So, not so new story ... I'm reposting this. This story was pulled years ago by FFn. That decision (without any sort of warning, really) forced me to move from just posting on FFn to Stars (then The Writer's Coffee Shop), AO3, and FictionPad. After doing some thinking, and FicPad turning into a for-profit platform, I've decided to repost this here.
This is ALREADY COMPLETE! PREWRITTEN
I will be doing some editing for content, but this is written in its entirety on Stars, AO3, Wattpad and FicPad (when it's not being a pain in the butt).
Carrots? Has anyone seen any carrots? The plot bunny attacked and well, you all are going to reap the benefits. NEW STORY! I've been writing some pretty heavy stuff lately and well, I'm going to lighten it up a bit. It's not going to be a humorous story (though there will be some funny bits) but it will be romantic. Some drama…some light angst (there needs to be some sort of conflict or it wouldn't be worth reading, kids).
Yeah, that isn't mine.
Up next will be a bit of a transition chapter…We need these every so often. ;-)
Chapter Twenty-One: Ripples
BPOV
"I'll see you when I get home, baby," I said as I kissed the unconscious form of my boyfriend. He snorted, waving me off dismissively. He so was not a morning person. "Love you, Edward."
"Lurve schmeh," he mumbled into his pillow, cuddling around some blankets. I giggled and left him in his sleep-induced stupor. After I filled my travel mug with some coffee, I went downstairs to the garage. I smiled softly as I stared at Edward's new car. His red Chevy Camaro. It was so unlike him. Flashy, sexy and over the top. Edward was sexy but he wasn't about flaunting his assets. He was very understatedly sexy and when all was said and done, quite humble and very generous with his affections, physical and emotional. My mind swirled of the fond memories of defiling it thoroughly and my very explosive climax from that hot, sexy moment.
Best. Birthday. Present. Ever.
Perhaps a repeat?
Now?
No? Crap.
I've got to go to work. Don't wanna.
My eyes traveled to my car and I considered defiling my vehicle. Nah. I like that new car smell. Snickering, I hopped into my car and drove toward my office at the Seattle Times. My article on the two republican candidates for mayor was quite well-received and I was asked to meet with the incumbent democratic mayor and the independent candidate as well. I was going to make arrangements to meet with them later today after I met with Marcus. He had called me last night in a tizzy but wouldn't say much. I assumed it was probably about Patricia. She was probably placed on bed rest and that I was now in her position full-time.
Parking my car, I went upstairs. As I was flipping through my phone, Paul stumbled into the elevator on the first floor. He elbowed me, giving me an appraising look. I was dressed very sedately in a pencil skirt and deep eggplant sweater. Everything was tight and I know that Edward would probably rip it off me once I got home. He was in for a treat underneath my clothes. No. Panties.
"So, you leave the arts and entertainment section and you're too good to say good morning?" he teased.
Right, Paul. Stop drooling over the imminent sex you're going to have once you get home from work.
"Good morning, Paul," I deadpanned, squeezing my thighs together. Just thinking about Edward made me wet. Damn. "How was your weekend?" I sounded squeaky and breathy. Calm down, Swan.
"Excellent. Spent some time with my man and then went to a local music festival for a write-up for today's edition," he smiled. "How about you?"
"It was good. Edward went fishing with my dad this past weekend," I giggled. "He came home on Sunday smelling awful but my dad pulled me aside saying that he liked him a lot." Yay! My dad likes Edward! Respects him, even!
"That's wonderful news. I knew that he couldn't stand Tyler," Paul snorted. "Have you heard from him?"
"No," I shrugged. "I don't care to, either. He said his piece. He made his decision and I'm happily living in sin with Edward. At least he did the right thing with paying his half of the rent. Tyler, that is." Biting my lip, I looked up at Paul. "Have you heard from Becca?"
"Nope. I tried calling her, to invite her to the festival. But, her cell phone number has been disconnected," Paul replied sadly. "I'm thinking that her douchebag boyfriend has something to do with that. His vibe is definitely not the touchy-feely happy bunny vibe."
"You have such a way with words, Paul," I chuckled sadly.
"This is why I'm a journalist," he sang as he got off on his floor, kissing my cheek as he left the elevator. "You want to go out for lunch? Get some naughty things for your man?"
"If not today, then tomorrow," I smiled.
"It's a date, Swan!" he said as the doors closed. I rode up the next two floors and got out on the news floor, my new home away from home. It was bustling, as it always was. I walked to my cube, deposited my bag and turned on my computer. After I logged in, I grabbed my pad of paper and three pencils. I walked to Marcus' office, knocking on the open door. Inside, he was on the phone, his normally poised demeanor was gone. He looked completely ruffled and lost. He was pacing the length of his tiny office as he chattered on the phone. The cord was completely wrapped around his slender body.
Marcus beckoned me in. "I've got to call you back," he barked into the phone.
"Are you okay?" I asked as he tried, unsuccessfully, to untangle himself. "Stop. You're making it worse." I unhooked the receiver and had him spin a few times. I handed him back the receiver. "Here. Now, why is my normally calm boss having a heart attack at eight in the morning on a Monday?"
"Well, a few reasons," he said, indicating to the chair. I sat down, arching a brow and waiting for him to speak. Marcus sat down on his desk, thrusting his hands into his messy hair. "The first reason obviously affects you. You've probably already guessed it."
"Patricia is on bed rest?" I asked.
"Bingo. You're now here permanently. Congratulations," Marcus said, waving his hands. "Good news over, now on to the bad news."
"Should I just run in the other direction?" I quipped.
"Please don't," Marcus whimpered. "There has been a change in the editorial staff here. It came out of nowhere. Our new editor-in-chief is a man who single-handedly ruined the Chicago Sun Times. But, shhhh, don't say anything. Rumors have been floating around that any department heads who cross this guy could be out of a job. I'm number one on the fire list."
"Why?"
"Because I'm very liberal and the man who was hired is extremely conservative. He believes that we need to broadcast the news that is beneficial for his agenda. I disagree. The news should be just that…the news. Not slanted in either the liberal or conservative direction. Editorials are different, but for the most part, the news should be the statement of facts without bias. Unfortunately, this guy wants us to only take the conservative viewpoint. Look at the news through a right-wing scope."
"If he's so bad, why was he hired?" I asked, confused by the sudden change in leadership.
"The other editor-in-chief was ready to retire. The new guy was available and they worked out a deal. Bella, we've got to stay under the radar."
"That's going to be difficult, Marcus. I'm writing a political column now. I can't focus all of my attention on the republican or conservative candidates. We have to be fair and give both sides equal time," I argued.
"My sentiments exactly. But, Alec believes otherwise," Marcus grumbled. I frowned in confusion. Marcus shook his head. "The new editor-in-chief. Now, I know you've got to meet with the mayor and the independent candidate sometime this week. Schedule the meeting and go through with it as planned."
"Am I not going to run the story?" I questioned, my brow arching.
"I haven't decided yet. The journalist in me says yes. The man who needs to keep his job so he can have food on the table for his wife and kids says no. I'm so confused," he groaned. "The department heads are meeting with Alec this afternoon. Hopefully after that meeting, I can get a better feeling for him. Just…do what you do and we'll chat before the end of the day."
"I'm sorry, Marcus. I hope that everything turns out alright," I muttered.
"Me, too, Swan," he sighed.
I got up and walked to my desk. Woodenly, I sat down and took a few calming breaths. This was bad. This new editor ruined one of the biggest news organizations in Chicago and now he's here? That made no sense. I jotted down the editor's name and decided to do some research, but at home. I didn't want to be fired for something ludicrous like inappropriate browsing. Shaking off the foreboding feeling, I made a few phone calls for my interviews. I left a message for the chief of staff for the mayor and spoke briefly with the campaign manager for the independent candidate. They said that they'd let me know when it was best for them to meet with me and call me back.
The rest of the morning, I spent working on an assignment about the new red light cameras in downtown Seattle and how people were getting slammed with tickets. In the past year, over three hundred residents were sent tickets for infractions that didn't happen. Clearly in the pictures that were taken, the lights were green and not red. The police were not willing to throw out those fines and were going through further charges against the drivers.
At lunchtime, I was stuck on the phone with an older woman, telling me her life story. All I wanted to know was information about her ticket and not about her thirty cats and twelve grandchildren. I couldn't hang up with her, though. I sent Paul a text, asking if we could postpone our shopping trip until tomorrow.
Four hours later, I'm finally off the phone with the woman and I desperately needed to get out of the office. I grabbed my cell phone and purse, leaving to go to a small café around the corner from the building of the Seattle Times. After I ordered a sandwich and a cup of soup, I settled into a table and dialed Edward.
"I still smell like fish," he grumbled instead of saying hello.
"That sounds like a personal problem," I giggled. "I think it's just in your nose. When I gave you a kiss this morning, you smelled like your normal sexy self."
"Eau de morning breath. Nice," he snickered. "How was work so far? You're taking your lunch late."
"Interesting," I grimaced, wrinkling my nose. "We have a new boss. A conservative boss who likes to fire liberals."
"You fall into that liberal category?" Edward asked.
"Kind of. Patricia is officially on bed rest and she wrote a political column. The new boss, Alec, is all about favoring the conservative view point while ignoring the liberal. How am I going to cover the election for the mayor if I can only focus on the republican, conservative candidates?" I said, sighing heavily. "So, my boss, Marcus, told me to do what I should do and get the information about all the candidates. He's meeting with Alec today with the rest of the department heads right now and hopefully I'll get the thumbs up to run the story."
"Shouldn't the news be unbiased?" Edward questioned. "What about freedom of the press? This guy is quashing your constitutional rights. Why would…"
"Hold on, Captain America. What we've heard has been hearsay. Nothing is for certain. However, I do want to do some research on this guy. Marcus said that he single-handedly ruined the Chicago Sun Times. So, if you're not too busy…you can start on my research?" I cajoled.
"I need a break from writing code," Edward snorted. "My eyes are crossing and my fairies, which are supposed to be tiny and elfin look like giants with massive feet. Give me the name."
"Alec Wright," I answered.
"And you said that he worked in Chicago?" Edward asked. I could hear him scratching this down on some paper.
"Yep. Be discreet about the search, Edward. I want to know about this guy, but…" I trailed off.
"Relax, gorgeous girl. You're talking to a master hacker," he snickered. "I've got you covered. What time do you think you'll be home?"
"I'm hoping to leave by sex…I mean, six!" I laughed at my Freudian slip.
"I know what you're thinking, you minx," Edward purred. "I'll see you at sex. I love you, baby."
"I love you, too," I sighed contentedly. I tossed my trash and went back to the office. On my desk, my voicemail indicator was blinking. Scowling, I checked my messages. The only night that the independent candidate had free was tonight at some benefit for roughly a half hour. I sent Edward a text, explaining that I wouldn't be home at six (sex…I missing out on SEX!) because I had to work.
It was midnight when I got home and Edward was already asleep.
Fuck. Me.
xx AIDA xx
The next three weeks were the same way. I'd get up at the ass-crack of dawn, go to work and not get home until super late. Edward was definitely feeling unloved with my hectic schedule. The campaign was in high gear and I needed to get as much as I could on each of the candidates to run the stories. Alec wasn't really a douche about it, but you could tell that he wanted me to focus my attention on the republican candidates. His assignments about them were longer and more detailed than the assignments for the incumbent or the independent.
One Friday night, a week before Alice was coming into town, I was working on a big piece about the most recent debate. It had to be ready to go for the copy on Saturday. I was nearly done, working on editing it, when Edward along with Paul and Angela strode into the news office. I blanched since I hadn't really talked to any one of them since I started my new job. The only person I spoke to on a regular basis was Marcus or the staff on the news floor.
I was a horrible friend and miserable excuse of a girlfriend.
"Swan! We got a bone to pick with you," Paul bellowed.
"Can't it wait?" I whimpered, typing on the computer. "I've got to submit this to Marcus so it can run in tomorrow's copy."
"How much do you have left to do?" Edward asked quietly, his green eyes somber and sad.
Fuck.
"I'm working on editing it but I may have to rework the opening," I frowned, looking at my article.
"Swan, get out of here," Marcus said. He had sauntered up while I was trying not to cry. "You've been pulling insane hours. I'm ordering you as your boss and your friend, to take the weekend off. I do not want to see your face until Monday morning at eleven, got it?"
"But my article…" I rambled.
"I'll edit it and submit it for publication. You'll be in the byline," Marcus said, saving my work to his flash drive. "Go home. You look like you need a foot massage, a bottle of wine and time with your friends."
"Are you sure?" I asked, looking back at my friends but settling my eyes on Edward.
"I'm positive, Bella," Marcus said, handing me my jacket. "I'm leaving after I finish this. My wife is ready to cut off my balls since I'm never home anymore."
"Don't argue, Bella," Paul said sternly, pulling my chair away from the desk. He put my hand in Edward's, who helped me to my feet. I looked back at my boyfriend and his eyes were swirling with so many emotions. "Our work here is done, Ang. Let's go get a drink."
"Sounds good to me. Ben's out of town," Angela giggled and they left.
"No blood shed on the news floor," Marcus chuckled before he walked into his office. I scowled at his retreating form.
"I'm sorry," Edward whispered, his thumb rubbing over my knuckles.
"Why are you apologizing?" I asked, feeling badly for…what? Doing my job? "I'm the one who's never home. You probably hate me."
"Never," he said, his verdant eyes gazing into mine. "Look, I want to talk with you and I don't want to do it at your place of employment."
"You're not breaking up with me, are you?" My heart stammered and I felt sick.
"Bella, no," he said, raising my right hand to his lips and kissing my promise ring. "I just miss you." He picked up my jacket and helped me into it. "Come on, love. I've got some foot rubbing to do." I snorted and allowed him to lead me out to the parking garage. We left my car in the parking garage. Security ensured me it would be fine over the weekend. Edward said he'd give me a ride to work on Monday.
The drive home was quiet. Edward was holding onto my hand tightly but I could tell that he was troubled. Mentally, I berated myself. I hated making him sad, even if it was unintentional. Parking the car, we rode up to my apartment and he led me to the dining room. The room was lit up with candlelight and the smell of pizza filtered all throughout the apartment. "Do you want red or white wine?" he asked, taking off my pea coat.
"Doesn't matter," I answered, looking back him. He smiled, kissing my nose but there was just an inherent sadness surrounding him.
"Have a seat, gorgeous girl," he said, guiding me to a chair. I slipped off my heels and watched as he disappeared into the kitchen. A few moments later, he came back carrying a bowl with a salad, a basket of breadsticks and a bottle of wine. Carefully, he opened the bottle of red wine, pouring me a healthy glass. "Help yourself to some salad. I have to slice the pizza."
"Do you need help, Edward?" I asked, my voice sounding sad and pitiful.
"I'm good, baby," he replied, kissing my forehead. "I'm just warming up the pizza a bit since it took longer at your office."
"Okay," I sighed, sipping my wine. Edward came out a bit later, carrying a pizza on a stone tray. He placed it on the waiting holder and sat down next to me. All of this food looked delicious, but my stomach was in knots. Edward was giving off the illusion that he was fine, but his eyes told me a different story. He was sad, guarded. His expression was very similar to when he was 'Slutward' minus the swagger. "Are you sure you're not mad at me?" I blurted out.
He chuckled, turning to me. "Bella, I'm not mad. I swear. I just miss you. A lot," he frowned. "I know that you're incredibly busy with work but I haven't seen you much since I went fishing with your dad. I know you sleep in bed with me at night, but I never see you."
"Once we get through the election, I'll have some more time," I said, tears filling my eyes. I was PMSing. I had an appointment to get my shot on Tuesday. "If it's any consolation, I miss you, too, Edward. I miss our talks, cuddling with you, being us. It's not intentional. I'd rather be here, with you."
"I know, baby," he said, cupping my face. "It just sucks. How much longer with this crazy schedule?"
"The election is the first Tuesday in November. Probably a week after that, things should quiet down," I shrugged. "Then, I'll get to work on the races for congress and the senate, but that won't really kick up until after the first of the year. Usually Patricia did 'feel-good' stories after elections. I'll probably follow in her footsteps."
"I'm glad that you won't keep up this schedule," he said, his eyes wide. "You'd run yourself ragged."
"I already am. I'm PMSing and tired," I grumbled, reaching for the salad. "You wouldn't have ordered something chocolate, did you?"
"There's chocolate cake in the kitchen," he said, winking at me.
"Did I tell you that I love you?" I smiled.
"Not recently," he answered, his smirk falling.
"Shit," I said, my eyes filling with tears. "I'm a horrible girlfriend. I suck." I shot up from the table and ran to the bedroom.
"Bella, stop," he called behind me. Tears streamed down my face and I hated myself. His strong arms wrapped around my waist and he turned me around. "Don't cry, baby." His thumbs brushed over my cheeks and he took my face in his hands. "I'm being an ass and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."
"Why? It's the truth," I grumbled. "I have been awful and…"
"You haven't been awful. You've been working. I get that. Really, I do. You're like me, Bella. When you put your mind to something, you go for it, full-force. You don't half-ass it. As a result, other things tend to fall away," he said. "I am a workaholic. I was also a sex addict. My family fell to the wayside, as did my need for love and affection. That all changed when I met you. You know this."
"But, we're so new, I shouldn't be putting you on the back burner already," I sniffled, more tears falling down my face. "I love you, Edward. So fucking much, that it hurts to be away from you." My sniffles turned to sobs. Edward gathered me in his arms, scooping me to his chest. He cradled me against his body as I fell apart. If we had had this conversation a week ago, I would have been fine. But no, Aunt Flo has turned me into the emotion monster. I don't know how long we sat together but I eventually pulled myself together. "I'm sorry, Edward."
"Don't apologize, Bella. I apparently have a bad sense of timing," he quipped. "Note to self, don't bring up touchy subjects around the time you get your period." I elbowed him. "Come on, baby. I'm sorry I upset you. You need to eat. You've lost weight since I've last seen you and I can count your ribs."
"Hectic schedule," I frowned.
"I know, but now, I need to take care of you," he said, scooping me in his arms. "You need some of that yummy pizza. And we need to talk about good stuff. The heavy can wait."
"There's more?" I squeaked.
"Relax, Bella," he said, depositing me into a chair. He put two pieces of pizza on my plate and did the same for himself. I stared at the slices on my plate and I knew I needed to eat but I couldn't. Not with the hovering 'heavy.' "The pizza won't bite you, love."
"There's more heavy," I sniffled.
"Not really heavy, just solidified plans, Bella," Edward said. "Alice called me today and told me her flight information. Jasper's coming up with her and they'll be here this coming weekend. We're still planning on having that Halloween party, right?"
"Yeah, next Saturday. I sent out the Evites earlier this week," I said, picking at the sausage on the pizza. "Almost everyone is coming. I haven't heard from Becca or Jessica. I know Jess wants to come, but she probably forgot to reply to the Evite. I'll plan on having her be there."
"Well, Alice and Jasper are staying at a hotel. That was the remaining 'heavy.' I know you wanted them to stay with us, but Alice didn't want to put you out. They made reservations at the Edgewater," Edward said, picking up my hand and brushing his lips along my knuckles. "Be grateful, Bella. My sister makes for a miserable houseguest. She's messy and way too loud."
"And you know this how?" I asked, arching a brow.
"After you left, she stayed with me for a few days. If I heard her sing another pop tart song, I'd cut off my own ears," he shuddered. "I have a new-found hatred for Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez." He shuddered before taking a bite of his pizza. "She also left her shit everywhere. Drove me nuts since I'm Mr. Clean."
"You are anal, Edward," I snickered. He shrugged before pointing to my pizza. I begrudgingly ate. My stomach was still unsettled by our argument. The rest of our meal was spent in quiet conversation. It was pretty tense. I felt guilty and I think Edward was still pretty miffed at my unintentional absence. "Oh, I got some good news," I said as we finished our meals.
"What's that?" he asked, sipping his wine.
"My time off was approved. We can go down to the island after Christmas. It can't be too long, but it's better than nothing," I blushed.
"How long?" he questioned, his eyes twinkling.
"I have Christmas Eve until January fifth off," I answered. "We could leave on the twenty-sixth and come back on the third?"
The first genuine smile graced his face and he pulled me into his lap, kissing my face. It was obvious that he missed his family as much, if not more, than he missed me. He gave up everything to move up here and I'm working myself to the bone, alienating him further. It brought on a new set of tears.
"No more crying, gorgeous girl," he crooned.
"You miss your family and I su…" I began before he covered my mouth.
"Don't even say it. You do not suck. Bella, I'm so proud of the work you're doing at the paper. Each article is well-written and gets to the heart of each matter. Now, I know why Marcus wanted you," he said, swiping his thumbs under my eyes. "Why don't you take a nice long bath while I clean up? After that, we can cuddle on the couch and watch some TV and just veg out."
"Can we cuddle in the bedroom? I'm really tired," I said, scrunching my nose.
"Your wish is my command," he smiled, helping me to my feet. Taking my face, he gently kissed my mouth before turning me to the master bedroom. He gave my ass a light slap, earning him a parting glower. He just smiled innocently as he began clearing the table. In the bathroom, I stripped out of my work clothes and slipped into the luxurious bubble bath I made for myself. After I washed myself, I found my eyes drooping. I was so tired. Edward gently lifted me from the tub and dried me off. I was barely coherent as he dressed me in a pair of yoga pants and a sweatshirt. Carrying me to the bed, he tucked inside and curled around me. "I love you, my Bella. We'll get through this," he whispered against my hair.
I responded, or tried but it was not recognizable. I was too far gone.
xx AIDA xx
The weekend was spent relaxing and chilling. We didn't get the opportunity to fool around really since my body decided to revolt in the form of a nasty cold and my Aunt Flo. Edward doted on me and were able to reconnect on an intellectual level. Yes, we had a healthy sex life, but being able to laugh, have intelligent conversations and just be made me happy, too. Physical intimacy was important but intellectual intimacy was more. I had forgotten how much I loved that. Tyler and I had great intellectual intimacy. It masked the lack of physical connection and his sexual orientation.
On Monday, I went back to work, feeling like complete ass. I was a bitch to everyone who approached me. Not being able to breathe through my nose and the cramps made me quite unpleasant. Marcus almost sent me home, but I had a meeting with one of the staffers for the independent candidate. They had a statement that needed to be heard and I was the only who they trusted.
You want to know what that statement was?
I know you do.
Well, apparently one of the republican candidates liked to diddle little boys.
God, these politicians are no better than the celebrities I covered in Arts and Entertainment.
I took down the information and said that I'd fully investigate these claims. I wasn't about to out a respected candidate on the whim of a staffer of an opposing candidate.
When I got back to the office, I told Marcus about the claim and he told me to give it to one of the interns to begin researching. I wanted to do it myself but I was feeling worse. I knew I was running a fever. Marcus sent me home and did, begrudgingly. He told me not to come in until I could breathe silently. I had the old lady crackle going on. Despite his insistence that I go home, I took home some research and told him that I was telecommuting until I was healthy.
Edward was surprised when I came home early on Monday. Then, he heard me sneezing and he sent me to bed. When I woke up, he had cooked some soup and fed me dinner in bed. I was miserable for three days. To make things even more pleasant, I went in for my shot and was bitching up a storm at the nursing student who gave it to me. She just jabbed me and I felt like I was stabbed. Where she gave me my injection, it was sore and bruised slightly.
The morning that Edward was going to pick up Alice, I was searching for my favorite pencil. I had it in my bag and I was meeting with the mayor today. I needed that pencil along with my digital recorder. That was missing, too.
"Edward, have you seen my purple pencil and digital recorder?" I asked tersely. I didn't have time for this shit.
"Check the office," Edward replied from the bathroom.
I smoothed my skirt and walked to the office. It had been overtaken with Edward's equipment. I know that he was working on that game, but it was geek central in there. It was tidy, but the sheer amount of technology in the room boggled my mind. It also angered me. I knew I was being irrational. I told Edward he could use this room. We were roommates, living together. He needed a space to himself, but not knowing where my pencil and my digital recorder was pissed me off. Not wanting to touch Edward's equipment, I stomped back to the bathroom and threw open the door. "I don't want to disrupt your stuff. I couldn't find it," I snapped.
"Whoa, baby. Relax," he said as he wrapped his towel around his waist. "Worse comes to worse, you can use your phone as a digital recorder."
"It's not my recorder," I hissed. "Did you touch it?"
"Why would I touch your recorder? I know you use it for work," Edward argued back.
"What about the pencil? I love that pencil," I growled.
"Bella, this is a bit much. Perhaps you left them on your desk," Edward said, trying to calm me.
I jumped back. I was still feeling like shit, ornery and cranky. I was running late and I needed my shit. "I didn't leave them at work," I yelled. "I had them. In my bag. Where. Are. They?"
"I don't know, Bella. I can't exactly pull them out of my ass," Edward yelled back. "Look, I'm running late to pick up my sister. They are going to be landing in less than an hour."
"So, you can't help me?" I spat. "They still have to go through customs!"
"Bella, I don't want to fight with you," Edward said, pinching his nose. "This is ludicrous. I will buy a new set of pencils and a new digital recorder…"
"That's not the point," I said, crossing my arms. Huffing out a breath, I sneered at him. "You don't get it and obviously you're not going to help me. I'm going to go to work. I may or may not be late. I don't know."
"Bella, we're going out to eat with Alice and Jasper," Edward said.
"Make an excuse," I said, turning on my heel and grabbing my bag. I left the apartment, trying to stop the angry, irrational tears from falling. I had a job to do and pissed off that I didn't have the right tools to do it. Once I got into the office, I sat down and sobbed quietly. I had fought with Edward over the stupidest reason. Being sick, working myself this hard and being away from him had made me into something I hated.
"You okay, Bella?" asked Marcus as he knocked on my cube.
"Yeah," I said, as I wiped my eyes. "Just a really rough week."
"Well, be grateful that it's Friday," he smiled. "I'm looking forward to your Halloween party tomorrow. My wife and I are getting a sitter and yeah. Totally pumped about it."
"It'll be fun," I said, giving him a half-hearted smile. "Look, I have to go over the questions I need to ask the mayor, plus go over that research the intern emailed me about the tip from the staffer about the republican candidate."
"Right. Are you sure you're okay?" Marcus asked.
"I'll be fine," I said, turning to my desk. I heard Marcus leave and I logged into my computer. I opened my desk drawer to pull out my flash drive and next to the flash drive was my digital recorder and my damn pencil.
Head. Desk.
A/N: Trouble in paradise…Now, we all know what it's like when you pick a fight. That's what Bella did. She was stressed, hormonal and sick. She needed to let it out and she picked a fight with Edward. Was she wrong? Yes. Will she apologize for being a bitch? Yes. There is no excuse for her behavior but we've all been there…super stressed and overwhelmed with no way to deal with it. God, that was me last spring. I didn't have a sexy green-eyed lover to pick my fights with…instead, it was with my dog. I always won. *snorts*
Anyhow, no real pictures with this one. Previous pictures are on my blog and tumblr (links on my profile). You can also find me on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation or on twitter: tufano79.
Up next will be the arrival of Alice and Jasper and Halloween. What should Bella and Edward be for Halloween? (Yes, I want them to be couple-y). Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Sexy ones even more so. Leave a review with your suggestion! I promise a longer update next time, too! With lemons!