Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.
February 20, 2013: Los Angeles
Edward's POV
"What the fuck do you mean you made up with her?!" Alice shrieked.
When we left Macs, after signing a contract that attached Bella and I to the hip for the next few months, we left to my house to discuss things. The ride here was relatively quiet and once we dropped Tanya off at her house, her giving me a stern eye saying we would talk later, me and my siblings headed to my house. Once there Emmett got out the car as quick as he could and left to the kitchen, trying to avoid our questioning and betrayed faces.
He didn't get off that easily though. As soon as we entered my house, Alice chased after him and grilled him till he caved with me standing right beside Alice, fuming.
"I mean, I'm not mad at her anymore Alice!" he yelled back.
"How could you do this to us!? After everything that bitch-" she started.
"Stop calling her that, Alice! She's not a bitch and you know that! She was your best friend once upon a time, or did you forget that?" he told her.
"Did you forget she dropped your own brother like a hot cake?" she threw back at him.
Emmett sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, a habit he picked up from me.
"Look Alice, she thinks he cheated! Of course I expect her to drop him." He said in semi calm voice.
Alice gasped, while I gaped at him.
"Are you seriously telling me that you agree with what she did?" I asked disbelieving.
He groaned.
"Ugh, this is exactly what she said would happen if I told you guys." He muttered.
"Emmett, listen to me. They are all at fault in this. We can't be friends with them. We can't allow them in this time." Alice stressed.
Emmett was quiet for a moment, just staring at our faces for a moment with a thinking expression, but I saw. Bella had swooped in and taken him in her clutches again. It was too late to save him.
I used to fall for her game all the time, but that was before she threw our love away like a piece of unwanted trash.
"Alice…" he sighed.
She huffed and turned on her heels towards the door before slamming it behind her.
Emmett let out a breath and turned to me.
"Edward?" he asked carefully.
I looked at him and for a moment I noticed Emmett's fear in how I'll react.
I shook my head at him and held up my hands.
"If you want to fall for their tricks, then by all means, go ahead. Just don't expect us to do the same." I told him.
I walked to my kitchen and grabbed a soda from the fridge.
"Edward look, I get why you're mad at her. She should have stayed and listened. Yes, but she explained that at the time, she wasn't really thinking about anything reasonable. Plus it didn't help that whenever she thought of you all she could see was Tanya making out with you." Emmett said.
"I didn't make out with her! She kissed me! One kiss which I immediately pulled away!"
I sighed and ran a hand through my hair.
Shit, she's already riling me up.
"Bro, you don't have to convince me. I know, but-" He started to say, but I didn't care to listen anymore. I was done with this subject. I was done with it a long time ago.
"Ugh, you know what Emmett? I don't care anymore. It doesn't matter. I guess I should thank her for leaving because if she hadn't then I wouldn't be here. I was better off without her." I growled.
"You don't mean that." Emmett said.
I shook my head at him.
Poor delusional Emmett.
"Look, you want to be friends with them again, fine. Go ahead. Just don't expect me to like them again. I will never want anything to do with Isabella Swan that wasn't business, and if you don't want a fight, I would limit the Bella bragging in front of Tanya, Alice or me." I said.
Emmett let out a breath and nodded, agreeing.
"Before I forget, how did this friendship even happen?" I asked, curious.
He gave a small grin. "Well, remember when I stayed at Forks for a while longer back in January?" he asked.
I nodded.
"Well instead of staying there I went to New York to go to check out the city and at a club, I spotted her and we started talking about how things were. And just to be clear, I'm cool with Bells," I flinched at the sound of her nickname, "Not the others. Rosalie isn't exactly my favorite person."
I grinned at him.
"What your shit list?" I joked, tired of the serious mood.
He smiled back and just like that, we were fine. Him and Alice, well he can fix that all on his own.
"So you guys are singing together…" Emmett said heading towards the living room.
I followed and when we sat on the couch I gave a huge sigh and leaned back on the couch.
"Yah." I said.
I felt his stare on my face and he said "How do you feel about that?"
"I feel…confused." I said after a while of silence.
"Why confused?"
I sighed again and opened my eyes to meet his glance.
"Because, after so many years, after everything she said, what with she never wanted to sing with me again, never see me again, I really thought she'd be the one to say no." I explained.
"But she didn't." he states the obvious.
"Yah, but I don't get her motive. What does she think she'll accomplish with this?" I wondered.
"You don't trust that she's in this just for the music?" Emmett asked.
I let out a low chuckle.
"Hell no. She's up to something. I can feel it."
"Edward, come on. We know that Bella was never the type to be really devious." He laughed at the thought.
"I know the old Bella could never intentionally do something to hurt someone unless they hurt someone she cares about. This Bella though, I don't know her. And you don't either, Emmett."
He started to protest but I cut him off.
"No, you really don't Emmett. You were with her for what, a week? That's not enough time to really get to know a person. You know fame changes people, what's to say Bella didn't change?"
Emmett was quiet for a moment, thinking. When he spoke it was low and cautious.
"If she didn't, if she was the same person she was before, would there be any chance of you two…" he trailed off.
I shook my head quickly.
"That will never happen again. Other than the fact that we hate each other, the trust is forever broken. She broke it when she walked away without letting me explain. If that's what you think is going to happen in this thing we have right now, get it out of your head. I'm with Tanya now, and that's how it's going to stay."
I said, remembering her final words to me today.
I always told you I hate cheaters.
God how I wanted to grab her and yell at her that I hadn't cheated. That I hadn't done anything to kill our love like she did.
But she'd never listen. She hadn't before, but this time, I don't care how long it takes, I'll make her see that I never cheated on her, and then once she realizes the truth, she'll see that she threw away something amazing all for nothing.
Bella's POV
The ride to the hotel was quiet. I could feel Jasper's concern from where he sat, and I could also feel Rosalie's anger.
Once we got to the hotel, Jasper and I followed Rose's angry stride towards the room.
When we got in the room Rose growled out "Living room. Now."
I had to stay strong. I knew there was no way I could get Rose to see the point in this without telling her the truth, but I also knew there was no way to back out of this. Not with the contract signed.
"I want to know what the hell went down there in that office." She said in a low voice, putting her glare full force on me.
I just glared back at her. I wasn't going to be talked to like a child.
"Rose, maybe we shouldn't talk about this right now. All our emotions are running high, and maybe it'd be best if we all took a breather." Jasper suggested.
"Oh shut up Jasper. Don't pretend you're not angry at her too." She spat at him.
"I'm not! I'm just confused. You're angry and if we continue this, you might say something you'll regret." Jasper told her, ever the voice of reason.
I remained quiet through this whole exchange but my blood was boiling at Rose's hot glare.
No, we needed to say this now. She'd get it after I told her everything.
Whatever was said, well, I'll deal with later.
"No, we talk now." I said.
"Bella." Jasper threatened, giving me a sharp look. I ignored it, unable to stop the words that desperately wanted to tumble out of my mouth. Nothing Jasper said would have stopped me.
"You want to know what happened Rose? What happened was I was tired of seeing Tanya have everything I ever dreamed of. Everything we ever dreamed of. And I was pissed that I just let her have it." I stated.
"You don't think I want to kick her ass too? But working with them isn't the answer." She hissed.
"Rose you have no idea what she did! The reason we left, it was all a sham!" I yelled, trying to reason.
Her eyes flashed, and Jasper's head snapped towards my direction.
"What do you mean by that?" he asked.
I sighed. Time for truth telling.
"Today, the reason I left was because Garret, the guy that turned us down when we were still a band, came and talked to me. He told me that Tanya paid him to say that we sucked and that she rocked. She paid him to tell me, knowing that I'd leave to make him happy." I told them, my voice cracking as I struggled for control.
"Wait, Garret told you this?" Jasper asked, confused.
I nodded, glancing at him.
"Why?" he asked.
I shrugged. "He said he felt guilty and that he looked for me but could never really find me."
"And you believed him?" Rose asked incredulously.
"Why wouldn't I? Rose, you felt that vibe that Tanya wasn't someone to be trusted. Here's the proof that just justifies what you thought." I said.
"So we left…for nothing?" Jasper asked, dazed.
I stood there for a moment, running that idea in my head before I shook my head.
"No, they still got where they wanted to be. But fate brought us together again, for a second chance." I finally said.
I turned to Rose and saw that she looked conflicted.
I could tell she wanted this to be true, badly, but she had doubts of course.
"Rose, you have to see that this is true." I pleaded.
She looked at me, her eyes showing confusion and hurt, before they took her cold look again.
"None of that matters. It doesn't change that he cheated." She said finally.
"He didn't cheat!" I defended, angry at her for bringing this up again.
"Bella, come on! Don't be blind! He got with her two months after we left. Two months!" she yelled.
"Of course he would! He wanted to hurt me just like I hurt him!" I yelled back defiant.
"Oh come on, Bella! Even Jasper can see the truth." She said.
I turned to Jasper and saw him looking pained.
"Bella, the signs are all there." He said lowly.
I shook my head, trying to swallow the lump in my throat.
"You're reading them wrong." I growled at them.
"No, you're trying to make something that isn't. You're desperate for this to be true because you agreed to work with him again." Rose growled.
"If he really had cheated then why does he hate me for leaving?" I hissed.
This seemed to stump her for a moment.
"So what, you're just doing this for revenge?" Jasper asked, trying to change the subject.
I sighed. "Yes...No. I don't know. I just…I want them to stop hating us. They were like family, guys. It kills me to know that they hate us, and now knowing it was all for nothing."
"So what, you're going to tell them the truth?" Rose asked angrily.
I shook my head. "They won't believe it. They don't trust us. Not yet.
"Rose, Jasper, I can't do this without your support. I need you guys." I said after a moment of silence.
Jasper spoke first. "You know I'm with you the whole way, Bells. Just as long as you know this might not work." He said.
I gave him a small smile and turned to Rose.
"Rose?" I asked.
She looked at me.
"If you ever decide to do something like this again without talking to us first, I will kick your ass." She said after a moment.
I smiled. "I'll let you."
She snorted but let out a smile.
"Alright Bella, let's take this bitch down. What's the plan?"
A/N: Whew, this week passed by quickly! It's a bit short, and I apologize for that. Hopefully I'll be able to write a bit more this week. Since I will be less busy this summer, I might be able to get the updates coming in sooner, rather then every Saturday. I don't promise anything, but hopefully my schedule won't be as busy. Again, thank you for reading and reviewing this story. I know I don't always reply to your reviews quickly, but I will try to do that more often. I want to assure you that I do read your reviews, and am grateful for whatever feed back you guys give me.
Once again, thank you for reading!
See you next Saturday...
-Katherine
