A/N Agh, sorry I took so long to update. I honestly didn't want to do a baseball game. I just wanted to do the whole "So what team are you one" shtick. Lol, well I did a brief game so here you go.
"So, Bella...which team are you on?"
"I...I..." They both looked at me intently. My words seemed caught in my throat. I knew who's team I wanted to be on. I just couldn't seem to get it out.
"She's not playing," Jacob turned to Edward angrily.
"Of course not," Edward let out a small chuckle. "I was merely teasing." He erased any trace of unease in his face as he smiled at me.
Edward called Alice and informed him of their new opponents and Jacob ran out for a while, undoubtedly to change and let his pack know everything. I just stood where I was, trying to grasp what was really happening.
I had already seen Alice, but I didn't want to see the others. I wasn't ready. And the wolves. How would everything go after they were forced to be good sports against their long time enemies?
What truly worried me however, was the new connection that had formed right before my eyes between Jake and Edward. I knew that part of the reason why I felt so safe with Jake was because he took me away from it all. He was not a part of my old life. La Push was far away and it was my escape. It now seemed that my safe place was being invaded by my past, my demons.
"Bella, are you ready to go?," Jake asked, pulling me out of my reverie. I simply nodded.
"You don't have to do this," I tried to talk him out of going.
"No, but I want to. I'm trying to understand Bella. I really am. I can't let this feud tear you apart I want to have all of you." He grabbed my hands and I gave up fighting.
"You guys can follow me, everybody will probably be there by the time we arrive," Edward flashed me another brilliant smile before walking out to his car.
Jacob pulled me closer to him, unnerved by Edward's blinding teeth.
We soon followed the shiny, silver Volvo in Jacob's car. It was so odd not being in it. Edward was also going at a manageable pace for Jake to follow. It was probably unbearable for Edward to go so slow.
When we arrived at the spot, the wolves were on one side and the vampires were on another. They were giving each other death glares and I would have hated to see what would have happened if we didn't arrive when we did. Jacob walked to his pack and Edward went to his family. I followed Jacob closely stopping when I had noticed the Cullens see me. I couldn't bring myself to continue following. I stood, straddling the space that separated both teams.
"Bella!" Emmet waved to me enthusiastically.
All of the Cullens were looking at me, and I didn't have to turn around to see Jacob's pack watching me protectively. Esme was the only one brave enough to approach me in front of my self-appointed guard dogs.
"Bella, we've missed you." She embraced me in a motherly hug. I tried not to show it, but her attempt at comforting me had the opposite effect. God! I missed them so much. It make the fact that they abandoned me hurt so much more.
I couldn't hug her back and pulled away. "Hi Esme," I said looking at the ground.
I quickly walked back to Jacob and wrapped him in my arms. I buried my face into him trying to fight back the tears. I had to get a hold of myself. Jacob comforted me by rubbing my back and I managed to gather myself. I turned away and saw everyone was watching me. Rosalie looked angry, Jasper looked apathetic, and the rest of their family had the same faces which held a mix of shock and despair.
I felt I should apologize, but I didn't know if I should.
"Are we going to start soon? Or what?" Paul interrupted. I was grateful. Anything to break free of the awkward situation I put myself in.
The first flash of lighting appeared and the boom of thunder rolled in.
"Now we start!" Emmett yelled.
The pack was batting first. Embry was the first to hit. He hit the ball so far above the forest that I hoped they had brought spare baseballs, but before he could even run all the way to first base, Edward was holding something white and round against Embry's shoulder.
"OUT!," yelled Carlise from the umpire's mound.
"What a showoff," said Alice, suddenly sitting beside me on the grass. "He's doing so for your benefit."
"A-Alice. What are you doing here?," I asked a little bit shaken.
"I decided to sit this one out. I thought we should talk."
"About what?" I was getting nervous. It seemed that everyone wanted totalk to me these days.
"About what happened earlier. Please don't let your feelings for Edward affect your feelings with the rest of us. We really do miss you. I know Esme thinks of you as one of her own. We all love you."
I gulped at her words. I didn't fully believe them. I just shrugged.
"Bella...We're back. I understand why you would be uncomfortable around my brother, but you don't have to be that way around the rest of us. We're family."
"E-Edward wasn't the only one who left me..."
Suddenly everyone on the field looked at me. They all heard what I had said despite my hushed tone Alice ignored them.
"Bella, I'm sorry!" Alice was actually surprised at what I had said and hadn't realized that it was hard for me to see any of them.
"Don't. I'm fine really. I have Jake now. You guys only did what you thought was right." I turned my attention back to the game. They weren't keeping score so I just pretended like I was interested in what was happening to avoid talking to Alice.
Alice let me watch the game. We sat watching for a few minutes. Jacob was batting and had managed to make it to second base.
"Hey, Bella?," Alice spoke, still keeping her attention fixed on the game.
"Yes?"
She placed her hand over mine without turning her attention away from the field. "Thanks for coming."
"No problem."
"I was surprised though. You brought the pack with you. Edward was just going to ask you to come. He must be trying really hard."
"What do you mean?" I had to turn and look at her.
"Well, he's made it clear to everyone that he can't be away from you anymore. He still wants to give his love to you even though he knows he'll never receive any in return. He knows your happy with Jacob," she smiled softly. "He's trying to keep you in his life, and if that means associating with the werewolves, he'll do it."
I thought about being friends with Edward. It would never work. I had noticed his drastic change of mood earlier after Jake had arrived at my house and I didn't think I would be able to do the same with him. I just needed to-
"GRRRRRR!"
I heard deep growling coming from both sides of the field. Each side was crowded around home base. Jake was lying on the ground and Edward was standing over him.
'Oh no!' I thought. Had Edward attacked Jacob? If they got into a fight, there would be nothing I could possibly do to stop it.
I got up and started walking quickly towards them, with Alice following behind me.
"He was out and you saw it! There is no way that puppy could have outrun Edward!," Rosalie yelled.
"He's safe!," Sam yelled back. "It's not that I'd expect any of you to play fair anyways."
I honestly thought Rosalie was going to bite someone until Edward cut the tension. He outstretched a hand and Jacob accepted, pulling himself off the ground.
"Well I guess our game is over," Edward said, turning his hold on Jacob's hand into a handshake.
Jake smiled and looked at his team. "Good game guys. I'll see you back home. I'm going to take Bella to her house now." The other team left after saying goodbye to me. I knew that no one was expecting the two teams to shake hands any time soon.
Jacob walked to me and placed his arm over my shoulders. The Cullens, excluding Edward, Rosalie and Jasper, simply waved goodbye to me. They didn't want to overstep their boundaries with me again. I walked back with Jake towards his car, but turned around when I heard Alice call my name.
"Bye Bella! See you at school tomorrow!"
Jacob stopped us abruptly and he turned me towards him. He unexpectedly planted a deep kiss on my mouth and I wasn't able to stop him. When he pulled away he smirked and pulled us back towards his car. I was too scared to turn around and see the horrified expressions probably waiting for me. I would scold Jacob later, but right then, I just tightened my hold around his hand for the strength I needed to make it back home.
A/N Sorry if this chapter is very BLAH. It really is. I just wanted to put something out there. I appreciate all the reviews and I'll try not to take so long to update.
I have a question. I had Bella slap Edward, I had her say he broke her and I had her say she hated him. At this point of the story, do you think Bella is still mad, or is she just sad at this point? I'm not sure if I should add anymore "fight" scenes between them.