Blurry Lines: Chapter Three

Edward

It was her. Five years of nothing and suddenly she is everywhere.

I don't know how I didn't recognize her. I always told myself that if I were to ever see her again I would just know it was her. But I didn't know. I didn't know that the beautiful brunette with the deep coffee brown eyes was her. God, she grew even more beautifully in my absents.

My absents…Five years….

There is no excuse for not waiting for her like I promised. I swore to her that she were the only one, that she were 'it' for me, and I showed up to our meeting place, where our futures were supposed to begin with Tanya De-freaking-nali.

First thing everyone needs to know, I am engaged to Tanya. Yes, we get into it a lot and yes sometimes I want to flush her head down my toilet, but I love the girl none-the-less. It was only right to ask her to marry me after two years of being in a relationship. It was the next thing for us.

Tanya was there for me when no ones else was. At first she was a hand full, a nuisance, someone who followed me without regard. Even when I still claimed Bella as mine, Tanya refused to give up. Then my brain started working in over time, mouthing off things like, Bella will move on, she'll forget about me. She probably already has. It wasn't real to her, my feelings; she won't wait for them, for me.

After that, I didn't stop to think again. I just accepted the fact that she wouldn't wait. So I tried to move on, even though the very thought of being with another girl made me sick. But after awhile I got over the feeling and started living my life. I dated casually throughout high school, never being intimate with anyone. Then Tanya De-freaking-nali went away one school year and came back the next year with boobs. And guess who she wanted to touch them?

I was in haven as far as teenage boys could be, but still she never got what she really wanted from me, even to this day, I remain a virgin. I just never felt right-and this is going to make me sound like a total bitch- but none of those girls, not even Tanya half the time, turned me on.

I'm never in a state of arousal when Tanya's demonstrating what I'll be having for the rest of my life in the middle of her bed. We just don't have 'it', but it was only right to take the next step in my life with Tanya since she's been there for me.

But then we got to college and I run in to her, the very girl I'd given up on ever seeing again and she was here. And unlike me, she seemed to have waited, and remembered me and knew instantly, without me having to say anything that I was who I was supposed to be. But then she saw Tanya's left hand, and she spoke of my promise and how it was a lie. She spoke of how foolish she was to believe in a fourteen-year-old boy. The anguish on her face made my heart squeeze and pump faster. She had waited and believed in me and I'd given up on her. I'm an idiot.

My day had dragged as I thought back on my morning every chance I got. I couldn't believe the events that took place. I couldn't believe I saw her again, after all this time. Seeing her was more then I could have ever asked for. She looked so beautiful, she seemed unharmed, and if she made it to Dartmouth, she must be smart. I guess Renee and Phil treated her right after all.

My classes flew by; one was canceled due to the professor being absent, I was relived. I really needed some time to myself to think. I was kind of nervous, and excited for night fall. The guys in my frat decided to have a welcome back party, celebrating the return of another great year, for them. I was just excited to be apart of it.

The party was great; it started out feral and got even more untamed. It was wild and surprisingly I was enjoying myself, but then she walked in. She was beautiful in her gray skirt and gray and white strip shirt. She seemed to fumble a bit in her shoes, and I couldn't help but smirk a bit at the irony. Who would put her in heels? She was so uncoordinated when I knew her.

"Cullen!" came Emmett's loud bellow and his giant paw on my back. I winced from the instant pain it caused. Emmett's one of my favorite brothers here at Delta Pi Omega "What are you looking at?" he followed my eyes, his growing bigger as he took her in. "She's hot man, but aren't you engaged?" he mocked.

"Yeah, aren't you engaged?" Came another voice from behind us. We both turned and came face to face with James Hunters. I don't like him. From the first moment I saw him I didn't like him, he didn't even want me in the frat. Emmett and another brother Jasper, sat down with me one day and told me how hard they had to fight to get me in, because even though I'm a legacy James tried hard to get the guys to look over me, stating that Carlisle wasn't my real father, there for I wasn't a real legacy.

"Yeah, she's just a girl I knew from my childhood. I haven't seen her in a couple of years, but it seems like I've seen her none stop today."

"Man she is hot. Is she single?" James asked as his eyes racked over Bella's body. I felt my face drain of blood and my fist tighten as he checked her out. I had the sudden urge to go over to Isabella and drag her out of this party caveman style.

"No…I mean yes…I mean I don't know." I answered truthfully after a bit of hesitation.

"Gee Cullen, thanks a lot. I know, why don't I just go find out, or did you have dibs?"

"No James, I don't have dibs," I spat. "she's not a fucking plaything." I stormed away from the both of them, my mind and body heating up. God I hate that pompous ass. I hope that Isabella's smart enough to see through his bullshit and leave him cold.

~0o~0o~0o~0o~0o~

I guess she wasn't smart enough. I thought as she made her way through the crowded cafeteria to James. She kept her head down, watching her feet most likely, god she's beautiful. She didn't look at the table when she reached it, she looked up only at James, who smiled and introduced everyone at the table. When my name left James's lips…god.

She froze, I think everyone at the table noticed it, but no one commented. She looked away from James, her eyes meeting mine almost instantly. She shook it off, introducing herself individually to all the guys, and then she came to me. I don't know what to say except for, what the fuck!

She touched me and I instantly felt a volt move up my arm, numbing my muscles for a minute, making my hand unmovable then it wore off. I flexed my fingers, and greeted her back before she took the empty seat next to James.

"So Bella, when we were talking last night you said you were from Arizona?" James asked. I tuned everything out, but their conversation. I wanted to know about her life with those incompetent people just as much as he did.

"Yes, I lived there with my mother and her husband for a while. Then when I turned eighteen I moved in with my best friend Alice and her family."

There was movement beside me and I looked over to see Jasper sit up straighter. "Alice?" he asked. "Alice Brandon?"

Bella nodded her head and looked at Jasper curiously. "Blonde hair." She murmured then looked up as someone yelled her name. "Um, actually, there she is now."

I looked over to see a small little thing walking towards Bella with a tall blonde-haired girl behind her. I remember seeing the small girl yesterday with Bella. "Bella," she called as she reached the table. "I thought you were going out for lunch." She then looked around the table, her eyes landing on me and narrowing before they landed on Jasper and widen. "Jasper?"

"Alice." Jasper whispered in greeting. The guys at the table looked from Jasper to Alice in awe. Jasper isn't what you would call loquacious.

"Would you ladies like to join us?" Emmett bellowed as he held out the seat next to him for the tall blonde-haired girl.

"Sure." Alice agreed, skipping over to Jasper. Jasper stood and held the seat next to him out for the small ball of energy.

"So, what were you guys talking about?" Alice asked.

"Oh, we were just getting to know Bella better." James answered. "She was just telling us how she moved in with you and your family when you walked in."

"Really?" Alice asked surprised, her eyes widening a bit. "Bella are-"

"It's fine." Bella assured her quickly, taking a swift glance at me. "Um, I was saying how I moved in with you and your family, and then we graduated and moved here for school, the end."

No, not the end, what isn't she telling? "And how was Renee?" my mouth asked before my brain caught up.

The others at the table looked at me than again at Bella. She looked at me, seemingly pleading with me not to ask too much. I was interested in how they treated her, but I wouldn't ask anything else of her here. I nodded once, signaling her that I understand.

"She was Renee." She answered with finally.

"So you two know each other, Edward, Bella?" Jasper asked.

"We used to." Bella whispered just loud enough for everyone at the table to hear.

James took her hand in his, the movement catching my eye immediately. I stared at their joined hands, my vision turning red. "Edward?" came Tanya's familiar voice. I looked up to see her walk over with Kate, Garrets girl.

"Hey baby." I greeted as I stood to hold out her chair. "What have you been up to today?" I was only half-interested as she talked about picking things out for the wedding. My mind was still on James hand as it was attached to my Isabella.

"…so do you?" My ears caught as I tuned back into Tanya.

"Do I what?" I asked confused.

"Do you want to have the dinner at my parents' house or your parents' house?"

"Mine, Esme would really like to give you at least that."

"Esme?" Bella murmured.

The table glanced at her, her cheeks growing warm from the attention. "Oh yes, it's you; the girl from yesterday. I thought you looked familiar. Yes Esme, Edwards' mother."

"I know who she is." Bella stated. "She was my mother as well, for a short period, at least I thought of her as such."

Tanya stared at Bella, than at me, back and forwards, back and forwards; everyone at the table playing this game of tennis as well. "How exactly do you know Edward and the Cullens…?"

"I, um…." Bella trailed off, looking from Alice to me for a little help.

"Baby, you know how Carlisle and Esme adopted me, how their place used to be a safe haven for kids? Well Bella and I are from the same town, the same safe haven if you will."

"So you were adopted too?" Tanya asked Bella directly.

"Sort of," Bella said before clearing her throat and sitting up straighter. "Um," she looked at James too, making sure he heard as well as everyone else.

"Bella, you don't have to, I mean, we don't even know these people." Alice advised her glaring at Tanya.

"Isabella," I called, her familiar name rolling off my tongue as if I'd never stopped saying it. "she's right."

"I'm fine," she assured us. "this is fine." I nodded once, giving her a reassuring smile, letting her know that I was here for her. "Um, I'm from a small town called Forks, Washington on the Olympic Peninsula, and so is Edward, as you know. My father and I used to live there when I was a little girl. I grew up as the towns' mascot, of sorts. My dad was Charlie Swan, Chief of Police and I went with him everywhere, so everyone knew me, the cop kid they'd call me.

"Um, one day my dad got this call, a disturbance out in La push; the local reservation on the Peninsula. It sounded serious, so he um, he left me with the Cullen's. My dad and they were old friends, Esme was always like a mother to me and Carlisle was like a second father.

"The same day my dad dropped me off Carlisle had just returned from one of his trips to the hospital, Edward was with him. I kissed my dad good luck and then I followed Carlisle and Edward into the house.

"My dad was gone for a long time, a really long time. I started to worry, a lot; at one point I got myself so worked up, I started to cry. I hid in the music room at that time. That's where Edward first found me; in the music room sitting at the piano crying my eyes out. He just sat next to me, didn't say a word for almost an hour.

"I fell asleep on the piano bench, not waking up until the next morning. I woke up on the floor next to Edward. He'd stayed with me through the night. That morning, when we went to breakfast, and my dad still wasn't there I just knew…I didn't even have to see Esme's tear ridden face to know, I just knew in my gut that my father wasn't coming back for me.

"I stayed with the Cullen's for about two years. With their help, and Edwards I finally got over my fathers death. When we were older, um the Cullen's adopted Edward, but they couldn't adopt me because my mother was still out there. They needed her consent, and she wouldn't give it. I mean, she didn't even care about me; she just didn't want anyone else to have me, and especially not Esme Cullen. God, I would think that you would appreciate the woman who practically raised your kid while you were out and about, but no, not Renee Dwyer." She spat.

"Bella?" I called, seeing the tears well up in her eyes. When her eyes met mine, one slid down her cheek and I knew she'd had enough. "Come on." I said standing and walking over to her chair.

"Edward?" Tanya hissed. "What are you doing?"

I glared at her, my instinct to protect Bella, the same instinct from all those years ago, kicking in.

"He has to," Bella's friend Alice spoke. "I never could, now I know why." She turned to look at Tanya, her eyes narrowing. "Don't worry, she doesn't want to still your fiancé from you, Tanya was it? He's just the only one that knows what to do right now. Take her." Alice said as she turned back to me and handed me a set of keys.

I nodded my thanks, took Bella's hand, and led her out of the crowded cafeteria.

My world just became more complicated.