Streetlight People
Part Four: Working Hard To Get My Fill
Chapter Two


"What's wrong, Edward?" the sultry blonde asked as she sidled up to the bar, the sweetheart neckline of her dress clinging to her chest like Jack Dawson on Rose's door in the middle of the Atlantic. "Anything I can help you with?"

"Put your tits away before Emmett gets out here, Rose," Edward replied, his tone bored. He grabbed a glass, filled it with ice and poured her a Sprite from the fountain hose.

"What he doesn't know," she purred. "You know?"

Ignoring her advances, Edward proceeded to hand her the glass and leave the bar. Heading towards the kitchen, Edward turned left at the last second, ducking out the back door instead. Though he was loathe to do so, he reached in his back pocket for the pack of Camels he had bought on his way to work. It was rare to find him smoking since he had left Detroit, and he wasn't proud as he lit up, using his back to shield the cheap lighter's flame from the blustery cold.

Letting his mind wander as he inhaled the unfiltered tobacco smoke, Edward thought of Bella. Her bright smile when she greeted him at the restaurant that afternoon had kept him buoyed above his usual dark and brooding mood, though he wasn't one to notice the change. But his mood had come crashing down with the mere presence of Rosalie waiting for him at the end of his bar.

Edward didn't know what Emmett saw in the slut.

"Just fuck off, Carlos!" someone laughed as the door to the alley banged open. Edward's eyes flew up at the sound and suddenly there she way, all pink-cheeked and breathless.

"Oh, Edward." Her eyes grew wide before being replaced with a small smile.

"Hey," he replied, waving his free hand lamely. Looking up at the dark sky above them, he glanced at his watch then at her. "Working late?"

"Yeah," Bella replied. "Diana never showed up for her shift and it's not like I have anything better to do. I just about to finish up, but I needed some air."

Feigning nonchalance, Edward leaned against the black-painted brick and watched out of the corner of his eye as Bella slowly followed suit, going further and sliding down the façade until her ass sat on an empty milk crate.

"Was Carlos bugging you?" he asked after a minute of silence.

"No," she replied. "Just joking around."

"He's an asshole," he informed her.

"Not really. More like…" Edward watched as she tapped her finger against her chin. "Misguided sense of humor."

Edward shrugged.

They stood outside together, the muted sounds of Chicago encasing them in a bubble of companionable silence. Edward stubbed out the butt of his cigarette minutes later. Checking his watch again, he sighed.

"Well…"

"Yeah."

They stood and Edward held the door as the two of them headed back inside.