"How's it going?" Rose asked over the phone.
"Great! It's going fan-freaking-tastic!" Bella said, with her voice laced in sarcasm.
"That good?"
"No. Rose! I want a car to come and run me over right now!"
"Bella, I think you're being a tad dramatic… Did you talk to him?"
"Barely… I feel like he's reverting back to his old ways."
"This doesn't surprise me."
"Why not?"
"Come on Bella, you were friends with him since kindergarten, you would be able to call him out on his bull straight away, nobody knows him as better than you."
"Well, I'm not a fan of it!" Bella sneered.
"Obviously sounds like it."
"I have to go… Leave me some wine, for when I return. I think I'm going to need it…"
"No promises that there will be any left!"
And with that Rose hung up her side of the phone.
"Everything okay?" James asked, as he sat next to Bella in the dugout.
"Sure, everything is fine! I'm totally not question my life choices at all!"
"The sarcasm I detect suggest otherwise."
"Sorry, James. I'm just taking everything in…"
"No worries, do you think you could apply some muscle rub on that player over there, he's complaining about pain in his shoulder. I've checked him over, there's nothing to be worried about, but I think this will ease the pain a bit." James explained, "Just rub his shoulder for a second to loosen up the muscle before applying the gel." He instructed.
"On it!"
Bella made her way over to Eric, with the muscle rub in hand. "Why didn't you tell me I was going to be working for you guys?"
"Hey, I didn't know it was going to be you. I kind of just figured you would have realised since the softball players are playing away today."
"Yeah, well I had no idea, I just assumed… Which shoulder is it?"
"Left."
"Do you mind slipping your shoulder out?"
"Or I could take my top off?"
"I don't think we need to put on a show, Eric?"
Eric slipped out of his Jersey. "I think we do." He waggled his eyebrows at Bella.
"You're impossible you know that?"
"Just do your job Bee! I don't pay you to just stand there."
"I don't even get paid!" Bella giggled. "I should for putting up with captain smug, over there."
"Well, that's a new one." Eric laughed.
"I'm trying to keep it PG… I don't think it will last long?"
"Edward misses you; you know."
"Good! Maybe he'll realise how bad he messed up. Now hold still, this might be a tad cold." Bella mentioned as she placed the muscle rub on to Eric's shoulder.
"I think he does; you know…"
"How does that feel?"
"Bee."
"Is it okay? If it is you can put your jersey back on."
"You can't keep on putting this off."
"You sound like Rose."
"We just want you to be happy again… Edward too. For what it's worth I'm glad you are working with us." Eric mentioned, pulling his shirt over his head.
"Me too…" Bella sighed a heavy sighed.
…
After the game.
"Thankfully, there were no major injuries tonight. But don't expect every game to be like this." James warned with a chuckle.
"I love what we do, but I hate watching a player get hurt. I suppose it's a catch-22 kind of thing."
"As is life! Top tip for the next few games, keep an eye on Cullen he hasn't been on his A-game quite a lot lately… I wonder what's going on with him, he's become a bit of a liability as of late."
…
As Bella was leaving the campus grounds, she could hear heavy footsteps behind her, this made her speed up.
"Bella, wait up!"
Bella froze in anger, clenching her fist at her side as the person drew closer.
"Please can you just face me." He begged.
"If I turn around, I will punch you in the stomach." She threatened.
"I think you would break your hand, if you did that." He said with a smug tone to his voice.
"EDWARD!"
Edward shrieked away at Bella's loudness, covering his hands over his ears. "Oh my gosh, I think you've just busted my ear drums."
"Good, you deserve it! Now if you don't mind I'd like to go home now, I have something incredibly special waiting for me." Bella said turning on her heels.
"Is it wine?" Edward pondered.
Bella shook in anger. "How do you do that! Act like you know me because you don't not now! A lot can change in three years, Edward."
"But it doesn't have to, we can fix this." He reached for her hand.
"You're delusional to think that." She seethed at him, yanking her hand out of his grip.
"I know you hate me; I can understand why but please try and forgive me. This is breaking my heart, Bella."
"I think you've had too many baseballs to your head. If you think I would be okay with forgiven you? You left me when I was hurting, and I needed you the most!" The tears began to spill, "Edward you chose to forget about me!"
"It wasn't that simple, and I still forgave you!"
"You said that earlier too, and I don't understand why you forgave me for, when I did nothing wrong!" She cried out.
"Wow! You really want to go down that route, Bella? You want to be the victim in all of this!"
"Because I am!"
"When did you become such a cold-hearted bitch?!"
Bella was taken back by his use of language to describe her. "Me cold hearted! Think again my friend about your words because you ain't even showing an ounce of emotion! You know what Edward; this conversation is done."
"Bella, you can't keep doing this! Pushing me away again and again, even after I apologised?"
"Don't act like I owe you anything!" She spat.
"Bella, we were thicker than thieves. Bella, we're supposed to be partners, remember? But you've decided this on your own. You've decided to leave me! So, I tell you what Bella, I'll make this easier for you. I won't chase you anymore, I'll leave you be…"
Bella watched as he turned his back on her and walked away. It felt like she was losing him all over again, the tears streamed down her face, as she clutched her hand over her heart as she could physically feel her heart break even more. "Edward…" She sobbed.
…
"Where did you go after the game?" Jasper asked as Edward returned to their shared apartment.
"I saw Bella walking home… I tried man…" He croaked out.
"We were wondering how long it was going to take you to notice her."
"Well, it's not like I wouldn't have in the long run." He rolled his eyes in a sarcastic manner. "I just can't believe she's going to be with us every single game… What have I done so bad, to deserve this pain?" He cried.
"I don't know, man. If I knew, I would tell you."
"It's literally killing me Jasper. Three years I've endured this silence, hoping and praying to talk to her and when I finally do it blows up in my face… I miss her."
…
A few days later. We find Bella still in her bed where she has been for most of the week.
"Bella, this needs to stop… It's unhygienic love." Rose mentions, as she enters Bella's room.
"No! leave me be."
"You've been in bed for nearly half a week, you've skipped classes, this isn't you. Don't you need fresh air or something sensible to eat?"
"I only need you."
"Aww, ain't that cute, but seriously get up." Rose said crossing her arms.
"No!"
"I didn't want to tell you this, but I've called backup. Your Mom is outside."
"Rose!" Bella whined. "Why didn't you start the conversation with that?"
"I like seeing you suffer." Rose chuckled, "Hurry up and get dressed she wants to go to that little Italian place, just outside Port Angeles."
…
"This place is so adorable. I think your dad would have liked this place a lot."
"Mom, dad would of ate anything and liked it" Bella chuckled.
"He certainly would… And so would Edward, it must be a man thing?"
"Mom?" She narrowed her eyes at her mother.
"Oh baby, I knew he was there."
"And you knew this how?"
"Well, why wouldn't he be?"
"I don't need you to play coy, Mother." Bella called her out.
"I don't know what you mean. It's common sense." Renee answered.
"Anyway… Edward was there, and he made me so mad. He was trying to make it seem like I was the bad person for not talking to him."
"And still to this day, I don't know why you stopped talking to him?"
"It's stupid." Bella sighed anxiously.
"I doubt it could be that bad, Bella. You two were inseparable from the day you met."
"Well apparently that doesn't mean shit to him!" She groaned, "Can we just order?"
"Of course, baby! Maybe a celebratory drink as well to congratulate you on your first job."
…
The following day, after practice.
"How was everything today?" James questioned."
"It was great! I can tell I'm learning a lot more by talking to the players."
"That's great to hear. Have they all been kind to you?"
"Of course." Bella said with a tight-lipped smile, it's not like she was purposely trying to avoid one…
"I'm glad they haven't scared you off yet. I'm going to go and find the coaches, and check with them about this weekend."
"What's happening this weekend?"
"It's our first game away! So, I need to go over the medical list and all that important stuff. Can't leave anything behind when we are flying to a different state!"
"Flying to a different state?" Bella repeated in shock.
"Of course! We're not going to drive to Georgia. That would take over 40 hours, Bella." He chuckled.
"Oh, so I'm going as well?"
"It's part of the job!"
"So, we'll be flying with the team?" She asked shyly.
"Yep."
"And staying in the same hotel?"
"Yep."
"Will we be with them 24/7?"
"Not all the time, there is down time to explore the surrounding area."
"With the team?"
"Yes, we'll separate you off into groups… Bella what's with the 21 questions?"
"Just wanting to understand my assignment, boss. When do we leave?"
"Tomorrow night I believe. And don't worry your teachers would have received an email from the Dean allowing you to miss the next few days of classes, it will be going down as work experience."
"I'll try and do my best."
"If that's all, I need to go get our things ready for tomorrow. You should be feeling excited about this, you get to miss doing work assignments!"
"I think it's just the initial shock of it all." Bella gave him a weak smile.
"Do me a favour, Bella. Just hang out around the field in case one of the guys need medical assistance…"
…
"AHHHHHH!"
"I think your girl, has just figured out she'll be joining us on the road." Tyler chuckled.
"She is?" Edward asked taken back.
"Are you the reason, why she uses me as a hiding spot?" Paul asked with a cross look on his face.
"What? When did this happen?"
"The other day when me and Jasper were laughing at you, she was in the dugout and then hid behind Paul when she must have spotted you on the field." Ty explained to his clueless friend.
Paul was in the middle of staring Edward down, "Will you stop looking at me like that!"
"Don't you dare hurt her!" Paul argued pointing his finger at his captain, "She's a cute little lamb."
"I've known her for almost my entire life!" Edward shot in defence.
"Good, just remember that! Because I'll trample you lion!" Paul threatened, before stomping off.
"Did he just compare me to a lion?" Edward asked Ty.
"He certainly did!"
"What a weird guy…"
"C'mon Edward, he's really just a friendly giant."
Edward let out a big sigh. "I guess, he's just looking out for her… I hope she's okay. Maybe I should go check."
"Mate, I don't think that's a good Idea at the moment, she looks pissed. And no offence but if you go over I think you'll make her fifty-times worse."
"Can you? Please." Edward begged.
…
"I can't believe I've just done that; everyone must think I'm a psycho…" Bella muttered to herself.
"I don't think that." Tyler offered.
"Oh, hi Ty." She said turning to face him.
"Why so down, little one."
"I'm going to be stuck on the road with him… I don't know how I'm going to cope?"
"Bella, it's going to be fine! You just have to remember that there is 7 billion other people on this planet, so don't let one person bring you down."
"I know your right; I just need to suck it up and get past it for the greater good."
"Exactly! You've got this."
"Thanks for the much-needed pep talk."
"Of course! That's what friends… Oh?" He trailed off.
"What?"
"I was going to say that's what friends are for… But we've became some sort of distant." He explained rubbing the back of his neck in uncertainty.
"We're still friends Tyler, I just had to stay away. It had nothing to do with the rest of you, I miss you all very much. It was just the best way for me to deal with the pain."
"I get it! You don't need to explain it to me, you're entitled to your feelings. No judgement here."
"When did you get so smart?" Bella chuckled.
"You wound me, Miss Swan." He said acting like he had just been struck by a sword.
"I better go get my first aid kit then!" She chuckled. "But seriously I better, I'm going to do my rounds and then head off."
Tyler looked across the field searching for Edward, but he was nowhere in sight. "Good timing, I think he's in the locker room."
"You're the best Ty!" She said blowing him a kiss, "I'll catch you later."
…
The following day, just before the flight.
"I think you've packed enough stuff." Rose laughed.
"I don't want to hear it. I'm already stressing enough as it is!"
"Everything is going to be fine."
"I hope so, I'm not looking forward to this at all."
"You just need to ignore that feeling and push past it. Show him that you're unfazed by him and your confidence will radiate."
"Okay, I think I've packed enough" Bella said zipping up her suitcase.
"Great!"
Rose watched as Bella walked over to her bed and pulled out another suitcase from underneath.
"I thought you said you packed enough!" Rose complained.
"But not everything!"
"Bella this is ridiculous."
"It's not for me." Bella smirked, "Now you get in it!" Bella ordered her friend.
Rose fell to the floor in a fit of laughter. "You can't be serious!"
"Deadly!"
"KNOCK, KNOCK!"
"That'll be your PT friend."
"I suppose I'll have to face this trip to hell and back on mine own…"
"Just remember it's the first of many!"
Bella groaned at the mere thought…
…
A/N: And that's the end of Chapter four!
A quick easy game for you all. Can you spot the line from Breaking dawn part 1?
Everything is owned to the rightful owners! Nobody come after me for copyright purposes…
See you soon.
Becca x