I own nothing Twlight. Once again, this story contains graphic violence, sexual situations, etc. So if you're uncomfortable with that, stop reading now.

Chapter 7 - Love the Way You Lie (Part 1)

Forks has never been a hotbed for any sort of extreme illegal behavior. My dad has been the chief of police for as long as I can remember and I'm pretty sure the worst thing he's ever had to deal with was a group of teenagers breaking into the school to attempt to pull a prank. Growing up, I thought Forks was a northwestern Mayberry.

And then I got to high school.

Teenagers are just a lot better at hiding the illegal things than most people. Sex, drugs, alcohol. I guess our parents are so in denial that we would ever partake in any of those behaviors. Or they're simply just turning the other cheek.

Tanya Denali is well known for the parties she throws. She's also well known for having parents who perpetually seem to be on vacation, leaving their daughter to her own devices.

"Wow, it looks like the entire senior class is here!" Alice yells over the music as we enter Tanya's house.

Seeing as the senior class population of Forks High is just under 100, this isn't saying too much.

"Lets head to the kitchen, that's usually where the booze are at these things," she grabs my hand, pulling me through a crowd of people parked by the stairwell.

I press my way through, trusting Alice to take us in the right direction. For such a small girl, she sure is pretty forceful. I think she might have even taken out a couple of football players back there.

"Here we go," she releases my hand as we enter the kitchen.

The crowd is much smaller in here, just a few people circled around the keg.

"Jell-o shot?" A hand is suddenly in my face, holding two small cup of red goo.

I step back, seeing Mike Newton in front of me.

"No thanks," I respond.

"Bella, come on, don't be such a spoiled sport," Alice laughs, grabbing one of the cups and downing it immediately.

"Yeah, come on Bells," Mike joins in. "When is the last time you came to one of Tanya's parties? You're always hanging out with those Rez kids."

Alice does her signature pout, taking the cup from Mike and holding it out to me. I roll my eyes, taking it from her and squeezing the Jell-o down my throat. I start coughing right away, surprised by the strength of alcohol in it.

"Jeez, those weren't even the really strong ones," Mike says, patting my back. "When's the last time you drank?"

The truth was, I stopped drinking the night Jacob and I went to his friend Sam's house back in July. We had all been drinking and on the way home, I had gotten mouthy, talking back to Jacob. It was the first time he had ever hit me in the face, the first time I had ever gotten a black eye.

I don't tell Mike this. Instead I just say, "A while."

He offers us both a cup of beer next. I hesitate.

"Bella, just do it," Alice starts. "We can have a few drinks and Jacob can drive us home when he gets here. Just stay at my place so your parents won't know you've been drinking."

I want to ask her what about her own parents, but don't.

"Are you sure?" I ask. "You promise to stay by my side all night?"

She looks at me strangely.

"Of course, where else would I go?"

I just smile, if she's by my side all night then there's little risk I'll have to be alone with Jacob with alcohol in my system. Which means little risk of upsetting him and earning some sort of punishment.

"Okay," I say, grabbing the beer from Mike.

"There's the Bella Swan I grew up with!" He laughs, tapping his cup against mine. "Cheers!"

Alice leads us out onto the deck in the backyard, which is littered with people. The air is still holding onto the summer's heat, mingling with the winter chill. The temperature is perfect for a night like this.

"Who let those two losers in?" I hear a male voice call across the deck.

Emmett steps into the light of the white Christmas lights that have been strung around the deck posts.

"Har har, you're so funny," Alice punches him on the arm and he fake winces.

I take a sip of my beer, letting the cool liquid flow down my throat. Tanya's house is further out than most, the ideal place for a party. The neighbors' homes are several acres off so there is no concern over music being too loud. I walk over to the railing of the deck leading out to the woods. It is so clear, you can practically see every star in the sky.

"Edward, come on," I hear Tanya's voice coming from somewhere below me.

I peer over the edge of the deck, to the grass below. I can make out the dark forms of both Tanya and Edward, in what appears to be an embrace. I want to look away, but sheer curiosity keeps my eyes in place.

"Tanya, I told you, later," Edward's smooth voice replies. "My sister should be here by now and I told my dad I would keep an eye on her."

So there is a heart in there somewhere.

"Plus, I need to refill my beer."

And there's the Edward I know.

I hear footsteps as they climb the stairs leading up to the top deck where we're all hanging out. I busy myself with my cup, acting like I wasn't just eavesdropping on them seconds ago. Tanya stops abruptly when she sees me, causing Edward to bump into her.

"Swan? What the hell are you doing here?" she asks. "Shouldn't you be off with your boyfriend, ignoring all your friends and talking about how much better than us you are?"

"That was yesterday," I answer, without missing a beat. "Today I'm granting you all the privilege of my presence, allowing you to bask in my superiority."

Edward laughs, actually laughs.

"You always did think you were hilarious, didn't you?" Tanya scoffs, glaring at Edward as she talks to me. "Just stay out of my way tonight."

She pads off somewhere inside, leaving the two of us standing there awkwardly. I feel my face grow hot, remembering the event that occurred between us just two short hours earlier.

"I'm sorry about before," he says suddenly. "I didn't know you were in there."

I look over at him, he's glancing anywhere but at my face.

"It's fine," I reply, hoping he'll leave it at that.

"You probably should've locked the door," he continues.

My mouth hangs open and the expression on my face clearly says "seriously?"

"What happened to your ba-" he starts but is cut off by the sound of Alice walking up to us, singing along to the stereo blasting throughout the house.

I silently thank her, for the second time tonight.

"Beeellllaaaaaa," she sings. "Drink faster!"

I can tell she's already a couple beers ahead of me, as I continue to nurse my first one. I take a sip to show her I'm working on it.

"Edward!" she yells, wrapping her arms around him in a hug. "My brother from another mother."

I laugh, gulping down the remaining beer in my cup. Wanting to be as happy as Alice clearly is right now.

"How many beers have you had?" he asks her, unwrapping her arms from his waist.

"Um," she looks thoughtful. "Three."

But she's holding up five fingers.

"Look what I have brought for you, my lady," she holds out another Jell-o shot towards me.

I take it from her, putting it down my throat in one swift motion. This one is clearly stronger than the first, as my head immediately feels a little lighter.

"When's Jacob getting here?" Alice asks, swaying to the music.

"I'm not sure, he said he'd call," I respond, pulling my phone out of my pocket to glance at the screen. No missed calls.

"Jacob," Alice begins, turning towards Edward. "Is Bella's boyfriend. Have you met him? You could learn a thing or two from him."

He just snorts, shaking his head.

"What?" I ask.

"Well, his first mistake-and I don't even have to have met him to know this-is having you as a girlfriend," he says, sipping his own beer.

Um, ouch.

"Edward!" Alice chides.

"I just mean, why tie yourself down to one girl? We're seventeen. What's the rush?" his green eyes are completely unapologetic.

I figure the last part is for Alice's benefit, so she won't get pissed at him. The fact that Edward does not find me the least bit attractive is not lost on me. I suddenly feel ridiculous in the top Alice forced me to wear, having thought I could be normal for just one night.

"I'm going to go get another beer," I excuse myself to the kitchen, leaving the two of them behind to bicker.

I take several deep breathes as I wait for my turn at the keg.

Edward Cullen. What a pompous asshole. He thinks he's so much better than everyone here because he's so good-looking and rich. I can't wait for the day when he wakes up, old and alone, wondering what went wrong in his life.

"Swan?" Eric Yorkie stands before the keg. "Your turn."

I shake my thoughts away, handing him the red Solo cup, watching him fill it up.

"Your beverage," he hands it to me and without thinking, I begin drinking it, chugging the beer down in a matter of seconds.

"Holy shit, Swan," Tyler remarks, joining us at the keg. "That was impressive for someone who weighs the same as a wet mop."

"It's comments like that that remind me why you're single," I say, holding my cup back out to Eric.

He quickly fills it again, and I take it, wandering off to the living room. The party appears to be in full swing, the room filled to capacity. There are several girls over in the corner, dancing along to the music. Something fast-paced and upbeat. . .I can't recall the artist, I'm not really sure what the kids are listening to these days.

Angela Weber and Ben Cheney sit on one of the couches, alternating between whispers to each other and making out. I continue sipping my beer as I go to stand in a corner, to the side of the room. The view is better from here, as I can see the entire expanse of the room. I let my eyes drift, from person to person. They're all laughing or dancing or just being seventeen.

I envy them so much, it almost hurts.

The alcohol is making my loneliness more vivid, making it hard to breathe. I need air.

I push my way to the front of the house, practically running out the front door. There are dozens and dozens of cars parked haphazardly around the yard, but no actual people. Everyone seems to be either in the house or on the back deck. I shiver as I come to a stop about several hundred feet in front of the house. The tears threaten to spill over, as I gulp in air.

"Are you okay?" Edward's voice seemingly appears out of nowhere.

"Shit!" I yell, jumping back.

He's leaning against his Volvo, which naturally I had stopped directly next to. Just my luck.

"If you're going to puke, could you aim for the direction that is not in the path of my car," he says, a cigarette dangling from his mouth.

I glare at him, catching my breath and collecting myself.

"I'm not going to puke," I finally manage to say. "What the hell are you doing out here?"

He just takes another hit off his cigarette, exhaling slowly, almost deliberately.

"Last time I checked, this is a free country," he replies, dryly.

"I mean, in the dark out here all alone. It's fucking creepy," I bite back.

"You would understand why I'm out here if you had Tanya practically dry humping you all night," he answers.

I just laugh, the motion causing my head to swim. I steady myself against his car, trying not to look like I'm drunk. Like I have my shit together.

"It's better than having Mike Newton force feeding you Jell-o shots every time you turn around," I wrap my arms around myself, the air had began to grow cooler.

He shrugs, nodding at the same time, "Touche."

We stand in silence, both of us unsure of what to say next. Emmett is easy to talk to, always joking around, making everything fun. Edward is another story. He is intimidating, scary almost. Like anything you said had the potential to set him off. He acts like how I would expect Jacob to act, knowing everything I did about him. I wonder if this is how Jacob had been when we first met, if I would have fallen for him.

He runs his fingers through his hair, causing it to become even more unruly. From the way the moonlight hits him, he appears almost angelic-like. I wonder what he sees when he looks at me, what he thinks of me. If I'm just another one of Alice's annoying friends. Ugly, puny, clumsy Bella.

I'm about to speak when I hear footsteps on the gravel approaching us. I can feel him before I see him. The sense of dread hitting me suddenly, constricting my chest, fear seizing me. It's as if my body has memorized the sound of his gait, reacting unconsciously to it.

"Bella?" his voice calls out.

He approaches us slowly, as if he's assessing the situation before him. It can't look good. Edward and I are both leaning against the Volvo. Not close enough to raise anyone else's eyebrows, but close enough to raise Jacob's.

"Jacob," I answer, walking forward to meet him.

He looks from me to Edward, his eyes moving over Edward's tall form.

"Who is this?" he asks.

"Edward," a hand comes out to my side.

Edward is reaching out to shake Jacob's hand, introducing himself before I have the chance to.

"Cullen?" Jacob just stares at his hand.

I can see the wheels turning in his head as he connects this Edward Cullen with the one that my friends had been talking about weeks earlier.

"The one and only," Edward drops his hand back to his side.

Jacob's gaze turns to me, as if he just realized I have been standing here the whole time. He looks from my face, down to my clothes. Taking in my appearance, a scowl forming on his forehead.

"What are you wearing?" He asks.

"Alice picked it out," I respond quickly, defensively. "She thought you might like it."

I hear the tone of my voice, the same tone I always use when I know what's about to happen. The only difference is, this time Edward is here. Jacob wouldn't dare.

Edward looks uncomfortable, slowly stepping away from the two of us as if to excuse himself. Jacob, on the other hand, steps closer. He reaches out, wrapping his hand tightly around my wrist.

"Lets go," his voice low, calm.

But I know that appearances aren't everything and he is anything but calm right now. He pulls my arm forcefully.

"Whoa, easy there," Edward says, placing his hand on Jacob's shoulder.

I cringe, looking away. Not knowing what to expect, not having ever witnessed anyone stand up to Jacob even remotely. When I hear nothing but silence, I look back over to see the two of them staring harshly at each other. Jacob's eyes move from Edward to the hand on his arm.

"Take your hand off me," he growls.

"Take your hand off her," Edward responds.

"I know how to handle my girlfriend," Jacob answers, shaking Edward's hand off him.

Edward just looks at him, not breaking eye contact.

"Yeah, I bet you do."

Jacob just laughs, pulling my arm to follow him. I feel my face burning with shame, that I had let this situation happen. I should've known better than to wear this outfit, should've known better than to hang out with Edward alone, in the dark.

"Bella," Edward says, sounding more like a question than comment.

I stop walking and turn around to face him. Jacob's grip tightens even more, if that is possible. I try to make the grimace on my face look like a smile as I look back at Edward.

"Goodnight, Edward," I say, then continue on with Jacob into the blackness.

Jacob and I walk in silence. I allow him to lead me to his car, parked somewhere closer to the road. There are no words necessary, I can feel the rage radiating off him. When we approach the car, he stops us.

"What the hell was that?" he asks, his hand not leaving my wrist.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know he'd be out there. I was just trying to get some air, I swear," my voice is pleading.

His face holds a look of utter disgust. I am disgusting, I agree.

"Yeah right," he laughs, but no amusement is evident. "You're obviously trying to get his attention, you're dressed like a whore."

I let a small sob escape my lips.

"Oh, come on," he continues. "Don't even act like you're innocent. When is the last time you ever wore something like that?"

He's right. I should've known better.

"I wore it for you," I reply.

He just shakes his head, not believing one word I'm saying. I can see why, he hears my friends talking about some fake feelings they seem to think I have for Edward and then he catches the two of us hanging out alone, with me wearing something I would've only worn in my former life as Forks High's Golden Girl.

"You're only making it worse for yourself by lying," he releases my wrist.

I rub the spot where his hand just was, practically feeling the wound forming its mark. The smack across my face comes before I can even prepare for it. My entire body falls backwards against his car, the side mirror jabbing into my back.

"Why do you make me do these things, Bella?" he asks, his face inches from mine.

I can feel his breath hot on my face, coming out in ragged huffs. His eyes are so dark, they're almost black. He presses his lips to mine, forcefully, possessively. His hands are all over; they're in my hair, pushing my head closer to his. Then they're rubbing over my chest, grabbing and squeezing. There is no love, no gentleness. It is rough and raw and hurts.

"I'm sorry," I beg. "Please, I'm sorry."

He pushes me farther against the car, a shriek escapes my lips as the mirror digs further into my spine.

"Shut up," he says, pushing his tongue in my mouth as his hands roam over my thighs.

He pulls me to him so that he can rub against me more easily. I let him, feeling a tear slide down my cheek.

He steps away after a minute, catching his breath.

I bite my lips, pressing them so hard together I feel blood pool in my mouth. I whimper. He grabs my arms, shaking me as he keeps repeating, "shut up, shut up, shut up."

"Jacob," I start, but before I can finish he shoves me onto the gravel.

The small rocks stab me as I land.

"Get up," his foot kicks my thigh where his hands were just moments ago. I wrap myself into a ball.

"Get up," he repeats, this time kicking my back.

I wait a few seconds, bracing myself for another kick, but it never comes. I open my eyes slowly, Jacob nowhere in sight. I hear his car start as I sit up.

"Get in the car, Bella," he says, leaning over the passenger seat to yell at me from the window.

I stand, my thigh burning in pain as I do. It hurts to walk, but I don't show that to Jacob. He doesn't need to see my weakness, it would only anger him more.

I sit in the car, putting my seatbelt on, everything hurting.

No words are spoken as we drive.

We reach my house in under 15 minutes.

"I love you," he says as he presses his lips to mine, gentle this time. Lovingly.

I kiss him back, wanting so bad for him to be that Jacob that everyone else sees.

"I love you too."

A/N: Thanks for the feedback, let me know what you think of this one. I already have the last chapter written, it's just a matter of filling in the space between.