14
The weeks that followed our return to UCLA could only be described as miserable. Tia had been released from the hospital the morning after the tournament with a concussion and two cracked ribs. Her season was over and we all knew it. Benjamin hadn't dealt with everything very well, which I suppose I could understand. Watching his girlfriend being beaten while he could do nothing to help had turned him into a moody bastard, biting the head off of everyone but me and Bella. Not that he was talking to us — he wasn't — but he wasn't glaring at us, either. Maybe it was because Bella had hit that bitch Tanya for mouthing off about Tia, or perhaps it's just that we didn't push him to talk. Whatever the reason, he found solace in us and that's what we could offer.
Bella, on the other hand, was barely hanging on. She'd put herself on the line for Tia, fighting for someone other than herself or me, and it came back to bite her in the ass. For past few weeks, she'd been waking up in the middle of the night, trying her hardest to stifle her screams, but failing miserably. Not only that, but she had turned all her focus onto her training. I wasn't sure how to help her anymore, which is why I was happy that we were heading back to Forks for Thanksgiving. Both Bella and I needed the comfort of our families, even though neither of us wanted to admit that to ourselves.
"Baby, are you ready?" I asked, slipping my arms around Bella's waist. She zipped up her bag before covering my hands with hers. "We have a long drive ahead of us."
Sighing, Bella replied, "I am. Sorry it took me so long."
"Don't be sorry," I said, turning her to face me. "Just ready to have you to myself for a while."
"Oh, yeah?" she murmured, shifting her eyes up to mine. "Just what are your plans for me, Mr. Masen?"
"Well, Miss Cullen," I started, "I plan to do naughty things to your body, corrupt your soul, and make you never want to leave me."
"Already done all of that," she whispered. "My soul is yours, as is my body, and I will never want to leave you, even when you get tired of me."
"Baby, that will never happen," I insisted, though I could see the lingering doubt in her eyes. "Come on, let's get going."
Bella nodded and grabbed her bag. Scoffing, I pulled it out of her hand, making it clear she wasn't to argue with me. My momma taught me to be a gentleman and, damn it, I would be one. Though I could tell she thought I was being stupid, or whatever, but Bella deserved to be treated like this. Plus, Elizabeth would find out and when that happened, my ass would be toast. Yeah, I wasn't afraid to admit to being scared of my mother. Ed may have taught me how to throw a proper punch, but Elizabeth taught me how to fight dirty.
The parking lot was full of students packing up for the long weekend. A few cars down, Bella and I watched Benjamin helping Tia into his car. He was taking her home to meet his parents — officially. They were both nervous, but had agreed that it was time. Looking over at us, Benjamin waved before climbing in behind the wheel and taking off.
"Do you think they'll survive the weekend?" Bella asked, cocking her eyebrow at me.
I laughed. "Yes, but something tells me that Tia is in for another tough battle with Benjamin's mom."
"Probably," Bella murmured.
I could see the worry in her eyes. Tilting her head back, I leaned in and kissed her. "Baby, Tia's okay. She just needs some time to heal. I promise."
"Yeah, I know," she mumbled. "Just can't help but worry."
"It's just one of the reasons why I love you. Now, let's go. We have a lot of miles to get through today."
—LO—
Our goal was to make it through California by the nightfall. We'd find a small motel on the other side of the Oregon state line, maybe a burger at some diner, and just enjoy being together. And for the most part, that's what we did. Bella and I had our usual spat about who got to control the music. After a few heated rounds of rock/paper/scissors, Bella won. I won't say that she cheated, but I'll think it. She kept puckering her lips at me seductively, pushing her boobs toward me and making it very hard for me to focus on anything but her. So while I lost the right to control the music, I won the best part: Bella pressed against me.
The first few hours of our twenty-hour journey were almost perfect. Bella has settled on a new playlist that she'd been building on her iPod, having fallen in love with Ben Taylor's voice when she found one of his songs free on iTunes. He had a smooth, almost hypnotic voice, but it wasn't my style. I tended to prefer more gut-wrenching music.
It wasn't until we stopped for lunch in Stockton that things started to unravel a bit. Choosing a hamburger joint just off the interstate, Bella and I headed inside and found a booth. It was your run of the mill place: a couple dozen tables, tiled floors, and grease covering almost everything. Normally, neither of us would dare eat such crap, but there were days when you had to let go of your training and live a little.
The first three minutes were peaceful. And then she came up to our table. Wearing a pair of shorts that were too tight and too short, a tank top that was too small and showed off the majority of her oversized breasts, our waitress placed two menus in front of us. Normally, that wouldn't be a big deal, but seeing as she turned her back toward Bella and leaned toward me, pushing her boobs together and trying to be seductive, which she wasn't — at all.
"Hey, cutie, what can I getcha?" she purred, or tried to, but it didn't come out sounding smooth or silky at all. Instead, it came out sounding like a cat that'd gotten its tail stepped on.
"I'll take a coke," I said, trying to keep my eyes off her boobs. It was hard to do seeing as they were nearly falling out of her shirt. Clearing my throat, I looked over at Bella, wincing at the glare coming off of her. "Baby, what about you?" I asked, hoping it would calm her down.
It didn't.
"Hmm, where to start?" she snarked, folding her arms across her chest. "First, I'd like if this bitch backed the fuck away and gets her tits out of your mouth. Then, I'd like it if you'd go to hell."
Before I could say anything, Bella scurried out of the booth and ran out. Sighing, I motioned for the waitress to move, which she did quickly. Maybe it was the fact that Bella had called her a bitch, or pointed out that she was falling out of her clothes, but she moved. I walked out of the diner and looked around for Bella, seeing her walking in the wrong direction. Rolling my eyes, I climbed into my car and drove up to her, slowing down and lowering the window.
"Bella, get in the car," I said, calmly.
"Fuck off," she gritted.
Sighing, I repeated myself, "Bella, get in the car."
"Fuck off," she groused.
I pulled off the road, blocking her before she could get past me. Hurrying, I climbed out of the car and rushed around to her. I wasn't prepared when Bella threw her right fist into my jaw, sending me stumbling backward.
"Fuck, Bella!" I yelled.
"Why am I not good enough?" she screamed, launching herself on me. I managed to catch her before she could get more than a couple of hits in, but damn it they hurt like a son of a bitch. "Why? Just tell me why?"
"Baby, stop," I murmured, cradling her against me.
It took a couple of minutes, but she managed to calm down. We both knew that her reaction had nothing to do with the waitress — she hadn't been the first woman to shove her tits in my face. No, Bella's struggle was due to the combination of going home and the aftermath from the tournament. She needed her brothers, but Forks also mean having to deal with her parents. Even though Bella hadn't decided on whether or not she was going to go see them, just knowing they were there was enough to send her reeling.
"Why?" she sobbed. "I put myself on the line, yet it just comes back to bite me on the ass."
"I know, baby, I'm sorry," I said, soothingly.
Bella leaned back and looked up at me. "I hit you."
"You did," I admitted. "Pretty fucking hard, too."
"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I just reacted."
"It's okay."
"No, it's not!" Bella pulled herself out of my arms. "You make these excuses for my behavior, like that makes it all okay. It doesn't. I fucked up at the tournament, and it ended up costing me the championship. My fears and doubts have caused a rift between me and our team." Bella paused and shook her head. "What if I can't do it?"
"Do what?" I asked, causing her to look up at me.
"Win. What if I can't win?"
Smiling, I reached over and cupped her face. "Baby, you win just by being here. Every day that you don't crumble and fall is a day where you win. Nobody is expecting more than you can give us."
"That's not true and you know it," she grumbled. "I'm a Cullen; I'm expected to be the best."
"Who gives a fuck," I replied. "Are Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper putting pressure on you?"
"Well, no, but—"
"Then who is? Because you haven't talked to your parents since we left Forks," I pointed out.
"It's not them, it's just . . ." Bella huffed. "Ever since I was a little girl, I've watched my family fight. First Car, then Em and Jas. Each time, I saw the pride on everyone's faces when they won. When I win, I see that in their faces, in yours. But what if I don't win? Will they still love me?"
"Of course they will," I scoffed. "Baby, when are you going to realize that no matter if you ever fight again, they would do anything for you? I mean, hell, Bella, Carlisle and Esme flew to LA last month because you had a bad dream. They love you, I love you, and that will never, ever change. Especially me. I will never stop loving you."
"Even when I hit you?" she asked, coyly.
"No, not even then." I laughed and kissed her again. "Now, let's get the fuck out of here before the cops show up and arrest us for disturbing the peace or something."
"Oh, shit, yeah good thinking."
Bella and I hurried and climbed back into the car, getting back onto the highway as fast as we could. We were lucky and managed to get through town without being pulled over. Stopping by a McDonalds, we grabbed a couple of burgers, some fries, and sodas and started back on our trip home. Who knew what Forks would bring us?
Just after eight the next morning, we rolled past the 'Welcome to Forks' sign. For the most part, our drive had been peaceful. We'd stopped a few more times, mostly for coffee and bathroom breaks since we'd decided to drive straight through the night instead of stopping. Though she put on a brave face, Bella was struggling to keep herself together. She admitted she cared about Tia, and that wasn't something she did easily. I knew from firsthand experience.
I parked behind the gym and turned my car off, but neither of us made any effort to climb out. Turning in my seat, I looked over at Bella. She had her head leaning against the head rest and her eyes were closed, but I could tell she wasn't asleep. Bella was trying to pull on her mask so that she could try to convince her brothers that everything was great, even if it wasn't.
Reaching over, I took her hand in mine. Bella smiled and looked over at me. "Are you ready to see them?" I asked.
"Yes," she replied. "I've missed them."
"I missed them, too, but they don't have to know that, okay? The last thing I need is for your brothers to start calling me a pussy again."
Bella laughed. "Yeah, okay."
I leaned across the seats, pressing my lips against hers. "I love you."
She smiled against my lips. "I love you, too."
Unable to put it off any longer, Bella and I climbed out of the car, grabbed our bags from the backseat, and headed upstairs to her brothers' apartment. I could tell she was both excited and nervous to be back. Forks had been her hell as well as her salvation. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and walked inside. Emmett, Rose, Jasper, and Alice were sitting at the kitchen table, pretending to be focused on their breakfast. It was enough to almost make me laugh. We all knew they'd been watching and waiting for us to arrive.
"Bella!" Emmett roared, scooping his baby sister into his arms and swinging her around. Bella's carefree laughter filled the air. Setting her back on her feet, he left his hands on her shoulders and grinned. "You look like shit."
"Gee, thanks, Em," Bella scoffed, rolling her eyes. She reached over and patted his stomach. "Have you gained weight? You're looking a little thick in the middle, don't you think?"
"Pure muscle, sis, pure muscle," Emmett boasted.
"Sure it is." Though, Bella's condescending tone made it clear that she didn't believe him. Neither did I, but I wasn't going to say anything. I wasn't stupid after all. Before Bella could say anything else, Jasper had her in his arms. Their reunion was quieter, softer than Emmett's. "Missed you, Jas."
"Missed you, too, Bell," he murmured. "You look good. Tired, but good."
"Yeah, it was a long drive." Bella dropped her eyes to the floor, causing Jasper to shift his attention over his shoulder at me. I could tell by the look in his eyes that he knew it wasn't just the drive that had had been warring on her. Trying to keep herself together had put an emotional strain on her and she needed a break. I just hoped that our trip home would give her one.
"Yeah, sounds like it," he replied.
An awkward silence filled the room. Rose and Alice were standing behind Emmett and Jasper, giving them the chance to reconnect before they did anything. Bella pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and looked around.
"Rose, Alice, how's everything?" Bella asked in an effort to end the quiet.
"Good," they murmured together. We all laughed.
"It's good," Rose said, smiling.
"Works has been a bitch lately. The holidays make everything crazy," Alice added. "But enough about us. Tell us everything about UCLA."
"Oh, um," Bella started, shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other.
"Can it wait?" I asked. "We drove straight through and we're really tired. I think we'd like to get some sleep."
Before letting them respond, Bella grabbed my hand and pulled me toward her bedroom. She opened the door and gasped, following quickly by a menacing growl. Spinning on her heel, Bella glared at Emmett and Jasper. "What the fuck happened to my room?"
What used to be Bella's bedroom looked to be some sort of wedding cave. Every inch of wall space was covered by photos of wedding dresses, floral arraignments, and cakes. Different colored fabrics were draped over every available surface, and boxes of napkins, dishes, and who in the hell knew what else covered the floor and bed.
"I told her not to do it," Emmett blurted, tilting his head toward Alice.
"Shut the fuck up, you big ass," Alice scoffed, hitting in the back of the head before turning back to Bella. "I needed somewhere to work. Carlisle and Esme's wedding is in a month and—"
"And you thought my room would work since I don't live here anymore," Bella said, interrupting her. "It's just wasted space, right?"
"Well, yeah. I mean, it was empty and . . ." Alice trailed off when Bella brought her hands up to her mouth and closed her eyes. "Bella, I'm sorry. I'll move it out right now."
"Don't bother," Bella grumbled. "Guess there really isn't any such thing as coming home."
"Bell—" But before Jasper could get her name out, Bella grabbed my hand and dragged me toward Carlisle's room.
"It doesn't matter, Jas. It was stupid of me to think that everything would be the same. I'm tired, so we'll nap in Car's room."
"Okay," Jasper said, sighing. "We're sorry."
"Yeah, I know," Bella replied, pulling on my hand.
I followed Bella into Carlisle's bedroom, climbing on the bed next to her. Yawning, Bella laid her head on my chest. A moment later, though, she began to laugh. Leaning up on her elbow, she smiled. "They've had sex on this bed, you know? My brother and your sister; they've had sex on this bed."
"Eww, Bella!" I grimaced. "That's disgusting."
"Sorry, but it's true," she snickered.
"I don't know that I can sleep here," I muttered.
"Well, it's either here, or it's Em or Jas's beds. Which do you prefer?" Bella cocked an eyebrow in my direction.
"Um, here," I said, immediately.
"I thought so." Bella sighed and rested her head on my chest. "Am I wrong for being hurt that Alice took over my room?"
"No," I whispered. "But you know she didn't do it to hurt you. She just didn't think about how you'd feel."
"I know. It's just; I always thought that I'd have some place safe when I came home. It's silly, I know."
"No, it's not." Rolling on my side, I brought my hand up to her cheek. "Baby, you're always safe here with them, just like you are when you are with me."
"I know." Bella yawned, nestling herself further into my arms. "You're the only person I feel truly safe with anymore, Edward. Just you."
I smiled and held her tighter as we drifted to sleep in each other's arms.
—LO—
When I awoke up several hours later, I found myself alone. Climbing out of bed, I knew exactly where to find Bella. I headed down to the gym, knowing that Bella would need to work out after spending all day in the car yesterday; she'd need to stretch her muscles and work out her aggravations. Just like I expected, Bella was in the ring with Carlisle.
"I was starting to think you were going to sleep all day." Laughing, I looked over at Esme. She was leaning against the doorway to Carlisle's office with a smirk on her lips. "You look like shit, little brother."
"You look beautiful," I replied. Esme smiled, walked over to me, and hugged me. "Missed you, Es."
"Yeah, I missed you, too," she said. Pulling back, she sighed happily. "How was your drive up?"
"It was . . . okay," I murmured, shifting my eyes over her shoulder at Bella. "Long, but okay."
"Just okay?" she asked. Esme and I sat down on a couple of chairs.
"Yeah, just okay." I shrugged my shoulders. "We both needed to come home, ya know?"
Esme took a deep breath. "Is she still having nightmares?"
"Sometimes," I admitted. "She's okay, though. I mean, she's trying."
"I know she is," Esme said, quickly. "And how are you?"
Smiling, I looked over at her. "I'm good."
"You know, I almost believe you." Esme laughed. "Have you talked to Mom and Dad lately?"
"A couple days ago. Mom spent the entire time quizzing me over every moment between then and the last time I called her."
"Yeah, she does that to me, too." Sighing, Esme shook her head. "She calls every day with suggestions for the wedding. Between her and Alice, I'm about ready to elope."
"Um yeah, she'll kill you," I snickered.
"Oh, I know," Esme giggled. "I know she just wants me to have an amazing wedding, but all I want is to have my family and friends together and marry Carlisle. That's enough for me."
"And you'll get that," I said. "But you'll have to squeeze yourself into a wedding dress, deal with flowers and music, as well as being a blushing bride."
"I know," Esme exclaimed, throwing her hands up. "And I'll do it for Mom, because it's important to her."
"Better you than me," I teased.
"Oh, you're day will come. If you think she's bad with me, wait till it's you and Bella. She'll go wild."
"Well, it won't be happening anytime soon," I muttered, shifting my attention to Bella.
"Yeah, you say that now." Esme headed back into the office, leaving me sitting there and watching Bella and Carlisle.
He was taunting her, egging her on by calling a little whiner baby and telling her how weak she was. To anyone else, it would seem like Carlisle was being mean, but I knew them better. Bella thrived on the way he challenged her, pushing her to ignore the snarkiness and focus on her workout. Sweeping Carlisle off of his feet, Bella pinned him to the mats, causing him to tap out. She cheered as she climbed out of the ring and sat on my lap.
"Hey, how long have you been here?" she asked.
"Not long," I replied. "How was your workout?"
"It was good." She smiled. "Carlisle taunted me about us sleeping in his bed the entire time. I think we should stay at Esme's tonight."
"Yeah?" I asked. "Figured you'd want to be closer to your brothers. You've missed them."
"I have, and Carlisle will be there. He and Esme are practically living together," she explained. A dark shadow slipped over her face. "I — I don't want Em and Jas to worry if I have a nightmare."
"They won't judge you. You know that, don't you?"
"Of course, I do, but —"
Before Bella could finish speaking the door to the gym opened. We look back and groaned. Charlie and Renee were here.