Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.

Beta'd by HollettLA

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Higher

Chapter Ten: Ceiling Effect

Edward drove off, but I knew the drill.

Like most apartment buildings in Brooklyn, his bell doesn't work, and this neighborhood is ghetto.

Edward didn't have to tell me not to wander. I wouldn't want to.

I looked up to the living room window. "JAZZ!" I boomed. "JAZZ!"

Then I waited a minute while my eyes scanned the area. The block was actually quiet, but there were small groups of guys chillin' on each corner, it seemed. In my neighborhood, there would be children littering the street, but not here. Well, if I had a kid and lived here, I wouldn't let them play outside. That's for damn sure. Just as I thought that, my gaze fell to the ground, and I kicked a crack vile away from my shoe, grimacing.

As soon as Jazz saw it was me, I ran up the outside steps and heard him thumping down the inside staircase.

"What's up?" He opened the door, looking up and down the block. "Get in."

I couldn't believe how skinny he was. Jazz wore bicycle shorts. That's it. He was toned, but really thin. "I'm supposed to wait for Edward."

"Alice didn't come with you?" He turned to run up the steps, taking two at a time.

"No." I had no idea what she told Jasper she was doing today. Alice refused to tell him that tomorrow was her eighteenth birthday.

To my knowledge, both Jasper and Emmett still think my friends and I are twenty years old. "She's…busy."

"Busy with what?" He opened the door to their crib. "I tried calling earlier...thought we could go to Coney Island or something."

"She went out with her mom," I said, entering the apartment.

It was actually cool. The whole place felt comfortable because they had these loud, industrial fans in two windows, and the TV was even louder. I wondered how Jasper was able to hear me from the sidewalk.

"Yo, this shit is phat!" Emmett held his head, beer in hand.

Jasper jumped onto the couch.

I stared to the TV. They were watching some guy do all these different tricks with a skateboard. "What is this?"

"This dude…Tony Hawk," Jasper said. "The Birdman—Oh! Did you see that shit?"

The guy on TV had done some weird flip-thing.

"Hey, Bella." Emmett jerked his chin, engrossed by the television, too.

I waved.

"Oh, Emmett, here." I tossed him the pill bottle. "Edward said to give that to you. Now you're even for some bet?"

"He can't beat my ass in Street Fighter." He looked to it. "Who's Renee Swan?" My mother kept my father's name but kicked him out.

"Crap. I was supposed to take the sticker off." I went to grab them back.

He wouldn't let me have them, holding them high in the air. "How's he gonna steal meds and give them to me like this is supposed to be in place of fifty-bones?" He guffawed.

"He didn't steal them." I held out my hand.

Emmett stared at me. "Does that mean you did?"

"No…he, um, he bought those from my mom." I furrowed my brow, and that was a great save.

"Take the sticker then." He handed them back. "So, you're Bella Swan? Or, is Bella short for Isabelle?"

Reluctantly, I nodded and sat on the couch, trying to scratch the label off. "Isabella."

Emmett hummed. "You wanna beer…Isabella?"

I shook my head. "No, thank you."

"Something to drink?" He raised a brow, giving me this goofy grin; the dimples came out.

"Put them away." I looked down to the bottle again, wanting to at least get her name and our address off it. I still felt Emmett staring, and I was thirsty... "I'll take a glass of water, please."

"Comin' right up." He left the recliner to go into the kitchen.

Jasper laughed. "That mo'vfucka hasn't left that chair all day, and he's fetchin' you water."

"I'm a guest," I said.

He barked out another laugh. "You've been given the tour, you've slept here more than once—you're sleeping with one of us . . . As Ed's girl, you can get'cha own fuckin' drink." His tone was teasing.

Even if he wasn't kidding around—him saying that wouldn't upset me. I took that to mean I was welcome here, no longer a guest, in that hindsight way.

And he said, "Ed's girl."

I wanted so badly to be Edward's girl.

We haven't known each other long at all; tomorrow will be a week. I just feel that Edward and I are closer than only knowing each other six days. Especially since we spend every minute we're not working together.

He makes me feel so comfortable, like I've known him all my life, too, and I do want to tell him everything and anything.

But I'm afraid of blurting something about my stupid feelings…

Otherwise, there's really not much to tell, but he thinks there is—like I'm keeping these dark skeletons locked away. I'm not deep or complex at all, much to Edward's dismay, I guess.

Even so, we have only known each other six days!

Then again, I pretty much gave him my heart on day one.

Underneath his rough exterior—and that snarky attitude he can't seem to shake—lies the best guy in the world. I swear it. He is a lot more forthcoming than me, says he wants me to know him, and I think that's awesome.

I'm just so empty . . .

Even though I haven't said much—and he thinks I haven't shared—he knows everything about me. We've spoken about my childhood, my parents' divorce, school, friends, and he knows all about Matt Avery, that stupid guy I gave my virginity to.

And now…shit, I have loads of new stories, new experiences, but Edward knows all of those, too—because he starred in them.

The only thing I'd clam up about is my mother. I find our relationship ridiculous—the back, the forth—her putting her boyfriends before me, and me always making that okay, forgiving her and never truly complaining about it, all the times I feel she's hurt me. I also feel it's dumb since I'm an adult now. I'd just come off sounding like a whiny baby...complaining about my mother.

But I just told him in the van...the gist.

I only come alive when he's around, as if I was dead before, and I had this feeling that as long as I had Edward, I wouldn't need the other E ever again.

Huh…

From what he's told me, his mother passed away when he was fourteen from ovarian cancer. His father—Carlisle—is still single, although Edward actually wishes his dad would go out and get laid. He's still young, only forty-one, and they have an okay relationship.

His Uncle Demetri—Carlisle's younger, gay brother—is actually one of the owners of Tunnel NYC. Apparently, some dealers are planted in that club that are employed by Demetri while Edward supplies Demetri—who'd gone to bat for him when he'd gotten in trouble years back.

Well, in my opinion, all his uncle did was the right thing. He had Edward selling shit on the street at thirteen, and then Edward dropped out of high school in the ninth grade. It became his full-time gig. He was in deep from such a young age.

When Carlisle found out and tried to shield him from it, they had a blowout fight, which resulted in Edward going to live with his uncle. They didn't speak for close to two years because Carlisle beat the shit out of Edward—put him in the hospital.

Children's Protective Services placed him with his uncle.

If they only knew . . .

So, Edward lived with his uncle for a couple of years.

During that time, he'd be in and out of clubs, meeting all these different people…dealing, stealing, and hustling.

Demetri inducted him, but Edward branched out on his own.

My heart breaks for him because he was so young.

What the fuck did he know back then? How could he distinguish right from wrong if most of the adults in his life were in on the bad?

At sixteen, a few months shy of seventeen, Edward got arrested. He had an illegal handgun and a lot of coke in the trunk of his car; meanwhile, the car was stolen and he had no license.

Technically, it wasn't Demetri's buy that got him arrested, and Edward refused to say who it was for. He's evasive about that which makes me think mafia.

'Cause Edward was adamant; they would have killed him, his father, his uncle, and Emmett, who comes from his mom's side, which is larger than his dad's—basically, anyone he was close to—they'd wipe out his whole family had he squealed.

Carlisle took a second mortgage on his house to pay Edward's bail, and Edward had a lot of money that he'd saved. They reconciled, but not before Carlisle threw him another beating. It wasn't as bad as the first, not that anyone cared since he was a couple years older.

They got him a really good lawyer who was able to get a few charges dropped and his sentence reduced. It was tricky since Edward admitted to stealing the car, but he lied about the drugs. He said he had no idea what was in the trunk, which police couldn't prove either way. Edward claimed no knowledge.

By some miracle, they never tried him as an adult, and he's out now.

Actually, he was eligible for parole at four years and some months; however, Edward would get into fights constantly. They denied him until he'd served his whole bid, which is why he's not on probation now.

He came home to his father. Carlisle gave him a job. It's a family business, and Edward's known how to fix crap like that since he was really little. He says that the other stuff he's doing now is minor in comparison—he does it for extra money—and he knows his way around the law? Like, he can have this amount and it's still a misdemeanor? I don't understand that part of it, but he says he's being careful. He doesn't deal with people he doesn't know, and Ecstasy isn't harshly regulated because it's only recently illegal and not so widespread yet.

Edward says he likes money. He never wanted to worry about paychecks, shit like that. So, he does what he can when he can—makes it seem like he's stockpiling all this cash for a rainy day. Well, he doesn't plan on doing it forever, but I have the feeling…that stuff is all he's ever known.

It's easy…for him.

He does hold a full-time job, though.

Edward says he enjoys working with his father. He said, "It's not that bad, but the pay isn't all that good."

When he told me he was making $22 an hour, I looked at him like he was crazy.

The minimum-wage slave loser that I am is making $4.25 an hour at Carvel

Then he told me that back in the day, he'd get much more for only fifteen minutes of his time.

At first, he'd told me he sold shit on the side to get his own place quicker. But that's not true. Since Emmett's not making that much money right now, Edward is paying his part of the rent. Edward also wants to pay off his father's house.

Edward gave me a list of other reasons why he's doing it...and none of them stem from a greedy place. It's all for the future and for others, mainly those who he's wronged, or those who suffered due to his incarceration in the past.

As of late, his main focus is getting Carlisle and Demetri to talk. Edward has a relationship with the both of them…separately. They haven't spoken to each other in years—since right before Edward went away—and Edward thinks it's his fault.

And Carlisle thinks Edward is squeaky clean since he's been out.

From what I've heard, and...by the way Edward lights up when he speaks about him, Carlisle sounds awesome, but Demetri…?

Personally, the jury's still out on that.

And he just told me all of this the other night.

This past Wednesday, he picked me up after work. We got a few slices of pizza, and then we went back to his place to fuck. We smoked a fat blunt afterward, and after that…Edward started talking.

I loved it . . . not necessarily the story, because I hate that Edward was away for so long and that he's had bad things happen to him.

But he confided in me…

Me!

When he was through, he thanked me, said I was a good listener. He also thanked me for not judging him.

But today he said he told me his life story, so I'd share mine.

It baffles me because Edward knows that story. He knows everything. Maybe I'm just that boring? It's not believable?

"Here you go." Emmett put a glass down in front of me. "You want one of these?" He shook the painkiller bottle.

"No, thanks." I'd never taken it before, and I didn't know what it would do to me.

"I was kidding." He popped one into his mouth. "They're not bad, though...help my neck." Speaking of, he'd turned it to his side and cracked it.

"Don't you workout all the time?" I asked, wondering why he'd be in pain since he's a young, fit guy.

As of late, with all the sex we've been having, I find myself in pain sometimes, too—my thighs, hips, and random muscles ache. I also find mystery bruises, and I have no idea, no clue as to where they came from.

But it all hurts so good . . .

"Every day," he sighed. "I gotta stay in shape, and sometimes I hurt myself, or get hurt at work." Emmett smiled. "The other day, we're at this apartment building. You know, I work over in Bed-Stuy—"

"Not this fuckin' story again!" Jasper slapped his knee.

"Shut it." Emmett spat, looking back to me. "It was my first multiple-alarm fire, a three-alarmer—" I had no idea what that meant "—I had to use my axe to get into a room, and yo...the flames were fuckin' lickin' my helmet. I'm sweatin' my ass off, and my heart's thumpin', thumpin', thumpin', and then I had to throw this bitch over my shoulder and get the fuck outta there." He was happy and animated, using his hands as he told the story. "It was intense."

"Right," I said.

"Flames were lickin' my helmet, Bella." He shook his head.

I nodded.

"I saved a woman's life!" He poked his chest. "I'mma hero."

"What's she supposed to do?" Jasper's tone was sarcastic, his thumb jerking to me. "Rip her top off and sit in your lap?"

"Fuck you." Em snapped. "I'm just tellin' a story."

Ignoring Jasper, I faced Emmett. "That's awesome." I showed more enthusiasm than I meant, trying to be nice. "Good for you. The city needs more...brave dudes like you."

Emmett looked pleased with himself. "It was nothin'." Suddenly, he was modest.

"Gimme one of those." Jazz held out his hand.

"Do you even know what it is?" Emmett took a tab out.

"No, but I'm off today. And I figure if you—the altar boy, the hero—is taking it, it can't be too bad." Jasper chuckled.

Emmett made the pills rattle. "They're perk tens."

"Yo...yeah, I want one, but you need to watch. Those are the first stop on the dope head express." Jasper held his hand out.

I furrowed my brow because Jasper looked baked out of his mind. "Dope head? How much have you smoked?" And I didn't ask in Emmett's defense, but I was curious.

Jasper cackled. "Dope is heroin, little one." He patted my head.

I disagreed. "Dope is weed." I nodded, remembering an episode of Saved by the Bell. It was on recently. "On Saved by the Bell...this fake movie star Johnny Dakota comes to Bayside—" I stopped talking because my saying that just showed them how young, how fucking clueless I might be. "Um..."

"There's no hope with dope!" Emmett shouted.

I gasped. "You watch that show?"

"Jessie Spano is fine, my girl." Emmett held his chest.

Jasper sucked his teeth. "Yo, how old are you?" he asked me.

"Saved by the Bell is awesome." I refused to answer his question.

"Dope is heroin," he repeated himself.

"It can be both...Dope is also slang for how good something is. Like, 'Yo, those shoes are dope,'" Emmett explained to me, looking to Jazz. "You remember Riley?"

"I don't wanna talk about that," Jasper whispered.

I looked to Emmett. "Who?"

"Our boy from way back in the day...He died of a heroin overdose...fucking Edward turned him out."

"Edward never made Riley do a damn thing!" Jasper nearly shouted. "Just gimme that shit, and please don't talk about Rye-Rye."

Emmett stared at me and then to Jasper. "Open your mouth and go long."

Jasper did just that, and Emmett was able to toss the tab into his mouth.

It made me laugh. "You guys are nuts." Every few minutes it seemed like they were about to start fighting. But then they're cool and joking around? I didn't get it.

Emmett rolled his eyes. "You're crazier than us all—messin' wit' King Crazy."

"Shut up." That pissed me off.

Emmett looked to Jasper and then to me. "Can I talk to you in the kitchen for a minute?" he asked.

Jasper placed his hand on my forearm, stopping me, but I hadn't planned to go anywhere. "Em…mind your business, man. Tell another story."

"Look, I'll rap to you here, in front of Jazz." Emmett showed me his palms. "Fuck, I'd say it in front of Edward, too," he laughed. "Bella, you're young, you're beautiful—you're smart, and you're in college—you have what I hope is a bright future ahead of you." He paused, holding his lips. "Edward…he's going to bring you down—"

"I don't wanna listen to this." I made to get up.

"Lemme finish!" Emmett defended. "Maybe Ed's got his pops fooled, but he hasn't changed at all."

"Man, you said enough." Jasper shook his head. "Knock it off, all right? And if you got somethin' to say about Edward, you should wait until he's here. Right now...you're sounding like some two-faced cunt."

"Excuse me?" Emmett asked.

Jasper didn't reply, waving him away.

Emmett turned back to me. "My cousin's not a bad guy, but he's made some bad choices, you know? And it doesn't look like that's changing any time soon."

"Why—" I started, but I didn't know how to put my feelings into words.

"You're having fun now, right?" Emmett asked me. "Youse are so close so fast—I don't know what his real gimmick is wit'chu. But he don't keep chicks around. Since he's been out, he macks it to any decent-lookin' chick. He's a player, gets bored mad quick. By next week, hey, if you're still around . . . bravo, but you'll still get played. Bottom line, you only know what he's told you. I'm sure he didn't tell you anything, and he wouldn't've told you about his past if—"

"Stop," I whispered.

"I'm sayin', though. Bella, he's using you, and he's going to get you into trouble…all for him to walk away in a week? Maybe two?"

Emmett's words made my eyes prick with tears.

"No." I shook my head, hoping that wasn't true, and I was waiting for Jasper to deny it, but he stayed quiet.

Either way, I refused to cry, wondering when I became so sensitive, since I'd cried earlier, too.

"I'm lookin' out for you," Emmett said. "Think I'm a dick, tell Edward so we can duke it out." He threw mock punches into the air, like he was boxing. "Whatever. I couldn't hold my tongue anymore. Everything I just told you is true. My cousin's a player...he's using you."

I wanted to tell Emmett to shut the hell up. I wanted to kick him, but only because…his words made sense.

We've only known each other six days, and I'm all…hoping we'll be together forever, thinking it's possible, acting a fool.

If Edward is really how Emmett said…

Shit. I've seen Renee get played too many times.

One would think I'd know better.

And the thought of Edward…getting bored, casting me aside…made me feel worse than I ever had in my life—a pain so great I couldn't name.

When the phone rang, it snapped me out of my thoughts, but another one came to mind.

I needed to get out of here, and made to leave the couch.

"Hello…?" Emmett asked, placing the phone to his ear. "Yo, how'd you get this number?" He groaned, leaning back. "Alice, right."

Jasper and I both stared at him now, and I stayed seated.

"That's Alice?" Jasper reached for the phone.

Emmett shook his head. "Yeah, she's here . . . Why you so nasty for?" he asked whomever. "We chilled one time…It didn't work out." He looked to me. "And why'd you tell Bella we fucked, huh? I mean, I know why, but how could you do that to your—"

My eyes widened; it was Rose.

"She just assumed?" He raised a brow in my direction.

I didn't confirm or deny anything.

"That's—yo, I know the truth. Why don't you tell your friend what's up?" he asked her. "You should tell her before I break it down right quick."

Rose flat-out said they had sex—bad sex at that, but why lie about it?

"Thank God, I dodged that bullet. I mean, if you're like this after some bullshit kiss, and being denied…Yo, I apologize for having standards…My mistake was having too many shots and opening my mouth—ohhh!" He cringed. "And you told her I was a lousy lay—on top of it." He laughed loudly, and Rose must have said that because I didn't share that with anyone…except Alice, who might have told Jasper.

Crap.

Oh well...I have my own fucking problems.

"Sweetheart, if I did hit you off, your head would still be spinnin'." He just held the phone out to me, staring into my eyes. "I told you…I didn't sleep with her."

"I-I don't care either way," I said.

"It's for you." He wiggled the cordless. "Take it."

I grabbed it and then Emmett walked to his bedroom and closed the door. "Hey," I said.

"He's such an asshole!" Rose shouted. "And I only told you he was a bad lay because—"

"Doesn't matter." I really didn't care.

"He wouldn't shut up about you that night. He kept…like whining, 'Let's go see what they're up to,' like I wasn't good enough to chill with." She huffed.

I didn't know what to say.

"Then he goes on some tirade about trying to keep you away from Edward—blah, blah. That's how I knew your boy did time. Oh, then we head up to you guys—you were dancing with Alice. You didn't see us, and Emmett's drunkety-drunk-drunk—"

"Rose…" I wanted to stop her.

"No, I need to get this off my chest. I need to tell you all of it."

"Okay," I sighed, sitting back.

"You want one now?" Jasper had the medicine bottle in one hand and a bong in the other.

I rolled my eyes, and I took out one of those fucking pills, fast to swallow it with a sip of water.

Might as well get fucked up.

I was hopeful the painkiller could dull the ache I felt in my chest—make me feel better.

"You might as well load that shit, too," I told Jasper, pointing to the bong.

My stomach was turning, and I was scared of what Rose was going to tell me, too. "You still there?" she asked.

"I'm here," I said.

"All right, look. Long story short, when Emmett stepped to Edward, running his mouth at Tunnel, Edward punched him in the face before he had us escorted out. He must know the owner, or he has pull somehow. He snapped his fingers and security made us leave. It all lasted two minutes at best, but before we left that room…Edward gave me two hundred bucks to take Emmett home…and wait until he arrived with you, so I could tell you that I screwed Emmett."

"I don't…understand," I whispered.

"Technically, Emmett didn't tell me about Edward being in prison until after I took his money…Emmett was fucking pissed, but he's an asshole, so fuck him."

I had no idea what to think. "Edward paid you to—why?"

"Oh, fuck…you can have the first hit." Jasper handed me a lighter.

I put my hand up.

"I'm a horrible friend…this shit has been eating at my conscience," she cried. "Don't you understand? Emmett was trying to keep you away from Edward, who was trying to keep you away from Emmett!" she shouted. "Fucking kid games…and I was jealous, so . . . You hate me?"

I shook my head no. "No…I'm trying to make sense of it all . . . Edward was that sure I'd be going home with him?"

"I don't know…The way you were on him, I knew you were gonna go home with him. But I tried to tell you what Emmett told me. The rest of it? I mean…Emmett's a dick, but he might be right about Edward—he's bad news, and you should stay away from him, Bella. Just…call car service. I'll pay for it. You can stay with me a few days…but you gotta call your mom. She ran in here screaming about how a guy in a van kidnapped you…after you slashed Phil's tires?"

"Just one tire...one." I groaned, palming my forehead.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked.

Anger flared up inside me. "Bitch...What the hell's wrong with you? Taking money…so your best friend could get…conned?" I didn't even know what to call it. "Practically fucking pimping me out. Ugh! Tires can be replaced, but trust can't!" I shouted. "I'd never—not for a million dollars—do something like that to you, and now it's a week later…?" I felt a tear roll down my cheek, and I was fast to wipe it away.

Maybe if I knew from the beginning, what I know now, I wouldn't be head over heels—I wouldn't have gone home with Edward.

"I am so sorry," she sobbed.

"I gotta go." I ended the call, throwing myself back to look at Jasper. "Um…did Alice know?"

"No," Jasper said.

"Does Emmett?"

"Yeah." Jasper nodded. "Edward told him. For whatever reason, he told him that next day. It was after Emmett went to see you but before Edward did." He shrugged and then tilted the bong my way.

I sniffled, placing my mouth to it while Jasper lit it.

Sucking in a huge hit, I tried to keep it inside as long as possible.

"That was a good one." The bubbles sounded when Jasper went for it.

I coughed and took a sip of water. "Why do it?" My head felt fuzzy already, and I looked down to the phone. I had to call my mother before she called the police, although I think I have forty-eight hours to play with before they actively search.

"Emmett wouldn't shut up about you—"

"It doesn't matter…things would have played out the same, no matter what. Right?" I asked myself. "Yeah...and regardless, Rose and Emmett fucking had no effect on me whatsoever. I didn't care." I scratched my nose. It was so itchy.

"I think Ed knew that Emmett would catch up to you. Whether…Ed wanted to see you again or not after that night youse boned, he didn't want Emmett…to be with you. And he made sure of that by having Rose tell you what she did. You'd never fuck someone your friend did, right?" He coughed into his closed fist. "Ed's...who he is, but that evil fucker's smart."

"It-it still didn't matter," I whispered. "I don't like Emmett."

"This shit is awesome…" Jasper looked into the bong. "The motherfuckin' chronic!" he sang. "Yo…wake up." He hit my leg, but I was awake. "Can you call Alice? Ask her to come over? I think she's avoiding me." He thought that was hysterical. "It's really not funny. I really dig your friend, man. Like, for real. I've been jackin' my shit to her…'cause she won't give up the goods. What's up wit' that?"

"I dunno, but she's not avoiding you," I whispered, my eyelids fluttering closed, but I woke up enough to focus, call my house.

Thank you for reading.

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