Every Second Counts
Bella Swan is an intelligent, sarcastic but beautiful girl trying to make it as a writer, but stuck in a dead end job. She lives with her best friend, Jasper Hale - a cocky, but lovable lawyer. What happens when Jasper runs into Edward Cullen, and old friend without a place to stay? How will Bella respond? Stuck in the same space, they'll experience the up's and down's of love along the way.
RATED M FOR LANGUAGE/CONTENT. AU/AH. CANON PAIRINGS. Oh and, I don't own Twilight. What a shame.
A/N: Ok, first off my apologies to anyone who picked my mistake in the last chapter, like em87ma. It was Charlotte dancing through the store, not Alice. She was happy about having gone to eclipse with Peter. I fixed it, so it shouldn't be a problem anymore. Second, the choice of music: the store stocks all, from 80's to new Alternative Rock. It doesn'tdo the top 40. Also, the music may seem 'teenager-ish', but there's no listening age limit on bands like Paramore and We The Kings, and I will allow that it's probably my being a teenager, but good music is good music. Alice and Bella can like Paramore, right? And I often sing along to good songs that I liked when I was younger. So them singing to Skyway Avenue is like that, just having fun. Bella's taste in music is wide and varied, anyway. Thanks for all the questions, I really appreciate you all taking the time to read it.
Chapter 5: 48 Hours
BellaPOV
For the rest of my shift, all I could think of was Jasper's odd conversation on the phone, and why Edward had left so abruptly.
Alice hadn't asked me about my stale mood since Edward had left. I'm not sure why. Alice had this uncanny ability to guess what was happening, or going to happen. I don't know. She'd taken one look at me, my face still red from the tears, and had left me wallow in my own confusion and sadness.
At the end of my shift, I bailed pretty quickly and headed home. I needed to know what all of this was about. Why had Edward been so concerned when I mentioned him?
I ran up the stairs and jammed my key into the door, but it opened before I turned it.
Jasper was holding onto the doorknob, his usual serene persona was gone, and the Jasper in front of me was in shambles. He looked torn between two moods. I'd known Jasper long enough to know that he was ruled by his emotions.
"Jasper?" I breathed.
"Sorry, I've been pacing. I don't know what to do."
I led him to the couch and sat him down. "Ok, tell me what's wrong."
He took a deep breath. "So I told you Edward came into the firm today?"
I nodded.
"Well, he said he needed to me particularly, so I brought him into my office where he explained his situation to me." He paused, thinking of how to continue. "See, I didn't know that Edward was Alice's sister. When he mentioned Alice, it all made sense. Did he say anything to you about his living arrangements?"
"Uh, he mentioned that he was being evicted, but he assured me that he had it sorted."
"I think he was trying to downplay it for your sake, Bells. His situation is not good. He's been behind his rent for months, and he got the eviction notice 5 days ago."
I did the simple math in my head quickly. 2 days.
"So he went to Alice, but Alice's place is so tiny that she barely fits in there. They couldn't squeeze Edward and his belongings in. So he came to me for advice, his landlord had a document which Edward signed saying that he'd have to pay back the owing rent, even if he was evicted. There's nothing I can do to get him out of that, and if he doesn't pay it off soon, he'll be in trouble."
"He's also homeless in 48 hours." I added.
Jasper gulped. "Well see, I can think of one solution, but I needed to ask you first."
"Why me?" Jasper threw me a pointed glance.
Oh. Oh. Why the hell didn't that occur to me. Of course Jasper would think of that.
No. He Couldn't. I could only handle living with one person, and that was Jasper.
Jasper was watching me carefully, reading each emotion as it flickered across my face.
"Bells?"
I didn't respond
"Bella. It's not going to be like before. Edward's not like him-" he spat the word "-and you know it."
I gulped. "Jasper I want to, but.. but"
"Bella, he's a friend of mine. I know him well enough to know that he's not like him. You can trust me."
Edward's face flashed in my mind. "I never trust people when they say 'trust me'." He joked.
Of course Edward wasn't like him. It wouldn't be like last time. I had to do this. I had to help him.
"Well you'll be here, so I'll be okay." I tried to smile. It came out more like a grimace.
"Well, Bella, I'm not so sure. This place is pretty small, and Alice and I are getting serious"
…what?
"N-n-no" I stuttered.
"Bells, I won't be completely gone, I'll be here some nights. on the couch upstairs. I'd never leave you completely alone. It would really mean a lot to me, and Alice if you helped her brother."
When Jasper referred to Edward as Alice's brother, my perspective changed. Edward wasn't evil.
I had to do this, for everyone.
"Yes?" he asked softly
I nodded, I couldn't talk. I felt like my heart was half way up my throat.
"When you're ready, head down to the bookstore to tell him, I have to get back to work and contact his landlord." Jasper kissed my head and walked out.
I ran up into my room, turned on my stereo and blasted out the music as loud as it would go. Luckily the CD was some heavy metal band Emmett had told me to listen to, and the music came out loud and deafening. I needed to drown out my head. Forget what I had tried so hard to bury in the back of my head, where it could never resurface.
When I couldn't think I grabbed my iPod and jammed it in my ears, blasting more music, before turning off the stereo. I grabbed my keys and headed for the bookstore.
***
When I got to the door of bookstore, I turned off my iPod, and the thoughts came flooding back. I ran inside and slammed the door behind me, trying to outrun my thoughts.
As if that would work.
Though, the moment I got inside I saw Edward, my nerves disappeared. My stomach untied itself and my heart settled back in my chest. He was stacking books on the shelf, his back turned. He heard the slam and turned to see the disturbance.
That's me, a disturbance.
When he saw me, I must have been a mess, because he dropped the books back into the cardboard box that he'd been pulling them from.
In three long strides, he closed the distance between us, pulling me into a warm embrace. We stayed like that for a while. It was safe.
When he pulled backed back, he was careful to study my face. Probably preparing himself for another breakdown.
"Bella. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I made you cry. I'm sorry I stormed out of the store. I'm sorry I lied to you. Please forgive me. Please. I'll never walk away from you again." he was rambling, but I listened to the emotion in every word.
I couldn't answer him, so I pulled him into another bone crushing embrace.
He picked me up and carried me to the back of the bookshop. It was small and quaint, with a small sofa in the back of the maze of shelves, completely private, the sounds muffled by the walls of books.
"Edward, um..." I didn't know where to start.
"Jasper told you, didn't he." I hung my head, and nodded.
Edward put his thumb under my chin, and slowly lifted it. "I'm not mad. You would have found out eventually."
"Why did you tell me you had it all sorted if you didn't?"
"I didn't want to worry you."
"Jasper suggested a solution." I blurted out.
Edward dropped his hand into his lap.
"He's not here telling you, because he's trying to get in contact with your landlord. But it's a decision that we've both made." He was confused now. I wasn't explaining this so well.
Just cut the crap and say it. "Move in with us."
Edward seemed shocked. "No, Bella I couldn't."
I felt.. rejected. Why would he say no? Anger ripped through me
"Why the hell not?" I yelled.
"Because," he whispered, "I don't want to be in the way".
Bullshit.
"Jasper wants to stay with Alice at nights, so I don't see the problem."
"It's not just that."
Obviously.
Even the voice inside of me was becoming sarcastic.
"Bella. Jasper told me about your past."
My face must have scared him, because he backtracked.
"Not all of it, he just said that you were…volatile."
"Volatile!?" Ok, now I was angry.
"No, he just said that you don't handle living with anyone else but him, or on you own. He just said it was from something that happened, but wouldn't tell me what. I could never make you feel uncomfortable, Bella. It would kill me."
Reel it in Bella. He doesn't know. Time to prove you're not a loony.
"I wouldn't be uncomfortable Edward, I want you there."
I wasn't just saying it, I meant it.
He cupped my face with his hands. "Are you sure?"
"Yes." I answered instantly.
He hugged me again. "Thank you, Bella." he whispered into my hair. I just squeezed him tighter.
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