Chapter Two

Seventy-three days.

I wake up to find text messages from Jacob on my phone, they're nothing special, infact they're pretty minimal.

Jake was my bestfriend once, but things change, people change and you find yourself seeing your closest friend become your most distant one.

We don't know when it happened, maybe it was when he got a girlfriend? Or maybe when he left for university? Nobody talks about it though, some things are just better left unsaid.

He knows about some of the shit that goes on, he knows about my little sister and maybe a few other things. It had come to a point where he could see it all written across my face and had cornered me into revealing things.

Now that I think about it, he had a way in which he could almost manipulate people into thinking or saying certain things, but I was oblivious to it. I was under the facade of what everyone called 'Jakes charisma'.

He wasn't the best looking guy, but he was funny and everyone knows a girl will take a funny guy over a good looking one any day, and that's why everyone was after him.

But it wasn't like that between us, I never liked him as more than a friend. Sure, sometimes I would picture us maybe taking the next step and seeing if we would work in a relationship but that was only because of so many of our friends saying we'd be great together.

That didn't mean I liked him, it was more of a 'Hey, if we don't find anyone in the next twenty years, we marry eachother.'

It would never have happened though, Jacob would definitely find someone within the upcoming years. Me? Maybe not. But that was ok because I preferred my own company anyway.

I reply to his text about him being upset that some of his friends are transferring next year, I don't know if he wants to be comforted or if he's just telling me but it doesn't bother me. I almost don't even want to text back which is weird because a year ago we would've texted paragraphs and paragraphs to eachother, and now it's become just a few words.

J: its weird that they're not gonna b there w/me.

Me: u have other friends, dw

J: ur right, ur always right, bio is killin me

Me: revise or ur gonna fail ur 1st yr

J: fk it, Janice is doin my head in

Me: everythin ok w/ u+her?

J: sme old shit

Me: here if u need me

I don't know why I say it, I don't know why I busy myself with other peoples problems when I have plenty of my own to deal with.

I cross off another day on my calendar and head into the bathroom. Seventy-three days until I leave this place and head off to university.

Seventy-three days till I can leave all of this shit behind me and start my life.

I dress quickly in my usual get up; skinny jeans, converse and a hoodie and head out of my eerily quiet house to meet Alice.

This is normally what happens after everything erupts at home, I always end up texting Alice to meet for breakfast the next day and she says yes, always. She doesn't ask questions, none of the 'what happened?' 'are you ok?' She knows somethings off, but she values the fact that I'm not comfortable with emotions and so she does what every bestfriend should do, distract.

It takes me a while to find a parking spot, for some odd reason the car parks pretty packed today, way too packed for a 10am on a Monday morning, regardless of it being the holidays.

I finally find parking on the sixth floor and head out to a diner we both discovered over two years ago, it does everything from the full english breakfast to french toast to banana waffles.

"Well hello there hotstuff, I'm starving so I ordered for us about ten minutes ago. Blueberry pancakes with a side of bacon?"

"Sounds perfect, thanks."

I slide into the booth across Alice and take in all of her. Its morning but she still looks impeccable, she has this model look about her. Her blazer is fitted with a band-tee underneath, her hair is out like mine but I know that's where the similarities end, she's blonde, I'm a brunette, she's got blue eyes, I've got hazel eyes.

"How is it you can look like that on a Monday morning? Life is so unfair."

"Are you fucking kidding me? You have on a hoodie, absolutely zero makeup and you look like that! I'd switch places with you anyday, do you know how long it takes me to get this effortless natural look? Forget it, you do not wanna know."

I laugh at her because first of all I know it probably takes her all of rolling out of bed and washing her face and secondly because she knows just what to say to cheer me up.

"Why did it take you so long getting here?"

"Parking was torture, I don't get why there were so many places taken up at 10am on a Monday morning. Shouldn't everyone be working?"

"Oh there's some sort of event today in the city centre, football players are in town and they're opening up something. God knows what, Dad was talking about it."

She looks behind me and her face breaks out into a smile, I turn to see what she's so happy about and see a waitress walking out with my stack of pancakes but they have candles in them. Eighteen candles by the looks of it.

I blush bright red as Alice sings her own rendition of happy birthday at the top of her lungs.

"You didn't think I'd forget my own bestfriends birthday did you? Make a wish!"

I blow out my candles and sub-consciously wish for an easy life.

"Thankyou Alice."

My throat closes up, my eyes water but no tears fall out. I almost wish I could cry because this moment deserves happy tears.

"Hey, it's ok, don't cry babe! You should not be crying on your birthday."

She doesn't know that tears won't fall, no-one does.

"You're the best."

"Fuck yeah I am. Now for today, the plans are as follows; pancakes, shopping, food, hair, more shopping and then a club. I've already waited months for you to turn eighteen, I'm not waiting a day longer to finally have you join me at a club."

Alice is older than me by three months so she turned eighteen in May, since then she frequently visited nightclubs and vowed she'd get me to join her one day. I guess today was that day.

"Sounds like a plan, we need to head back to mine so that I can pick up more money then, I left my card at home."

"Do you really think so low of me that I'd make you pay for anything on your birthday? You better apologise or I'm gonna stab you with my greasy fork."

My smile is big as I say sorry and appreciate one positive thing in my life. Alice.

'I don't know, I'm not really feeling it."

I stare back at myself in the full length mirror. I have on the dress I'm supposed to wear tonight but it doesn't feel right. Its short, just inches past my bum and tight. Very tight. Oh and it's bright, a bright pink. Definitely not me.

"Fine, I'll find you another but I swear to God Bella if you say no to this one too I'll... well I don't know, I'll do something though."

I shimmy off the bright pink dress and wait for Alice to hand me another.

As I slide into a dark green lace dress I feel it cling to my curves. Its longer than the pink one, and it makes up for being tight by having a high neck with wrist-length sleeves and lining underneath to cover any indecent exposure.

The curtain to the fitting room gets pulled back and I see Alice staring at me in the mirror.

"Holy mother of God. That is the dress."

I stare back at myself, I look glamorous, I look classy, I look like a different person, I feel like a different person.

It's weird what dressing up can do to someone.

I block out everything that's been happening in my life for the past few years and stare at the new person infront of me. I feel a surge of confidence rush through me.

"This is the dress."

As we wait in line to a high-end club, Alice lists off all the reasons why this is the club we should be at.

"You don't want to go to some trashy club for your first time, it'll put you off for the rest of your life. Plus I know you don't like touchy-feely people and most of the people in here are classy, who lack the wandering hands disease."

"Most?"

"You're lucky you got most. God my feet are killing me already and the night hasn't even begun."

"Mine too."

I look down at our heels, I have on four inch black pumps putting me at 5'10, Alice has on five inch heels putting her at 5'11, yet we don't seem to be towering over anyone.

Well, that's a first.

My hairs curled to the side, makeup minimal but still a lot more than I'm used to.

We get to the front of the line and wait as the bouncers look us over once before letting us inside. It's a simple look that they probably have to give to every girl who lines up, but it still makes me feel a little violated.

I push the thought to the back of my mind as I take in the club. Alice was right, it's definitely classy.

The dance floor takes up most of the space, with a bar to the back left corner, the booths are to the right and then there's a vip area just behind them.

People are dancing, music is playing and drinks seem to flowing as I watch bodies sway in time to the music. I'm not one for dancing, I've never really been able to move gracefully, I'd look like I was dying if I ever did try to dance but I know tonight I have no choice but to dance because there's no way Alice is dancing alone.

We sit at a booth and Alice goes to order us drinks, apparently there's something called birthday shots?

I'm on my third when they finally kick in, I sway a little and feel myself loosen up. I grab Alices hand to pull her on to the dance floor. She looks shocked but she doesn't refuse.

We go crazy dancing to the latest David Guetta song, I loose myself in the music, suddenly I don't care that I probably look stupid.

Erotic City comes on and we both let out a little scream, this is definitely our song. We rub against eachother trying to be sexy, our dance has garnered the attention of the people around us but I'm oblivious to it, and I'm pretty sure Alice is too.

The song ends and I leave Alice to go and sit down, apparently she has legs of steel because she doesn't seem to be stopping anytime soon. I watch her dance with a random girl, the guys around them are lapping it up, I down my fourth shot and turn my head to see a man standing to the side of my booth.

He's hot, and I mean out of this world, like no way in hell is he real, hot. Maybe I'm dreaming?

"May I join you?"

My voice has left me, I close my gaping mouth and nod.

"I'm Edward."

He throws his hand out at me, I stare at it for a few seconds before forcing my sweaty palm into his. His shake is strong and sturdy, there's no doubt in my mind this man is well, a man.

"And you are?"

Fuck. Speak Bella.

"Isabella. Bella."

"Isabella, well it's nice to meet you."

I hold back a groan as my name rolls off his tongue, it almost seems as if he's trying it out.

"You too."

"That was some show you put on out there."

He smirks as he points towards the dance floor and I realise he must've seen me dancing.

My head falls into my hands as I groan in embarrasment.

"That, was the cause of one too many birthday shots."

"It's your birthday and you're sitting here alone?"

"My friend Alice likes to dance, whereas I didn't think I could carry on for much longer, like I said, one too many shots, plus I'm not alone. Not anymore."

I whisper the last bit as I realise what I've just said. He could get up and walk away at any moment which would definitely leave me alone.

"Well then I'm glad you caught my eye, wouldn't want the birthday girl alone on her birthday. How old are you?"

I'm hesitant to tell him I'm eighteen because I know he's at least a couple of years older than me and some would consider that too old, but then I realise I'm never going to see this guy again, who cares how big of a difference our age gap is, nothings going to happen.

"It's my eighteenth."

I watch him, waiting for a reaction, he sucks in a gasp and I suddenly feel hot. I picture him using his mouth to do a different type of sucking and blush at my crude thoughts.

"You're young. You don't look it."

"I get that a lot and I'm not that young."

"I can definitely see why."

His eyes rake my body and unlike the bouncers stare this makes me feel sexy, it makes me feel wanted. I wait for him to tell me his own age but he doesn't seem to be divulging it of his own accord.

"How old are you?"

I don't mean for it to come out so desperate but I can't help it.

He laughs before answering. "I'm twenty-four."

"That's not that bad, there's only six years between us. Plus I'm mature for my age."

I realise I've just put my foot in my mouth by making excuses and avert eye contact as he gives me a look as if to say 'forward much?'

"You are, are you?"

I nod, hesitantly this time.

"Isabella."

He sighs my name and I feel myself turn into a puddle on the floor.

"What is it Edward?"

"You don't want this."

I sidle up closer to him as my female instincts take over.

"What? This."

I'm suddenly next to him, with my hand cupping the side of his face.

His eyes are burning into mine, I notice there a dark grey, an eye colour unlike any I've ever seen before.

"Yes."

I don't know if he's answering my question or giving me the go-ahead but I don't care. Tonight's the only night I'd get to myself, where I'd able to let go of everything and become someone else.

My lips land on his, and I hear him growl under his breath. He let's me take the lead as I force his mouth open and slip my tongue in, he tastes like whiskey. He murmurs my name against my lips and I kiss him harder.

His hands pull me against him and I realise I'm straddling him, my dress has ridden up and he's drawing circles on my upper thigh.

I pull back worried that I'll get too lost in the kiss.

Our eyes lock and neither of us say anything as we stare back at eachother.

I move to get off his lap but he clamps me down while shaking his head. I feel something hard against my centre and let out a little gasp before springing up off him.

His suprised eyes move from me to his erection and then back at me.

I realise I've just written the words un-experienced virgin on my forehead and grab my purse before running off to find Alice. I hear him shout my name but I'm too embarrased to care.

I find her at the bar ordering more drinks, I grab her arms and pull her to the side.

"Alice I don't feel so good, can we just go back to your place? Please."

She looks me up and down and then at my swollen lips before grabbing me to head out of the club. No questions asked, just as I like.

Authors Note:

So they've met! Did you like it?

Next chapter gets really exciting, I've already writ it and I'm just editing it at the moment so it should be up within a week, maybe sooner.