Once more, real life has interfered with my creative outlet. *sigh* Men. Really. Tick. Me. Off.
Anyway, once again, thanks to everyone who's still coming along on my little ride! Apologies for the delay in posting this chapter, but I find it hard to write when a member of the opposite sex is infuriating me to such an extent that I feel as though my head will explode! Aaaahhhhh...
Anyway, thanks to everyone who's reading and reviewing and passing the link along to their friends! I really do appreciate it! And, I haven't just been brooding and plotting revenge on Mr. Man. I've been working on 2 new fanfics (go me! aahh...not really, but I do try hard LOL) So please keep reading, reviewing and passing it along!
Business: Twilight, it's characters and situations do not belong to me. They belong to Stephenie Meyer, who probably never had to deal with someone like Mr. Man... ;)
Thanks again to everyone reading!
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Chapter 26: Rock n Roll High School
By lunch time on Monday, the entire student body at Forks High School knew that Rosalie and Emmett had been unceremoniously thrown out of Doctor Carlisle Cullen's home and that Edward Cullen may or may not have fathered a child while the family lived in Seattle. The only thing preventing them from knowing the truth was Rosalie's unexpected dismissal from the Cullen family and from the family abode. Rosalie, whether she liked it or not, was no longer welcome to be a Cullen.
Alice, to her credit, ran interference for her brother, planting a story with Jessica Stanley that she knew would spread through the school faster than any bit of gossip Rosalie could ever start.
Bella leaned against her old truck in the school parking lot, listening to her iPod as she waited for Alice and Jasper to show up. And show up they did, in Alice's bright yellow Porsche. Alice zoomed into the crowded lot, pulling it effortlessly into the space next to where Bella had her ancient truck parked and revved the engine noisily, attempting to attract as much attention as possible.
"Jesus, Alice! Could you be any more conspicuous? They didn't hear you in Cleveland," she yanked her ear buds out as she watched Jasper slowly extract himself from the little sports car, looking green and more than a little unsteady on his feet. "Jasper looks like he's sea sick."
"If you had to ride with her, you'd look like this too," he mumbled as he moved slowly over to lean on Bella's truck, stretching his long form as he did.
"Oh, like you're any better at driving," Alice scoffed, tossing her pink Juicy Couture messenger bag onto the hood of Bella's truck with a loud thunk.
"Hey! Watch the truck, dude!"
All of the commotion they were making worked. Jessica Stanley couldn't contain her curiosity any longer and bounced nosily over to the little group.
"Hey guys! Oh my gosh! Alice, did you get a new car?" She was bright and happy and perky and all Bella wanted was to punch her right in her perky little pink face. It should be a law that no one was allowed to be perky at school on a Monday morning. Particularly on a Monday morning after a long weekend. And especially on a Monday morning after an incredibly lousy long weekend where you find out your boyfriend might be a father and then he dumps you for God knows what reason, like the long weekend Bella had just had.
"Nope, I've had this for a while," Alice purred as she bounced up and down on her toes, the anticipation of executing her plan killing her.
"Why didn't you just ride with Edward in his dad car like you always do?"
"It's not a dad car, Jess," Bella rolled her eyes.
"Bella, yuppie parents all drive Volvos. Edward's the only high school guy I've ever met with a Volvo," Jessica giggled. It was a poorly kept secret around Forks High that Jessica had long harbored impure fantasies where Edward Cullen was concerned. Several of those dirty little ditties concerned the backseat of said silver 'dad car', as well as the hood of it.
"Edward's the only high school guy you've ever met with a car that wasn't made before you were born, Jess," Bella rolled her eyes upward and shook her head. "Everyone here drives cars from the last century."
Jasper let out a nervous laugh. "Yeah, Forks isn't exactly the new car capital of the world."
"Hey, where is Edward, anyway?" There it was. Jessica couldn't resist, taking the bait the trio had laid out for her like a rat squeezing itself unwittingly into a trap.
"He's not here today," Bella sounded casual, as casual as you could possibly sound while lying through your teeth. But that wasn't really a lie, saying that he wasn't there. Truth was, he wasn't in school that day.
"Oh? Is he sick? Too much turkey, huh," Jess let out a giggle, her brown curls bobbing. "Or did you shop him till he dropped, Bella?"
God, Bella really couldn't stand her. Why did she eat lunch with her every day, anyway?
"Actually," Alice interjected. "He had to go to Chicago. Emergency in his biological family."
"Really," Jessica's eyes about bugged out of her head. "He knows his biological family?"
"Edward's was an open adoption," Jasper offered. "He's the only one of us still in contact with his biological relatives."
"Ohhhh," Jessica's eyes were huge as she stood, riveted. "That sounds pretty cool. How does that work, an open adoption?"
Alice shrugged. "I don't really know. I guess it just means that his family keeps in contact with him and he knows who they are.
"Does that work," Jessica asked, fascinated.
"I guess," Alice shrugged. "I mean, it works for him, and it's good for him, I suppose," she remained non-committal. Really, this was just too easy.
"So, he spent Thanksgiving with his real family?"
"The Cullen's are his real family, Jess," Jesus, she was stupid and nosey! The single most annoying combination ever! Bella was losing her patience. She hoped Alice was right, and this worked. And she hoped Alice got to the point quickly, before she gave into the urge to snap Jessica's scrawny neck.
"You know what I mean, Bella," Jessica sniffed.
"No," Alice shook her head. "He got a call from his auntie on Friday morning. His uncle had taken a turn," Alice's face reflected the gravity of the news she was delivering. She looked down as she lowered her voice. "He's not expected to see Christmas," she whispered, looking up at Jessica through her thick, dark eyelashes.
"Oh my goodness," Jessica's hand flew up to cover her gaping mouth. "Poor Edward! Is he close to his uncle?"
"His uncle is his closest living biological relative," Alice nodded. "Edward was quite upset."
Damn if little pixie like Alice Cullen wasn't an amazing actress. Even though Bella was in on the plan, she still stood there, captivated by her performance. If this had been a movie, chances are Alice would find herself holding a little golden statuette as a reward for a job well done while she thanked the Academy in a stunning designer evening gown, dripping with jewels.
"Oh, poor Edward," Jessica's voice dripped with false sympathy. Bella knew that she was just bursting inside, dying to run to Lauren Mallory with the juicy news. She didn't give a darn about the poor sick uncle, just the fact that Edward had an open adoption…whether that meant anything to her or not. "Tell him I'm praying for his uncle if you talk to him," she began to walk away, taking the bait with her. "I have to run to class, but I'll see you at lunch, Bella!"
When she was out of earshot, the trio began to giggle.
"Wow, you were right, Alice. She is a gullible gossip," Bella shook her head.
"I told you. Right now, she's heading straight for Lauren. And you know once she knows, everyone knows! Catty bitch."
"I love you, Alice. You evil little master mind," Jasper placed a kiss on her cheek.
"I love you too, Alice. At least, if he does come back, he can save face, you know?"
The two girls looked down at the pavement sadly. If Alice was right, and Edward stayed in Chicago, the whole story was for nothing.
"Let's not worry about that now," Jasper offered, putting an arm around each girl. "We did the best we could. You know Rose is going to do her best to spread her vile gossip."
Alice grabbed her bag off of the hood of Bella's truck and slung it over her coat. "Yeah, she will. But, seriously, you know people are more apt to believe us instead of her. Too bad bitchy is the one telling the truth this time."
The trio quietly trudged off to face their first class of the day.
XxXxXxXxXx
Edward held the coffee cup between his hands, the pounding in his head having not subsided much since he woke up.
"What was in those things, Jenks," he asked quietly.
"I use brandy, sir, but you could use whisky or even rum, if you like."
"Brandy…remind me never to drink brandy again," he closed his eyes and laid his head down on his outstretched arms.
"Would you like an aspirin, sir?"
Edward shook his head. He'd had four of Jenk's magical hot toddies the day before. At least it had been four that he could remember drinking. At the time, it seemed like a good idea. They warmed him up from the inside out and made him feel remarkably better, much lighter, less tense. He'd played his precious Steinway for Jenks and his wife Tanya. He'd played the song he wrote for Bella for them. Hell, he'd even played Chopsticks for them.
The next thing he remembered was waking up in his pajamas in his bed at four am, feeling like he'd crossed the Sahara after being beaten all over his body with a tire iron.
But, making him feel worst of all, was that he still had no idea what information his father had gathered for him.
Carlisle stepped lightly into the kitchen, dressed neatly in well pressed khakis and a burgundy v-neck sweater.
"Well, good morning, sunshine," he smirked at his disheveled child, slumped over the table. Edward's copper hair was in a state of disarray seldom seen, and that said a lot. Both his mouth and his Cubbie's blue bathrobe hung open as he sat there, praying for his headache to go away. "You're looking fresh as a daisy today."
"Morning, Dad," he managed to mumble before closing his eyes. Carlisle was going to make this as difficult as he possibly could.
"Feeling it today?" Carlisle sat down at the table next to Edward, and slipped his napkin onto his lap as Jenks brought a steaming cup of coffee over to him.
"I take full responsibility for Master Edward's situation this morning, Dr. Cullen. I'm the one who fed the drinks to him, sir."
"It's ok, Jenks. We'll let yesterday slide, but in no way are you to make a habit of this, young man. Understand?" Carlisle sipped his coffee. "That's good coffee, Jenks."
"Thank you, sir."
"Did you talk to her?" Edward closed his eyes, wincing at the pounding in his head.
"Yes, I did," Carlisle sighed, looking at Edward.
"What did she say?"
"What could she say? At first, Kate didn't want to talk to me. Tried to deny it. But when Victoria came to the door with the baby in her arms, well, that was it. There really was no denying who the father of that child is. I found out later that they were afraid we would take him away so she tried to deny it."
"What…" Edward swallowed hard, his throat dry. "What…what did she name him?"
"Alec. Alec Edward, actually," Carlisle's tone was matter of fact.
Edward closed his eyes, swallowing hard again. The picture his father had sent him of the child was all he saw, the chubby little cherubic face with the sparkling green eyes and wild russet hair that was now burned into his mind for eternity.
"Is he…did he seem…is he happy and well cared for?"
"It's Kate we're talking about here, Edward," Carlisle snorted. "He's more than happy and well cared for. He's coddled and pampered and spoiled beyond belief."
"Did you hold him?"
"Yes," Carlisle smiled. "Played with him a bit. A very pleasant child. Not at all like his mother."
"I'm sorry, Dad," Edward's eyes were cast down at the table.
"For what?" Carlisle took another sip of coffee as Jenks placed a dish in front of him. "Mmm, sunny side up. Your mother never could make a decent sunny side up egg," he smiled at Edward.
"I'm sorry for all of this. I'm sorry for…everything," he took a deep breath, running a hand through is already disheveled hair as Jenks slid a dish in front of him. Scrambled eggs, hash brown potatoes and back bacon. "Thank you, Jenks."
"You're welcome, sir," Jenks smiled sadly, nodding.
"Edward, what's done is done," Carlisle's tone was one of understanding. "You need to stop beating yourself up, son, or you'll go insane." He shoved a fork full of hash browns into his mouth. "Mmm…delicious, Jenks."
"I know, but I really put you into a bad situation," Edward shoved his food around on his plate, having no real appetite. "And I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry I'm such a...disappointment."
Carlisle sighed. "Look, we can go around and around on this, but we'll only end up in the same spot," he put his hand on his son's arm. "There's really no use in running in circles. It's done. Over. It happened and you have a little boy named Alec who is the spitting image of you and is an absolute delight," he paused for a moment. "And you could never be a disappointment to your mother or me."
Edward looked at his father and closed his eyes, willing the tears he felt building up in his eyes away. After a moment, when he was sure his voice wouldn't crack, he spoke. "So…what's the plan?"
"The plan? Well, that's up to you, I imagine," Carlisle sipped his coffee.
"What do you mean? Didn't you…I dunno…make arrangements or something?"
"Arrangements?"
"Yeah, you know…I…I don't know," he ran both of his hands through his hair nervously. "I guess I should send money, right? Like, monthly? That's what I should do," he nodded his head.
"That's fine Edward, but we didn't discuss money."
"You didn't?" He really wanted a cigarette badly, but unfortunately he remembered he was out.
"No. I just went there to find out the truth," he spread some jam on his toast. "Any arrangements there are to be made have to be made by you."
"Me," he stared at his father, the mental fatigue visible on his young face. He hadn't shaved in days, and the dark beard that covered his face made him look haggard and even more tired.
"Yes," Carlisle took a bite of his toast. "Edward, you need to meet with Victoria. To discuss this. Discuss these…arrangements, as you put it."
"I don't understand."
"She wants to talk to you before you meet him."
"Meet…you want me to meet him? Meet Alec?" The blood drained from Edward's face and a chill ran through his body. Could his father be serious?
"Edward," Carlisle looked at him, stern expression fixed on his face. "This isn't negotiable. I won't allow you to ignore this child."
"I wasn't planning on ignoring him, Dad. I intend to support him," Edward pushed his breakfast dish away from him, the smell of the food nauseating him. "He's got his neat little life with Kate and Garret and Victoria. Why would I want to upset that?"
"It's not the same thing. Whether you like it or not, whether you knew about him or not, whether he was an accident or not, the fact remains that he's your child. This child had nothing to do with your errors in judgment or with Victoria's. He deserves his father's attention," Carlisle's vivid blue eyes pierced into Edward's defeated green orbs. "Don't make the child pay for the sins of the parents, son."
Edward looked at his father, at the look of determination on his face and felt unnerved.
"You have an opportunity here, Edward," Carlisle's voice was low. "You can make something amazing out of something unexpected."
"But how do I do that," tears fell silently down his face. Deep down, he knew his father was right. He knew couldn't walk away from his responsibility. Sending a check was a poor substitute for being a father. Carlisle would be completely disappointed in him. And what would his grandfather think of him if he shirked off his responsibilities to this child? No, he knew he could do this. He knew he could be there for this child…for Alec.
"So…how do I…um…do I…do I…I go to Victoria's house?"
"Master Edward, you've not touched your breakfast," Jenks reappeared in front of the table, a scowl on his face as he eyed Edward's untouched breakfast plate. "Was there something wrong with it?"
"I'm sure it's very good, Jenks. I'm just not hungry."
"You need to eat to keep up your strength," the butler took the plate of cold eggs from the table. "These winters in Chicago are quite cold, sir."
Edward could tell from the look on the older man's face that he was not going to win this argument.
"I'll prepare you a fresh plate, sir."
"Ok," Edward's voice was as small as he was feeling at that moment. He wished he had a cigarette. He wished he had one of Jenk's hot toddies. He wished he had his mother there with him. He wished Alice were around. But most of all, he wished Bella's loving arms were wrapped tightly around him. She'd understand. And she'd encourage him and give him all the strength he could ever need. But he'd thrown her overboard and now, by his own hand, he was forced to sail these rough waters on his own.
XxXxXxXxXx
Alice pulled up a chair next to Bella. She never sat with Bella's group of friends for lunch, but that was going to change today.
"Hi," she bubbled as she tossed a small pink thermal bag onto the table. "I hope you don't mind if Jasper and I join you today for lunch."
Jessica Stanley smiled widely. Bella noticed for the first time that her teeth were large and slightly buck. Someone needed to visit the orthodontist.
"Oh, no problem at all, Alice! We'd love to have you guys!"
Alice smiled. "Thanks, Jess. By the way, I meant to tell you in English how nice that sweater looks on you."
Jessica's smile widened even more, if that was possible. A compliment from Alice Cullen on her clothes…could this day get any better?
Angela Weber took her usual seat at the table. "Hi everyone. It's good to see Alice and Jasper here too," she pulled out her brown paper bag and set up her sandwich neatly. Peanut butter and jelly on white bread with the crusts cut off. She looked up and thought for a moment. "Bella, where's Edward?"
Bella could feel her palms start to sweat, but she shouldn't have worried. Jessica Stanley was more than eager to answer Angela's question.
"You must be the only person in the school who hasn't heard," she sniffed. "Edward is in Chicago. There's been an emergency with his uncle. His biological uncle." She drew out the word biological so that Angela would know the significance.
Angela thought for a moment before she replied. "Alice, I thought all of you were adopted?"
"We are," Alice jumped in just as Jessica took a breath to answer Angela's question. "But Edward's was an open adoption. He's in touch with his birth family."
"Oh wow. That's cool. I've heard of those," Angela took a bite of her sandwich, and Edward's situation was forgotten.
Mike Newton, Tyler Crowley and Erik Yorkie arrived at the table together.
"What's this," Mike inquired. "One Cullen is absent so we get 2 Cullen's to replace him? How's that fair?"
"Hi Mike," Jasper said warmly and smiled a broad, lazy smile.
"Uh…hey, Jasper," Mike felt like an idiot.
"Good afternoon, Mike. Tyler. Erik," Alice made sure to address each one.
Disarmed by Alice and Jasper's politeness, Mike sighed and sat down in his chair with a resigned flop. Erik and Tyler followed suit.
"So how was everyone's holiday," Angela took a small bite of her sandwich.
"It was great! We were at my grandma's in Port Angeles. We did so much shopping that my feet still hurt," Jessica was always more than happy to contribute to the conversations, particularly when she was able to contribute about her favorite subject: Jessica.
"We shopped too," Angela sipped from her juice box.
"We were skiing," Mike offered.
"Where'd you go," Jessica bounced in her seat.
"Whistler."
No one noticed Bella stiffen, except for Jasper and Alice. Alice gently took Bella's hand under the table, holding it tightly.
"Sounds like fun, Mike," Alice smiled.
"Yeah, the whole family was there. Uncles and aunts. Cousins. We rented this huge house and you could see the whole mountain from it. Pretty awesome," he nodded his head before turning his full attention back to his sandwich.
"What did you do, Alice? I mean, before Edward got called away," Angela smiled at her.
"Didn't you hear? The Cullen's kicked poor Rosalie and Emmet out of the house." Lauren Mallory dropped her books down on the table with a thud. "Happy Thanksgiving, Cullen style."
"Are you kidding? Where have you been? She's a fucking bitch," Mike snorted and took another bite out of his smushed sandwich. "It was probably long overdue."
"Seriously. If she's a bitch here at school, can you imagine living with her," Jessica agreed with Mike, not that anyone would have expected otherwise.
"She's fuck hot," Tyler offered between bites on a carrot. "But, just because you're beautiful doesn't mean you're a nice person."
"Have you guys heard what she's saying about Edward," Erik was sipping soup out of a wide mouthed thermos.
"Oh my God," Jessica exclaimed. "Yes! What a bitch to start a rumor like that when he's not here to defend himself!"
"I know! The guy's got like, real issues to deal with and she's trashing him all over school," Tyler chucked the remains of his carrot into his brown paper bag. "And, I gotta say, I used to think Cullen was kinda scary before I got to know him. Maybe, back then, yeah, I'd have believed it. But now? That I know him? Fuck no!"
"Yeah, Rosalie's a few months late with that story. Maybe back when Edward was all emo and crap, people would have bit, but I doubt anyone believes her now," Mike wiped his mouth with his napkin.
"That's got to make her even more angry," once more Jessica was agreeing with Mike. "She'll probably take it out on poor Emmett."
"She has this way of…of…belittling people," Angela's voice was small and she looked down as she spoke. "She does it to poor Emmett all the time. She's done it to me."
"I'm sorry for that, Angela," Alice smiled sympathetically at her. "I understand how it made you feel…because I know how it made me feel."
Lauren didn't look up from her little container of tuna salad as she tossed it around with a plastic fork. She knew that at one time or another, everyone at this table had been a target of Rosalie's mean streak.
"What happened this weekend at our house between my parents and Rosalie, well, that's a family matter. She can tell you whatever she wishes," Jasper was calmly balling up the wrapper from his sandwich. "But Alice and I aren't going to dignify her remarks with a response."
"It's ok," Mike assumed the position of table spokesperson. "It's private and we can all respect that, right guys?" Everyone nodded, adding in 'yes' and 'mmhmmm'. Deep down inside, they were all just dying to know. Dying to know what happened that kindly Dr. Cullen had tossed two of his own children out into the cold. Dying to know if the rumor about Edward was true. But, they now considered him to be their friend, and as such, they would not pry.
"So," Jessica segued away from the line of conversation. "I need everyone to keep their calendars open. I'm having the annual Christmas party two weeks from this Friday." Jessica Stanley fancied herself the foremost party planner of Forks High School, as evidenced by her annual Halloween, Christmas and Memorial Day blow outs. Mostly, they were your average high school parties~they were what you made of them. But to her, they were the social event of each season.
"I'm in," Erik was the first to reply.
"Because you have no life," Tyler snorted.
"Oh and you do," Erik tossed his balled up used napkin at him.
"I might."
"He'll be there," Mike shook his head.
"You'll all be there," Lauren sniffed.
"And so will you," Mike stuck his tongue out at her. He liked her less and less with each day.
"Alice, will you and Jasper come," Jessica asked.
"Of course we will," Alice jumped in her seat and clapped her hands at the invitation. "And so will Bella and Edward, if he's back in time."
Bella felt her heart sink. She would love nothing more than to go to Jessica's party with Edward, even though she knew this was not possible.
But she trudged on, following Alice's lead and keeping up appearances. "Of course I'll be there…and Edward too, if he's back," she nodded determinedly.
Jessica smiled from ear to ear before turning to Angela. "And don't you even think of trying to make any excuses! You and Ben are going to be there, period."
The shy girl smiled warmly and Bella could feel it in the pit of her stomach. It was nice to be wanted by someone, anyone. She just wished that someone was Edward.
XxXxXxXxXx
Edward sat at the table in the small coffee shop. It wasn't a Starbucks. It was just a small, local place that the kids from Northbrook High School seemed to have taken over, judging from the noise level that surrounded him. He dug his hands deeper into the pockets of his leather jacket. He was going to have to ask his father to take him to get a warmer jacket if he was going to stay here for a while.
At first he couldn't understand why she'd asked to meet in a place like this. They had some important things to discuss, and odds were she'd know most of the kids in the place. He snorted to himself. Of course he realized why she would want to meet here. He knew she would want to be seen with him. Appearances were very important to Victoria. He wasn't blind. He knew he was good looking. He knew what the girls at Forks High thought about him. Edward Cullen was hot, even if he was the weird, angry Cullen. No, Victoria would get a buzz out of this crowd, being seen with a handsome, mysterious stranger. All ego, that was Victoria.
He checked his watch again. She'd told him to meet her there at three thirty. It was already ten after four. Some things just never changed. The door opened and the cold Chicago air blew in, right along with Victoria.
He almost didn't recognize her. Her long, wavy red hair was now pin straight and shoulder length. She was taller and her face seemed fuller. Her legs, wrapped tightly in black skinny jeans, seemed heavier.
She turned and looked around the café, spotting him sitting alone at a small table in the far back corner. Their eyes locked and she smiled slightly. He stood and held up a hand to wave, unsure. It had been so long. So much had happened to him since he last saw her. He was a different person now, and wasn't quite sure how to react to seeing her.
She skillfully picked her way through the crowd, turning every now and then to acknowledge with a smile when her name was called out by someone in the café who knew her. She unzipped her jacket and slid it off her shoulders before she reached him. She was thicker than he remembered, her slim, lithe dancers body now gone.
"Victoria," he leaned down, kissing her gently on the cheek when she'd reached the table.
"It's Tori now," she smiled as she corrected him.
"Uh…sorry, I didn't know," he waited until she was seated before sitting himself. It was what his grandfather had always taught him to do.
"That's ok. I couldn't expect you to," she flipped her straight red hair just like she'd always flipped her hair, with an air of superiority. Except that now, it bugged him for some reason. "I felt the need to simplify when we moved here. So," she clasped her hands together, leaning them on the table. "Eddie Cullen in the flesh."
"It's Edward now," he corrected, a smirk on his lips. Two could play this juvenile game. "I felt the need to change things up myself." Yep. Some things just never change.
She stared at him. "So you're looking good."
"I try," he smirked again. She was fishing for a compliment, and he wasn't biting. "You changed your hair," he remarked.
"Yeah. It's this Brazilian straightening thing. It's expensive but so worth it, don't you think?" She shook her head from side to side, making her hair swirl out around it.
"If you like that sort of thing," was his only comment. "Do you want something," he motioned to the counter.
"Sure. Um…I'll have a caramel macchiato, thanks."
Edward got up and went to stand at the back of the line, wondering what the hell he'd seen in her in the first place. She was pretentious and self absorbed, and they'd only been together for all of five minutes. He ordered and paid for their drinks and went to stand over to the side to wait and think.
Of course, all he could think about was Bella. Bella, who could never be accused of being pretentious or self absorbed. Bella whose only thoughts were of him and making him happy. Bella, the girl he belonged with.
He picked up their drinks when they were ready, and returned to the table.
"Miss me," she smirked as he placed her drink in front of her.
"Uh…sure," he sat down in his chair and stared into his cup.
"Whatcha get?" Her voice was playful and flirty.
He looked up at her. "Coffee."
"Just…just coffee?"
"Yeah. Just coffee. Black," he wrapped his frozen hands around the cup, hoping to warm up. He was so tired of being chilled to the bone and he'd only been in Chicago for a few days.
He took a sip and watched her fuss with her drink, sucking up the foam and caramel. He cleared his throat.
"So…we need to talk."
She slurped on her foam and nodded. "Yeah. I, um, I know you want to see him, but I wanted to talk to you first."
"Sure," Edward tried to sound casual. "About…"
"I want~" someone called to her and she broke off in mid sentence, turning with a bright smile and waving furiously. "Hi Bree!"
As if that were the signal, Bree came scampering over to their table, grabbing an empty chair from the table alongside them and sliding in next to Victoria. Edward closed his eyes, resting his head in his hand.
"Tori, you didn't tell me you were coming today! Who's the cutie," she nodded toward Edward. He couldn't help but notice how phony she sounded.
"Oh, this is an old friend from Seattle. Eddie Cullen."
"Edward," he held his hand out to Bree, who took it and giggled.
"So, was he a friend, or a friend," she drew out the second friend and giggled. Victoria raised her eyebrows and the two girls collapsed into a fit of giggles. When she'd stopped giggling enough to speak, Bree smiled at Edward and squealed "So you're the one!"
"Excuse me," Edward looked at her, confused.
"You were Tori's first! You hold her v-card! Congrats," she leaned in and whispered loudy to Victoria. "I can see why you wanted to screw him so bad that you ran off with him! He's fuck hot! Hotter than most of the other guys you've been with!"
Edward stared at Bree, horrified, while Victoria sat there, giggling with her friend. In under a minute, Victoria and her friend had managed to destroy the memory of an event he had clutched so tightly to his heart for the last two years. Their time in Whistler meant nothing to her other than getting rid of her virginity. It hadn't been love at all for her. He'd been nothing more than a means to an end.
He shook his head, the color rose in his cheeks as he looked away from the giggling friends. Bree and Victoria sat there, huddled together while whispering about something, stealing glances at him. This was unbelievable. This was why she wanted to meet him at the café. So her friends could see the first guy she fucked, since apparently there had been others and these two compared notes. And it looked to him like they kept score. It was just sex to them. He'd just been sex to Victoria. She didn't look at it the same way he did. In his mind, he'd made love to her. In her mind, he'd just helped her get a little something something out of the way.
"So, did he do your mom too," he heard Bree giggle.
"Like, why would he do my mom," Victoria snorted.
"Because your little brother looks just like him!"
Edward felt everything inside of him run cold as his fury was replaced with ice. Her little brother. They told everyone that Alec was Kate and Garrett's. Unable to put up with the repulsive conversation any longer, Edward stood up and zipped his jacket. He pulled his gloves out of his pocket and started pulling them on. He'd been used and manipulated. He was embarrassed and angry. He wanted to hit something, and he knew the wise choice was to leave before he did something else he would later regret.
"Eddie, what are you doing," Victoria stopped giggling with her friend and sat up straight, staring at him in shock.
"I told you, I prefer Edward and what does it look like I'm doing," he couldn't hide his annoyance, nor did he want to.
"You're leaving?"
"Yep. I didn't come here to be part of your fuck hit parade. I came here for one reason, and one reason alone," the anger rolled off of him in waves. "Thanks for wasting my time," he turned and stalked out of the café.
"Eddie~Edward, wait," she ran out into the Chicago cold after him, pulling her jacket on as she ran.
Edward ignored her calls, taking fast, purposeful strides down the street with his hands jammed into his pockets and a scowl on his face. He'd been used and manipulated by her two years ago, and she'd done the same thing to him this afternoon. She hadn't loved him at all, but she knew how to use his love for her to get what she wanted. The baby probably meant nothing to her. Of course, he'd have to tell Carlisle, and this would be where the lawyers would have to get involved.
"Edward, wait," she huffed and puffed, out of breath as she reached him. She grabbed his arm. "Edward stop!"
"What the hell do you want from me? Haven't you humiliated me enough for one lifetime," he spat at her, yanking his arm from her grasp as he continued to walk briskly down the street.
"Edward, please!"
He stopped, whirling around to face her. "I came here because I thought you wanted to discuss Alec. But no. This had nothing to do with that child and you know it, so don't even try to deny it. You wanted to show off to your friend! Let her see your first fuck," his face was red as his body shook with his anger. "And all this time, I'd thought you loved me the way I had loved you. That what happened in Whistler meant as much to you as it did to me. That maybe that baby meant something to you, too. But I can see you're nothing but a self centered, spoiled little bitch, just like everyone always said you were," he turned and continued down the street while she stood with her mouth open.
"Edward," she grabbed him again when she caught up with him. He shook her off of his arm.
"Don't fucking touch me, you fucking whore!"
"Eddie…" her hand fell from his arm, face reflecting the hurt in her voice.
He pulled out his cell phone.
"Eddie, please…please talk to me," she was begging now.
"Why? You got another stop we have to make so you can show me off? Maybe to more friends so they can see who gave you your first hickey? Or maybe you want to take me to your Mommy and Me class so you can parade your baby daddy around?" He scrolled through his contacts.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry I did that to you. It wasn't my intent-"
"Bullshit. That was your only intention. You set me up, Victoria," he glared down at her. "Tell me…did you set me up with Alec too? Is he mine? Or does he belong to one of your other conquests?"
Her lips set in a grim line. "Ok, you're right. And you have a right to be angry. I did want you to come to the café so my friends could see you. But…but you are Alec's father, Eddie…Edward," she hung her head. "And I know you may not think this, especially the way I just acted, but I did love you," her voice grew soft. "Why do you think I couldn't get rid of him?"
Edward stopped scrolling through his phone and looked down at his feet. He couldn't look at her. All he could do was think of Bella and how he wished she were Alec's mother.
There was a long silence between them as they both looked at the icy pavement under their feet.
"Are we going to discuss him or not," his voice was soft.
"If you still want to," she kept looking down at her feet, embarrassed by what she'd put him through in the café, but more embarrassed that he'd caught on to the real reason she'd asked him to meet her in the first place.
"That's the only reason I agreed to meet you," he couldn't look at her, because looking at her made him sick to his stomach. The ideal that he'd elevated her to in his mind for all this time, the thought of how she was…it was all a lie. A lie he'd told himself.
"There's a diner across the street. No one from school goes there. We can sit there and talk," she pointed across the street to an old shiny chrome diner.
He nodded and started to cross the busy street, not waiting for her.
They sat across from one another in a quiet booth in the back. The awkward silence made Edward fidget. He still couldn't bring himself to look at her, instead staring down at the table.
"Um…so…you want to see him?"
"Yeah," he whispered softly as he nodded.
"Um…I'll have to ask my mom when it's ok for you to come over, then."
"Sure."
"You're not going to try to take him from me, are you?"
This made Edward looked up at her, brow furrowed. "Why would I do that?"
"I don't know. My mom…my mom made us leave Seattle because she thought your mom would want to take him from us, the way she collected kids and all. And we can't afford to fight your family. You're just too rich," she looked like she was getting ready to cry.
"We wouldn't do that," he said quietly as he shook his head. "I just want what any father would want. I want visitations with him. I want him to know that he's mine." Although he heard the words falling softly from his lips, he couldn't believe he was speaking them.
"Sure," she nodded. "That sounds fair."
"I'll send you money every month," he was looking down at the table again, fiddling with the silverware that sat on the stiff paper napkin.
"You don't have to."
"I want to. He's mine. I should help support him," he nodded, biting his lower lip. This was murder.
"Um…ok then."
"My father will have his attorney draw up the papers," he sighed. "Of course you can bring them to your lawyer before you sign them. We're not trying to take him from you or pull any fast ones," he sighed. "We just want…" he sighed again. "We just want to be part of his life too."
"Sure, sure. I understand."
The waitress came to take their order.
"I'll just have a Diet Coke," Victoria didn't smile.
"Coffee, please," Edward still didn't look up.
"So, how long are you staying in Chicago?"
"As long as I have to."
XxXxXxXxXx
Yeah...I have no idea what Edward saw in her either ;)
Once again, thanks to everyone who's stuck with my little story. Thank you for reading and reviewing and sharing! I do appreciate it! :D
I will warn you ahead of time that the next update may be delayed (again). I'll be out of town this weekend and Labor Day weekend. I'm hoping to get something up before Labor Day, actually, and since Mr. Man is out of the picture for 3 weeks (yay for extended trips!) I won't have him infuriating me. So, fingers crossed that I can come up with a quality chapter before I go on my own vacation!
Again, thank you all for reading! As always, if you like it, please click that little review button and let me know! And if you really like it, tell your friends about it. Don't be afraid to get your friends as addicted to fanfic as you are...I know I'm not...Right, KK? :P