Disclaimer: All characters, plots, and settings related to Twilight are the property of Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended by the author.

Chapter Seven

Bye-bye Patience

I tiptoed my way to the kitchen. It was raining hard, and if I hadn't looked at the clock, I would have bet it was still dawn. It wasn't; it was already half past eight in the morning. Renee was sitting on a stool staring at something out of the window. She looked very serene, stoic and oblivious to her own daughter standing behind her.

I smiled as I let her muse without any disturbance. I looked around the kitchen and noticed the empty table and sink. Although my mother wasn't quite the cook at home, I was already in the habit of waking up to her simple recipe of ham and cheese omelettes during the weekends when I don't have to go to work. She made it sure I enjoyed my two days stuck at home with her, and that started with breakfast.

"Mom?"

She gasped, surprised by my presence, and turned around. "Bella..." That was when I saw her face. It wasn't just stoic and oblivious, it was sad.

"Mom, what's wrong?" I asked, feeling a bit uneasy.

She shook her head and tried to change the expression of her face. She smiled, but it was too late. "Oh. I haven't made your breakfast yet," she said. She stood up from her seat and hurried over to start cooking. "This will only take a few minutes."

I stood frozen in the middle of the kitchen. It was a little disquieting to comfort my mother when she's sad. I rarely had to deal with any negative emotions from her because she's naturally a happy person. I could manage her anxieties and giddiness and quirky addictions, but not sadness. It made me feel helpless. "Are you okay, mom?"

Another forced smile crossed her face. "Of course, honey. I'm alright." Just then the plate she was trying to take from the cupboard fell and shattered on the floor.

Of course, mom. You're alright. I quickly went over to help pick up the scattered shards.

I tried not to think of my parents' argument last night, but a nagging voice inside my head was telling me that their fight was worse that I'd thought. I tried to tune out the heated words that have echoed from their room. Fights between married couples are perfectly normal, I thought, and I told myself that barging in their room to stop them would be unwelcomed. Now I wondered if I should have done exactly that.

When all the broken pieces of ceramic were carefully disposed, I sat my mom down back on the stool and grabbed the box of brownies from the refrigerator. I placed it on the counter between us, and smiled as I silently offered her a piece. She smiled back. The wonders of chocolate...

It was still raining on Monday, so work was wet and slow. Mike was no longer laughing like a loon, although when he found out that Edward and I have been 'together' for three weeks now, he kept repeating, "One more week!" over and over like some kind of pagan ritual chant to ward off demons. He later asked me out for dinner. I said no. He added that it wouldn't be until next week. I still said no. When he pointed out that I would surely be single once again this time next week, I told him to shut the hell up and leave me alone.

I would have thought my day would not be any different than usual when the demon itself stood in front of me. Where was Mike when I needed him?

Jacob cleared his throat. "Um... hi Bells..."

I didn't look up from my book, although all the words have suddenly become blurry to me. Anger and disgust crept through my body like warm pulsing blood, and I desperately wanted to make him disappear right that second – magically, if possible. Poof! The monster is gone!

"So, um, how are you?" He was still there.

Disgust overshadowed anger then. He dared talk to me like we were old dear friends. "I think I'm going to hurl," I muttered before I ran off towards the front door.

The cold air outside was a good antidote for my sudden nausea. I sat on the pavement with my back against the wall, hugging my knees to my chest. Raindrops fell just inches away from my toes. I was being a coward, and I knew it. I needed something to calm me down before I face the demon inside again – a cigarette, maybe. I made a face. I never attempted to start smoking, and I wouldn't dare start now.

Suddenly, a very familiar silver Volvo pulled up a few feet in front of me. The idea of kicking the car's tires to let off some steam came to my mind. Edward then came out and instantly spotted me eying his wheels with intent. "What are you doing outside?"

"Saving myself from hell," I said.

He glanced at the inside of the store as he walked towards my safety spot. "What did he do?" he asked warily.

"He tried to talk to me."

Surprisingly, Edward crouched down beside me. "And you ran away like a scared little girl?"

I scowled at his words.

"I thought you were doing better..."

He made it sound like I was some sick psycho. "That doesn't mean I want to be friends with him."

He nodded, silently staring off into the rain just like I did before he came. The silence was comforting.

"I guess this is harder for me because Jake and I used to be so close. I didn't like hanging out with kids my age that much, but with Jake... it was different. It was so easy and comfortable to be around him, to be with him. I knew him – well, I thought I did – and so I trusted him so much.

"When we got together, as much as it sounds so much like a sappy cliché, I became that girl with her first love. He was all I can think about, and I thought nothing could go wrong. I mean, what's better than falling in love with your best friend? It was uncontrollable, that feeling of complete abandon. At that time I didn't care at all, you know? Now everything's messed up." I tattled as I watched the rain with Edward.

When he didn't say anything back, I turned to look at him. "Edward?" I wanted to hear him say he understood me.

"No, I don't," he muttered.

"What?"

He looked at me. "I don't know what you're talking about. I never had that feeling before, that uncontrollable thing you mentioned."

"Never?"

He shook his head, looking so confounded that I bit back the urge to laugh. I just told a guy about my first and only experience in love and he didn't understand a thing. At least he didn't laugh and make fun of me.

"Wow," I said. I tried to make the conversation lighter. "So you never cared for any of your girlfriends, and all your relationships only lasted for a month? You're a freaking philanderer, aren't you?"

The confused look on his face was instantly gone and was replaced by a deadly glare, or what he thought was deadly, anyway. "No," he said, still glaring. "I did express affection; I just did not... felt as extreme as you did. Maybe it's because girls always get chronically annoying after a while," he made a face when he said this, "and everything goes down the drain because of that. Or maybe it's just because I'm a guy. We're not into that fucking shit."

Okay, so he did made fun of me, somewhat. Apparently, I'm into 'that fucking shit'. Nice. Although judging by how I got burnt in the end, maybe Edward was right. It was fucking shit. Worse, even. "Well," I said. "Good for you. I'm telling you right now, you're better off without experiencing shitty romance." I meant it, too.

"Hear, hear. Wait. Are you giving me an advice? On romance?" He seemed to be amused by this.

"Shitty romance," I corrected. "But sure, buddy, you can take that as an advice. Learn from the experiences of the Wise One, oh young fearful child." I playfully patted the top his head.

"We're friends now?" He smiled.

"You did offer me your friendship," I pointed out. It was weird how the idea of being friends with Edward wasn't as disturbing as it was then.

"Okay, then. Buddy." He grinned at me and patted my head in return.

Wow. I'm officially friends with Edward Cullen.

He then suddenly stood up and offered me a hand. "Come on, oh Wise One, let's get you back inside. You wouldn't want to experience hypothermia."

I sighed before I got up and followed him back to hell. I was feeling better. Walking straight to the counter, I didn't bother apologizing for walking out earlier. I decided to pretend like nothing happened.

Edward did that knuckle banging with Jacob again, and started talking about some mutual friends and acquaintances.

"Hey, Edward, the guys and I are having a cookout along the beach this Saturday afternoon. Barbeque, drinking, it'll be fucking awesome. You should come."

I tried to imagine Edward with the guys from La Push. Eh. Just thinking about Sam and Paul made me nauseous again. How did Edward became friends with them, anyway? I wouldn't want to be near them at all, those obnoxious bastards.

"Is it okay if I bring Bella along?"

WHAT THE...? I quickly turned to Edward, trying to understand what he just said. No. No, no, no, no...

I could hear Jacob clearing his throat before he gave out a muffled, "Sure."

NO! One of my nightmares just came true! I glared at Edward, hoping the warning and threat was clear in my eyes. He better take it back!

He looked back at me, feigning innocence, and turned back to Jacob. "Is there something we could bring? Bella's a good cook. I'm sure she can whip up something everyone can enjoy."

My palms started to itch, wanting to strangle Edward with my bare hands before he could say another word. I was sure my eyeballs were gouging out of their sockets from glaring. How did he even know I could cook? I couldn't remember telling him that.

A short beat of silence filled the room. Awkward.

"I know she is." Jacob's soft yet clear voice cut through the uncomfortable silence.

Okay, now things were more awkward. I winced, hated what he just said. I didn't want him to say things like that, reminding me how we were and how he knew me. It hurt. I looked down at my feet, wanting to say something but couldn't find the words.

"Yeah..." Edward's equally soft voice made me lift my head up. "I'm lucky to have her." He smiled at me – a little teasingly, I had to admit, but I knew then that he was trying to make me feel better. I tried to smile in return.

Jacob cleared his throat again. "You don't have to bring anything. Emily and the girls already got it covered."

Huh. The girls. The prize fighter included, I was certain.

Edward nodded. "Okay, we'll be there Saturday."

We will? Shit. The horror came back. I didn't want to be there Saturday. Damn Edward Cullen and his evil unannounced plans, whatever they were. He just threw me to the sharks – or the damn dogs in this instance. I would just have to decline the invite, although I wasn't truly invited.

Jacob then took his bag from the backroom, preparing to leave for the day. It was past five o'clock.

When he finally drove away, I turned to Edward who was grinning from ear to ear. "Edward Cullen, I thought you're my friend!"

The week rolled by and I found myself dreading the Saturday that inevitably came. I found myself still in bed that damned morning, thinking of excuses that would be reasonable for me to stay at home. Cramps, maybe? That would most likely scare Edward away. I have told him more than a dozen excuses why I couldn't come, but he shrugged them all off saying I was a damn chicken. Drat.

By noon, I rushed through my lunch and went back upstairs, futilely trying to hide under the covers. I knew any moment my mother would call me down announcing that my "oh-so-perfect boyfriend and real man" Edward Anthony Cullen has arrived, so I was beyond surprised when my bedroom door suddenly opened and in came Edward himself looking oh-so-domineering.

"Ten minutes, Bella. I'll give you ten minutes to get yourself ready," he said.

"I'm not going." Screw the excuses. He couldn't make me go even if he dared.

"Bella..." A warning now. His glare was convincingly deadly this time.

"Leave me alone," I muttered under my breath, pulling my blanket over my head.

He slowly walked over to sit on one side of my bed and pulled back the blanket from my face. "What is this all about, Bella?" His voice suddenly shifted to being gentle and curious. Hmm. He may not be perfect, but he could be decent. "Is this because of Jake?"

I shook my head. It was a half-lie. Jacob wasn't the only reason.

"Don't you want to go to the beach? It won't rain. It'll be fun."

"It's not about going to the beach, Edward, and it's not the weather either; it's the people who will be there. I'm really not fond of mingling, I already told you that. I'm not friends with those guys from La Push."

"Your friends from high school will be there, too."

"I doubt that," I muttered. As sad as it sounded, I have really few friends in Forks. There was Angela who was away on vacation, and Ben, her boyfriend, who I only hung out with because they were together most of the time.

"Newton won't be there," he pointed out, smiling like that would surely convince me. I chuckled. We had the same opinion when it came to Mike Newton, but he wasn't the reason I wouldn't go. "Come on, Bella..." He tugged at my blanket. "Please..."

I shook my head, feeling a little bit guilty of turning him down. He kept insisting I go to the party all throughout the week, and now he was pleading with me. He looked pitiful as I continued to say no.

He took a deep breath then, and in a blink of an eye, my blanket was no longer on the bed. Demanding Edward was back. "That's it! I swear, Bella, I will downright drag your ass from this house if I have to!"

And dragged I was.

Sulking, I walked towards the shore with Edward's arm hanging casually around my shoulders. The beach was already crowded when we arrived. The pale bodies of Forks kids mingled with the darker ones of those from the reservation. I was right though, I didn't have any friends there – acquaintances, yes, but not friends.

"I told you we'll have fun here," Edward said with a smile.

Sure, he was having fun. Everyone seemed to know him. They happily greeted him as we passed, but no one said a word to me. Not that I was expecting otherwise.

We grabbed some drinks, and stood side by side not talking. He was still smiling at the crowd, waving his hand occasionally. I, on the other hand, must have looked like my cat died. I looked out into the sea, trying to avoid meeting anyone's gaze. Now what?

"Bella, I'll just go over and say hi to the guys, okay?" Edward touched my shoulder before he walked away.

I nodded, even though he was already gone. I stayed where I was, still looking at the sea. It was peaceful; there were no waves. It would have been lovely to be here without the noisy crowd around me.

It was a few minutes later that I started to feel strained standing on the same spot like a statue. I allowed myself to look around, and suddenly regretted that decision. A few were looking at me, not quite glaring, but made me uncomfortable nonetheless. I searched for Edward. As I did, my eyes came across a pair of rich brown eyes, darker than mine, and my chest constricted. Leah Clearwater. She looked straight at me, her face expressionless, yet I knew there was something evil lurking behind the innocence. I couldn't look away, and in that moment I remembered the last time her eyes met mine:

It was two years ago, along the rocky part of the shore. I was smiling, excited to see Jacob. He didn't know I was coming. I made my way around the boulders, slipping a few times; following the direction Seth gave me. I saw them together a few feet away. My steps halted. Although his back was facing me, I knew it was Jacob. He had her against a wide smooth rock. They were kissing, quite passionately, hands roaming inside each other's shirts. I saw everything in slow motion. I heard nothing but the sounds they were making. I tasted bile on my tongue. I watched them for what it felt like forever. Leah then opened her eyes and they immediately locked with mine over Jacob's shoulder. They didn't stop kissing. When she closed her eyes again, I ran away.

With a heavy sigh, I averted my gaze. Let it go, Bella. I made myself think that I did the right thing; that I would be stooping down to her level – which was way, WAY below mine – had I continued the staring showdown with her, but somehow it felt like I lost all over again.

At that instant, I felt the hair on my arms and the back of my neck rise to the presence of someone behind me. Before I could turn around, I heard a snicker close to my ear. It was mocking and creepy and stomach-wrenchingly disgusting. I knew then it was one of Jacob's friends. I scampered away, my head down. I could feel my hands formed into fists, but I was aware that any physical retaliation would be a hilarious joke when it comes to those monstrous hounds.

I searched for Edward once more, feeling like a lost child in the middle of a busy street. I could feel more stares on me. I could hear words, unclear, just murmurs dancing around me, hovering like a buzzing of a pesky fly. I suspected I was becoming a little paranoid. My grip on my soda can tighten.

I made my way back to where Edward left me hoping he has returned. Drat. The guy was still missing. I craned my neck, looking around the crowd. I heard boisterous laughter then, and my head automatically turned to where the loud noise was coming from. It was Paul – no surprise there – with his usual set of friends. They were obviously making jokes about someone, and since they were all looking at my direction, it was also obvious who the unfortunate victim was. I wanted to go home.

It took me a few more minutes of searching before I finally got lucky. Relief and annoyance washed through me when I spotted the unique bronze color of Edward's hair a few meters away. I scurried over to him, still feeling the paranoia. He was talking animatedly with a blonde guy I haven't seen before, so I stood awkwardly behind him waiting for the end of their conversation. The other guy obviously saw me, but didn't acknowledge my presence. Another snob. I wondered if Edward knew I was there.

After a short while, Edward abruptly ended their chat. He turned to me when the other guy was gone. "What?"

I frowned at him.

"What is it?" He really had no idea.

"You didn't come back," I pointed out, trying not to sound too accusatory.

"Oh." His brows knitted.

Huh. Nice response, pal.

"I was just talking to some guys," he added nonchalantly.

I nodded. "I thought you'd be right back," I admitted, though I hated that I had to.

"You waited for me?" He looked confused. "Don't you want to hang out with your own friends?"

This guy was clearly testing my patience. Haven't I mentioned that I didn't have friends here? "What friends? Like Jacob Black? You know I'd rather tie myself to a rock and dive into the freezing ocean."

"Well, do you want me to introduce you to some of the people here? You could have a nice chat and..."

"I don't think so," I muttered.

"Bella..."

"Can you please take me home?"

"Not now, Bella."

"I want to go home."

"So you could go stay in bed and hide under the covers again? No. Stay. Talk to some people and have fun."

"No. I told you I don't like to mingle. I'd rather go home to my lonely solitary life than pretend to 'have fun' with these snobs." I was losing my calm, I knew.

"It's not just mingling; it's making friends."

"Does it look like I want to be friends with these people? They don't even want to talk to me, Edward!" I heard my voice ascended a few decibels.

"That's because you look like you want to rip their freaking heads off," he pointed out a little too knowingly. "It wouldn't kill you to smile a little."

You're giving me tips, Mr. Popularity? "Did it ever occur to you that that might be because I don't want to be here at the first place?"

"We've been over that, Bella. You're fine."

"No, I am not! I am far from fine, Edward. I want to go home!" It was then I noticed a few heads turned at our direction. I scowled as I held on to the last thread of my already depreciating patience.

It wasn't enough that I was in the same place with Jacob, where everyone seemed to treat me as a social pariah, that Leah Clearwater stared down at me and made me feel like a loser – again, and that Paul and his other friends were openly laughing at me - again; I had to deal with disappointed too. I really thought that with Edward with me, it wouldn't be so bad.

Edward leaned towards me, his hand holding my elbow. He noticed we were being watched, too. "Bella, you're being difficult. Stop whining; it's annoying."

My mouth opened at his vilification and condescending tone. Difficult? Whining? Annoying? Bye-bye patience. "Are you kidding me? I am like this because of you! You dragged me out here against my will, you pushy inconsiderate jerk! And then you left me out there alone while you go drinking freaking beer talking to your goddamn friends who pretended like I don't exist!"

His eyes narrowed at me before he looked at the people around us. I knew we were attracting attention. I cringed. I just wanted to go home. Why can't Edward just get that and be let me be? He leaned closer, his grip on me tighter. "Keep your voice down. You don't want to be a subject of humiliation, do you?" His voice was low, his tone cold and serious.

For a moment, I was speechless. Although he didn't say it directly, I knew what he meant. I was embarrassing him. I was humiliating to be around. That was all he cared about.

My eyes were watery with angry tears. I took a deep breath, and tried not to blink. I would show him humiliation.

I pulled my arm away, took a step back, and threw the half-full soda can at his chest with all the strength I could muster (it wasn't much), spluttering clear carbonated liquid on his front. I spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. "That's it! We're through, Edward! I am done with you! I am going to walk home and not waste one more minute with you, you ass!"