Sorry this took so long to get out, but now I am home yay! But now school starts again tomorrow, and I don't think I will be able to update as often as I have been, but I will try to get out at least two chapters a week.
Thank all you guys for the reviews. I LOVE YOU. I had the most reviews for the last chapter and guess what I have almost 300 alerts for this story.
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I hope you guys go nominate your favorite stories, I know I have nominated some of my favorite stories.
Anyways, read on, if you dare.
Chapter 15: And I feel unsafe
Be my friend
Hold me, wrap me up
Unfold me
I am small
and needy
Warm me up
And breathe me
-Breath Me by SIA
It was the night before school started back up and a week has passed since New Year's Eve. Ever since then I've decided not to invite Felix over anymore, especially with Edward around. Although it hasn't stopped me from calling and talking to him or anything like that. I had made my decision because of the fact that Edward really could not deal with Felix. At all. I really knew he tried hard to behave, but he just couldn't and I guess I would have to deal with that.
This past week Edward has spent even more time than usual over at my place. The only times he was gone were for his meetings, expect this week he didn't go to his Friday "meeting". He stayed here instead, but that wasn't the only weird part, he even stayed here when no one else was over.
When it was only me and him.
That was something new and somewhat awkward at first. When I asked him on the first day when he came over while Emmett was gone, he said that he was lonely and wanted someone to talk to because neither of us had work that day, and everyone else did. We didn't have anything to talk about at first, but as the minutes dragged on we found something to talk about, Soon, I found that we couldn't stop talking. It would start out with little things such as classes that I had been taking while he was away eventually it turned into our childhood memories that we had together.
This went all week, laughing at each other and screwing around. For the first time it felt like I was starting to get my friend back, but I knew that I would never fully get him back unless I talk to him about everything and if he talks to me as well.
I was still too afraid to breach anywhere near the subject of our sophomore year or about my bulimia. I was really afraid that after all the progress that we've been making, that it would send us both back. I felt that I really needed to tell Edward about my issues, because I had found out about his, but I was not going to be the one to bring up about why I did what I did. Once I tell him, he should know why.
Edward and I were in the middle of laughing at old memories of me getting hurt or being just a complete idiot, something I seemed really good at, while we waited for everyone to get from there double date that they had together again. They actually went out clubbing and I hated doing that, so I opted out, and Edward stayed with me to keep me some company. We planned that as soon as everyone got back, we were going to watch a couple movies.
"Do you remember that time when Emmett ran over you with his bike?" Edward asked laughing a little.
"Do I remember it? What kind of dumb ass question is that?" I laughed with him.
"So you do remember it?" He asked slyly and snickered a little bit.
"Nooo...I don't." I rolled my eyes at him.
"Why did you want that ribbon so badly?"
"Because I did! If we had kept it all week, we were going to get a special treat."
"And because you wanted it so badly you ended up getting ran over by Emmett." Edward kept on laughing.
The whole story was that in like 2nd or 3rd grade at school, our teacher had given us a red ribbon, saying that if we wore it every day she had a special surprise for us at the end of the week. Me being a stubborn little girl, I was determined to wear that damn thing every day, but Emmett being the douche bag that he was took it from me and ran off on his bike with me chasing after him. I ended up standing in front of his bike while Emmett sat on his bike a few feet in front of me, both of us having a hardcore stare down. I had told him that I wasn't going to move, he said that he wasn't going to stop as he started to peddle his bike towards me. Well guess what, both of us stayed true to our word and I ended up with a spiked tire ran across my leg cutting it down almost to the bone.
I was in such shock that I didn't know what to do. I sat there holding my leg looking at all the blood gushing out from it. Emmett was freaking out enough for the both of us, running around screaming like a girl. He didn't know what to do and Charlie was at work. Luck y for both of us, and rather convenient, Edward was being dropped off by Esme. They had to of saw Emmett running around screaming and me sitting there holding my leg as blood rushed onto the sidewalk.
Edward was the first one over to me followed by Esme and Emmett who had a blanket in his hands. Edward came over and pulled me into his lap as best as he could at the time, while Esme and Emmett carefully wrapped the blanket around me leg, then carried me over to the car.
The whole time Edward stayed with me while Carlisle gave me stitches. Till this day I really don't remember any of the pain at all, I was just in too much of a shock I guess.
"Do you still have a nasty scar?" Edward asked taking me out of my daze.
"Of course I do, see" I lifted my pant leg up to show him the giant scar that was just below my knee. He reached his hand out and traced the scar slowly with his nice cool fingers. They felt so nice against my warm skin. He began laughing again as he continued rubbing it.
"You have bad luck with bikes don't you?" He was refereeing to another time when I was riding my bike on a hill and the wheel kind of lost traction when I went off a small jump, causing the wheel to rotate around and the handle bar as well. My stomach collided into the end of the handle bar creating a ring on my stomach because it didn't have that little rubber protector at the end of the handle bar, just the metal of the bike.
"I really do." I started to rub my stomach where the scar was and giggled a little with Edward.
"Looks like you guys are getting along nicely." Emmett came in through the front door taking off his coat and putting his keys on the table followed by the rest of the gang.
Edward leaned back against the couch taking his hand off my leg making me all of a sudden feel lonely at the loss.
"Yes we are." Edward smiled at me and I returned it with a slight blush on my face, but not enough for anyone else to really notice.
"What movie are we watching?" I asked as soon as everyone came in and sat down somewhere. Edward and I didn't move from the couch, so Alice and Jasper were on the big chair, while Rose and Emmett were on the ground, already making out.
"Will you two stop" I tossed a pillow at them and they broke apart yelling at me. "What movie are we going to watch?" I asked again.
"Humm…What about Tropic Thunder?" Jasper suggested.
"Sounds good to me!" Emmett agreed.
"As if you guys are really going to watch it." Edward played, as I got up to put the movie in. "We'll be lucky if we can hear the movie over your guys' lips smacking."
"Hey, no need to be jealous. I'm sorry that I have a pretty girl willing to make out with me and you don't." Edward chucked another pillow at him and Emmett tossed it back as Edward caught it ready to throw it again.
"Now, now children, enough!" I took the pillow out of Edward's hand after I put the movie in the DVD player and held onto it as I folded my legs beside me.
--
I don't know when I fell asleep, but when I woke up I realized that I was on something hard, yet it was incredibly soft and warm at the same time. I snuggled my face deeper into it and it smelt absolutely delicious, like Vanilla and chocolate mixed together along with a sort of musky smell mixed into it.
Then my eyes popped open.
I shifted in my spot quickly and looked to see that I was lying on Edward's chest as his head was tilted back against that corner part of the couch. You know that part where that is between the arm of the sofa and it's back.
I looked at the time and saw that it was almost 3 AM and no one else was in the room.
How could they just leave me here lying all over Edward?
I got up off the couch careful not to wake up Edward. I headed towards the stairs, but stopped and looked at Edward again. He kind of looked uncomfortable, so I went over and slowly moved his legs and his head so that he was lying flat on the couch. He moved around a bit moving his arm around as if he was looking for something. I just grabbed the blanket that was on the back of the couch and draped it across him.
I couldn't help but laugh internally, that was the same blanket that we had used to wrap my leg with. I took it once we moved out of Charlie's place, the blanket just held to memories to leave there.
I went to bed and slept quiet peacefully, but it didn't seem as peaceful as the rest that I just had and I was hating myself for it. I can't let this all be happening again.
--
"Bella, get your ass downstairs!" Alice burst through the front door.
What did she want now?
We've only gone through one week of school and I already have a paper to write for one of my classes and it really sucked because it was taking me ages to get it done. My brain really did not want to fucking focus on it. It seems to be everywhere else.
"Bella, can you hear me?" She came bounding up the stairs.
"What do you need?" I didn't move away from my laptop as I was typing away on it.
"You need to get ready?" That made me stop.
"Get ready for what?"
"We are going out tonight."
Ugh….. I smacked my head against my desk.
"Why?" I groaned into my desk.
"Because we haven't gone out, just the six of us, in a really long time."
"That's a great answer." I told her sarcastically.
"Do you really need a reason to come out and have dinner with your friends?" She was right, I shouldn't really need a reason to go out and hang with them.
"Your right Alice, getting away from working on this paper may actually help me out a little bit." I pushed away from my desk and headed towards my drawers to grab a fresh pair of clothes. Alice stood there staring at me.
"You know, you are kind of creeping me out right now." I pulled out a tee shirt.
"I want to make sure you don't end up picking out some old baggy clothes like usual."
"Alice, where are we going?"
"We're going over to Red Robins, but I still don't want you to go looking like you just got out of bed."
I gave her a dirty look and shoved my clothes that I had grabbed a second ago and back into the drawer and headed into the closest to get some Alice approved clothes. She nodded her head a little bit once I came out of the closet with a new set of clothes and left the room to let me get ready. I was really surprised that she really wasn't going to dress me or do my hair and make–up like she seems to do a lot of the time.
I put on some slightly faded jeans, and a red orange top that was short sleeved and had a v-neck design on it that panels down the front. It was not at all reveling which I really loved. I kept my hair down with a slight wave to it and my make-up was put on lightly.
When I got downstairs everyone was there and waiting, even Edward. He was talking to Jasper about something, but that ceased as soon as Rose greeted me, oh so graciously.
"Finally, there you are! We can go now." She stood up from the chair she was sitting on.
"Did I really take that long?" I asked as I grabbed my purse from the banister.
"No, Rose is just pulling your chain." Edward came up from beside me, startling me a little bit. I couldn't help but admire him. He was wearing a dark athletic tee, so I could see some of his stomach muscles through the shirt along with his firm pecks. He was also wearing some loose jeans that were hanging low on his hips…
Snap out of it woman, I shifted my head so now I was looking at the floor rather than at Edward. I swear I could hear him chuckle a little bit.
"Good Job. I'm proud of you Bella. You look great!" Alice appeared from out of the bathroom.
"Thanks Alice." I said mockingly and rolled my eyes.
I could see Edward look at me from my peripheral vision, but I refused to look at him directly.
"Well, let's go, shall we?" We all headed out the front door.
"Are we all riding together or what?" I asked as soon as we were out in the driveway.
"I'm going to ride with Rosie here because I want to ride in her convertible with the top down." Emmett sounded giddy about it, like a little kid.
"Oh, Oh, oh, Can I go with you?!" Alice started to cry out eagerly.
"Sure, just get in." Rose sighed and Alice grabbed Jasper's hand and pulled him out into the bright red BMW convertible.
"We'll see you guys there!" Rose and Emmett got into the car and drove off.
"Guess that leaves you riding with me." Edward jingled his keys in his hands.
"Looks like it." I made my way over to his car and opened the door.
--
The car ride was quiet except for a few pleasantries exchanged here and there. It really didn't matter because the restaurant wasn't that far away, so there really wasn't enough time to talk about anything even if I wanted to.
Everyone else was already at the restaurant and seated by the time we got there so we sat down with them with all the couples sitting next to each other and Edward sitting across from me.
We all ordered and got our food and we had all started chatting about almost everything and anything. It was turning out to be a great night, but things never really ever go the way you want them to. Right when you are in the middle of something great, something else has to come up or shove their ass in your face just to ruin your day, week, year, or even life.
"Edward?" I froze where I was, about to shove a French fry into my mouth when that voice stopped me. I could feel myself suddenly start to gag.
"James?" I looked at Edward to see him staring behind me.
"Hey man! How's it going?" James brushed past me making me want to rip my arm off and throw it away, to greet Edward with a boyish handshake.
"It's going." Was all the Edward replied. I could tell that he felt really uncomfortable with having James around, especially with me here sitting across from him. I turned my head down and stared at my plate having my hair cover my face and block it from James.
"Now, who do we have here?" I heard his sickly voice directed at me.
"Oh, no one. Just a friend of mine from school" Thanks Alice, but I doubt that will help at all.
"Really?" James let out slowly in a kind of flirtatious way that made me want to throw up then and there, all over him.
"So…" I felt him move over to me, "What's your name precious? Or should I just call you mine?" Who the hell did he think he was! He did not seriously say that shit to me. I lifted my head up bravely and looked him right in the face.
"It's Bella you jackass, Bella swan."
"Izza Belly!" I furrowed my eyebrows together and clenched my fists.
"No Fucking way! Holy Shit!" He started to laugh really hard that I swear he was about to piss himself.
"Look at you!" He continued to laugh, "Looks like my job worked! I can see why Felix has been so busy."
"James, stop!" I looked at Edward to see him too had his fists clenched and looked as if he was about to pounce, while Alice and Emmett too had disgusted looks on their faces.
"Whoa! Chill man, just admiring our handiwork." He began to play with my hair and I pulled back. "Man, how I would love to-"
"JAMES LEAVE NOW!" Edward stood up from the table looking as if he was about to punch James in the face with his clenched fists. Everyone in the restaurant was now looking at us, but at that moment I was paying no attention to them, I was too worried about a fight that was about to happen right in front of all of them.
"Dude, what happened to you? You were so much cooler back in high school, but now that you're back, you run right to Bella thinking that she will give you what you want now huh! I hope this is all part of some plan because if not then," he huffed, "you're just pathetic." James left us and Edward started to lunge for him, but I stood up and pushed him back.
"Edward, sit back down." I pressed, forcing him back into his seat.
We all sat back down after a few minutes, no one really said anything. I noticed their glances at me every now and again afraid of me doing something after seeing James, but I wasn't going to do anything. Sure I was a little disgusted for him flirting with me, but at least he didn't do anything to hurt me. I know they were all aching to ask me if I was alright and I tried to reassure them a couple of times but they still didn't seem to sure.
Edward wouldn't take his eyes off of me. He seemed to be the most worried about me and right now, I was really getting sick of it. Not just him, but of everyone waiting for me to scream or yell.
"Umm…you guys, is it all right if I went to go get some fresh air while you finish?" I asked. I couldn't stand there sad, questioning looks anymore. I was completely fine but they acted as if I was going to die or something.
"Sure squirt." Emmett spoke up, I gave him a smile. I standing up from the table I took a hold of my purse and made my way towards the exit. I could feel all their eyes on me, but the one that was the hottest was Edwards.
I left the building making my way towards the side of it where we parked the cars when someone yanked me away from the direction I was heading.
"Where do you think you're going?" said a sick sadistic voice as it dragged me towards the back of the building away from everyone and everything.
"Let go of me!" I tried to pull my arm away from James but he twisted it making me yelp. He covered my mouth with his hand. I kept fighting against his hold, but he just kept on dragging me towards the back as if I was trash.
"No, this should actually be fun and would make up for all those lost years, don't you think?" he pushed me up against a wall and held my hands up over my head with one of his overly large ones.
I tried to scream and yell, but couldn't because of his hand, all of it sounded muffled. The tears began leaking out of my eyes.
I struggled against him some more but he was too strong to make much of a difference. I even tried to kick him but he locked my legs against the wall with one of his own.
"Someone has gotten feisty haven't they? I like that." My vision became blurry and my body shook with fear of what may happen to me, but none of that was stopping me from trying to escape James' grasp.
"You are going to have to hold still if I'm going to do this right." James leant down and started rubbing his nose against my neck as he roughly turned my head so he could gain better access to it.
"You know, I never knew why either of them had a thing for you, but I guess I can see it now. You are so…tempting. And you smell absolutely delicious." He inhaled deeply, his face still against my neck. Soon he began to do something that was absolutely repulsive; he started to suck on my neck. Never softly. He went right on biting my neck.
"You know, this shirt has me conflicted." He traced the top of my shirt with his nose because both of his hands were occupied, across my neck, "It doesn't show enough for my liking, but at the same time it makes me wonder what you are hiding down there." He licked his lips.
I had to do something, anything to get away from him so I bit down hard on James' big ass hand that was pressed against my mouth. I dug my teeth deeply into his skin feeling the top of my teeth penetrate his skin and warm liquid gushed out.
"Ow!" he pulled back away from me to inspect his hand and I took that as my chance to run for it. I pushed myself off the wall and James in the processing running away. I screamed for help but no one came. I could hear James' feet pounding against the concrete behind me.
"You little bitch!" He caught up to me and tripped me with his foot causing me to fall down on the ground face first. I stopped the fall with my hands before I could hit me face. I was panicking; my breath was erratic and uncontrollable with tears pouring down my face and my heart pounding so hard and fast that it was all I could hear. James was about to pounce on me but I kicked his leg causing him to fall to the ground.
I tried to stand back up and run but James was too fast for me. Before I could even fully stand up he yanked me by my hair causing me to fall down on my back and my head this time did hit the ground giving me an immediate headache.
"You little fucking slut!" James straddled me on the ground locking my hands and legs with his own legs. I started to scream and he slapped me really hard against the side of my face making it sting like a thousand needles and my necked snapped to the side.
He grabbed my face roughly and made me face him. His eyes were full of hate, wickedness, and dark from his nauseating lust. I felt vomit creep up the back of my throat at the thought of what he was going to do to me. I tried to turn my head so that I could throw up, but he wouldn't let go.
"You be a good little girl now and let me have my fun."
"GET OFF HER!" James was pulled off me and fell to the ground on his ass and back.
"Oh, Edward. Did you want a turn?" James asked as if everything he was doing was okay and stood back up onto his own feet.
Finally being able to turn my head I turned on my side and threw up all over the ground. Edward ran over beside me and helped me sit up leaning me against the wall. He pushed hair out of my face and started to move his hands all over my face to make sure I was alright. He was so worried for me I could see it all over his face; hell I was worried about me right now. My brain was all over the place, I didn't know if I should stay there, run screaming, or what, but now having Edward here, I knew that I was safe.
"What the fuck is your problem?!" Edward moved to stand between James and me once he thought that I was okay, his back facing me.
"Nothing's wrong. I just wanted to show this little bitch her place." Just then a fist collided with James's face sending him right back down to the ground, but he just started laughing as he stood back up yet again with his nose bleeding, it looked as if it was broken now.
"James you better walk away now! I never want to see you again!" Edward growled low in his stomach.
"Do you really think that because you are now clean and that you are better than me that she still wants you after everything we did? She never wanted you man. Isn't that why we started treated her like the shit that she is."
"You did, after everything that you did James." James laughed hard at this.
"Me? Edward, you had as much part of it as I did. You were the one that set everything in motion, I was just the one that helped you move it along, so don't think that it was just me. I know that you know you did as much as I did if not more. Fuck Edward, you actually hurt her more than I ever could because of that one fact," he held up his finger in front of his face as blood poured out of his nose. "You were supposed to be her best friend." He pointed at Edward.
"Shut the fuck up right NOW!" Edward started to holler.
"You know, she is not really worthy of anyone anyway. She is so fucking sick and disgusting." James was now looking back at me while Edward stood there.
"Don't you know? I figured you would've found out by now. I mean I've known about it for years now, but that was because of Tanya. I'm surprised that she never told you about it."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Edward snarled trying to figure out what James was talking about, but I knew where this was leading. I knew what he was talking about and what he was about to tell Edward.
"God, you are so god damn oblivious, even in high school, everyone knew but you." James slowly started walking up towards Edward. "How do you think she lost all that weight Edward? Huh?"
"Edward?" I didn't want James to tell him, I wanted to, but I couldn't get Edwards attention.
"Did you think that she was like every other normal girl and lose the weight by exercising and eating right?" James pressed on, "No, of course she wouldn't. She had decided to take a different route and be one of those sick people who love to taste their food twice, once on the way down, and then on the way back up." I could see Edward face loosen up in comprehension of what James just said.
"Edward, please?" I begged for him to look at me or something.
"That's right; your best friend would gag herself instead of being like a sane person and exercising. She was probably too lazy to do that, I guess it was easier for her to sit by a toilet and puke into it instead." Edward still didn't say anything. "Do you want to know how I found out? It's a great story actually. So it was after we had gym one day while playing doge ball. We were all aiming for her and it was quiet funny watching the marshmallow over there try and dodge the balls. She would get hit no matter what because she was just a giant fucking target; it was hard to miss her. Anyway, it was near the end of class and I remember us teasing her a little bit as she fell to the ground and she couldn't really get up that fast and then you just had to say something.
"It was something like 'Look at the fat lard, she can't even stand on her own two feet, but that's probably because she can't even see them.'" James mimicked Edward, while Edward was starting to shake in fury. "You were looking right at her as you said it while she was looking at you giving you sad puppy dog eyes. It was all really pathetic and completely futile. After that she got up so fast off the floor it was amazing and ran right into the bathroom. Well, Tanya wanted go in there to say something to Bella, probably to make things worse, when she heard someone puking. Once she had turned the corner she saw Bella there shoving her finger down her throat, over and over again. She just watched it as if it was a show. Tanya eventually did come out of the bathroom laughing her ass off and told me what she saw." James was laughing hysterically at the memory of my horrid past.
Edward looked back to me as I sat there crying. He looked so sad and angry at what he had just heard.
"Don't you see, the best part of the whole thing it that it was because of you." Edward snapped his head towards James.
"What the fuck are you talking about?" I have never heard Edward's voice that malicious before. It was kind of scary.
"What I'm talking about is that it is because of you that she ended up going all bulimic and everything. You're the reason why she went to the bathroom everyday to puke her guts out. Hell she probably still does it. And I got to say, I'm really proud of you, Edward, for doing what you did, because then she may still be a balloon and I don't think I would have as much fun with her as I will now."
Edward launched himself at James, full force knocking them both down on the ground. They were rolling all over the place, each one trying to gain more of an advantage over the other.
James had rolled Edward onto his back and started to punch him in the face causing Edward's face to bleed all over. He even picked up his head and tried to slam it against the sidewalk but Edward wouldn't have any of that. He kept his head firm and solid to keep James from being able to smack it against the cold cement.
I cried out to Edward and for some help but no one was listening. No one really cared enough. I was too afraid to get up and go get someone, afraid that if I didn't just stop this now, Edward could be seriously injured.
James stood up and started to kick Edward in the side over and over again while Edward withered in pain. He was trying to do block the blows but wasn't doing that well of a job. It didn't matter for even if Edward could block James' hits, he wouldn't stop.
I couldn't stand it anymore.
I pushed myself up off the ground and made my way towards James and jumped on his back. He swung around as I clawed at his face leaving deep cuts. He spun himself around and ripped me off his back causing me to fall to the ground and I could still feel the skin and blood under my nails that I had just ripped off his face.
"You stay there you little whore!" James shouted at me. I saw Edward kick James' feet with his own causing James to tumble to the ground. Edward took this moment and jumped on him pinning James down to the ground so that he could go nowhere, and started punching him repeatedly worse then what James was doing to him.
It was as if he was punching a punching bag rather than an actual person. Left fist, right fist over and over again into James' stomach, chest, side, face, everywhere, all while James laid there laughing in-between each strike he received.
"Edward, stop it!!" I yelled at him as I got up and ran over to him trying to pull him off James, "Please stop it."
I finally pulled him off James, who just continued to laugh. I was surprised that he was still breathing at this point. Edward and I fell back off of James and sat on the ground.
"Wow, Edward" James slowly and painfully sat up hissing with each movement he made, "Seriously I am damn fucking proud of you. I didn't think you ever had it in ya. I mean, I was the one that usually did the dirty work anyway." He glared over at me.
"James, get the fuck out of here before I call the police!!"
Without another word he turned to get up off the ground as best he could and ran away.
"Edward? Edward, are you okay?" I went over and put my hands on his face seeing that he had a cut over his eyebrow, a gash along his hair line, along with a swollen eye, bleeding nose and his lips were cut up as well. I couldn't really check the side of him where James had kept kicking him, but I knew that it was going to be bad.
"I'm fine." He tried to stand up, but he was struggling to do so, so I helped him up and we started towards his car.
"Give me your keys Edward." I held my hand up to him as I leaned him up against the passenger side of the car.
"No, I can do this by myself." He was trying to stay strong but I saw him falter.
"God, you are so stubborn." I reached my hand down his pant pocket and grabbed the keys from them trying to ignore the fact that I was putting my hands down his pants.
God that sounded so wrong.
After unlocking his car I carefully shoved him in and buckled him up as he leaned his head against the back of the seat holding his side. Once I was done, I made my way to the driver's side and started the car.
Throughout the whole ride home, I could feel Edward's gaze on me and it was somewhat making me uncomfortable. I was really worried about what was going to happen now and what he was going to say to me.
You wouldn't imagine how relieved I was when we pulled up into the driveway because that car ride was making me really antsy.
After much struggling I finally got Edward out of the car and into the house sitting him on the sofa. I inspected his injuries yet again on his face while his eyes stayed on mine. My face heated up a bit.
"I think you may need to go to the doctor." I told him.
"No I don't. I'm fine, just get me some ice and I will be good." He winced in pain and held his side again as he tried to move on the sofa to get into a more comfortable position.
"I'm going to get you some ice and the first aid kit; you try to get comfortable."
"Sure." He mumbled.
I got up from the couch and made my way into the kitchen to grab some ice before making my way to the medicine cabinet and grabbing the first aid kit.
As I made my way out of the kitchen back into the living room I stopped when I saw Edward taking off his shirt that was covered in blood, above his head.
I cocked my head to the side as I saw him slowly lift it trying to get it above his head and watched his back muscles clench and unclench as he struggled. As he continued to pull it up I noticed a tattoo on his right shoulder blade and partly going down his arm. It was some sort of bird, almost looked like and eagle or maybe even a phoenix.
My breathing was picking up a bit as I sat there watching Edward fight with his shirt.
"Bella?" I shook my head out of my daze and recovered from the drool that I was sure would be coming out the side of my mouth.
"Yes."
"I need your help." He had his shirt around his neck and just couldn't lift his arms over his head all the way.
"I wouldn't have guessed." I started to laugh a little as I walked back over to the couch and stood in front of him. He looked really embarrassed that he couldn't take his own shirt off.
I sat down on the couch in front of him and grabbed the hem of his shirt that was scrunched up around his neck and pulled it up over his head keeping in mind the cuts and bruises that he were on his face.
I had taken the shirt fully off of him I couldn't help but let my eyes drift over the newly exposed skin and over his chiseled chest.
"You like what you see?" Edward teased and I couldn't help but blush. Damn that blush, I was happy when it was gone, but now it had to come back and in full force.
"Oh, God Edward!" I think I was too busy ashamedly admiring his body to notice a giant bruise starting to form on his side. I reached my hand out to touch it and sooth it, but he winced back in pain.
"Sorry." I mumbled taking my hand away from him.
"No, it's not that, your hands are just cold."
"I'm still sorry, because this is going to be a lot colder." I pushed the bag of ice against the bruise and he flinched. I had my hand sitting there for a minute holding the ice looking at the long bruise, then his hand came down and rested on mine.
I looked up and gazed into his eyes for what felt like eternity just trying to read what was in them, but it was full of so many other emotions that I just couldn't pick any single one out.
I quickly moved my hand so that he could hold the ice and opened up the first aid kit pulling out bandages and wipes to clean up the cuts on his face.
I opened up the sanitizer wipes and held it up to his face about to rub it along the gash above his eyebrow and forehead.
"Now, this is going to sting." Edward nodded his head so I moved forward and started to clean the cuts.
"Ow! God! That does sting." Edward moved his hands up to the cuts and held his hand there.
"No shit Sherlock. Did you think I was joking?"
"No, it's…I didn't think it would hurt that badly." He said defensively.
"Well, that's what happens when you get your ass kicked."
"I didn't get my ass kicked, he did. And he deserved it."
"I didn't say he didn't, but Edward what happens if he goes to the police for this?" I was worried about Edward getting thrown into jail with a bunch of creepy people that god knows what they would do while you were asleep, or worse, in the shower.
"Bella, he won't go to the police, because if he did, he would be the one thrown into jail for what he did to you." Edward took my face in his hands, as I looked down at my fingers.
"You know you are sitting here taking care of me, and it is I who should be asking if you are all right. You were attacked, and…" he began rubbing circles on my cheeks with his thumbs. "Why did you do it?"
I didn't have to ask what he was talking about, because I knew exactly what he meant. I've been dreading this day ever since I found out about his AA meetings and I had decided that I was going to tell Edward about it.
"Edward I don't know what to tell you. Why do you think I did?" I felt myself getting angry and tears on the brim of my eyes, but I wouldn't let them fall.
"I don't know Bella, why do you think I am asking." I removed myself from his hold and stood up.
"Jesus Christ Edward, are you really that conceited to pretend that you have no idea why I did it."
"Was it really because of me?" he spoke softly.
"Yes, yes it was." I told him honestly and kind of harshly.
"Bella"
"Edward, what would have you done if you were me and the size of a blimp. If you constantly had people around school call you names, make up rumors about you, and did absolutely everything and anything they could to get under your skin you would feel like you had to do it too." I couldn't hold the tears in anymore, they flowed freely.
"It never bothered me before, because everyone was always doing it to me for the longest time, but then everything changes when it is your best friend that is the one that is saying things behind your back, and sometimes right to your face." I couldn't look at him so I just paced back and forth across the room.
"And then…and then, the things you did with everyone. It made things worse, and before I knew what was going on, I couldn't stop myself. I felt so dirty and disgusting whenever I didn't do it. It was like there was an itch in my stomach that just would not come out and less I forced it out the only way I knew how. I thought that even by leaving that school and never seeing you again would help me recover from it, but it didn't. I kept telling myself that it was just going to take time and eventually it would pass, but it didn't. Every time I saw something that reminded me of you and had to puke, every time I slept I would have nightmares about what you did, and I would have to run to the bathroom. I could not stop it. I knew I was scaring everyone especially Charlie, because he had no clue what to do, or even why I was doing it. It was scaring him to death." I was sobbing now but still kept moving afraid that if I stopped I would collapse right then and there.
"Edward, you did drugs, me, this is what I did. I'm not proud of it and god knows I hate myself for it. Everyone tried to help me through it, they really did, and at first I would shut them out, but after time passed and I became weaker and weaker. They eventually pushed their way through. They would sit there with me day and night holding me and telling me that everything was going to be all right, but I knew it was never going to be all right, because…" I stopped moving and turned towards Edward but kept my face down at the floor, "because deep down, I knew, no matter what I told myself, the only one I wanted there telling me that everything was going to be alright and was my best friend." I lifted my head up as I said this and I could see the pain and hurt that was in Edward's eyes, he looked as if he was about to cry.
"The only one I wanted there was you." I finished with a whisper, before I knew it I felt two strong arms wrap around me as I fell to the ground crying uncontrollably.
"I'm so sorry Bella." Edward voice was quivering. I sat there for awhile with Edward rocking me back and forth while stroking my hair as I let out all my tears.
I had cried myself to sleep in Edward's arms. It was right then that I knew that I had gained my best friend back.
wooo.. That is the longest chapter I have written, I hope it was good enough for you guys. It is really late and I really should be going to bed because I have to wake up in the morning. Sorry for any mistakes.
Okay there is a picture of the tattoo on my profile along with the shirt she was wearing.
The stories about the bikes both happened to me actually. I even have the scares to prove it. Not fun.
Dont forget go nominate your fav stories and then vote!
Review you guys, next chapter will have a surprise!