*edited as of 9/2017

Chapter 6

A woman has got to love a bad man once or twice in her life to be thankful for a good one.

-unknown

Isabella's POV

Oh Ben and Jerry…how I love thee. You are the best friend a girl could ever need.

I'm serious…that stuff saves lives.

I stuff another mouthful of chunky monkey into my mouth and thanks the heavens that none of it hasn't gone to my ass or given me multiple chins reminiscent of Honey Boo Boo's mom.

It was Friday night and for the first time in what felt like months, I was finally fortunate enough to have the weekend off.

Most people my age would be taking advantage of the situation; perhaps hanging out with friends, having dinner or even enjoying the nightlife.

Me on the other hand…well that was a different story.

I was currently lying on my couch dressed in nothing but a ratty oversized t-shirt and panties with a big bowl of ice cream on my lap. My hair was in a disastrous bun and my reading glasses were askew. I was also pretty sure that my face was growing a pimple the size of Texas.

Very attractive.

Here was an evening with Isabella Swan.

I let out a small laugh at my own hilarity. I swear I didn't know what to do with myself sometimes.

No, but seriously…this was how I enjoyed spending my time off. I didn't mind staying in and ignoring the world. In the confines of my apartment I could be myself without fear of my clumsiness making an appearance or how I came across to others.

I knew I could be intense at times especially when I'm passionate about something and my humor borderline crude, but overall I considered myself to an approachable girl and personable… sometimes others just didn't see that or I didn't give them the chance to.

Maybe Diego was right…I did need a friend. Sighing, I take another huge mouthful of creamy deliciousness and question when did my life became so mediocre.

I lived a pretty simple life full of routine. I would wake up, shower, get dressed, go to work, come home, stuff my face, shower, sleep and do it all again the next day.

Pathetic right?

I yearn for the old fearless Bella I used to be. The girl who wasn't afraid to go over and beyond for something she wanted, the girl who loved life and didn't question anything. The girl whose motto was C'est la vie because that's all it was. I took whatever happened at face value and moved on.

Life was too short to live an ordinary existence.

Where was that girl? Am I even her anymore?

Somehow that unafraid young woman turned into the Isabella Swan who feared relationships and had settled into doing the same repetitive actions every single day.

I had become comfortable with this reality.

It was safe and habitual… and unexpectedly for one night, that all changed. There was nothing but him.

I was that girl again. The Bella who was unafraid and unashamed to feel for a night and it was all because of him.

The man with no name, my mystery guy.

As much as I didn't want to admit that the whole MG thing didn't mess with my head I would be lying, because it did.

It was three weeks to the day that my entire life was turned upside down.

Okay…I was being a little dramatic about the "entire life" part but the entire situation did unsettle me.

On one hand, I was no longer in a dry spell and had the greatest sexual experience of my life, but on the other had found out that he was nothing but a lying jerk.

It wasn't so much that I had slept with him but more so of what I had found out afterwards.

MG had a girlfriend or maybe even a wife and yet he had slept with me.

It was the ultimate betrayal to do to someone and it made me sick to my stomach.

His green eyes seemed to haunt me in his dreams and no matter the conversation his velvety voice would echo through my head making it hard to concentrate. Nothing I did seemed to make him go away. He was everywhere.

My mind abhorred him but my body desired for him.

I was utterly frustrated, both mentally and physically.

It had gotten to the point that I wanted to drink myself into a stupor to forget him with my best friend but Diego was a little preoccupied at the moment.

The perks of having only one friend.

Di and Bree had hit it off after their first date and were exclusively seeing each other. His daily appearances had shifted to the occasional once a week talk much to my annoyance.

I knew I was being incredibly selfish but once you're used to seeing someone all the time it becomes a stark contrast when you no longer see him or her as much.

Even my furry little babies sensed that something was off about me and steered clear of my foul mood.

What is it about this man that won't go away!

MG was like a bad case of herpes (not that I'd ever gotten it). Just when you thought it was clear and your day free, surprise surprise that sudden itch is back.

I needed to do something to occupy myself. Sitting here thinking about him definitely wasn't going to solve the problem.

Maybe a nice shower could help.

Nah…now that I think about it, a shower would only make it worse.

….

"This is ridiculous." I suddenly blurt. The one moment I decide to treat myself to some coffee so does a million other people. I knew I should have opted for Starbucks but noooooo I just had to go to my favorite hole in the wall shop for a little Saturday morning pick me up.

I have been standing in this line for the past twenty minutes now and it was irritating as hell considering I was only the fourth person in line. If I wasn't so desperate to get my praised salted caramel coffee, I would have left already and found some other another café to slum in.

The barista at the register was a young blonde who looked no more than eighteen or nineteen and was taking her sweet time taking orders as she tried to flirt aimlessly at the guy in front.

"Can you believe this?" A voice grumbles from behind me. I turn around to see a young woman around my age give or take a few years. She was shifting from foot to foot in annoyance while looking down at her phone. Her hair was a dark auburn color with vivid blue eyes looking up at me from an angular face. She was maybe a few inches shorter than I was and was casually dressed in a pair of bright green leggings and matching t-shirt. She looked oddly familiar as if I had seen her somewhere and yet I couldn't place her face.

"You'd think they would at least open up another register or something. We don't have all day. " I moan in relief as the line finally moves forward and stops as the customer begins ordering a long list of complicated drinks.

"You have to be fucking kidding me?" I'm momentarily startled by the brunette's outburst and turn to look at her. She looks momentarily embarrassed but begins to snicker. I feel a chuckle of my own emerge and we both begin laughing. Much to our relief another register opens and soon I am holding my precious coffee along with a cream cheese Danish. I somehow manage to grab a seat far back enough in the café that allowed me some privacy without looking isolated from everyone else.

I'm mid bit into my Danish when I felt a light tap on my shoulder. I look up to see that it's the same girl from the line.

"Do you mind if I sit here with you? There aren't many open seats." She asks. I nod my head and gesture for her to take a seat. She smiles widely at me and digs in to her own coffee and bagel.

"I'm Jessica." She greets reaching out a hand for me the shake. I try not to blanch at the name, remembering the bad memories that came along with it. I shake her hand and my eyes widen at the nice sized engagement ring that adorns her left ring finger.

"Isabella and let me tell you that is a beautiful ring." I smile.

I wished I one day would get a ring like that.

"Thank you. My girlfriend...well fiancé surprised me a couple of weeks ago. We're getting married in five months." She smiles.

"Five months? Isn't that kind of soon?" I question.

"A little, but I don't want to wait. We've dated forever. Besides, I'm not getting any younger." Jessica points out.

"If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?" I take a sip of my coffee, slightly shocked that I was engaging in casual conversation, let alone with another female.

"Thirty five." She answers and I guess the shock is evident on my face. She definitely didn't appear to be five years away from forty.

"Shocking right? I got caught up in the corporate world for a while and dating was the last thing on my mind. I met Michelle well "Mike" as we call her six years ago and here we are. I'm at the point in my life where I'm ready to settle down."

"I definitely admire you on that. I wish I could say the same." I admit.

"Come on.. you're what twenty three, twenty four? You have time." Jessica encourages.

"Barely. I just turned twenty-six and no there's .nothing exciting going on in my life. No one and nothing" I reply bitterly.

"Ah I see. Touchy subject." I nod my head.

"It's okay, we all have those mistakes, but we have to make them if we want to learn from them." She continues.

Jessica or Jess as she urges me to call her continue to talk for another twenty minutes before she has to leave. We both exchange numbers, agreeing to meet up later for drinks.

I felt fearless Bella make an appearance. I had spoken to another female without fear of the girl being some bitch who judged me. Not to mention it kept my mind off of…well you know who.

Feeling a little lighter that day, I head back out into the cool Seattle air hoping that today was hopeful sign of things to come.

Boy was I wrong.

…..WLTYAS…

Two weeks later, I am once again slumming it on my couch on my day off doing nothing exciting with my life.

See what I mean about routine?

Clad in an ugly leopard print snuggie and carton of cookies and cream (I like variety) I feel like I'm living the life of luxury.

The bills were paid, I'd seen Diego more than once this week and for the first time in days MG wasn't on my mind.

I still not sure if I am relieved or not by that.

I'm interrupted from my little pity party by a knock on the door.

I wasn't expecting anyone so you can image my shock when I open my door to a pair of curious blue eyes.

"What are you doing here?" I blurt. She was the last person I'd ever expect to be outside my door.

"Diego had to work tonight so I thought I'd stop by." Bree begins.

"And you decided to choose tonight because…" I cross my arms over my chest defensively.

"Look I know we're not the best of friends…" I cut her off.

"Since when have we ever been friends? Last time I checked, if I even glance in your way you give me the bitch brow."

"Well I'm sorry. I thought you and Diego were a thing so I put my guard up." Bree apologizes.

"I told you we weren't a thing…multiple times." I sigh.

"I know, but you two are just so close that I figured you said that to annoy me and make a fool out of me if I tried. Ugh, I knew this was a bad idea. I told Diego I was going to try and…" Bree mutters to herself and turns to leave. I grab her arm to stop her.

"No, it's my fault. I told Diego I'd try too. I'm just in a funk. You might as well come on in. I have a huge tub of ice cream with our names written on it and a few episodes of House M.D to binge." I smile, hoping it doesn't come across as a grimace.

"Really? This isn't some type of joke?" Bree eyes me skeptically.

"Look, I don't offer my hospitality or ice cream to anyone so consider yourself lucky. Besides, Diego would have my ass if I didn't at least try to like you even if I do think you're a little stuck up." I add.

"That's okay. I still think you're a bit of a bitch." Bree cackles. My face falls and she quickly tries to apologize. I cover her mouth with my hand to shut her up.

"Shut it Tanner. Damn can't you take a joke?" I sigh. I push a stunned Bree towards my couch. She finally unfreezes once I put a bowl of creamy goodness in her lap.

Told you ice cream saved lives.

….. one month later….

"Fuck me, look how hot House is. You'd have to be stupid if you didn't think that man is fuckable. A man with intelligence and a no-bull shit attitude. I mean the cane just adds to his appeal." I giggle.

"Uh have you not seen Chase? He's sex on legs and don't even get me started on his accent. No wonder Cameron tried to jump his bones every chance she got." Bree says taking a sip of wine.

"Oh please I hate her. She only goes after him once she realizes that she can't get any from House. Can't you see House and Cuddy belong together?"

"I guess we'll have to agree to disagree."

"Yeah we should, because if I hear you diss House one more time, I might have to reconsider letting you in my apartment next time."

Bree and I had fallen into a weird friendship. Once she no longer saw me as competition for Diego's affections she mellowed out quite a bit. She still was a bit of snob to at least to other people at work but not me.

I was even surprised to see that Bree and I had a lot in common. Like me, she too had been hurt in the past by both men and women much to my astonishment.

She was brash but quiet and didn't get offended by occasional crude humor. We even had similar tastes in books and movies...well at least when it came to choosing who House should get with. Bree was slowly but surely becoming my first real "girl" friend in years.

We're both in the middle of a heated debate of whether Wilson should forgive House when our musings are interrupted by the sound of my doorbell signaling the need to be buzzed up.

"Ooh that might be our Chinese food. Your turn remember?" I gestured out my hand. Bree throws me a couple of bills and snuggles Pattinson closer to her chest. I throw the quilt off my legs and eagerly bounce towards the door so we can get back to

The doorbell rings again and in my haste to get to the door, I nearly trip over Stewart who had decided sleeping in front of the door was his new favorite place. Quickly scooping his little body up, I settle him in his little doggy bed and head back to the door as the bell rings again.

As I opened my door, I was expecting the face of some pimply-eyed teenager with our Chinese food.

What I got was the sensuous tall form of MG in all of his glory who was looking down at me with heated green eyes.

I'm so momentarily shocked that Bree comes up behind me asking what's wrong. Barely managing to squeak out a response, I slam the door in his face. Bree gives me a bewildered looking asking me what's wrong but all I manage to utter is what the fuck!

Thoughts? Leave it in a Review!

xoxo Sylvia Cullen