Chapter 21

Bella

Emmett's mind was set and he wasn't backing down. I couldn't say I blamed him, but deep down I knew violence wasn't the answer. This was bound to end badly. Both Edward and Rose had tried to talk him out of it, but so far he wouldn't budge. And the idiot who had started all this remained where he was, a cocky grin plastered to his face as he clearly tried to stare Emmett down.

He wanted a fight, that much was obvious, and I found myself wondering if he had provoked the guys in the first place for that very reason. If that was the case, then all the more reason not to give in. At least that's what the rational part of me was thinking. But there was also a part of me that wanted to see this moron get what he deserved.

"Emmett, don't be stupid." Rosalie was getting upset. "You're gonna get us all kicked out of the movie theater. Just turn around and walk away." It was like he didn't even hear her. She threw her arms up in frustration before giving Edward a pleading look. "Do something! He's not listening to me."

"You think I haven't already tried?" Edward muttered, but turned back to Emmett with a sigh. "Em? This is fucking ridiculous. Rose is right. Besides, we don't wanna have to bail you out of jail." His voice was flat, void of emotion. I slipped my hand into his, squeezing it softly. He glanced at me and I could feel the tension coming off him.

Suddenly I was beyond pissed off. And I'd had enough.

"Just who do you think you are?" I asked the guy angrily, sick of seeing the pathetic smirk on his face. "Are you stupid or something? We came here to watch a movie and have a good time, and some brainless moron," I looked him right in the eyes, "decided it would be funny to insult a couple of guys he doesn't even know. But look around you - nobody's laughing! So just get the hell away from here!"

For a brief moment, his grin faltered and he actually looked taken aback by my outburst. Relief washed over me as I thought he would finally take the hint and leave.

But then the smirk was back. He ignored my demand and turned back to Emmett. "Looks like the bitch is a bit touchy. Quick to jump to your defense. That's interesting. Tell me, tough guy, which one of you are fucking her, huh? You or the fat-ass? Or do you just take turns?" He barked out an obnoxious laugh.

Things happened so quickly after that, I barely got the chance to react. Before my mind had even registered the movement, Edward had already pushed his way past Emmett and slammed the guy into the wall behind him. Then he pulled his fist back and punched him straight in the face.

I could tell he wasn't going to stop there, but Emmett finally snapped out of it and dashed forward, clearly intent on delivering a few blows himself, which caused the second guy to react and jump in. Now they were two against two, and I started to panic as I realized things had just gone from bad to worse. I cast a helpless look at Rose, who appeared to be just as stunned as I was.

Then we both simultaneously started yelling at them to stop, wisely staying at a safe distance, but neither Emmett nor Edward paid any attention to our pleading cries. I was terrified one - or both - of them would get hurt, but I also feared someone would call for security. But so far, none of the people passing by seemed willing to interfere, even though some were 'brave' enough to stop and watch the fight.

Stupid cowards!

All of a sudden, an angry voice called out, "Quil! Embry! What the fuck, guys? Knock it off!" A third man, who seemed to have appeared from nowhere, roughly forced himself in between the four guys and firmly pushed his friends - or whatever they were - back, all the while muttering obscenities. It took a moment but then the two of them - who I still referred to as the brainless morons - actually stepped back.

One of them had a bloody nose, the other a split lip. My eyes instantly went to Edward in alarm, but thankfully he seemed to be mostly unharmed. As Rose and I rushed over to them, though, I noticed both he and Emmett looked slightly dazed, blinking in confusion and staring at the strange man who had stepped in and interrupted the fight.

Now he let out a sigh and turned to Emmett, who happened to be standing closest, and gave him a somewhat cautious look. "Hey, man, mind telling me what the fuck just happened?" I noted with relief that the crowd was already breaking up and the people who had been watching the fight were quickly losing interest now when it seemed to be over.

Quil or Embry - I didn't know which one was who and I didn't care - puffed out his chest and straightened his jacket. "Chill out, dude, we had everything under control." The look he received from the new guy actually made him take a step back, and he cleared his throat. "Just saying," he mumbled, looking at his friend for support. The other guy just looked annoyed.

"Well, your pal over there," Emmett nodded towards the guy who had called me a bitch, "thought he could get away with insulting my friend and his girlfriend for no reason." His voice was hard, his eyes still cold.

"Really?" The new guy looked frustrated - but not all that surprised - as he turned to the 'pal' in question. "Sounds like you owe these guys an apology, Quil."

"Yeah, right!" Quil snorted. "You must be high, man."

Emmett took a threatening step forward. "I give you two seconds to get the hell out of my sight before I knock your fucking teeth out. Trust me, asshole, I won't let anyone stop me next time."

Quil opened his mouth, no doubt about to object, but Embry had obviously had enough. "Let's go, man," he muttered. It took a moment but then Quil finally gave in with an eye-roll. Although he didn't seem to be in too much of a hurry as he sauntered off, Embry in tow, and for a little while there, I almost thought Emmett would run after and carry out his threat. To be honest, I wouldn't put it past him.

"Look, I..." the strange guy started, only to stop and do a double take as his eyes finally landed on Edward. "Hey, I know you! Edward, right?"

I could have slapped myself for not putting the pieces together and recognizing him sooner, but in my defense, my mind had been a bit occupied. Of course, it could also be because I had done my best to mentally block everything about that particular night from my memory. Well, at least everything up until the point where Edward and I walked out of my mother's house.

Edward nodded now, and I could see the recognition on his face as well. "Right," he mumbled, somewhat warily. "Jacob. Didn't expect to run into you again so soon."

"Yeah." Jacob's eyes fell on me and he hesitated a little before nodding in greeting. "Hello again, Bella. How are you?"

I took a step closer to Edward and his arm instantly slipped around my waist. "Hi, Jacob. I'm good, thanks." Then I couldn't help but add, "At least I was, until your friends showed up."

"Okay, about those two..." Jacob grimaced. "Sorry 'bout that. Embry's mostly cool, but Quil can be a real ass sometimes. It's not the first time he's provoked someone just to start a fight. I can't stand the guy and I have no idea why Embry insists on bringing him along."

Edward nodded in acceptance, although he still appeared to be a bit guarded. Rose - who had been quiet until now - finally spoke up, "So, Jacob, huh? Hi, I'm Rose. I guess we owe you a thank you. Things were about to get ugly."

"Hey!" Emmett looked deeply offended. "We so could've taken 'em! Right, Edward?" Edward just waved him off.

She let out a snort and shook her head, looking from him to Edward with a serious expression. "Really, you two are lucky nobody called the cops." I silently agreed. Surely they must have some kind of security guards working at a place like this. I honestly didn't know whether to be more grateful or bothered that no one had showed up.

He huffed, but wisely decided not to argue with her. Instead he turned to Jacob. "Well, Jacob, I'm Emmett. Now that we're done with the introductions, someone wanna fill me in on how you all know each other? Because I've never heard of you. No offense."

Jacob suddenly looked a little uncomfortable. "Actually..." he started, but Edward cut him off.

"He had a blind date with Bella last week," he explained dryly, and I was impressed by how he managed to keep a straight face. Emmett's jaw dropped and he immediately looked at me for confirmation. Rosalie's eyes narrowed and she opened her mouth, but Edward rolled his eyes and added, "Of course, she didn't know about it."

Two sets of confused and accusing eyes turned to Jacob, who looked like a deer caught in the headlights. I decided it was time to step in. "Just stop giving him the evil eye, guys - it was a misunderstanding. My mom tried to set us up, although she conveniently failed to inform Jacob that I already had a boyfriend." I glanced at Edward, who looked surprisingly calm considering the circumstances.

"Wait a minute..." Emmett still looked confused. "I don't get it. Why would your mom set you up with someone? I mean, she knows you're with Edward, right? It just doesn't make any sense." Rose nodded in agreement, looking at me expectantly.

I sighed deeply and glanced at my watch, knowing this was not the time or the place for having that particular discussion. "I'll explain later, okay? Look, the movie's starting soon and we haven't even gotten our tickets yet. We really need to be moving."

"What movie are you gonna see?" Jacob asked curiously. When Emmett told him the name, he laughed. "No kidding? That's the same one we just saw. Hate to tell you this, but it seriously sucked. A total waste of money if you ask me."

"That's what I said, Em," Rose sighed in annoyance. "I mean, it's a movie about werewolves, for God's sake! Bella and I both asked you to pick something else but you wouldn't listen."

"That's probably the reason he picked this one in the first place," Edward guessed, a hint of amusement in his voice. "So he won't miss anything interesting while he's sticking his tongue down your throat. I bet he had no intention to actually watch it."

Rose gasped and she gave her boyfriend an appalled look. "Oh my God, what are you, twelve? Seriously, Emmett, I didn't come here to make out."

"Really?" Emmett sounded genuinely surprised. "But that's the whole point of going to the movies! Screw the film - if I really want to watch something, I'll just rent it." He looked so disappointed, I didn't have the heart to laugh at his reasoning. Rose just rolled her eyes at him, something I had learned she did a lot.

"Might as well just skip it, then," Edward suggested with a shrug. "No point in seeing a movie nobody actually wants to see."

"But I wanna see it!" Emmett protested, only to sigh in defeat when Rose raised a brow skeptically. "Okay, fine. I don't really care. Actually, the rest of the films they're showing seem like crap as well."

"We could always do something else?" She gave me a questioning look. "What do you think, Bella?"

"Sure, whatever." I smiled at her. The truth was, I really didn't care what we did, as long as we wouldn't all just split up and go home. I turned to Edward. "You okay with leaving?"

He nodded with a sweet smile. "Of course, love. I just wanna be with you - it doesn't matter where we go." His words made me feel all warm inside and he was rewarded with a kiss on the cheek. And then one on the mouth. I thought I heard a soft 'aww' coming from Rose, but I couldn't be certain, seeing how my attention was elsewhere for the moment.

"You know, my cousin, Sam, owns a small pub across the street," Jacob spoke up, and we all turned to look at him as he went on, "He just opened it last week and from what he told me, not many people seem to know about it yet. Anyway, that's where I'm heading. If you want, you guys could come as well." He grinned. "And I'm totally counting on getting a free beer for bringing him some new customers."

"Beer?" Emmett instantly perked up at this and I could tell he had sobered up a bit. "Rose, baby, I need more beer! Can we go?"

She already looked interested, although I could tell she was pleased that he would ask her for permission. "Fine by me. Edward? Bella?"

I looked at Edward, searching his face for a reaction. Even though this pub sounded like a pretty quiet place, I couldn't just assume he'd want to go, and I wasn't going to push him into something that might make him uncomfortable. That's why I waited for him to respond before I said anything.

Also, I wasn't sure how I felt about hanging out with Jacob. Sure, he seemed like a decent enough guy, but still, he reminded me of things - and a certain someone - I really didn't want to think about tonight, namely my mother. But then again, I figured it wouldn't be fair of me to blame Jacob for Renee's stupidity.

Besides, I had been pretty rude to him the last time we met. The least I could do now was to give him the benefit of doubt. From what I had seen of him so far, he seemed like the sociable type who didn't have a problem with approaching people he didn't know. And with friends like those two idiots - Quil and Embry - who could blame him for wanting to make new ones?

Edward seemed hesitant at first, but then he shrugged and turned to me. "I'm cool with it if you wanna go. It's up to you."

I bit my lip, wondering if he really meant it. "Are you sure?" I asked gently. "We don't have to. I mean, I'm sure Rose and Emmett won't mind going without us if you'd rather-"

"I said, I'm cool with it if you are," he interrupted firmly but softly. "I want you to have a good time tonight." I opened my mouth, about to insist that I wanted the same thing for him, but he hurried on before I could say anything, "Bella, I'm happy as long as you're happy. I mean that." Somehow, I knew he was telling the truth.

I smiled and reached for his hand, giving it a squeeze. He winced and cursed under his breath, causing me to quickly pull back in alarm. "Edward, let me see." He started to object but then sighed and held his hand up for my inspection. My eyes widened at the sight of his red and slightly swollen knuckles.

"It's nothing," he tried to assure me, wiggling his fingers a little. When I didn't respond, he sighed again, glancing over his shoulder before gesturing for me to follow him. He led me away from the others, stopping at a safe distance to make sure we would be out of earshot. "Sweetheart, you don't have to look so upset. I'm fine."

"But you're hurt," I protested weakly, knowing deep down I was probably overreacting and that the swelling of his hand would most likely go down in a day or so, but that didn't mean I was okay with it. Not if he was in pain. I swallowed. "Edward, you only hit that guy because of what he said about me, didn't you?"

His eyes darkened and his concerned expression turned into anger. "Of course I did. You heard what he called you. I wasn't going to let some asshole talk about you like that."

"Edward..." I hesitated for a moment, contemplating how to make him understand why that statement made me so sad. While I could appreciate that he felt the need to defend my honor, it really bothered me that he wouldn't even consider standing up for himself, and I was pretty sure that whatever Quil had said to him before I showed up was every bit as bad and hurtful, if not worse.

He had once admitted to me how much it hurt when other people would tease him and make comments about his physical appearance, but he had also confessed that he never felt like he had the right to complain, that he didn't deserve any better. Even though I did my best to make him see he was wrong, I knew it would take a lot of time and convincing for him to actually start seeing himself in a new light.

I just wished he would someday find the strength to fight back, to actually do it for himself and not just for me. It was something we definitely needed to talk about. But now wasn't the time. I made a decision to ask him more about what happened later, when it was just the two of us.

Obviously seeing the conflict on my face, Edward tucked some of my hair behind my ear and looked me straight in the eyes. "I know what you're thinking, but it doesn't matter. This is my life, Bella. I'm used to it. But he had no fucking right to say those things about you."

I shook my head, but knew I wouldn't be able to get through to him in that moment. There were times when I almost thought I had gotten him to change his twisted opinion about himself - that he was unworthy and deserved whatever crap people threw at him - but for every two steps forward, there would unfortunately also be one step back.

So I just carefully picked up his hand again, brought it up to my lips and pressed a soft kiss to his bruised knuckles. "So, you wanna get out of here?"

"Definitely," he responded immediately, the conviction evident in his voice. He actually seemed eager to leave, and that's when it hit me that the whole incident had affected him deeper than he was letting on. A part of me just wanted to say 'hell with it' and ask him to take me home, knowing he would do so in a heartbeat if he thought it was what I really wanted.

But I also had a feeling Edward needed to do this. He wouldn't want tonight to end with the two of us going home in low spirits, even though there seemed to be some unspoken agreement that we were going to spend the rest of the night together. He wanted me to have fun and enjoy myself this evening, and I hoped that he at least on some level wanted more for himself as well.

So I figured we were all going after all, to some newly opened pub I had never heard of. With Jacob Black. The mere idea seemed almost bizarre to me, and I couldn't help but wonder how Renee would react had she known about this. Something told me she wouldn't like it at all, seeing how she had failed to split me and Edward up and push me into the arms of Jacob.

The fact that he and Edward actually seemed to get along would probably infuriate her even more. I had to smile as the possibility of the two of them actually becoming something close to friends flashed through my mind. It was an interesting thought, and I knew Renee would have hated it.

Was I still a little bitter when my mother was involved? Hell, yes! But that didn't change the fact that Jacob seemed like a nice guy. After what happened the last time, I wouldn't have blamed him for running in the other direction the moment he recognized me and Edward, but instead he had invited all of us to come along with him.

A thought hit me as we went back to join the others. "Um, Jacob, what are the odds we'll run into your friends again at this pub we're going to?" I felt Edward tense up a little next to me, as the possibility didn't seem to have occurred to him.

But Jacob shook his head. "I'd say the odds are slim to none. Sam went to school with Quil's older brother, Jared, and they've basically hated each other since they were kids. Believe me, it's the last place Quil would go. Besides, he knows that's where I'm heading and I doubt he wants to risk running into me again tonight. I tend to ruin his 'fun'." There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"You guys are in, then?" Emmett asked, giving us a questioning look. Edward nodded. "Cool!"

The pub Jacob's cousin owned was called Eclipse, and Jacob hadn't been kidding when he said it was small. The bar took up most of the space in the room, but there were a couple of tables and even a booth over at the far wall. They were all empty, but a few people were sitting in the bar, talking and drinking. It was all pretty quiet.

That was, until the man behind the bar looked up and spotted us. He grinned and waved. "Jake! Good to see you, man. I see you brought some friends."

"Nah, actually I don't really know them," Jacob chuckled and added with a wink, "I just lured them in here with the promise of free beer." Emmett pumped his fist in the air and let out a booming, 'Hell, yeah!' The man - who I assumed was Sam - threw his head back and laughed.

"Don't worry - we fully intend to pay for our drinks," Rose assured him, reaching out to flick Emmett at the back of his head. He made a show of rubbing the spot, looking a bit offended, and the rest of us snickered.

"So, this is my cousin, Sam." Jacob plopped down on one of the bar stools. "Sam, this is Emmett and Rose, and that's Edward and Bella. I met them at the movie theater." He glanced apologetically at us over his shoulder. "They had the misfortune of running into Quil Ateara who decided to start some trouble."

"My deepest condolences," Sam offered dryly. "That guy's an idiot." We all nodded in agreement.

"So can I finally have a beer now, or what?" Emmett had obviously decided it was enough with the smalltalk. "I'm all sobered up here, and I don't like it."

"Well, we can't have that." Sam grinned. "So what kind do you want? Bottle or on tap?"

"Doesn't matter." Emmett waved his hand impatiently. "Surprise me."

Sam nodded in acceptance. "You got it. Jake, the usual, right? What about the rest of you?"

Edward asked for a beer as well while I considered my options for a moment. "I want something sweet and fruity. Go easy on the alcohol, please."

"I'll have whatever she's having, but don't you go easy on anything," Rose warned with a wide smile. "Bella, is there any way I can talk you into doing a shot race with me later?"

I shook my head but couldn't help but smile. It seemed like the night had just barely started. And I was right.

End Notes: EPOV coming up next.