Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, quotes, settings, etc., are the property their respective owners and are simply used under 'fair use'. The original characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. I am in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement intended. This story is written for legally recognized adults. Rated NC-17.
Beta'd by Jessica Goosic and pre-read by Tasha. Thanks ladies!
Congratulations to Gabby again on your marriage and shout out to Judyblue95 for the nicest reviews! xo
Songs:
"Hate To See Your Heart Break" by Paramore
"Thinkin' Back" by Color Me Badd
"You Got It Bad" by Usher
"Bubble Butt" by Major Lazer
"Problem" by Natalia Kills
"Separated by Fools"
Chapter Thirteen - EPOV
Bella walks toward the stairs and stops at the sofa end table to pick up one of the picture frames.
Fuck.
She turns and asks, "Who is this with you in the photo?"
I walk over to her, place my hands over her arms, and try to figure out how I'm going to explain this to her.
"My son."
She drops the frame on the floor and glass shatters all around us.
"Shit, don't move, I don't want you to cut yourself."
Squatting down, I start to pick up the pieces.
Literally and figuratively.
I need to explain my trip to London with Bella. She has a right to know what went on.
Grabbing the dust vac out of the cupboard, I vacuum any little pieces I've missed.
Once I wash my hands, I look over to Bella who is sitting on the bottom step, looking shell-shocked.
"Bella?"
"Y-Your son? You have a son?" Bella murmurs.
"Yes, or so I thought he was. I need to explain from the beginning. Come and sit down with me upstairs."
I take her hand out of instinct, guide her to the sitting room and sit her on the rug.
Grabbing a blanket, I hand it to her and start a fire going in the fireplace.
Not knowing where to start, I sit next to her and recount everything that happened when I arrived in London.
"I went to London, because my ex-girlfriend said she was due to give birth to our child. I had no prior knowledge that she was even pregnant, but upon Esme's insistence, I went back to be there for the birth of my son."
"She contacted me at the end of June, telling me she was pregnant. We broke up last Halloween, so it wasn't really a matter of question. I believed her, but I wasn't happy to find out."
Bella looks likes she's listening, but has a dazed look on her face. I continue on with my story.
"When we were in the meadow before I left, I told you I had a big decision to make, and I did. I was fully prepared to relinquish my parental rights over to Valentina."
"Valentina? Sounds like a model or something," Bella mutters.
I rub the back of my neck, and whisper mostly to myself, "She is."
"Are you kidding me?! You have some nerve treating me like shit for lying about my age, yet you lied first about A BABY!" Bella shouts. "And how could you just give your baby away like that, Edward! Who does that?"
"Let me finish! I know I should've said something sooner, but let me finish my story."
"I went to London fully prepared to give away my parental rights. I didn't want to be a dad; I wasn't ready. I stayed at a nearby hotel to await the birth of my son. But once Henry was born, I fell in love with him. As soon as he was placed in my arms, I knew I wanted to be a father, more than anything."
"Valentina thought that we would get back together as a couple, but I told her that wasn't going to happen. Now that Henry was born, we would work out visitation rights, but I couldn't be with her because I was in love with someone else. She became furious and said that Henry wasn't even mine."
"I wanted a paternity test done, but Valentina wouldn't agree to one. Esme flew to London to help me obtain a paternity test, and Valentina was court ordered to comply. Carlisle called in a favor to rush the results, and indeed the baby was not mine."
"That's why when I came back, I was so distant, and I'm sorry for that. For that short amount of time, I really was looking forward to being a father and it was something I had to get over."
"I'm sorry you felt you couldn't tell me this sooner. I would have been there for you. I could have comforted you," Bella replies sympathetically.
"I know that now, but I needed to deal with this loss on my own. I closed myself off to everyone, and I should have told you."
"It doesn't matter now, but I thought you had a right to know, since you saw the picture. I think that's why I treated you so harshly when we broke up. I had one more thing I had to give up."
"We didn't break up, Edward, you broke up with me. I would never give up on you. You gave up on me." Bella said, matter-of-factly.
"I just want you to be happy, Bella. You need to move on, and live your life. Your teenage years are the most memorable."
Bella scoffs and sits next to me for the next several minutes, quiet, just looking at the roaring fire.
The soft evenness of her breath was lulling me to sleep, and I didn't realize we had fallen asleep until I was waking up beside her.
Bella was curled up in a ball in the crook of my arm, with one leg over mine, and I was on my stomach with my arm thrown around her waist.
I jerked my arm back and leaned up on my elbows, watching her sleep.
She's still as beautiful as when I first met her... long chestnut hair, gorgeous chocolate brown eyes, and an amazing body.
I remember the softness of her skin, her ample ass, her perky tits.
She may be young, but she knows how to make love like a woman.
Shaking these thoughts out of my head, I cover Bella up and walk into the bathroom to start my daily routine.
~~~SbF~~~SbF~~~SbF~~~
November
It's packed tonight at Sex on Fire, and I'm at the door checking IDs for Emmett. He's inside, walking the floor, since we're so busy.
Bella is back at SoF now, with a new designated area just for her. She can't be around anywhere where alcohol is served.
I ask Jazz if he could do me a solid and man the front door so I can watch Bella's set. I don't know why I want to watch her, but I do.
The first two songs she's chosen are clear indicators that she is still upset over our conversation we had on Halloween.
I understand, but it doesn't change the fact-of-the-matter. She is seventeen. And until she turns eighteen in a year, I have to keep my distance from her.
"This is the last song for tonight. Thank you for coming out and drive home safely." Bella announces, as she waits for the music to start.
When the music kicks in, Bella begins to sing 'Problem' by Natalia Kills.
Sweat
Dripping down your chest
Thinking 'bout your tattooed knuckles
On my thigh boy boy boy
Cold shower… you got no
Power to control
How I make you my toy toy toy
My hips rocking
As we keep lip locking
Got the neighbors screaming
Even louder louder
It looks like feisty Bella just took over the stage.
I'm your dreamgirl
This is real love
But you know what they say about me…
That girl is a problem
Girl is a problem
Girl is a problem problem
Oh Baby
You so bad boy
Drive me mad boy
But you don't care when they say about me…
That girl is a problem
Girl is a problem
Girl is a problem problem
(Goddamn problem)
Bella is swaying her hips as she sings, and also thrusts the mic stand in between her legs.
That girl
Is a goddamn problem
That girl
Is a goddamn problem
That girl
Is a goddamn problem
Goddamn problem
Goddamn problem
Goddamn problem
We're hell raising
And we don't need saving
'Cause theres no salvation for a bad girl
Standing up, I walk back outside. I can't watch this shit anymore━ lighting up a smoke.
About an hour after Bella's set finishes, the club is now closed. Jazz has all of us here to celebrate Thanksgiving early. He even had food catered.
I order a beer from the bar, and I see Bella coming towards me and clench my teeth, hoping she doesn't make a scene.
She doesn't approach me however. She stops at the table where Ben and Angela are sitting with Bella's friend and someone else, and hugs her dude right in front of me.
What the fuck?
Emmett puts a hand on my shoulder and chuckles.
"What the fuck is so funny, Em?"
"You are, E. You asked for this. You told her to move on and it looks like she is," Emmett tells me, as he grabs his and Rosalie's drink and sits back at his booth.
I know I told Bella to move on, but I didn't think she would, especially so quickly.
And with him? He looks like a total douche.
Approaching Bella's table, I think of what I want to say to her.
Bella is laughing and is so carefree.
This pisses me off some. She doesn't look broken hearted to me.
"Bella, can I talk to you for a minute?"
"I'm kind of in the middle of something," She says, giving me the cold shoulder.
"It will only take a second, please?"
She excuses herself to her friends, and follows me to the side of the bar.
Bella suddenly turns and gets in my face. "What do you want from me, Edward!" she says angrily.
"Can't we talk anymore? Bella, are you with that Kurt guy?"
"It's Kirk, and that doesn't concern you, Edward. You were the one who told me to get over you and move on," Bella acknowledges.
"Don't make this about me, Bella. You lied to me."
"You're right, I did. So why are you even talking to me, right now? You made it clear what you wanted, and it isn't me. And I get it, Edward, I do. I have to move on. But don't worry, you'll never have to talk to me again," she confesses, and walks back to her table.
A good half-an-hour passes by and I'm in a booth, lurking in the shadows, in the darkest corner of the bar.
You know what infuriates me the most about this situation?
That Bella isn't trying to get me back.
This shit doesn't sit well with me━ at all.
Pulling out my cell phone, I text Ben.
Don't tell anyone you're talking to me. I'm going to call you━ I want to hear what Bella and her dude are talking about. -E
I call Ben and he answers, but doesn't say a word. I can hear voices, but nothing clear. The music switches, and as it does, I hear the guy Bella is with, shout above the music.
"Swan, let's go for a spin." he says, and I see them walk out on the dance floor.
They begin to dance to 'Bubble Butt' by Major Lazer, and I see Bella grinding her ass all over this dude's junk.
I stand and walk towards them━keeping my distance━so that Bella doesn't know I'm watching.
After the song ends, Bella must have excused herself, because she and Angela walk into the women's restroom together.
Bella's two friends are at the bar, and I walk over to order myself another beer.
That's when I overhear them both talking about Bella.
"Isn't it weird kickin' it with a younger girl, man?" The one with black jacket asks.
"Not at all; age is just a number to me. She's beautiful, smart, cool as hell, and she's a consenting adult. Even if she wasn't, she'd be worth waiting for." Bella's dude says.
Fuck, it feels like someone's stabbed a knife into my heart. I know she's worth waiting for, but I pushed her away.
I had to, didn't I?
Wasn't that the right thing to do?
Realizing that I was so consumed with my own selfish pride, I never even considered it from Bella's point of view. Never heard her out; got her side of why she lied.
Racing over to the ladies restroom, Bella was just walking out.
"Bella, I need to talk to you━ just once more, please."
She nods to Angela, and Angela goes back to sit with Ben.
"Bella, I think we should go somewhere and talk. I'm sorry I never listened to your reasons of why you kept your age from me. Do you think we can talk things out?"
"Where is this coming from?" Bella inquires. "You know what━ No. I just can't risk my heart again, Edward. The last time I gave it to you, you shattered it. I may have made the mistake of not telling you my age, but I didn't deserve the cruelty. I don't want to live my life wondering if that cruelty is just lying-in-wait, for the next time you get angry over something I may or may not fuck up." Bella confesses.
"Be well, Edward. I'll always love you," she whispers, as she kisses my cheek and walks out of my life for good.
~~~SbF~~~SbF~~~SbF~~~
Tonight is Thanksgiving at my parents' house, and I arrived for dinner about twenty minutes ago.
Walking up the stairs to the second floor, I knock on Alice's door.
"Come in," she shouts, as she turns down her music.
"Hey, what's going on little sister?" I greet her, stepping over magazines that are sprawled out all over her bedroom floor.
"Ugh, I'm trying to find a dress for my winter formal, and I'm not having any luck," Alice sighs. "I can't find the perfect dress, and it has to be perfect."
"Why don't you have Perrine Buyere design something for you? It'll be my treat." I tell her, as Alice screams my ear off.
Perrine Buyere is Alice's trusted fashion designer. He isn't a major designer, but Alice thinks he's got promise, though, and he specializes in what she'll need.
"You're the best brother in the whole world!" Alice replies, excitedly. "Wait until I tell Bella━ that is, if she ever comes back."
"Where did Bella go, anyway?" I ask, nonchalantly.
"She and Kirk went down to Florida to spend Thanksgiving with her mom in Jacksonville. Mom and dad gave her two tickets for her birthday." Alice explains.
"She took that tool, to meet her mom and dad?"
"Yes, I think they're sort of dating, I guess." Alice says.
I immediately get angry, stand up, and start pacing back and forth.
"From what Bella has told me, she's loving Florida and is considering moving out there. She's torn between leaving Charlie again, or starting over in Jacksonville." Alice relays to me.
I run my hand through my hair and sigh.
I can't imagine Bella being gone forever. If she moves to Jacksonville, she will permanently be out of my life.
"Can I ask you a question, brother?" Alice inquires.
"Anything."
"Why do you even care, Edward? I get Bella is underage, but she's a consenting adult. Do you not love her anymore?" Alice questions.
"Of course I do, Alice. But I panicked. Especially because of who her dad is. I know Bella's worth fighting for━ To hell and back. But I think I may be too late."
"There's only one way to find out... Try and win her back. No matter what you have to endure, fight for her. You know she's worth it." Alice advises.
And I know she's right; I want Bella to be with me. No matter what obstacles I may face.
I've got to get my shit together.
Because Bella will be mine again.
A/N: Thank you for continuing to read and review! I do answer each and everyone! Another chapter will be up tomorrow, to make up for me not posting in a while! Also, there are photos and music videos up on my blog, that coincide with each chapter! Check it out, if you have the time! Links are on my profile! Thank you!