God knows when and Dad wasn't back from the hospital until tomorrow morning when I'd be at school. Even though he loved his job, I knew he hated the hours. Being honest, I hated them too. I hardly ever got to see him anymore and being honest, I missed my dad. Yeah, his time at home might have been sporadic at best, but at least he was around most of the time. Nowadays, I felt like the hospital got more of his time than mom and I did at home.
Seeing as Coach Clapp was off sick with some flu bug or something, gym had been cancelled, so I had spent the last period in the library, going through the stuff I would be helping Brittany out with when she could get a definite time from her parents. I didn't see why they were being so anal about this. They were the ones that insisted she pick her grades up and yet they were downplaying her need for a tutor. At least my parents knew what they wanted for me.
As I walked around the gym on the way to the parking lot, I wasn't expecting the large tanned arm that pinned me to the side of the building. I knew that it was Jacob Black instantly, but that didn't take away the fact that the blow had hurt like a motherfucker.
"Not so tough now, are you?" He smirked at me, his arm across my chest, pinning me to the wall. What the fuck? Did he think he was in some kind of bad action flick or something? Next thing I know, he'll be sauntering away, doing his best Arnie impersonation. 'I'll be back', yeah fucking right.
"What the hell do you want?" I glared at him, not even bothering to fight back because what Jacob obviously didn't realise was that the bell to signal the end of class had just rung, which meant that this whole place was going to be filled with students and teachers in a matter of moments.
"Stay away from Bella." He growled and I chuckled lightly.
"Apart from the fact that we have to do a project together, meaning that we are required to spend time together, didn't she break up with you?" I raised an eyebrow at him as his expression darkened. "Like, months ago?"
"That won't be lasting." It sounded as though he was telling that to himself, rather than to me.
"Contrary to your opinion, I think that if she was going to take you back, she would have done by now." I returned the smirk he had given me earlier, confusing him as to how I could be so confident when he was obviously the one with the upper hand.
"Black!" We both turned to see Principal Greene standing there, staring at Jacob with a murderous look in his eye. And this was why I hadn't fought back, because if I had, one) I would have got in trouble, just like Jacob was about to and two) I would have had to explain it all to my parents, which would not be a fun idea. "My office. Now!" Jacob turned to glare at me as I smirked at him, raising an eyebrow. "Now, Jacob!"
"What about him?" Jacob released me and nodded towards me as Principal Greene looked between us.
"Well, from where I'm standing, it seemed pretty straightforward. Had I seen Mr. Cullen lash out then he would be accompanying the both of us to my office, but as I did not, to me, he has done nothing wrong." He nodded behind him and turned around, taking a few steps towards his office. I know it was childish but I couldn't help but give Jacob the superior 'you're in trouble' look you always used to give as kids.
I could have sworn I heard him growl as he stormed off after Principal Greene.
Shaking my head, I made my way towards the parking lot, which was now practically empty. How long had that little confrontation taken? Longer than I'd thought, obviously.
I made my way over to my car, which had a very stressed looking Bella standing next to it.
"What happened to you?" She asked, her eyes roaming over me as I approached. Was it noticeable that I'd just had a run in with her ex?
"Your dog got loose." I stated, climbing into the car, waiting for her to do the same.
"What?" She looked at me, her expression confused as she raised an eyebrow at me.
"Jacob." Her expression quickly shifted from confused to pissed. I hated how females had the ability to do that. My mom was the same. She could go from loving and compassionate to cold and mean in less than a heartbeat. And it was scary. But to be fair, I think that might have something to do with the fact that she was my mom. I implore you to name one man that is not afraid of his mother on some level.
Name one.
"What the hell did he do now?" She practically growled, glaring out of the window as I drove out of the parking lot. It didn't take much to note that she was glaring at Jacob's truck, which was incidentally one of the only cars left in the lot.
"He told me to stay away from you." I shrugged and she sighed, rolling her eyes and rubbing her fingers across her forehead. "And he basically told me that you two will be getting back together."
"What the fuck?!" She turned and stared at me. I cast her a curious look and she closed her eyes, inhaling through her nose slowly before releasing it through her mouth. "What did he say?" Oh yeah, she found the letter 's' in her vocabulary again over the rest of the weekend. Makes it easier to understand her, that's for sure.
"Well, he told me to stay away from you." She nodded, obviously urging me to carry on. "And I pointed out that the two of you had been broken up for months." She raised her eyebrow at me, obviously wondering how I knew that much. "The town has three thousand people. Seriously, I'm surprised it didn't make front page of the newspaper." She chuckled, shaking her head as she looked back out the window. "And he told me that that wouldn't be lasting for long."
"I'm going to fucking kill him." She muttered, her fingers tightening to a fist in her lap. As long as you don't mark the upholstery. Or you'll be paying for it.
Something tells me, we'll be having a showdown soon.
Call me twisted, but I can't fucking wait.
Okay, so it's not too exciting, but remember, I'm still laying out the groundwork for the characters and the story, so there will be more drama coming soon.
I know some of you might think that Edward is being too accepting of Bella at the moment, but there's more to come on that front, so bear with me on this one. I know where I'm going with it.
We might even find out part of the reason for Bella's cruelty in the next chapter or so. Maybe. Depends on my mood and where the story takes me I guess.
Jailward's up next.
