Romeo On and Off the Court

Chapter 6: A Failed Assist

A player is awarded an assist when they make a pass that leads directly to a score by one of their teammates.

Bella

Why in the world did I let Jessica talk me into coming to Madrona Hall for a party? I hated parties, but I didn't want to spend another Friday night alone. As soon as we arrived, she handed me a solo cup of beer and disappeared. I stared into the cup at the amber liquid. Lifting it to my nose, I sniffed. It smelled awful, like the men's room when they didn't flush and the smell of urine permeated the air. I took a tentative sip and swallowed. Yuck! I stuck out my tongue, thinking that would banish the horrible, bitter taste.

I felt someone come up behind me. Since I was close to the refreshment table, I didn't turn to see who was behind me. A warm breath moved my hair and caused gooseflesh to form on my neck.

"For a smart girl, Bella, your choice of drink is poor. You're in a roomful of strangers. Anything could happen if you drink too much."

Turning slowly, I came face-to-face with Edward. He took the red solo cup from me and tossed it in the trash before moving and bending over a cooler filled with bottles of water, retrieving two bottles. I admired the view and licked my lips. He had a fine behind.

"This would be a better and safer choice." He handed me one. "Have a good night. And please don't accept a drink from someone you don't know, especially in a cup."

He walked away without a backward glance.

When I turned and found him behind me, I thought he was going to ask me out again. But he didn't and I was confused.

"What's the matter, girl?" Jessica asked me about two minutes later. "Did Edward upset you?"

All I could do was shake my head, not surprised she recognized him. "He took my beer, tossed it, and gave me a bottle of water. Then he just walked away. He didn't even try to ask me out again."

Jessica stared at me. "Are you telling me you would have accepted?"

"Not at all. I would have declined again."

"Then why are you surprised he didn't?"

I shrugged, I didn't know.

"Ooookay." She eyed the water bottle. "You're not going to drink that, are you? You know what your dad would say."

I examined the bottle. The cap was still connected to the ring. Turning it upside down, no water trickled out. My eyes scanned the room as I moved to the trash can and opened the bottle. I found Edward. He seemed to be watching me as he talked with other partygoers. His right eyebrow raised in question, whether to my attention or something that was said around him.

With a twist of my wrist, I turned the bottle and dumped the contents. Edward smiled and chuckled before lifting his water bottle, saluting me as if saying touché. A blush heated my cheeks and Edward's smile got a little brighter.

~~ Romeo On and Off the Court ~~

Two hours later and after mingling, I was ready to leave. There was no one here I knew. Jessica was nowhere to be found. I sent her a text message, letting her know I was heading home. I moved toward the exit.

"Yo, Bella," someone called.

Looking over my shoulder, I saw Bouncy heading toward me.

"You leaving."

I nodded.

"Alone?"

"And you care why?"

Bouncy looked taken aback, but he recovered fast. "I had a close friend, who happened to be a girl, get kidnapped and raped walking home after babysitting. She was only four doors from home when she was taken. I don't want that to happen to someone else. She was found twelve hours later, alive and in a ditch."

His answer surprised me. Before I could say anything, he went on.

"Let me walk you to wherever you're going."

"Sure," I replied.

He smiled down at me, pulling out his phone. "Let me text my girl and let her know."

~~ Romeo On and Off the Court ~~

Emmett and I walked in silence for a long minute, before he broke the silence. "Bella, I know you don't want to go out with Edward and I get that, but he's a decent guy."

"Emmett," I said in warning, using his name instead of the nickname I gave him.

He held his arm out in front of me, stopping in mid-stride. "Did Edward do something to you?" he asked, sounding concerned.

"No," I answered, my gaze falling to the ground.

"Then… why?"

With a sigh, I shuffled my feet. No one but those I went to high school with knew the story of my one boyfriend. I decided to deflect. "What are you, my big brother?"

Emmett moved in front of me. "Are you an only child?"

I drew in a breath through my nose before nodding.

His hand moved to his jaw and he rubbed it. "Would you like me to be your big brother? I'm a great listener and have big shoulders you can cry on."

There was no hint of him playing around, not that I knew him. His offer seemed genuine. Could I really take him up on it?

As if sensing my hesitancy, he added, "Whatever you tell me will stay between us unless I feel you are in danger, and that includes being a danger to yourself."

Angela said something similar to me several times, and to this day, she hasn't betrayed my trust. I motioned toward a nearby bench. Emmett and I sat side-by-side. He wrapped an arm around me.

"Talk to me, Sis. What happened to you?"

I related the story of being used to a good grade by a guy. "He only asked me out so I would be his partner. Given my job as a tutor, dating someone I help isn't something I want to do."

Emmett squeezed me to his side. "Look, I've known Edward for a few years now and in that time I've gotten to know him. He would never treat anyone like the punk treated you."

I sighed, resting my head on his shoulder. "I get what you're saying, but I don't know. Something to think about."

"Thinking is good." His phone buzzed and he pulled it out of his pocket. "Rosie," he said. "I'll text her back in a few. Let's get you back to your building. First, unlock your phone and let me see it."

I didn't question this and handed over my phone, watching as he pulled up my contacts. He added his name and phone number, he even put Bouncy in the nickname. I would be changing it to Big Bro later. Before handing it back, he sent himself a text.

"Swan," I said without prompting as he added me as a contact to his phone. He nicknamed it "little sis."

Edward

I lost sight of Bella and was starting to freak out. When Angela told me Bella was going to this party but wasn't a partier, I decided to make an appearance and keep a watchful eye on her. Damn it! Where did she go? I moved away from the group I was surrounded by, scanning the nearby clusters. She was not among any of the students.

I was about to make another circuit when my phone buzzed. "Rosie, walking my little sis, Bella, back to her dorm. Don't want anything to happen to her. Be back soon." Why the hell did Emmett text me? And he didn't bring Rosalie to the party since her parents were in town. I was about to forward it to her when I reread it. Bella? He wasn't. Fuck. He was so fucking dead. This was not the plan Angela and I had shared with him, Rosalie, Jasper, and Alice last night.

Five minutes later, I was outside waiting on the asshole. Jasper and Alice were trying to calm me down.

"He must have his reasons," Alice said.

I glared at her.

"Don't jump to conclusion, Edward. And sit down," Jazz ordered.

Pulling out my phone, I texted the doofus. "WTF! If you mess up my plan, you are dead."

Emmett came whistling back twenty minutes later with his hands in his pockets.

"Not dead. She lives in Lander Hall. West campus."

My jaw fell open. "How? Angela wouldn't even tell me."

Emmett smiled. "I walked her back. We had a big brother, little sister talk."

"And?" Jazz asked.

Emmett blew out a breath through his nose. "I won't break Bella's trust."

I took a menacing step toward him and Jasper stepped between us, facing me.

"I would do the same, Edward," he said. "Bella must have seen something in Emmett and trusted him enough to tell him something."

My chin fell to my chest. "Can you tell me anything, Emmett?"

"I became you pseudo-brother." He glanced at his watch. "Curfew in ten minutes." He started walking away. "And her last name is Swan," he threw over his shoulder.