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Chapter Four
My name is Edward Cullen and I am an idiot. At least, that's what Emmett keeps yelling out loud.
"Pussy. Fucking idiot! Take the damn shot!"
"Calm the fuck down," I spoke slowly, thanks to the cheap whiskey I've been forced to consume. "It's barely 8 p.m."
"No. No! You lose at pool and you take the fucking shot. I don't make the rules, bro." Emmett yelled louder, setting his pool cue against the wall to hand me the shot.
I blinked at him. "Actually, you did make the rules."
"Tomayto, tomahto."
Rolling my eyes, I grabbed the shot of Jim Beam and threw my head back. My father would be rolling in his grave if he knew we even looked at this shit of an excuse for whiskey, let alone consumed it like water.
I chalked the tip of my cue and watched Emmett break, sinking a solid in the side pocket, creating a nice little set up for me and my stripes.
"Where's that fucker, Ben?"
"He'll be here soon," Emmett said slowly, leaning over the table to shoot. "Feisty bar girl is here," he said without looking up from the table.
Low and behold, feisty bar girl had graced us with her presence. Bella waltzed in, waved at some girl, and breezed through the place with ease before disappearing.
"Let the games begin." I grinned at Emmett, who just shook his head and muttered something that I'm sure would have pissed me the fuck off if I could hear him clearly.
Grabbing my pool cue, I leaned against the wall and waited for Bella to return from the back. She did not disappoint. She appeared behind the bar wearing tight jean shorts, a shirt that was way too small, and her hair pulled back. I'm pretty sure she didn't have a bra on, but I was trying not to stare. Okay, I was fucking staring, but she kept glancing my way and I didn't want to get caught.
"You gonna play or what?" Emmett waved a hand in front of my face.
"Yep." Leaning over, I pulled the cue back and released in one fluid motion, missing my shot as Emmett announced that Ben had arrived. I groaned. "'Bout fucking time."
Emmett smiled. "He's talking to Bella."
My head shot in the direction of the bar and I assessed the situation.
Ben smiling.
Bella laughing.
Ben nodding his head.
Bella blushing.
Ben receiving a high five from grease monkey bartender.
The hell? Who the fuck high fives?
Me, myself and Jim Beam were about to make our way over to the love fest when the annoying brunette from last night bounced in front of me.
"Hi! Remember me? You were here last night. Oh, you're playing pool? Are you winning? I'm not that great at pool, but maybe you could show me how to shoot!" She giggled, bounced five fucking times in the matter of seconds and waited for me to respond. "I'm Jessica. That's my friend, Lauren, over there. We'd love to play with you guys." She winked and I had a sneaking suspicion she wasn't talking about pool anymore.
Normally, I would be all over that shit. So, she was dumb as fuck, wore way too much makeup, and her friend lacked in the chest department. But none of that mattered.
Emmett cleared his throat and discreetly shook his head no.
Well, shit. I wasn't even in a relationship yet and I was already not getting laid. This fucking blew. Or in my case, didn't.
"Nice to meet you, Jess." I gave her a side smile and winked. She would still come in handy. "That's my brother, Emmett. Why don't you and your friend go wait over there for me and I'll get us some drinks."
"Sounds perfect." Jessica smiled widely and waved her friend over. "No beer. It makes me bloated."
That's disgusting.
I could feel someone's eyes glaring at me, and I was sure it was either Emmett or Bella, so I slapped Jessica's ass before she skipped away, just for good measure. If I was gonna do this, I was gonna go all out.
"Cullen!" I heard Ben yell from the bar. Perfect timing.
"Benjamin. We've been waiting on your ass," I said in a stern voice as I pulled out a stool. "Ah, introduce me to your friend?"
Cue lazy smile at Bella.
"Oh, uh, yeah. Bella, this is Edward. Edward, this is my girlfriends friend, Bella. I was just getting her opinion on what to get Angela for her birthday."
Okay. It was a little more innocent than I had originally thought, but Ben noticed my glare and felt the need to cough up an explanation.
"Yeah. We've actually met before. He's just fucking with you." Bella's tone was stiff. Strictly business.
"No shit?" Ben asked.
Bella nodded, avoiding eye contact. "Angela is going to love the photo album." She smiled at Ben, glared at me, then walked to the other side of the bar to assist someone in becoming belligerently drunk.
I laughed. It was already working. Jealousy is definitely my friend.
"Photo album? Christ, Ben. The girl is already fucking you, isn't she? What's with the pussy gift?"
Ben slid off the bar stool and walked towards Emmett. "The girl's name is Angela. You'll understand some day, Cullen."
"I wouldn't bet on that," I muttered and whistled to get Bella's attention. "What's it take for a guy to get a little service around here?"
"I thought you were already being serviced?" Bella sent a pointed look in the direction of Jessica. "Although, Cain and Abel's has a strict policy against soliciting prostitutes. East sixth is more of that scene," she said with raised eyebrows while skillfully filling a pint, creating the perfect amount of head.
Head. Snap out of it, Cullen.
Chuckling, I ran a hand through my hair. I expected her to be jealous, of course I did. That's why I slapped that girls flat ass in the first place. But I didn't expect her to be so...articulate about it. I was used to girls calling me an asshole and some form of the word "penis", but when Bella got jealous and tried putting me in my place? It was fucking hot.
"What can I get ya?" Grease Monkey asked caustically as Bella walked away with a tray of beers.
"Still deciding," I lied, trying to buy time. But grease monkey set four Heineken's in front of me and walked away.
"What's this?"
"Heineken. It's a pale lager," he said, as if I were a fucking dumb ass.
"I know what the fuck it is. Why is it in front of me?"
"Isn't it what you've been drinking all night?"
"I didn't order this."
"Ah, I see. Look, Bella isn't interested in you. Run along now."
My mouth opened to speak, but for once, what could I say? This fuckhead was right. Bella wasn't interested. Why waste my time trying to make her interested when I had two sluts practically finger fucking each other on the pool table waiting for my dick to grace their mouths?
I happened to look over at Bella, who dropped a receipt and bent over to pick it up. Holy fucking shit. My question had been answered.
I turned back around towards Grease Monkey and realized he had been staring at the same thing I was. Grabbing the four beers, I whistled and stiffed him on a tip.
"Ladies." I handed them each a beer while Emmett flipped me off.
"Stop using me to fucking entertain your harem," Emmett sneered, ignoring the fact that the skanks were within ear-shot. "Next time, I tell them you have chlamydia."
"Nothing a few weeks of antibiotics can't cure," I assured, creating laughter from the sluts. Seriously, who the fuck laughs at STD jokes?
Emmett gave me a pointed look.
Three hours later, Ben was still going on about Angela, Emmett was still kicking my ass in pool, the sluts had made out with each other a dozen times and I was still trying to ignore the glares coming from Bella.
Slut #1 had to accompany Slut #2 to the bathroom. I decided to number them; it was easier than trying to remember their names.
"You into her or what?" Ben asked after he hung up the phone with, I'm assuming, Angela.
I had a gut feeling who he was talking about, but had to ask anyway. "Who?"
"You know who. You've been staring at her all night, man."
"Fuck," I muttered. "Em, cash me. We need beer."
Emmett tossed me his wallet just as Rose walked in.
"Again? God, don't you have your own means of income? You can't mooch off your brother forever, Edward."
"Again? Don't you have your own fucking friends to hang out with you insufferable bitch?" I spat, then ran to the bar before Rosalie could retaliate. No doubt I would pay for that one later.
As I got closer to the bar, and farther away from Rosalie's tantrum, I noticed Bella wasn't anywhere to be found.
I narrowed my eyes at grease monkey, readying myself to talk shit when I saw Bella prance behind him.
"Busy night, huh Jake?" she said in a cheerful voice then paused in place when she saw me, the tiniest of smiles forming on her pink lips. "You need somethin'?"
"Yeah. Come over to Emmett's tonight. He's having a Wii bowling party." I laughed at the bait I used to get girls to go back to Emmett's place.
Who knew that Nintendo would be my unofficial wingman?
"I work until close," she said, pretending to sound apologetic.
"I'm sure ole Jake will cover for you," I pushed.
He laughed, and waved a finger. "Not a chance, bud."
Bella shrugged. "Oh, darn."
"You're telling me you'd rather stay here at work with a guy who fucking high fives and uses the word bud?"
Bella began to laugh but quickly cut it short. "You have a problem with high fives? What next? You're going to tell me you hate baseball and hot dogs?"
"No one in their fucking right mind is ever pumped up enough to actually high five," I said seriously. Because I was fucking serious.
She seemed to find this all too amusing and then her smile suddenly evaporated.
"Bella, Bella, my beautiful Bella." A guy with blond hair walked up to the bar. What respectable, grown man has blond hair? "You haven't returned any of my calls."
"James." She nodded but avoided all eye contact.
Who was this douche? Clearing my throat, I pointed over to Emmett, letting her know where to find me. She gave me a tiny, sad smile as I walked away.
Much to my enjoyment, I realized the sluts had left. It was more likely that Rose kicked them out of the bar. She was known to do that every once in a while. That was the one thing she was good for.
"We're gonna head out," Emmett said, sticking his wallet into his back pocket.
"Yeah, Ange is waiting on me," Ben added.
"You comin'?" Em asked while Rosalie scoffed.
I looked over at the bar and noticed Bella whisper to Jake, untie her tiny apron and walk through the back door.
"I'll meet up with you guys later," I said.
Stealthily sneaking out the back entrance that was solely for employees only, I found myself standing in a back alley and Bella sitting on the damp ground against the building.
"What do you want? Can't you take a hint?" Her words were playful but her tone was dull and sad.
I held back my laugh. Edward Cullen doesn't get rejected, I wanted to say, but for some reason, I held back. She didn't look like she was in the mood for a snark competition.
"If Jake finds you out here, you might be dead. You do know that, right?"
The laughter was not held back this time. "Is he your boyfriend or something?" I was suddenly interested but stayed standing. No fucking way was I going to get my AG jeans fucking dirty by sitting in an alley.
"No. He's just very...protective of me."
Scoff. "I can tell. What about that James guy?"
She shook her head no but said nothing more about James. "Jake and I grew up together. Our fathers were best friends and my dad pretty much threatened Jake into moving here with me. To keep an eye on me," she admitted and I pretended to be interested.
As if anyone had to be threatened into doing anything for this girl, I thought. "Doesn't your father live here?" I said, remembering she and her father visit her grandmother every Sunday.
Bella looked up at me with shock and narrowed her eyes. "He does now, yeah. I guess he missed me a little too much and moved to Austin."
"I'm assuming you're done with work?" She nodded and bit her thumb nail. A disgusting habit that I possessed until I started taking piano lessons when I was seven. "How'd you get your little protector to cover for you?"
"I don't feel like talking about it," Bella said honestly. I could respect that. And I didn't really care that much anyway.
"Wii?"
"Are you suggesting I go with you to your brothers or are you speaking French?"
"No," I chuckled. "Souhaitez-vous comme moi de parler français?"
Bella smirked and stood up, dusting herself off. "Your little girlfriends were kicked out earlier. I think that was the highlight of my night."
"Oh, really? The highlight of your night?" I raised my eyebrows.
"Not really. I think the highlight was finding out that we have a mutual friend. Who would have thought a dick like you would be friends with someone as sweet as Ben Cheney?"
The back door to the bar suddenly swung open and Jake began speaking before he saw us. "Bells, James left. You want me to...oh."
I waved. He growled.
"Cool it, Jake," Bella scolded. "You think you can still cover for me? I'm not really in the mood to work anymore."
He looked pissed but nodded in agreement. "If you wait around until I get off, I can drop you off at home."
"That's okay. I really just need to go."
"Okay. Text me when you get home," he said before glaring at me and shutting the door.
"He takes the whole keeping an eye on you thing to a whole new level, huh?" I tried to keep the sarcasm light.
"Jake means well. He's the only person I trust."
Seriously? A guy who wears baby oil is the only person this girl trusts?
We walked around to the parking lot and I realized her truck was no where to be found. "Don't tell me you're about to take the bus home."
"Okay. I'm not about to take the bus home." She smiled. "I'll make this easy for you...give me a ride home?"
"You sure you don't want to go get your ass kicked at Emmett's?"
Her nose scrunched. "Sounds appealing, but I can't. Really. Maybe another time."
"I'm holding you to that."
She actually didn't live too far from the bar but that still didn't make it okay for her to ride the fucking bus. Especially so close to midnight.
I pulled up in front of a three story building that looked in major need of remodeling. Just like her truck.
"You're becoming my personal chauffeur." She joked, giving me an odd look. "Thanks."
"Give me your number."
"I don't have one."
Frowning, I recalled that James guy mentioned she hadn't returned his calls. She obviously had to own some sort of telephonic device for him to leave messages on.
"Bella."
"Look. I'm flattered, really. But I'm not into this. I don't do the whole fuck and duck thing."
She caught me off guard with that shit. Those were my words. That was my game.
It was pretty self explanatory but the main goal was to fuck a girl and duck out of her apartment before she emerged from the bathroom, after cleaning herself up. The key to this is to come on her chest, stomach or back making her obligated to actually leave the bed to clean up. If she doesn't attempt to clean up then you just walk the fuck out cause that shit is nasty.
"I overheard you talking about it one night at the bar. It was a while back." Bella became flustered and stared down into her lap.
It dawned on me that this girl might have noticed me for a very long time and I had no idea. She overheard me speaking obscenities to my friends, saw me leaving with random sluts every night and watched me drink like a fucking fish.
Coughing, I tried to come up with something to smooth over the situation but came up short. Did I honestly care what this girl thought of me?
"Thanks again for the ride. It was oddly nice of you."
I nodded my head, let her out of the car then drove off after she made it inside her building. Not even two minutes later, my cell phone rang.
"Hey, sexy. What are you doing tonight?" Tanya purred into my ear. I smiled, ready to release some of this tension that had been building.
"Hopefully you. I'll be there in fifteen?"
"Make it ten. I can't wait that long." She giggled and hung up.
Tossing the phone next to me, I glared at the passenger seat.
So much for relationships.
Maybe next time.
A/N: Poor Edward. What a fool he is. Just FYI, Jake will not be a romantic part of Bella's life! Just ew. We will find out more about James soon. Oh, and Edward said "Would you like me to speak french?". Cocky little thing. Love to hear your thoughts! Thanks for reading!