CHAPTER THREE

I haven't the first clue on what I should even wear to a place like that. Maybe I should go and shop at Walmart to find something appropriate. But then I would be in those itchy clothes all day long…I shook my head and took a deep cleansing breath in. What does a person wear when they go and volunteer at a soup kitchen?

I laid in a pile of clothes in my closet as I stared into the void. This was a lot harder than jogging. I needed to do some more research to get me on the right track so I went and grabbed my laptop settling myself back in the closet as I searched for inspiration. Maybe if I could find a good movie about homeless people I can see what the volunteers wore when they worked there.

I started tapping into Goggle, "movies about homeless people" and of course a thousand different searches come up. I looked though a list and I hadn't seen a one of these movies. The all looked really boring too.

Annie? But I'm not working at an orphanage. Do they even have orphanages anymore?

"Curly Sue!" I cheered.

I loved that movie when I was a kid. Oh yea…she was homeless. I remembered a scene when she and her dad and had to share a cot or something at a shelter and the next morning she woke up and her necklace was gone. I don't remember seeing volunteer's though.

You're making this way too hard, Bella. Jeans. Jeans are like a staple in American fashion. Jeans a black shirt, flats, can't go wrong with that. I'm just another regular Joe. I dress out and stare at myself in a mirror for ten minutes while I decided if this is was the right outfit. I finally realized that it doesn't matter what I wore, I was just stalling.

I don't want to do this.

Stupid bet! Stupid Lauren.

Without another glance at the mirror I forced myself to leave my comfy home for what my grandfather called the other side of the fence. More like the other side of the ten freeway. I drove myself using my phone to help guide me. I went down past the ten freeway and I was pretty sure I had never been this far south before in Los Angeles. Suddenly I'm worried about my car in a place like this. Oh well, I have excellent insurance.

I parked when I finally arrived at a rundown building with a giant yellow sign plastered on the front of it that said, Horizons. I parked but I couldn't turn off the engine, so I sat there as my air-conditioner worked overtime. I felt my underarms as they began to sweat and I itched just thinking about it. Maybe I should come back tomorrow. This was far enough for today.

I started to think on this stupid bet and then I thought about my grandfather and I'm finally able to turn off the car at least. I cautiously got out of my safe haven convertible and held my purse close to me as I walked across the street to the building.

I opened the door and it seemed pretty quite inside not at all what I thought it would be like. I had pictured screaming babies and crying people. I walked in a little further and see the whole room is cleared out. Not a soul in sight. There were probably ten rows of tables and a serving line. The walls were beige and the floor was checked pattern. Just looking around made me depressed.

"Hello?" I called out.

"We're not open for lunch until one." I heard someone call back.

"Is that when volunteers come too?" I asked into the void.

Suddenly I heard a bunch of ruckus come from behind the serving area. A door swung open and a person so tiny she could practically be a midget hopped out.

"You want to volunteer?" she practically flew over to me and then stopped as she gave me a look up and down while holding some kind of tool. "Is this for school? Or community service hours that you need to fulfil."

"Uh...neither? Do I need to be registered at a school to volunteer?" I asked perplexed.

"No!" She exclaimed. "So…you want to volunteer…just to volunteer?"

I was so confused.

"Is that…wrong?" I asked.

"No, of course not. It's just we don't get many people around her who want to volunteer unless they have a reason. We have a lot of groups that come through for a day or so. Then we have people who have legal issues and need to fulfill community service hours to satisfy their parole. Um…were you planning on volunteering for just lunch or dinner too?"

"Well, I don't really know how all this works…I've never done anything like this before but I don't have a job and very few commitments. How many days would you like me to volunteer for?"

"Days?" The small girl with her spikey black hair, eye's popped out, "You plan on coming back?"

"If that's okay?" I didn't know who felt more awkward in this room. I never thought this would be so hard. I honestly just thought I could show up and be handed an apron and shown a place to stand.

"I'm really sorry…where are my manners? I'm Alice Whitlock. I'm sorry for not introducing myself sooner…I was just busy trying to fix the fryer in the back and it's not often we have someone who wants to sign up for…days…but we are happy to welcome you aboard."

Suddenly it's like sunshine is shooting out of her ass. She is peppy and smiles all around.

"I'm Bella." I said as I shook her hand.

"Well Bella, how about I show you around and if you would like to work the lunch shift, we can start there before we talk about a schedule."

"Sounds good. Hey Alice…am I dressed appropriately?" I stood there wringing my hands as she appraised me.

She smiled and bit her lip. "You look great but I'll give you an official Horizons shirt to wear and…you might want to take off any jewelry and stow it in your purse. A lot of the people who come through here are good but some might…steal those from you." She replied pointing to my diamond hoop earrings.

"Right…I should have known that."

"It's no problem. I'm always happy to help."

She took me through the entire facility and told me all about the Horizons foundation that she and her husband started five years ago. She brought me to her office and handed me an official Horizons shirt which was bright yellow. Suddenly I felt like I was a part of a R.E.M. song. I put the shirt on in the bathroom and give myself a look over in the mirror.

"This yellow does nothing for you." I sighed and shook my head.

I left the restroom to rejoin Alice in the kitchen as I could feel the fabric already starting to itch my body.

"And last but certainly not least…the kitchen." She presented.

I was surprised because it was a lot cleaner then I had imagined.

"It's…big." I replied.

"Well, if you wouldn't mind getting started now, I have a lot of pots and pans that need to be washed if you would like to help with that." She said as she brought me over to this enormous sink filled with dirty pots and pans.

"Uh…" I exhaled. "Sure…"

She handed me some gloves and I awkwardly put them on. I felt my heart as it accelerated because…I've never done this before. When I imagined volunteering at a soup kitchen, I thought I would just be serving soup.

I walked over to the sink and grabbed a sponge while Alice stood there watching me.

"So…how should I do this?"

"Like normal…I know that the pans are probably a lot bigger than the ones you have at home but just a bit more soap is all."

I nodded my head slowly and it was sheer fate when I heard a phone ring somewhere and Alice excused herself. I didn't want an audience for my first time.

I turned on the facet and watched as it began to fill. Every once in a while I would squirt some soap at the stream and I felt really proud of myself because there were lots and lots of soap bubbles so I must have done something right.

When the sink was filled I cringed grabbing my first pot. I dropped the pot into the water and the water splashed up going over the sink and it splattered my new shirt.

"Ew!"

I must have got the sink too full. I looked for a sponge to start rubbing this thing down and I'm so overly concentrated that I hadn't noticed my sudden audience.

"Richie Bitch?"

I jumped back at the intrusion and nearly slipped on the soapy water below my feet.

"Homeless dude?" I gasped. "What the fuck…why do you always try to scare the shit out of me." I threw the sponge down in the sink.

"Sorry." He apologized.

"What are you doing here?" I asked annoyed.

He looked around and then back to me. "I think that's more of an appropriate question for me to ask you."

Alice walked back into the kitchen cutting us off from any further conversation.

"Have you met Bella? She's our new volunteer." Alice's perky voice announced.

"Bella…Isabella." Homeless dude said my name all creepy.

"No, just Bella. Only my father gets to call me Isabella." I corrected.

"Well Bella this is my b…" Alice began.

"…best customer and chef…" Homeless dude practically yelled placing his arm around the midget and pulling her closer. "Alice, Bella's the girl I told you about."

Oh shit.

Oh fuck!

I started to worry, what did he tell them about me? Did she now know of my horrible reasons for being here?

"Ohhhhh….Bella, is the girl you've been going on about?" Alice looked over to me like she had the world's biggest secret on her overly smiley lips. "Crap…I have to…go…need to make sure Larry pulls the right amount of food for today."

She buzzed out of the kitchen leaving me alone with homeless dude.

"What did you tell her?" I snapped.

"Whoa, calm down." He put his hands up in surrender.

"Did you tell her why I'm really here?"

He furrowed his brow and thought real hard. "Jacob Black? You're here to meet Jacob Black?" He laughed. "For a second I had thought you were just trying track me down."

I rolled my eyes in disgust. "Are you going to tell her?"

Great, only here for an hour and already I'm going to be kicked out.

"No." He smiled, "If you're really willing to put in all this work just to win your bet, then why would I want to miss this."

"Whatever, homeless dude." I scoffed and turn back to my pots and pans.

"You probably should call me Edward…not that I don't love the way homeless dude rolls off your lips but if we're going to be friends…"

"Friends? We are not friends." I stated adamantly.

"Just wait." He teased.

I turned my focus back to the pot I was cleaning and picked my sponge back up.

"That's quite a bit of soap you got there. You really want to make sure those things are sparkly."

"I didn't know how much to use. Alice said a little more than I would at home." I huffed.

"Just how much do you use at home?"

I stopped what I'm doing to look back at him. "I've never done this before so why don't you just get off my back." I dropped my hands back into the sink and tried to wash out the pot with my sponge.

I heard him sigh behind me, "Just…here let me do it." He started to push me out of the way of my sink and I pushed him back.

"I didn't ask for your help. Leave my sink alone."

"Your sink? Didn't get the memo that daddy bought you your very own soup kitchen." He mocked.

"Homeless Barbie…don't you know she comes with her very own soup kitchen and change cup." I stuck my tongue out at him.

He laughed and put a hand out toward me. "Let me wash your dishes…you can wipe down the trays."

"Why are you trying to help me?" I questioned his intentions.

"Well for one, if I leave you to do this, we won't have pans until next Saturday and two…it's what friends do."

"We're not friends." I stated again.

"Not yet."

"Not ever!"

Alice walked back in, "Edward, hamburgers and mac and cheese today."

"You got it, boss." He saluted her with my sponge. "Can you show Bella how to clean the trays? I just think that pots and pans are a little much on her first day. Wouldn't want to scare her away, I know how important it is for her to be here."

He gave me a look and I stiffened.

"Sure, follow me." Alice grabbed a spray bottle and extra sponge and showed me to the tables. "The trays are right there, you can grab a few and then bring them to the table and then just spray and wipe. Easy peasy."

I sat there scrubbing down trays for the better part of an hour. It was easy peasy and I didn't want to but I really should thank homeless dude…I mean Edward for taking the harder work away. At twelve-forty I was done with the trays and Alice asked me to help with loading up the bays with the food. I walked back into the kitchen and saw Edward at the stove and grill.

"You're cooking?" I asked.

"Why? Does it turn you on?" He smirked holding up his pincher thingys.

"No…it's just…is that even sanitary?"

"I've had all my shots, Bella." He scoffed.

"No offense, but you're like…you were dirty…" I cringed realizing that probably wasn't the best way to phrase it.

"And you can tell that I've showered." He pointed out.

"Where?" I asked curiously.

He put down his tool and started to walk toward me. "Come on, let me show you something."

He leads me out the exit door back onto the street. "You see that building over there? That's Good Will, they give out the clothes that they can't sell or don't need. Then that building over there is a shelter. You can go there for a nice shower or to sleep at night. They also have counselors there too; they help with almost anything from psychiatry to finding a job."

"Wow." I marveled impressed.

"Yea…wow."

We walked back into the kitchen and a few more people are there to start with serving the lunch. They put on aprons and then walked back out toward the serving line. I hung back feeling awkward and not really knowing what I should do next.

"So…you want to try the best burger you'll ever eat?" Edward said from the grill.

I scoffed and gave him a look. "I highly doubt that is the best burger I will ever eat."

"Just because it came from a soup kitchen?" he taunted.

"No…I just…I've eaten at like every five-star restaurant there is in L.A. and many more around the world. No offense to your little cooking show over there."

He sighed loudly and began to cut a piece off from his plate. "Come on. Try it."

"No!" I exclaimed. "I'm not going to steal food from homeless people. I'm not that big of a bitch."

"You won't be stealing. This is from my burger and I'm giving it to you." He held up his fork to me.

"That's okay. I'm good. I definitely don't want to take food from you."

"Bella, I can make myself another burger. Just try it." He waved his fork in my face and I took a step back.

"No."

"Try it." He advanced.

"Would you stop? I'm not going to eat your burger."

Edward pulled away from me and gave me a sad look before walking back to his grill.

"Why don't you just go and get in line." He murmured.

"You don't need to get all butt hurt. It's just a burger."

"It's my burger and since you've never tried it, you don't get to call it "just a burger." I made it and I'm damned proud of it. In fact you walk out that door and ask anyone here just how good it is and they'll tell you. That is if you could stop sticking your nose up long enough to realize the peons below you."

"Give me the fork." I huffed.

He stared at me for a minute and then handed me his fork.

"Do you have a chaser? Something I can wash down the taste with if I don't like it?"

"Just eat that damn burger." He exclaimed.

"Fine! All right. All right." I cut off a small portion and held it up to my mouth. I took a small whiff and it didn't smell that entirely vial but then again, how could anyone possibly fuck up a hamburger. I placed the bite in my mouth and began to chew.

He's right. It is the most amazing burger I've ever tasted. I tried to keep my expression blank but all I want to do is stab him with this fork and take the rest.

"It's okay." I shrugged.

"I heard a little moan come out of you." He taunted.

"It wasn't a moan, it was…my stomach growling because all I've eaten today was a Starbucks." I turned swiftly and walked out of the kitchen with my fork in tow before he can question me further.

I stand at the fruit section and my job is to tong half a banana onto people's plates. Apparently this place couldn't even afford to give a whole banana. I hate to see what would happen if they had strawberries. Most people gave a polite thank you but some just stared down at their plate and moved along the line. I watched as a mother with two children walked up and both the kids who couldn't be older than ten are begging for more.

"You can't have anymore. We just have to wait until dinner."

I gave them the full banana. The woman looked up at me surprised and she tells her kids to say, "thank you." They continued on toward the water line.

"Bella, you can't give out more than a half…we can't afford that." Alice walked up and told me.

"I'll pay for the banana." I replied.

"That's not the point…if you give one person more than they'll all want more and…we wouldn't last. Please just stick to the food rules." She gave me a half-hearted smile and I felt anger rise up in me. So what if I gave two kids a full banana?

Suddenly, I didn't want to be here anymore. I mean more so than before. I put the tongs down at my station and walked away. I went straight back to my locker which is right next to the kitchen and started to put my key in. I grabbed my purse and black shirt and closed it back up.

"How's it going out there, Bella?" I heard Edward call out to me but I didn't engage, I just kept on walking toward my closest exit.

I reached the outside world and for the first time that day, I felt like I could breathe.

"Bella." I heard Edward call after me.

But I keep on pushing toward my car.

"Would you wait up?" Edward caught up to me and stood between me and my getaway vehicle.

"You…were doing so well. What happened?"

I don't even want to look at him because then all I will see are those two hungry kids. All I will see is a homeless man.

"I can't do this…I'm just…it's just too hard. This was a stupid idea."

"Did someone say something to you? Just tell me what happened."

"No…I don't know. I just wanted to give these poor kids an extra half of banana and Alice…thinks that she is like the fucking banana queen …I told her I'd pay for it. I mean how much can a banana cost anyway. What is wrong with giving a person a whole banana….they're kids for god sakes."

"I don't think there is anything wrong with that but Alice and Jasper have a limited amount of funds for each meal and if they give out more to one then pretty soon there will be a child that doesn't get anything. I know it's hard. I think that's why a lot of people don't come back after they volunteer because…it can be heartbreaking and it makes a person feel guilty for what they have."

He sighed and looked around for a minute. "Just try to stick it out for a day. Lunch is almost over and then it's all about cleaning…the easy part."

"That's the easy part?" I asked incredulously.

"If don't come back you won't get the special burger I made you." He sung.

"That's supposed to get me back in there?"

"You can lie to me all you want but you can't lie to yourself; it was the best and you know it."

Damn that burger was pretty good and I felt my mouth begin to water as he spoke of it.

"Come on…I even promise to keep you away from the banana queen." He baited.

I didn't want to go but I didn't want to be a quitter either. Being a quitter was being a failure.

I sighed and turned to start walking back to the bright yellow building. I saw people stream out of the building and l guess that meant that lunch was over. I pretty much made it through one meal. How many more to go to get me to Jacob Black though?

"Can I ask you a question? Just how many days a week do you think I would have to work here to get in good so I can work Thanksgiving?"

"Well, the kitchen is open six days a week." He started.

"I have to work six days a week?" I screeched.

"No." He laughed. "But, I'd say…maybe two a week would get you in good with the banana queen. Of course I could always put a good word in for you…if we were friends."

We walked back into the kitchen and I saw a whole new stack of dirty pots and pans. Does it ever end? I'm afraid not.

"So…what do you do with the money you make? You go to Goodwill for your clothes. The shelter for a shower and here for your food…what do you spend your money on that you make from working the corner?"

"I'm not a prostitute, Bella." He shook his head.

"You kinda are." I teased.

"If you must know I use the money…for transportation, buses and such. I give some to Horizons…."

"Are you shittin me?" I cut him off. "But you're like needy…why would you give your money to a company that's already government-funded and receives tax breaks?"

"Wow, look at you Miss Smarty Pants. Using your big words." He mocked.

"I don't have to be smart, I'm rich." I winked. "Anyway I read an article about the Kardashians and apparently they created a fake church so that they could funnel some of their money into it and not pay taxes. It's actually pretty smart but I would not want to have to explain that to the big J.C. when I arrived at the pearly gates."

"The big J.C.? Don't you mean the big S.P.? I'm pretty sure Saint Peter is at the pearly gates and he has to give you the big O.K. before you can enter and meet the big J.C."

I stared at him with my brow fully furrowed, "You are so weird."

He shrugged and gave me a goofy toothy grin.

"So how much do you make at your…day job?" I asked shaking off his weirdness.

"Why do you want to know?"

"I'm just curious. Geez what's up with the big secrets, it's not like I'm going to turn you into the I.R.S."

"On a good day…a hundred or so." He finally answered.

"A hundred dollars?" My jaw dropped. "Tax free? After a week you could buy a pair of shoes."

"Yes, Bella good job at always putting things into perspective."

"To think all this time I was actually feeling bad for not giving you money."

"You've been thinking about me…all this time?" his grin was pronounced.

"No…I mean sometimes but that's only because you are entirely too rude."

He handed me a plate with a burger on it.

"Why don't you pull your foot out of your mouth long enough to feed that tummy."

I dig into the burger and my tummy is very thankful. If I'm going to have to work here two days a week, I am going to have to start bringing a lunch.

"If I ask you something…you promise you won't judge me?" I asked after finishing half my burger.

"Tall order but I'll try." He rolled his eyes.

"Do you….think…" I exhaled not wanting to do this but I needed to ask. "If I'm going to work here…do you think I can just stay in the kitchen and not be on the serving line?"

"Can't get enough of me?"

"No, I don't mind working anywhere else just…I don't want to work out there. It's depressing."

"Of course it's depressing. You want to know what's even more depressing."

I waited for him to finish.

"How no one seems to give a shit." He picked up his and my plate and dumped them in the garbage. "I see kids on the street and they never had a chance. People look at the news and see a teenager who knocks over a liquor store or joins a gang and they just write them off as disgusting unproductive members of society. The rich get richer and the poor have to do whatever they can to survive." He scoffed. "I'll get you off food line; I wouldn't want your eyes to be opened up to what really is going on in the world."

He looked so angry and disgusted by me. I hopped down from my stool and walked over to my purse and pulled out a twenty. I laid it on the counter.

"Tell Alice, this is for the banana's."

I backed up and turned to walk out of the kitchen. The door swings shut behind me and hear a bang followed by a loud "FUCK!"

I can't do this. I can't go back. I hurry to my car, fumbling for my keys. It roars to life and I sped out of there far away from that bright yellow building. I didn't even realize that I was crying until I get to a stop light and look down at my yellow Horizons shirt and see it stained with my eye liner.

I don't know why I'm crying but something about the way Edward spoke to me, turned me into this mess and or the first time it made me realize that Edward, was dangerous for me.

AN: So incredibly exited at the response to this story. I am so happy that you all like it. Thank you so much for reading and taking the time to review, it means a lot to me!