Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or anything associated with the franchise. I just own Ella and Adrian.

AN: I know I'm going to be busy this week and I'm actually surprised I got this out today. I'm hoping to find time to post another chapter this week to make up for my erratic posting the last couple of weeks BUT I'm not making any promises ~ Hannah

Chapter Eighteen – Fist Fights

I was currently standing in a gorgeous lilac floor length gown in the middle of the forest. I was sitting on a white stone bench and my head was leaning back against trailing ivy. There were a couple of rose bushes dotted around – not native to the forests – as well as the usual forest ferns. The sun was hidden behind the clouds but it was still warm out. My face was turned up towards the sky and my eyes were closed. A secret smile played on my lips. I'd been sitting in this position for over an hour now and my bum was starting to go numb. We'd flipped a coin and it had been decided that Jasper would attempt the outside portrait first. He'd first thought of doing a wedding theme but had fallen in love with the lilac gown I now wore or rather Alice had fallen in love with it and forced Jasper's hand. Not that I was complaining because the dress was simply stunning. It flowed effortlessly and felt like silk beneath my fingers. I felt like a princess wearing this dress I just wished there was a cushion under my bum to fight off the numbness.

I suppose I shouldn't complain for Jasper's hand worked faster than any human did and he still got flawless marks. I knew he was using his vampire speed to prevent the poor human from losing all her senses. I knew I'd get hungry soon but I was still more worried about my bottom. I really needed to stretch and move around.

"Could you stop feeling like that."

I opened my eyes to look at Jasper.

"Like what?"

"All uncomfortable and fidgety. It's distracting and you keep frowning."

"Jasper my bum has gone numb. I know you couldn't possibly know what that feels like but it's not fun and it makes me feel uncomfortable. I'm frowning because every time I move I get numb pain. I mean really, how long have I been sitting like this for?"

"Fine, we'll take a break then. I can't work if you keep moaning anyway."

I smiled knowing that Jasper wasn't really mad at me. He was smiling anyway and he handed me a sandwich he'd been hiding from my sight.

"Have you had this all the time?"

"Maybe."

I glared at him. Jasper may be decades older than me but I could still unnerve him with my stare. I saw Jasper as a combination of a best friend and an older brother. He rose to each title spectacularly and I never doubted the bonds between us. I knew Jasper struggled the most out of all the Cullen's. The others could be hard on him but I knew it wasn't his fault. I imagine anyone with a vice would find it hard going cold turkey. Really Jasper should be commended for doing so well in such a short space of time. I know if someone told me I wasn't allowed to eat brownies anymore I'd struggle. I know that's a poor analogy but it was the best I could think of.

All too soon break time was over and I was back sitting on the cold stone bench except this time Jasper asked me to stand once more before sitting again. I sat to softness and feeling beneath me I realised he'd put a thick feathered cushion on top of the bench and underneath my bum. I glared at him with new frustration.

"Don't tell me you've had this cushion all this time."

"Alright I won't tell you."

"Jasper!"

He laughed. It was such a deep chuckle. His eyes lit up with the joy of teasing me. He looked like an overexcited kid on Christmas morning and really who could stay mad at that?

I still mock pouted at him though. I didn't want him to think he'd got off completely scot free.

"Hurry up and paint me, I'm getting bored."

He laughed again and I smiled. I watched as he picked up his paintbrush once more and I closed my eyes and resumed the position I was in before. The forest around us was silent and I was content with my own thoughts and the sound of Jasper's paintbrush as it made contact with the canvas.

"We could talk if you wanted to pass the time," he said.

"About what?"

"Whatever you like. What's on your mind?"

"Have you noticed that Ben's been missing?"

"Ben?"

"Yeah. I asked Angela about him but she said he and his family must just be on holiday. Odd really, to go on holiday half-way through term. It made me think, what if they aren't on holiday. What if something bad happened to them and their corpses are in a ditch somewhere waiting to be discovered."

Jasper actually stopped painting to look up at me with an expression of mocking.

"Really? That's where your mind went."

"You asked me to talk about what was on my mind."

"My mistake."

I glared at him wishing I could throw something at him that would actually hurt. Stupid vampires and their strong skin.

I'll just kill him with my unwavering glare…

"Maybe we should talk about something else," I said.

"Like how you've been avoiding Edward?"

I growled before I could stop myself and didn't need to open my eyes to know that Jasper was smirking at me. It had been foolish to think that the Cullen's hadn't noticed my sudden aversion to Edward, even Dad had commented on my sudden distance. I couldn't tell anyone how mortified I was by the whole ordeal. To be in love with someone when you knew that love was doomed to failure was beyond knowledge. I refused to think of the sweet moment when Edward kissed me because it bought together thoughts that couldn't be realised.

"I haven't been avoiding him."

"You have and he's moping. It's dead annoying really. I had to stop Alice from trampling all over you and demanding you do what she wanted. None of us like seeing him in this way or you for that matter."

"It was my own fault Jasper. I made my feelings too obvious when I should have tucked them away. Maybe his heart was in the right place but his mind wasn't."

"Why are you so determined to fight this? I don't want to pry too much and make you uncomfortable but all of us are wracking our heads wondering what has happened and we cannot work it out."

"Angela said that vampires have mates. I'm not Edward's mate and I don't want to start something with him when I'll just be disappointed."

In a rush I knew that Jasper had moved from his canvas to stand before me. That feeling was reinforced when I felt his hands grab the tops of my arms. I finally opened my eyes and found myself gazing into his intense topaz ones.

His grip was not overwhelmingly tight but it wasn't loose enough for me to get out of either.

"What did you say?"

"Angela said—"

"Why were you talking to Angela about vampire mates when you know a whole family of vampires who could have answered any questions you had?"

"We weren't talking about it per say. We were talking about her being a witch and it just came up in passing conversation. I didn't ask her about it, I just filed the information away for later."

Jasper pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger and sighed.

"Ok I can forgive that but why are you determined to think that neither you or Edward are meant to be?"

I frowned affronted by his question. How could he think differently from me?

"Edward ignored me for the most part while I was becoming friends with you and Alice. I'd just about considered him a friend when the blow out of me knowing your secret happened. I have never seen him act as anything other than a friend to me and I know he wouldn't want to start something unless he was serious that they were the 'one.'"

"Talking to you about this is like being coated in cement that won't dry. It's annoying and messy. Talk to Edward."

"No—"

"Talk to him, if not for your sake of mind then for his. You two need to sort this out so you can move forward."

"Dad, do you know anything about Ben and his family?"

"Whose Ben?"

"You know my friend from school? I haven't seen him in a while or heard anything about him. I think it's suspicious but Angela just assumed they'd gone on holiday."

"Do you have anything that counteracts the holiday theory?"

No but—"

"Then I wouldn't worry about it."

"Dad! I think something might be wrong."

"Look, I'll have a look see when I'm back at work but right now I'm going fishing with the guys. Bella is off with that boy of hers and if I'm not mistaken there seems to be a young gentleman at the door for you."

Dad was smug, I could tell from the way he was looking at me. I couldn't think why Jasper would be at the door for me, as far as I knew we had no scheduled art appointment today. However, Dad had already let the boy in as he had walked from the house. He'd always been more open with me and boys than he had been of Bella and boys. Something about me knowing how to care for myself.

All too soon I realised that it wasn't Jasper who had been waiting for me on the doorstep but Edward. The one person who I'd been trying to avoid had conveniently placed himself in front of the front door. I knew there was no way I was going to be able to get around him or push him out of my house. I slumped, sinking into a kitchen chair. I could have run up to my room but really what was the point when you were stuck with a vampire.

"We need to talk," he said.

His voice was void of emotion but somehow still carried the gravity of the situation.

I nodded, dimly aware that this could be the end of our friendship.

"You've been avoiding me," he said.

"Yes."

"You shouldn't have run."

"You shouldn't have kissed me."

"Merlin Ella, what do I have to do to convince you I'm serious about you?"

I stubbornly kept my mouth shut. The way I could see things there was no positive outcome.

"I'm not your—"

"I don't give a flying fit about whatever scenario you've cooked up in your head. Don't you think I should know who my own mate is? Believe me I know."

I hung my head in disappointment. I knew it to be true, I knew I wasn't the one for him and that any relationship between us would have been doomed but I didn't like it being paraded in front of me.

"I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? For goodness sake it's like you don't even know."

I looked at him in confusion, did he expect me to know who his mate was? Oh god was it someone I knew? Was it Angela?

I tried to swallow the lump in my throat but my mouth was too dry to do anything. I concealed my whimper as Edward didn't need to feel sorry for me.

"Could you just give me a chance, just one to show you what's going on?"

I wasn't a heartless person and I could head the plead in Edward's voice.

I nodded.

"Wait for my call, it'll come I promise."

I nodded again and then Edward was gone. He ran from the house using his vampire speed and it was like he'd never been there. It left a deep crater in my day as I didn't know what to do with myself and couldn't help but feel hollow at the whole experience.

Sitting in the hospital waiting for Doctor Cullen to arrive with an ice pack pressed firmly against my cheek and a furious Dad besides me was not where I pictured myself when I woke up this morning yet here I was. Let's reminisce for a moment…

Being cornered in the back lot of the school wasn't somewhere I'd wanted to be. A brief look around me proved that I was totally alone in this ambush. I just hoped that someone was missing me and would come looking for me.

Lauren had been surprisingly quiet since my Dad had become involved as the 'Chief of Police'. In fact, both Jessica and Mike had backed off altogether but I imagine that leaving me alone was a little too much for Lauren to handle. She might have had a small brain but she knew exactly what to say to crush her opponent. I could take her when it came to fists but could I take her in a battle of wits.

"You don't know how long I've watched you Ella. I know everything about your school plan, what lessons you have and what times of the day you're most vulnerable. I knew that you'd be walking through this way all on your own and that I'd have plenty of time to…play with you."

"What do you want Lauren? Wouldn't want to get in more trouble with the Chief of Police would you? What would your parents say this time? Would they ship you off to a school that corrects naughty little girls?"

She snarled and I knew I'd hit the mark. Perhaps I could play the word game after all.

"I've seen you with the Cullen's, with your friends and your sister and I realised something."

"What's that?" I asked.

"You don't belong."

"Excuse me?"

"Oh please, you'd have to be blind to not notice how you look at Edward."

"Oh yeah and how do I look at Edward stalker?"

"Like the sun shines from his mere presence. You're so in love with him that you don't realise how you're acting. It's sickening for the rest of us really. He's never going to want you; you know that right? I'm not being rude but he's turned down everyone so you better stop thinking your better than the rest of us."

"I don't think I'm better than anyone and my feelings really aren't any of your business."

"Have you ever looked at the Cullen's?"

"Wait what?"

Lauren sighed "Have you ever looked at them?"

"Of course I've looked."

"I mean really looked. They're stunning, all of them. I don't know what their secret is but do you ever think you could be at their level of beauty? Your sister is quite beautiful you know; I was confused when she wasn't immediately taken into the Cullen's fold. That they accepted you over her, well they'd have to be blind to do that. Your friend's are marginally attractive as well but you Ella, you have a face that speaks of nothing. A forgotten face. An ugly face. You could never fit in with the Cullen's because you simply don't belong."

"The Cullen's are my friends."

"Yeah but for how long? They wouldn't be the first to cast you aside would they? I hate to reuse material but your own Mother didn't want you. Even from birth she knew there was something wrong with you, something that shouldn't be trusted and something that should have been terminated. I wonder how that felt to be ignored and forgotten at such a young age. One has to wonder whether you're alright in the head…maybe we should be fearful of you. "

"You don't know what you're talking about Lauren. You're just clutching at straws hoping to get a reaction."

"Is it working? You might shake your head but I think it is. Have you noticed you're clenching your fists? That your jaw is tight and your breathing short? I'm under your skin now."

"What do you want?"

"It's not what I want Ella. Do you look in the mirror and cry? I would with a face like yours. It's no wonder you walk around with no confidence and those silly little attacks you have are they real? Or just a cry for attention? They say high school is but a small pond in the great ocean of life, well let me tell you something Ella…you're going to drown."

"Shut up."

"Struck a nerve? Edward won't look twice at you and if he did he'd be drunk or desperate. You are nothing to him. He is a god and you are the scum he walks upon. Wake up from your fairy-tale because there is no happy ending for you. There is no scenario where you walk off with your prince. Your life at best will be mind-numbingly boring because you have nothing to offer. A waste of space if ever I saw one."

That's when I hit her.

I was just so angry. How dare she just how dare she! What gave her the right to break me down so completely. Did she not realise I had these thoughts every damn day of my life? Did she not realise that I knew I was a waste of space and that I realise my life was an empty cavern? Every day I tried to crawl out of the pit I was trapped in and I always failed.

I didn't stop with that first punch, I continued until she was on the ground and I was wedge on top of her. She didn't give up easily, she gave as good as she got. It was refreshing, the marks she left on me a wakeup call to what was happening in my life. There was blood on my knuckles but it didn't stop me from wanting to beat my anger in her face. I'd never been caught in a fist fight before but then I'd never had this much anger in my body before.

Each punch felt cathartic. I could feel pain in my upper arm like Lauren had stabbed me with a pencil or something. Even now the pain wasn't enough to stop me.

I suppose in the end it was my rage that drew Jasper to our location. I saw him briefly from the corner of my eye and it was enough to halt my attacks. I'd been careless, all this blood must have been hard on the Cullen's and my selfish actions had endangered us all. My stilled hands gave Lauren the opportunity she needed to get in a few good punches of her own. Her punches were weaker than mine but jewellery adorned her fingers and they cut into my skin with precision.

"Alright, break it up, break it up."

A teacher's voice I think but I'd given up the fight by now anyway.

I was being dragged away and from the scent I assumed it was Tyler holding me. I saw Bella, her face a mask of horror.

Parents were called and I knew this was only the beginning. The pain of the punches wouldn't be the only punishment I'd receive.

I was right of course. Now that I could breathe without the anger consuming me. Dad was so furious that he wasn't speaking to me while Bella was waiting anxiously by my side. We were waiting on Carlisle, I assumed he was being updated by the rest of his family. I felt foolish suddenly. The ice on my face was helping with the pain, of the two punches Lauren had successfully landed on my face, the rings she wore had done their duty in ripping open my skin. It hurt like you wouldn't believe but it was pain I'd have to put up with.

"I hope you know you're grounded. Except for school that is. Any project you have must be done in our home, under my supervision. Bella when she's not busy will assist in your supervision. I don't think I need to tell you how disappointed I am in your actions. I thought you were better than this."

Dad's words were like a cold slap to my face. I'd let everyone down and I knew that.

The door opened and Carlisle walked in. What I remembered however wasn't his arrival but the anguish on the rest of the Cullen's faces before the door swung shut.

Up Next: Chapter Nineteen – Grounded by Love