Chapter 5

We walked maybe through two intersections before he pulled me into a building that was overflowing with people and by the smells in the air it wasn't hard to understand why. We were led to a table immediately after Emmett gave the woman his name and asked for a table on the deck. I was surprised by the speed of which we got a table due to the fact that there were so many people waiting at the door for a table.

Emmett was a true gentleman and pulled my chair out for me before he sat down across from me. The table we were seated at was just big enough for the two of us and it had a perfect view of the ocean waves rolling in. I stared at it longing to be out there but that thought quickly vanished when I looked up at Emmett who was staring at me. "What are you starring at?" He reaches out and tucked my hair behind my ear, "I was just watching your eyes light up by just seeing the ocean." I sighed and leaned into his hand, which was still on my cheek, as I tilted my head to look at the ocean again.

Michelle, our waitress, came over and Emmett ordered for both of us. I wasn't sure what anything on the menu was so he assured me he would pick something I would like that wasn't meat. He ordered himself a bacon cheese burger with a beer and ordered me a black bean burger with a sweet tea.

"Tell me more about yourself Bella."

"Like what, exactly?"

"What do you do for fun? Who are your friends? Just tell me anything that will let me know who you are."

"Well I don't have very many friends back at home. I really only had Angela and Eric as friends and then there was James. We would find places to hangout, like underwater caves or, Eric's favorite, shipwrecks. You would like him; he would come up with crazy ideas of what a certain item was for. My favorite thing to do would have to be finding a place above water to just listen to the whales or watch the dolphins play; it never really bothered me to be alone. I never really felt like I belonged at home and even when I was with Angela and Eric I felt out of place because they're in love with each other, I always felt like the an intruder on their private time."

"Well didn't you ever have anyone that you dated, so that you weren't the third wheel?"

I took a sip of my drink before I decided I would give him the answer including James. "I did have a few guys who I dated once or twice but I was never really allowed to enter into a relationship with anyone, I think you call it, betrothed?" He wrinkled his forehead but nodded his head confirming that I had the correct word. "I was betrothed to James, practically from the day I was born. If I got too interested in someone either him or my dad would scare them away, not that I really thought they were the real deal, I mean I've never felt the way I do for anyone as I do for…" I looked up and caught myself before I could reveal my feelings to him but something about the smile he gave me said he already knew I meant him.

"What about you, have you ever been with someone who you thought would be the one?"

I quickly busied by hands by playing with my left over fries while Emmett told me all about the two serious relationships he had. One was right before his parents died and she left him because his life got too complicated after the accident and then the other was almost a year after when he started getting the funds from the firm and the insurance policies. Apparently she was the daughter of one of the lower level lawyers at the firm and she wanted to get her father a better position by dating Emmett. Once he figured this out he dropped her like a hot plate and hasn't really dated anyone seriously since.

By the time that we got through his terrible relationship history we were done with dinner and walking across the beach, away from the water's edge of course. The moon was out and full which lit up the dark night sky allowing us to see everything the city lights wouldn't reach. There were several ships out on the sea including one with lights in it that were flashing and moving. I stopped in my tracks to look at it causing Emmett, who was holding my hand, to stop. "What is that?" Emmett looked out at the ship I was pointing to and laughed. "That's this ship that a local amusement park owner has cruise the shoreline at night to get people to come to his park. He has the lights set up to look just like the park. There's the Ferris wheel, the roller coaster, the spinning swings, and if you look at the bottom you can see the bumper cars."

"It's beautiful."

"It's alright, the real thing is even better. Maybe we can go there tomorrow; I mean if you still want to stay."

I bumped my shoulder against his barely making him sway as he took a step but he placed his arm over my shoulders and pulled me against his body. I couldn't believe that just a few short days ago I was at home and I was worried about James and Daddy and now here I am on land walking and enjoying every second of it. I should feel like a fish out of water but I don't. If anything I feel like I belong here.

I hadn't noticed, or at least hadn't paid attention, to the fact that we were walking back towards the bar where Jasper and Rose were working until Emmett pulled me away from the beach towards a walkway next to the building. The music was so loud that I could feel it vibrating through my chest and we weren't even inside yet. There was a long line outside the door but just like at the restaurant Emmett was allowed to enter without even having to wait, at least this time I understood why but that didn't make the 'boos' from the long line any less intimidating.

As soon as we were through the door I had to force myself not to cover my ears. The music was so loud I thought for sure I was going to be deaf. Rose caught my attention at the bar when she waved at us. I was so excited I stared walking towards her without a second thought. I picked a seat that was off in a corner hoping it would protect me from the loud sounds but it was useless. Rose held up a finger at me so I just waited not sure when she would be able to come over to me. I understood that she is at work and cannot just drop everything to come over and talk to lonely me, which reminded me that I lost Emmett at some point after we got inside.

The music finally stopped but the ringing in but ears didn't. The man, who was singing, or rather yelling, said the name of the band and then they left the stage. It wasn't long before music was playing again but this time it was not as loud and there was no band on the stage. I was fascinated as I watched Rose talk to all of the people and get their drinks. It amazed me that she knew exactly how much and what to use in the drinks people wanted. We had absolutely nothing like this at home. You didn't even get to decide what you ate at dinner, it was always chosen by Daddy.

"Hey Bella, sorry it took so long to get over here to you. What would you like to drink, it's on the house? Wait, you are at least 21 right?"

I wasn't sure why my age mattered but I nodded. "Yeah, I don't really know anything about the drinks you're making so whatever you think I would like I'm sure would be fine." She pursed her lips at me before smiling and getting to work on my drink. It didn't take long before she was handing me a tall glass filled with ice and a white colored drink, "Try this, it's a White Russian." I took a small first sip and I was surprised at how good it tasted. "You like it?" I took a bigger sip before I placed it on the bar and nodded at Rose who smiled and said she would check on me again later and went back to giving people more drinks.

I sat there in the same spot taking my time with my drink for several long minutes before I noticed that Emmett never showed up at the bar looking for me and he was currently nowhere to be seen, at least not from my current spot. When Rose walked by I asked if she had seen him and she shook her head no and shrugged her shoulders at me.

I was about to stand up and go find him but as soon as I looked out towards the dance floor I saw him dancing with another girl. My heart immediately sunk into my stomach as I sat back down. I knew we weren't "together" I mean he obviously only helped me and kept me around because he feels sorry for me but I wish he wouldn't have continued to tell me how beautiful I am if he didn't mean it.

I quickly downed the rest of my drink and just waited, for what I had no idea. If he was going to be with this girl then I didn't want to be the pathetic girl who can't take a hint but I really had nowhere to go other than back home and that wasn't something I was ready to do. Heck he even made unofficial plans to go somewhere with me tomorrow.

Maybe I had just made up everything in my head. Maybe he only seemed attractive to me because he is the first human I have ever met and he was kind of my hero at that moment. He could have just been nice when he gave me those compliments and not meant anything by them.

"You look like you are thinking about something very hard."

I jumped when Jasper placed another tall glass in front of me but this time its contents appeared to be the same as the tea I had with dinner. I took a sip of it and it was almost the same as what I had at dinner just not quite as sweet.

"So what is occupying your thoughts over here?"

I sighed and took a big gulp of my drink before I turned towards the dance floor and nodded my head at Emmett and the girl he was with. Jasper's eyes were huge and he was avoiding making eye contact with me, "He's just dancing, it doesn't mean anything." I nodded and took another big gulp, "I know I shouldn't be upset, I mean we just met I know he doesn't care about me, like that."

Jasper placed his hand over my glass before I could lift it again and reached over to lift my chin so I was looking at him. "Bella, he may be acting like a complete jackass right now but I assure you he has feelings for you. Hell, he may not even know that he has these feelings right now but I can tell by the way he looks at you, and he brought you here to meet us and we never meet his girls."

I smiled and leaned over to kiss Jasper on the cheek before I tried to lift my glass again but he shook his head and took it away from me, "I think you should stick to water for the rest of the night, there's a lot of alcohol in a Long Island Iced Tea." I had no idea what that was but I took his advice and stuck with water, even when Rose offered to make me another white Russian.

I felt like I was torturing myself because I never stopped watching Emmett on the dance floor. He danced with several different people which made me feel a little better but there was on girl who kept coming back to dance again and again. Even though I hated the girl for dancing with Emmett, I had to admit that they were hypnotizing. Their bodies moved as if they were one and they flowed with the beat of the music. I'm sure they weren't doing anything spectacular dance wise but to me it was magical. The closest thing we had to "dancing" was when couples would swim together and it was nothing close to the wonders of what I witnessed between those two.

"Girl you need to go claim your man before she mounts him in front of everyone." Rose was leaning over the counter so she wouldn't have to yell too loud. I shook my head but kept my eyes glued on Emmett, "He's not really mine, and I don't know how to dance." I turned so that I was looking at Rose now and she placed her hand on my shoulder. "Bella, he's yours whether you two choose to acknowledge that or not, it does not change the facts that he likes you and you are clearly crazy about him."

She paused and waited for that to sink in before she bombarded me with questions about our night out. When I told her we might go the amusement park the next day she got really excited about all the things we would get to do there. She went on and on about all the rides and foods. I was just glad that she would be able to go with us, if we actually go, since tonight didn't go so well. I mean I had a great time but he's on the dance floor with other girls.

"And we will definitely have to buy some cotton candy to bring…." Rose stopped mid sentence and gasped and when I looked up to see if she was alright I couldn't help but notice the look of shock and hatred that took over her facial features. I turned so that I was able to see what she was seeing and felt like someone had ripped my heart out.

I turned completely around so that my back was to the dance floor and buried my face in my crossed arms on the bar. I fought back the burning in my eyes as long as I could but when a sob wracked through my body the tears fell freely. Rose was rubbing my shoulder trying to console me but it did no good. I knew I couldn't sit here crying so I wiped my tears away and asked if I could go up to Rose's apartment. She, being the wonderful person she is, of course allowed me to disappear up there.

I barely made it through the door before my knees went weak and I crumbled to the floor. I had never felt this kind of pain in my entire life, not even when I was stabbed. I felt like I had been betrayed and it made absolutely no sense. Logically I knew that Emmett was not attached to me at all, I was just someone he felt sorry for and that's why he helped me, but it didn't seem to compute with my heart that he didn't care.

I laid on the floor for what felt like hours but I'm sure it was just minutes before Emmett was banging on the door. "Bella please let me in. I swear that wasn't what it looked like. I mean it was a kiss but she kissed me and I pushed her away as soon as I could. Please open the door so we can talk." I said nothing I just laid there letting the tears silently fall not even planning to acknowledge that I had heard a word he had said. It was possible that I misconstrued what I saw but Rose saw it too and she seemed shocked as well.

"Emmett."

"Not now Rose!"

"Emmett, I just…"

"I said not now, can't you see I'm busy trying to fix this." He banged on the door again this time even louder than before. "I was just going to tell you that the lock is broken and you don't have to knock down my door to get inside." There was a pause and I could hear them talking but they weren't being as loud as before so I couldn't make out the words.

I didn't hear anyone talking and Emmett had stopped banging on the door as I lay their on the floor and the tears finally began to stop. I tried to think of the last time I cried like this and the closest I could come was when Daddy told me I was to marry James, and even that wasn't this bad.

When I decided it was ridiculous to continue lying on the floor I sat up I almost jumped out of skin when I saw Emmett sitting there next to me. "How long have you been sitting there?" He took a deep breath before he let he's knees drop to the floor so that his legs were now crossed. "I've been sitting here for about twenty minutes." I opened my mouth to say something but Emmett beat me to it. "I'm sorry… I was stupid. When we got here and you went right over to the bar to talk to Rose I assumed you didn't want to dance, it never occurred to me that you wouldn't now how to dance. Please forgive me."

I was so shocked that he thought that I was upset about him dancing with other people and not with me. Does he really think I am that pathetic? He reached out to put his hand on my shoulder but I jerked out of his reach. "I'm not mad about you dancing with other girls." He was really shocked by this declaration. "I was fine when you danced with all of them but," I paused not sure if I wanted to admit out loud that I was jealous of him kissing that girl. "But, what?"

"YOU KISSED HER... We had dinner and walked on the beach; and you talked about going to the amusement park tomorrow and then you get here and it's like I don't even exist. Maybe I'm misreading everything but where I come from those types of actions would mean we are at least considering being a couple, if not already a couple."

I could feel my eyes starting to burn again but this time it was from embarrassment not from Emmett kissing that girl downstairs. I clenched my jaw refusing to the tears fall; I would not let him see me cry again, at least not tonight. "Bella, I didn't… I'm so…" He stopped and took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I didn't mean to make you feel like I was abandoning you tonight and when Jewels kissed me I knew that I had messed up. I was just dancing with all of those girls to have someone to dance with but I never meant to hurt you."

He reached out to push my hair behind my ear but I pulled back so I was out of his reach. "I can't, I can't do this." His hand was still hanging there in the air, "Do what?" I waved my hand between us, "This, I think I should go home." At this point the tears were blurring my sight but still hadn't fallen. "What?" I pulled my knees up to my chest and buried my hands in my hair, "I just don't think this was a good idea, we clearly are not on the same page. Not to mention we aren't even the same species." He was shaking his head, "Don't use that as an excuse. If you want to leave it's because it's what you want not because of tonight and certainly not because you're a mermaid and me a human." Emmett left that hanging in the air for a few minutes and neither of us spoke.

I finally looked up from the floor when Emmett stood and opened the door. "Do you remember where the ship is docked?" I thought about it retracing our steps from the ship to the bar before I nodded. "OK, I'm gonna go. I guess if you want to go home then this is goodbye but I really hope you decide to stay because you aren't misreading anything; I do like you, even if I am terrible at showing." He paused and gave me a half smile before he walked out and closed the door behind him leaving me to think over whether or not I wanted to leave or stay here.