This chapter is on the suck-y side, but it needed to happen, so... Don't say I didn't warn you on the snooze level.
They got all the right moves
"What do you mean you're with her?" Tanya whispered.
"She's my… My…" Edward took in a deep breath, daring one look down at me before he blurted it out.
And apparently it could become more fucked up. It was a night full of surprises, believe me.
"My girlfriend."
"What?" I breathed out, all the warmth leaving my body. It was like someone had thrown a cold bucket of water over my head, making all the anger I felt vanish. In its place was worry.
Did Edward even hear himself? Is he aware of what he called me?
Breathe, Bella. One thing at a time.
Edward turned to face me, his face hollow. His eyes were wide and his mouth opened and closed as he tried to figure out what the right thing to say to me was. Tanya's glared deepened, her eyes molding into little slits. I could feel her anger in her stare, but Edward blocked it from my vision as he grasped my arms tightly. I looked up into his eyes, noticing the worry making the color swirl. Tears also swam in his eyes, pooling at the bottom.
He was scared. More than I've ever seen him before.
"Please," he whispered, his mouth inches from my ear. His hot breath made me shiver as tingles slid down my spine straight down to my toes. "Please just go with it."
I sighed, my arms lifting as my chest heaved. I wanted to hide him away from all of this, but that would only make Tanya even more revengeful. She wanted nothing more than to see this boy hurt, and if I say no to him she'll get just that. I'll grant the biggest wish of hers.
There's no way in hell that I'll let that happen. He's mine to protect, mine to save.
I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck, locking him in place. My eyes connected with Tanya's over Edward's shoulder as I whispered into his ear. "Okay. Only for you."
I felt him let out a shuddering breath of relief. "Thank you."
Tanya rose up her chin in defense as Edward pulled away from me. He turned his gave towards her but kept his arm around my waist. I molded into the side of him, just as any girlfriend would, as he began to speak.
"There's your proof, Tanya," he hissed out. "What more do you need?"
I noticed her bottom lip quiver before she bit down on it. She pushed a hand through her long hair before shaking her head, a dark chuckle leaving her velvet red lips.
"You think that I believe all of this?" She scoffed. "Please, Edward. This is all an act, but since you think this will work, I'll go with it. But be warned. I'll do whatever it takes to get you to come crawling back."
And with that, she blew Edward a kiss before turning around and walking back through the crowd of dancing bodies. Edward sighed as we both watched her disappear.
"I'm sorry for dragging you into this," he said to me as he pulled his arm away. I found it hard to not want to whimper at the loss of contact. "If I knew she'd be here I wouldn't have come, and I wouldn't have asked you to act like that for me. You deserve better, Bella."
I shook my head. This boy was unbelievable. He just faced his ex-girlfriend from hell and he's worried about me? You would think he'd be having some delayed panic attack just like he did the first time he saw her, but no. He was worried about how I felt.
Well, that just won't do. Tonight, it's about him. He needs to let all of his pent up frustration and whatever else he feels towards her out. I won't sit by and let him lock himself away like he's used to. I've gotten passed one of his walls, and I can't take two steps backwards.
"Edward, don't worry about me," I replied, grabbing onto his wrist to get him to look at me. Once I had his attention, I smiled. "See? I'm fine. That was nothing I couldn't handle. And I would've saved your ass any day. So, will you please just let yourself feel pissed instead of worry about me?"
He smiled softly and laughed quietly. "Let's get out of here first, okay?"
I nodded and let my hand fall from his wrist to his hand. I locked my fingers with his, ignoring the way my heart sped up as he gave my fingers a squeeze as best as I could as he pulled me after him through the dancing mob. We stopped every now and then as some of the other baseball players gave Edward high-fives and praises, wishing each other a great season once March rolls around. Soon enough, we were out the door and heading towards his car.
Did I mention that there still was a smile on his face? Well, there was. And it did things to my head and heart. Really, really good things.
Edward revved the engine after we both were safely in his car before speeding towards his home. My hand missed the warmth of his, but I knew that even if to one person we were together, it would never happen in reality. Like I told Alice, I couldn't let my feelings get in the way of trying to mend him. He needed a constant push in his life, and if I hold back because I'm afraid of pushing him because of the way I feel towards him, then he'd never be get better. He needed me to be the one who pushes him, the one who makes him feel so pissed, so happy, and so back to his old self. And I'll be damned if I get in the way of myself.
"You're lost in your head," Edward murmured as we passed the 'Welcome to Forks' sign. "What's up?"
I shrugged, blushing. "Nothing. But… there is something I'd like to discuss with you."
"Okay, shoot," he said, his smile faltering a little, and his hands gripped the steering wheel tighter.
"Well, Tanya doesn't really believe we're together, and I was thinking… if we want her off your back, then we have to make it believable, Edward. At school, we have to act like every other couple we see because she'll be watching us like a hawk. And we can't let anyone know that this isn't the real deal. If someone hears that it's not, they'll go straight to Tanya and she'll use that against us." I took in a deep breath. I was rambling again. "So… what I'm trying to say is that we need to do this the right way, and not half-ass it, okay?"
Edward was silent for a moment, but then he nodded in agreement. I noticed his eyes turn to me as his smile grew bigger.
"What?"
He chuckled. "You think of everything, you know that, right? I wouldn't have even seen through the cracks like you have. So, thank you. For everything."
I smiled, shrugging. "You're welcome. But don't think you get off that easy, Cullen. You owe me. Big time."
He laughed. A loud, beautiful laugh, and it made my heart squeeze in on itself.
"Whatever you want, Swan. You just name it."
x-x-x-x
It was Monday. The first day of my 'relationship' with Edward.
To say the least, I was nervous. We had no idea on how this could play out. This could practically be a disaster if we weren't careful. And it sucked knowing that I only had Edward to talk about this with. Now was a time that wished I could call up Alice and ask her for some advice.
But I couldn't. No one could know about the truth. Not even our closest friends.
I pulled my phone from my pocket after closing the door to my truck. I pressed on my messages button and opened up my conversation with Edward from last night.
You remember what I told you last night, right? No one can know. Not Alice, not Jasper, no one. We're alone in this. So, final answer. Are you sure you want to go through with this? – Bella
I know, Bella. Calm down, okay? Things are going to work out; we just have to do things just like you said. We have to be like other couples. I'm in if you're in. – Edward
You're killing me, Cullen. You can't just leave your fate up to me, this is your lie you want to spread. I'm just a casualty. – Bella
You are not just a casualty, Bella. – Edward
You know what I mean, and stop avoiding the question! Is operation Get Tanya off Your Back a go? – Bella
Yes. Now, go to sleep. We have a big day ahead of us, girlfriend. ;) – Edward
The wink… it was a start in getting him back to himself. Alice is the only one other than me that has gotten one from him, and it was just a smiley-face. I got a wink.
Yeah, my heart stopped for a second when I got that late last night.
I exited out of the messages before I lost myself and did something stupid. I shut my phone off and shoved it back into my pocket before walking over to where Alice and Jasper were. I looked around the lot for Edward's Volvo, but it was nowhere to be seen.
He wouldn't skip today… He promised we're in this together… He better be here, or things will get ugly.
"B, there you are!" Alice yelled, waving her hand.
I rushed over to her and wrapped my arms around her in a hug. She squeezed me tightly before letting me go with a huge grin. I rolled my eyes and nodded to Jasper.
"Did she have too much sugar in her Coco Puffs this morning, because I seriously doubt it's legal to be this chipper on a Monday morning," I asked him with a teasing smirk.
Alice shrieked before punching me softly in the arm. "Shut up, Bells! I'm my normal chipper self. There's nothing wrong about that."
I laughed. "Alright, Ali. I was just teasing, geeze. Violence wasn't necessary."
"Yeah, yeah. I'm sorry and all that good stuff," she replied with an eye roll. But then she turned to me with a glare. "You and Edward left without telling anyone Saturday! Thanks for ditching us. We had to get a ride with a deliriously happy Emmett and a pissed off Rosalie. That was not enjoyable at all."
"Deliriously happy? Did he win his fight?"
Alice nodded. "Oh, yeah. Paul tapped out after getting a hard punch to the ribs. Of course that was after Em got a black eye, so Rose was beyond pissed at the point. She and Emmett fought all the way home, and him being happy really ticked her off more. So, fair warning, they might be grumpy today."
"Great." More to look forward to on this wonderful Monday morning…
Alice's attention went right back to Jasper after we ended our conversation. Again, I looked around the parking lot to search out Edward's car, and this time I found it. He had just parked it… right next to my truck.
Ironic? Please, this is just a part of the act. We planned this brilliantly.
After locking his car, he walked straight towards me. He had a crooked grin on his face as he pulled his Ray-bans off his nose, his green eyes bright. He looked normal today in his grey t-shirt and jeans, not uptight like he usually was in his button-up shirts.
He looked like Edward before. And god, did I wish I had been able to meet him. He looked so happy.
"Whoa, is Edward smiling? On a Monday morning?" Alice asked from behind me. "Am I dead. Jazz, did I die or something?"
Jasper chuckled before silencing her with a kiss.
Edward took the final three steps towards me before pulling me towards his chest. My arms instinctively wrapped around his neck as his gave me a hard squeeze around my waist. As I looked over his shoulder I noticed that the whole lot was staring at us. Including Tanya.
And, boy, was she mad!
Point for team Cullen-Swan.
"It's working," I whispered into his ear. "She looks livid."
I felt him chuckle before he let me go, but not before he placed a delicate kiss onto my temple. He smiled down at me as I stared up at him with wide eyes, but he just shrugged it off.
It's an act, Bella. Remember?
Right.
"Holy shit," Alice whispered. "I'm most definitely dreaming if that just happened."
"Why don't we give them a moment, Edward?" Jasper stated. "I think Alice might explode if she had to wait for lunch just to ask Bella what that was all about."
Edward smiled. "I don't see what's to talk about. I just kissed my girl on the forehead like any good boyfriend would."
"What!" Alice shrieked loudly.
"Yeah, we better leave now," Jasper said with a laugh.
Edward kissed me again on the temple before following after Jasper. The sound of his laughter faded with the distance, but Alice's shrieking made it disappear.
"Isabella Marie Swan, you've got some explaining to do!"
Better now than later, right?
See? It was all kinds of boring. Ugh, I hate it. I'm sorry, but I do.
So, give me your thoughts? I'm skipping Alice and Bella's talk because we need some Edward input, yes?
Who wants the next one? (:
