Chapter 18
I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT OR CHARACTERS
The first chance Bella got to call off the plans with Leah was not until the day before they were scheduled to hang out, which was cutting it way too close in her opinion. So far she and Alice had decided to keep their relationship a secret, at least until Bella could deal with Leah. She really did not want the Quileute girl to find out like that. She felt like an asshole enough as it was, and wanted to do this as gently as possible.
Unfortunately, Leah seemed to constantly be surrounded by her annoying cousins Embry and Quil, and the less annoying but still in-the-way Jake. Bella definitely didn't want to let her down in front of anyone. But throughout every school day, the only time she could get the chance to talk to Leah was during class periods or lunch, where there was always someone around.
Namely Alice.
It was ironic, really. As much as Alice wanted her to tell Leah they couldn't date, she seemed completely disinclined to give her the chance to do so. Alice had become even more possessive now that they were actually together, and it was irritating, arousing, and kind of funny to watch the vampire struggle with her instincts.
Alice was not a mean person, not at all. She wasn't even jealous by nature.
Her inner vampire, however, made that an entirely different story, and Bella quickly came to learn that when it came to her significant other, Alice was very territorial.
Alice was touchy before, but now it seemed like she couldn't keep her hands off of Bella at all. All day Bella would feel Alice's hands on her, anywhere that could be mistaken for innocent…To anyone who didn't know them. On the small of her back, her shoulder, her waist, lingering just a little too long to be considered platonic, especially if Leah was in the vicinity. Bella could tell Alice wasn't doing it on purpose. She watched the vampire struggling any time anyone even looked her way, working to not act like an asshole girlfriend. The pixie also seemed to be at her side constantly.
It was cute at the same time that it was frustrating. She knew she didn't have to tell Alice she was no object to be owned, and besides. It was kind of hot to see sweet, tiny Alice bristle. And how could she possibly complain about the girl touching her? She loved Alice's hands on her. It made being subtle more difficult, and Bella felt guilty about getting turned on by it, but oh well.
The point was that between Alice's instincts and unfathomable hatred of Leah and the fact that Leah was constantly surrounded by her family, it was nearly impossible to get the girl alone to talk. She finally got the chance on a Thursday during lunch, when Alice was absent to talk about make-up work with one of her teachers.
Well…She didn't really get the chance. She just kind of took it.
"You guys are such children," Angela groaned as Mike and Eric arm wrestled across her and Jessica cheered her new boyfriend on. When Mike asked her out, the girl had jumped on the chance, having been crushing on him since freshman year pretty much. The whole group was overjoyed that Mike finally realized Jessica was into him as much as he was into her.
"No, he's a child. I am a man!" Mike boasted, his face turning red as he and Eric struggled.
"Yeah right!" Eric scoffed as Angela rolled her eyes.
The Asian girl settled the whole thing by shoving Mike's arm down as Bella gnawed on a carrot and glanced over her shoulder at the table the La Push natives had taken for their own.
Leah was joking around with the boys, shoving both Embry and Quil off of her as they tried to give her wet willies simultaneously while Jake laughed. She could see the girl smirking when they both hit the floor, and Bella had to give Leah props. She was really strong. It made her remember how Leah had not flinched when Alice nearly broke her wrist, and she had to admit the native girl was pretty tough, especially to hang so effortlessly with those rowdy guys.
How am I supposed to do this without being the total jerk I am? She wondered with a sigh.
Bella turned back around and couldn't help but grin when she saw both Jessica and Mike protesting Angela's interference.
"Hey, that's not fair!" Mike whined.
"That was totally cheating!" Jessica added as Eric snickered and kissed his girlfriend on the cheek.
"There's no shame in my game bro. I don't mind letting my girl help me out," Eric said as Angela smirked.
Mike snorted as Jessica pouted and leaned into him consolingly. He put his arm around her shoulder and flipped Eric the bird while Bella watched them all in amusement.
"Yeah well, I don't need my girl to fight my battles for me," Mike retorted.
"I don't either. But I have no problem accepting her help," Eric shrugged, and Angela beamed at him.
"A real man wouldn't need help!" Mike declared.
"Yeah, what kind of guy relies on his girlfriend to fight for him?" Jessica interjected.
"Oh, that's great Jess. Just set the feminist movement back a couple hundred years," Angela laughed as Eric held her hand. Jessica stuck her tongue out at her.
"I'm the kind of guy who knows how to accept help when it's needed, and stand my ground on my own when I should," Eric proclaimed, and everyone laughed when he puffed his chest out and flexed his arms.
Mike and Jessica booed and threw carrots at him while Angela cooed and wrapped her arms around his neck adoringly. Bella just watched with a smile.
She felt a sudden pang for Alice as she gazed at all of them, and wished the vampire was here next to her to participate in the sickeningly cute couples' interaction going on with her. But she didn't even know if she was ready for that kind of PDA, what with all the crap she was still getting for being gay, and besides, there was still the matter of dealing with Leah.
She just loved Alice was all. And she missed her. (They'd only been apart for like twenty minutes, but still.)
Soon the topic of the conversation turned to one of their favorite topics as of late.
Prom.
Bella rolled her eyes and immediately tuned out.
They had been babbling about the upcoming prom nonstop all day, and Bella wasn't really big on school dances, so she went back to munching on carrots, absentmindedly humming noncommittally in all the right places to make them think she was paying attention when really all her thoughts were on Alice, as usual. And trying to figure out how to approach Leah.
The only time she couldn't feign interest was in the many places in the conversation where Angela or Jessica would give her a pointed look and tell her with total conviction that she was going to prom whether she wanted to or not, and she would be wearing a dress when she did so.
Bella had more important things to think about than a godforsaken school dance, whether it was her Senior prom or not, and as such gave them an eye roll at the least, and the middle finger at the most, never quite saying she would or wouldn't to keep them from badgering her further. (But on the inside, she was firmly thinking it would be a solid no to prom. Prom was lame, anyway. Why was everyone always so into it?)
Still. She should have been grateful for the topic of prom, because when they finally grew tired of discussing dresses and hairdos and make up and whatever else they had been chattering about, they turned their attention back onto Bella, and began berating her about Alice.
Crap.
"So Bella," Jessica said with a tone that made Bella roll her eyes preemptively, recognizing it.
"What, Jess?" Bella sighed, half glancing at her friend as she sipped on her soda.
"Has Alice given you any new hickeys lately?" Jessica drawled with a smirk.
"W-What-" Bella spluttered, half choking on her coke and blushing instantly as her hand self consciously flew to her neck.
Shit, has she? Bella wondered frantically as Angela snorted a laugh out and Mike and Eric grinned lewdly. I swear I told her to be more careful! Wait, they've noticed those other hickeys? Crap! I thought I had those covered!
"Oh, relax, there's none we can see," Jessica snickered.
"This time," Angela muttered under her breath, and they both giggled at the look on Bella's face, which was somewhere between embarrassed and furious. "That last one she gave you is finally faded. It's kind of cute that you thought your hair was enough to cover it up, Bells."
Ah. So they had noticed, and had correctly deduced the origin of it.
Bella had to close her eyes for a moment to fight off the pure embarrassment flowing through her.
You idiot. Did you really think they wouldn't notice?
"Will both of you shut up?" Bella hissed, glancing over her shoulder.
Unfortunately, Cassie Streeter and her usual sycophants shared this lunch with them. They were sitting at a nearby table and Bella was uncomfortably aware of the heat of Cassie's hateful glare coming across the room at her, always judging, always listening in for the best gossip or anything that could be used to hurt somebody.
"Chill, Bella. We were just wondering if there are some bruises we can't see below the neckline," Eric said, only slightly quieter.
"No," Bella snapped, face on fire.
"What about the beltline?" Mike inquired with a falsely innocent curiosity, cocking his head to the side.
"Dude!" Bella put her face in her hands to hide the look of horrified mortification on it, and they all cackled. When she pulled it back out, she saw Cassie was still watching them, obviously trying to eavesdrop.
Creepy bitch. Mind your own, Bella thought with a sudden surge of annoyance, glaring at her for a second before turning back to her insufferable friends.
Cassie Streeter.
Bella was getting really tired of her. From the moment of her outing, she had been catching flak from that girl and her terrible friends, and it was starting to really piss her off. Why did Cassie care so much if she was gay? Why did anybody? Why did it have to matter so much? As if she did not have enough to deal with already…
Like her friends, for instance.
"Are you guys telling me you've seen the other ones?" Bella whined miserably, mortified at the thought.
"So they were from Alice!" Angela exclaimed, and shared a triumphant look with Jessica.
"What? I didn't say that!" Bella backpedaled desperately, realizing her mistake, but it was too late.
"Oh, don't give us that crap, Bella. Come on, spill. What's up with you and-What is it Leah always calls her? Oh, yeah. Pixie Sticks," Mike grinned, looking eagerly at her.
Perv.
"Guys-"
"And on the subject of Leah," Jessica added, readjusting herself against Mike. "What's up with you and her, too? You guys were looking pretty cozy in the gym the other day. Jeez, Bella, you've been gay for like a month and a half and already you've got a lesbian love triangle going on."
Bella wasn't sure if the indignation and protest could be read on her face until she saw them all smirk, clearly amused.
Damn it. Why did she have to have such observant friends?
"Yeah, what's up with that, Bells? And they're not even the only ones! What ever happened to that chick, Veronica, or Victoria, whatever her name was? That slutty redhead girl who only came here for a couple of weeks. She was way into you, too," Eric reminded her.
Bella was seconds away from face palming in her exasperation with them. She could feel the headache from all the blood rushing to her face in embarrassment coming on.
Of course they would remember Victoria. Who wouldn't? It wasn't like the redhead was exactly subtle about her ogling.
"Oh man, I totally forgot about her!" Jessica exclaimed. "Seriously, she was always giving Bella the fuck me eyes. Angela, did you see her practically foaming at the mouth over her in first period that one time?"
"Totally! She always did that though. God Bella, who knew you were such a player?" Angela gave her a look that was only half joking in how impressed it was.
"I'm not!" Bella protested.
Why was her love life so interesting to everybody? Jesus! She searched for any way to change the subject, but came up blank as her face turned bright red.
She really needed to work on this whole blushing thing.
"I mean really though. There's only like four gay girls in Forks, including you, and you've got them all after you," Mike furrowed her brow as if she did not understand how that happened.
Welcome to the club, Bella thought, trying to figure out how to get them to shut up. She eyed the two oranges perched in the center of the table where they'd been abandoned by everybody who didn't want them, wondering if they would work as sufficient gags if she shoved them into their mouths.
She was not a player. She was apparently just a magnet for bullshit.
That was mostly her own fault, though.
And Alice wasn't really bullshit, but the girl she loved. Everything else though? Definitely BS.
"Maybe you're not a player. Maybe you're just a slut," Jessica said thoughtfully, and Bella scowled, annoyed.
"Jess!" Angela admonished, and slapped Jessica's arm as the girl giggled.
"Come on, I'm kidding Bella! You know I'm kidding," Jessica pouted when she saw Bella glaring.
Yeah, she knew that, but they were all still infuriating. Why was her outrage so amusing to them? She wasn't really in a good mood, and they weren't helping.
"Besides, Bella's not a slut. She's only got eyes for Alice, remember?" Angela drawled.
"Oh, of course. Those big moony eyes of hers," Jessica agreed as Bella fumed. Mike and Eric took it upon themselves to demonstrate those big moony eyes, adopting exaggerated, hopelessly lovesick expressions.
"I do not!" she ground out through clenched teeth, feeling her blush spreading to the tips of her ears.
That was…Okay, that one had some truth to it. Bella hated to admit it, but when it came to Alice, it was impossible for her attention not to be all on her. It wasn't her fault though! She couldn't help it.
"Please," Angela snorted. "It's a good thing we're not jealous friends or we might be a little hurt by it, honestly. Every time Alice comes around it's like no one else even exists to you, Bella."
Bella sat silently, wondering how psychotic she would look if she slammed her forehead into the table.
"Nothing is going on between me and Alice!" she hissed, ever aware of Cassie's stupid nosy ears.
Liar, liar.
Nothing was the exact opposite of what was going on between her and Alice.
No one else was allowed to know that yet though.
"Face it, Bells. You're freaking star struck when it comes to that girl. And I don't know why you won't admit it. It's not like we're going to judge you for it or anything. We're your friends too, you know," Jessica muttered, and Bella had to pause.
They did have a point.
Bella wondered for the first time if the reason they messed with her about it so much was because they were annoyed that they knew she was keeping things from them. She looked at Angela and Jessica and saw that even though they were smiling, they seemed genuinely upset under the laughter.
They were her best friends next to Alice, and Bella suddenly felt bad for keeping everything from them. Throughout it all, they had stuck by her like glue, never judging her for being gay or turning their backs on her for a second.
But it wasn't like she was doing that on purpose. There was nothing she could tell them. She was just on the verge of trying to find a way to apologize and explain the best way she could (Read: lie) when they opened their mouths again and ruined it.
"Yeah, but we're not her special friend, Jess," Angela pointed out.
"Oh, right. We don't leave hickeys all over your neck, do we Bells?" Jessica grinned mischievously at her.
"Though I don't think me or Mike would complain if you did," Eric put in with a smirk, and Mike nodded.
"As long as we get to watch!"
"I hate you all," Bella growled, and they all dissolved into another fit of giggles.
Why am I even friends with them? Bella thought, shaking her head and sighing as she rubbed at her forehead in exasperation.
She glanced over her shoulder again on reflex and started when she saw Leah staring over at her. The Quileute girl raised an eyebrow, and then jerked her head, gesturing for Bella to come over. Bella shifted as she noticed the tiny, soft smile on Leah's face that she never really gave to anyone but her.
Leah really just had no idea, did she? She had no idea that Bella's heart was already with Alice. And that was Bella's fault.
She really likes me, Bella thought. Crap. I have to tell her. Soon. The longer I wait the worse it will be. I just have to do it. Just get up and go do it. Do it!
"Hey guys, I'm gonna go talk to Leah for a second. I'll be right back," Bella stood abruptly, and ignored their surprised looks.
"Don't let Alice see!" Jessica called to her back, and Bella grimaced at the volume of her voice.
Thanks, Jess.
"Sup Bella?" Quil greeted the moment she reached them, and she gave him a weak smile in return.
As much as she really didn't like them, the La Push boys all seemed to like her. They liked to mess with her at least. She couldn't count how many spitballs the idiots had shot at her.
"Hey chick," Leah said amiably. "You looked like you needed a break from your friends over there."
"Yeah, I did, thanks," Bella chuckled a little, and waved back at Jake when the boy waved at her.
Nice guy, Jacob Black was. Not like Embry or Quil, who were already back at trying to stab each other with their forks.
"I know the feeling," Leah rolled her eyes, and kicked both of their chairs to make them stop. They jerked round and glared at her, and received only a haughty smirk in response. "Chill out, you idiots. Stop being so immature all the time."
"Stop trying to act all superior cause your girlfriend is over here," Embry scoffed, and Leah scowled at him as Bella squirmed uncomfortably at the comment.
"Like I could get a girlfriend with everyone knowing I'm related to you two," Leah snapped, leaning back in her chair as Bella stood awkwardly, not knowing how to proceed.
How was she going to bring this up? She needed the boys to go away, because like hell was she letting Leah down in front of Embry or Quil, or even Jake. That would be downright humiliating, and she would never do that to her.
"Well better you than that Cullen girl," Jake interjected. "Seriously, Swan, I don't know why you like the Cullens so much. They're a bunch of freaks."
Bella's eyebrows shot up and she reflexively tensed, disliking his tone of voice. Usually Jake was the most chill out of all of them, and she'd never really heard him outright diss the Cullens before. Embry and Quil and sometimes Leah, yes, but not him.
"Alice isn't a freak. And neither are the rest of them," Bella frowned, glancing over at the Cullen's table. She could see all of them watching her, and she knew it was because she was talking to the La Push natives. Edward was staring intently, Emmett was pretending not to pay attention though Bella knew he was by the way his muscles were all tensed, and Rosalie…
Rosalie was glaring, like usual.
"Yeah right," Quil snorted under his breath, and Bella bristled.
She fought off her natural urge to defend the Cullens and especially the urge to kick Quil in the nuts for even partly insinuating something insulting about Alice, because she still needed to talk to Leah, and she didn't want anyone getting angry and making it more difficult.
"Why do you all hate each other so much?" she said instead.
Embry, Quil, and Jake's faces darkened, but Leah actually threw back her head and laughed.
"Because," Leah chuckled. "We're werewolves, Bella. And they're vampires."
Bella froze.
Oh my god. Leah knows? They know? How? She internally panicked.
"Look how pale they are and then check out how hot we are," Leah went on, gesturing first at the Cullens and then at herself. "What else could it be?"
Oh. She was kidding.
Bella actually sighed softly in relief as she realized Leah was making a seriously ironic joke, and she watched as Embry and Quil tensed and Jake let loose a noise of protest.
"Leah!" he hissed, feigning protest like Leah was giving them away.
"What?" Leah scoffed at him, seeing his outraged glare. "It's not like she believes me. She'll just think we're joking. Right Bella? We're not really werewolves, by the way. We're more like shapeshifters. Overgrown dogs, really."
"Shapeshifters, huh?" she said, and Leah nodded sagely. "I should have known you guys were werewolves from the start. You all act like it at least," Bella joked, and smiled feebly to cover her brief moment of panic at the idea that the Cullens had been found out. She actually laughed when Jake and the other boys played along so well.
"Leah, shut the fuck up!" Embry growled.
"Seriously, Leah, knock it off!" Jake barked, and Leah put her hands up defensively.
"Alright, alright. Down boys," Leah rolled her eyes and crossed her legs primly.
There was a moment of silence in which Embry and Quil stared at Leah, faking disbelief at her revealing their supposed secret that they were all werewolves, and Jake glowered furiously to keep up the charade.
It was really funny, actually. Them being werewolves would actually explain the animosity pretty well, considering the Cullens really were vampires.
But still, Bella needed to talk to Leah. And she took the silence as a chance to do what she'd really come over to do.
"Uh hey, Leah. I was actually wanting to talk to you for a second," she said slowly. "Like…Alone."
At this, they gave up the joke, and Embry and Quil broke into twin smirks.
"Ohh, maybe she is into you, Lee Lee," Embry said.
"If you two make out, can we watch?" said Quil.
"What did I tell you about calling me that?" Leah growled, and kicked their seats again. They both rocked to keep their balance, and Jake remained silent. "Beat it, all of you. Go sit somewhere else for once."
"Aw, come on Lee Lee. We just want to see you guys kiss. Just once?"
"I said beat it!"
Embry and Quil both laughed but stood up as Leah took a swipe at their heads, barely missing.
"You too, Jake," Leah added, when he made no move to get up.
Bella was confused as she realized Jake was still glaring at her. He finally got up, however, and walked after his two retreating friends. Shaking it off, she turned back to Leah and felt anxiety stir in her at what she was about to have to do.
"Sorry about them," Leah sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "They're a handful. Not unlike your friends, really. You can sit down though. I won't bite, promise."
I might, Bella's subconscious twittered immaturely, and she mentally slapped herself over the head for thinking it.
She sat down in the vacant chair next to Leah, and turned to face her. She took a deep breath, trying to steel herself.
God, why did I have to say yes? Now I'm going to have to hurt her feelings. I'm such a dick. Stupid word vomit, she thought, and hesitated. Leah noticed.
"What's up Izzy?" Leah inquired, softening with a mild bit of concern.
That only made Bella feel worse, and she smothered the guilt building inside her. It had to be done.
"Uh…Well…You see…"
Leah was staring at her with her usually hard, mysterious eyes all gentle and she was waiting patiently for Bella to spit it out, and all this was only making it so much harder. This would be so much easier if Leah wasn't such a good friend.
"Er-Okay, look. You know how we're supposed to go see a movie tomorrow?" Bella finally got out, and Leah nodded wordlessly. Bella didn't miss the way she shifted though, apprehension appearing on her face.
"Well…"
Say it. Just say it. Spit it out. Stop drawing it out. You're only making it worse, she told herself, and finally just blurted it.
She really needed to work on that.
"We can't," Bella said anxiously, and winced when Leah tensed, frowning.
"And why is that?" Leah inquired quietly, folding her arms slowly.
They had not been friends for very long, but Bella still sensed the way that even if Leah wasn't visibly upset by this, she could see it in the downturn of her lips, and the way her brow furrowed, the way her shoulders drew up slightly.
She felt a Dobby like need to take the tray of food Quil had left behind and smash it over her head for hurting Leah like this. Why did she have to speak without thinking sometimes? It would have been so much easier to just turn Leah down in the first place than do it now. This was going to hurt twice as bad as that would have.
But Bella really hated hurting people's feelings. She really hadn't meant to do it. And she'd been so focused on Alice at the time, that she didn't think it through.
"We just…Look, I think I've been giving you the wrong idea about how I feel about you," Bella mumbled.
Leah didn't say anything, just stared at her, through her. Bella could see the way her arms flexed, and felt worse and worse with every passing moment.
"I shouldn't have-I shouldn't have said yes. I mean I shouldn't have made it seem like I wanted to try…Dating you. Don't get me wrong," she said quickly when Leah tensed at that. "I think you're awesome and I love being friends with you but-"
"So you said yes out of pity?" Leah spat, finally giving away a hint of how she really felt.
Bella winced at the offense in her voice, and rushed to do damage control.
"No, it wasn't out of pity. I was just really confused at the time, but I'm not anymore. I just-Leah, I really do like you. Just not like that. I'm sorry," Bella said helplessly, and Leah drew back, still scowling but not looking as indignant.
She still looked unhappy, and Bella felt so horrible, but there was nothing to be done for it.
"Okay…Fine. That's fine. I told you I don't care either way. It doesn't have to be a date. It wasn't even really in the first place. We can go as just friends. It's no big deal, Izzy," Leah sighed. "I'll admit I'm kinda disappointed, but it's fine."
Bella bit the inside of her lip, and wondered how it was possible for her to feel worse than she already did. But she'd promised Alice, and knew that it would be better to just get this all out in the open now.
"Actually…I don't think we should go at all…At least not this time. Maybe some other time," Bella squirmed as Leah's eyes whipped back on to her again. "I just don't want to lead you on-Or have anyone get the wrong idea about it."
Like Alice.
Leah, however, did not take well to this. Her lips thinned out, and she actually glared at Bella, her eyes narrowing as the brunette fiddled with a loose thread on her shirt nervously.
"So what, we can't even go as friends now? You don't want to lead me on?" Leah scoffed, and as Bella sat in front of her, some-fucking-how, the Quileute girl figured it out.
"This is because of Alice, isn't it?" she spat.
Bella looked up in alarm, and that gave her away more than words could. At the look on her face, Leah abruptly stood up, her shoulders drawing together.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Leah snapped and clenched her fists. Bella could see now that a hint really was all she'd gotten before.
Leah was pissed. She was really, really mad. For a split second, Bella swore she saw the girl's almond eyes flash yellow, and not for the first time.
Whoa, Bella thought, and hesitated. Was it really the light playing tricks, or did Leah's eyes really just change color? Surely she was imagining things.
"Leah," she tried, and stood as well. She was uncomfortable as she felt people starting to stare.
Leah had been taking it fairly well up until she realized it was Alice that was the reason behind it all.
"Don't. You think I need your pity party, Swan? Because I don't," Leah ground out through clenched teeth, clearly uncaring about anyone watching them.
"That's not-"
"Stop feeling sorry for me, god damn it, because I don't care! I should be the one feeling sorry for you. You're the one in love with a filthy bloodsucker!"
Bella froze, eyes widening.
Bloodsucker?
Does she…Was she being serious? Does she really know they're vampires?
"And she's a whore. What ever happened to the blond guy, huh? She finally get tired of boys and wanted to try her hand at girls?"
At this, however, Bella felt her own ire flare. That was seriously out of line and completely uncalled for! Why was Leah being this way? She had thought the girl was cool, but apparently not.
"Alice is not a whore. Don't you dare call her that!" Bella shot back, her own fists tightening. "I get that you're upset and you have a right to be but you have no right to-"
Something inside Leah seemed to snap tight like a rubber band, and without warning, the girl lunged to the side and flung Quil's abandoned tray off the table, sending it flying across the room and food everywhere. It clanged when it hit the floor, and several people looked up in surprise.
Bella jumped back in shock with a yelp as a stray carton of milk splattered across the sleeve of her jacket.
Talk about over-freaking-reacting!
"What the hell?" Bella gasped, and then stiffened when she looked up and saw Leah less than a foot away.
Jesus.
Leah's whole face was screwed up with rage, and this time, there was no mistaking it. Her eyes were yellow, a noxious, luminous shade that seemed to glow. Her chest heaved. Her upper lip was curled back, and she was snarling. Her teeth were bright white.
"Leah," Bella breathed, her voice small.
Leah looked scary, almost like an infuriated vampire. Her whole body seemed to be shaking, and her skin seemed to almost crawl.
Suddenly, Jake was there.
"Leah, go," Jake commanded and stepped between them, having approached so fast that Bella didn't even hear him coming. His massive form blocked Leah from view. "Leah, cool it. Let's go."
Bella watched in astonishment as Jake grabbed Leah by the arm and began to drag her. He got less than a few feet before Leah ripped her arm out of his hand and stormed away from him, not even deigning to look back at Bella as she did. Everyone in the cafeteria watched them go, most of all Bella.
The bell rang as soon as the doors slammed shut behind them, and conversation finally resumed, if a bit hushed, as people stood to leave.
What the hell was that? Bella wondered, heart racing. She saw Edward coming towards her, and Rosalie and Emmett were standing.
"Are you okay?" Edward asked her quietly, his eyes dark and worried as he reached her, and people whispered around them.
"Yeah I…I think so. Jeez," Bella muttered, and glanced down at her jacket to see it was practically soaking through the sleeve. "What was that?"
"We've told you they're not good company to keep, Bella," Edward admonished, which was more than annoying. She chose to ignore that.
"That was crazy. Edward, she called you guys bloodsuckers. And earlier she was joking about you guys being vampires…It sounds like she knows," Bella whispered anxiously to him, but Edward only took on his usual brooding face.
But how could Leah possibly know what they were? And what was up with her eyes?
"You should go to the bathroom and wash that out before it sets. It will smell awful later," Edward said, and gently began to lead her by the shoulder towards the exit.
Bewildered, Bella stared at him as she walked.
"Did you not hear me? I said-"
"I heard you Bella. Now is not the time for this conversation," Edward murmured, and Bella abruptly shut her mouth. There were many people staring and whispering behind their hands, and she knew that he was right. Still, he didn't sound nearly concerned enough.
Numbly, she let him guide her out into the hallway and towards the nearest bathroom, where he separated from her.
"Go, wash your jacket. I'm going to go find Alice. If she finds out from anyone else, she'll be on the warpath," Edward told her. "If she hasn't seen it already in her visions."
Leah had just blown an absolute gasket. That was ridiculous! Sure, Bella had expected her to be upset, and maybe her anger was partially justified, but not to that extent. Hopefully Alice hadn't seen yet, because she was almost afraid of what her very protective girlfriend would do in retaliation.
Like killing Leah. That was actually a very real possibility.
Bella obeyed, not knowing what else to do anyway, and still trying to process what had happened. She walked into the bathroom.
Too bad she was about to get a whole lot more to process.
She froze as she saw Cassie, Sophie, and Lauren all standing in front of the mirrors, adjusting their hair and reapplying makeup like they always did between classes.
Awesome, Bella thought, grimacing as they all glanced over at the sound of the door opening and saw her standing there, shrugging out of her jacket.
For a brief moment, Bella considered just walking back out to avoid dealing with the inevitable drama they would try and start, but then she stopped.
Why the hell should I? I'm not afraid of them. If I walk away now though, it will look like I am. And I'm not ruining this jacket because of these girls. Fuck that. I'm not going to turn tail and run from them. No way. I'm tired of dealing with this crap. Like I don't have enough on my plate. Cassie is nothing compared to what just happened.
Maybe it was her lingering anger over Leah's reaction, the way she'd acted. Maybe it was because Bella was just plain tired of everything in general, especially having to put her head down and deal with all the insults. Whatever it was, instead of walking away, she squared her shoulders and walked over to the farthest sink on the wall, ignoring the sets of eyes judging her every step of the way.
Part of her hoped they wouldn't say anything, but that was a desperate wish, because of course they wouldn't, especially after witnessing Leah's blow out.
"Well, well, well, look who it is girls," Cassie sneered, fluffing her hair as Sophie smirked and smeared lip gloss onto her lips. "Sorry, Swan, did you not see the sign on the door? This is the girl's bathroom. The boy's one is across the hallway."
Bella grit her teeth and bit back her retort as she shoved the sleeve of her jacket into the sink and began running hot water over it.
Ignore them. Just ignore them. That's what mom and dad always said, right? Ignore her and she'll go away. Girls like Cassie just want a reaction, so don't give her one, she told herself, hating the way her face heated up when Sophie and Lauren snickered.
Turns out girls like Cassie were not the type to give up that easily, though.
"Where's your girlfriend, butch?" Cassie continued as she stepped away from the mirror and shrugged her purse onto her shoulder, eyes glinting maliciously. "Is she not going to come in here and leave a few more hickeys on your neck? Or is your girlfriend Leah now instead of Alice? I guess I should say 'was', though. It sure looks like you two just broke up."
Bella tensed at that, glancing at Cassie out of the corner of her eye.
You eavesdropping bitch, Bella thought, chewing on the inside of her cheek and feeling her blush coming back.
"That's right. Me and Lauren heard you and your little friends having your disgusting pornographic discussions about you and your precious Alice," Cassie snarked, folding her arms and sneering. Lauren and Sophie's expression matched hers eerily well, almost like they practiced it in the mirror together.
Alice's name in Cassie's mouth never failed to crank Bella's annoyance to flat out anger faster than anything else. She clenched her fists, biting hard on her bottom lip to stop the slew of insults itching to come pouring out of her mouth.
Now was really not the time to fuck with her. She was already in a hellacious mood over having to hurt Leah and then deal with the craziness that was her reaction, and she was afraid Leah knew about vampires, and…
She's not worth it, Bella reminded herself. She's not worth it. Don't say a word. She wants you to get mad. Don't give her what she wants. Don't do it. Just ignore her and she'll get bored.
Usually Bella never even got mad when Cassie really started in, just embarrassed, mostly because she always made fun of her in front of other people. But it had been a while since the girl had been so blatant and outright about her homophobia, and Bella's usual hurt feelings and mild annoyance were not showing themselves.
She was starting to get really pissed off.
Why the hell did Cassie have to do this? Right now, right after that? Bella's bad mood worsened inexorably. What was her problem, anyway? She knew they were terrible people, but surely she must have done something to pull Cassie's wrath so fully down on herself.
It couldn't just be the gay thing. Cassie would have gotten bored with that long ago, and moved on to someone more interesting to torment.
No, if the girl was this relentless, there was a better reason for it. What was it though?
And Bella remembered with a start, how Alice had spited Cassie, made her look stupid in front of a hallway full of people when the vampire blocked her access to the bathroom in protection of Bella. And then Rosalie had made her look twice as stupid in front of a whole cafeteria when they started in again.
Cassie was the kind of girl to hold a grudge for something like that. It didn't take much to invoke the ire of an insecure girl like her, and something as big as embarrassing her in front of half the school was sure to do it.
That wasn't even her fault though! For one Cassie started it in the first place, and Rosalie was the one who finished it!
Now Bella was paying the price for it, and god damn it, she really was not in the mood for this crap. She was tired of everything going on with the Volturi, with her bite, with Alice, with Leah, and most certainly was not interested in this petty high school drama.
"Nobody wants to hear about one of her many slutty sexcapades, especially when they're including someone like you, Swan," Cassie continued.
Bella felt the vein in her temple pulse and she took a deep breath, having had enough of this shit.
How dare she call Alice a slut, even indirectly? Who did she think she was? What a filthy hypocrite! Why did everyone feel this inexplicable urge to go after Alice when they were trying to hurt her?
No.
Forget that.
"Cassie, I don't know why you of all people are acting so bothered by pornographic discussions," Bella snapped, abruptly standing up straight and wringing her jacket out, the stain fairly faded at this point. "Isn't that what you want to major in anyway? Being a porn star? I don't know about the star part though," she added, whipping her angry eyes onto Cassie as her stomach tightened with confrontation.
The shock on all of their faces was completely worth it when the sneer dropped off of Cassie's face so fast it might never have been there in the first place.
Okay.
That felt good.
Giving Cassie back some of her own medicine sent a slight thrill through Bella and she smirked as all three girls glared at her when she turned to face them fully, tilting her chin up defiantly.
Bella was not the type of person to shit talk or even insult people, even when they were insulting her like Cassie was. She didn't like arguing with people, or trying to hurt them. She preferred to take the high road, turn the other cheek, and be the bigger man so to speak. She preferred to try and be mature about things rather than sink to someone else's level.
But damn it, she was tired of taking it from them!
She had to deal with vampires going for her jugular, had to deal with all of the Volturi and Victoria, with whatever was going on with Leah, so why did she still have take even more shit from Cassie?
The answer to that was that she didn't.
"I'd rather be a porn star than a dyke any day, Swan!" Cassie snarled, eyes flashing as Bella actually fired back at her for once.
Bella felt her grin drop off, the word Cassie had spat at her a hundred times before still making her flinch like it always did. It was such a cruel, derogatory term, and if Cassie was good at nothing else, she was good at putting so much scorn in her words that even if Bella didn't care about what she thought, it still hurt.
She swallowed hard, seething as Cassie noted the pained expression and her sneer came right back as she once more got the upper hand. Sophie and Lauren stood on either side of her, all of them staring at her with such hateful gazes that for once, did not make Bella want to roll her eyes, but made her bristle furiously.
"Well, that's good, Cassie. Because that's exactly where you're headed. High school was really just practice for you wasn't it?" Bella rolled her eyes, and decided she was done with this.
She needed to go find Alice, and fall into her arms, and find comfort.
She didn't have the time to do this, and she most certainly was not in the mood for it. So she clenched her dripping jacket in one hand and made to blow past them, shoulders hunched and wrestling the building anger inside her.
It didn't work.
As Bella tried to step past the three girls, Cassie pushed her.
Stunned, Bella stumbled back a step, heart jumping in shock.
"Where do you think you're going, you freak?" Cassie scowled, and they all crossed their arms and closed ranks, blocking the way past. "Who do you think you are, talking to me like that when you're nothing but a filthy lesbian?"
Bella stared in disbelief, eyes wide.
Did she really just…?
Cassie had said some terrible things to her, had done her best to verbally destroy Bella every chance she got, but never had she gotten physical. Bella couldn't believe for a moment that the girl really had the gall to put her hands on her, was really doing this.
She suddenly felt trapped as she stared at them, blocked in, unable to leave, cornered in this bathroom by these three girls who had nothing but negative and apparently violent intentions.
I am done being bullied!
The quiet rage that had been building inside her swelled to a sudden fury, from the knot in her stomach to a hot blossom in her chest, and just like that, Bella snapped.
"Fuck you!" Bella shouted as she dropped her jacket, lunged forward, and shoved Cassie with everything she had.
The surprise on their faces probably matched hers from before perfectly, but Bella wasn't done yet. As Cassie yelped and staggered back, Bella was already in her face, voice rising faster than it ever had before.
"Are you fucking serious right now, Streeter? My name is Bella, not dyke, or whatever stupid insult you can come up with in your tiny brain. But you better get this real fucking quick. I have had it with your shit. I'm done, do you hear me? You can say what you want about me, I don't care anymore. Run your mouth all day, go right ahead. But you keep Alice's name out of your nasty mouth, and you sure as hell keep your hands off of me. You can talk all day, but you will not touch me. I may be a lesbian, and a lot of other things you don't quite like, but I am done being bullied by you for it. I am nobody's VICTIM!"
Bella's chest was heaving when her last word rang out and she realized that her fists were clenched so tightly that her nails were cutting into her palms.
She looked right into Cassie's eyes, angrier than anything she had ever been in her life. Her whole body buzzed with it, and for a tiny second, she actually considered punching Cassie right in her stupid face, but she stopped herself when she really looked at the girl before her.
Cassie wasn't yelling back, or posturing up, or anything else.
Cassie was scared.
Or nervous, at the very least.
Cassie was squirming in front of her, having finally regained her balance, and she was barely meeting Bella's eyes. She shifted when Bella's arm twitched as if to take a swing, and Bella found herself again as she recognized the emotion on the girl's face.
For all her talk, Cassie was nothing more than a scared little girl when things got real.
Bella drew back, breathing hard and struggling to quell the pounding anger in the back of her skull. She took a heavy breath and looked over her shoulder to see Sophie and Lauren all tensed up, their eyes flickering from Bella's face down to her clenched fists, as if waiting for the inevitable assault.
Bella slumped, shaking her head both at all of them and at herself.
This isn't me. I'm not…I won't hit her. Even if she deserves it. Even if I want to. Calm down, Bella. She's not worth it. Just…Walk away. You said what you needed to, and I think she gets it. So just leave now before you do something you'll regret. She's not worth it…
Blowing off steam on Cassie turned out to be just what she needed to get herself together.
With one last final, pointed glare at the bitch, Bella brushed past her, jacket forgotten on the floor as she shook slightly, wound up so tightly, unused to being so pissed off for any reason. She didn't feel bad particularly for frightening Cassie. In fact, it felt great to know that she could back the girl down, but…
But she did not want to fight her. She didn't want to physically hurt anybody. Violence was not what she believed in. She just wanted them to leave her alone. She had way more important things to deal with anyway.
That's not who I am, she thought as she reached for the door. It's just not.
"You sick freak!"
Bella flinched as she slammed practically face first into the door when Cassie suddenly shoved her from behind, apparently much more courageous when her opponent's back was turned.
That may not have been who she was.
And Cassie may not have been worth it.
But Bella still turned around and socked her right in the mouth.
Cassie hit the floor butt first and squealed. Sophie and Lauren shrieked and dropped down next to her.
Bella stood still, chest heaving and eyes blazing. Adrenaline pumped through her, and everything inside her screamed for her to lunge forward and keep swinging, but there was no point.
Cassie was down and out from one blow.
"You bitch!" Cassie cried, cradling her mouth. Tears streamed down her face.
"Look at her lip! She's bleeding!" Lauren gasped.
"You'll pay for this Swan!" Sophie snarled, glaring at her as Cassie began to bawl, rocking and backing forth as a trickle of blood rolled down her chin.
Are you freaking serious? Bella stared in wonderment, eyes wide and the mad desire to hit something going out of her as Cassie sobbed and sobbed.
Wow…Just wow.
Bella didn't even know how to fight, they outnumbered her three to one, Cassie probably had her by an inch and twenty pounds, and to be quite frank, the fact that she'd drawn blood with that wildly thrown, blindly swung punch was astounding.
But none of them made a move to retaliate.
"You…" she breathed. "You're pathetic," Bella realized as she stared down on them.
"Fuck you!" Cassie whimpered, but made no move to stand or get up and hit her back.
"You're all pathetic. Every single one of you," Bella shook her head in disgust, and with that, she turned and walked out of the bathroom.
Nobody tried to stop her.
No one got up and tried to fight her.
No one did a thing.
So Bella just walked away.