BPOV
Jacob went to Forks alone at the end of the month.
I used Nessie's school and my work as an excuse, but in reality my head was too full of Edward to do the whole meet the family thing for Jake.
It was early May and Edward would be going on tour for the summer in just two short weeks. I couldn't leave now and risk missing some sort of memento.
I suggested that Jake wait till Ness was out of school and I was less swamped. He refused, saying that I promised weeks ago that I would be available. The result was our biggest fight to date, resulting with me losing my voice for a day from screaming at him.
I hated that he couldn't understand that a trip home was too much to fast for me.
He hated that I couldn't be there when he needed me.
I felt so guilty, but it wasn't enough to push me to do the right thing by Jake.
Jake boarded the plane to Washington mad, leaving me for 10 whole days to continuing stewing about Edward without any distractions.
I desperately wanted to know what his goals were for this whole thing. I was unwilling to let myself hope that all this meant he wanted me back so I decided it was retribution. He was punishing me for leaving him all those years ago when I promised I never would. It was the only logical explanation.
Except it wasn't working. I loved it.
The lovely and somewhat heart wrench memories he recalled with objects from our past were almost as good as the time I was getting to spend with present day Edward.
Breakfast the other day broke my heart with its beauty. He brought me sunflowers, just like he used to when it was our anniversary, or he was in trouble, or just because he wanted to see me smile. For a moment we felt like a real family.
It would hurt like hell when he left though.
The real punishment would come in two weeks when he went on tour and I was left with only my memories, with no clues to what had been important to him. It took me years to learn to live with the hole he left in my chest. I was scared of what would happen to me when he was gone again.
It was Sunday evening again and Nessie would be home any second. I stared at the door, willing Edward to be the one to deliver my daughter, rather then Alice.
Tears welled in my eyes as I heard the click of high heels on my front stairs that accompanied the pitter-patter of small feet.
"Mom!" Nessie lunged at me and I got down on my knees to hug her the right way. I wrapped my arms around my daughter and inhaled her fresh scent as the hole in my chest filled in slightly just from her presence.
For the longest time, Nessie had been the sole reason for my existence, the only reason I had to get out of bed in the morning. Now I had Nessie and the prospect of receiving some sort of memory or spending a few minutes with him.
"I missed you sweetheart," I said, trying to choke back the tears. Nessie didn't notice the waterworks, but Alice sure did. "How was your weekend?"
"Really great! Dad got a new kayak and we went out in the ocean and went up and down the shore and I loved it! You should come next time. I had fun at breakfast. We should do stuff together more often!"
I nodded weakly as Nessie went to wash up before dinner.
"Are you staying?" I asked my sister, turning to her for the first time.
She silently wrapped her little arms around me and I returned her embrace. It felt good to know beyond any sort of doubt that you were loved. My sister was always there for me, even going so far as to rearrange her schedule to help me raise Nessie and avoid Edward even though that was the last thing she wanted. Alice was annoyingly team Edward in her words, though with her actions she was always solidly on my side.
"You just looked like you needed a hug," she explained. "And no I am not staying. Jasper is cooking me dinner. Do you want to talk about it?"
"No, I am worn out Alice."
"You probably don't want this then," she said, drawing a folded deep purple shirt out of her oversized bag.
I snatched it from her quickly and held it in front of me, allowing it to fall open in a wave of color. It was an old Grateful Dead t-shirt, complete with skull, rainbows, and tour dates on the back. It was purchased by Carlisle Cullen in his dead head days as he struggled to balance his hatred for the man with his ambitions to become a doctor.
I turned it over and held it to my body. It was comically too large and was even softer then I remembered. It fucking smelled like him.
"Alice," I asked, so giddy with excitement I was neglecting the pasta sauce simmering on the stove. "Do you remember when I wore this?"
"No. I must have blocked it out subconsciously. That is hideous and has no shape."
"Come on you remember. Bella Swan, whose wardrobe was the envy of every girl at Fairfax? I can see you thinking, you got it…"
"Oh my god, that is the t-shirt you came out in!" She squealed. "How adorable."
"Exactly."
~*~*~
12 Years Ago
BPOV
I was his and he was mine, it was as simple as that.
Watching him walk down the winding driveway to his shinny Volvo, I felt like he was taking a piece of me with him. But it was ok because I had the feeling that part of him had stayed behind with me too.
The rest of the of the weekend was spent contending with an elated Alice, a pissy Jasper, an oblivious father, and the step monster who was decades to young to be married to him.
Charlie had done the single most cliché thing a wealthy, successful, businessman could do. He had an affair with his then 22-year-old secretary. Though in true Charlie fashion, he had also done the unexpected and fallen in love with her, marrying her just months after 23rd birthday. She was six fucking years older then Alice.
Kathleen was blond and curvy, compensating for her lack of brain cells with exceedingly low-cut shirts. But she was his first real girlfriend since Renee and she made him happy. Alice told me to focus on this part.
And Kathleen, being that she was Kathleen and part of her whole M.O was pretending we were all a big happy family, forced us all to go out of a family dinner. It completely ruined my plans to do anything with Edward. Alice agreed as long as she could bring Jasper (her usual stipulation) so I couldn't decline without ruining the whole thing and hurting Charlie.
"So how was the trip Charlie?" Jasper asked, in overly bright tones after we all ordered. He had fallen out of our Dad's good graces about a year ago when Charlie caught him and Alice doing who knows what. Since then, Jasper had been working tirelessly to win back some approval. He hadn't got very far.
Charlie just shrugged in response.
"Don't be silly dear," Kathleen interjected, placing a manicured talon on Charlie's shoulder. "It was grand kids. Charlie had to work, but I got to know Manhattan quite well I think."
I hated how she called us all 'kids'.
Kathleen continued to drone on about spa's and whatnot as Alice, Charlie, and I all glared at Jasper, blaming him for getting her started. Charlie seized the opportunity to shut her up when she took a breath.
"Yes, New York is fine," he said. Charlie hated cities and would have been happy if he could have somehow managed to run the label in rainy Forks Washington, preferably from the inside of a fishing boat. "What did I miss here? You know I hate to leave you girls for so long." He glared at Jasper again who fidgeted nervously in his seat.
"Well Dad," Alice began. "Jasper moved into his very own apartment, isn't that exciting? So we have been painting and shopping and decorating. I have really out done myself, it rivals your office."
"Is that even legal?" Kathleen asked.
"And how much time have you been spending there, Alice?" Charlie sometimes had a one-track mind. I think he missed his true calling as a cop. His interrogations were the worst.
"A bit, like I said Dad. We have been decorating. Oh and Bella dumped Mike."
I glared at the demon pixie who had just sold me out to save herself from Chief Swan.
"What? When? Why didn't you tell me on the phone? I would have flown home for you Bells."
"It was at the beginning of the week and that is exactly why I didn't tell you. I am really fine, I was just unhappy with him for awhile and just realized it recently."
"Aw, I am so sorry Bella!" Kathleen shrieked. Everyone winced and I once again wondered how my awkward, quite, workaholic father could have married such a bimbo. "Break ups just suck, but you are young and gorgeous. You will find a new guy soon enough."
Jasper snorted into his sweet tea.
Alice giggled.
Charlie noticed.
"What are we missing here?" he asked, looking between the three of us. "Someone's not telling the whole truth."
I sighed and bit my lip. Telling Charlie about Edward was not something I was planning on doing yet. We were so new, I wanted some time to just enjoy him myself before our relationship got picked over by the masses. Plus I didn't really know what to call Edward. Boyfriend didn't seem to cover it somehow but I wasn't about to tell Charlie that Edward was mine and I was his.
"Nope, that is it. Mike and I broke up, it really wasn't that dramatic, end of story."
And thus began my secret relationship with Edward Cullen.
It didn't take me long to realize that come Monday I would be seeing Edward at school. We needed a game plan.
Mike, though it seemed like years ago, had been my long-term boyfriend until just a few days ago. Teenagers were brutal and were already picking over the carcass of his former hot guy status. Apparently a very public dumping doesn't really help ones reputation. Not that I cared about mine anymore, Edward did away with the last vestiges of robot Bella, but I didn't want to hurt Mike further. He really was a good guy and I wanted to give him some time to get used to the break up before I started throwing my new boy in his face.
So with this frame of mind, I called Edward after dinner.
"Hello sunshine, guess what I am doing," he said, picking up after one ring.
"Thinking about how good I look naked?" I suggested as I flopped forward onto my unmade bed and kicked off my shoes. I breathed in our sex sheets and sighed, relaxing again after working myself into a tizzy about how to act with Edward at school.
"God, Bella I am always doing that," he groaned, making me smile as I pictured his pained expression. "But it wasn't what I was referring too. Actually I am shopping."
"Shopping?" It was just about the last thing I expected to hear coming out of Edward's mouth.
"For picnic baskets."
"Ah, of course," I said, giggling at the way he made it sound like the most obvious thing in the world.
"I have decided that it is long past time I took you out on a real date. Ow shit. Emmett! I am on the phone." There was yelling and tussling and cussing but Edward managed to make it back to the phone. "Sorry Bella, my brother is an idiot."
"So we are going on a picnic?" I loved food and the things that could happen while lounging on a blanket with Edward.
"Yes, doing our first date the way it should have been done in the first place. Also I was informed that I need to buy Jasper a housewarming gift and that he could really use a strainer."
"I love my sister."
"As do I. So, will I be seeing you tonight?"
"I am afraid not. Family game night."
"Brutal."
"I am just hoping there will be no Twister."
"Well, I suppose I will just have to tell you how amazing you are on Monday. Gotta love that 1st period Bio," he sighed, obviously as disappointed as I was.
"About Monday, Edward. I was thinking that we should just keep this thing between us to ourselves for a bit."
Silence from the other line. Worried I had upset him after another 20 seconds without words passed, I rushed to explain.
"Mike and I just broke up and I really don't want to hurt him anymore then I already have. So if nothing could change at school between us, that would really help I think." It had just occurred to me that my desire to not hurt Mike might somehow hurt Edward and I waited for his reply with bated breath.
"Ok," he said after a moment.
"Ok?" I replied, shocked that he didn't have more to say about my request.
"Can I still sit next to you in class?"
"Yes," I said quickly.
"So just no touching at school?"
"Yes."
"And outside of school?" I rolled over and breathed in his lingering smell as I remembered last night.
"You can touch me anywhere, anytime. And expect the same from me."
He groaned and I giggled, thankful that he was so damn understanding.
~*~*~
EPOV
I had never put a lot of stock in the fickle social hierarchies that dominated the lives of my peers. I didn't give a fuck what they thought. I was going to do what I wanted, oblivious to their opinions.
Then it became clear that Bella was ashamed of me. Understandable really, she was the queen bee and I wasn't even on the radar.
But from the beginning I told myself that if she even glanced in my direction it would be a miracle, so I would be thankful for what I could get.
Even if it meant becoming her dirty little secret.
She claimed she didn't want anything to change, but it already had.
Bella was distancing herself from her old friends. She abandoned them to sit by me in class, earning me glares from Newton and her worried glances from the Groupies. By the end of the week, she had become a fixture at our lunch table, even bringing over her friend Angela one day who was shockingly likable.
Queen Bella had confused her subjects. I even heard one boy ask her if she was ok. She laughed it off easily but I found the whole thing disturbing, that they could care so much where one person ate lunch.
All this Bella face time at school went a long way to alleviate my fears that she was ashamed of me. The hardest part of our arrangement was the not touching thing. The air between us was charged as we both struggled to pay attention in class and ignore the overwhelming desire until school let out. The second the final bell rang, it was a race to get to one of our houses where we would tear each others clothes off and go at it until the rents got home from work.
I was always trying to figure out how Bella felt about me. She was free and trusting and loving when we were alone, but didn't want to be seen with me at school. She laughed at me the first time I told her I loved her so I hadn't said it since despite my growing feelings for her daily. She immediately won over Carlisle and Esme, but had yet to tell her so called best friends about us, nor would she let me meet Charlie.
Mostly, she was still my little mysterious she devil, and I loved her all the more for it, but by October, after two months of keeping quite for the supposed benefit of her ex boyfriend, I had enough.
The Beatles 'Why Don't We Do It in the Road?' was blaring in my ear, signifying it was time to get up and face the day. The song woke Bella up daily and it never failed to make me want Bella first thing in the morning. Charlie was out of town again and I had spent the night with Bella who was curled around me, naked.
Hitting the snooze button, I rolled on top of my beloved and began nibbling on her neck.
"Edward," she moaned. She still lingered somewhere between sleep and wakefulness as her hands traced the planes of my chest before reaching my shoulders and pulling me closer.
What a way to wake up. It should really have been the start to everyday.
I kissed her, ignoring her murmurs about morning breath. She always tasted like heaven.
The alarm went off again and I cursed. Bella did not like being late; she said promptness was next to godliness.
"Edward, we have to get ready. I need to shower," she whispered against my lips.
"We showered last night," I reminded her, growing harder at the memory.
"Seriously it is time to get up," she said with an air of authority despite her breathlessness.
"Bio is overrated." My hand traveled down her stomach to the promise land when she shoved me off her, hard.
"Time to get up," she said as she stretched. "I mean it."
"Sorry for wanting to touch my girlfriend a bit before I have to go back in hiding," I grumbled.
"What does that mean?" Bella snapped. My love is not a morning person.
"It means that I am tired of being your dirty little secret," I yelled back. I was angry and tired and hurt with Bella's secrecy. "Maybe you should really rethink dating someone you are so ashamed of."
"Ashamed? Is that what you think?"
"What the fuck else am I supposed to think?" I asked.
Without looking at me or uttering a word, Bella wrapped a sheet around her body and stomped off to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.
I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed before getting out of bed to get dressed. I smiled sarcastically at the dresser drawer Bella had cleaned out to make room for my clothes.
I didn't care how angry it made Bella, I was tired of her shit in was long past time I started calling her on it.
I went downstairs, joining Jasper and Alice for breakfast.
"Fruit? Granola? Yogurt?" Alice asked from her perch on Jaspers lap. I noticed the poptart in front of her boyfriend.
I shook my head, opting to join Jasper in his unhealthy breakfast rather then give into the health nut.
"You look like shit," Jasper pointed out.
"Good morning to you too," I growled.
I compulsively running my hands threw my hair and looking over my shoulder to the stairs for Bella who would emerge polished to face the day.
"Long night?" he snickered.
I just glared down at my over processed pastry.
"Jazz had a long night too Edward," Alice commented. "But he somehow is rejuvenated rather then acting like an emo bitch zombie."
Opting to avoid the happy couple, I made my way to the front porch to smoke a cigarette. Bella disapproved but I wasn't too pleased with her at the moment either.
I knew that we had more to talk about, but I had to figure out how far I needed to push. If I was too insistent, she might be gone and I couldn't lose her.
Two cigarettes later, there was a sound of the door opening and closing behind me. I didn't want to turn around, putting off fighting with Bella as long as possible.
I heard her move around the porch, climbing down the stairs to stand in front of me where I sat. Running my hands threw my hair again, I braced myself for what she had to say.
"Get up, I don't want to be late." She had her hands on her hips and was glaring at me.
It took me a moment to realize that something was different about my Bella. Her hair looked exactly the same as it did when she stomped into the bathroom, messy waves fanning out around her head. Her beautiful face was free of the gunk she normally coated it with. Her lovely blush distracted me, I wondered if it was from anger or embarrassment.
I looked down her body and realized she was clothed in my ancient Grateful Dead t-shirt. Seeing her in my clothes did something funny to my chest, filling me with a primal possessiveness.
She finished off her new look that was so different from how she normally dressed with a baggy pair of jeans that were littered with holes.
It was the sexiest thing I had ever seen.
I stared at her in open-mouthed shock, unable to move from my seat on the stairs.
She sighed dramatically and grabbed my arm, hauling me to my feet. I followed her to the Volvo where she stood by the passenger's door, waiting for me to unlock it. I looked at her, confused. Normally we took separate cars to keep up appearances. What a heinous waste of gas.
Bella yanked impatiently on the handle, signaling for me to unlock it.
Shaking my head again, I obliged her and she climbed into her seat.
I drove us to school in a daze, glancing every few seconds at the beautiful girl beside me, still reeling from the sight of her in my shirt.
I pulled into the parking lot between the BMW's and Mercedes that littered our school. I sat there for a moment, trying to figure out what Bella was doing for the first time.
Everyone was going to see her in my t-shirt, everyone was going to know she was mine.
"Are you coming?" she asked, already out of the car.
I nodded and met her in front of the Volvo, looking down at her in awe.
Bella stretched onto her tiptoes and kissed me full on the mouth in front of the rich, popular masses that adored her so. I tensed up, feeling the shock and judgment coming off our peers as if I could read their thoughts. Suddenly I wanted to go back in hiding, to snatch her away from the world and their prying eyes. I was so distressed that I didn't even respond to her lips on mine.
"Edward," she laughed. "Kiss me like you mean it."
I smiled then, unable and unwilling to deny her anything. I brought my face to hers, wrapping my arms around her to lift her off her feet and bring her closer. Her fingers threaded through my hair, driving me crazy and making me wish we were still in her bed.
~*~*~
BPOV
I had royally fucked up somehow. Edward thought I was ashamed of him. Nothing could be farther from the truth, if anything I didn't deserve someone so perfect.
He made me so angry this morning, thinking something so far from the truth. Needing to release some rage, I stomped away from him. I quickly cleaned up a bit, running a comb through my hair and brushing my teeth before I threw on the first shirt I saw and found my favorite old pair of jeans and worn Chucks. Alice called them my weekend clothes and forbid me form leaving the house in them.
But I didn't care about any of it anymore, I didn't need Alice to dress me up. Instead of being my saving grace, my shield was keeping me from Edward and that would not do. He seemed to have this misperception of me. He thought I cared about my reputation and what the opinions of the Groupies.
I planned on changing that today.
It had been two months since the break up, plenty of time for Mike to move on. If I had known this had been affecting Edward so badly, I would have come clean long ago. My only reason now for keeping things quiet at school was to avoid the stares, the questions, and the judgment. Not that I cared, I just didn't want to deal with it. But all that would be a minor inconvenience, not worth hurting Edward over.
I walked downstairs, hoping to find Edward and force him to drive me to school, but alas it was just Alice and Jasper. My sister looked like she was going to pass out and was too shocked to even yell at me. Jasper laughed out loud and gave me a bone-crushing hug.
"He is on the porch," Jasper said.
'Thanks Jazz, take care of Alice for me."
The combined look of shock and lust on Edward's face was enough to make me forget I was mad at him for thinking so little of me.
By the time we got to school, I needed him to touch me like I needed oxygen. Figuring that if I was going to high school hell anyway, I might as well go big, I kissed Edward in the parking lot in front of all those non-believers and shallow rich kids.
A wolf whistle interrupted the most passionate kiss of my life and I was ready to take of the head of the worthless peon who dared. But it was just Emmett who waved while dragging a smirking Rosalie across the pavement.
Edward was still looking at me in a way that assured me he loved me like I loved him and I felt the need to explain.
"Never think I am ashamed of you. If anything you are far too good for me. I just wanted to avoid the attention, that's all. I don't care about any of this high school shit, except you. Got it?"
"Far to good for you? Right," he said, rolling his eyes.
I just grabbed his hand, leading him to first period Bio.
How I went this long not touching him during school hours was beyond me. During class he kept his warm hand on my thigh, rubbing circles on my leg under the table.
It was wonderful.
Edward kissed me goodbye after he walked me to study hall where I would have to deal with the Groupies. All of them.
"Morning," I said brightly, taking my seat next to Jessica and across from Angela.
"Oh my god," Jess said, eyeing me warily. "The rumors are true."
"Are you feeling ok Bella?" Angela asked, always concerned.
"I, my friends, am fucking great."
"Who are the Grateful Dead?" Lauren asked. I smacked my forehead against the desk in horror.
"But seriously Bella, what is going on? You show up today looking like that." She gestured wildly to unusual appearance.
I giggled to myself, finding it funny that my outfit was getting more attention then my boyfriend.
"I am proving a point. Plus I have never been more comfortable. You guys should really try this casual attire thing."
"You look like a hobo," Lauren pointed out. "Where did you even get that shirt?"
"It is my boyfriends," I said, grinning at the shock on their faces. Well except Angela who was totally in the know when it came to Edward.
"Where did you even find him? He is so fucking hot, I saw him this morning. What is his name? When did you meet? And why the hell haven't you mentioned him before? Why do we not know who he is?" Jess asked without pause.
Her questions made me smile again; I missed this girl talk thing recently. I had been spending too much time with Rosalie who I doubt even has a soul let alone the patience for girl talk. Jessica's reaction made me think we were better friends then I originally thought. I thought Jess would be offended by Edward's lack of social status, like Lauren who hadn't stopped glaring at me since I sat down. I was glad to be wrong.
"Promise that you will introduce us at lunch," Jess pleaded.
"Why do you even want to meet him Jessica? He is a nobody, I thought you would rebound with better," said Lauren. God she was bitch. I took a deep breath as I focused on not smacking her. "But what am I talking about, Jess you know just what Bella's past relationship was like."
I knew Jessica would swop in on Mike eventually, and if it made them happy then I was genuinely happy for them. Poor Jessica looked so pale and uncomfortable. I figured I would let her tell me in her own time and went back to hating Lauren.
"Just to let you know Lauren, if anyone is a nobody in this scenario, it is you. Edward is kind and funny and talented and all you have floating around in your head is air and hate in place of where your brain should be. I wouldn't be so quick to alienate the only people in this school who put up with you so just back off. K?" I said all this in Lauren's trademark sugary tone. Somehow she thought if you said horrible things nicely people wouldn't hate her. Oh how wrong she was.
She glared at me for a moment before she abruptly left.
"So," I continued. "I will definitely introduce you to him at lunch Jessica."
She beamed at me, still looking a little bemused about the entire conversation we just had. I went back to pretending to study while I really just counted down the ticks of the clock before I got to see Edward again.
~*~*~
EPOV
"You're the talk of the town," drawled Jasper. "Everyone is staring at us. How fucking weird is that."
"I find it more pathetic that they even care," I replied. Today had been surreal. My years of carefully created invisibility were gone. Girls flirted with me, boys glared at me, they all whispered.
I fidgeted in my chair as a pair of girls turned to stare at me. They looked away quickly when I gave them my best glare.
I wondered if this was what stars felt like when they were stalked by crazed fans. Poor famous bastards.
"Edward, that is no way to treat your admiring public," Jasper said, noticing how I made the girls in front of us cower in fear. "You have to smile and wave like this." He started beaming and doing the weirdest little wave that looked more like beckoning to me.
I kicked one of the two legs of his chair that remained on the ground, causing him to tip over.
"You look like fucking Miss America."
In the hall I pulled my hood over my head and crouched my shoulders, hoping to avoid the very unwanted attention. I ached to see Bella, so much so that it hurt to be away from her. I was so stressed that after 3rd period I had to dart into a bathroom for a cigarette and a draw from the flask of whiskey I always kept in my backpack, just in case.
It got me through to lunch where I finally saw Bella again. I was the first one to get to the cafeteria and I sat at our table with my back to the wall, providing me with a view of the double doors that Bella would walk through any second.
When I finally spotted her, I rushed across the room to be close to her. I framed her face with my hands and kissed her before she had the chance to say anything. Being with her relaxed me for the first time all day and I felt whole again.
"Hi," I said when I finally had to take a break to breath.
Bella squeaked something at me that may have been a similar greeting, but she seemed to be struck speechless from my kisses no doubt.
I smirked, quite pleased with the result.
"Bella, introduce us to your new man," said someone just behind my beloved. I looked up, noticing for the first time that the Groupies flanked Bella. I took a step back, pulling Bella with me, instinctively wanting to protect her from these soul-sucking leeches.
"Jess, Lauren," she said as she reached for my arm and pulled me roughly foreword by the elbow. "This is Edward."
I glanced at Bella, making sure she was not having as rough a go of it as I was. But she seemed happy so I turned toward the girls and tried to be polite. I plastered on a smile.
"Hello," I said.
"Hi there Edward," Jessica said, winking at me. Were all these girls perpetually flirty? "Wow, you sure do look hot in that shirt." Her hand snaked its way up my arm answering my flirty question.
I mumbled a quick 'thanks' as I tired to remove my arm from her talons. Bella saved the day, grabbing Jessica's hand, giving it a quick squeeze in warning before letting it drop.
I much preferred Lauren's glared and bored attitude to Jess's flirting.
"And you know Angela," Bella said, continuing to place hostess.
I smiled and started chatting with Angela who I actually like while Jess whispered something in Bella's ear and giggled.
"Edward, I think we are being summoned." Bella pointed behind my shoulder, laughing as she gestured.
I turned to see the four of them coping Jaspers Miss America wave and smile.
Bella made our goodbyes and I regretfully led her to the table. I didn't want to deal with their crap at the moment, I just wanted to be alone with Bella.
The expected teasing commenced. Emmett asked me if I wanted to sign up for Prom committee while Rosa suggested I have a nail painting party with Jessica. Jasper kept doing that fucking wave and Alice wouldn't stop laughing.
It occurred to me that all the secrecy was for my benefit, that Bella was protecting me from all this crap. I felt like a dick for how I behaved earlier.
"I am sorry," I whispered in Bella's ear as everyone continued to laugh at my expense.
"For what?" she asked, looking puzzled.
"For not understanding this morning. I guess I didn't realize it would be such a big deal."
"Private school kids are ridiculous. I wanted to tear off Jessica's hand and slap the judgment out of Lauren."
"That would have been interesting to watch," I mused. "But thank you, for doing this for me. At least we are in this together right?"
"Right," she said, kissing me quickly before turning to chat with Rose.
I sighed and pulled Bella close, mentally preparing myself for later in the day when we would have to part ways again.
~*~*~
BPOV
This day was going so much better then expected and by lunch I was skipping I, feeling a bit like Alice as I did so. Jessica's flirting and Edward's moodiness, were slight downers, but I focused on the good instead.
After school I was so happy from spending class holding Edwards hand that I forgot to pay attention to where I was going and pranced right into Mike Newton.
He grabbed my shoulders to keep my upright after the collision and looked down at me in concern.
"Opps, sorry. My bad," I sputtered. I tried to dodge around him but he held me in place, his grip firm on my shoulders.
"What is going on?" He asked.
"Nothing."
"Bella," he said, still griping my shoulders. "I am really worried about you. Look at you, you're a mess. Don't worry, it has been hard on me too."
I snorted. Hard, right.
"Mike, I am great. I am wonderful. I have never been better in my life. If fact, my only problem at the moment is your hands on me," I growled.
"Bella, baby, I miss you too."
"Did you even hear a word I said? Missing you was not mentioned."
"Come on, you obviously miss me. I mean Edward Cullen? Really? How could you not miss me?"
I laughed out loud.
"You are kidding right?"
Before he could respond, his hands were forcibly removed from my shoulders and he flew backwards into a row of lockers. His head snapped back against the metal with a resounding 'thwack' and he sunk to the floor. I gasped turning around to see a very angry Edward, eyes blazing in a way that scared me. In that moment he wasn't my Edward, he was scary, warrior Edward.
I didn't like it.
Edward started to move around me, trying to lung again at Mike who was slowly attempting to get to his feet. I stepped in between the two, really not like the whole current boyfriend beats up ex-boyfriend scenario.
Did some girls really like this possessive, macho crap? Because I wasn't digging it.
"Woah, hey there," I said. I pushed up against his chest and tried to draw his attention back to me. His intense stare hadn't left Mike and his beautiful face was contorted with rage.
I really didn't like it.
"Edward," I snapped and he finally looked at me. His gazed softening slightly. "It's not worth it. Come on."
I grabbed his hand and yanked him away from a dazed looking Mike. I want to make sure Mike was all right, but I wouldn't risk Edwards's reaction to me tending to my ex. When we reached the safety of the courtyard, I turned and faced a scowling Edward with a scowl of my own.
"What the fuck Bella," he said.
"What the fuck Edward," I said at the same time. I bit back the smile that threaded to spread at how similar we were. I focused on my anger and motioned for him to speak. How could he possibly be mad at me?
"How could you let him touch you like that?" He snarled, eyes blazing all over again.
"It was fine! I was dealing with him."
"It sure as hell didn't look like it! He had his goddamn hands all over you."
"Seriously? It wasn't a big deal! You could have hurt him and he was just worried about me."
"Worried about you because you are dating me!" he shouted.
"I think it was more about the way I am dressed then anything. And you were totally out of line back there."
"He was touching you," he said again. Edward had lost some of his fire but was still barely controlling his anger. I could see the side of his jaw tick as he teeth are clenched tight.
"On the shoulder, Edward. I didn't exactly want him touching me either but it wasn't like he was going to hurt me. It was just Mike. And I didn't like it. You didn't look like yourself."
"Bella—" he said as he reached for me. I let him put his hands on my hips but I didn't uncross my arms.
"Don't you Bella me. Edward, how can you not see what a huge overreaction that was?"
"I was that terrifying huh?" he smirked.
"I am not scared of you," I replied, raising my chin to look in his startling green eyes.
"Really?" He raised an eyebrow and bared his teeth before pulling me to him and roughly kissing me.
Just like that I forgot about everything and there was just us. We poured everything we had into that kiss, his anger and my frustration translated into something beautiful when we were together like this.
But all to soon it ended.
"You can't do that again," I whispered against his lips as I kept my forehead pressed to his. "You can't get violent every time a guy looks at me wrong or puts their hand on my shoulder. You were like the freaking incredible hulk back there."
"I know and I am sorry. But I feel very… protective of you Bella, so much so that it is hard to be away from you. And he was touching you, obviously making you uncomfortable."
"Use your words next time big boy and I will avoid the touching."
"Deal."
He took my hand and led me to the parking lot while I tried to assimilate scary, possessive Edward with the boy I had so utterly and deeply fallen in love with.