A/N: Characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. Drama belongs to me.
This chapter is near and dear to my heart. Sometimes you wish things were just this easy…
My beta will punch Jacob for every review! Happy reading!
[Chapter 8: You Need Me Less Than I Need You]
It was late in the afternoon when I finally made it to the outskirts of town. This place never changes – lots of green, constantly wet pavement, two lane roads, mountains and trees. So many freakin' trees. The clouds were low in the sky today, creating an eerie quietness along the main road. After living in Los Angeles for the last three years, I couldn't see myself moving back here. I guess I was more similar to my mother than I thought. When I was growing up, she and I moved to so many different cities and climates that until this moment, I never realized just how easily I adjusted to life in California.
I was mentally drained from thinking about Jake and controlling the urge to slam the accelerator to the floor. Halfway to Forks, I had to pull over on the side of the highway just to calm down. The combination of anger and a downpour did not create the safest of driving conditions. My internal radar was fixated on the ultimate destination: Jake's home.
I scoffed at the idea of Jake living in a cute house, probably with a white picket fence in the front yard and playing the part of the decent, loving husband. I don't know if I was jealous or angry that his life seemed complete and perfect. Jake and Crazy had to be living in some kind of bubble or alternate reality that they created. Being called a liar was the last straw. I felt absolutely no sympathy for her and even less for him.
As I drove past the local diner, I thought about stopping at my dad's house and pick up the other box that was hidden in the back of my closet. I looked at the clock and saw I still had some time before nightfall. I really didn't want to drive over to Jake's in the dark. I turned down my street and was relieved to see that my dad wasn't home yet. I prayed he was working the late shift so I wouldn't have to explain my sudden arrival. I parked in front of the house and jogged through the front yard.
I slowly opened the door and crept in. I breathed in the scents of the house and instantly felt at home. It was a cozy two story house, with a masculine feel to it. Over the years my dad had slowly updated it – the kitchen was the latest project he completed. My room was probably the most changed in the whole house. Since I was young, I'd pick a different color for the walls every couple of years, even though I didn't live there full time.
My parents were always on the same side when it came to me. Though they weren't together for most of my life, I had a very stable upbringing. As free-spirited as my mom was, there were rules I had to follow and she made me eat my vegetables. I would visit my dad as much as I could. It was still weird to me that I only saw him couple of times a year which probably explained our lack of an affectionate relationship.
I walked up the light hardwood stairs to my room and made a beeline straight for the closet. I pulled out the other box that I hid at Thanksgiving. It was heavier than the one I brought back from L.A. I placed it on the bed and forced myself to keep the lid on it. I quickly brushed away the lone tear that escaped.
"Suck it up, Swan," I scolded myself out loud.
I lay back on my bed and stared at the ceiling. I needed a game plan. I just couldn't charge into their house, could I? I convinced myself that manners were not needed in this situation and to let it be. I got up and walked to the other bedroom that my dad converted into an office. The room was smaller than mine, and had a simple dark wooden desk and a black leather couch. I sat down in front of the computer and logged into Jake's emails once more. I needed his home address again, since I didn't have the envelope with the emails with me. I wrote it down on a post-it note and looked up directions.
When I made it back to my room, I looked out the window and checked the driveway for any signs of my dad. I picked up the box and carefully walked down the stairs. After locking up the house, I unzipped the back flap of the Jeep and placed it inside. When I got in the front seat and started the engine, my stomach suddenly knotted up. I'd been dying to call Billy the minute Crazy claimed that he emailed her. I decided that now was as good a time as any. My hands trembled, just a bit, while I dialed.
"Hello?" Hearing his voice made my body instantly tense.
"Hi, um, Billy?" I didn't mean for it come out as a question. Great, Bella, who else would it be? "It's Bella."
"Bella," he answered politely. "How are you?"
"I've been better," I said. I didn't know how to tell him without sounding insane. "Billy, I need to ask you something very serious and I hope you can be honest with me."
"Of course. What is it?" Billy's voice went from stressed politeness to concern. I took a deep breath and unleashed the word vomit.
"I received an email from Jake's fiancé last night, Leah, telling me you emailed her and said I was lying about ever knowing Jake and you. I found out everything, Billy. I uncovered everything there is to know about him and Leah - the date the baby is due, the wedding website, their vacation, pictures, and even where Jake's working, or not working. I found the address to the house here in town. Jake told me he was living in Vancouver and working a second job at a market. But, guess what? He was fired from the body shop. For being high! That baby's due any day now. It's a boy, by the way and Leah also has a teenage son. He denied ever knowing me. He loves her, Billy. Jake loves her."
Though the words all ran together and I spewed them out quickly without pausing, the last part came out soft and defeated.
"What?" he replied quietly. "Oh, Bella, I honestly don't know what to say. I didn't email her about anything. Actually, I've never spoken to her and I haven't been able to talk to Jacob. I don't know how this happened, kid. Can I have the address?"
"Sure," I rattled off Jake's address.
"I'm going to pay my son a visit; I need to see for myself what's going on," Billy said seriously. All I could do was roll my eyes. I never noticed how hands-off Billy was with his son. Jake really just did what he wanted, never mind the consequences.
We hung up not long after that. I had no intention of telling him I was actually minutes from Jake's house. After taking a moment to compose myself, I finally pulled away from the curb and headed east towards the high school and drove down the tree lined roads. When I turned on Jake's street, I followed it down a ways and watched the houses change from moderately sized homes to smaller, more humble ones. I was in the five hundreds and needed to reach the five-fifties. My breath hitched when I reached their house. I drove past it and made a u-turn, parking across the street. My heart was pounding so hard that I thought it was going to either jump out of my chest or give me a heart attack.
They lived in a little white house with a small porch that was enclosed with an un-painted wood railing. The yard was sparse and a weathered wooden fence separated the neighboring yards. It was missing some planks and needed a new coat of stain. I actually felt a little relieved that the image of their perfect house didn't exist. With the lights on inside it appeared that someone was home. There weren't any cars parked in the cracked, uneven driveway, which led towards the back of the property.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to channel my inner Rosalie and psyche myself out. If she was here should would have already jumped out, screaming in a take no prisoner mode. Thinking about all those emails and pictures was just what I needed to get riled up. When I glanced back at the house, a car had pulled into the driveway and was turned off. Jake stepped out, slamming the door shut.
When I first envisioned seeing him, I thought I was going to charge him like a rhino, fists clenched, and give him a piece of my mind. My body froze. He walked over to the trunk of the old VW Rabbit looking for something. I took this opportunity to get out of the Jeep. I quietly shut the door, walked around to the trunk area and unzipped the window. I made my way to the passenger door, opened it and pulled out the other box.
I looked both ways before crossing the street, because how much would it suck if I got hit by a car while trying to confront my ex-boyfriend. Yup, I finally spoke the dreaded word in my head. It didn't sting as much as I thought it would. I was running on pure adrenaline now and kept my eyes focused on the back of Jake's head, willing him to turn and look at me. As much I thought he would look different, he was exactly the same. He was the Jake I knew. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and he wore a black t-shirt and work pants.
I accidentally stepped on a small branch that snapped under my foot with a crack. Jake's head popped up and turned to his left towards me. His eyes were as large as saucers as he took in my sudden appearance. Almost immediately, he composed himself and his face lost all emotion. Somewhere, my courage and rage propelled me forward.
"So, I was in the neighborhood, and thought I should drop by and congratulate the happy couple," I said with as much sarcasm as I could muster. Jake just stared at me like I had two heads, so I continued.
"You really thought you could get away with this shit, didn't you?" I hissed, not stepping too close to him. I couldn't bear being in such close proximity. "I'm not stupid, Jake. I would have figured it out. We all would have. What the fuck is wrong with you?"
Nothing. His face was stone cold, void of expression. Not even an eyebrow twitch. His eyes were flat and dark. There was no spark in them. He actually looked lost to me.
"How could you?" My voice was raised. I put the box down at my feet and stepped closer. The quiet of the street combined with the total lack of emotion killed me. "Why?!"
"Bella? Shhh," he finally spoke. He took a step back from me.
"I will not be quiet anymore, Jacob Black," I screamed at him, my hands flailing in gestures. "I spent the last four years with you, supporting you, loving you! It was only you! You betrayed everything! You broke my fucking heart, you asshole! She thinks I'm making this all up. Is she here? Inside?
"You have this whole life you've conjured up." I rolled my eyes and pointed to the house and yard, while I tried not to lose the confidence in my voice. "But no one knows about it! She thinks everyone knows who she is! How could you blatantly deny your son?! How could you just lie to my face?! I asked you exactly what was going on multiple times and nothing! You constantly reassured me and for what?! You're nothing but a liar!
"So how long have you been fucking around on me?! Since high school? Was my forehead stamped 'sucker'? I was so stupid to fall you! You were a worthless piece of shit then and you still are now!"
"No! Bella, look," Jake finally cracked. His normally deep voice sounded so small. "For the first two years it was you and me. You were the first person I ever loved and it's so hard –"
"FUCK YOU!" I yelled, cutting him off. I knocked over the box, emptying its contents on his grass. The glass from the broken frames mixed with letters, cards, dried flowers and photos. The wind started to pick up a little. I crouched down and carefully sifted through the mess. I heard a door open and looked up long enough to see Leah waddle out to the porch. I ignored her, finding exactly what I was looking for. I threw the little velvet box at Jake. He caught as it hit him square in the chest.
"You had no business giving me that ring, you son of bitch!" A couple of tears escaped and I quickly wiped them away, trying not to lose my resolve. "You've broken every single promise you ever made to me! All I wanted was us! You claimed the same! You make me sick, you sick fuck!"
"What the hell is going on?!" A new, angry voice joined in. I turned to see her pointing at me. Leah's face was the epitome of pure exhaustion and anger. I could see the dark circles under her eyes. Her stomach was so round and swollen that her white t-shirt strained against it and her pink sweatpants. The messy pigtails on her head swayed as she moved and she brushed away those dreaded bangs off her forehead. She looked older in person than in the photos she posted.
"I'll tell you, Leah!" I cried. "I'm here to set the record straight. No one gets away with calling me a liar! Not Jake and especially not you! That email was not from his dad. Billy doesn't even have an email address to send you anything. I just spoke to him and he has no idea who you are!
"Here's everything you ever needed to know about our life," I pointed to the spilled box and ran across the street. I grabbed the other one from the car. Both of them were frozen where they stood. Jake was looking at the ground and Leah was staring at me. I dumped the other box on top of the pile. Her eyes grew round with realization.
"You've never met his family, have you?" I yelled to her. I couldn't calm down. "Don't you think you should have met his dad by now? I mean you are pregnant. How can you plan a fuckin' wedding with no guests from Jake's side? What'd you do trap him into getting you pregnant?"
Though I knew it was a low blow, I was on a roll. My rant was interrupted when I heard the squeal of tires. I turned and was shocked to see Edward pulling up to the curb. All three of us shifted our focus to the newcomer.
"Bel!" he yelled as he got out of the car and smoothly slid across the silver hood, carrying something. To say I was relieved to see him was an understatement. He had my envelope in his hand. Edward was dressed exactly the same as he was when he dropped me off at the airport this morning. He still had his glasses on too. His hair looked like he had constantly run his fingers through it. Jake and Edward were about the same height, but different builds. He completely ignored Jake and Leah and met me on the grass.
"You forgot this in the car," his voice was quiet as he handed me the envelope. "Are you alright?"
I nodded, mumbling a thanks. He took his place behind me, crossing his arms. I needed to quickly regroup before I turned back to Jake. Leah stayed on the front porch. Edward's sudden unexpected appearance threw me for a loop. He had been the furthest thing in my mind. Without missing a beat, I continued to lay into Jake with my new piece of evidence.
"And another thing," I yelled. "I know everything! It's sick how much I know! There's no use pretending anymore! I loved how much you denied her, the baby, and even more when she was on the phone with me, acting like I was the one stalking you! It's quite absurd really – your relationship. It's all just sunshine and rainbows, huh? Too bad your first fiancé got in the way. I can't tell you what a pleasure it was reading your most intimate details. You know you both are very photogenic."
When I threw the envelope at him, it opened and all of the emails I printed flew across the grass. Jake gaped at the scattered emails.
"How are you feeling these days, Jake? Better? You're looking a little green," I said matter of fact. "Maybe you should go see a doctor. Oh wait, you used that money I gave you for the hospital, right? What was it for? Kidney stones? So, you were going to pay me back, hmm?
"Wait a minute, what money?" Leah spoke up again. It took me a minute to register this unfamiliar voice. Her voice was higher, very feminine and young sounding. "Jake doesn't owe you money. What are you talking about?"
"Why would you know what he owes and doesn't owe me? Huh, sweetie?" I sneered the last part. She walked off the porch over to where we were standing. "He borrowed six hundred and fifty dollars earlier this month. He claimed he had been hospitalized. I'm not a doctor or anything and he looks healthy enough."
"You got the money from her?!" Leah screeched at him. Jake visibly flinched, but still didn't deny or argue anything. He just stood there like a puppet that was being held up by strings. "I was wondering how that money was suddenly in the bank account. You told me your dad gave you the money!"
"So, I take it no hospital stay?" Edward's velvet voice suddenly asked, full of sarcasm. I just looked back at him and almost smirked. Having another person on my side helped me see a little reality and I realized how idiotic we all were for standing here yelling in the front yard.
"No," Leah replied, staring at Edward. I became very protective of Edward and jealous that she looked at him like he was something to eat. "That was our goddamn rent money."
"Well, I'm so glad that I could help keep you from getting evicted," I flatly interjected.
"Who the fuck are you?" Jake finally asked, speaking up. It seemed to take all of his strength to sound strong and bitter. He turned his attention towards me. "Is this who you have been screwing around with behind my back, huh, Isabella?"
"That is the most absurd thing you've said today, you idiot," I hissed back immediately. "You know what the best part is? It's no longer your concern. He's more of a man than you will ever be to anyone. He'll be a better father, husband and lover! You are a fucking psychopath! You didn't have to do this to me! This whole situation is ridiculous!"
I waved my hand up and down at Leah. I also saw what a sad woman she was, stuck with him forever, no matter the consequences after today. Edward never acknowledged Jake's comments and continued to ignore him.
"You people need to leave or I'm going to call the cops," Leah interrupted trying to act tough. That was all the motivation I needed. I started throwing the items from the boxes at Jake and he just stood there and took it. He didn't even try to stop me. Leah started screaming at me.
Another car pulled up not too much later. It was Billy. He parked behind Edward's car and walked slowly over to us. Jake closely resembled his dad. While they were both similar in height with long dark hair, Billy now had a tinge of white starting to form at the crown of his head.
"What now?!" Leah grunted in frustration. "All of you need to get the fuck off of my property, even you old man!"
Billy ignored Leah's threat and continued walking towards Jake and grasped his left shoulder. He glanced back at Edward and I.
"Son, what in God's name have you done?" he asked quietly. Jake expressed no emotion at the sudden arrival of his father. He quickly averted his eyes from his dad and stared at the ground.
The man that stood before me was not the boy I grew to love. He was weak and didn't fight for anyone, not even himself. It was a sad day for me to see this. My image of Jake - strong, protective and loving - was shattered. I could feel the anger that had been held at bay since the beginning rise to the surface. I trembled with the excess energy.
In a sudden blur of action, I lunged forward at Jake, and swung a left hook to his face. The minute my fist made contact, I heard a distinct crunch. Jake doubled over grabbing his face. Edward caught me before I fell forward from the force I exerted. In my entire life, I have never physically attacked anyone. Though I felt overwhelmed, it was the most freeing feeling.
"Jesus Fucking Christ!" Jake yelled. His hands cradled his right cheek and nose. It began bleeding.
"Oh my God!" Leah screamed and yelled at me as she walked back to the house. "What the hell is wrong with you, crazy bitch?!"
"I'm crazy?! This whole thing is fucked up, Leah!" I seethed.
I ignored everyone after that. Billy didn't say anything and he didn't move to help his son either. Edward walked me away from them and tried to gently cradle my left hand. I winced at his touch. It was starting to throb and I couldn't move my fingers too well. Leah returned with a towel for Jake's face.
"Bella, are you okay? I think your hand needs to be checked out." His deep emerald eyes, full of concern, searched mine. I felt like he was able to see through the tough exterior and the walls I so carefully built up around me. For the second time today I burst into tears from a combination of the pain that was starting in my hand, the overwhelming reality of my afternoon, and Edward's genuine kindness towards me.
I collapsed against his chest and sobbed. Edward pulled me tightly against him. I couldn't bear to look at Jake or his dad and just held onto Edward as if my life depended on it. My tears only subsided some when I heard the familiar sound of police sirens. That bitch did call them. I heard the car doors slam and refused to look up.
"Jacob? Billy?" I heard a very familiar voice. I shrank as much as I could into Edward's chest. I knew that voice all too well. "What's going on here?"
"Officer, this woman and her boyfriend attacked my husband in an unprovoked manner," Leah confidently said. Edward whispered into my ear, trying to calm me down. I looked over and saw my dad staring at Billy, Jake and Leah. His partner stayed back by the cruiser.
"Bella?!" He turned towards me. His face was shocked to say the least. "Are you alright?"
I pulled away from Edward, nodding my head, and quietly answered him. "Yeah, Dad."
My dad walked forward and hugged me tight. His embrace was surprisingly comforting and I relished in the security of it. I realized my hand was killing me now.
"Hey! What the fuck is this?! I want to press-" Leah started.
"Leah!" Jake barked, cutting her off. He was still holding the towel haphazardly against his face, so it sounded muffled. She quieted immediately and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Charlie, I'm so sorry," Billy said seriously to my dad. My dad's face was red with anger at the realization of the situation. He held me and turned towards his best friend. "I'm sorry for my son's actions. I had no idea this was going on. Let us resolve this without having the police involved."
"Bill, this shit your son has pulled is completely unforgiveable," my dad started. "Bella's been nothing but jerked around with this. Jake, you are one lucky bastard that I'm in my uniform today. Do not make contact with anyone from my family in the future. You are no longer welcome or a part of it."
The moment my dad said that, the tears escaped again. This was probably the last time I'd see Jake or Billy. I'd lost half of my family in a span of two hours. I caught Jake's gaze and his eyes finally betrayed the emotions he had been trying to hide all afternoon. I saw the boy I loved locked away in those dark brown eyes. The man that now stood before me was a stranger with no remorse. I heard my dad sigh.
"Billy, our kids are adults now, and as an officer I need to ask the question. Jacob, do you need to file a police report?" I tensed up in my dad's arms. I didn't think my dad knew the extent of Jake's physical injuries and I missed Jake's response. The tears had slowed a bit and I wasn't on the verge of hyperventilating.
"Alright then, let's go. Goodbye, Billy." In that simple sentence my dad said his farewell to his best friend of over thirty years. Billy froze at the finality of those words. We left the three of them standing on the lawn. You could hear a pin drop, if that was even possible. My dad walked us away to the police cruiser. His partner was already getting in the driver's seat.
"Officer Swan? I'm Edward Cullen." My dad stopped to face Edward. "I'm Alice's cousin. I think Bella needs to see a doctor about her hand. I can take her, my dad's probably at the hospital today and he can look at it right away."
My dad shook the hand that Edward extended towards him and let go of me to see what he was talking about.
"Bella, what'd you do to your hand, sweetie?" he asked, as he gently pulled at my arm.
"IsortofpunchedJakeintheface," I mumbled, embarrassed.
"What? Honey, you did that to his face?" My dad stared incredulously at me. He kissed my forehead. "What am I going to do with you? How did you even get here?"
"I rented a Jeep," I answered, pointing across the street with my right hand. My dad sighed and knitted his brows together, running his hand through his brown hair.
"Okay, this is what we'll do," he said. "Edward, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm sure I will get the full story of your involvement with my daughter and this mess soon enough. I'll take the Jeep to the house and have my partner pick me up. Go ahead and take Bella to the hospital. I'll meet you kids there.
"Banner," my dad turned to his partner. "Meet me at my house in ten."
My dad gave me one last quick hug and clapped Edward on his shoulder, nodding for us to take our leave. Edward walked me to his car and opened the passenger door for me. It took a little effort for me to take my bulky down jacket off and buckle myself in with my right hand when I instinctively wanted to use my left. When Edward got in the car and saw my struggle, he clicked the belt in place.
As we pulled away from the curb, I took a last look and saw Jake and Leah heading into the house. Billy remained on the lawn, speaking to my dad. It only took one glance at Edward's soft expression for the floodgates to reopen. I sniffed and wiped my face with the sleeve of my red hoodie.
"Aw, Bella," Edward softly said to me. He lowered the radio and pulled me towards him, with his right arm wrapped around me. "I'm so sorry this happened."
"My hand hurts," I cried and turned my face inward to his chest. "Everything hurts so badly, Edward. He didn't want me. He threw me away."
"He completely disrespected you and your relationship," he replied. "Honestly, though, it can only go up from here, Bella. I'm sorry you probably really don't want to hear that right now. You should be so glad you're not living that woman's life. Look what she has to deal with – delivering a baby, dealing with her man-child boyfriend and whatever other issues they both have."
"Everything you say is true," I sniffed and hiccupped. "I know what you mean. It just kills me, though. How are you even here? You're like a guardian angel that just appears at the right moments."
"Well," he began, as he ran his hand through his hair. I leaned back into my seat and waited expectantly. "After you entered the airport, I saw your pictures that had fallen in the gutter. I picked them up and my heart broke for you. The expression on your face and the way your eyes lit up, it was so innocent and happy. When I got in the truck, I noticed on the seat that envelope. It had Jake's address on it. I opened it, saw the emails and quickly glanced at the first page.
"I knew I had to help you. I parked the truck and booked the earliest flight I could get on. Luckily another airline had one that was leaving close to what I hoped was your departure time. However, I wasn't sure which flight you were able to get on. When I landed in Seattle, there was a seat available on one of those little planes headed for Port Angeles, so it saved me the drive. My mom picked me up. It was sheer luck that I caught up with you here."
"Wow," I mused. "I don't know what to say. Um, thanks?"
"You don't have to thank me, Bella," he replied, chuckling a little. "I should thank you for hitting him first. It took all my energy not to deck the guy. I just didn't know what my place was as I stood there. That's sort of why I didn't stop you. While I was on the plane, I read through the emails. Curiosity got the best of me and I couldn't believe this was the man you loved. So, the closer I got to Seattle, the angrier I became. No one should treat women like that. It's just sick."
"I'm glad you didn't stop me," I said. For the moment, I felt free. Free from lies. "I'm sorry I involved you to this point. When we were here for Thanksgiving, I never thought in a million years you would get so tangled. I just felt so alone. Everyone has their lives set right now, I thought mine was too. In a span of weeks it was ripped away. I don't know what happens next."
"Bel, in a very weird and twisted way, I'm glad things happened the way they did," Edward said. "Having my cousins around, Jasper, Rosalie and you, makes me feel like I belong. I'm so happy you guys let me in the inner circle. I really am sorry though."
"That's the second time you've called me that," I pondered aloud. Filter, Bella, filter. I don't know why this boy always makes me blurt out what I'm thinking.
"What? Oh, is that okay?" He asked sincerely. "It just sort of happened earlier and it seemed like the most natural thing."
"Oh, no, it's totally fine," I answered quickly. "I just think it's cute."
Oh my God. Did I just say that? Come on you, steer the conversation back.
"Um, I do agree with you." I took my beanie off my head. "I'm glad we've become friends too. You know, that man standing on the lawn was not the Jake I knew. He was so cold and vacant. What can you do? If I was with that woman, I'd probably look like that too. I don't know."
"Bella!" Edward feigned shock. "You can't say things like that."
"Oh, don't act like your weren't thinking it," I arched my eyebrow at him, echoing Rosalie's words to me from the other night. "I'm sorry, that woman is a grownup."
"Bella, uh, we're grownups, if you haven't noticed," he replied.
"I know. Look, there's being a grownup and there's being a grownup," I said emphasizing the last words. "I mean, look, when we were six she was having her son at nineteen. Nineteen! Now to a six year old that would be a grownup."
"Shit. When you put it like that," he laughed. "Okay, you win. I'm not going to argue with you."
"Just remember that," I told him, laughing along with him. "I can probably argue about anything and win. Oh and I have a mean left hook."
I glanced out the window and saw we had arrived at the hospital. I hate hospitals. I try to avoid them at all costs. They have a smell, mixed between rubber, medicine and cold, hard, steel.
"Do we have to?" I whined, pouting my lower lip. "I'm sure I can just ice it with frozen peas or a raw steak or some other frozen food."
"Not the lip, little girl," Edward said dramatically as he placed his beanie back on his head. "Please don't torture me with the pout! You know my mom might actually have some peas we can put on your hand, if you want."
"Oh stop, let's get this over with," I giggled. I don't know how I'd become so easily distractible. For a brief moment, I actually felt like myself. After today's confrontation, continuing the silly banter seemed the easiest way for me to cope. Edward told me to wait while he got out and opened my door. I looked at my hand and it was starting to swell. I groaned. My fingers were becoming stiff and the pain had moved to my knuckles.
It was completely dark outside as we walked towards the front doors. Edward called his dad on his cell and carried my jacket. I kept my hand elevated and against my chest. The cold air sent shivers through me.
"My dad's finishing up on a patient, so we won't have to wait too long," Edward said to me as he led me to the plastic chairs in the emergency room. "I'm going to check you in. Stay here."
"Okay, Dad. I want a lollipop, too," I demanded and he replied with a darling crooked smile. I sat and people watched. I thought it would be some shit if Leah went into labor tonight. Not a moment later, a very familiar figure came running through the sliding doors to the reception station where Edward was talking to the older red headed nurse on duty. My jaw dropped at his sudden appearance.
It couldn't be. Could it? What are the chances? Jake took no notice of Edward. He bellowed out to the nurse that his wife was in labor. I slouched and pulled my hood over my head. Two tears rolled down my face. I made the mistake of looking at the entrance when Leah waddled in holding her belly, breathing hard. Billy guided her by her elbow to a chair on the other side of the seating area.
No one paid attention to me. I noticed Edward do a subtle double take with his eyes, and thankfully didn't say a word. A different nurse came out to assist Jake. With Jake's attention diverted, Edward leaned in and whispered something to the nurse that was helping him and casually walked back to me.
"Are you okay?" he asked. I nodded pitifully. "I asked the nurse to call my mother's name instead of yours. Let's move near that door so we'll be closer."
He draped his arm over my shoulders as he led us to a different set of chairs. I tried in vain not to look over to them and kept my head down. I sat with my face away from Jake, Billy and Leah and placed my head on Edwards's comforting shoulder. I put my left arm through his right trying to avoid my injured hand. He started humming quietly and it sounded familiar, catchy even. I didn't recognize it. Though I was quietly crying, I couldn't tell if it was because my hand hurt or because Jake was in my presence again – only this time he was having a baby. This was reality at its worst. Jake and Leah were doing breathing exercises that seemed to echo throughout the quiet lobby. Every time they exhaled, she moaned in pain and I cringed.
Edward rubbed his hand over my arm. I looked up as he took his beanie off and scratched his head, sending strands every which way. He smiled and crossed his eyes at me. I stifled a small giggle. We waited patiently without much conversation. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the door to the patient area opened and a nurse entered with a clipboard.
"Esme?" The nurse called out. I noticed it was on the quieter side. She had a kind face and looked directly at Edward. "Esme Cullen?"
"Let's go," Edward whispered in my ear. I didn't question anything walked over to the nurse. Edward protectively put his arm around my shoulders again, probably to keep me from looking back, which helped.
"Thanks, Claire," he said to the nurse. She led us down the sterile and cold hallway to a room.
"Hello Bella," Claire began. "We need to check your blood pressure first. Go ahead and remove your sweater. Edward, you should probably wait outside."
"Is it alright if he stayed?" I asked suddenly to the nurse in Scooby-Doo scrubs. The fear of being left alone hit me hard at that moment. "Please?"
"I won't leave. Is that okay, Claire?" He asked, dramatically batting his thick eyelashes at her. Claire shook her head and rolled her eyes.
"Fine, fine," she relented. Edward helped me out of my sweater.
After asking some questions about the injury and running my vitals, Claire left us. Edward and I sat in silence. I thought about that song he was humming earlier.
"I have a question." I stated. Edward's eyes met mine. "What were you humming earlier?"
He laughed and his face reddened just a little. "Oh! Uh, it's your turn not to make fun, if I tell you."
"Scout's Honor," I said, trying hard to keep a straight face.
"Okay, it's from the movie 'Babe'. You know the one with the little pig," he told me. "It's the song those mice sing."
I burst out laughing. "I love that movie! I couldn't place the song. It's pretty catchy. You've seen that movie?"
Edward didn't have time to answer when the door to the room opened. A tall, older doctor, probably around my parents' age, strolled in. The name, Dr. Carlisle Cullen, was embroidered on his white coat. His blonde hair was combed back. I could see the family resemblance between father and son – they shared the same smile, nose and strong jaw line, however, Carlisle had piercing bright blue eyes.
"Hello son," Dr. Cullen greeted Edward warmly. "Who do we have here?"
"Dad, this is Bella Swan," Edward told him. "She's Alice's best friend from high school."
"Ah, the infamous Bella!" he exclaimed. "Lucy has regaled us over the years with stories of her daughter's shenanigans, and I'm fairly sure your name has been dropped once or twice."
Edward laughed and I stared at his dad. "Wow, um, it's nice to meet you Dr. Cullen. Though, in all fairness, like her mother, I was just a victim and along for the ride with Alice's adventures."
"Please, Bella, call me Carlisle," he stated. I nodded. Carlisle created a comfortable atmosphere. "Let's take a look at your hand."
I outstretched my left hand to his. Carlisle's hands were warm and he intensely examined my range of motion, mobility and flexibility of my fingers. I winced when he bent my first two fingers. When he was done, he asked a couple of more questions.
"So, how did this happen?" I glanced quickly at Edward.
"Um, I fell?" Knowing full well I was not convincing anybody, I continued. "Against my ex-fiancé's face, possibly breaking his nose?"
Carlisle just looked at me, keeping his professional composure in place. "Son, you're not the cause of this are you?"
"Dad!" Edward exclaimed. "Of course not! I merely rescued a damsel in distress."
"It's true, Dr. Cullen." I defended Edward immediately. "Edward got caught up in a terrible situation I've been in and he really did come to my rescue today. You can talk to my dad when he gets here. I promise."
"Hey, I'm a parent, I need to ask the questions," he said. "Well I'm glad you two are alright. Now, Bella, we're going to need to x-ray your hand so I can see the extent of the damage. From a superficial exam, it appears that your fingers are not broken. Nonetheless, I want to make sure about your knuckles. Claire will be take you back to Radiology. It won't take too long."
Claire returned and we left to get my x-rays.
"Thanks again, Dr. Cullen," I turned back to him. "Edward can you please call my dad and make sure he's here? My phone's in the hoodie pocket."
"You're welcome, and please, you are a part of our family, call me Carlisle," the doctor emphasized. I was shocked and nodded.
"Sure thing, Bel." Edward got up and took my cell.
After getting my x-rays done and Claire walked me back to the room, my dad was sitting in one of the chairs. All three men looked guilty when I walked in. They were obviously talking about me. I narrowed my eyes at all of them.
"Hey sweetie," my dad greeted me. He wrapped his arms around me once again. I lost my serious stance and let him hold me.
"You were talking about me weren't you?" I mumbled into his chest.
"Now, why would you think that?" Edward winked at me. I just groaned and rolled my eyes at him.
Carlisle left to view my x-rays. The room became quiet almost immediately. I awkwardly watched my dad and Edward.
"So, honey," my dad cleared his throat. "Edward filled me in on most of what happened today and I must say, I've never seen anything like this."
"Yeah, um, me either," I said softly. "I still have no idea how this happened. He still didn't explain himself. This is so stupid! He's right outside these doors having a son! In what universe is this okay? How can you tell someone you love them and just change your mind like it doesn't matter?"
They both stayed quiet and I knew it was because there were more questions than answers. Carlisle came back with the film of my hand. He placed it on a backlit board. I squinted at my skeleton as if I knew what I was looking at.
"Well, the good news is, you don't have a bad break," he stated. "If you look here, you have a small hairline fracture."
Carlisle pointed to a very small line on the knuckle area by my middle finger. We all leaned forward to get a better look.
"Though I won't need to cast your arm, I will have to splint it with a brace. You'll need to wear it three weeks at a minimum. At that time it will be determined it if needs to stay on longer." Well it's better than I thought. I guess I was going to be a righty for a month.
Nurse Claire returned with the brace and some other medical items to prep my hand. After it was all done I was wearing a black brace that stopped halfway to my elbow. It sort of looked like a wrist guard that's worn for sports. She gave me specific instructions how to care for my injury. When everything was set and ready to go, Carlisle walked us out. My dad finished up my paperwork at the reception desk.
"Bella, it was a pleasure finally meeting you and I'm sorry it was not under better circumstances," he casually said. "Please take care of your hand. If you still have pain and the aspirin doesn't help, let me know and I can write you a prescription for something stronger."
"Thanks for everything, Carlisle," I told him. "Hey, Dad, can we please go get some food? I'm starving."
Carlisle and Edward laughed and I saw my dad shake his head as he signed something. I knew exactly what he was thinking - only I would think to get food when I just had spent the last hour at a hospital. What can I say, my tummy growled and the peanuts from the plane weren't enough.
"Alright, kid," my dad turned back to us. "Yes, we can go eat. Carlisle, Edward, would you like to join us?"
"I would love to join you, however, I still have my rounds to finish up. Enjoy your dinner," Carlisle replied. "Edward, please call your mother and let her know your plans."
"Sure, Dad," Edward spoke up politely. "Thank you for the invitation, Officer Swan."
"Edward, call me Charlie," my dad said to him. "Okay, then. Thanks, doc, for fixing up my kid.
They shook hands. We said our goodbyes and walked through the emergency room waiting area. Lucky for me, there was no sign of Jake or anyone. I actually sighed with relief.
"Dad, where's your partner?" I asked when we made it outside. It was freezing and Edward helped me slip my jacket on. I put my beanie back on my head.
"I dropped him off at the station and got my car," he replied. "Okay Bella, your choice. What's on the menu tonight?"
"Um…" I tapped my finger against my chin thoughtfully and paused.
"Today, honey," my dad said chuckling.
"Burgers," I answered, sticking my tongue out.
We decided to head over to the local burger place and took both cars, so Edward could go home afterwards. I rode with my dad. On the way over, I checked my phone for messages and saw six voicemails and eleven texts. They were all from Alice. I listened to her frantic voice asking where I was, what was going on and to please call her. Then they changed to concern, asking if I was okay. The last one was very calm, and she explained that Edward called her and told her what happened.
The restaurant, if you could call it that, had a nostalgic 1950s feel to it. We all ordered burgers and fries. I threw in a vanilla coke and mozzarella sticks. My dad made small talk, asking Edward questions about himself. It wasn't in that overbearing, over protective father way either, which made me happy. That's what I loved about my dad, he was a cop when he needed to be, and an old softie most of the time. When the waitress dropped off the cheese sticks, I immediately grabbed one.
"Son of a –" I mumbled with the hot cheese sitting in my mouth. "Hot!"
"It never fails," my dad erupted in laughter. Edward just looked at my dad smiling. "Every time this girl orders cheese sticks she doesn't wait for them to cool and shovels them in, effectively burning her mouth."
Edward laughed and I just glared at my dad.
"It's not my fault!" I said loudly. "It just happens. They're just so good!"
"Can't fault you there," Edward chimed in, eating some gooey fried cheese. Our burgers arrived and we ate hungrily. We talked about plans for Christmas and New Year's. Internally I debated between staying in Forks for Christmas or fly immediately to my mom's. I wasn't scheduled to leave until the twenty-ninth to fly out to Florida. Thankfully, work let me take a longer vacation than normal. I wasn't due back to until the second week of January.
Edward's family was hosting Christmas Eve dinner and Alice's mom was doing Christmas Day. I hung on every word he said when he described his family's holiday plans. I was mildly jealous that they had these traditions. I pushed any holiday thinking out of my mind and focused on my cheeseburger.
When dinner was finished, my dad paid for all us, despite Edward's protests. It was drizzling when we walked out of the restaurant to our cars.
"I guess I'll be seeing you around Edward." My dad shook hands with him. "Thanks for everything today and thank your father again."
"Yes, sir," Edward replied. "I will be sure to do so." He turned and gave me a quick hug. "I'll talk to you later, Bella."
"Okay," I replied. "See you."
Edward got in his car and took off. My dad and I drove home in relative silence. I was grateful he wasn't firing off questions at me. I didn't feel good or bad, I just felt numb. When we got in the house I went straight to the bathroom, after saying good night to my dad. I carefully unwrapped my hand and took a long, warm shower. As I lathered up my hair with shampoo with my uninjured hand, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I literally gasped for air and the tears exploded from my eyes.
It was over – for real this time. I was never going to be with Jake ever again. It will never be the way it was and I couldn't fix it. I was Humpty Dumpty and not all the king's horses could put me back together. I didn't even have the comfort of knowing if our relationship had been real. I didn't even get real answers from either one of them. I felt like the intruder in their relationship, not the other way around. I sobbed under the spray of the shower and tried to muffle my cries.
After I finished, I toweled off, braided my wet hair as best as I could, put my pajamas on and took some aspirin for the pain. I got under the covers and just lie there in the dark. I knew sleep wasn't going to come easy because I couldn't stop the tears from flowing. Crying into my pillow, so many thoughts came at once. It was a jumbled mess of memories, the good, the bad, and the ridiculous. By two in the morning, I knew it was useless to force myself to sleep. I sat up in the dark and stared around my room. The blinds were drawn and it was pitch black outside. The light from the streetlamp poured in casting eerie shadows over the floor and bed.
I wanted to disappear completely - nothing extravagant, just a fade to black sort of exit. I switched on the bedside lamp and walked over to the bookcase. I pulled out a blank notebook and started to write. Every thought that came to the forefront of my mind was written. Some were complete sentences, others were just words. I wrote until the light streaming in my room changed to sunlight. It was dawn when the page became blurry and my writing strayed from the lines. I rubbed my eyes and finally succumbed to sleep. Unpleasant dreams haunted me.
I heard a baby cry. When I looked around I was in a hospital room surrounded by everyone I knew. Alice and Jasper were lively chatting, Emmett and Rosalie were cooing over something, and my dad was congratulating Billy Black with a cigar. As I sat propped up by pillows in a hospital bed, someone stroked my cheek and I turned my head into it.
"I'm a dad!" Jake quietly said to me. "We have a little girl!"
I lost my voice. I didn't register what he was saying. I looked at him with wide eyes. He was so happy and free. He was the love of my life. Jake hugged me tightly, though awkwardly due to my position on the bed.
"What?" I asked. My voice wasn't right; it was higher and less scratchy.
"Oh, she's beautiful, Babe," he whispered excitedly.
"We had a girl?" I asked again. He nodded. When I looked up at everyone, they were staring at me with smiling faces. Their smiles were too smiley, toothy almost. As I studied their expressions, they were robotic, cold and unfamiliar.
"Congratulations," a beautiful, velvet voice broke my stare. When Edward's eyes met mine, his face was sad, full of pity.
In seeing Edward, I suddenly remembered that I wasn't the one who was pregnant. I wasn't with Jake. This never happened. I felt the room spin and my point of view shifted. I was no longer in the hospital bed. I was now staring at Leah, who was lying under the covers. Edward had just finished congratulating her and Jake went back to fuss over her.
No one paid attention with me. My voice was gone when I tried to speak. I couldn't move. I watched Jake kiss Leah and the nurse brought their daughter to them. After struggling, I finally spoke.
"Jake?" I meekly called. He heard me and snapped his head in my direction. I was met with a piercing gaze.
"Get out!" He said in his flat, emotionless voice. "You don't belong here, Bella."
I woke up gasping, crying and completely disoriented. I sat up, rubbed my face and looked around my bedroom. I was home, in Forks. I looked at my left hand and it was still wrapped up in the brace. It started to throb. Yesterday's chaos flooded my mind. It really did happen. I was dumbfounded. I looked at the clock and saw it was a little after noon. I felt completely exhausted.
I got up and went downstairs. My dad left me a note, letting me know he was at work and would be home later. I poured a bowl of cereal, sat at the kitchen counter and slowly ate without tasting anything. I needed to call Alice. After eating another spoonful, I walked over to my bag and pulled out my phone.
"Bella!" Alice cried after the first ring. I pulled it away from my ear.
"Hey, Alice," I replied, clearing my throat. I walked back to the kitchen and emptied the remainder of my cereal down the drain.
"Oh my God! Are you okay? How's your hand? Tell me everything!" She was going a mile a minute. I shook my head to myself.
"I'm fine. Actually, my hand hurts but what can you do?" I flexed my fingers and pain shot through my arm. I grimaced. "I just can't believe it, Al. Seriously. That's it. It's over. Last night, when Edward took me to the hospital, Jake and Leah came in not too long after. She had gone into labor and didn't pay attention to us. He had a baby, Alice. Jake had a baby."
"No freakin' way. Really?! I can't even imagine them being blissfully happy after that kind of afternoon," she mused. "Imagine the minute after your kid's born, the high wears off and now you have to deal with a screaming infant, and a boyfriend you don't trust."
"I know right?" I replied. "Yesterday was so weird."
"Tell me everything that happened," she said. "Edward called me twice yesterday. First, to tell me he was taking the next flight out to go after you and then later while you were getting your x-rays. He said you were fine, but no details. He just wanted me to know that you were alright."
I relayed everything beginning with the email that started it all to me punching Jake in the face and my awkward introduction to Edward's father. Alice's loud reactions only pushed me to include every detail. I was so wrapped up in the story that it felt like this happened to someone else.
"You punched him?!" Alice squealed. "Oh my God! Bel, I've never seen you even step on a bug. You even stop for animals crossing the street. I can't believe you hit him. That's amazing. How'd that feel?"
"Well at first, it felt amazing. I didn't even know I was going to do it. It just happened. His face made a crunching noise. I've never heard that sort of noise before."
"Wow," she replied. "That's insane. How was it being face to face with her?"
"You know, it wasn't as terrible as I thought it was going to be," I told her honestly. "Well, I was nervous as hell and pretty irate. She was more confused and hysterical. I actually began to feel a little sorry for her."
"What?!" Alice screeched. "Really. What changed your opinion?"
"I wouldn't say she won me over or anything. We're not going to be friends after this by any means. I just saw how pathetic she is and couldn't believe she's trying to create this ideal life that doesn't exist. I don't know. Seeing her in a physical sense made everything even more real. I think if I hadn't come home to confront Jake, there'd be this sense of unfinished business."
"I wish I could have been there, Bella," Alice said gently. "I would have loved to help you rip his head off."
"Hey, hang on a sec," I interrupted her. My phone beeped from an incoming call. "Hello?
"Hi, Bella," a deep voice greeted me.
"Hey, Edward, what's up?" I asked. I was surprised to hear from him. "Wait, hold on." I clicked back over. "Al, let me call you back?"
"Okay, bye!" She hung up and I went back to my other call.
"Hey, sorry. What's going on?" I inquired.
"I was wondering if you'd feel up to hanging out tomorrow," Edward asked tentatively. "The pest doesn't fly in for a couple of days and I thought we could do something."
"Oh! Um, uh, sure," I giggled nervously at his reference to Alice and his invitation. "What'd you have in mind?"
"Can you be ready by nine?" He asked.
"That's kind of early," I playfully groaned. "Yeah, that's fine."
He laughed. Edward was going to pick me up and I needed to dress comfortably and outdoorsy. I gave him directions to the house and we hung up. I walked back upstairs and sat on my bed. Though I was excited to get out of the house, an unpleasant feeling gnawed at me. I twisted my non-existent ring on my left hand and the tears flowed.
I didn't even realize I fell asleep when I heard my dad calling for me. I hadn't changed out of my pajamas. I walked down downstairs and hugged my dad.
"I spoke to your mom today," my dad said. I groaned internally.
"You called her?" I asked. "Da-ad! Why?"
"I had to let her know what was going on, kid," he answered. "She wants you to call her when you feel up to it."
"I don't want to talk about this anymore," I told him. "I just can't. It's too much."
He nodded understandingly to me as he hung his coat in the closet.
"Dad," I began hesitantly. "I was wondering, would it be a big deal if I went to visit Mom earlier than New Year's, like Friday?"
I cringed and waited for an explosion or something.
"You won't stay for Christmas?" My dad looked hurt.
"It's not that I don't want to, Dad. I don't know if I can really spend Christmas here. I think it's going to be too hard. I don't think I can do it," my voice wavered. "Dad, we haven't had a Christmas alone since I came back."
"Honey, just think about it before you take off again," he said. "I would really like to celebrate Christmas with you. I don't want you unhappy."
"Thanks, Dad," I hugged him.
"Any time, kid," he kissed the top of my head. "Do you want some dinner?"
"Actually, I think I'm going to go to bed," I told him.
"Okay, let me know if you need anything." I walked back upstairs and jumped in the shower again. There weren't enough distractions to keep my mind from wandering to Jake and bursting into tears.
After I dried off and put my pajamas back on, I combed some gel in my hair with my right hand and pulled it up into messy twists. I set my alarm for eight, then took some cold medicine in hopes of a dreamless sleep. I prayed Jake didn't haunt my dreams because I wanted him next to me so badly.
I woke before the alarm went off and stretched. I felt slightly hungover, probably from the cold medicine. I got up and threw on a black long sleeved thermal, layered with a maroon v-neck tee and some jeans. I found myself on my knees digging through the closet for some old brown hiking boots and my red backpack. After locating them, I went to the bathroom and ran the hair dyer over my slightly damp hair, which curled in perfect waves from the gel. I pinned the front up, brushed my teeth and finished getting ready. Everything I did this morning felt so robotic and mindless. I even attempted to put my makeup on, minus the usual shimmery eyeshadow, just some eyeliner and mascara. It was hard with the brace in the way and the stiffness of my fingers. There was no way I would event attempt to use my right hand. I'd probably poke my eyes out. I sat on the bed with my boots next to me and a lone tear escaped. I sniffed and scolded myself. I couldn't let Edward find me balled up in the corner today with raccoon eyes from smeared mascara.
I packed up my backpack with my music player, a notebook, a book, a camera, and a pen. I thought they might come in handy since I still didn't know what he had in mind. When I went downstairs, I saw that my dad left me another note. I wrote on the back letting him know my whereabouts. I continued to load the bag with my cell, wallet and some granola bars from the pantry.
As I sat in the living room and waited for Edward Cullen to pick me up, I contemplated how in the world he got me to agree to spend the day with him. The doorbell rang, distracting me from the stomachache that was forming. I opened the door and was met with a bundled up Edward. He was clad in jeans, a hooded sweatshirt and a beanie. He still hadn't shaved and the scruff complimented his strong jaw. His eyes shone bright and he grinned warmly at me.
"Good morning, Bella," he greeted me. "Are you ready? I'm hoping we can beat the rain for at least a couple of hours. It's a bit chilly today."
"Morning!" I replied back, my voice on the scratchy side. "I just need to grab my jacket and we can go. Should I bring an umbrella? Oh, come in!"
I giggled when I realized I'd forgotten my manners and left him standing in the doorway. He laughed with me and entered. I showed him to the living room and he sat while I retrieved my jacket and beanie from my room.
"How was your day yesterday?" He casually asked. Well, actually yelled to me.
"It was alright," I answered loudly. "I spoke to Alice and told her all the gritty details. Thanks for calling her by the way."
"Sure," he said. "I called her before I boarded the plane. She asked me to keep her in the loop. She was so worried about you that she texted me the whole day. Got everything?"
"I think?" I replied, as I clambered back down the stairs. "I packed my bag with some stuff, oh, and granola bars because I don't really know what you have planned."
I showed him the contents of my bag and he smiled as he plucked out one of the bars. He proceeded to open the packaging and eat it. I just smiled, shook my head and locked up. We walked towards his four door silver Volvo. It was immaculate, clean and shiny. Even the rims were upgraded, similar to the car color, and looked sharp. I arched my eyebrow at Edward as if to say, this is yours too? I hadn't really paid attention to it the day he showed up at Jake's house. He just smiled that dazzling smile of his at me.
"This used to be my car. When I moved to L.A., I needed a vehicle that could haul all my stuff, so I left it here and bought the truck," he answered my unspoken question. I always thought it was hot when a man treated his cars with such care.
"I see," I mused. "Why a Volvo, if I may ask? Of all cars? Aren't these mom cars?"
"Says the lady with the rusted monstrosity of metal," he teased. Of course, I interrupted.
"Hey now, I keep it clean and it has a shiny new coat of paint," I told him as he started the engine. "It just doesn't run right now. That's not my fault. That truck's over fifty years old. What do you expect? It's vintage. And it sparkles. I don't see you sparkling, mister."
"Okay, okay." He looked me and threw his hands up in surrender. "Besides Volvos are not 'mom cars', thank you very much."
When he quoted me, he actually used air quotes. Who does that? My laughter was cut short when I clicked my seatbelt in place and Edward hit the accelerator. We sped down the road at top speed. I squealed in shock and Edward laughed. He had such a care free laugh too. It was an exhilarating distraction.
"So what's the secret location?" I asked, as he turned down the highway. "Are you kidnapping me?"
"Yes, I'm kidnapping you and you'll never see your precious broken truck ever again," he sarcastically answered. "I'm glad you brought snacks because I'm going to take you to the woods and leave you there for the wolves."
"Ha-ha, Mr. Cullen, that's so freakin' amusing," I giggled and rolled my eyes. "No, really, tell me where we're going!"
"I don't know if I should," he smirked at me. Edward totally helped start my day on the right foot. He was perfect at distracting me from the inner turmoil of my mind. I felt safe knowing we were strictly friends, nothing more, nothing less. Since I was now privy to one of his weaknesses, from the hospital visit, I gave him the ultimate pout - very dramatic and very obnoxious.
"Ohhh, Bella! Not the bottom lip!" He laughed. "You're lucky I'm driving and can't fall under the spell of the pout."
"Well?" I prompted, smirking at my accomplishment.
"Okay," he relented. "When I was younger, I would hike up into the mountains and look for places to explore. Once in awhile, Emmett or some of my friends would tag along, other times I would just take off. I found this really cool spot that I think you'd like. It's very scenic and that's all I'm saying."
"You have other friends?" I feigned disbelief.
"Of course I have other friends," he replied. "What, you think Emmett's my only link to the outside world?"
"No!" I laughed. "I just never get to hear stories of other friends outside our circle. Well except for Emmett because he talks to everyone and thinks they're all his buddies. Alice and Jasper are at center of my world. I mean I do have friends at school and a couple at work."
"One of my closest friends, Marcus," he began, "is a photographer for a travel magazine. He travels all over the world, so we're more like online buddies now. He sends me the most amazing photos. We grew up together and he was on the baseball team in high school."
"That's awesome," I answered. "I would love to travel around and visit everything. I desperately want to go to Hawaii and Fiji. Oh, and Australia. Anywhere that's sunny, bright, and has beaches where you can hide from other people."
He laughed at my comment. "Really. You are not a people person? I hadn't noticed with your very candid communication skills."
Edward gestured to my bandaged arm. I suddenly became very embarrassed and could have sworn I was turning ten shades of red. After I didn't have a sassy retort for him, the silence became a little awkward. I looked out the window and we were surrounded by a dense forest with just the winding road ahead of us. I barely registered the speed of the car anymore.
"Hey," he gently nudged my arm. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to come out mean or anything."
"Oh, um, no," I stuttered. The nervousness returned and I still hadn't been able to filter my thoughts around him. "I just got embarrassed. It's not you. I've never physically hit someone like that before. I've tried not to think about that aspect. I wish it felt better."
"Well, it'll heal soon enough," Edward said knowingly.
"Yes, that's true, but I meant the crushing of his face. I wish I felt better about that," I said. I heard Edward inhale through his nose.
"Never feel bad about that. I think it took courage and strength." His voice was very even and eerily calm. "He's lucky that's all you did."
"Thanks, Edward," I looked at his profile. He glanced sideways at me and offered a smile.
"We're almost there," he changed the subject, which was fine with me.
"Yay!" I bounced in my seat. I was excited to see this secret place and I was almost sure I'd never been there before.
Edward finally reached a turn out on the road and drove down a narrower one. Not twenty minutes later, he parked. There was a slight breeze and thankfully no rain yet. He wouldn't let me get out of the car until he opened it for me. I just giggled and waited. As I strapped on my backpack, he opened the trunk, put on his jacket and proceeded to pull out other items. I got my camera out and started shooting around me.
"Are we having a picnic, Ranger Cullen?" I asked excitedly as I snapped a picture of him. He tucked a blanket under his arm and now carried a guitar case.
"Maybe," he slyly answered. "Follow me."
I followed him down the trail. I was glad my hiking boots were worn in and comfortable. The scene around me was beautiful. I took pictures of a tree, pinecones, and rocks - typical, generic nature things. When I tried to snap a picture of myself, Edward caught me. I tried to play it off, not very well, I might add. He walked back to me, held out his hand for my camera and took a picture of the two of us. It would have come out perfect, except that I laughed right when the flash went off. He had the perfect smile and I had total scrunched up laughing face.
We continued on the trail and I didn't lose my footing once. Though there was some snow covered areas, it wasn't too terribly slippery. We hiked for a little bit and made small talk about the area.
"Are you ready?" Edward suddenly asked. I looked up and we had reached an opening between the trees. I nodded. "Keep your eyes open."
I followed Edward as he walked backwards and watched me. When I reached the opening, I gasped. He wore a smug expression. There was a clearing that stretched westward and ended at a cliff. Across the ravine was a waterfall. There wasn't very much water flowing, though you could see from the stains on the mountain face that when the weather changed the abundance of water would return.
This place was amazing. I walked away from Edward towards the center and just took pictures. I even took one of Edward following me. Trees and boulders seemed to be placed perfectly, as if on purpose. The gray clouds high above contrasted with the granite, the greenery of the trees and the patches of snow.
"Edward," I turned to face him. "This is un-freakin'-believable! This place is gorgeous!"
"It's great, huh?" he answered. He set down his guitar case and backpack. "I've never brought anyone with me here before. You're the first. Well, I've seen other hikers, I didn't know them."
I laughed. "Well thank you, Ranger Cullen. I'm in shock. The air's so crisp and fresh."
"Are you ready for lunch?" He asked me as he threw the blanket in the air and spread it out on the ground. We'd moved closer towards the cliff.
"You made lunch?" I asked incredulously.
"Bella, you need to realize that I am an amazing man," he smirked and brushed his shoulder off.
"I apologize, sir. I forgot who I was speaking to," I said as I rolled my eyes and laughed at him. I straightened out the corners of the blanket.
He sat on his knees and began unpacking the food. There were different containers and zipped baggies with bread.
"Here's a plate." He handed it to me. "I have turkey, ham, mayo, mustard, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes."
"Is that potato salad?" I pointed to it and he nodded. "That's my favorite! Wow, this is awesome."
"My mom made it," he explained. "She perfected the recipe years ago. She won't even tell me how she makes it. I've tried to figure it out and I can't."
We made our sandwiches and I resisted throwing a pickle at him. I was about to ask him if he had anything to drink and he pulled out two little bottles of Dr. Pepper.
"Edward Cullen, you certainly know how to impress a girl," I blurted out.
"So, all it takes is some Dr. Pepper, eh?" He laughed at me and I joined in.
We ate and talked about nothing in particular. When we finished, I helped Edward clean up. I took some pictures of the waterfall and the clearing. With my camera and notebook in hand, I wandered away from our picnic area and just breathed in the fresh air. When I looked back at Edward, he had settled on the blanket again and brought out his guitar. I did an internal happy dance. Who doesn't love a boy with a guitar? I could hear the light strum of his guitar; however, the music was lost to sounds of the waterfall and the breeze in the trees. I felt so small standing among the trees and mountains. It was a strange feeling.
I sat on a rock that faced the ravine and started to write. Memories of Jake and I flooded my mind at once. I remembered days we'd spent like this – just us. I missed him immediately and felt completely stupid for feeling like that. I began to cry and couldn't stop. I felt overwhelmed by everything – being here with Edward, not connected to Jake anymore and the pain in my hand. I pulled my knees to my chest, crossed my arms and buried my head. I barely even noticed when the faint music ceased.
I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. I screamed when I felt a hand on my shoulder.
"Oh my God!" I breathed. When I turned, Edward stood behind me with an apologetic look.
"Sorry," he said. "When I looked up, you were shaking and I thought I should check on you. I didn't mean to startle you again."
"I'm sorry I screamed bloody murder," I replied as I wiped my face with my sleeve. "Who else would be out here? A bear, maybe? I mean, they don't politely tap people on their shoulders."
He laughed lightly and took my hand. "Come sit with me on the blanket, Bel."
I followed him back and sat cross-legged in front of him. He pulled out the well loved guitar – the finish was worn and scratched, with some faded stickers on it.
"When I was fifteen, I wanted to be a rock star," he explained. "I was so excited when I got this guitar. It took me awhile to get the hang of it. I have a hard time reading notes, so I tend to play by ear. I keep this one at my parents because I want their house to still feel like my home. You know?"
I nodded. "Can I strum it? I've never played one before. It seems like something I'd want to learn some day."
"Sure," he set his fingers a certain way and handed me the pick with his other hand. I passed over the strings with my right hand and a solid note rang out. I giggled.
"Now, keep a pace like this," he moved his hand without hitting the strings, to show me how to strum. I counted the seconds between each stroke. I smiled and concentrated.
Suddenly a song started, albeit slower than normal. I couldn't believe I was actually playing. I grinned wider at him. He began to hum to the old rock tune. I recognized it and loved that he also knew it.
"So what happened to your rock n' roll dreams?" I asked when he finished my unofficial lesson.
"Well, for one, I'm not that good, and two, I sort of grew out of it," he casually answered. "I enjoy playing for myself. It's very relaxing. Besides, I have some friends who are in bands, so sometimes they let me join."
I nodded and felt something wet hit my face. I looked up and the clouds had darkened. It was slowly starting to rain.
"We should go," Edward said as he packed up the guitar. I got up and helped fold the blanket. We made the trek back to the car and kept up a light conversation. Edward started telling terrible knock knock jokes. My sides hurt from laughing so much and the walk back to the car didn't feel as long.
I handed Edward the blanket as he packed the trunk. "Thank you for a great day. I needed it."
"Really? I'm glad," he replied, shutting the trunk. "I know you're in a lot of pain and things don't feel okay. I believe everything will get better, Bella. Good things will come to you because you deserve them. Don't give me that look, it's true."
Edward caught me squinting at him in disbelief. He made me smile, though. He reached for a hug and I held on to him tight. There were no more words. The minute he started the car, I fell asleep. I didn't wake up until we reached my house. He walked me to the door, even though I told him he didn't have to.
"I want a copy of those pictures," he demanded from me.
"Sure, sure, sure," I waved him off. "Thanks again. For everything."
"Any time, Bel," he answered genuinely. With a warm smile he continued. "Seriously. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to call me."
I pulled his beanie over his face and we laughed. Edward pulled it up, turned and waved. I waited until he left to walk inside.
"Is that you, honey?" I could hear my dad from the TV room.
"Of course it is, Dad. Who did you think it was?" I answered and walked over to him.
"I don't know a polite burglar who knocks?" He replied and I snickered.
"Yeah, I'd like to see someone try to rob you," I retorted. "Did you eat dinner?"
"I did," he said. "There's some leftovers in the fridge."
"Yum. Thanks," I told him.
"Did you call your mother?" He asked me suddenly.
Crap, I thought. "I was just going to." My dad nodded at me.
I grabbed my cell before I walked into the kitchen and checked the time. It was still early enough to call her. As I pulled out the containers, I dialed her number.
"Hello?" My mom answered on the third ring.
"Hi, Mom," I slowly said. I closed my eyes and sat at the kitchen table. This was going to be a long night.
