Life Is So Unfair
Chapter 38
Thanks to all the usual suspects. Dollybigmomma wielded the red pen on this with finesse. Enjoy!
BELLA
The atmosphere seemed strange when I arrived back home early to get some more underwear and toiletries. Jessica smiled cautiously at me, but she did not speak. She seemed nervous as she slipped out the door and I wondered what was up with her. I'd ask her when I saw her again. Lauren was nowhere in sight, thank god. I knew we seemed to have stopped them in their tracks, but I halfway expected…something, anything but this silence. It was just…quiet. Too quiet.
When I was done adding some clean panty and bra sets to my small overnight bag, my phone buzzed, alerting me to a message. I knew it would be from Edward. I'd been away for over an hour now and he'd be missing me. I rolled my eyes, but I did not look at the message. I'd save it until later. When my phone rang again several minutes later as I was gathering some personal things I wanted to leave at Edward's, I laughed before pulling it open and speaking.
"I'm nearly done, baby. Jesus, are you still so impatient even after last night and this morning?"
A voice I had not heard in a while answered me back. "Bella, it's me, your dad."
"What do you want, Dad?" I asked ignoring the massive elephant in the room.
"I take it you're still seeing that professor?"
"Is that all you called for, Dad? Because if it is, I'm ending this call now."
"Come on, Bells, you know this isn't right. What he's doing is against the law. You could end up getting hurt and have your reputation destroyed. You need to put a stop to this, Isabella, before it's too late."
"Dad, I have two days left in school here and then Edward and I are free to pursue our relationship without it bothering his career or my reputation, or warranting anyone else's opinion. Not that I care about that. So, did you have anything else you wanted to talk about?" I said curtly annoyed that once again, I had let him get to me.
"I'm your father and I care about you, Bella. I know when you finally come to your senses about this, you'll need me. Jake and I have been talking. We think you'll need him, too, and he's convinced you'll come around. He's proved to me he's a great kid and I think he's more your type than this predatory professor. Look, when school is done, come home for a few days and let's clean the slate. I know Jake wants you home, too, and has made some plans for you he's really excited about. What do you say?"
"I say no, Edward and I have plans and they don't include Jake, and from the way you're still acting and letting Jake fill your head with crap, there won't be any visits to you, either. I love you, Dad, but please don't call anymore if you're just looking to start this again." I hung up, sad that my dad still hadn't changed his mind. He used to be so loving and supportive of me. I didn't understand what had gotten into him.
My phone beeped and Edward's text calmed me to no end.
You are coming back to me aren't you?
I miss you already
Please hurry back to me.
Love you x
Why couldn't my dad get it through his thick skull that Edward was it for me? Forever if I had any say in the matter. I texted Edward back, letting him know that I was on my way as I walked distractedly out of my room. I headed back towards the lounge, passing Angela's room. I heard a muffled grunt from her room and figured she was still sleeping. She did tend to make funny noises in her sleep. The sight that greeted me as I rounded the corner into the lounge made me jump back, my stomach turning over.
Standing in front of the closed front door was none other than evil twin number one, Lauren, looking like the cat that got the cream. A movement to my right caught my attention and I looked up to see someone stepping out of her room. It was Jacob Black. The smirk on his face made me want to punch him...hard.
"Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in, Jakey boy. It seems like your crush has returned just in time for your visit. Bella, how did you know Jake was coming to visit today? I swear, are you two, like, able to read each other's minds or something?" Lauren asked sarcastically as she folded her arms and smirked as Jake sauntered over and joined her in front of the door.
"What the fuck are you talking about, Lauren? You know perfectly well that Jake is nothing to me. Now move out of my way, I'm going out." I stepped forward to leave, but they did not move.
"Now, Bella, that's just rude, going off and leaving your boy here after he's come all this way to declare himself to you. You do seem to like doing that to him, don't you? Now why don't you give him a big hug and show him how happy you are to see him."
"No thanks, I'd rather hug a cobra. And Jake, I've just gotten off the phone with my dad. You might want to talk to him before just showing up here next time. Better yet, don't let there be a next time. I want nothing more to do with you and I've made that perfectly clear. I want you to stay the hell away from me. Now move the fuck out of my way!" I was getting really fucking pissed off now.
"Shut the fuck up, Bella!" Lauren yelled making me jump a little at her tone. "If you don't want your precious Edward to lose his career, you'd better just shut up and listen."
My heart dropped at her words. She knew, fuck, fuck, and double fuck, she knew. My expression must have given away my panic.
"That's right, Bella dear. I've followed you, more than you know. I have pictures of the two of you on my cell phone just waiting to be sent to the college administrators."
Jake stepped forward and wrapped his huge hand around my upper arm. "Come home with me, Bella, come back to Forks and forget Edward fucking Cullen ever existed and we'll keep our mouths shut."
I rolled my eyes and jerked my arm out of his grip before replying from between gritted teeth. "What damn part of 'not a fucking chance' do you not get, Jake? I. Don't. Want. You! Edward is it for me. We're together and will be together no matter what you say, or what fucking dipshit Lauren here says. If necessary, Edward will resign from the faculty and we'll just go elsewhere. We have two days, two fucking days left and you turn up here threatening to take my future away from me. What the fuck right do you two have trying to butt into my life?" I yelled in their faces.
"When you're gone, Bella, he's going to be devastated, I realize this. But I'm sure with a little encouragement, I can persuade him to accept my offers of comfort and companionship to get over you."
"You're bat-shit crazy, Lauren. Edward loves me and I love him, that's more than you'll ever have with him. Even if Edward and I were not together, you'd still never be the one he'd ever want to be with. Like me, he loathes you and all you stand for." She snarled at me, hatred flashing in her eyes at my harsh words.
"You think you know everything, Bella, but I know it was you that set Jess and me up the other night at the bar, and I know Angela was in on it. I could see it on your damned smug faces. Well, she'll be sleeping off the headache I gave her for a while," Lauren smirked as we heard another moan from the direction of Angie's room.
"What did you do to her?" I yelled turning to go check on Angela when Jake gripped my arm tightly again.
"Oh, nothing much, but she won't be awake to hear anything, and she has no clue it was me that hit her. Stupid girl should really look behind her sometime.
"Now where were we? Oh yes, I asked around and found out that Jasper and Emmett are Edward's brothers. I figured out you all planned that whole thing once I learned that bit of info, some kind of payback I suspect, but now the joke is on you, Bella. Say goodnight."
I suddenly felt a sharp pain on the back of my head and everything went black.
When I woke up, my head was throbbing and it was pitch dark outside. Wherever I was lying was uncomfortable, not to mention dirty. I tried to sit up, but I couldn't move. I looked around, realizing I was in Charlie's old fishing cabin outside of Forks and my hands and feet were tied to the bunk. How long had I been out? The sound of a dark chuckle caught my attention and I flinched and wanted to back into the corner, but I couldn't.
"You're awake finally. I was beginning to think maybe I'd hit you a little too hard," Jake said coming over and sitting on the side of the bunk next to me. "You're so beautiful, Bella. I'm so glad you're coming with me."
It took me a second to get my head cleared when I realized Jake was talking about me leaving school and going to live with him somewhere that sounded like it was in Canada. Like hell that was happening.
"Jake, you need to let me go. Charlie is going to be so pissed when he finds out about this, and Edward will kill you," I hissed trying to pull my hands and feet free. Apparently, mentioning Edward's name was the wrong thing to do as Jake backhanded me in anger.
"Don't mention that asshole's name again, Bella! He doesn't get to have a place in your life anymore. You're mine and you need to remember that."
Jake's features changed again and he softly ran his hand down my face, cupping my neck. "I've waited patiently for months to come get you, but that damned Lauren always said I had to wait, that she'd let me know when you were ready for me. As awful as she is, Bella, she was right. You were worth the wait."
I started to struggle as his hand moved lower, cupping my breast through my shirt, his fingers searching for my nipple. Fear shot through me as he began undoing my buttons, laying my shirt open so he could unclip my bra in front, exposing my breasts to his groping hands. I was sobbing as he moved over me, unzipping my jeans and pulling them down my legs. He had to untie my feet to remove them the rest of the way and I kicked for all I was worth, but he managed to get them and my underwear off before retying my ankles to the bed.
"I didn't want our first time to be like this, Bells, but you keep fighting me so it'll have to do." He quickly shed his clothing and was back over me again, rubbing himself between my folds as I screamed for him to stop.
The door was suddenly flung open and Edward burst through it in a panic, quickly making his way to the bunk and jerking Jake from atop me. "Leave her the fuck alone, Black!" Edward growled as he smashed Jake repeatedly in the face with his fist in a rage.
Charlie came into the cabin next, dragging Lauren behind him in handcuffs. He shoved her down into a chair before pulling Edward off Jake.
"Enough, Edward. Jacob, Son, what the hell were you thinking?" Charlie asked frustrated. "I trusted you!" he screamed at Jake as he handcuffed him. Edward was already at my side untying me. He pulled his shirt off and slipped it over me before Charlie came to me, kneeling in front of me.
"I'm so sorry, baby girl. I had no idea he'd do something like this. Are you okay?" Charlie asked concerned, looking on the verge of tears.
I nodded as Jake sat naked across the room, still ranting. He started yelling at me, "I love you, Bella! He can't love you like I do. You belong to me! ME! I deserve to have you, I loved you first. You're mine!"
"You're a sick parasite, Jake, you make my skin crawl. Never in a million years, even if there was no Edward, would I ever choose someone you like you!" I screamed at him from Edward's arms and Jake recoiled at my harsh but true words. "All we wanted to do was be together," I sobbed, "Two more days till the end of school then we could be a real couple, go out on proper dates with no people like you interfering, wanting to come between us. Why couldn't you just leave us the fuck alone?" I screamed crying hysterically. "When are you all going to understand that Edward and I love each other and just want to be together without all this insanity? I don't know how much more of this I can take!" I cried, collapsing against Edward's chest.
"I'm so sorry, Bella," Charlie said sadly. "He had me totally fooled." He looked up at Edward holding me protectively and sighed with resignation.
Edward gathered my clothes and helped me redress, holding me as much as possible while trying to help me calm my gasping sobs. I was having a hard time with that as the realization that I had almost been raped by Jake hit me hard, triggering what felt like a panic attack.
Charlie got Jake back into his clothes as well and read him his rights, as well as Lauren, who had been acting as a look-out. She was shooting daggers at me with her eyes this whole time.
I finally calmed down enough for Edward to help me out to his car as Charlie got Lauren and Jake into his cruiser. Charlie turned to Edward as he closed the door on Jake's crazy rambling.
"You love my daughter?" he asked Edward.
"I do, Sir, more than my own life, and I'll do anything it takes to protect her and make her happy," Edward promised holding me tightly to his chest.
"Alright then," Charlie conceded with a nod and smiled slightly toward me, looking more like a grimace. "If he's who you want, Bells, then I'll trust your judgement," he said then looked toward Jake who was still mumbling about me like a toy that had been taken from him, "Seems your judgement is better than mine these days, anyway." I watched as Charlie produced Lauren's cell phone and removed her memory card, snapping it between his fingers before he smashed her phone under his heel, picking it up and flinging it and the card into the lake.
We followed Charlie back to the station to give a statement and press kidnapping charges against them and attempted rape charges against Jake. We were sitting in the corridor waiting to be called when we heard her.
"Mr Cullen, I'm so sorry," a small voice said from behind us. Edward and I turned slowly towards the voice. Jessica stood there looking scared by all that she was witnessing. "I'm so sorry if we made you feel like we were cheapening you. I'd never do that to someone. I'm afraid I let myself be roped into something that I'm not in agreement with. That's why I went and got your dad and told him everything, Bella. I couldn't let them get away with it. Mr. Cullen, please accept my apology, too. I'll do whatever I need to in order for this to be over."
We heard a scream from down the hall behind Jessica and saw an officer bringing a handcuffed Lauren in to be fingerprinted.
I looked between Jessica and Lauren, Lauren's face was full of rage and a look of betrayal.
"Jessica, shut the fuck up!" she sneered.
"No, Lauren, I'm done with letting you manipulate me any longer. I've tried my best to ignore what everyone was telling me about you. I wanted to be the one who helped you turn around, made people see what I saw. You're just a lonely girl who's never been shown any love. You hurt people to stop them from hurting you first. Or you strike out at them out of jealousy over something they have that you don't.
"But you make enemies all over the place, Lauren. You go about everything in the wrong way and now enough is enough. Bella is my friend, she never wanted to hurt anyone, but you did. Anyone can see how in love they are. Open your eyes and take a real look. Love like that is not so hard to find if you're loving and let people love you in return. Maybe if you stopped trying so hard to hurt others, something good might have actually happened for you like that, too."
Lauren was gob-smacked; you could tell by how it was written all over her face. The officer led Lauren away and Edward motioned for me to follow him.
"Come on, love, let's leave this lot to it."
One we were done at the station, Edward took my hand in his and I walked slowly out of the door with the love of my life.
I was in a bit of a daze when Edward pulled me towards his beloved Volvo. We rode back to his in silence; neither of us quite knew what to say.
When we arrived, Angela was sat on Edward's sofa crying quietly, holding an icepack to her head.
"Oh, Bella, I'm so sorry! I started to wake up just as they hit you and I didn't know what to do. I thought getting Edward first would be the best thing I could do and he went straight to your dad. I hope I did the right thing."
"Shush, Angie, it's okay, we're all okay and we're safe here now. That's all that matters. We left them to it, Charlie seemed to have things under control, and Jessica appeared to be on our side, didn't she, Edward," I turned to him.
"Yeah, she did, quite the turn, eh? She's obviously been doing some thinking and has seen Lauren for who she really is."
"What do you mean?" Angela asked wiping her nose.
"She told Lauren quite a few home truths, pretty much put an end to everything. It was quite interesting to watch and hear. Jessica even apologised to Edward and I for interfering in our lives. We left as soon as we could. How are you holding up?"
"I'm fine, a bit of a headache, but I'm going to be okay. What did Jake have to say? I nearly died when he turned up this morning, Bella. I was going to text you, give you some warning, but I was knocked out before I knew what, or who, hit me. He's crazy, isn't he?"
"Delusional is more like it," Edward muttered going into the kitchen to put on the kettle.
"He really is crazy if he thinks he's ever going to be in my life after this. We were friends once, but never again. I doubt we'll be hearing anything from him except maybe for a trial."
Angela and I chatted while Edward made coffee. When he came back in, I reminded him I had told Charlie we had plans together after school was out. He walked back towards me with a panty-dropping grin on his face and I suddenly wished we were alone to take advantage of it.
"I like the sound of that, love. Plans with you sound wonderful, especially if we're alone." He dropped a small kiss at the corner of my mouth and went back to grab some biscuits.
Checking my phone hours later, I smiled when I saw a message from Charlie letting me know all was well and no one would be any the wiser about Edward and me. I breathed a deep sigh of relief. Tomorrow was the last day for us. I had only one more class with Edward and I hoped and prayed it passed uneventfully.
I knew Edward was still wary of Aro, although Marcus seemed to have him under some semblance of control these days. Victoria, Edward had been told, had moved states. Her husband finally grew a set of balls and demanded she did as he said after causing such a scandal.
Edward had heard through the grapevine that she was pregnant and we speculated on potential fathers. Mr. Samples was one of course, but we questioned that with amusement because from what Edward had told me, he didn't look particularly capable. Aro Volturi was more than a possibility, and then there was no forgetting old Mr. Berty. My whole body shuddered at the thought of him getting anyone pregnant. I mean if Charlie Chaplin could father a child at age seventy, then I assumed it was possible for an aging Mr. Berty. But the idea was still repulsive.
Sleep didn't come easily tonight as I remembered what Jake had tried to do, causing anxiety to keep me awake. However, Edward wrapped me in his arms and I soon drifted off. We had one more day to get through and given everything that had happened today, I found myself looking forward to tomorrow with more than a little trepidation.
Okay, so one more to go then a short epi.
Your thoughts?