6
EPOV
"Hey, Bella?" asked Lauren Mallory. Bella turned around and looked at her. Lauren smirked as she threw her coke in Bella's face. "That's for calling me a whore the other day."
"You fucking bitch," snapped Bella, dropping her tray and lunging for Lauren. I jumped over the table and pulled Bella back before she did something stupid, while Ben and everyone just watched with smirks on their faces. "FUCKING LET ME GO. I'LL KILL THAT FUCKING BITCH."
"Calm down, Bella," I snapped, pulling her behind me. I turned to Lauren who was smirking at us. "I would get the fuck out of here before I let her go and she kicks your fucking ass, you skanky whore."
"You picked the wrong side, Eddie," sneered Lauren, before she turned and walked back into the cafeteria. Of course, everyone inside the cafeteria was watching what had happened between me, Lauren, and Bella. I turned back to Bella, who was shaking with rage.
"Are you ok?" I asked. She snapped her eyes up to mine as she threw my arm off of her.
"I didn't ask for you help and I certainly didn't need it," snapped Bella. "Just leave me the fuck alone."
Bella turned and jumped over the low wall and took off running. I rolled my eyes as I jumped over the wall and ran after her. She ran out to the parking lot and jumped on her bike. I grabbed her arm before she could take off. She looked up at me with a look of fear and hatred. I climbed onto the back of her bike and wrapped my arms around her waist. It was odd how normal it felt. Bella didn't say anything as she tore out of the parking lot.
I expected Bella to drive to the gym but she didn't. She drove through Forks and down the highway to someplace called La Push. She drove down to the beach and parked her bike. I unwrapped my arms around her waist and climbed off her bike. She climbed off and headed down to the beach without even glancing back at me.
I wasn't sure if I should follow her or not but I felt weird just standing by her bike so I went after her. Bella walked for a few minutes before she sat down in the sand. She pulled her boots and socks off and buried her feet in the sand. I sat down next to her. For several minutes, neither of us said anything. I wasn't sure what to say to her. I mean I was just trying to help. She's was so hard to read.
"Where are you from?" asked Bella, without looking at me.
"DC," I said.
"Why did you move to Forks?" she asked.
"Esme got a job here," I replied, shrugging my shoulders.
"Where are your parents?" she asked, looking over at me for the first time. She had tears swimming in her eyes.
"They are in Italy," I said, bending my knees and laying my arms on them. "My father is a colonel in the Army. They sent him to one of their bases in Italy to clean it up. I didn't want to go with him and my mother so I moved in with my sister."
"Do you miss them?" she whispered, letting a tear slip from her eye.
"Yes," I said, looking back at the water. "We were incredibly close. My father was the one who taught me how to box. It was always our thing."
"I get that," muttered Bella, looking away from me.
"Tell me about the cuts on your arm," I whispered. Bella sighed as she shook her head slightly.
"Why do you care?" she asked, looking back at me. "I mean, have I given you the impression that I want the attention you seem to think I want?"
"No," I said, standing up. "But maybe for the first time in my life, I've met someone that I think is worth being friends with. Maybe I'm tired of being lonely all the time but I'm sorry if I'm bothering you, Bella. I certainly don't mean to."
I turned and headed back up the beach toward Bella's motorcycle. Honestly, I wasn't sure myself why I was so intrigued by Bella. Maybe it was that I was lonely. I've never let anyone, other than Esme, into my life. It was easier that way when you moved around as much as we did but it got old really fast. I walked past her bike and headed to the highway and started back to Forks. A few minutes later, Bella pulled up next to me on her bike.
"Get on," she ordered.
"No," I said.
"Don't be a baby. Get on," she said. I stopped and looked at her.
"Why should I?" I asked. "You've made your opinion of me very clear, Bella. You don't want me around. I get it, ok?"
"Look, I'm sorry for being a bitch," said Bella, "but my life is really fucked up right now. It's just easier not to care about people."
"Well, no one is asking you to," I sighed. I turned and started walking down the road again.
"I hurt myself in my sleep," said Bella. I stopped and looked back at her. She closed her eyes and pulled up the sleeves on her shirt, showing me the cuts on her arms. "It's a long story that I don't really want to get into right now but I have horrible nightmares sometimes. I lashed out and hurt myself."
"Oh," I whispered.
"Yeah," she muttered. "Will you please get on?"
"Ok," I muttered, feeling like a complete ass for pushing her.
I went over and climbed onto the back of her bike again. I hesitantly wrapped my arms around her waist, loosely. Bella reached down and tightened my arms around her. It was an unspoken gesture. She pulled her bike back onto the highway and headed back to La Push. I expected her to go back to the beach but she didn't. This time she drove through the small town to a diner that sat right on the edge of town. There weren't any other cars in the parking lot. I wasn't even sure it was open.
I slowly unwrapped my arms from around her waist and climbed off the bike. I held my hand out to her so I could help her off. Bella smiled softly as she placed her hand on mine and climbed off. She quickly pulled her hand away and headed up to the front door of the diner. I just shook my head and followed her. We walked in and Bella led me over to the counter. She went around to the sink and washed the coke off her face and neck.
She came back around and sat down next to me as a tall russet skin man came out from the kitchen. He had long black hair that was pulled back into a ponytail and dark black eyes. He smiled as he looked over and saw Bella.
"Hey, kid," he said. "Aren't you supposed to be in school?"
"Long morning," said Bella. She turned to me. "Edward, this is Jacob Black. Jacob and his wife, Vanessa, own this diner. Jake, this is Edward Masen. He's new to Forks."
"It's nice to meet you," I said, sticking my hand out. Jake looked from me to my hand before rolling his eyes. I dropped my hand.
"Yeah, you too," chuckled Jacob, looking back at Bella. "So what happened and why do you reek of coke?"
"Lauren," said Bella.
"Again?" sighed Jacob. "How many black eyes does that girl need to learn to leave you alone?"
"Well, she didn't get one this time," grumbled Bella. "Edward stopped me from beating her ass, again."
"Why would you do that?" asked Jacob, looking at me with hatred. "That little bitch throws a coke on her and you don't let her beat the bitch down."
"I figured it would be better to stop her than to let her get into trouble," I explained. Jacob rolled his eyes and went over and filled two cups with ice water. He set them in front of us.
"You know, kid, sometimes a little trouble is worth it," smirked Jacob.
"Yeah, well, I happen to know the new principal is a real ball buster," I replied.
"Oh, please," scoffed Jacob. "I can't believe a big guy like you is scared of the principal."
"Jake, she's his sister," laughed Bella. Jacob busted out laughing as he looked from Bella back to me.
"Wow, that must suck ass," snorted Jacob.
"Not really," I said, dryly. I wasn't enjoying this game of let's pick on my sister.
"Yeah, suppose not," chuckled Jacob. He shook his head and looked back at Bella. "So why are you here?"
"I'm fucking starving and if I go home all I will hear are my brothers' bitching at me about eating breakfast," explained Bella. I cocked an eyebrow at her. "Long story."
"You seemed to have a lot of those," I smiled.
"Guess so," shrugged Bella.
"Ok, so what do you kids what?" asked Jacob.
"Bring us each a bacon cheeseburger with everything, curly fries, and chocolate milkshakes," said Bella.
"Coming right up," winked Jacob. He turned and went into the back. I turned on my stool and looked at Bella.
"Brothers?" I asked. She snorted and looked over at me.
"Yep, Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper are my brothers," said Bella.
"I see," I said. "Guess that explains why they are so protective of you."
"I guess," muttered Bella. She got a dark look on her face for a split second before she shook it off.
"So how long have you been boxing?" I asked, changing the subject.
"Since I was born probably," smiled Bella, turning toward me. "My parents owned a gym in Phoenix. They trained all of us how to fight from the time we could walk."
"You seem to really like it," I said.
"I love it," she sighed. "When I step into the ring, I feel powerful. I feel untouchable. It's my…comfort zone, I guess, and I will do whatever I can to protect it."
"I get that," I said.
"Have you ever competed?" she asked.
"No," I said, shaking my head.
"Edward, don't take this the wrong the way buy are you sure you really want to?" asked Bella. "Cause, I meant what I said last night. If you don't man up and stop fighting like a girl, they are going to own your ass."
"I'm sure," I said, harshly. "I can handle it."
"If you say so," snorted Bella as Jacob brought our food out.
Bella didn't say anything else as she started eating. It was a little gross watching her cram her food into her mouth. I wasn't even sure she was really chewing. We finished eating and paid Jacob for our food, even though he tried to refuse our money. Bella scowled when I insisted on paying for our lunch but I figured it was the least I could do for not letting her punch Lauren Mallory in the face.
We made our way back out to her bike and climbed on. This time I didn't hesitate to wrap my arms tightly around Bella's waist. She drove us back to Forks. She stopped by my apartment so I could grab my work out clothes before we headed over to the gym. She parked her bike in the alley and led me in through the backdoor. We walked into the gym and froze when we saw Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper sitting with Esme. None of them looked very happy.
