Disclaimer: SM owns all recognizable characters. No copyright infringement is intended. The plot herein is mine. No plagiarism!

This story contains mature themes and is suitable for those eighteen and over.


EPOV

"It's nice to see you again, Edward," Seth says; his eyes gleaming as he looks down at me. In the past, it would have meant the world to me to just hear his voice, but not anymore.

"I wish I could say the same."

The smile on Seth's face falters, but it doesn't fade. "Oh, come on, Edward," he chuckles and runs a hand through that wavy black hair I used to love. "You know you're happy to see me."

"Can't say that I am," I smile up at him while taking a hold of Jasper's hand. He's been far too silent since Seth walked over. I know Jasper is angry. I am too. The perfectly good mood we were in is now ruined. And to Jasper, Seth and my parents are the enemy. They have all hurt me in their own way. I can't say I wrong him for that, because if the tables were turned, I would've felt the same way.

"Now, that's not true."

"I'm not lying, Seth," I sigh, squeezing Jasper's hand. Seth cocks an eyebrow at the move and smirks, but I don't pay that any mind. I want him gone. "It's good to see you, Seth. But you should get back to your table. We're about to have lunch and I'm sure your date is wondering why you're over here."

"She can wait," he says dismissively, eyeing me and Jasper with a triumphant smile on his face. I want to wipe it off. I know what he's assuming.

He turns his attention to Esme and introduces himself to her. She's courteous and answers, but she's displeased with his presence.

Esme knows what happened to me after I was kicked out of my home. We had sat down and talked about some of my experiences one day. It was hard to even tell her the 'pg' version of things. She had expressed that it was difficult for her to hear it, but she wanted to anyways. She said she blamed herself for some of it because she should have fought harder and I honestly couldn't tell her not to because a part of me still blamed her too.

Esme had said that she understood and hoped that one day we could move passed it.

I agreed.

When Seth is through with Esme, he turns back to me. "So, Edward, what brings you to Forks?"

I didn't have to share anything with him. "Business."

"What kind of business?" he inquires, leaning down closer to me. His fists are on the table and Jasper's grip on me tightens.

"His business," Jasper bristles.

Seth narrows his eyes at Jasper and Jasper returns the cold glare. Seth glances back at me and smiles coyly. He thinks I'm putting on a show.

"Does he always speak for you?" he says, nodding toward Jasper.

"No."

Seth laughs. "Could've fooled me."

Jasper huffs out a breath and shakes his head with a dark chuckle. He's trying to keep his temper in check. And I don't want to cause anything to happen. So I turn my attention to the woman at Seth's table. "Does she know?"

He smiles seductively at me. "That I'd rather you, no."

"Back off," Jasper sneers at him. "Edward is with me."

Seth rolls his eyes with a devilish grin. "And I was his first. You know what they say about 'firsts', don't you?"

"You're more than forgettable," Jasper fires back. "Don't bother to think of yourself as anything special. Edward has moved on."

Jasper is pissed off. I try to squeeze his hand reassuringly to let him know I want Seth gone as much as he did. But with the tight smile he gives me, I can see that it isn't working. Seth will have to leave our table or we'll have to leave the restaurant.

"Seth, it was good to see you, but we're about to have lunch and you're interrupting. I think it's best if you go."

He looks between myself, Jasper and my now scowling mother and says in a teasing tone. "Why? Because your little boyfriend is uncomfortable with me?"

Jasper's chair scrapes loudly against the tiled floor of the restaurant, drawing attention to us as he moves to get up, but I drag him back down in his seat. He glares at me and I glare back before snapping my eyes to Seth. "Seth…go! I don't need this. Today has been trying enough. I don't need you messing anything else up."

"Your boyfriend is the touchy one."

"And you're an asshole who should watch how he talks to me," Jasper growls.

Seth moves to say something but doesn't. Instead, he eyes Jasper long and hard as if he's trying to remember something. "You're him, aren't you?" he says after a while.

Jasper scoffs at him. "And who might that be?"

"The one Edward is with. The…you're Jasper Whitlock. Your family…the Whitlocks, they're very powerful."

"So why are you still in front of me?"

The smirk that was on Seth's face a minute ago makes a re-appearance. "Because I'm not afraid of you. And I'm here to tell Edward that I'll take him back any time he wants."

I chuckle and shake my head. "You're unbelievable."

"You know it."

I ignore that. "Were you always like this? I take the fall for everything. You get off easy. I get screwed. Literally! And I'll want you to want me back. I'm going to leave Jasper for you?"

Seth doesn't back down. "I knew you were coming to town, Edward. I know you're in charge now. What went down at the gala in New York, my parents were there."

So that's his reason. He knows that I'm the head of the Masen fortune and he and his family want in.

"Are you nuts?" I ask with a hearty chuckle. Seth has the decency to look a bit embarrassed by my statement. "You honestly think that I'm that naïve? What do you take me for?" I get up and turn to Jasper and my mom. "We're leaving. We can find another place to eat. I don't want to spend another minute here."

Jasper handles everything while Esme and I head out to the car. But Seth isn't through. He follows us outside.

"I'm not through with you!"

I don't even turn around. Esme opens her door and climb in. I'm about to open my door when he grabs a hold of my hand and spins me around. I push him away. "Watch it. Don't fuck with me!"

He shakes off my warning and goes on, "I'll never be through with you. I'm not over you."

"You don't want me," I argue. "You want money and all that comes with it. And now that it comes with me, you're trying to get on my good side. You walked, Seth! I took the fucking punishment and you got off scotch free, you bastard!"

It feels so good to say that. I look over his shoulder and see Jasper hastily making his way to us. "Leave. Better yet, I will."

Seth doesn't answer and I turn to the car as soon as Jasper makes it to my side. He sneers at Seth and walks around to the driver's side, getting in. I'm about to follow suit when Seth says in a small voice, "I was scared, Edward."

I don't turn around. "And when I called, what were you then? Still scared?"

"I was…" he starts. "I wanted to say that I wanted you but I couldn't." I want to believe him. But I can't.

"Sorry can't begin to cover it." I turn to him then. "You broke my heart into pieces. Not once, but twice! I felt like I had nothing left and I picked the phone and called you, only to hear that you want nothing to do with me. Do you know how that fucking feels?"

Seth still insists, "I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for denying you when you called. But…"

"I don't need to hear it anymore. I told you, I don't want your apology. It's the past, with every day that passes with Jasper by my side, I'm learning to forget all about all of you. He's what matters now. He's everything. It was nice knowing you."

I'm about to get in the car when Seth fucks everything up. It happened so fast, I don't have time to react until it's too late. Seth spins me around and as I'm about to shout 'why' he plants his lips on mine. I don't know what this is supposed to mean to me, but it does nothing but leaves me enraged.

I shove him off and yell as I heard the car door slam. "What the fuck are you doing?!"

Seth looks triumphant and smirks at me. "No one will ever be better for you than me, Edward. You always remember your first."

He's about to spew some other shit and my fist is tight and ready to hit him, but Jasper beats me to it. His fist connects with Seth's jaw, making him stumble backward.

"What the fuck you do think you're doing?"

Seth spits blood and glares at Jasper with a bloody grin. "You touch me again, and I'll..."

"You touch Edward again and see what I'll do to you."

"Jasper, stop." I'm not begging him for Seth. I'm begging him for himself. I don't want any more controversy to be rained down on his family because of me. I'm not going to stand aside and let anyone hurt him.

But Jasper doesn't see it that way. His eyes snap to mine and he demands to know why I want him to stop. "Are you defending him?"

"No! I'm looking out for you, stupid!" I yell. "He'll use this against you." I look at Seth and shake my head in disgust. How could I have ever felt anything for this asshole? He's just like them. Rich and spoiled.

"I don't fucking care! He touches you again and I'll…"

"Shut up! Don't let him drawl you out!"

I try to yank Jasper back because he's advancing on Seth, and Seth is egging him on. "Come on, you pussy, don't let him tell you what to do. I'll do it again and again if I want to. Edward will always be mine."

"Who the fuck set you up to this?" I seethe at Seth.

"I told you, my folks were at the gala," he answers with a satisfactory smirk.

"What do you want, money?" I'd give it to him if he stops the foolishness. I'd write him a fat check to make him disappear.

"And you," Seth grins evilly. "I want that tight, hard body on mine. I've miss it. You had the sweetest ass I'd ever seen."

My grip on Jasper loosens then and he takes full advantage of it and launches himself at Seth. They fall to the ground, throwing punches while rolling in the dirt. Esme screams at them while I try to get Jasper off of Seth.

"Jasper! Stop!"

He shoves me off and kicks Seth in the stomach after punches him on the face, busting his bottom lip. Esme goes for help while I still try to stop the fight and comes back with three guys, who help me.

Between all of us, two guys hold back Seth and Esme on Jasper's back and me and another guy holding him back, we finally stop the brawl.

"Can I let you go?" I ask Jasper while he eyes Seth murderously.

"Let me go," he growls at me, making me sigh sadly.

This is my fault. I shouldn't have entertained a word out of Seth. I should've run him off. Now, Jasper is pissed off with bloodied fists and a busted lip. He's huffing while he glares at Seth. And Seth is trying to steady himself on his feet. He shakes off the guys helping him and smiles at Jasper. Of the two of them, he looks worse. His right cheek is bruised, his mouth is gleaming red and his lips are swelling.

"I'll see you in court," he says to Jasper and spits blood at his feet.

Jasper gives him a cold stare before pulling away from me and storming off.

Seth looks at me and winks and I walk up to him and punch him in the face, sending him to the ground, before running after Jasper.

He's walking down the road. "Jasper!" I shout and jog to catch up with him. "Jasper!" When I'm close enough, I grab a hold of his shoulder and spin him around to me. He shrugs off my grip and starts walking again.

"I'm sorry!"

He stops and sighs before turning to me' his eyes softening. "You've got nothing to be sorry for. I shouldn't have overreacted, but he was being an asshole."

"Aren't you worried?"

"Are you?"

"If it's concerning Seth's well being after the crap he just pulled, no. If it's about you, then yes. If he sues you for what you just did to him, then what?"

"Then I get my lawyers with walk all over him and beat it down to a settlement."

I smirk and step closer, lifting his bruised knuckles to my lips and kissing them. "You've got it all figured out, don't you?"

"You could say that."

I lean in and kiss him, because there is nothing else I can think of doing right now. He doesn't let me go. He wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me close. And when we part, there's nothing in his eyes but his pure, undulated love for me. "I love you."

Jasper smiles brightly at me. "I love you too."


Next: Back to normal and steps forward.