I looked around at all the people mulling about. Talk of Cold Ones, a band that seemed to have the world in an upheaval, coming to Seattle was in the air. They were a newer band, only having been on the scene for a few years yet they rose to fame quickly. Front man Edward Cullen was everyone's dream man at the moment. He was accompanied by Jasper Whitlock and Emmett Cullen. They all met in College, UCLA, and decided to join forces to become the hot new band everyone seemed to love. Jasper's uncle had ties to a record company, ensuring their success.
Emmett and Edward were twins, coming from Washington, never said their exact hometown, while Jasper was native to Texas. His accent would come out in interviews making all the girls swoon. He was dating Edward and Emmett's sister, Alice. Emmett had always been unattached when it came to the ladies, staying out of the spotlight.
Edward, on the other hand, seemed to have a new woman each night for a while. Now, he's attached to the gorgeous actress Tanya Denali. They are pictured together on many occasions, even so much that she is seen leaving his apartment in the same clothes as the night before. They are Hollywood's power couple.
Edward Cullen, world's heart throb, man everyone wanted to be or to be with. But to me, Edward Cullen was just known as my ex-boyfriend. And the one I still loved. Even after all these years.
We met in high school. I was the new kid, lost and scared. My mom shipped me off to my dad's when she decided she wanted to be a wife more than a mother. Alice Cullen befriended me immediately. We were closer than close for the rest of high school. She and I were sophomores while Edward and Emmett were juniors. They were Forks High royalty.
I noticed how attractive Edward was the second she introduced us but I never thought he would notice me. We became friends though, through everything, and then one day that changed. We were the couple everyone talked about. I fell hard and I fell quickly. I was devastated when he told me he was going to UCLA. I, naively, thought we could make it. I was planning to follow him to LA but that changed when the summer before college he ended it with me. No explanation just "we're over."
I lost the love of my life that day and everyone that meant anything to me. Alice stopped talking to me. Left the next day for LA. I don't know what was worse: losing my boyfriend or my best friend. Even his parents avoided me. They had become another set of parents. My mom and I rarely spoke, and when we did it was all about her. My dad was so used to being alone that he never really acknowledged me. After they dumped me, I was truly alone.
I switched from going to UCLA to going to UDub. I wanted to forget about the Edward and the Cullens as soon as possible. Of course, my luck would have it that I couldn't go a day without the reminder of my first love and first heartbreak.
None of my new friends new about my connections to the famous Edward Cullen and I was planning on keeping it that way. None of them needed to know about the pathetic girl still pining for her Rockstar of an ex-boyfriend.
Rosalie was the first person I met when I got to college. She was my roommate; we quickly became fast friends. She replaced the whole in my heart that Alice left. She knew I had a boyfriend whom I was seriously messed up over but never knew his name.
Jessica Stanley was another friend I met. Frenemy was more like it. She loved to point out I was single and all my flaws. I never had the guts to stand up to her. Being abandoned so much really affects a girl's self-esteem.
Angela Weber. She was amazing. My only friend from high school; she knew everything and tried her hardest not to bring it up. But she was a Cold One's fan. Hater of Edward and Alice Cullen though. She would always say: 'You can love the music but hate the musician." At least she tried to not speak about them in my presence. I was grateful to have someone that knew everything about me.
For me, I pretended to be indifferent about them. Pretended I didn't listen to their music every night. Pretended I hadn't seen every single one their interviews. Pretended that Edward Cullen meant nothing to me.
"Guess what daddy gave me for my birthday." Rosalie said the second she reached our table. The four of us had a standing lunch date every day after class. "Tickets and backstage passes to the Cold One's show. Everyone is going." She gave me a pointed look. She knew I was going to argue try to get out of it.
Jessica was ecstatic. Already talking about what she was going to wear in order to seduce Edward after the show. Angela grabbed my hand, trying to show her loyalty to me but I knew she was excited, too. She and Emmett actually dated for a while but they broke up on good terms.
"I'll pass. Sorry, Rose. You know I'm not a fan." I had to try though I knew the effort was useless.
"You're going." She knew I would cave. "It's my birthday. I promise to load you up on drinks so you can pretend you are anywhere else." She reached for my arm, shaking it. And then a word that rarely comes out of Rosalie Hale's mouth, slipped through. Rosalie Hale, daughter of Republican Senator of New York, William Hale, had everything she could ever want. "Please." She knew she had me.
"Fine. But I won't have a good time." They laughed at me. We went about our usual banter. Talking about our mean professors and some party that Jessica got drunk at. Jessica was in the middle of a story about hooking up with Mike Newton, not a topic I was too interested in, when she stopped mid-sentence.
"Oh my god, It's Alice Cullen. That means they are really here." She squealed in excitement as my stomach dropped. It's been 3 years since I've seen my former best friend, since I've spoken to her. The pain was still raw.
I was sitting opposite of Jessica; my back was to whatever she was looking at. I wanted so badly to not turn around, hoping that Jessica had mistook a stranger for Alice.
I knew it was her when Angela whispered: "Bitch." My head whipped around; our eyes locked for a moment before she simply walked out of the coffee shop. I guess I did mean so little to her. I had to push back tears after that encounter.
"I'm going to head out." I had barely touched my lunch, losing my appetite after hearing about the concert tonight.
"I'm going to be home by 430. The concert is at 7 so we need to get there by 6. I'm going to dress you. Maybe we can get you laid tonight." Rosalie and I lived together, in an apartment her father paid for. She took pity on me when she found out I was paying for school myself after my father chose to not speak with me after graduation. Another abandonment I had to live through. I simply nodded, no use arguing.
I didn't have any more classes for the day. I wandered for a while before making my way home. I didn't know how to face tonight. I honestly felt sick.
True to her word, Rosalie was home at 430, shoving me in the shower and picking out my clothes. Clothes I normally wouldn't be caught dead in. Again, no use arguing with Rosalie.
I would admit that Rosalie had a way to bring out my natural beauty. I'm not the same as I was in high school. I was thin and lanky in high school but meeting Rosalie she helped me tone up. She forced me into exercise classes to help with my self-esteem. She had helped me more than I care to admit. I was a mess when we first met.
"Fabulous." Rosalie clapped her hands are her effort. She was wearing a tight red top with jeans that looked painted on. She, as always, looked stunning. She forced me into a mini skirt with a tight top, dark blue, my signature color. He used to love that color on me. "You should show off your body more often. You're hot." She was right, I did feel hot in the outfit she chose. "Now we can find you a man." I had been on dates in the past and even slept with a few people but I could never commit. I would always compare them to him. I was truly pathetic.
"You know what, yes, let's find me a man." It was time for me to move on. And what better place to do it then at the ex's concert.
We met up with Angela and Jessica in the line to the venue. It was a huge concert. I was certain he wouldn't find me in the crowd. I just worried about the meet and greet after the concert. Hopefully enough people had back stage passes that I would be able to slip into the crowd.
The concert was amazing, I would give them that. They knew how to perform. My heart fluttered when he walked on to the stage. I tried to avoid staring at him the entire time. I knew Jessica caught on a few times.
"I knew you thought he was hot. Too bad he's way out of your league." She nudged me with her elbow, trying to make it seem like a joke. I knew her too well to know she wasn't joking.
I let out a gust of air when I thought the concert was finish. My stomach was getting nervous at being in the same room with him.
"Hi, everyone." He was addressing the crowd one last time. "Hope everyone is having a good time." The cheers were deafening. "I have one last song for everyone. It's one that I personally wrote." He sat on a stool in the middle of the stage, holding a guitar. He was alone. "We all have someone to say sorry to. This song hasn't been released yet. It's my passion project." He began to strum the guitar. "Please enjoy."
The song was different than what Cold Ones usually produced. It was soft and slow. Beautiful. I knew Edward well enough to know he was putting his heart and soul into it. It was sad. I wanted to know what he was sad about. He was rich and famous. Had the choice of every girl he could imagine. Was dating one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. He didn't deserve to be sad.
The song ended too quickly for everyone, me included. "Thank you everyone for coming out. We love each and every one of you." He left the stage with a quick wave to the crowd. The crowd started to disperse as the four of us made our way to the stage. My stomach was in knots.
"Daddy paid top money for it to be just us." Jessica squealed as my hopes of fading into the background slowly slipped away. Rosalie walked up to the bouncer showing him our passes. He led us down the hallway, I felt like I was walking to my doom. I had to get out of there.
"I'm going to get some air. I'll be in in a couple of minutes." Rosalie nodded as she and Jessica walked off.
"I can stay out here with you." Angela rubbed my arms. She knew how difficult this was for me.
"No. I know how much you want to go." I smiled at her. "You and Emmett didn't end on bad terms. I know you still consider him a friend. Go." I nudged her towards the door. She smiled at me before following the other two.
I leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths.
"Are you Bella?" I opened my eyes, facing the blue eyes of Jasper Whitlock. "You're prettier in person." I didn't know how to respond. How does one respond to that? We stared at each other for a few moments. "I feel like I know you with how much she talks about you." He paused. "She misses you; you know?"
I snorted. "She has an odd way of showing it considering she stared me in the eye today and walked out." I rubbed my forehead; I felt a headache coming on.
"And she walked around the corner to have a massive panic attack." Tears began to form in my eyes. I didn't want him to see me cry. "You know how many times I've had to hold her as she cried over you. Mostly on January 14th and September 13th." A lump formed in my throat. January 14th was the day we met.
"I don't understand." I was confused. Nothing he was saying made sense.
"Somethings aren't as they seem." He smiled.
"Well, I'm over it. So, you can tell her to move on." I was lying.
He smirked. "Somehow I don't believe that." He patted me on the shoulder. "If you are truly over them, why are you out here?" He bent down to look me in the eyes. "Let's show them." He stood up, offering me his arm. I smiled at him, taking him by the arm, allowing him to walk me into the room. I felt like we were old friends.
No one from the band was in the room when we arrived. "Hello, ladies. I'm Jasper Whitlock." He gave them his award-winning smile. Jessica pushed Angela out of the way to get to him.
"I'm Jessica. I love your accent." She actually twirled her hair as she said that. I had to refrain from laughing. My laughter stopped abruptly.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Alice Cullen. Thank you so much for your support." I didn't have to turn around to know she was giving her Alice Cullen smiling. She made her way around the room, shaking Jessica and Rosalie's hands before pausing in front of Angela. I held my breath waiting to see what she would do. She seemed to realize that there was another person in the room. She turned to face me, slowly. He eyes widened, tears forming in them. Tears formed in mine, too.
We stared at each other for what felt like forever. She stepped forward, reaching for me. "Bella." I stepped back.
"No." I held up my hand, telling her to keep her distance.
"Bella, please. I'm so, so sorry." The tears were falling from her face.
"No." I wiped the tears from my eyes. She didn't deserve my tears. "It hurt, Alice. To lose him. But it hurt so much worse to lose you." I paused to catch my breath, hoping my racing heart would slow down. "I can't do this. I'm going to catch an uber home." I turned quickly, making my way to the door. Colliding with a hard chest. He grabbed me before I fell to the floor.
Thank god it was only Emmett. "Still clumsy, Bells?" He laughed like we had been friends this whole time. Like he didn't stop all contact just like the rest of them. We weren't as close as Alice or Edward and I were but I loved him like a brother. His betrayal hurt me a lot.
"Shut up, Emmett." I pushed past him, trying to catch my breath. I rushed out. I wasn't strong enough for this. I leaned against the wall trying to steady my breathing.
I huffed in frustration when I saw that the Uber fares were twice the normal rate. Probably because of this concert.
"Bella." I knew that voice. That voice had haunted my dreams these past few years. I turned my back to him, trying to find the exit. I didn't want to face him. "Please wait." He grabbed my arm. "I was hoping to talk to you while I was here."
I wiped my face before facing him. "Talk about what, Edward? What could you possibly say to me? You've said enough anyway."
"Did you hear the song? The last one we played?" I rolled my eyes at him.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Tears were falling down my face.
"Bella, please don't cry." His face looked broken. I finally took a real look at him. His shoulder's sagged. He looked tired.
"You don't get to tell me what to do. Not anymore." I wiped angrily at my face. "You lost that right a long time ago."
"I know. I know I did. But, Bella. I didn't want to." I laughed out loud.
"Since when do you do what you don't want to?" Edward was never the one to do something he didn't believe in. "Never mind, it doesn't matter. I'm over it. I'm happy for you. You and Tanya are a better couple than we could ever be. You match." I stormed off, unfortunately in the opposite direction of the exit. "God, damnit." I was stuck at a dead end.
"Please, don't run away from me. I can't lose you again." I was mad now.
"You didn't lose me. You pushed me away. Or did you forget?" I stepped closer to him. "You didn't even give me an explanation just. 'it's over.' That was cruel, Edward. You had to know that. And then you took the one other person who meant everything to me. Why did you do that?" He began to respond; I cut him off. "Did you hate me that much?"
"No, baby. God, no. I loved you. So much." My heart clenched at the past tense. "I still love you."
"Don't say that." I couldn't hear him say that. He stepped closer to me. Close enough to touch me.
"Please let me explain. If you want me to fuck off after, I'll respect your wishes." I wanted to leave but I also wanted to hear an explanation. I felt like I deserved that. I nodded for hm to go on. "When we first got recognized, I was so excited. But so scared. I'm a small-town kid from Forks. This doesn't happen to people like me and Emmett." I sniffled but didn't move to leave. "I wanted to share everything with you. I was so in love with you. This was a way to give you the life you deserve. But, then Aro told us we had to seem available to the world. He said that it would help us if women thought we were available. Help us succeed. I fought against it, Baby, I fought so hard. I was going to quit."
"I wouldn't want you to do that." I whispered.
"I know you wouldn't." He caressed my face. I wanted to pull away but I craved his touch. "I didn't know what to do. I was so torn. All I wanted was you. All I still want is you." I began to cry again. He wiped my tears from my eyes. "It was a hard decision to make. I didn't want to lose you but he said that we needed to be available if he was going to represent us. He would send us away if we weren't. I was torn between my friends and my love. I couldn't let them down. I got drunk one night, that was the night I met Tanya." I tried to wiggle out of his arms; I didn't want to hear about his new love. "Please don't pull away. If this is the last time I get to hold you…" He stopped talking, closing his eyes tightly. "She told me it's extremely difficult for a non-famous person to be in a relationship with a famous person. Especially with girls, they would go after you. Cruelly. I didn't want you to get hurt. It was stupid. I know that now. I'm so sorry, baby." He pulled me into a hug. "please, please forgive me."
I let him hold me for a few minutes before pulling away. "So, you made that decision for us? How was that fair? And why did Alice and the rest of your family dump me too?"
"I begged them too. Alice was mad. She hasn't spoken to me, really spoken to me, in years. She loves to bring you up in conversation every time she can. She knows how much I miss you." He placed his forehead against mine. "I thought I was doing the right thing. Giving you up. I thought I was giving you a better life. I thought it would be an easier break for you if you didn't have any reminder of me. That you would succeed without me." He pulled away, looking me up and down. "I guess on one level I was right. You look amazing. When I saw you in the crowd, I nearly died at how sexy you looked."
"You saw me?" I smiled at that.
"I couldn't take my eyes off of you. I wasn't supposed to do the last song, but I needed you to know. Did you listen to the lyrics?" I had listened. The song spoke of missing someone, wishing they could say sorry. Making up for their mistake. "It was for you." I closed my eyes. My heart was jumping nervously. This is what I had wanted for so long. I just didn't know how I felt about it.
"This is too much." I began to pull away, he stopped me bring me closer to him.
"Please don't leave me." He whispered to me, meeting my eyes.
I don't know what came over me. Lust, I guess was what it was. But I needed him, one last time.
I pulled his head down to mine, forcing his lips on mine. It wasn't soft or gentle it was rough and fast. Needy.
He opened his mouth to allow my tongue in. I missed his taste.
He pushed me against the wall, caging me in. We were kissing like there was no tomorrow. "God, I missed you." He pulled away briefly, staring in my eyes. "Come with me." He grabbed my hand leading me to a dressing room. He pulled me through the door, locking it behind me. "I won't have anyone interrupt us." We stared at each other. Both of us were breathing heavily.
And then we were kissing again.
One of his hands was in my hair, holding my lips to his. The other was moving its way up my body, cupping my breast. I moaned at contact. It had been so long since his hands were on me.
He guided me back towards the couch, eagerly. I pulled his shirt from his body. It had changed some since the last time I saw him. He was more toned but still the same guy I was in love with. I threw his shirt to the side as I fell to the couch with him on top of me.
"You are so sexy." His mouth moved to my neck as he pressed himself closer to me. The heat of his skin scorched mine. It felt amazing. "I need to see you." He pulled away long enough to get my shirt off. My chest was bare to him. His hands cupped my breasts, squeezing them, pinching my nipple. "I've missed these so much." His head reached down, taking one into his mouth. I arched my back trying to get closer to him. My hands flew to his hair. My fingers thrusting themselves into his unruly locks, tugging gently.
He released my left breast moving on to my right. The sensations sent a shiver right down to my core. The way this man knew my body made me feel alive.
He began kissing down my stomach, to his favorite place. He pushed my skirt up, bunching it around my waist. "These panties are so sexy." I yelped at the feeling of the side digging into my skin as he tore them from me.
"Damn it, Edward. Those were expensive." I growled out at him. "They were my favorite."
He smiled up at me. "I'll buy you another pair." He didn't let me respond as he ran his fingers through my folds. My hips lifted of their own accord, trying to get him to put his fingers where I needed them the most. "One in every color." His finger slipped in me. pumping slowly. Teasing me. His mouth joined soon after he added the second finger. Licking me slowly, teasing my clit.
"Don't tease me." I yanked on his hair, feeling his chuckle vibrate my body. He began to pump his fingers faster, making me throw my head back in passion. "God, yes." My fingers gripped his hair, as his other hand wrapped around the back of my thigh, holding my legs open for him. One foot on the floor the other leg hooked over the back of the couch, completely exposed to him.
He flicked my clit with his tongue, making the heat in my lower belly grow. He added a third finger, pumping wildly. "Cum for me, Baby. You think I forgot how your body works. I know you're close." He put his face back into my pussy. It wasn't long after that I came, screaming his name. "That is the most beautiful sight."
I sat up, nearly knocking him the ground, grabbing his belt pulling it free from his pants. I needed him more than anything else at the moment. "Get them off." I gritted my teeth when he wasn't moving quick enough.
He laughed, pulling his pants and boxers off his body, shoving them away with his foot. I licked my lips at the sight of him. He was perfect. The memory of him didn't do him justice. I leaned down, taking him into my mouth. I heard a thunk, which I believed was his head hitting the back of the couch. I smiled around him. I loved that I could make his mind hazy.
I licked around his head slowly. I wanted to torture him for all the pain he caused me. He groaned, placing his hand on my head. I took him further into my mouth, as far as I could go, grasping the rest of him with my hand, pumping in tempo with my mouth.
"Your mouth is heaven." I continued my slow, torturous moves before he pulled me off of him, kissing me firmly on the mouth. I straddle him, lining myself up.
"I'm clean and still on birth control." I met his eyes, I saw pain in them at the realization that I had been with other men. I hated that I got some sick satisfaction that he knew he wasn't the only one who I've been with. I wanted him to feel some pain.
"I'm clean, too." I sunk onto him, slowly. Savoring the feeling of being full. Being complete. We groaned in unison when I was fulling seated on him. He grasped my hips, holding me still. "I can't let this be only once, Bella. Please, take me back."
"Like you can keep me away." He kissed me as I began to bounce on top of him. He let me set the pace. Slow at first before I began to pick up speed. I was never one to like it slow and gentle. His hand pulled at my hair, bringing me back to his mouth. I didn't object. I missed kissing him the most.
I threw my head back in euphoria. Bouncing like my life depended on it.
I yelped when he picked me up, like I was nothing I might add, and threw me down on the couch. He pushed back into me, throwing my legs over his shoulders. The new angle hit me in spots I forgot I had.
"I love you, so much, baby. I will spend the rest of my life showing you." He grunted out each word. I wrapped my hand around the back of his neck, holding firm.
The coil in my belly began to tighten, once again. I was close to the end. "Don't stop. Please don't stop."
"Nothing in this world could make me stop." His thrusts became frantic. Moving at a pace that sent me to the moon. My back arched as I came once again. He pumped a few more time before releasing into me.
Our breathing was once again heavy, both of us trying to catch our breaths. He shifted me so we were facing each other on the couch. It was a tight squish but neither of us cared.
He caressed my face, staring intently. "I'm afraid this is a dream." He admitted to me. "I'm going to wake up and you'll be gone." He kissed me on the forehead, bring me closer to him. I smiled contently; nothing could kill my high.
Until I remembered.
Tanya.
His perfect girlfriend.
I pulled away from his arms, standing up pushing my skirt down. I searched for my shirt, frantically. What have I done? I'm not the type of person to sleep with another person's boyfriend.
"What have I done?" I whispered to myself, tears in my eyes. I couldn't find my shirt.
"Baby. Baby. What is it?" He looked concerned. He had found his pants. Why couldn't I find my shirt?
I finally located it, throwing it on. It was backwards. I huffed out in frustration. I turned it around, smoothing it down before rushing towards the door. "Bella, wait. What's going on?" He stopped me as I turned the lock.
"I'm not this person." I was crying now.
"What person, baby?" He tried to rub my arms but I shoved him off.
"The other woman and don't call me baby." He looked confused, I cleared it up for him. "Tanya, Edward. You know, your girlfriend." I turned back to the door.
"It's not what it seems." I reached for the door knob; his words stopped me. "She's not my girlfriend. It's fake." Now, I was the one who was confused. "It's fake. We came to an agreement. We would pose as each other's significant others so I would be off the market and she could hide her secret. She's nothing more than a friend. I promise. A good friend." He turned me around, looking me in the eye. "She knows all about you and has spent the last year trying to knock some sense into me. To go get you back. She actually likes you better than me." he smiled at me. I was still confused. "It's not my secret to tell but trust me, she's not interested in me in anything other than a friend." He pulls me into a hug. My hands lay limply at my side. "No one could ever compete with you. You're all I want."
I finally caved and wrapped my arms around his waist. Holding him firmly to me. "No one could compete with you either."
"You have no idea how happy that makes me. You're mine. I know that's possessive but I don't care. I can't live without you." He kissed my head as we stood in each other's arms, swaying.
"I have an obligation to meet the others." He pulled away from me to grab his shirt. "Come with me." He held out his hand for mine. I took it instantly. I needed to touch him.
He pulled me in for a passionate kiss, pulling away too quickly in my opinion. He pulled me from the room, into the room filled with my friends and his band mates. His hand firmly clasped in mine. Neither of us were pulling away from each other.
We walked in the room. The noise stopped. All eyes were on us. Or should I say, all eyes were on our clasped hands.
"Would someone care to explain what's going on?" Rosalie asked, never the one to beat around the bush. I couldn't help but notice her close proximity to Emmett. "First Bella runs out of here like her ass is on fire and then Angela rips into Alice. And now you two come in holding onto each other with clear sex hair. So, someone, explain!" I patted down my hair. "I lied. Your hair looks fine but now I know you had sex." No one spoke. "Hello, anyone?"
"You yelled at Alice?" I addressed Angela. Everyone thought Angela was the quiet pastor's daughter but the truth was she was anything but. She stood up for her friends through everything, enjoyed a good drink and smoked a ton of weed.
"Hell yeah I did." She turned to Edward. "You're next." Edward visibly gulped before placing me in front of him. She always scared him.
I finally turned to Alice. Her makeup, which was usually so pristine, was dripping down her face. She had been crying. "I deserved it." Tears started to fall from her eyes, again. "I don't know what I can do to ever make up for it. I want to blame Edward, solely. But I can't. I followed his stupid request because he's my brother, but you were- are my best friend. I should have told him to shove it." She stepped out of Jasper's arms, coming to me. "I've made his life miserable these past few years, if that helps." I gave her a small smile. I knew Alice well enough to know that she did indeed make his life miserable. "I won't make the same mistake again." I let her take my hand in hers. "I'm so, so, very sorry for doing to you what everyone in your life before has. I used to curse your parents for what they did to you and then I went and did the same thing." I stepped closer to her, wiping the tears from her face.
"I was so hurt. I lost everything that week. If it weren't for Angela, and later Rosalie, I wouldn't have survived. You hurt me. A lot." I pulled her into a hug. "It's going to take time. For all three of you. I will forgive you eventually." She squeezed me like her life depended on it. "I see your grip hasn't changed." We laughed at each other as another pair of arms wrapped around both of us
"Thank god you're back, Bella. He's been such a moody asshole these past few years." Emmett's boisterous voice pulled me away from Alice.
"Thanks, Emmett." I heard Edward chuckle from behind me.
"Ok, still confused over here?" Rosalie actually stomped her foot. Emmett and Alice pulled away from me; I finally faced Rosalie.
"Remember that guy who broke my heart?" She nodded. "It was Edward." I gestured to him as though she wouldn't know who Edward was.
"You." Jessica pointed at Edward before pointing at me. "dated her?" The disgust in her voice was evident. Everyone heard it.
I looked at the ground. That insult got to me. Because she was right in her shock. I was never on par with the beautiful Cullens. The fact that he dated me was laughable.
The room was silent for a moment before all hell broke loose. "What was that?" Alice wasn't used to Jessica like the rest of us. "why did you say it like that? You know nothing of my brother and Bella's relationship." Alice may have only been 5 feet tall but she was a force to be reckoned with. "I'm sorry. I was under the assumption you were her friend? Clearly that was wrong. Because no friend would ever sound so disgusted about the thought of someone dating her." She stepped so she was nose to nose with Jessica. "You are a rotten person who doesn't deserve Bella as a friend. Bella is one of the most amazing people you will ever meet."
"I didn't mean anything about it. I was just saying I'm shocked that she dated Edward Cullen and didn't tell us about it." She tried to backtrack her words but we all knew what she meant.
"No, what you meant, what you always mean, Jessica, is that you are shocked that Bella, the mousy friend as you lovingly call her, is the person that Edward Cullen, the Famous Edward Cullen, wants. You're mad that it's not you. I'm so sick of your back-handed compliments or the nasty words you say about Bella behind her back." Rosalie wasn't holding back. "You have been a nasty person since the day we met you and honestly I don't know why we've let you stick around so long. You treat everyone like they are beneath you. Like you are the best thing that could ever happen to the world. I'm done with you." Jessica turned to Angela looking for some solidarity.
"Don't look at me. I've been telling them to dump you for years." She held her hands up in the air.
Jessica turned to me. I looked away. "Guys, come on. It's just jokes. She knows I don't mean it."
"That's the thing, Jessica. You do mean it." Rosalie sat back down effectively dismissing her. She walked, rejected, towards the door. "Oh, and Jess. If you tell anyone about how we were so mean and you did nothing wrong. The whole campus will know of your little problem" Rosalie tapped the side of her nose. "and exactly how you passed Spanish last year."
She looked at me once more before walking out the door.
"That was badass." Emmett held up his hand for Rosalie to high five him. He quickly lowered it when he realized that she wasn't about to. Same old Emmett, it seems.
Edward pulled me over to the couch, placing me right next to him. Holding onto me as if I'm going to run away. "Ok, Angela. Let me have it." He actually looked scared. She laughed before slapping him across the face. "Ouch. What the hell?"
"You have no idea how you destroyed her. She was a shell of a person. I was worried that she wouldn't snap out of it. And that was your fault. You took an amazing person and you ruined her." She stopped speaking. "I'm sorry for slapping you. Even if you deserved it."
"It's ok. I didn't realize you were so strong though." He rubbed his face. "No wonder you and Emmett made a good couple." He smiled at her.
"I really know nothing about you two?" Rosalie looked hurt.
"I'm so sorry we didn't tell you." I grabbed her hand. "It was hard to speak of him and then when he got so famous, the reminder of him was everywhere. I didn't want to have my past life to invade my new life. And the reason I have my new life is because of you."
"And I was just being a loyal friend to Bella. I'm sorry. She was so hurt about what happened; I was hoping to ease her pain by pretended he meant nothing to us. Please forgive us."
She smiled at us. "I knew how sad you were so I guess I can understand why you hid this." She gave me a hug before pulling Angela in for a three-way hug.
"Hell, yes. Girl on girl." Emmett wiggled his eyebrows. "on girl."
"Gross, Emmett." Alice glared at her brother. "Why are you so disgusting?"
We spent the next couple of hours just talking with each other. I was relearning everything about Edward. Emmett and Rosalie hit it off. Angela was getting to know Jasper and Spending time with Alice. She wouldn't admit it but she missed Alice, too.
My life was finally starting to feel like everything was perfect.
APOV
Concert days were always stressful. As manager/PR for the Cold Ones I had a lot to do in order for tonight to be perfect. I was mentally making a checklist of what I needed to do for tonight: soundcheck, wardrobe check, makeup, merch. The list was endless, if I was going to get this done, I would need coffee.
I grabbed my latte, thanking them quickly, without taking my eyes off my phone. I was looking forward to the next couple of weeks. The concert in Seattle was their last concert for a few months. We were staying here, at Edward's insistent, for about a week before going back to LA to figure out their next album.
I sighed, pausing to try and find my hotel room key. Something made me freeze. I felt eyes on me. Turning towards the feeling, I wished I hadn't. She was here. Staring at me. The person who meant the most to me in the world. And the person I couldn't have in my life anymore. I felt my air closing off. I needed to get out of there.
I pulled my eyes away from here, rushing out of the coffee shop as quickly as my 4in heels would allow me to.
I didn't make it far. I couldn't catch my breath. I leaned against the wall, around the corner of the coffee shop, I needed support, fearing that my legs were going to collapse from underneath me.
My breath was coming out short and shallow. I grasped my chest, hoping this pain would go away.
I fumbled, trying to get my numbers inputted correctly in my phone. There was one person I needed right now. Tears fell the second he answered the phone.
"Jasper." I could barely get his name out. I was becoming hysterical.
"Alice?" He was upset and worried. I rarely got this way. "Alice. What happened?" I tried to open my mouth to answer but a loud sob was the only thing that came from my mouth. "Aly, breath, baby. I need you to breath. Where are you?" I still couldn't answer him. "Ok, baby. I needed you to inhale with me. I'm going to count to 5 and then we'll exhale." He was able to calm me down enough that I could speak again but my tears wouldn't stop. "ok, can you talk?"
"Yeah." I wiped the tears with the back of my hand, hiccupping.
"There we go. What happened, Aly?" I sniffled a few more times before I was able to speak.
"I saw her." I whispered so low I wasn't sure if he would hear me.
"Who? Who did you see?" I was honestly surprised that he didn't know who I was speaking about. There was only one person who could make my head spin.
"Bella." He didn't say anything so I continued speaking. "She was so close and she looked at me like she hated me. Not that I would blame her. I did the one thing I promised I would never do." I was rambling, I knew that but I was not going to stop. "She was right there. I could have hugged her, begged her to speak to me. I seriously doubt she would. Again, not that I would have blamed her." I sucked in a gasp of breath. "I hate him, Jasper. I hate him so much for his stupid rule. But I hate me for following that stupid rule. I'm just as bad as him." Tears were still rolling down my face, I was sure I looked like a crazy person. He let me cry for a while before he spoke.
"Aly." He tried.
"Don't. Ok. I didn't have to go with it and I did. I'm just as at fault as he is." I sniffled wiping the fresh tear from my face. "I'm coming back now. I'll see you in a few." I leaned against the wall for a few more moments before pushing myself off, making my way back to the hotel.
I stopped as I saw her walk out of the coffee shop. She hugged herself closely. Most people would think she was just cold but I knew it was Bella's defense. She used to say less people would notice her if she curled around herself. She was always so self-conscious. I didn't blame her. She was always one that preferred to be alone. Until we came along.
I watched her turn a corner. I wanted to run after her, make her listen to me but my feet wouldn't move. I watched the spot she disappeared from for a few more minutes before turning away.
I was glad Jasper was the only one at the hotel. I was still angry and I was sure that, if I saw his face, I would throw something at him.
Jasper wrapped me up in his arms the second I walked in. I felt him putting me back together, still with a giant hole in the center of my heart though.
The thing about my relationship with Jasper was we didn't need to speak with each other in order to help each other. He knew how to help me just by being with me.
"Darling, I need to get to the concert venue for sound check." He pulled back, locking my eyes with his. "Are you going to be ok?" I nodded, placing myself back into his arms wishing he wouldn't leave. He pulled away from me again, grabbing his things. "I love you." He kissed my head, leaving through the door I had just come through.
I plopped down on the couch. I had a lot to do but I needed a moment. I hadn't seen her for 3 years. Not a day went by that I didn't miss her. I knew he missed her too, he tried to seem like he didn't.
I should have told him no. When he broke up with her and told all of us that we had to leave her alone, I was mad. Big mad. Everyone in her life has abandoned her and we were doing the same.
I wish I fought harder.
The rest of the day flew by. Everything, luckily, had gone perfectly. I managed to avoid Edward, afraid of what I was going to say to him.
"Ok, you guys have some fans to meet…" I began to tell them as they left the stage after their last song.
"Hold on." Edward grabbed the guitar. "I have one more to do." He didn't say anything else before going back onto the stage.
"Wasn't that your last song?" Emmett and Jasper were just as confused as I was. What was Edward doing? "As I was saying, you have a small group of fans to meet." Emmett nodded before walking off to get cleaned up. He was always so sweaty after a concert.
Jasper wrapped me up in his arms. "I love you." He kissed me quickly before going to clean up himself.
I turned back to the stage, still confused. He was performing a song that I had never heard before. It was sweet and soft. It made me remember who my brother used to be. Before he became a jackass.
He practically ran off stage. "You have a fan meeting." I wasn't speaking to him unless it was necessary.
He smiled at me, rushing past me. I don't know what lit his ass of fire but I also didn't care right now.
I made my way to the stage to meet with the technicians who were cleaning up the stage. I needed to make sure that everything was getting packed up properly.
"These need to be sent back to LA. Make sure there is nothing out of place." I gave them a pointed look before turning back towards the back. I was achy and tired, I just wanted to go home but I also had to meet the fans that were here.
I stretched my neck, squared my shoulders and put a smile on my face walking in the door. There were 4 girls and Jasper.
"Hello, Everyone. I'm Alice Cullen. Thank you so much for your support." I shook the hand of a gorgeous blonde making my way to a boxed blonde who was standing a little too close to Jasper for my taste.
I walked to the other girls, pausing when I saw who it was. Angela Weber. My old friend. She smirked at me as her eyes cut to the side. I turned towards where she looked, tears coming to my eyes.
I stared at her, wondering if she was real. I stepped forward. "Bella."
"No." She held up her hands, keeping me at a distance.
"Bella, please. I'm so, so sorry." I begged.
"No. It hurt, Alice. To lose him. But it hurt so much worse to lose you." She took a deep breath. My eyes were burning from the tears. "I can't do this. I'm going to catch an Uber home."
She turned towards the door just as Emmett was walking in, colliding with him. "Still clumsy, bells?"
"Shut up, Emmett." She ran from the room. I began to go after her.
"Where do you think you're going?" Angela stepped in front of me. "You don't get to go after her. You lost that right a long time ago." She stared down at me. Angela was always even tempered but she was mad right now. "You are just as bad as him." She paused. "No, you're worse. People break up all the time but best friends don't usually dump their best friends for no good reason." I looked down at the floor. "She cried over you. For days. She lost weight, barely spoke to anyone. I worried about her. I was happy when she told me she transferred to UW."
"Angela. I didn't…" I tried to defend myself.
"Didn't what? Didn't mean to abandon the person you claimed was like a sister to you? Cause you did. And you didn't even look back. You broke her. And I don't know if she can be fixed."
"I told you Angela was feisty, didn't I?" Emmett laughed. The glare she was giving me was now turned to Emmett.
"Oh, don't even get me started on you Emmett McCarty Cullen." He held up his hand in surrender leaning back on the couch.
"Was it really that bad?" I always told myself that Bella was strong and would move on, forgetting about us. It was what got me through the day most times.
"Bad was an understatement. She barely ate, slept. She still has nightmares." She looked towards the blonde who nodded in agreement. "She lost so much weight freshman year she collapsed from exhaustion and malnutrition." My heart stopped. "It's not like she had her doctor anymore." If Jasper hadn't wrapped his arms around me, I would have been on the floor. We did break her.
"I'm so sorry. I'm sorry." I sobbed.
"I can honestly say, I don't know if she'll accept your apology." She turned towards Emmett as I cried into Jasper's shirt. I broke my best friend. She was already damaged when I met her and all the fixes she had done while we were friends were shattered the second we left her.
"Shhh, darling." He rocked me as I sobbed. "Get it all out. It's ok."
"It's not okay, Jazz. I broke her." The anger I was feeling towards Edward today was amplified and now I was feeling it towards me too. "I broke her." I kept whispering it over and over again, hoping my tears would stop coming.
I pulled away from him as I finally calmed down. "I guess we have a lot to fix, don't we?" Jasper smiled at me, He made it seem so easy but I truly didn't know where to begin to fix it.
"Emmett, I hated when you did that crap in high school and I still hate it now. Knock it off." I turned to see Angela wiping away popcorn, that was set out for the fans, from her top. He must have thrown it at her. "This is why we broke up, you big oaf." She smiled at him as she threw the popcorn back at him.
"Wait, you two dated?" The bottled blonde, I really didn't like her for some reason, asked as though she had just heard the most outrageous thing.
"Yeah, she broke my heart." Emmett gripped his heart as he fell back on the couch in dramatics. "Can you mend it?" he asked the pretty blonde who was sitting on the couch. She rolled her eyes at him. I liked her.
I stayed in Jaspers arms. I needed him. He was it for me. My soulmate. My everything. All of our heads turned when the door opened. I couldn't help but smile at their clasped hands. If she had forgiven him, maybe she would forgive me.
"Would someone care to explain what's going on?" My eyes cut to the door Edward and Bella were walking through. "First Bella runs out of here like her ass is on fire and then Angela rips into Alice. And now you two come in holding onto each other with clear sex hair. So, someone, explain!" Bella didn't have sex hair. "I lied. Your hair looks fine but now I know you had sex." No one spoke which pissed the blond off more. "Hello. Anyone?"
Bella ignored her focusing on Angela. "You yelled at Alice?"
"Hell, yeah I did." She turned her gaze to Edward. "You're next."
She faced me. I was scared what she was going to tell me. What if she couldn't forgive me.
"I deserved it." I began to cry again. "I don't know what I can do to ever make up for it. I want to blame Edward, solely. But I can't. I followed his stupid request because he's my brother, but you were- are my best friend. I should have told him to shove it." I got the courage to step closer to her. "I've made his life miserable these past few years, if that helps. I won't make the same mistake again." I was elated when she allowed me to grab her hands in mine. "I'm so, so, very sorry for doing to you what everyone in your life before has. I used to curse your parents for what they did to you and then I went and did the same thing."
She wiped the tears from my eyes. "I was so hurt. I lost everything that week. If it weren't for Angela, and later Rosalie, I wouldn't have survived. You hurt me. A lot." She pulled me into a hug before continuing to speak. "It's going to take time. For all three of you. I will forgive you eventually." I was so happy. I squeezed her to me. Afraid to let her go. "I see your grip hasn't changed." I laughed with her.
I pulled away at the voice of my brother. "Thank god you're back, Bella. He's been such a moody asshole these past few years."
"Thanks, Emmett." I heard Edward from the side of us. He was almost unbearable at some points these past few years. He would drink heavily on her birthday and their anniversary.
"Ok, still confused over here?" The pretty blonde yelled out.
"Remember that guy who broke my heart?" She nodded. "It was Edward."
"You." The bottled blonde actually looked grossed out. "dated her?"
What the hell? No way was I going to let her speak about Bella like that. "What was that? why did you say it like that? You know nothing of my brother and Bella's relationship. I'm sorry. I was under the assumption you were her friend? Clearly that was wrong. Because no friend would ever sound so disgusted about the thought of someone dating her." I stepped closer to her. If I wasn't a lady, I would have punched her. "You are a rotten person who doesn't deserve Bella as a friend. Bella is one of the most amazing people you will ever meet."
"I didn't mean anything about it" Yes, she did. "I was just saying I'm shocked that she dated Edward Cullen and didn't tell us about it." What was so shocking about them dating? I couldn't understand her.
"No, what you meant, what you always mean, Jessica, is that you are shocked that Bella, the mousy friend as you lovingly call her, is the person that Edward Cullen, the Famous Edward Cullen, wants. You're mad that it's not you. I'm so sick of your back-handed compliments or the nasty words you say about Bella behind her back." Bella was anything but 'mousy' "You have been a nasty person since the day we met you and honestly I don't know why we've let you stick around so long. You treat everyone like they are beneath you. Like you are the best thing that could ever happen to the world. I'm done with you."
"Don't look at me. I've been telling them to dump you for years." I forgot how ruthless Angela could be.
"Guys, come on. It's just jokes. She knows I don't mean it."
"That's the thing, Jessica. You do mean it." I knew that was the end of her. "Oh, and Jess. If you tell anyone about how we were so mean and you did nothing wrong. The whole campus will know of your little problem" I understood what she meant when she tapped the side of her nose. "and exactly how you passed Spanish last year." That one I was curious about.
"That was badass." Emmett tried to get a high five from her but she flat out ignored him. I laughed at that one.
"Ok, Angela. Let me have it." Edward was taking his punishment. I gasped when Angela slapped him across the face. "Ouch. What the hell?" I was jealous. She got to do what I had been dying to do for years.
"You have no idea how you destroyed her. She was a shell of a person. I was worried that she wouldn't snap out of it. And that was your fault. You took an amazing person and you ruined her." She paused. Looking for more words. "I'm sorry for slapping you. Even if you deserved it."
"It's ok. I didn't realize you were so strong though. No wonder you and Emmett made a good couple." He smiled at her.
"I really know nothing about you two?" I felt bad for the blonde.
"I'm so sorry we didn't tell you. It was hard to speak of him and then when he got so famous, the reminder of him was everywhere. I didn't want to have my past life to invade my new life. And the reason I have my new life is because of you." I was grateful for this girl. She loved Bella. She replaced me and I was ok with that.
"And I was just being a loyal friend to Bella. I'm sorry. She was so hurt about what happened; I was hoping to ease her pain by pretended he meant nothing to us. Please forgive us." Angela asked.
"I knew how sad you were so I guess I can understand why you hid this." The three hugged. I was glad they made up.
"Hell, yes. Girl on girl." Emmett wiggled his eyebrows. "on girl."
"Gross, Emmett." I couldn't help but glare at him. He was such a barbarian. "Why are you so disgusting?"
I looked around the room. Emmett and the blonde were practically on top of each other. Edward couldn't keep his hands off of Bella. Angela and Jasper were talking about their lives with each other.
My life was finally starting to feel like everything was perfect.