A/N:
I've left you way too long without a bitchy Bella fix, and you really deserve one after the way I broke off the end of the last chapter before any good shit with Edward. Sorry about that. Just gotta keep you lot coming back for more :D
Here is where I would usually plug something (new co-story written with jezzeria, "Satin and Revolvers") or dedicate this to someone (to jezz who amuses me always with her dirty mind and to you guys that keep reading my work), but instead I'm going to just leave you with the mental image of a half naked Robert Pattinson getting friendly with Jackson Rathbourne's tattoo. If none of you know of this tattoo, Google it ladies. Soon.
Well, I guess that kind of was a dedication to jezzeria... who'd have thought? :P But she deserves it because I'm ditching her :( And it also goes out to Kim and Fer who I am missing chatting with over at Twilighted. Keep your eyes peeled for this story over there (hopefully)!
Anyway, this chapter is just a little something from me to me in reality. Just as a gift for the end of all my exams!
Stephenie Meyer owns all the characters, but luckily not the actors. We can use them in our imaginations without having to dedicate (drool).
Now, to the main feature... with a surprise in store at the end...
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Chapter Seven
Bella POV
Alice trilled her own little monologue, as if I'd known her for years, all the way to Forks High. It was easier than I would have ever imagined to block out her fucking annoying little voice.
It became background noise as I took in my surroundings, so I knew where the Cullen house was when I picked up the dirty clothes Emmett's adoptive mother had insisted on washing for me.
Esme, that was her name. Odd woman. As small as Alice, with the same amount of energy. Though, with age, it seemed that there came control. I only hoped Alice was learning a little something from the woman. If the younger version continued at her level of excitement she would pass out from the bloody over exertion.
The woodland was especially dense around the Cullen grounds, it only confirmed my earlier ideas that Doctor Cullen was a rich ass bastard. It also made me wonder if I should become better friends with his adoptive children...
I shook the daydream of me getting overly close to Emmett out of my head, and I then realised we were nearing the school. I felt an involuntary blush, the worst damn kind, creep up my neck as I secretly loathed the trashy side of myself.
Why did it always come out at the worst possible time?
I was going to see Edward, for fucks sake!
He was so much more important than some random guy I had just met. Even if I would usually fuck guys like Emmett, I felt like I could have so much more with Edward.
The revelation kind of scared the crap out of me... but in a really good way.
I began tapping a beat with my palms on my knees as my legs jiggled uncontrollably. This was only worsened when I saw the digital time displayed on the dashboard. Half past nine. Oh holy shit. I resisted the urge to bite my fingernails, a habit I thought I'd given up when I was fourteen, as my hands clenched into fists. We had to be getting closer.
I was right. We were pulling into the slip road that would take you to the high school. Thank fuck for being right! Though this ability never seemed to comfort me, I was still as jumpy as ever as we pulled into the parking lot.
He was there. Just like he said he would be. A breath I didn't know I'd been holding gushed out of me in pure relief. I heard Alice giggle, and my blush just freaking increased as I felt like a complete douche. A douche attached to a guy. This so wasn't me.
His silver Volvo had been parked neatly a couple of spaces away from my monstrosity. In the wake of everything that had happened, I had completely forgotten about the best present I had ever received.
It still made me grin that I had caused so much damage to the walkway and the bench, and no one had bothered to tow me. Lazy bastards. You gotta love Forks.
Alice killed the engine a row away from Edward, turning to look at me with a shit-eating grin on her face. I knew she was about to make a smart ass remark, but I was too jazzed to see Edward to even give a crap.
"Now, Bella," she began almost knowingly. Fucking annoying little pixie. "You had better behave yourself..." but then her voice gave out on her. She couldn't do serious anymore. Instead, she let out a high pitched squeal. "You have to tell me everything that happens! Here! Here's my number!"
A pen appeared out of thin air and she began scribbling away on my left palm. Before I had any chance to complain, she was done; the pen disappearing almost in front of my eyes. Damn, she was fast.
"Hold on, Alice. You're acting as if I fucking know you. And I don't. Not even a freaking little bit."
"But," she seemed shocked. As if she hadn't been questioned in a long time.
"Hey, no offense or anything, but I'm right. And I don't want to piss you off, you've been so nice and shit, but I feel like I have to point it out."
"Know what, Bella?" The voice was back. Damnit. I thought I'd left her stunned for good. "I think you are going to call me. And, when you do, you're going to eat those words. Because I will know you. Very well. And I'll be seeing you very soon."
"You're right, Miss Psychic Bitch, I'll be collecting my clothes tomorrow."
"No, I mean, other than that."
"Yeah, sure, mhmm." I wanted to placate her without causing an argument.
"Just, listen to me Bella. You may be skeptical, and more prone to listening to your own gut, but I'm right more often than you." She chuckled darkly. It was fucking creepy.
"I'll call you later then, tell your family thanks a fuck load. For everything."
"Are you sure you're going to be okay, with what happened?" It came out of nowhere, this concern. I'd almost forgotten about the whole pissing incident.
"I can cope, always have. And, if I feel a bout of she shakes, you'll be the first to know. I wouldn't dare confide in any other bastard."
"Thanks Bella, now you'd better go. That guy of yours is looking a little startled."
I laughed at her turn of phrase as I lumbered out of the car, fucking ungraceful as ever.
Ignoring Edward behind me I prayed he hadn't seen the shameful affair that was my own damn clumsiness, instead focusing on slamming the car door shut and raising my hand to salute Alice as she drove off. I saw another shit-eating grin, the widest I'd ever seen, in the rear view mirror, before I turned around.
He had already begun to walk towards me, I closed the gap between us and stopped abruptly. What was the protocol here? We had barely had any contact, though I could remember every single time we touched; from the stray lock of hair he had tucked behind my ear, to the kiss on my forehead, to the hug I had never wanted to end. This Edward prick was powerful, so powerful I was nervous to be around him.
I didn't have much time to ponder my options as he continued to walk towards me and pulled me into another strong embrace. Fuck. My body melted into his arms, fitting perfectly. Two halves of one whole... but that was ridiculous. There was no freaking way that was possible. I barely knew him.
Though, my heart yelled at my mind; telling me not to be such a dense bitch and to go with the flow. So, for once, I listened to my godamned heart.
Then, I hugged him back.
I didn't know how long we stayed like that, my arms around his waist with my face buried in his chest while his own arms encircled me; but as soon as we broke apart it felt too fucking soon. There was a warmth that left me with his arms, and I knew I would never be the same without him ever again.
The gentle gesture of tucking my hair back was repeated, though the smile on his face suddenly turned sour. Shit wanking cocksucker! Newton! I had forgotten the bloody state of my face, too damn focused was I on meeting Edward. I didn't prepare him. Now he was worried.
He cupped my face in between his hands as his warm fingers lightly traced the painful lacerations. I gasped back multiple expletives as he examined the damage. Usually, I wouldn't have worried about cussing in front of anyone. But, for him, I wanted to be the best version of me possible... if I had one, somewhere.
"Bella," his voice was as soft as his fingers, as if he were afraid the volume would break me. Fucking concerned. I couldn't have this.
"Edward." I looked into his deep green eyes, picking out the different patterns in hazel and gold as I prepared myself to speak. "It's nothing. Honest. I'm fine. So, what did you want to meet me for?"
But I knew he wasn't going to let this drop. Shit. My mind was drawing blanks, not able to think of a suitable excuse. I couldn't tell him the truth.
Newton might be a dickhead. No, wait. He definitely was a dickhead, but he was still Edward's family. And I didn't want to be the one to tell Edward, a guy I could possibly have something special with, that his extended family was screwed up. Almost as royally as my own.
"You can tell me, if you're in any trouble, I promise I will do everything possible to help you out." He leaned forward and placed another chaste kiss on my forehead.
The sentiment was nice but I couldn't help thinking of so many other things, better things, that he could be doing with those lips. Those full, sensuous lips that made a girl 'gasm just a little bit when they broke into a smile.
"I promise, I'm fine. I'm not in any trouble, so you can just quit fucking worrying!"
The f-bomb dropped from my mouth before I had chance to stop it. But then I thought fuck it. If this is going to work, I need to be myself. All of me. Take it or leave it. And, be it good or bad, my language was not clean. Any prick unhappy with that could piss on my grave for all I cared. Fuckers. It wouldn't be the Bella show without a little cussin'!
I stopped myself from smiling as I was snapped out of yet another daydream. What the fuck was wrong with me? I had the attention span of a bastard fruit fly. Even when a gorgeous guy, apparently not frightened by my less than tasteful attitude, was standing right in front of me! I needed to get a fucking grip!
"I know you think I'm going to let this drop, but I'm not. Okay. Just so you know, we will talk about this again. But, for now... I want to tell you why I brought you here."
He stroked my cheek with his fingers one more time before dropping his hands from my face. Instead, they flew to my own hands. His long fingers were entwined with mine, the same fingers that had me mesmerised not so long ago. I smiled at the memory as he pulled me forwards, towards his pretty little car. With any other guy, I would have told them they had a pansy car; but Edward just seemed to make the silver Volvo so much fucking more attractive.
As he leaned down to open the driver door, I tilted my head to the side to check out his rear. I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of doing this sooner. But, God, was it worth the wait. There was only one word to describe an ass like Edward's... squeezable.
I just wanted to reach forward and plant a hand right there on one of the cheeks being basically fucking presented to me. It took a whole load of willpower, shit loads more than I ever thought I possessed, but I managed to restrain myself.
Averting my eyes quickly as he stood, Edward had to cough to regain my attention. And when I did finally look, hoping my embarrassing goddamn blush had gone down, I was completely caught off guard. I would have said speechless, but that wasn't the whole truth.
"What the actual fuck?" I couldn't help myself. It had to be said.
"I thought you might like them," he stepped forward and handed to me the things that had induced such shock. A small bouquet of red roses. My favourite. Christ, this guy was good.
"Well, yeah. They're gorgeous... and they happen to be my favourite flower. This is bitching, Edward. Are you this smooth with all the ladies?"
I winked, trying to pull off my lame ass joke; but it only caused Edward to blush furiously. His cheeks turning a shade of red that matched my flowers. It was beautiful, his insecurity, and I found myself placing a cool hand onto his bloody burning face.
"So," I had to break the silence. "I'm guessing, from your reaction, you don't do this often." His face burned even hotter under my hand. "Well, you know what?" I leaned in real fucking close as I whispered into his left ear, removing my hand as I did so. "That just makes it even more goddamned special."
His smile was unearthly as I glanced at him, our faces so close that our noses were almost touching. There was an opportunity in front of me, literally, that I could not pass up. Otherwise I would regret this and call myself a pussy for the rest of my life.
So, I went for it. I placed my hand back onto his slowly cooling cheek as I leaned my lips forward just a little bit. Edward mirrored my movement; bringing himself closer, but still keeping us that little bit apart. Then, it was my turn. I knew I would have to instigate this.
I closed the distance between our lips and gently pressed mine to his closed mouth. His lips were even more wonderfully fucking soft than I could have ever imagined.
The pressure was increasing, he began pushing against me harder. Wanting. I was more than happy to return the favour. I linked my arms around the back of his neck and pulled his face closer to mine as my tongue gently darted across his bottom lip. Allowing me entry, his lips parted and his tongue welcomed my own in a knee-buckling embrace.
Too soon it was over, leaving me gasping for fucking breath. I was liking this bastard more with each passing second.
I opened my eyes, to see if he was enjoying this as much as I was, and was more than pleasantly surprised with the freaking smirk plastered on his face. Just a little crooked, more than a lot orgasmic. It was a better version than the dazzling smile he had presented to me not so long ago, and I couldn't help but wonder what his post-coital grin would look like...
I matched his smile with one of my own as his hands found their way to my hips. He pulled me towards him, and our lips met for the second time. Just fucking better every moment. Though this kiss was softer, gentler, with less tongue; it was still bloody magnificent.
"So, what were your other plans?" I gasped as his lips left mine as suddenly as before. As if he were playing me, smart cunt.
"Oh."
A small chuckle escaped from him, passing his warm breath over my cheek. I shivered as it made contact, goosebumps covered my skin as his gentle breath caressed my face. Minty fresh, he had planned for this...
"I had something I wanted to show you."
"Other than the flowers?" I raised an eyebrow expectantly.
"Yeah, other than flowers." He chuckled once more. "Come on," his hand pulled me towards the passenger door. "Get in."
Neither of us said a word as he drove. I don't know what he was doing, but I was busy trying to fucking figure him out. What was he up to?
We soon stopped. In a little lane off the side of the main road passing through the forest. The trees were thick around us, clustered and conspiring.
"You're not planning on chopping me up into fucking bits and feeding me to the woodland creatures, are you?"
I laughed to cover the note of seriousness. I knew deep down Edward was a good guy, but that didn't stop me bringing up bad past experiences. Nice guys have turned out to be bastards too.
"No!" Edward laughed as he looked at me with these big wide pissing eyes. As if he had never heard such a ridiculous thing.
"Well, that's okay then." I winked.
"I have something I wanted to show you. It's the place I tend to come to get away from everything. Only you and the person who built this with me have ever been here."
"Built? You can build shit? Lead the way, I've gotta see this!" I grinned and slipped out of the car.
When he walked to me, our hands found each other once more, and he was pulling me through the freaking wilderness. I so wasn't outdoorsy; but, if Edward was there, I could start to like me a bit of nature.
Suddenly, we came upon a little clearing. It was fucking amazing, filled with flowers and long grass, and I swore I could even hear a little stream babbling in the distance. Even though the flowers were all closed, hiding from the night, the effect was still a strong one. I instantly loved this place. I never wanted to leave.
"Wow, thank you for showing me this."
"It's okay," he grinned once more and tugged on my hand. "But I haven't even gotten to the best part yet."
"Oh, right. That thing you built."
I didn't want to drag my eyes away from the little clearing, but followed as Edward continued to pull me forwards. He took me to the edge of the clearing. I wasn't looking where we were going, so bumped into his back when he stopped all of a bloody sudden.
As I looked, I was shocked. It was a tree house, a two story tree house. With a bottom floor on the ground right in front of me, a little rope ladder leading up into the branches of the oak tree, and a completely concealed top floor.
"You really fucking built this?"
"Yeah, the summer before I left Forks for Chicago with my parents. Me and my best friend built it. Every time I used to visit, we would come here. We haven't seen much of each other lately, but we leave messages in the tree house. I come here a lot. To, think and stuff."
"Shit, Edward. It's fuckawesome. Can I... can I see inside?"
Edward and I spent two hours at the tree house. He told me all these animated stories about his childhood while I listened. I wanted to know everything about him. Even stories about him and his cousin, little family feuds, what his old house had looked like, what the one in Chicago looked like, what his favourite childhood game was. All the trivial details that somehow seemed so damn important when coming from him.
I was showed around the tree house, all of the three little rooms upstairs, while he told me things about each room. Why they were special to him.
When he told me about his parents, Elizabeth and Edward, I didn't pry. Wanting him to tell me it in his own time, though tonight wasn't the right time for such sad tales. I didn't want to see his fucking heart break. He'd had a good life, before whatever the hell had happened.
We were sat on the small balcony facing the meadow when I realised the time. Charlie was sure to be giving birth to freaking kittens by now. I hadn't told him I was going out after school, I hadn't even been home because of dickhead Newton.
"Crap, Edward, I think I'd better go." His face dropped. "Can we do this again?" I added quickly, before he thought I didn't like him. He was the best guy I'd ever met.
"Of course. When were you thinking?"
"Maybe tomorrow? After school? I'll need something to cheer me up." The thought of Leah was a very fucking disturbing one.
"Sure. What's your number? So I can call you."
"Here," I typed my number into his cell. "And, could you please take me back to Forks High to get my truck?"
"It would be my pleasure."
He helped me up from my seated position, held my hand as I struggled like a douche down the rope ladder, held my hand as he led me back across the meadow, not even letting go to drive his car. As he dropped me off at Forks High and we shared another kiss that left me gasping, I realised I couldn't wait to call Alice. I needed a girl I could share shit with. Who else was there?
I grinned the whole way home, and was even nice to Charlie, as I apologised for my absence and picked up the phone to give Alice the details.
EPOV
I parked my car in the driveway after getting home from one of the best nights of my life, and let my mind play through everything that had happened.
Bella was one of the most interesting girls I had ever met, and I still barely knew her. But it wasn't just her mystery that enticed me. It felt as if there could be something really special between us, if only she could open up.
I shouted a hello to my Aunt Susan and Uncle Larry as I made my way up the stairs to the room they had given to me. It wasn't big, it didn't have it's own little bathroom like I used to have, but it was comfortable enough. I flipped the light switch and did a double take.
"Sup cuz."
Mike was lounging on my bed, grinning. Obviously waiting for me. A bag of open chips lay next to him and helped add to the mess he'd created on my blue bedspread. Bella was right, he was a dick.
"Hey Mike, what do you want?"
I cut to the chase, I didn't want him here any longer than he had to be. I wanted to be alone with my memories of my evening, and my cousin was definitely spoiling the mood. I slung my grey coat over the back of my desk chair as I waited for his reply.
"I know where you went tonight," his accusation came after he had finished crunching through a handful of chips.
"What, are you following me now or something? I thought you only did that to your girlfriends." I laughed at the obvious shock on his face as I leaned against the small window opposite the bed.
"Shut the fuck up, Ed." He grinned as I cringed at the nickname I had always despised.
"Get out of my room, Mike." I wasn't going to put up with his crap anymore. He looked high, no surprise there.
"Like hell you can tell me what to do, you're just an intruding bastard in my family. But, while you're here, I'm going to make shit real clear for you. Stay away from that Bella bitch. She's no good for you, Ed."
"As soon as this year ends, I'll be long gone and you won't have to worry about me showing your parents what a screw up you really are. Until then, get out of my room and don't interfere in my life. I'm not scared of you, Mike. You talk big, but I've never seen you follow through in all your life. Except that time you shit yourself."
"Fuck off!" He yelled over my laughter. "Of course I'm good to my word. Just ask that hoare you saw tonight."
"What are you talking about?"
"Those bruises all over her? I'm sure you saw them, Bella gives it away to anyone all the time. Guess I taught her good." A grin spread across Mike's face that I wanted to smack off.
"You... you fucking did that to her?" I couldn't contain myself anymore.
"Of course," he laughed. "Bella's easy, but she always teased me. Now, she'll stay away from you... and I finally got to see into those pants."
That's when I launched myself at him. I couldn't contain myself. How did he think he could get away with something like this? Bella wasn't a bad person, but my cousin really was. And I was going to make him pay.
I landed on top of him and began punching him in the face. Over and over and over. I couldn't find it in me to stop. I didn't want to stop. He deserved this, so he was getting it. Punishment for hurting someone I cared about. Someone who never deserved all the shit I'm sure she went through.
I had never been this angry in my entire life.
Through the fog of rage, I began to hear yelling. Noise that had been blocked out by my utter focus on beating Mike's face to a pulp.
He was screaming, like a girl. But that wasn't the only sound. I was bellowing too. Louder and louder every time my fist connected with a part of his now bloody face.
Before I knew it, I was in the air. I was being tossed to the other side of the room. Aunt Susan and Uncle Larry were there. Confused and angry, but only with me. Damn Mike always got away with everything.
Aunt Susan was bent over her son, gently stroking his hair as the tears flowed steadily from her eyes. Her sobs were becoming heavier, but they were being drowned out by something more powerful. Uncle Larry was stood over me, my back against the radiator, as he yelled. I had never heard him yell before, but there wasn't enough time to stay shocked.
Through the sobs and the repetition of the yelling, "What the fuck do you think you are doing, Edward? My sister didn't bring you up this way!", I managed to collect myself and formulate a plan. I certainly wasn't welcome here anymore.
"Why don't you ask him?" I yelled over my uncle as I stood up from the crumpled heap I formerly was on the floor. "Ask him why he likes to do drugs and beat up girls. And, while you're doing that, you can say goodbye. I'm finding somewhere else to crash."
Ignoring whatever else was being shouted in my direction, I pulled a large black rucksack out of the bottom of my wardrobe and stuffed some of the clothes inside that were on the hangers above it. I quickly slung it over my shoulder, ran down the stairs, picked up the keys to the only thing I really owned from the bowl near the front door and never looked back.
There was only one place I could go now. The only real friend I had in Forks. We had known each other for years, our mothers had been friends through high school. We had built that damn tree house together.
When his mother died, I came back for him. When both my parents died, he had come to Chicago to see me. The best friend a guy could ever have.
I pressed down on the accelerator hard as I headed towards the Reservation. Knowing that, if anyone would be happy to see me, it would be Jacob Black.