Vanilla Salt

Jukebox: When I look at you - Miley Cyrus [Sorry Miley fans but I strongly dislike Miley with a passion. This is the only song I like.. just the song, not her signing. She needs to shush up. Instumental. Is. -love-]

Chapter 10 - Selfish.

A/N: -Reads lovely hate mail from chapter 9.- *wink* ALSO! I changed about.. three, four words in the beginning of this chapter. Hopefully it's not noticible. :)

-

Everything was falling apart.

I looked up to The Volturi but they did nothing. They only stood there with light smiles ghosting their features. Aw, fuck you too.

"Jacob, stop.. " I tugged on his sleeve but he jerked in response. Then he began to talk, causing everyone to quiet down, ready to listen.

"Cullen. Edward Cullen." He spat his name as if it was a pimple on his ass. "You like Bella, don't you? You really like her."

Gasps were heard throughout the whole room, including my own. Jacob did the unthinkable and now everyone was staring at Edward, waiting for his response. Edward stared long and hard at Jacob, staring him down, silently challenging him. The tension in the air started to become thick. Just when I was about to tell Jacob to stop telling bad jokes, Edward spoke and my heart stopped.

"I.. "

-

Edwards P.o.V.

-

Jacob sneered at me after speaking. Everyone had gasped, leaning in, waiting for my answer. I furrowed my brows, giving Jacob a 'you idiot' look before turning my gaze over to Bella. Her expression caused my heart to quicken. Her eyes were widen with fright, probably of my answer. She was clutching her shirt tightly.

"I.. don't like Bella."

Cheering was heard all around. Both sides glad that I didn't like the Rebel leader. Jacob relaxed, a smirk of victory plastered onto his face. This was all seen from the corner of my eyes but I held my gaze onto Bella. Her eyes went surprisingly wider, her hands instantly wrapping around her abdomen. Holding herself, as if she was going to break from my answer.

One again everyone stilled and quieted down at my actions. I started to unbutton my blazer, then next I unbuttoned the first three buttons of the white dress shirt before taking it out from my pants. And lastly, I ran my fingers through my hair a couple times messing it up more than usual.

"I don't like Bella.. but I do love her. I actually love Bella a lot. I don't know what brought me to love her. At first I just wanted to give her hell, having the song "Gives you hell" by the All American Rejects on replay, to keep myself on track." Many raised their eyebrows at me but I continued on.

"I wanted to make her life hell only because she was the leader of the Rebels. I had never seen the Rebels leader before when I heard of them and since I was the leader of the Perfects, I decided that its my duty to introduce myself to this leader but in reality, make their life hell. When I first saw Bella, I was shocked by how.. beautiful she was. She looked nothing near the way I pictured her, which was pimply face, fat, butch. I began to taunt her every day, enjoying and anticipating what expression she would make next.

I began to notice that I was starting to like her, I wanted to be around her more. Other's may take a glance at her and may think she's nothing special but if you stared into her eyes for any period of time, you'd be mesmerized. I wanted her and I wanted her to want me. I wanted her all to myself, have her in a way no guy will ever have her, just mine. So I researched everything about her. Growing up, health records, family, grades, living conditions and types of people she hung out with. The only thing I didn't look up was where she worked and how much income her dad makes. Because money is the last thing on my mind when it came to Bella. I know money can't and won't buy her.

But I used money against her. Because she didn't have it, I used it against her, struck her a deal that I knew she wouldn't refuse. I'm scum. I would go to any lengths to get her to do what I did. It thrilled me to no end to know agreed with me. At first I thought my feels were the way they were because of her beauty and witty humour. But I found myself falling for her more.

And before I knew it I fell for Bella Swan, leader of the Rebels." With a slow and steady pace, I walked up to the love of my life, my eyes never leaving hers. Her expression held many emotions, most of them flashing in her eyes. Then to prove my words further, I stripped of my blazer and dropped it to the floor before rolling up the cuffs of my sleeves until they met with my elbows.

"And I resign from my position as leader of the Perfects." There was suddenly outbursts from behind me, protests. But it was strangely quiet on the Rebel side. A brave girl, with dyed blood red hair with bleached bangs, came forward, an uncertain frown on her face.

"Why would you do this? Give up all that for someone else?" With effort, I tore my eyes off Bella and towards the Rebel girl speaking.

"Why?" She nodded. "Because.. Bella and my love for her is more important than some mere title made up by a silly school fight years and years ago. What exactly does that title get me? Nothing. In the end it's just a title, defining who I am. Bella is worth more than that. She's priceless. She can make me happy and bring out the best in me. I want her in my life." Turning back my attention to the beauty in front of me, I stared intensely into her eyes, waiting for her to say something. But she was speechless, those emotions still running through her eyes. I think a sigh or gasp would have made me feel better but the silence was slowly getting to me. But then her lips parted.

"Edward.. " It came out barely as a whisper, but I heard it. She opened her mouth again to speak but I was suddenly thrown back. I stumbled, trying to gain my balance, and succeeded. Swiftly looking up, I saw Jacob standing there in front of my Bella. My blood began to boil. This bastard just has to ruin everything. The look Bella was giving him, it was clear she didn't like him in anyway but as a friend but it seemed like he just doesn't get the picture.

"Nice speech. How long did it take you to plan it all out?"

"Jacob!" Bella hissed at him and tried to push him out of the way but he didn't budge.

"Why would you think this is planned?" I spoke calmly, hiding my true anger below the surface.

"Because. You're a Perfect. You still are with that look. Because you have money."

"Hey, I have money and I'm a rebel!" Rosalie hissed from somewhere in the Rebel crowd.

"So do I. But it didn't stop me from going after the girl I like." Jasper spoke up beside Alice who was now by Bella's side.

"Yeah, Jake. Back down, you're not going to win this battle and you're not going to win Bella over." Alice spoke up and stepped forward, her pose challenging.

"What?! You knew about them, Alice?!" And Alice did the best damn thing. She smirked knowingly.

"Of course I do. And I think they're just perfect for each other. Actually, if you have seen one of their encounters, it almost looks like they're dancing around each other. A very, nice, hot, e-r-o-t-i-c dance." For a moment Jacob looked like he wanted to vomit out everything he ate today. He then looked to Bella but noticed she was staring at.. me. The look in her eyes held such hope and warmth. It gave me a confident feeling.

"Bella?"

"Huh?" She broke out of he daze and looked to him, her face turning sour.

"Do you really like him? I thought you and I had a thing."

"Jacob. I don't know where at what point you thought we had a 'thing', but I am sorry if I misled you in any way, it wasn't on purpose."

"I'll hate you, you know." His whisper came out harsh and breathless, as if he was about to cry. Bella's face fell, tears slowly welding up in her eyes.

"Jake, don't do this.. "

"No, you don't do this Bella. It wasn't suppose to happen this way."

"Jacob, we aren't living in a fairytale, your fairytale. It just happened that I fell for someone other than you."

"I'll hate you.. " He whispered again. The yells and protests had died down moments ago and now everyone was listening in. A few lone tears had slid down Bella's cheeks but she kept her face strong.

"If it means I can be with Edward without having to worry about you.. then hate me. Hate me with every fibre of your being." Even though she whispered back to him, her voice held a certain force and fierceness. Jacob stared at her wide eyed then looked at the crowd, their faces. Most of them read that they accepted the situation but others held disapproval. His shoulders slumped slightly and he turned away, walking through the crowd and out of the cafeteria.

"Bella." Her named rolled off my tongue naturally and I liked it, calling her out without having to use her last name. Her gaze instantly snapped to mine and I was breathless. Her eyes were wide, a bit frightened at what she said to her now ex-best friend, tears glistening in the outer corners of her eyes, pink plump lips slightly parted. I called out her name again and her cheeks flushed beautifully.

"Edward." She called out my name and her cheeks grew a darker shade of red. It caused me to chuckle. "About what I was going to say before.. " Her face held determination.. that is until there was loud muttering above us. Everyone turned to the noise and everyone finally noticed the Volturi standing about us. People gushed over how beautiful they were and how rare it was to see them. They quieted down when Aro stepped forward, he face held one of boredom.

"Now that the fun is over, everyone can go home for the rest of the afternoon. Don't forget to ask your teachers about homework assignments and projects. You're all dismissed." And with a wave of his hand, he turned around, the rest of the Volturi following him but not before Jane and Alec stared down at us in a creepy way. When we didn't move, Jane's eyebrow twitched.

"Well, get going." She huffed and everybody was frantic, slightly scared and slightly wanting to go home early. When Jane and Alec was around, it was best to behave and show utter perfection. I whipped my head around to Bella, hoping she would finish what she was going to say. But her expression now held fear and worry, holding trembling hand over her mouth with wide eyes. And jerked to her side.

"Alice!" And Alice seemed to understand something I could not. And then she whisked Bella away in the sea of bristling people, leaving me behind. The hope I had early began to shatter into millions of pieces of glass. And now my heart slowly joined those pieces.

-

Bella's P.o.V

-

Once Alice had said goodbye to Jasper and we were in the safety of our room, I began to bawl my eyes out. This action did not surprise her and she did the usual thing. She hugged me until I stopped blubbering. It took awhile. A few hushes, a couple strokes on the back and I was calmed down.

"Now that you're calm, mind telling me what that was all about?"

"I almost told him."

"What?"

"I almost told him, Alice! I almost told him I was pregnant with his child with all those people around us! TWICE! Have I completely lost my mind?"

"You almost told him?!"

"I almost told him!"

"Oh my goodness. You were so close. So, so, SO damn close, Bella! Who cared if half the student body heard you? Think of how Edward would have felt." Alice threw her hands up into the air to show how dramatic the situation was.

"I would have told him if the whole school wasn't standing there, watching! After that speech, oh that speech!" I moaned the excitment my heart held. "After that, I was so convinced I was going to tell him. But the Volturi brought me back down to earth. This is high school. We have a year left and I don't want Edward to lose focus on his studies because of me. You're already a busy body with keeping me happy and I can tell it's making you tired. I don't want the same thing happen to him."

"Bella, you must know that he probably wouldn't care! As long as he was with you and knowing that you had his child on the way, he wouldn't give two shits about school!"

"But I want him to give two shits or more about school! Education is importa-!" Alice did the most unpredictable thing.

She.

Slapped.

Me.

My head snapped to the side from the force, my eyes wide. The slap sounded loud. And it hurt. And my face began to tingle. Turning back to stare at her, I watched as she gave her hand a shake, inspecting it. Looks like it hurt her too.

"What the hell?" I said with no emotion, just still shocked.

"I'm sorry Bella, but that felt good."

"What?! Why did you slap me?"

"Listen to yourself. You sound like everything is going to end when you tell Edward the big news."

"But-"

"No. Education is important, yes, but right now you're more important. And I promise Edward would agree with me. Bella comes first. I continued to stare at her while the tears began to build up again. Alice held her arms open while I crushed into her embrace. I cried into the crook of her neck, cried like I did when I found out I was pregnant.

"Please Alice," I whispered, my whole frame shaking. "Please let me be selfish for the next six and a half months."

-

A/N: Oh ho ho. Am I going to get more hate mail? I think the next chapter is the LAST one. Wow.. it's be such a long and crazy ride! Thanks to all the readers and reviewers who stuck with me until the end! I seriously love you all to bacon bits and bites!

ALSO - Are there any Jacob fans left after this story? I had thought up a story for Jacob/Bella and I really want to try and write it out if anyone might be interested. I tried making the plot work with Edward but it's a no-go. Here's some little info about it. It'll take place in New Moon, Edward doesn't come back and Jacob Imprints on Bella! Bet you're all thinking "Oh great, another one." But if you read my other stories, then you probably know it'll come with a twist. A naughty one at that. -wink wink-

Thanks for reading chapter ten of VS! [Hell yeah, it's 4:05 in the morning!]

Bottledcoke