The Twilight characters belong to Stephenie Meyer
Thank you all for reading my story! I recognize a lot of you from the other stories and I am really grateful that you are taking the time to follow this new one. Please keep it up.. because of you guys I am trying to write as much as I can as fast as I can! Woohoo =) And thank you to Quickbunny01 for letting me blab about my always changing ideas. You're the best!
Chapter 9
Edward just stared at my face, waiting for me to say- something. I had no idea what to tell him. How can I explain that I had ditched school, left with James after he broke into my house, helped him burn down an almost hotel, then had sex with him on the beach? There were no excuses, I chickened out and decided to lie through my teeth.
"This is really complicated." I stuttered between each word, making it sound even worse then I had meant it to.
"Bella- here's your homework." He handed me a bunch of papers folded in half. They were warm from his hand. He must have been waiting for a while. Edward turned and put his hand on the door handle to his car.
"Wait, don't leave like this. Please Edward, talk to me." I put my hand on his shoulder to stop him. This wasn't how I wanted things to be between us, Edward had been good to me, he deserved an explanation.
"What's to talk about Bella? You just rode up on the back of a motorcycle with the only person in the world I would like you to stay away from. I'm not really sure how to feel about that."
"We were just, hanging out." I shrugged and kicked at his tire. This was horrible. I just needed to say that it was over. Let him go with some dignity.
"Hanging out? Bella he almost knocked you out yesterday when he was trying to hit me! Besides, what could you and James Camden possibly have to talk about?" Edward half laughed, like James and I spoke different languages, how could we ever communicate? Anger turned my vision red; he just made this very easy for me.
"How would you know? Not like you ever actually talk to me. James listened to what I have to say! And we have a lot in common thank you! He's just a little misunderstood. I'm sure you don't really care though do you? Since you're part of the reason he has such a messed up past!" I was seething now, how dare Edward pull this better than you crap with me.
"What? How could I have anything to do with James being a total screw up? I learned a long time ago to stay away from that guy. He's always been a loser. " Edward was yelling right back, both of us about to butt heads like two rams fighting for territory.
"Are you kidding me? You sent him to juvi when you guys were in middle school! He told me all about breaking into that house and finding that dead body and calling the cops and telling them it was all his idea!" My hand balled into a fist and I was ready to punch Edward in the face.
"Did he tell you I changed my mind at the last second? That I wanted to just back out; that he and all the guys ragged on me and swore to kick my ass if I backed out? We went into that house and it smelled right away, it was horrible. Then I found that lady, and I had never seen a dead body before. I freaked out ok! James was all-cool about it, but I guess he'd seen stuff like that before. I didn't know she'd killed herself, all I saw was a rotting corpse that had been slashed open!" Edward shook his head, trying to get the image out of his head.
"I tried to convince James to go to the cops with me but he just got all pissed off. So I told my dad the truth that night, I said it was my idea. I told him that James came along with me but that it wasn't his fault. My dad called the cops and pinned it on James. I guess since who he is they didn't even question it, and since I didn't have a record or anything they just sort of ignored me."
"You could have told everyone the truth." I whispered, all the anger was gone now, leaving me completely confused about what to think.
"I wanted to, James was the only kid who was nice to me when we moved here. When the other guys weren't around, he was decent you know. I think if he weren't stuck with his asshole of a father he'd be ok. My dad though- he got on this trip about how James was already destined to end up a loser. That I was smarter then that and as long as I don't 'ruin my future with another fuck up' I'd be as good as him someday. He put all this pressure on me to like, follow in his foot steps and crap."
"Ok, I get that. But is it really an excuse to let James take your place in jail? How could you do that? James is smart, if given half a chance he can make it out of the life he was born into." Tears had somehow worked their way into the corners of my eyes. If everyone expected James to fail, why would he work to achieve anything? I knew he was better then that.
"Bella, I was thirteen. I was scared. I even snuck off to go see James so I could apologize to him. I took a bus for forty-five minutes then rode my bike for another thirty just to get to the detention center, but he wouldn't talk to me though. He never has since then. I guess it's just been easier for me to write him off." Edward ran a hand through his perfectly messy hair. How could I do this to him, he wasn't an awful person, he was just misunderstood. Like James…
"Look, I don't know what you were doing with James today… but I know your better then what he has to offer. I saw it on that first day, when the two of you were standing together in the hallway. It was in your eyes then, the same look that all the girls have when they look at him. It's not real Bella; he doesn't have anything to offer. It's that whole bad boy image, all the girls like it." Edward was pleading with me, willing me not to say what he knew was coming.
" Edward- " He kissed me, softly. It could feel how sad he was through that kiss.
"Just think about things Bella, wait until prom. Then decide ok." I nodded and Edward got into his car, leaving me standing alone in the driveway.
Raindrops fell on my hair, making it smell like the beach. I couldn't think; there were no clear thoughts were forming in my mind. Edward, or James? The choice should be easy, but the circumstance was getting in the way. I didn't want to hurt anyone, but I wanted to be with the right one. Just- who was it?
