The rest of September drags. They are a quarter of the way through "Beloved" and her luster is starting to wear off. The weather is gray and cloudy and rainy every single day and Bella and Edward walk into school together every day. Even though many other students and a few of her colleagues offer, Edward nearly bites their heads off for even asking.

So every day they walk together. She learns so much about him. He plays piano. His favorite color is green though he rarely wears it. It's lonely being an only child. Jasper and Alice are his closest friends, and Jasper is in a band. His favorite book was "Their Eyes Were Watching God". His favorite meal was Swedish Meatballs, his mother's only though, the best pizza was pepperoni and pineapple, which Bella found disgusting. His favorite candy was the white chocolate Kit Kats and he drank a disgusting amount of Coke, even though he drank black coffee.

In turn she told him about herself. About Jess, and her mom and step dad, along with a few embarrassing wedding stories. How Charlie apparently has a girlfriend and how she's looking for apartments, and how she wants a pet. How the weather is making her depressed, and she misses being tan and the Arizona sun.

He's working on his college essays, and she spends a disgusting amount of time focused on Edward Cullen.

He doesn't speak up a great deal in class, but his work is exemplary, if not cocky. Bella falls into a routine with her students, work, Charlie, and finding a balance between throwing herself at Jacob, and ignoring Edward's advances. It's relieving when Fall Break comes around. It's really just an extra Friday and Monday off, but they all really need it.

Rosalie had sent out a formal invitation about two weeks back, and her engagement party was Thursday. Bella was thrilled to have an excuse to wear her new dress, and Rosalie had assured her that she could wear white, as no one would be seeing Rosalie Hale in white anything until it was a wedding gown. She'd decided.

So Bella curls her hair, applies false eyelashes and about seven different perfume samples. She'd showered and shaved and was finally out of her godforsaken cast. The dress looks just as amazing as before, clinging to all of her curves. She applies a deep plum lipstick and then matching kitten heels.

Rosalie and Emmett live in a swanky apartment downtown, about thirty minutes from her. She plays music the entire way, and is greeted by the most beautiful looking people in the world. Rosalie and Emmett's friends and family are gorgeous. She grabs a flute of champagne off of a tray when Jacob finds her. He looks amazing in a deep blue button down and white chino pants.

"Hey there," she says, raising her glass.

"Holy shit. Bella, you look-"

"Doesn't she?" Rose chirps from behind her. Her hair is in fingerwaves down her back and she's wearing a glittery, black dress that makes her tan legs go on for miles. "Don't you know it's bad luck to upstage the bride on her big day?"

"Rose oh my god I'm so sorry."

"I'm kidding babe! You look amazing. I want to literally motorboat you right now," she takes Bella's glass of champagne and downs it, "Oh fuck me, there's my mother in law now!" She walks off quickly.

"Bella, you look stunning." Jacob says, pulling her closer to him.

"You don't look too bad yourself Coach," she teases.

"I've always thought you were gorgeous but you grew up beautifully," he says ogling her again.

This much attention, from a kid she went to preschool with, was a bit much. But Bella had a feeling Jacob wouldn't be letting her mingle much that night.

Bella nibbles on fancy finger foods and drinks champagne while laughing with people she'll probably never see again, all with Jacob at her side. No matter where she moved, he was there. Touching her arm or back. They were sitting currently and his hand was inching up her thigh.

It's not that she's not horny as fuck, or that she doesn't love the attention she's getting from literally everyone. But Jacob's hands feel too rough and hot on her skin and he's holding her like his property and she likes that a little bit, but it's just too much.

She makes up some bullshit excuse and jumps up, rushing to the door. She hadn't drunk that much, so she hops in her jeep and heads home. She's about fifteen minutes from home when she decides to head to the local bar. She'd already gotten dolled up and if she got drunk she'd have someone drive her home. No matter if she liked it or not, everyone knew her. So she parks and struts into the bar, nodding to the bouncer. He makes her circle back to check her ID. It makes her feel important and she thinks nothing of it when he asks her her address.

She walks in and music is playing loud so she heads over to the bar. She sits down and the bartender walks over to her with a smile,

"Hey honey. Don't you look just gorgeous." She purrs.

Bella fluffs her hair,

"Thanks. Can I have a rum and coke please?"

The woman laughs,

"Honey it's a dry event tonight. The teenage boys from down at the high school are playing."

Bella pouts,

"Dry?"

She nods, "Mhm."

"Okay, um, a kiddie cocktail please. With extra cherries."

The lady laughs and busies herself making the drink.

"Oh my goodness, I have never seen such a perfect silhouette," a voice says from next to her, she turns to flirt back, eyes bugging when she sees Edward. Again.

"What the hell are you doing here?!"

"It's eighteen plus night. Jasper's band is playing. Jesus Christ Swan. For once you're on my terf."

Bella sighs, taking the red straw into her mouth and downing her drink in half a go. She wishes for liquor RIGHT now more than anything, when she turns to Edward. His mouth falls open and he doesn't look her in the eye for a solid fifteen seconds.

"Holy fucking shit."

"Aw, what happened to the gentlemanly compliments from earlier?" She teases, crossing her legs.

His eyes drop to them,

"I'm sorry, that's before I saw you were literal sex on legs."

"Edward!"

"Where are you coming from? You must have been the most breathtaking woman there."

"Actually it was 's engagement party."

"Then I must stand corrected."

She giggles,

"Understood."

He doesn't stop staring and she suddenly doesn't mind. She plays with her drink just for something to do when an idea comes to mind.

"Do you know how to tie a cherry stem with your tongue?"

Edward waggles his eyebrows,

"Well, can you?"

She rolls her eyes and scoops out a cherry, popping off a stem. She slowly sucks it into her mouth and makes a big deal of moving her lips around as she ties the stem. Eventually she pulls it out of her mouth and holds it out for him.

He's staring at her in fascination.

"You're so fucking sexy."

"Edward," and she's trying so hard but it's been a long time since someone was obsessed with her like this.

"Isabella," he says leaning closer. She hasn't been called that in so long and is so mesmerized that she can't even correct him.

She doesn't know what it is that makes her hop off the stool, carefully, and grab his hand. She drags him to the back of the bar where the bathrooms are and pushes him against it and presses her lips to his. It's like fireworks, everything has been building to this moment.

Her hands tangle in his hair and he opens his mouth immediately, pressing her against him so they can both feel every inch of each other's bodies. He's already semi hard and she moans into his mouth, lowering her hand to his shoulder to dig her nails in. He groans and hitches her leg up around his waist, hand resting on her bare thigh which is soft as fuck. He moans and she throws her head back so he can bite at her neck as she presses her breasts against him. She can feel his hard on pressed against her and she can't help her hips from grinding a little.

He grunts against her neck and she kisses him firmly, tongue exploring his mouth. She can't get enough, it's addicting. She's pretty sure she's gonna have a bruise from how hard he's gripping her thigh and her panties are starting to get wet. Holy hell this guy could kiss.

They don't separate until there's a banging somewhere else in the bar, to which Bella almost falls over, trying to untangle herself from Edward.

"Holy shit, holy shit, what did I just do?"

Edward has lipstick all over his mouth. He reaches for her hand,

"Can we please save the regret for tomorrow? We don't, like I'm not gonna ask to come home with you or anything, but could we exchange numbers? Talk? Please don't regret this." His eyes are pleading and she sighs.

She pulls out her phone and hands it to him and he grins, ducking down for one more kiss.

"You're amazing," he says against her mouth.

"You're ridiculous," she murmurs back.

She finds the willpower to step back and she waves a quick goodbye and heads out of the bar. She can feel his hands on her the whole way him and she immediately locks her door, kicks off her shoes and fingers herself to Edward fucking Cullen, against her living room wall, until she comes hard and sinks down on the floor.

What the fuck has she done.

But she remembers what Edward said about regretting it tomorrow and after she cleans up and gets in her pajamas, she texts him. Just so he has her number. Then, before he can even text back, she rolls over to go to sleep.