Truce

Bella

"You know Bells," Aaron smiled from the passenger seat of his car. "Just because I'm going to college doesn't mean I'm going to leave you. I'll still visit. You're my baby sister, I love you."

"Okay, state champ." I laughed, as I stopped at a red light. "I love you too, but I think you had a little too much to drink tonight."

"Ah, Bells, don't be a buzz kill. We won state! I'm only celebrating."

I was only fifteen. I shouldn't have been behind the wheel of a car. All this I already know, but my brother was drunk and I learned to drive when I was fourteen. I know it was wrong but I couldn't let him drive us home.

The moment the light changed to green, I pressed the gas and I turned onto the intersection.

It couldn't have been more than a second, but the bright flash of headlights let me know that something was really wrong.

In an instant the grill of the massive tractor trailer, that seemed miles away before, came plowing into the passenger's side of the car and straight into my brother.

I woke with a jump and in a cold sweat. The last image running through my mind was that of my brother's smiling face before the bright lights engulfed it.

The frozen, nightmare image of Aaron's face and the thousand little Oompa Loompas jumping up and down in my head, was a horrible start to my morning.

"You okay?" a light voice asks me. "You might have a hangover."

When I squinted, I found Alice standing over me. We were in what looked like a small bedroom with walls painted a pastel pink.

"Where am I?"

"My place," she smiled. "I wouldn't move just yet if I were you. You might puke again and my parents will freak if you mess up the carpeting. Lucky for you, they're visiting my grandma in Boston."

Her hair was wet, as if she just stepped out the shower. She was also making the bed on the other side of the room. It was small, child sized and really pink.

"How did I get here?" The last thing I remember was starting to walk home...

"You passed out on the beach. EJ brought you here."

At the mention of EJ, my eyes fly open. I vaguely remember drinking, then fighting with Mike, finding EJ and Roxy together. And then EJ and I...

Did I kiss him? I know I leaned in, but then the rest is a blank.

I puked. I distinctly remember puking. Not the most perfect image I'm trying to project. I sit up slowly, hoping sometime soon my head will stop spinning.

"Did I do something stupid?" I ask.

Ally shrugs, "I'm not sure. EJ wouldn't really let anyone get close enough to you. If you call passing out in his arms stupid, then I think you managed it."

I quickly drop my head into my hands, "Oh, no. Ally, please don't tell anyone on the squad."

She smiles softly, "I won't tell anyone that Bella Swan is in fact human." Ally shifts around nervously for a second, "Do you remember what happened between you and Mike? Are you okay?"

I look at her confused for a moment before the scenes rush back to me. "He was drunk," I whispered. "And very angry. He held on to my wrist for to long, his grip was also too tight. I don't think he meant to hurt me. But, when he pushed me to the ground, I don't know, he wasn't himself anymore."

Ally came and sat next to me on the bed, "That doesn't matter. He shouldn't have laid a hand on you."

"I know," I shrugged. "I left then, angry with him and the world. I was walking down the beach when I heard music. I stopped knowing I went to far. Luis asked if I was okay, but I was so dizzy. I ran off again after I saw EJ with Roxanne but he came after me. He got so angry when he saw what Mike did. I think I puked, and I can't remember much after that. Why did he bring me here?"

"Ask him yourself. He's sleeping on the couch in the living room. He passed out as soon as he carried you to my bed."

EJ is here? In Alice's house?

"He likes you, you know," Ally says looking at her fingernails instead of me.

Butterflies start fluttering around in my stomach. "No, he doesn't."

She rolls her eyes, "Oh, please. You know it, even if you don't want to admit it."

"I've got to get home. Where's my cell?" I ask, patting my back pocket.

"EJ has it, I think."

So sneaking out without talking to him isn't an option. I struggle to keep the Oompa Loompas at bay as I stagger out the bedroom, searching for Edward.

It's not hard to find him. As soon I walk out the bedroom door, I find him lying on an old sofa, wearing jeans. Nothing else. His eyes are open and he's playing with a small girl who's straddling his chest.

"Hey," he says warmly while handing the small girl her plush dog back.

Oh, God. I'm in trouble.

Because I'm staring. I can't keep my eyes from ogling his chest, chiseled triceps and biceps and every other 'eps' he has. The butterflies in my stomach have multiplied tenfold as my wandering gaze meets his.

"Hey." I shallow, hard and try to hide my blush. "I, um, guess I should thank you for bringing me here instead of leaving me passed out on the beach."

His glaze switched from me to the girl, "Now, that wouldn't have been nice of me. Right, baby girl?"

"Wight," she nodded her head. "Eddie, who that?"

She looked at me curiously and I smiled. I walked up the the couch and crouched down to her level. "Hi," I smiled wider. "My name is Bella. What's your name?"

"Lyric Chasity Brandon," she stated happily, stuttering a little bit.

"Brandon?" I raised my eyebrow at EJ. "She's Ally's little sister?"

"Bella," he sighed. "I'd like you to meet my god-daughter. She's not Ally's sister, she's her daughter."

I couldn't deny the resemblance. Lyric had lighter hair than Alice, hers was brown while her mother's was pitch black. But they had the same midnight blue eyes. Her face resembled Alice's as well but I couldn't pinpoint who else.

Just as I was about to ask, the front door opened and Luis walked in.

"Lu-lu," Lyric squealed, jumping off the couch and running to Luis.

He caught her and pulled her into a hug, "Mi vida, how are you this morning?"

She giggled and nuzzled her head into his neck.

He chuckled and walked into the apartment. "Hey Bella," he smiled when he noticed me.

I was caught of guard and very confused. I quickly composed myself, "Hi, um, thanks for last night. Sorry if I freaked you out."

"No problem," he said sincerely. "Hey, EJ, where's Ally? I picked up the stuff at the supermarket." He held up his free arm and showed four bags from Keyfood.

"Did you use the Wic checks?" Ally said, walking back into the living room, Jazz on her heels.

Luis scoffed and put Lyric down on the ground along with the bags. "Maybe I would have if you would have given them to me."

"Hey," Jazz whispered to Lyric. "Want to help me put the food away?" She nodded her head and followed Jazz into what I suspected was the kitchen.

"I'm confused," I whispered to EJ, as I continued to hear Ally and Luis bicker.

EJ sighed and reached for my hand. The electric shock stunned me as he led me away to the bedroom. The bedroom was a pastel blue, there was a queen sized bed in the center and framed photos of the wall. It was Alice's parents room. EJ stopped in front of the massive wall of photos.

"She was fourteen when Lyric was born," he said slowly. "It was the middle of freshman year when she found out she was pregnant. She didn't tell anyone besides me for a long time but she's a small girl and eventually it started to show. She was so scared Jazz would leave her, but-"

"Wait," I said cutting him off. "Why would she be afraid Jazz would leave her if he got her pregnant?"

"Because," he sighed, running his fingers through his hair, "Lyric isn't his. I-I mean he doesn't treat her differently because of it, he loves Lyric to death and treats her as his own. But, she was scared in the beginning."

"So Ally cheated?"

"Jazz and Al haven't always been together. I know Ally has loved Jazz since we were kids but Jazz was blind, he never saw her as anything more than a friend. Until, she started dating Luis. I think we were thirteen when Luis got the nerve to ask Alice out. We were kids and Ally saw it as a chance to forget Jazz since he never showed her that kind of attention. Jazz and I were off chasing other girls, while Luis wanted the girl next door. But anyway, once they started dating Jazz realized what he has always been missing. He wasn't about to break them up so he kept his newly discovered feelings to himself. To this day I don't know why Luis and Ally broke up, but once they did Jazz told her about his feelings for her and they've been together ever since."

He let out the huge breath he was probably holding and shrugged his shoulders, "Luis was her first everything. And after they broke up she found out she was pregnant. Jazz never left her side, he was there for everything. He was even next to her as she gave birth. He knows Luis is Lyric's real dad and he accepts that. Luis and him have never fought over anything, they both know their place."

"Wow," I exhaled, looking over the pictures of red faced Alice and a small pink bundle in her arms.

"Welcome to our world, Swan. Everything isn't always greener on the other side. Last night I realized something. You and I, we're not so different. You play the game just like I do. You use your looks, your body, and your brains to make sure you're always in control."

And here I though we were having a moment.

"I'm hungover, EJ. Don't get all philosophical on me."

"See, you're playing a game right now. Be real with me, I dare you."

Is he kidding? Be real? I can't. Because than I'll start crying and maybe freak out enough to blurt the truth – that I create the perfect image so I can hide behind it. "I better get home."

"Before you do that, you should probably go to the bathroom."

Before I can ask why, I catch a glimpse of my reflection in a mirror on the wall. "Oh, shit!" I shriek. Black mascara is caked under my eyes and streaky lines of it are running down my face.

I resemble a corpse. Hurrying past him, I find the bathroom and stare at myself in the mirror. My hair is a nest. If the mascara isn't bad enough, the rest of me is as pale as a ghost. I also have puffy bags under my eyes.

All in all, not a pretty sight.

I wet toilet paper and rub under my eyes and on my cheeks until the streaks are gone. My moms voice suddenly pops into my head.

"Rubbing under your eyes will stretch out your skin and cause premature wrinkles."

But desperate circumstances call for desperate measures. After the mascara is gone, I dab cold water on my eye bags. I'm fully aware this is damage control. I can only bandage the imperfections and hope nobody sees me like this. I use my fingers as a comb. Then I poof up my hair, hoping it helps.

I rinse my mouth with water and rub my teeth with toothpaste, getting rid of the worst of night until I get home.

Squaring my shoulders and keeping my head held high, I open the door and walk back into the living room to find everyone but EJ in the kitchen.

"Where's my cell phone?" I ask suddenly. "And please put on a shirt."

He reaches down and grabs my phone off the coffee table. "Why?"

"The reason I need my cell is to call a cab," I say as I take it from him.

"One, a cab from Brooklyn to Manhattan will probably cost about thirty bucks. And, why do you want me to put my shirt on? You've never seen a guy with his shirt off?"

"Very funny. Believe me, you don't have anything I haven't seen before."

"Wanna bet?" he smirks, then moves his hands to the button of his jeans and pops it open.

Ally walks in at that exact moment, Lyric in her arms. "Whoa, E. Please keep your pants on."

When she looks at me I put my hands up, "Don't look at me. I was just about to call a cab when he did that."

Shaking her head, she walks to her purse and picks up a set of keys. "Forget the cab, that'll cost too much. I'll drive you home."

"I'll drive her," EJ cuts in.

Alice looks exhausted dealing with us, similar to how Mrs. Cullen looks during chemistry class. "Would you rather me drive you or EJ?"

I have a boyfriend, granted he wasn't much of one yesterday. And I admit every time I catch EJ looking at me a warmth spreads through my body. But it's normal. We're two teenagers with obvious sexual tension passing between us. As long as I never act on it, everything will be just fine.

Because if I ever did act on it, the consequences would be disastrous. I'd lose Mike. I'd lose my friends. I'd lose the control I have over my life.

Most of all, I'd lose what's left of my mother's love.

If I'm not seen as perfect, what happened Saturday morning with my mom will seem tame. Being perfect to the outside world equates to how my mom treats me. If any of her co-workers or friends see me with EJ, my mom might as well be an outcast too. If she's shunned by her friends, I'll be shunned by her. I can't take that chance. This is as real as I can afford to get.

"Alice, take me home," I say quickly.

EJ gives a small shake of his head, grabs his shirt and keys, and storms out the front door without another word.

I silently watch as Ally passes Lyric off to Luis and kisses Jazz good-bye. As I follow Ally out the door, Luis stops me.

"He's a good guy, Bella," he shrugs his shoulders and gives a nervous smile. "His tough act is a cover. He's just EJ, trust me I should know."

On the ride across the bridge, I watch as the scenery changes.

"Luis is right," Ally whispers quietly, taking my attention off the window. "I've know EJ since he cried like a baby when his ice cream fell on the street when we were four years old. We been through a lot of stuff together. He was there when I found out Lyric was going to be a girl. EJ named her, Lyric. He's sweet, just had a hard life. It was hard on him when they took his dad, he lost his hero. And when he found out what his father did, it was like a fall from grace. He couldn't take it."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because, I know you like him even if you won't admit it. But I want to protect him. Like he always protected me. He doesn't deserve more disappointment in his life so if you aren't going to be there for the good and the bad don't attempt to be."

She stops her car in front of my building, Pete comes to the passenger's door and holds it open.

"Miss Swan," he greets.

Alice laughs and shakes her head, "We're from two different worlds Bella. Strip the money, the perks, the luxury. And strip the dark, hate, and poor. We're not different people. You and him are exactly the same, just grew up on different sides."

I nod my head numbly, "Thanks for the ride and for letting me crash at your place."

"No problem." Ally flashed me a weak smile.

I turned to get out before turning back to her, "I won't let anything happen between me and EJ. Okay?"

"Good. Because if something does, it's going to blow up in your faces."

The Oompa Loompas are jumping again, so I can't think too much about her warning.

In my apartment, my mother and father are sitting at the kitchen table. I's quiet. There are papers in front of them. They quickly straighten, like little kids caught doing something wrong.

"I-I thought you were st-still at Rose's," Renee says. My radar goes on high alert. My mother never stutters. And she's not giving me shit about the way I look. This is not good

"I got a headache," I respond, walking forward examining the papers on the table. Forks Home for Special People. "What is this?"

Charlie ruins his hands through his hair, "We're discussing our options."

"Options?!" I shout. "We agreed sending Aaron away was a bad idea."

Renee turned towards me, "No. You decided sending him away was a bad idea."

"I'm going to NYU next year so I can live at home and help."

"Next year you have to focus on your studies, not your brother. Isabella, listen," Charlie says standing. "We have to look into our options. He doesn't want to eat and he's acting out, he needs help."

"I don't want to hear it," I yell again. "There is no way I'm letting you send my brother away." I snatch the papers away and tear them in two, toss them into the garbage can, then run to my bedroom.

I sit on the edge of my bed, my mind whirling with the images of my brother being sent away. The thought of it makes me sick.

Something is sticking out of my pocket. It's EJ's bandanna. EJ, a boy who cared more about me last night than my own boyfriend did, acted as my hero and is urging me to be real.

I clutch the bandanna to my chest and for for the first time in a long time I allow myself to cry.

Edward

When I told her to be real, I could see the fear in her eyes. I wonder what she has to be afraid of. Breaking down her wall is going to be my goal. I know there's more to her than meets the eye. Secrets she'll take to the grave and secrets she wants to share. She's a mystery and I can think about is unraveling the clues.

When I told her we were similar I wasn't bullshitting. This connection we have isn't going away, it's only getting stronger. Because the more time I spend with her, the closer I want to be.

I have the urge to call Bella just to hear her voice, even if it's filled with venom. I flip open the screen of my sidekick lx.

"Who ya' calling?" Jazz asks, barging into my apartment without knocking. Ally and Lyric are right behind him.

I close the screen and attach my phone back to my belt. "No one."

"Then get your ass off the couch and come play handball."

Arriving at the park across the shirt and watching the current game of handball play out is better than sitting on my couch and thinking about Bella.

"What's game? And what's score?" I ask Richie.

He takes the small blue ball and throws it back across to the wall. "Seven to five and game is twenty-one."

They're playing doubles at the moment and I realize this game might take longer than I thought. Ally went to the little kids park with Lyric, so she could ride the swings.

Most of the guys playing are from my neighborhood. We've grown up together, played on this playground since we were kids and even got initiated into the Bloods at the same time. Before I was jumped in I remember Luis telling me how being in a gang was like having a second family, a family who would be there when your own wasn't. They would offer protection and security. It sounded perfect to a kid who lost his dad to the system.

Over the years, I've learned to block out the bad stuff. The beatings, the drug deals, the shootings. I know guys who tried so hard to get out, they were found either dead or beaten so badly they wished they were dead. Once you're in, you're for life.

To be honest, I block it out because it scares the shit out of me. I'm supposed to be tough enough not to care, but I do.

Sometimes I wish that I magically transform into a rich and powerful guy who can take my mom and family – Ally, Lyric, Jazz, and Luis – away from this place.

Somehow Bella pops into my head again.

She didn't want me to drive her home because she didn't want to be seen with me.

Fuck that shit!

I flip open my sidekick and dial in Bella's name. Her number pops up and I press the call button.

"Hello?" Bella's voice momentarily stuns me, she's sad.

"It's EJ," I answer, even though she should know already. "Meet me at the school parking lot. Now."

"I can't."

"Here's the deal Bella," I smirk as I reach my block and go to my motorcycle that's parked down the street. I straddle it and start the engine. "You either meet me at the school in thirty minutes or I'm bringing five of my friends to your place and we're camping out in your lobby tonight."

"No, you can't do –" I cut her off with a quick hit of the end call button.

Revving the engine, I block out the thoughts of last night when she snuggled into my lap. I realize I don't have a game plan.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I see Bella pull into the school parking lot and park at the far end of the lot. She's steaming mad as she approaches me leaning against my motorcycle.

"How dare you order me around!" she yells, looking kind of sexy doing it. "If you think you can threaten me into -"

Without saying anything I smirk and snatch the keys out her hand. I walk over to the driver's side of her Aston Martin.

"EJ! What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"Get in," I say, looking up at her.

I roar the engine to let her think I would be willing to drive off and leave her stranded in the parking lot.

Truth is, I have no idea what I'm doing and thinking up things as I go.

Clenching her fists, she stomps to the passenger side.

"Where's my picture of Mike?" she asks, eyeing the dashboard.

I took it down when she was walking around the car, "Don't worry, you'll get it back. I don't have the stomach to look at it while I'm driving."

Without blinking or looking down, I put the car in drive and zoom out the lot. I've never driven a car this expensive before.

"This is carjacking, you know?" I stay quiet, as she continues. "And kidnapping."

We stop at a light and Bella looks at the cars around us.

I smirk at her, "Look, you got in on your own free will."

"It's my car. What if someone sees us?"

Now that pissed me off.

I screech the tires angrily when the light turns green. I might purposely try to ruin her car.

"Stop it!" she orders. "Take me back to the school."

I'm too pissed off to listen. I'm silent as I drive over the Williamsburg Bridge.

Up until two minutes I didn't know where I wanted to take her. Now I want her to see I'm not the guy she made me out to be in her mind.

As we drive into Brooklyn, she decided to speak again.

"Let me out of here or I'm jumping out."

"You're wearing a seatbelt." I roll my eyes at her as I turn onto North 8th and Kent. "Relax, we're here."

I park her car on the corner of North 8th and hop out the driver's seat.

"Where's here?" she said looking out the windshield.

"Get out of the car."

She lifted one perfect eyebrow, "Give me one good reason why I should?"

"Because if you don't, I'm gonna drag you out. Trust me, woman."

I put her keys in my back pocket as I cross the street. I hear the clicking of her heels on the pavement, she's following me.

"Listen, if you wanted to discuss our project we could have done it over the phone."

She's standing behind me, I can feel her warmth around me. It's suffocating, in a good way. The wind is washing her sent towards me and it smells like strawberries.

"Did we kiss last night?"

I laugh internally at the irony, "Yes."

I turned and she's biting her lip. "Well, it wasn't memorable because I have no recollection of it."

"I was kidding. We didn't kiss." I slowly lean in towards her. "When we kiss you'll remember it. Forever."

A slow pink blush crept up her neck and into her cheeks. I know she's scared to be alone with me, I can tell by the way she keeps fidgeting with her fingers. But, somehow I know she knows I wouldn't intentionally hurt her or force her to do anything.

"Why did you kidnap me?" she asks, pure curiosity lacing each word.

"It's almost sunset," I answer grabbing her hand and tugging her the reach of the way into the park. "Welcome to East River State Park, known to my friends as the Northside Pier. It's my favorite place in Brooklyn."

"Why are we here?"

Good question. "You talk in your sleep." I state lamely.

She gasped and covered her face with her hands, "Crap, what did I say?"

Should I tell her she said my name? "It was mostly mumbling. Nothing solid."

"Wow," she muses. "Usually, I'm telling stories in my sleep."

"What happened last night with Mike?"

She sighed and looked down, "He wants something, I'm not sure I want. We're not the same people anymore." She moved her hand to cover the bruise. "He was drunk, he's never done anything like that before. I have like twenty messages from him apologizing already."

We're standing toe to toe on the grass by the waterfront. I pull her down to sit on the grass with me.

"I thought you and Roxy broke up?"

"We did," I answer without hesitation.

She snorted. Very lady-like. Huh? "Didn't look like it last night."

"Are you jealous?"

"Nope." Some part wanted her to say yes. "Why did you care so much last night?"

"Because, you were drunk and hurt. I wasn't going to leave you to fend for yourself on the beach. I did it cause it was the right thing to do not to be a good guy."

She took her eyes off the water to look me straight in the eye, "Why is it so important that you're perceived as a bad boy, huh? Tell me."

For the first time we're having a civilized discussion. Now I've got to come up with something to break that damn defensive wall of hers.

I need to reveal something that makes me vulnerable. If she sees me as vulnerable instead of an asshole, maybe I can make some headway with her. And somehow I know she'll be able to tell if I'm bullshitting.

I'm not sure if I'm doing this for the bet, the chemistry project, or for me. In fact, I'm totally cool with not analyzing that part of what's happening here.

"My dad was arrested when I was six," I tell her quickly. "Right in front of me."

Her eyes go wide, "Really?"

I nod. I don't like talking about it, not sure I can if if I want to.

"I'm sorry," she says softly. "That must have been hard on you."

"Yup." It feels good to talk about it with someone other than Ally. "He was my hero, then I realized what he really was. Kind of killed every hope of becoming like him when I grew up. He wasn't the man I thought he was, and I vowed I wouldn't be like him but here I am, just like the old man."

Her face is full of regret, sorrow, and sympathy. I can tell it's not an act.

"If I care too much about shit and it's taken away, I'll feel like I did the day my dad was taken away. I never want to feel that way again, so instead I make myself care about nothing."

Bella's brow furrows, "Thanks for, you know, telling me. But I can't imagine you making yourself not care about nothing. You can't program yourself like that."

"Wanna bet?"

"You care about Lyric," she states, all matter-of-fact like. "Ally, Jazz, and Luis too. I can see it."

"Lyric," I sigh. "Is the one good thing I saw come out of my world. I named her, you know."

Bella's face broke out into a that world peace kind of smile, "I know, Ally told me. How did you come up with it."

"I uh, play the guitar," I told her truthfully. "My mom loves music, she wanted me to play the piano but we don't have the kind of money to buy one so she got me a guitar instead. I was trying to come up with lyrics to a melody I had in my mind for months before it clicked that Lyric would be her name. The melody still has no lyrics, ironically enough. But, it's the only song that would put Lyric to sleep when she was younger."

Suddenly I'm desperate to get the spotlight off me. "Your turn to share."

Bella looks away. I don't push her to say anything for fear she'll come to her senses and want to leave.

Could it be hard for her to share even a glimpse into her world? My life has been so fucked up, it's fucking hard to believe hers could be any worse. I watch as a lone tear escapes from her eye and she quickly wipes it away.

"My brother," she starts. "My brother has Parkinson's Disease and suffers from the after effects of a traumatic brain injury. He can't walk because he has muscle spasms, he can't talk so he uses verbal approximations. He hasn't been eating lately, he's angry about something and I can't figure out what." With that another tear escapes. This time she lets it fall without wiping it away. I have the urge to wipe them away for her but I get the feeling she needs to remain untouched.

She takes a deep breath, "It's my fault. I was fifteen when we got into the accident. I shouldn't have been driving but he just won state and he was drunk. I couldn't let him drive us home. The driver of the tractor trailer fell asleep at the wheel, slammed into us on Aaron's side of the car. It should have been me, but my brother is the handicapped one and I just came out with a scar that runs from the crown of my head to my neck."

So that's where the scar came from. For the first time, though I feel sorry for her. I imagined her life as a fairytale. I guess that's not the case.

Something is happening. I sense a change in the wind. A mutual understanding of each other. I haven't felt this way in forever.

I clear my throat from any emotion, "I don't want to be an asshole to you."

"I know. It's your image, what EJ Masen is all about. It's your brand, your logo. Dangerous, hot, sexy, bad guy from Brooklyn. I wrote the book on creating and image. I wasn't exactly aiming for the snobby rich girl look, though. More like the perfect, untouchable look."

Whoa. Rewind Bella called me hot and sexy. I was not expecting that at all. Maybe I have a chance of wining that bet. "You do realize you just called me hot?"

"As if you didn't know."

I didn't know Bella Swan considered me hot. "For the record, I though you were untouchable. But now that I know you think I'm a hot, sexy, green-eyed god..."

"I never said the words 'green-eyed god'."

I put my finger to my lips. "Shh, let me enjoy the fantasy for one minute." I close my eyes.

Bella laughs, a sweet sound that echoes in my ears. "In some deranged way, EJ, I think I understand you now. Although I'm still pissed off at you for being such a caveman." When I open my eyes I find her watching me. "Don't go telling everyone about my brother. No one talks about it anymore, I don't want them to start again."

"We're actors in our lives pretending to be who we want people to think we are."

"So you understand why I'd freak out if my parents found out we were friends."

"You'd get in trouble," I say without a hitch.

Truth is, this girl isn't what I though she would be. From the moment I told her about my dad, it was as if her whole body sighed in relief. As if someone else's misery comforted her, made her feel like she wasn't alone. I still can't understand why she cares so much, why she chooses the I-am-flawless facade to show the world.

Looming over my head is that damn bet. I have to get this girl to fall for me. And while my body says go for it, the rest of me is thinking, I'm a bastard for even thinking about it.

"Look," I say turning my attention to the Manhattan skyline. The sun is setting. Making the skyscrapers look like they're made of gold. "This is what I wanted to show you."

"Wow," she whispers, totally drawn into the colors the sunset is making on the city. "You could live somewhere your whole life and still be amazed. It's beautiful EJ, really, thank you for showing me this."

"I want all the same things out of life you want," I admit. "I just go about everything in a different way than you do." I put my hand on top of hers and that damn spark lights up my body, fills me with warmth. "Let me show you I'm different. Would you ever date a guy who couldn't afford to take you to expensive restaurants and buy you gold and diamonds?"

"Absolutely." She slips her hand out from under mine. "But I have a boyfriend."

"If you didn't, would you give me a chance?"

Her face turns into a deep shade of red. I like doing that to her. "I'm not answering that."

"Why not? It's a simple question."

"Oh, please. Nothing is simple with you." She stands and wipes her ass off. "Can we go now?"

"Great, Bella," I groan, standing up to join her. "You just ruined the moment."

"You'll live," she laughs. "Are we cool?"

"I think so," I smile, flashing her my crooked grin. I hold out my hand and she shakes it.

I drive her back in comfortable silence. The sun has long set and the dark night sky is in its place. Our truce brings me closer to my goals, graduating, the bet and something else I'm not ready to admit.

As I pull her beautiful car back into the parking lot, I shut of the engine and sit with her for a second. "Thanks, for letting me kidnap you."

I get out her car and take my keys out my front pocket. I then pull out the picture of Mike and toss it on the seat I just vacated.

"Wait!" I hear Bella yell as I'm walking away.

I turn around and she's right in front of me. "What?"

She smiles seductively as if she's wanting something more than a truce. Way more.

Shit! I think she's going to kiss me.

I'm taken off guard here, which doesn't normally happen to me. She bites her bottom lip, as if thinking about her next move. I'm totally for making out with her.

As my brain goes through every scenario, she steps closer to me and snatches my keys out of my hand.

"What are you doing?" I ask her, a little disappointed I didn't get my kiss.

"Getting you back for going all caveman on me." She steps back and with all her might whips my keys into the darkness of the parking lot.

"You did not just do that."

She backs up, facing me the entire time, as she moves towards her car. "Me Tarzan, hear me roar. Huh, EJ?" She smiles at me sweetly, "Payback's a bitch, ain't it?"

I watch in shock as Bella gets into her car. The car drives out the lot without a hitch. No sign of her coming back.

I'm pissed because I'm going to have to go looking for my keys in the dark as fuck parking lot now. I'm also amused. Bella Swan beat me at my own game.

"Yeah," I smirk, even though she's miles away now and can't hear me. "Payback is a bitch. But revenge is a motherfucker."

I hope you guys like it.

Pictures of Lyric are on my page.

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