A/N: So I got ALOT of mixed reviews on the last chapter, but I loved all of them. Roxanne, pleeease get an account! I would love to reply to you. This one is super long because for the life of me I couldn't figure out where to split it, or end it. Hope you like. Oh, some people pm'ed me asking if I listen to music while writing or have chapter playlist. I don't have a chapter play list, but I did listen to This is How It Feels by the Veronicas, and Good Girl by Carrie Underwood when I wrote some of this.
I was sitting on my bed cross-legged, banging my head on the headboard. Rose was perched on the edge of my bed.
I dialed again. "Hey, this is Bella. You know what to do." I waited for the beep again.
"Goddamnit Bella just pick up your fucking phone, stop being difficult."
I groaned after I realized what I said, redialed, and waited for the beep.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that, I'm just getting frustrated. Please pick up the phone, Bella, I'm begging. Please just call me back."
I put my head in my hands. "She won't pick up and I can't go to her house." One of the neighbors called the cops reporting a domestic disturbance. They showed up right before I was pulling out of her driveway. They gave us both a warning and left, but obviously her dad was notified. This was almost three hours ago.
"Well if she didn't pick up the first thirteen times, what makes this time special? Give her some space Edward and calm down. Just tell me what the fuck happened already." Rose looked absolutely exasperated. I flipped the fuck out on my family when I got home, so everyone kept their distance. Rose made her way into my bedroom ten minutes ago.
"I screwed up. It was bad," I told her, with my head still in my hands.
"How bad? You're text was just a little bit of an exaggeration."
I looked up and glared at her. "No, it wasn't. It was that bad. She's never gonna talk to me. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." Each 'fuck' was rewarded with my head banging against the wood behind me.
"Would you stop that?! What the hell did you do?"
"I'm gonna call her again." I reached for my phone, but Rose snatched it before I could get my hands on it.
"Hey!" I screamed.
She extended her arms in the opposite direction. "You need to stop blowing up her phone right now. I'll just keep it for now." She went to slide it into her back pocket, but glanced at the screen first.
"What the hell did you do to it?" she asked incredulously, lightly running her fingers over the front. The screen was effectively shattered like an intricate spider web.
"She threw it."
"Bella?"
"Yup."
"Like, to you? Did you not catch it?"
"Nope. She definitely did not throw it to me."
"Ok, seriously, stop jumping around the truth. What. Happened."
I sighed and rubbed my eyes. How did I mess this up so horrifically? The day was going great. We got coffee as friends and everything. We made s'mores, well sort of. Then I fuck everything up.
She snapped her fingers in front of my face. "Well?"
"I...said things to her. It was really bad Rose."
"How bad? You've always been rather rude to her anyway."
"Not like this. This was..." I ran my hand through my hair. "This was just...it was.."
"I need some fucking words here, Edward. How bad? What did you say?"
Some of the things I said to her ran through my head. 'Pathetic' 'YOU'RE A FUCKING COWARD' 'FUCKING SNITCH' I cringed.
"Things that shouldn't be fucking repeated. Everything just came out. Everything we were tiptoeing around jumped through our mouths without a filter."
"Define everything."
"That's her ringtone."
"What?"
"Bella's ringtone. It's called Everything. She told...nevermind. It's not important."
"Can you please just give me something? Anything?"
"We went at each other's throats. It was...intense. I said some...regrettable things. All because she fucking.." I stopped myself before I said it. Because she snitched. I don't know why, but I didn't want to tell Rose it was Bella who told on me. It felt...wrong.
"Because she what?"
"Nothing, nevermind."
"Edward Anthony Cullen, you need to stop being so goddamn immature and tell me what the fuck happened tonight that's having you spam Bella's phone with apologies."
How can I explain this without telling her what instigated it?
"I, well...I blamed Bella for this whole thing. The entire tutoring, babysitting, whatever. It turned into yelling. We were both just, exploding at each other with anger. She started flipping out on me for everything I did to her. And then that made me see red. I went off on her, asking her why she never did anything. She never fucking did anything, Rose, nothing. Fucking, she just...Ughhh. I said some pretty bad things that I can't take back."
"I don't know the specifics, but did you believe everything you told her?" Rose asked me quietly, like she was pondering another thought in her head.
"No, yes, no..I don't know. No, I didn't. Some of the things, yeah. But not everything. I was just so mad at her. Mad at myself. No, I didn't believe most of it." She's not a coward, she's practical. She's not pathetic, she's realistic.
"Edward, what did you say to her?"
"Fucking hell Rose! Why do you care so much?! Goddamnit!" I stormed off my bed and started pacing my room.
I grabbed a handful CD's off the shelf and threw them at the wall, leaving a shattered mess on the ground where they fell.
'All of it was a fucking lie.' she tells me.
"No it wasn't!" I scream at her.
"Fucking hell Edward, calm down." Rose had already jumped off the bed, now standing directly in front of me. She knew I wouldn't hurt her, but does she have to go and test my limits?
'Yeah well you made my high school experience a FUCKING MESS,' she screams, venom in her words.
The next thing in my hand is the stereo remote, which in the following second is flying through the air at full speed, denting the wall.
"What the hell is going on in here?" Jasper strides into the room on high alert, his eyes searching for the cause of the excessive noise.
"Edward's freaking out."
"Would both of you just back the fuck off?!" I scream, frustrated at their obtrusiveness.
'WELL YOU DIDN'T GIVE A SHIT WHEN I WAS MISERABLE!' She's right in my face, her eyes wild, chest heaving. Bella just keeps yelling at me, taunting me. The guilt that's been laying dormant in my body is kicked awake, pushed and shoved to the surface, blinding me, overtaking my other senses.
"I KNOW! I know I didn't! What do you want me to say?" I plead with her.
My fist is about to make contact with the wall for the second time this week, but someone grabbed my wrist and turned me around, shoving me against the wall. Jasper is using all his weight to hold me down. I push back, but he's just as strong as I am, so it's not an easy task.
"Woah, calm down dude, Mom and Dad are gonna fucking hear. You need to stop shouting, no one's calling you a liar."
What? I realize must have been talking out loud.
"What the fuck? Let me go."
I shove against him again, but he braces himself, barely jostling, but also struggling to keep me in place. I don't want to hurt him, but he isn't Rose, and I swear to god if he doesn't move the side of his face is going to become real friendly with my fist.
"Fine, alright, just chill out." He takes a step back, giving me room to breathe.
"I'm perfectly fine." I say angrily.
"Yeah, says the guy that just threw a fit, screaming and throwing things," Rose remarks. I know she's concerned, but did she need to say it like that?
"Why do you always have to be such a bitch?"
"Well, you're always a jackass so..."
"Whatever, both of you out before I do something stupid."
"A little late for that, dude,"
"Jasper, I swear to god I will ram you through that wall."
"Calm, lover boy. Seriously Edward, we'll leave so you can cool down, just don't hurt yourself." Rose says, kissing me on the cheek as they both leave. I slam the door behind them. I know Rose just wants to help, but I also know I'm gonna flip out on her if she stays, so I don't say anything to either of them.
Rose has seen me livid before. She flew in that summer when everything went down, and incidents like this were a normal occurrence. She knows just to back off and give me space.
At two am, I'm still wide awake.
I managed to convince Rose to give me my phone back, swearing I wouldn't call Bella.
Since then, I've left fifteen messages. After that, her voicemail was filled to capacity.
I gave up after ten texts, knowing it was a fruitless attempt.
I don't want to go to her house tomorrow, because what if her dad's there? Who knows how much her Dad knows about last night. He would kick me out in no time.
I officially ruined our just recent friendship status.
Since the last time she's been in my room Bella's started an ever-growing tornado in my life. Literally, I think as I look at the extra dent in my wall. But I'm the idiot supplying the wind.
The next morning, I'm sitting at the breakfast bar with Rose and Jazz. One of Mom's biggest paying client has their wedding today. She's gonna be out all day making sure everything goes smoothly before and during the ceremony, not to forget the reception afterwards.
I haven't seen Dad, and frankly I couldn't give two shits where he is right now.
I called Bella twice when I woke up, but I didn't expect anyone to answer. But that didn't stop me from hoping. And being predictably disappointed.
Last night's incident is like a taboo right now, neither Jasper nor Rosalie want to bring it up.
"Ok, come on losers. I know you're both dying to ask." I finally say.
"Are you gonna flip out if we do?" Rose says with an eyebrow raised.
I scowl at her, annoyed. "No, I'm not. Just becau-"
"Knock Knock. You're day's about to get a lot better." Liam's voice rang loud and clear as he let himself into the house, walking straight into the kitchen.
"And why's that?" I ask.
"Because I'm here." I rolled my eyes at him.
"Hey, nice to see ya again, Rose. And for how is thou Royal Bitch, madame?"
"Shut up." Rose responds in a typical bitchy voice, as expected.
Liam gave Rose a hug and then hopped on top of the counter.
My phone vibrates, it's sound amplified against the granite counter.
I grabbed for it immediately, not wanting to waste a second to see what Bella texted me.
My face fell when I saw it was only one of the guys wanting to play some ball.
"What the fuck did you do to your phone? Run it over with a truck nine times?" Liam asks before I let my disappointment show, obviously noticing my annihilated phone.
"I dropped it."
"Off the Empire State Building?"
"Fuck off. It was a tile floor."
Rose snorted. "Yeah right. Unless Bella grows her front lawn on top of ceramic dirt."
"Huh?" Jasper says over his shoulder while he washes out his dish.
"Okay,what am I missing?" Liam asks no one in specific, absent-mindedly drumming his fingers on the granite.
Rose, of course, starts to laugh at me. "Go ahead, Edward."
I just glare at her. Now both of the guys are staring at me curiously, expecting an answer.
"Fine, I'll tell them," she flips her hair over her shoulder for dramatic effect, "Bella has quite an arm to do that much damage."
Liam chuckles like an idiot. "Wait, are you saying that Bella did this? She threw your phone across her front yard? Damn, that girl's got spunk."
"Hold on," Jazz interrupted before I could speak, "What exactly did you do for her to take it out on your phone?"
I scowled at Rose for bringing this up. She started it, and now it's snowballing.
"We had a fight."
"Jesus, Edward. She's not even your girl yet, and you two are already having fights."
They all laughed at Liam's dense joke.
"So what are you gonna do?" Jasper asked me.
"Why does everyone keep asking me that? I don't know. And why do you just assume it's my fault?"
He raises an eyebrow at me, "Well, was it?"
"Shut up."
"That's what I thought."
"But seriously dude, what now? Was it really that bad?" Liam voices.
"Oh I would only assume. You should have seen the fit he threw last night for no reason." Jasper tells him.
"You know what? Fuck off, all of you." I jump hastily off of my seat and walk around the counter to the sink, throwing my cereal bowl into the sink. It clattered noisily, but didn't break.
"Chill out dude, we were just joking," Jasper says, clearly trying to pacify me, worried about me 'throwing a fit' again.
"Yes, it was that bad. It was the worst fucking fight I've ever been in and I left physically unscathed. It was a mess and there's no way in hell she's ever gonna talk to me." I run my hand through my hair, feeling embittered and heated.
"Cheer up man, we'll figure something out. The party will take your mind off of it for a little while." Ugh, the party, Liam reminded me.
"I'm not going."
"You most definitely are."
"No, I'm not," I said defiantly. "I'm not in the mood."
"Since when are you not in the mood to drink?" Liam grills me. Does he not understand? I have too big of a problem to waste time getting drunk.
"Liam, I'm not fucking coming. You can do it without me."
"What the fuck Edward? Are you seriously not going to come?"
"No, I'm not. I have to-" The wheel in my head begin to turn before I finish my sentence. "Actually, maybe I will. You invited Bella, right?"
He grinned at me. "I sure did. Gave her my address and everything. But.."
I frown at him. "But what?"
"But nothing, nevermind."
"No, come on. What were you gonna say?"
"Nothing. I was gonna say nothing."
I thought about what he could have told me that would make me change my mind.
"You don't think she'll show." I say, not bothering to make it sound like a question. There goes that fucking idea.
"I don't know man. She said no at first, but then she seemed a little iffy on it. She said she would think about it."
"Why don't you just call her and ask?" was Jasper's brilliant idea.
"Yeah, because I didn't think of that. She won't answer my calls...or texts." I tell him, defeated.
"I would do it but she would know I'm calling for you." Rose adds.
"I'll do it." We all look at Liam, pulling out his cell.
"You have her number?" I ask him dumbfounded.
He shrugs at me. "Yeah, I just asked her for it at lunch yesterday. She has mine too. Figured it would come in handy one day. Who knew the day would come so soon."
"Well, she's not an idiot. She'll know you're asking for Edward." Rose tells us, rolling her eyes.
"Just try it." I tell him. "What's the worst that can happen?"
"It's not gonna work," Rose mumbles, but we all ignore her.
"Here goes nothing", Liam mutters.
"Hey, Bella! It's Liam." "Right." "I was just wondering-" "Um, no." "Ok." "Yeah, no problem." "Bye."
He hung up the phone, and we all looked at him expectantly. When he didn't say anything, Rose hit his arm.
He directs what he says right at me, "She says to go fuck yourself and to stop calling her."
"I told you," Rose sings quietly.
"You didn't even ask her if she's going!" I yell at him, extremely annoyed.
"Well she didn't give me the chance to! She got all bitchy and to the point. What the hell did you want me to do?"
"Ughhh. I'm not going. There's no way she's gonna go."
"Dude! Come on! She could! You don't know her. She could still come."
"And the chances of that, Liam?"
"Very high."
So at nine o'clock that night, I'm standing in Liam's house with a beer, waiting for Bella.
Rose had already gone to mingle, and Jazz found his buddies. Liam is standing next to me.
"You can't just stand here like a creep waiting for her. You haven't even drank anything." he tells me.
"Neither have you," I reply back stubbornly.
"Well, it's at my house. I don't wanna get drunk and not be able to handle it if something goes wrong."
"Whatever."
Truthfully, the party was a hit. People were dancing in the middle of his living room. Music was blasting throughout the house, vibrating through your skin right into your bones. Shots were being passed around constantly, along with beer.
There's a crowd in the backyard having fun with a keg stand. Couples are making out pretty much everywhere. Everyone was chit chatting and having a good time.
Liam even got a couple dd's. Who would have thought he'd be so responsible, fucking weirdo.
So far, I've turned down eight girls, glared down three that were going to approach me, and walked away from two. If I wanted to hook up, I would walk toward them, not them toward me.
A half hour later, Bella still hasn't shown up. I'm sitting on the couch next to a sloppy couple. They looked like they were eating each others faces. They were either too drunk to care or notice what they looked like.
I said no Conner and Tyler when they tried to talk me into a game of beer pong. I'm always the best at beer pong. But of course, you want to get drunk even if you win, so I still drink my cups to get wasted.
Liam was right when he said a lot of out-of-town people because I didn't know most of them. There were a decent amount from school though too.
The two idiots next to me were starting to get into my personal space, so I got up and leaned against the doorway to the kitchen, still giving myself a view of the front door.
I felt a tap on my shoulder, and turned around annoyed at whoever was bothering me.
It was Liam, with Kasey under his arm."One shot. Come on." I roll my eyes at him.
Hell, why not? If Bella's not gonna show, I might as well. I took the shot glass from him and downed the drink. It burned my throat as it went down. I felt it's effect, but not nearly enough to get me downright drunk and incoherent.
"There he is," Liam commented toward me, grinning.
"Hey, Kasey," she smiles at my greeting and I lean down to give her a hug.
Liam and Kasey both look past my shoulder, their eyes zeroing in on something. "Damn, she can put herself together." Kasey murmurs.
I turn around to see who she's talking about.
My eyes widen at what I see. It's Bella, and she looks fucking hot and sexy and...gorgeous. She looks absolutely amazing.
Her hair is down, but it's in defined, shiny, cascading waves. She's wearing high-waisted washout jean shorts that make her look even slimmer than she is. Her buster top is white, but I can tell from here the top has some lacy design things, and it cuts off and inch or two above her shorts, leaving a strip of skin. Considering it's still winter, she's wearing a tight-fitted, black and white striped blazer, unbuttoned. I look down and notice it's still the black Converse for shoes. She looks just..wow. She never dresses up for school.
Bella's looking around in nowhere in particular when Liam shouts her name.
Her head pops up and she starts to head over our way. I notice that she brought a friend.
The friend has shoulder length, straight, black hair. Her skin is extremely, naturally, tan. She looks so familiar, but I can't recognize her. Her outfit looks nice too, skinny jeans and teal tank top, the ones where the bottom part flaps out, (A/N:It's a peplum top, but Edward wouldn't know that lol) but fuck next to Bella who cares.
Closer up, I can tell Bella's wearing crimson red lipstick, mascara, and some eyeliner. She really does look fantastic. Her boobs look great in that top, but it isn't too revealing where she's popping out of her shirt.
"Damn, Bella, you look hot," Liam tells her and pulls her in for a hug. She's surprised at first, but covers it up quickly. She hasn't even looked my way.
"Hi, Bella," Kasey tell her quietly with a smile. "You look great."
"Thanks, Kasey, you too."
"You really do look beautiful, Bella." I tell her sincerely. I just told a girl she looks beautiful. Wow.
She spares me a glance, and gives me clipped 'thanks'.
Liam picks up on the tension quickly. "And who may this gorgeous lady be?" Liam asks.
"Oh right! Sorry," Bella nervously chuckles. "I brought a friend. This is Leah," She introduces with her hand. "Um, this is Liam, Kasey, and Edward." Liam pulls Leah in for a hug too.
Leah! From the rez! She's the girl Bella mentioned before. The one that didn't come to Bella's house on Tuesday.
"Edward, nice to finally meet you," she says to me, sickly sweet with a huge smile plastered on her face.
I push my eyebrows together, confused. "Um okay, nice to meet you too."
Without any preamble, she pulls me in for a hug wrapping her arms around my neck. But then she scraped her nails into my skin, hard. I was wearing a thin, light green button up, so the collar wasn't much between my skin and her vicious nails.I almost shouted out in pain, but obviously refrained from doing so. That definitely left angry, red lines on the back of my neck. Perfect.
After she pulled away, Liam decided it would be best to end this awkward introduction.
"Ok, well let's get you ladies drunk!"
Bella rolled her eyes at Liam, as did I. Huh, I didn't even know if Bella did drink. I guess she does.
Liam, with Kasey back under his arm, led the way to the kitchen, but grabbed Leah's hand too, towing her along. Leah giggled and grabbed Bella's hand, effectively making a mini human train.
I followed behind them.
"Can I talk to you for a minute?" I said in Bella's ear, to make sure she could hear me over the music.
"No."
"What, are you serious? Come on Bella. Please?"
"Nope."
"Bella, please. I'm sorry. Just give me two minutes."
"No."
"Why not?"
"I have nothing to say to you."
Her hand is no longer connected to her friend's, so I quickly grab it and pull her into another room, pushing her into an empty corner.
"Edward, stop it. I don't want to talk to you. Stop!"
I ignored her protests and put my arm up against the wall, not letting her leave.
She crossed her arms and pouted at me. If she wasn't so pissed, I would have told her how adorable she looked. That goes on the list:cornering her and kissing her until her knees wobble.
"Bella, please, I'm sorry, alright?"
No answer.
"Are you giving me the silent treatment?"
Again, no answer.
"Fine, I'll talk. I didn't mean those things, okay? I was just shocked that it was you. Can we just move past it?"
She just huffed at me, not saying anything.
"You gotta give me something."
She sticks her middle finger up at me. I crack a smile at her amused, but it fades away fast when I see that she in no way is amused.
"Bella, I'm begging you, say something. Anything. I didn't mean any of it last night."
"Fuck you."
"That's it? That's all you have to say to me?"
Her arms her crossed so tight, I was worried they would be stuck like that, like a pretzel.
She didn't say anything.
"No, you can't do that. You can't just say two words and stop. Say something more to me. Tell me. Yell, scream, I don't care, but you are not just going to stand there."
"Fine, you want me to say something? I don't believe you. At all. I don't believe you didn't mean it, I don't believe you want to be friends, and I don't believe you regret it. You're doing this to save your own ass." she confessed calmly, but I could tell by looking at her eyes she was having difficulty keeping her temper in check. Her cheeks were flushed bright red in...anger?
"Save my own ass? From what exactly?"
"From being expelled, being sent away." Oh fuck, I forgot about that. FUUUUCK. Shit. It doesn't matter, I'm not leaving. My grades are in check, I haven't been in trouble. The only way Maze would know we stopped is if Bella tell her. But then again, I don't know if Bella will tell her. Whatever, I'll worry about it later.
"No, I wasn't. I forgot about that until you brought it up right now."
She rolled her eyes at me. "Bull shit. That's what this is all about, isn't it? I screwed up your perfect life and your pissed,"
"Ugh, dammit Bella! You know that's not true. I don't care that you did it, I don't. If you told me that first day, yes I would have flipped a shit, but-"
"If you remember correctly, you found out yesterday and you did indeed flip a shit."
"Because I was taken off guard! I didn't think before I spoke. You-"
"That's not my fault that you don't take into account other people's feelings before you do something stupid!" she tells me, exasperated, "It doesn't matter, I can see this was all just a game to you, so.."
She tried to walk away, but I wrapped my arm around her waist and pushed her against the wall.
"Let go."
"No."
"Edward, I swear to god I will-"
"What? Hit me? Scream? Go ahead, I doubt people will notice. It's so loud it here, it won't make a difference." It was true. The music was still pulsing in our ears, deafeningly loud. I could barely hear Bella speak, and we were within a half-foot diameter.
"You're an ass, now move,"
"No, not until you hear me out."
"Well you keep saying that but I have yet to hear a proper apology."
"Fine, this is it. I've said I'm sorry, you know I'm sorry. I was insane after I left your house yesterday, Bella. Jasper had to calm me down. I didn't mean any of it, I swear to you. I was just mad. Mad at myself, mad at you-"
"This was not my fault! Some apology-"
I cut her off placing my hand on her mouth but yanked it away quickly when she bit it, hard.
"Fucking shit, that hurt."
"Well, you shouldn't touch me."
"You didn't let me fucking finish. Bella, I was pissed at you, too. No, let me fucking finish," I tell her when she opens her mouth to argue, "I was pissed at you because you never did anything. Ever Bella! You could have done something. I'm not saying I'm not to blame, but you didn't have to stand there and take it all the time."
"Fucking hell Edward, you're a bastard. What the hell did you think me speaking up would do? You had the entire school at your fingertips. I say a fucking word and you female entourage would have slit my throat for bad mouthing you. Don't you dare stand there and tell me I didn't do anything. I did what any person with common sense would have done."
"I, I didn't that about it like that. Well I did, but not-"
"Of course you fucking didn't. So, no, I don't accept your apology." She shoved me hand down and stalked away. I let her go without complaint. Fuck, I didn't see that coming.
I thought about it yesterday, vaguely. I didn't think she would have brought it up though. Why? I have no fucking idea. She's not an idiot.
I've seen her fired up and angry. She doesn't hold back. Obviously she was intelligent enough to think of the consequences that would have arisen if she spoke out against me. I need to think things through and stop being such an in the moment guy.
I groaned and started to walk in the direction Bella left.
I found her eventually in the dining room.
The room wasn't overpacked, but not empty either.
"Come on, Swan. What's the harm?" Connor was telling Bella. Next to him was Tyler. They were both snickering at Bella, trying to tempt her to play a game of beer pong.
"I'm good," she answered coolly, chatting with her friend Leah instead.
Tyler walked past Bella, behind her. As he passed he squeezed her ass, making her yelp. She turned around only to roll her eyes.
I made my way to Tyler, furious. Who the fuck did he think he was?
But Liam beat me there.
"Hey, knock it off guys. Leave her alone, she's not doing anything to you."
I made my way to one end of the table, leaning against a back window to keep an eye on Bella, make sure no one pulls anything with her. I didn't know most of these people, who knows what they're into. They could slip something into her drink for all I know. Does she know not to accept a drink from a stranger? I fucking drilled that shit into Rose's head. There are some creeps out there.
Liam winked at Bella, making Bella smile at him softly as a thank you.
She spotted me in the back. I waved to her and smiled, not expecting anything in return. And I was right; she flat-out ignored me.
"On second thought, I'll play," she announced loud and clear. I groaned internally. Why does she need to play? Conner's a beast at this, he'll have her puking in no time.
"You're on, Swan. Hope you can handle your liquor." He grinned and made his way to my side, letting Bella take the other end of the table.
"Alright! Kick his ass Bella," Liam yelled, filling ten cups on either side of the table. Each were quickly arranged into a pyramid.
"Wait." I shout lazily before Connor went to throw the ping-pong. "Connor, let me have it."
"What, no Cullen. Swan's mine."
"Move out of the fucking way and give me this round. You can play someone else." I stepped forward, next to him.
He grudgingly moved aside for me and I looked across the table at Bella. She raised her eyebrow at me.
"Your on, Swan," I say with a grin.
"We'll see," she tells me calmly.
I tossed the little white ball, landing it in a cup in her second row.
She picked the ball out and downed the cup without hesitation.
She rolled the ping-pong ball in her hand before throwing it across the table. It missed. I chuckled and picked it up off the ground. The cluster around us laughed too. The ones that knew her from school didn't expect her to do well, and the others most likely just laughed because everyone else did.
"Nice try, Swan."
"Just throw the damn ball."
I did, and landed it in her uppermost cup. Again, she drained the contents of the cup without thinking.
She lightly tossed it back...and it made a splash. She didn't miss. Huh.
"Lucky shot." I tell her, scooping out the ball and quickly chugging the drink.
It went back and forth, each of us giving short, snide comments. Bella wasn't bad. But she still wasn't better than me.
The crowd was larger now. The amount of people cheering for us was pretty split. I was surprised to see Liam yelling at Bella to kick my ass. I yelled at him, feigning hurt, but he just laughed at me face. "Sorry dude, she's hotter than you."
Leah was obviously encouraging Bella.
Connor and Tyler didn't say anything, but rather watching intently. I couldn't tell you in specific who was on whose side, because frankly I was getting tipsy.
She had one cup left standing, whereas I had three. It was my turn. I tossed the ball, and it plopped right into her drink.
Like the other nine times, she drank it without delay.
I grinned, knowing I won the game.
Bella smirked at me. "Not bad, Cullen."
"Not bad? I beat your ass."
"Lucky shot."
"Sure."
Bella was getting drunk, I could tell. Her speech was slurred and she wasn't as shy and quiet around our classmates as she would have ordinarily been. I've always wondered what a wasted Bella would be like, but then again I wish she was actually talking to for me to get up close and personal.
"Bella, come on! I wanna dance!" Leah said, extremely giddy and giggly. Obviously someone else has been drinking also.
They grab each other's hand, twirling them up into the air, dancing their way into the living room, Bella giggling the entire time. Bella's ass looks fantastic when she moves around like that.
Like the stalker I am, I follow them into the living room. I pour myself a shot in the kitchen before continuing through. I had one halfway through the beer pong game too. What? It is a party. What am I supposed to do? Drink fruit punch?
I quickly catch up to the girls, and see Bella downing a shot. I grab her arm, spinning her around.
"Hey! Oh, Edward. Hey! I'm mad at you, let me go."
"Bella, come on!" Leah yanks on Bella's other arm, trying to pull her toward the dance floor.
"Bella, who gave you that shot?"
"What ? I don't know! Some...person. Let me go, I wanna dance." Is she stupid? Doesn't she know not to take a random drink from someone? They could have drugged it.
"Bella are you fucking stupid? Who?" I ask her, frustrated, gripping her arms tighter. I may or may not be slightly drunk myself. Okay, more than slightly. But I'm still more sober than the majority company.
"Ow, let go! You're hurting me." I immediately loosen my grip. I hadn't realized how tight my hand was wrapped around her arm.
"Sorry, Bella who gave you the goddamn fucking drink."
"I don't know! I'm not stupid, okay? I know about...," she had to think hard for a second, puckering her eyebrows in concentration, "kidnaps and rapes and stuff okay? Now let go." She tried twisting herself out of my grasp to no avail. She was drunk, more drunk than me, and I'm stronger than her sober.
"Not until you-"
"I gave it to her, okay? Are we good to go? Great." Leah yanked Bella from me, and they both found themselves on the makeshift dance floor ten seconds later.
They both danced around each other, laughing and smiling. Bella wasn't the best dancer, hell I don't even think what she's doing is considered dancing, but when you look at the audience, it doesn't really matter.
She twirled Leah around in a circle. The music was some weird techno shit, I don't know. But it was a fast tempo. The girls were shaking their asses without even realizing it, giving me fine view. I'm drunk and horny and Bella is shaking her stuff six feet in front of me, what do you want me to think about?
It was when Leah and Bella's hands unlinked twenty minutes later that I got worried. What if some guy tries to dance with her? What if they start grinding?
Sure enough, thirty seconds later, both the ladies have two very manly and no doubt drunk teenagers wrapped around them. The one with Bella is about my height with sandy blond hair. I can see his muscles through his t-shirt. They start moving around each other.
Her back is to his front, his hands on her waist. Doesn't take a genius to guess his hands are gonna travel downward. Fucking bastard is touching what's mine. She was perfectly fine dancing with her girlfriend, what the fuck is he doing?
Bella has her eyes closed, so she doesn't see me coming toward.
I put my hand on the douche's shoulder and shove him away. He didn't expect it or brace himself, so he fell away easily.
"She's with me," I tell him, shooting daggers at him.
I grab Bella's hand and try to pull her away from him, but she pushes against me.
"No, I'm not." She says fiercely, and of course stubbornly.
"Well, then there isn't a problem," the fucking loser says happily, wrapping his arms back around Bella.
Bella's sweaty and hot from dancing and the group of people all within such a close proximity.
Now her sweaty body is up against another man. Who's not fucking me. Fuck that. If it happens, I'm gonna stand here and watch to make sure dancing is all that happens.
I grab some random girl who's just lurking at the edge of the crowd.
"Dance with me?"
She smiles sweetly at me. "Yeah, sure."
She doesn't go to Forks High School, I can tell you that. I would have known. She's an inch or two taller than Bella. Her hair is caramel color and straightened. She's wearing jeans and some tan top. Frankly, I don't care. I just need someone to dance with me so I don't look like a creep.
I lead us to where Bella and that loser are.
The girl starts to dance around me. Considering I'm not giving her much to work with, she begins to walk away, but I grab her around the waist before I can.
"Sorry" I say, and begin to move with her. I mean really move, picking up a sweat. I'm right up against her, my hands beginning to wander, traveling up and down the length of her body.
But my eyes are trained on one place. I'm watching Bella like a hawk. She's in her own world with the toehead, oblivious to my creeping.
He spins her around, and she sees me staring, and then glares at me. I shrug my shoulders at her, conveying that I'm not leaving.
I keep moving around with the girl, my arms wrapping around her waist. She turns around to face me, and we dance like that. She rolls her body against me, and I respond automatically by doing the same thing. I see Bella still glaring at me and smirk.
Her eyes narrow and she really throws herself at the dickhead, her ass grinding up against his crotch, her arms wrapping around his neck.
He moves with her gladly, his hands running up and down her body. I'm pretty fucking sure they lingered just a little too long at her chest.
Bella wasn't sparing me a glance anymore. The ogre's hands squeezed her thighs.
Bella grabbed his hands and led them off the dance floor. I followed, towing my dance partner with me. She brought them into the kitchen, walking right to an empty corner. I lingered next to the doorway, keeping the girl on my arm.
The stupid fucker put his palms flat against the wall on either side of her head. What the fuck is wrong with him? Has he not heard of something called personal space? I wanted to pull his arms away from the wall, maybe out of his sockets. That would teach him a lesson.
"Hello? Are you listening?" The girl waved her hand in front of my face. I unwillingly turn to face her.
"What?"
"Can you let go of me?"
I frown at her. "Why?"
"Well, you're not even talking to me. There's not really a point."
I turned my attention away from her for a second, only to see Bella smiling softly at the guy who's trapped her in a corner. He dips his head down to give her a kiss. Fucking hell. What the fuck is Bella doing? Does she fucking realize that all the fucker wants is fucking sex? It takes everything in me not to charge at him.
The girl wiggles out of my arm about to walk away, but I hold her before she can.
"Hey! Let go! You're really hot and everything, but seriously? You're just-"
"Yeah yeah, I'm sorry. But can you just stand here with me for a few minutes?"
"Um why?"
"Just..because." So I can stalk a girl from afar and not look too creepy while doing it? That won't sound alarming at all.
"No." She pushes and shoves me until I let go, annoyed. I watched her walk away, but then look back at Bella. Deep breath Edward. Think rationally. If you punch him in the face, Bella will get even more upset at you. You could miss and hit her by accident.
I knew that was all good and true, but it was a hell of a lot harder to keep that in the forefront of my brain when Bella is full-out making out with this douche. The alcohol isn't helping.
Are they gonna come up for air or what? I don't even need a girl by my side, she's not gonna notice with some jackass's tongue down her goddamn throat.
I clench my fist and force myself not to go and rip off that idiot's arms. I'm supposed to be doing that! Me! Not some random guy she picks up at a rager. I should have been the one feeling her up on the dance floor. And I should have fucking been the one devouring her mouth.
His hands start to move onto her stomach, up toward her chest. One of them reaches her left breast and he cups it. FUCKING HELL NO.
I don't think when I do it. I just storm up to them, shoving the asshole aside, pushing him to the ground.
Bella opens her eyes, shocked. "Edward! What the hell!?" she glances down at the shithead on the ground, bending down the help him up.
"What the fuck is your problem?" he spits at me, standing up. I can't help it. Why did he have to push my buttons? I clock him with my right hand. My fist has taken a lot of abuse lately.
The hit stumbles him backward.
"Oh my god! Edward! Stop!" The guy pulls his fist back to hit my in the gut, but is pulled back before he can.
"NO ONE IS BREAKING ONE PIECE OF FUCKING FURNITURE IN THIS HOUSE." It's Liam and he's fucking pissed.
"He fucking started it!" A mob has formed around us. They were just yelling "Fight, fight!" but it died out as soon as Liam interceded.
"I don't give a fuck. Go clean yourself up."
"Whatever."
"Here, I'll come with you," Bella says to him. He shrugs and hold his hand out. She takes it and they start to walk away, but I grab her other hand.
"What the fuck Bella?"
"Edward, let go, you're making a scene." Sure enough, everyone is hanging onto my every word. I reluctantly let go, and they move to the freezer. Bella takes some ice and wraps it in a dish cloth.
"Nothing to see here people!" Liam shouts, effectively dispersing the crowd.
Bella and the fucker are leaned against a kitchen counter, she's holding the ice to his cheek.
He smiles and leans down to kiss her jaw, traveling upward. Fuck no.
Once again, I interrupt the soon-to-be make out session.
I walk up right behind her and pick her up, throwing her over my shoulder, striding out of the kitchen.
"WHAT THE FUCK?! EDWARD! Put me down! Put me the fuck down!" She's kicking her legs and pounding my back, but I just tighten my grip on the legs. I try not to think about the fact that her ass is right next to me face.
I ignore her kicks and screams and walk toward the door. Everyone turns to stare at us as we leave. I do know I shouldn't be doing this, but I don't fucking care. She's going to be mine and I can't just watch her with other guys.
"EDWARD! PUT ME DOWN!" she screeches. Bella's constantly hitting my back, but I'm holding her legs too tight for her to kick.
I throw the door open and swiftly walk into the front yard. I guess I can put her down now. I bend and set her down her feet.
She pushed me away with more force than I was expecting and I actually stumbled backward.
She's furious. Absolutely livid. Her cheeks are flushed and her breathing is erratic, her chest heaving up and down in a rapid rhythm.
By now people were piling outside to watch our encounter. The audience didn't hold either of us back.
"Who the FUCK do you think you are?!" she screams, throwing her hands up in the air.
She continues yelling without a pause, "What the HELL is wrong with you? I'm not a fucking two-year old"
"Yeah, well you sure as hell was acting like one tonight."
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me. Taking random drinks, dancing with random guys. And hell, you were only doing it because her know it pissed me off!" I step back in front of her and she tries to push me away again. I don't budge this time, so she stays where she is, not wanting to back down.
"What difference does it make to you? Huh? Who said I was your responsibility?"
"I was watching out for you. Just because you say you don't want to be friends, doesn't mean I don't."
She laughs bitterly. Bella backs away from me with a fake smile, stopping after a few feet.
She put her hands on waist. "Hah! Fucking Liar. You were watching out for me? Bull shit." she waves her hand to the group surrounding us. We were in the center of a circle now, eager listeners catching out every word. Everyone loves drama. "Just ask all these folks how you were watching out for me in school!" She uses air quotes around 'watching out'. She's definitely still drunk.
"You probably wouldn't give a shit if someone did drug my drink so-"
"Fucking hell Bella," I stalk up to her and grab her wrist, pulling her closer to me, "Watch what you fucking say. You know that's not true," anger lacing my tone.
She's trying to twist out of the manacle I formed with my hand, but keeps talking too.
"Watch what I say? Why don't you watch what you say? You never have watched what you say, so why should I?!"
"Because what you're saying is fucking absurd! I was watching out for you. You don't know what that guy wanted from you!"
"Oh and you did? I'm not some possession of yours to use as you please. You can't just pick me up like a child!" I was vaguely aware of Liam standing on the side, grimacing, but I had more important things to focus on.
"You guys were practically having sex in the kitchen!"
She gasps. "No we weren't! LET GO!" She stomps on my foot, trying to get me to loosen my grasp.
"NO!" I yell stubbornly. Don't ask me what the point of keeping her here is, because I don't know. It seems like the most logical thing to do right now.
"And what if we were? SO WHAT?! You do the same thing all the time. HELL, YOU WERE DOING IT TWO DAYS AGO TWO INCHES FROM MY FACE. Fucking hypocrite!"
Ok, so the next thing I do is on instinct. I wasn't thinking about...anything really. I just wanted to. I was still pretty wasted and I didn't care.
I pulled Bella roughly toward me, flush against my chest. I grasp her chin in one hand, my other going around the back of her head. The next thing I know, my lips are moving with hers. Bella's lips are just as I imagined them. Soft, plump. They were cold from the frigid temperature outside. I trace her bottom lip with my tongue.
And it was over before I knew it. She bit my lip, hard, piercing the skin. Then, she pushed me away with as much strength she could muster up.
"What was that for?" she asked angrily, her hands on her hips.
Fuck this slow ass shit. I don't want baby steps. I fucking want her now. I'm not going through the friendship thing and easing my way into a more serious relationship. I'm just gonna tell her.
I gather her into my arms again. Then I secure her head in one of my hands not letting her squirm away. I don't want anyone else to hear.
Before she can wiggle away, I bend down to her ear. I speak softly so only she can hear, but demanding so she knows I mean it.
"You wanna know why? You wanna know why I'm fucking up left and right? Because I want you. I fucking want you, with me. Not grinding with some other loser, not making out with another guy in the kitchen, with me. I want you so bad, I see red when you're with other guys. I want you to be mine, Bella. I want you."
A/N: Ok, so I want the story to get to this one point, and I have a vague outline of what will happen from that point until the very end. But actually getting to that point...I didn't exactly think about. So for the next few chapters I'll just be literally writing as I go, but I think it will be good! I always get ideas when I free write. And one more thing...I LOVE REVIEWS.