Later back at Edward's apartment, after he returned from the ER…
"Fuck, my head hurts!" He complained out loud.
"Well, no shit sherlock, you've been concussed." Jasper mentioned as he entered his friends bedroom. "You took a foul ball right to the face, man!"
"I've never saw a face guard break like that!" Tyler chimed in, "And that's your second hit to the face within a space of a few days! I'm wondering if you are going blind, mate?"
"No, I ain't going blind and I certainly don't need you lecturing me, specially when my head is banging!"
Jasper sighed, "What's going on, Edward? You are normally on top form for every game."
"When it was the 7th stretch, Alice told me that Bella was in the stands. For whatever reason it got into my head… So, when we were back on the field, my eyes were just looking for her…"
"Understandable man, after everything that happened between you two. There is going to be some longing for one another, you had this bond with her that could not be broke… Until it did…" Tyler explained.
"Thanks for the reminder, Ty." Edward said sarcastically with a roll of his eye.
…
The following day.
"I have to get some things done for my Dad before class, did you want to join?" Rose asked Bella.
"No thanks, I'm good. I think I am just going to study or something… I want to keep my mind occupied, before my first class."
"Angela said he was okay, Bella. Tyler told her that he was up this morning and seemed his normal self. I'm fairly sure he's used to being concussed by now."
"Rose, please." She begged with her eyes.
"Bella it's understandable, you still care and worry for him, but it seems to be slowly killing you. You can't avoid him forever you know?"
"I'm going for a run!"
"You can't avoid conversations about him either!"
"Just watch me." Bella narrowed her eyes as she turned on her heels to face the front door.
"Bella, this conversation is not over!"
"SLAM!"
…
Breath in…
Breath out…
Bella told herself as she ran, she absolutely hated running, but she hated being cornered even more.
Running was something that Edward did when he was younger to improve his stamina for baseball. He used to force Bella to join him, and he would always use the best friend excuse, "That's what best friends do." It was all a bunch of bull, In Bella's eyes. As every time they would meet up for a run, Edward would take the mick out of Bella because of the way she ran. Bella was only there for comedic purposes.
In the back of her mind, it was like he was there running with her, still. She could hear him teasing her on how she ran like Phoebe from Friends, or how she was so much slower than him.
But really, Bella could not let the old memories slip back in, as they would give her a false perspective.
"Urgh, fuck it, Screw him!" She screamed in the park.
This caused a few questionable looks from the public at ten in the morning.
"Such language, shouldn't be used from a little girl!" A woman stated, while she fed the pigeons.
"I apologies, that I caused a scene… It wasn't my purpose too." Bella said sincerely.
"You should be, you scared off my friends."
Bella looked around, as she found nobody near the lady, "Friends?" She questioned aloud.
"Oh, here they come!" The woman screamed excitedly, as she pointed to the sky.
"Oh? By friends, you mean the flying rats?"
The strange ladies face grew a violent shade of red, "What did you call them?!"
"Flying rats…"
"How dare you! Insult my friends!" The lady picked some bird seed out of her box and began to hurl it at Bella!
"Ouch! You crazy bird woman, that hurt!"
"Well, you hurt their feelings, now apologies!"
"You do know how ridiculous you sound, right?" Bella questioned, with a hitch of her brow.
"That's it! I've had it with you!" The woman threatened.
Bella stood her ground, "And what's an old lady, like you going to do about it?"
"PIGEONS ATTACK!"
Suddenly a whoosh of birds took off from the ground, following their leaders orders.
"I'm sorry!" Bella cried, as she ran away from the army of pigeons.
…
Finally, Bella made it back to the campus grounds, a little bit worst of wear. She had feathers all over her hair and she was sure, some of the pigeons did their business on her…
"I need coffee!"
Bella walked her way over to the campus coffee shop, as she de-plucked the feathers from her hair.
"What happened to you?" Jessica, the barista questioned, when Bella entered the store.
"A bat shit crazy lady, set her army of pigeons on me!" She explained as she took a seat.
"Oh, my! So, what would it be chicken?" She asked plucking a feather from Bella's head.
"Hey!"
"Sorry! a bit too soon?"
"You think?" Bella shot back. "Just the usual Jess, and maybe a cloth too."
"Coming right up!" The barista exclaimed, as she walked behind the counter to get on with Bella's order.
As she waited for her order, she pulled her phone out to check what she had missed, since she had been attacked.
1 New Message – Rose
R: I am, sorry… Forgive me, I do not want to fight.
B: It is water under the bridge!
"Bella?"
"Oh, hey Mr Varner!" She greeted her Trig teacher.
"You look like you've seen better days, what happened?" He asked in concern.
"Karma… Karma happened…"
"Well, we all know how brutal she can be, eh?" He chuckled. "How's the new semester treating you?"
"Barely, surviving it…" She sighed.
"Is it the work?"
"It's not exactly the work, more so just wanting to be finished with education."
"Ah, I see. And remind me of what you want to do once you leave?"
"Well, I would like to try and work with one of the college's sports teams, to get some extra help before graduating, but I haven't heard anything back yet from the coaches."
"Maybe I can help!" Mr Varner said with a smile, "I know Coach Clapp very well, let me try and see if I can get you an interview for him."
"Thank you! Thank you so much sir! I really appreciate it!"
"No worries! I know you'll be a great asset to his team; he would be lucky to have you."
"ORDER FOR BELLA!"
"That's me! Well thanks again, Mr Varner."
Bella picked up her order, with the side of napkins, and suddenly her day was getting brighter!
"Well, who knew? The saying of a bird shitting on you is lucky, actually is true!" She murmured to herself making her way back to her apartment.
…
A day later.
"Today students, we're going to learn about how to help a patient suffering from a muscle spasm." Mr Banner announced to his class, as he scanned the room. "Miss Swan? Are you paying attention, or is your phone more important? I am sure me and the whole of the class would like to know what is amusing you on that small screen! Care to share?"
Bella blushed a shade of crimson red. "Sorry sir, I'd rather not honestly."
Mr Banner crossed his arms, with a stern look on his face, "You've been warned Miss Swan! Now put it away!" He ordered.
"Sorry…"
"Now class! I know it's only a few months until you all hopefully graduate, but we need to continue working hard, so that means no phones!" He stated, staring at Bella.
"Okay, I get your point!" Bella sassed back to her teacher…
…
In the courtyard outside of the college, after class we find Bella speaking to her classmate Seth.
"I can't believe you sassed the teacher!" He laughed.
"Well, he shouldn't have singled me out." Bella complained folding her arms.
"Seriously Bella, you made me literally laugh out loud in class. Who knew Miss goody, goody could bite back?"
"What did she do?" Rose said, sneaking behind Bella.
"AHH, DON'T DO THAT!" Bella screamed, jumping in the air in fright. "I hate you!"
"You love me, really! So, what did you do?"
"Mr Banner was angry at me because I wasn't paying attention to him, I was on my phone…"
"Yeah, and she won't tell me what was so interesting on her phone." Seth announced, "I bet it was something dirty!"
"You wish!" Bella joked, jabbing her elbow into his rib.
"Ouch! What was that for?"
"The same as this one." She laughed.
"Oh, look at the time, I have somewhere to be. Bye!" He said, before taking off.
"SETH, YOU COWARD!" Bella called out her classmate, as she watched him run away.
Rose chuckled, "I don't know what's happened, but I'm liking this new rebellious Bella! First you are pissing off the flying rat lady, now Mr Banner and you're harmless flirting with Seth!"
"Harmless flirting with Seth, I don't think so… I don't think I'm ready yet, but I am for lunch!"
"Same! But I am just saying, when you do become emotionally available, I know a suitor ready to sweep you off your feet!"
"Rose, this isn't the 1800's!" Bella laughed, as they made their way to the canteen.
…
"Hey Mom!" Bella greets, when she answers her phone.
"Darling! How's school?" Renee asks.
"Same shit, different day."
"Well, your senior year seems interesting and a lot like your other years there."
"Pretty much."
"So, I called to invite you home for dinner tonight, I'm making your Dad's favourite dish."
"Sure, I would love too. What time?"
"Half six, bring Rose if you would like? I've seemed to make enough to feed a small village."
The mother and daughter laughed together.
"That doesn't surprise me Mom. I'll see you tonight, love you!" Bella says as she ends the call.
"We going to your Mom's tonight?" Rose asked, as she picked at a French fry on her plate.
"Yep she's cooked, Dad's favourite!"
"Nothing like your Mom's Tuna casserole, nobody can top it! I hope she lets us take the leftovers home."
"I don't, apparently there's enough to feed a small village!"
…
"Alright lads, go warm up! We are done with the plays for today." Coach Clapp announced to his team, "Cullen and Yorkie, hang back a bit."
The coach waited until, the team had dispersed to the field, leaving them three behind. "Right men, I want you to work on those new pitches we've just discussed."
"Yes coach!" Eric replied.
"Oh, and Cullen, lets try and not get hit by a pitch today, okay? I want you to put that glove of yours to good use, understand captain?"
"Yes coach, I just don't understand the shade?" Edward shot back.
"Watch it boy, or I'll bench you for the next game!" He warned the captain.
He waited for the coach to leave the locker room, before slamming his fists against his locker.
"DAMN IT!"
"You good, man?" Eric asked his friend.
"I'm fine, why does everyone keep asking me that!"
"Clearly, you aren't. With that rage."
"Whatever, lets just go out to the field…"
…
After practice, the boys were catching their breath and having a bit of a rest, before getting changed out of uniform.
"God, I'm so tired today." Tyler complained.
"Did Ang keep you awake all night?" Eric teased with a wink.
"I wish it were because of that… But all in fair man, this year is brutal with training, it's killing me!"
"Don't be so dramatic Ty! You joining us for a bite to eat or you heading off to bed early like the old man you are." Cullen joked on.
"Hey! I am only a week older than you, Cullen! I will only go if you pay."
"EVERYONE! CULLEN'S BUYING US FOOD!" Eric shouts to his teammates on the field, an eruption of cheers start.
"Oh, for Christ sake!" Edward cries out, as he shakes his head in his hands. "Why would I buy food for all of you?"
"Maybe because who your Dad is? Or because you're the big hot shot, that is about to be drafted any day now! C'mon Cullen, you can afford to buy your team some grub." Tyler explained.
"You've just made a valid point there!"
"Which is?" Tyler urged on.
"I'm not drafted yet." Edward said crossing his arms over his chest, making a stand for himself.
Jasper walked over to his captain and gave him a few friendly pats on the back. "The key word there is "yet"." Jasper laughed.
On the inside Edward was very appreciated of all the high speak about him coming from his team, but he couldn't help feeling like he was a bit to cocky thinking he would get drafted this year. Then all this pressure would be for nothing if the scouts couldn't see the same as what his teammates see. A leading captain!
"Actually guy's, I'm heading to the gym. I just feel like I need to get my head in the zone, ready for our next game. So, rein check on the food?"
"BOO!" The Spartans erupted.
"Oi, captain! Don't work out too hard, we don't need any of your fragile bones breaking on us." Tyler teased.
"Ty! Go fuck yourself!" Cullen said while flipping him the bird.
…
"Where's my key?" Edward questioned himself in the parking lot, as he couldn't find them to open his car.
"Hey Kid, are you Edward Cullen?"
Edward dropped his bag to the ground, "That's me, how can I help?"
"I was just watching your practice and you looked pretty solid out there!"
"Thanks… I've noticed my improvements each practice."
"I was just wondering If you had been approached by many scouts yet?"
"Only a few." He lied, if this man was a scout like he thought, he wasn't going to openly admit he had no offers, yet. "I currently have a few teams interested in me, but there's been nothing set in stone."
"Have you ever thought about playing in California?" The man who hadn't identified himself, asked.
"To be honest man, I'm not fussed on where I'm playing, as long as I get to continue to play and live out my dream."
"What an admirable answer! You've impressed me, so here's my card. I hope for you to get in touch soon!"
The man passed a business card over to Edward, before leaving the parking lot.
…
"Wow", Edward thought to himself as he drove home. He just wished he could share his news with his First Draft… He would always be grateful to her, as she always used to help him practice after school every night, she was apart of this journey as much as he was. It was just a shame that she couldn't bear to talk to him.
When did things go so dramatically wrong for them? When he would think back to all the memories he shared with Bella, they now seemed to be like they were from a different lifetime… He just wished he could figure out what he did so wrong, for her to act so coldly to him. It was now becoming dramatically real that this year might be his last chance to get the answers he longed for or tried to reconnect with her.
"Good workout?" Tyler asked as Edward returned to his apartment.
"Dude! You're here again? I'm going to start charging you rent." Edward threatened.
"Now why would you do that? When I left food in the kitchen for you."
"So, you do have a purpose?"
"Oh, and a surprise!"
"A surprise for me?"
"Yes! Now go see!" Tyler encouraged. Ty watched as his friend walked off to the kitchen, "What a sucker!" He laughed to himself.
…
"Mom!" Edward said in shock as he entered the kitchen.
"Son." Esme greeted.
"Why the hell are you here?"
"Well since you keep ignoring my calls and texts, I had to just show up, to get you to talk to me!"
"Ever thought that I was just really busy?" He pondered.
"Edward, do you think I was born yesterday? Yes I know you've been busy, but when you can't stop to have a five-minute conversation with the woman that gave birth to you, I think we have a problem. Why are you making this more difficult than it needs to be? You're acting like it's going to kill you if you talk to me."
"It basically is, Mother." Edward said smugly.
"Quit playing games boy, I don't have time for this!"
"Well, if you don't have time for me, you know where the door is! Because frankly you are wasting mine."
Esme gasped at the rudeness of her son, "How dare you!"
"Let's just cut to the chase, why are you here?"
"Have you met with any scouts yet?"
Edward rolled his eyes at his mother, typical she's only here to find out about my future financial stability, or to see if I have one yet…
"Yes, Mom! I've had millions." He said with a smirk, "I was thinking I would play for every team in the league and just bounce back and forth between them all."
"Hilarious! Really it is, that you can just joke about your future like that. I came here today to let you know, I called a few people that know scouts and they're going to keep an out for you."
"Thanks, I guess…"
"I really wish you would be more serious about all of this Edward. This is your career that will earn you big bucks!"
"Mom, I'm very aware of that considering the money has all you've ever been able to talk about for the past ten years… Or something like that?"
"You've worked hard for this and I don't want to see it all go down the drain, just because you've began to slack in your games. You can't let money like that slip away."
"I really hope you mean I can't let my dream slip away, Mom?"
"Yes, and that too, now If you don't mind I'll see myself out!"
"Good riddance!" Edward said as she left the apartment. "I need a strong drink!" He said making his way to his liquor cabinet.
…
"Hey sweetheart!" Renee excitedly said as she pulled her daughter into a tight hug. "I've missed you."
"Mom!" Bella whined, "could you please stop embarrassing me?"
"Oh, shush child, Rose knows how much I love you. This is nothing she's never saw before."
"It's true, Mama Swan here is very protective of her cub." Rose added, "She messages me daily to see how you are."
"ROSE!"
"Sorry Mama Swan."
"Do you really?" Bella asked her Mom.
"Of course, I do, especially after everything that happened with your…"
"Please don't say it Mom, I'm not in the right mental state at the moment to talk about it." She exhaled out, "I'm going to take a walk around the neighbourhood, I won't be long." Bella exited the house.
"How is she really doing, Rose?"
"What you see is what you get with her, at the moment." Rose sighed.
"Did you manage to find out anything else?"
"Nothing, I feel wrong snooping through her things that she shared with him. Bella won't tell me anything and neither will anyone else he's close to."
"What about Esme? Does she not know either?"
"To be honest, Mama Swan I get some evil vibes from her. I can always try and see if Emmett knows anything, since Edward always close to his brother."
"Thanks Rosalie, you really are a star!"
…
"Here lies the legendary baseball player Charlie Swan… You really were Dad." Bella said while taking a seat on the damp grass, beside her fathers headstone.
"I miss you a lot, I wish you were here to get me through this rough patch, I just really need someone that understands me… Everything was so much simple when you were here, Dad. Once you left me, so did he…"
"It may sound silly, but I pray sometimes for you to come back, so he will as well… He abandoned me when I needed him the most, and I hate him with a passion for it! But what I really want to do is just run into his warm embrace. His hugs could never top yours Daddy, but they gave me a sense of comfort, they felt like home and I belonged to that home…"
"I can hear your voice, telling me that I am a strong independent woman, and I don't need no man, but the truth is Dad I'm struggling being this emotionally far away from him, we were stuck to one another like glue. I just don't know what I did, to make him hate me this much?"
The wind howled, followed by a freezing gust of air. Bella wrapped her arms around her small frame, "Thanks for listening Daddy, you truly are a legend! I love you…"
…
A/N: And that's the end of chapter two! I want to say a big thank you to all the lovely people that read the first chapter. It still amazes me that I can see how many people have viewed my story and where they've came from.
I see most of the twilight fandom is from the united states, and that so awesome! I'm supposed to be travelling to Florida in the back end of September, but it still looks like its very touch and go at the moment.
So, what did you think of this chapter?
We've met some new characters. Do you think Seth could be a potential love interest? We met family members too! I've never read a fanfic where Esme could be a villain… It's always been Renee.
And back to the main characters, it seems like there's a wire crossed somewhere between them, I think they should finally have an interaction within the next chapter.
I would love if you could recommend me some of your favourite Twilight fanfics.
See you soon.
Becca x