CHAPTER SEVEN
"Surprise! Didn't think you could leave me out of this brunchal did you?" Lauren did surprise me when she showed up with Jessica the next afternoon. That was the thing about Jessica, she too didn't like Lauren but she was also too afraid of Lauren to not "like" her.
"I wasn't leaving you out. I told Jessica and I assumed she would tell you because that's what she's good for…I mean at. That's what she's good at." I replied. I was a little rusty being back in bitchy land. I had forgotten how much work it was to have these little lunches.
Instead of Starbucks, we had met up at the St. Regis for Sunday mimosa. That was one of the tricks at navigating rich bitch land. You needed to have just enough alcohol to be able to stand your company but not too much that it would put you off your toes. Being on one's toes was vital if you planned on surviving. And where I came from, it was all about survival of the richest.
"So where the fuck have you been?" Lauren started.
"Like I told Jessica, I have been working on our bet. I am determined to win and I finally found the best way to do it. It will take me a couple of weeks but Jacob Black will be mine. You might want to plan something else for all those times Jessica and I will be away for fashion weeks around the world. I know how boring it can get when you're all alone." I winked.
"Okay, Bella…I'm sure you're right." Lauren replied with a fake smile. "What exactly are you doing to be soo sure of yourself."
"Not telling. I wouldn't want to find myself sabotaged. Don't worry about it, when the time comes, you'll know it."
"Would you guys put this to rest for the sake of my stomach? I'm starving over here." Jessica whined.
"Calm down, it's not like you couldn't benefit from losing a meal or two." Lauren snapped.
Jessica sat a little lower in her chair. Unfortunately, Jessica always got Lauren's bad mood wrath. I didn't because Lauren knew I would come back on her tenfold.
We all opened our menus and started to browse our selections. I hadn't had a decent meal in days. A light breakfast yesterday followed by my fuckawesome gourmet grilled cheese was about it. Thinking about the sandwich reminded me of Edward. I looked out the window and could see it was still overcast but thankfully no rain. I wondered how he did last night. Did he make his hundred dollars and use it wisely for a room? I doubt it. Even though he called me stubborn, I had a feeling he was a bit stubborn himself.
"Hello? Are you even here?" Lauren snapped her fingers at me. I looked up and saw our waiter waiting for me to make my choice.
"Sorry, just a fruit plate and a bagel please." I handed the waiter my menu and refocused back into the game.
"So Jimmy was looking for you the other night." Jessica looked to me with a sly smile on her face.
"Who?"
"Jimmy! The one you met over at Avalon. He was there the night you didn't come out with us to go dancing." She replied.
"Well it's a good thing I didn't come. I have no idea who you are talking about." I shook my head.
"Wow, what a whore…how many notches exactly do you have over on your Beverly Hills suite headboard." Lauren laughed.
"I'm a whore? This coming from the bitch whose pregnancy scare ended up with us cataloging a Rolodex just in case you needed child support."
"What? He could have been rich." Lauren defended.
"You are not the father, Maury announced. But it's good you have goals." I mocked.
"And what exactly are your goals? You act all superior but I'm sure they're lame." She retorted.
It's true I did have goals and dreams but now it didn't look like any of them were ever going to come to fruition. I wasn't about to tell those two of my goals and dreams. I didn't need them tearing them apart like a couple of ravaged beasts. So I lied.
"Well…I would…want to know that I made a difference."
"Huh?" Jessica grunted.
"Someone once told me that he wanted to leave this world knowing he had contributed to it. I want to do the same." I replied. "I've…been thinking about…charities a lot lately."
"Like poor people?" Jessica asked confused.
"Poor…sick…all kinds." What was I doing? I should have just told them what I originally wanted for my goals.
"I already do all that. My father has some fund set up where he sends a percentage to various charities. It's a great tax write off." Lauren waved a dismissive hand.
"But that's just it. I just learned that some of the charities only give a percentage of their money to the actual cause." The waiter placed our food down in front of us but I was actually just getting started. "Some of the charities give as little as two cents of every dollar donated to the sick kids or families without food or shelter."
"Two cents is more than they deserve of my money. If it wasn't for the tax write-offs, you best believe we wouldn't give a dime. I mean how pathetic of someone to just expect a handout. If you need more money, get a job. If you already have one, get a better one. Duh." Lauren huffed stabbing her salad with her fork.
I wanted to end the conversation right then. I was never going to change these girls' minds. I wanted to end the conversation even though I could feel something rising up in me. It made my whole body hot and I hadn't even realized I was trembling until I looked down at my hands set right next to my fork with the plate of forgotten fruit. I wanted to forget this conversation but then I saw the banana that laid across the top of my plate.
I stood up and grabbed the banana and slammed it down in front of Lauren's plate.
"What the fuck!"
Lauren and Jessica sat back startled by my disruption.
"I want you to have this Lauren." I pulled my knife from my napkin and saw her pull back like I was actually going to stab her with it. "But you're not allowed to have the whole fucking banana because some asshole like you and your father were too fucking cheap to pay for the whole banana." I swiftly came down with the knife and cut the banana in two.
"You see this half of banana, it's all that you would be entitled to if you hadn't won the fucking lottery. That's all you did, Lauren. You don't deserve any of this. This wasn't granted to you because of some fucked up ideals of karma that you read about. You only have what you have because you were lucky enough to be born into it. The lottery of life and you won it, you disgusting piece of shit."
I grabbed my purse furiously and ripped out my wallet to throw a hundred on the table, "Don't worry about our little bet. I'm still good for it because nothing will make me happier than to see you turned away from every single fashion show next year. You won't even be able to sit in on a JC Penny show when I'm done with you."
I started to storm out but couldn't help but put one more dig in.
"Better enjoy it while you can because I'm sure that the big S.P. can't wait to hear all of your excuses on why you were such a revolting bitch."
Now I was done.
The only thing I heard after that was Lauren yelling. "Who the fuck is S.P.?"
My heart was pounding so hard that I was worried I might be having a heart attack or something. I waited for the valet to bring my car around and just like a freak of nature another loud clap of thunder snapped me to my senses and then the rain came. Lots and lots of rain.
My breathing slowed, my skin felt the drops as they came down hard and fast. I could hear another valet try to tell me to go and stand under the overhang but the rain felt invigorating. I looked around and saw people running every which way like an ant hill that's been filled with a water hose. Most people didn't want to be drenched but I for the first time since I was a kid, reveled in it.
The moment I sat down into my car, I finally realized why it wasn't such a good idea to be drenched. I was freezing and it took quite a while for my heater to work before I managed to get the goose bumps off my arms. Us Californians don't do too well when temperatures drop below seventy.
I started to drive off toward my house but then the remaining goose bumps reminded me of something else. Edward. If I was this cold after being out in the rain for only a minute, how must he be feeling? There was just no way of knowing where he would be. My car steered itself down the street instead of going north. Horizons was the only place I could think to begin my search.
When I arrived I jumped out of my car and proceeded to pound on the back exit door to the kitchen. Alice said that they weren't open on Sunday's but I was hoping someone would be here who could give me a lead on Edward's haunts. It was no good for me to go home and spend the rest of my day when I knew my mind would be elsewhere. I just needed to know that he was smart enough to get a hotel room for the night.
I heard someone unlocking the door and I felt a surge of relief soar through me.
"Emmett." I said as I stepped back in surprise.
"What's up, little B."
Little B? Was I like some kind of hip hop rapper now?
"Uh…is Alice around?" I mumbled.
"Not today. I was just here because they receive their food shipments on Sundays and I know Alice feels better knowing that an officer were here for that. Why what's up?"
"Oh…well I was just looking for someone…I thought she might be able to give me an idea…" I trailed off, "but hey, you're a cop. I'm sure this must fall in your line of work. If I was a homeless person…where I would I be?"
Emmett gave me a questioning look so I tried again.
"It's raining…and if I wasn't smart enough to take the money I had saved up from begging on a street corner to pay for a hotel room because my dumbass honestly believed I could save up and buy a food truck to help rescue homeless people everywhere…where would I go on a day like this. With the rain coming down hard…where would I go?"
A small smile spread across Emmett's face.
"Well, if I was a dumbass who wouldn't listen to reason because I was out searching for the unattainable and my stupid fucking stubborn ass couldn't get it through my thick skull how ridiculous he… I mean I was being…I would probably be laying low in skid row for the experience and ambiance."
I was a tad confused but I tried to keep up.
"Skid row." I nodded and slowly backed up. "Thanks."
I started to run back toward my car.
"You're not going there are you?" Emmett yelled after me, "Hey…little B!"
I started up the car and zoomed out of there.
"Siri, give me directions to skid row in Los Angeles." I hollered into my iPhone. Figured I would be direct. Didn't want her taking me to the skid row in New York or Detroit.
With the help from my Siri, it didn't take long to reach the seedy streets in downtown L.A. I wondered why Edward would ever want to stay in an area so…dirty. I had seen him begging in Beverly Hills for goodness sake. What would he want with an area like this?
Everything about this place was unnerving. I could see countless people all bundled up against a wall or underneath makeshift tents. How was I ever going to find Edward in all of this mess? I parked my car underneath the Harbor freeway and laughed when realized that this was the very same area that Zac Efron was beat up in when he and his bodyguard were searching for "Chinese food."
I timidly got out of my car and started to walk down the street looking at various people as I passed. You're not Edward. You're not Edward….ew…you are definitely not Edward. I cringed when I saw an older gentleman who looked like a two-cent version of Old Saint Nick. He saw me staring at him and slowly lifted a cup up towards me. I pulled my purse closer to my body but then I sighed and started to dig in my purse for something to give him.
Just as I had found a bill in my purse, I pulled it out and was about to hand it to him when I felt someone clutch my shoulders from behind me. I yelped and was about to start screaming, kicking and punching when Edward came forward and grabbed my bill and threw it in the old man's cup.
It took me a second to really grasp that it was Edward because he looked completely different. Still dirty but…shaved. Edward had a tight grasp on me and started pushing me away from the old Santa reject.
"What the fuck are you doing down here?" He growled.
I had seen Edward upset before but it was nothing like this. For a second I felt like a child about to turned over her father's knee but then that quickly passed.
"Would you let go of me. What the fuck?" I pushed him off. "You don't own the place. I can go anywhere I want."
"You're not exactly the clientele they get down here so what…what? Were you bored or something?" his tone hadn't quit but I could give as well he could.
"Puh-lease. I hardly would ever find myself down here for shits and giggles. You think I want to come down to a place like this? Oh and by the way…Zac Efron was beat up like a block from here so please tell me again about the clientele."
"Oh…were you planning on coming down here to purchase drugs? Like I said. Get into your Mercedes and get your ass back over to fantasy land." He pointed angrily toward my car.
"What the fuck is your problem, dude?"
"You're lucky your ass hasn't gotten mugged or worse. They probably think you're just another ditz rich bitch looking for cocaine."
"Fuck you. I came down here because I was looking for you. I was worried about you out in this rain…in the cold. I could have been all comfy cozy sitting in front of a roaring fire but NO! I am drenched. I am freezing and I am surrounded by the stench of urine and god knows what else." I yelled.
I stomped over to my car, "This is the last fucking time I try to do anything helpful."
I fell into my leather seats and started up my engine. Now I couldn't get out of there faster. I put my car into drive and looked up to find Edward standing in front of my vehicle.
I lowered my window and yelled, "Move out of the way! I will have no problem running your ass over and I doubt you'd be missed."
He walked slowly up against my car towards my window.
"You were worried about me?" he asked sincerely.
"Not anymore." I pouted and refocused out my windshield.
"Bella…wait…I'm sorry."
I didn't want to look at him because I knew he was probably standing there giving me some sad puppy dog look and I wanted to remain strong.
"Please forgive me. I…I'm honored that you would think of me…out here…in this storm."
"Yeah, what a mistake that was." I replied.
He stood with his hand on my door not saying anything. I sighed and shook my head.
"Get in the car."
The heater was up at full blast but it was of no help to my thoroughly drenched clothing. Edward hadn't said one word probably afraid I wouldn't tolerate any shit talking at the moment. I had no idea what I was even doing. Where was I going?
I had a homeless man in my Mercedes SLK. That's something I never thought I would hear myself think. I drove up the long driveway and hit my garage door button, sliding my car right into the garage. I turned the car off and Edward and I just sat in the car inside my garage for a couple more moments.
"Look, I don't bring people here…like ever. So I would really appreciate it if you didn't go all…Dexter on me and chop me up into little pieces."
"I'll try to refrain." He replied dryly.
I sighed and opened my car door. We both got out and walked toward the house entrance. I got the door open and turned my alarm off for the house. Edward was still standing in the garage, waiting.
"What are you a vampire waiting for an invitation? You can come in." I snapped.
"Can I? I just would have thought you would want me to stay in the garage until the Hazmat team showed up and showered me down. I wouldn't want to infect your house." He replied sarcastically.
"Suit yourself but I'm starving and I'm not going to stand here all day and cheer you on as you take your first step." I flipped around and started walking toward my kitchen. I think I was overly bitchy because I was just so hungry. I hadn't eaten this morning at my lunch and I think we've previously established how little I've eaten in the past few days.
I went to the cupboard and grabbed a box of Captain Crunch and started munching on it straight from the box.
"Shouldn't you go and change. You're soaked." Edward commented.
"My stomach is outweighing my need for warmth at the moment. I'm starving. I haven't eaten anything all day." I then thought of that and held out my cereal box to Edward, "Hungry?"
"Yes…but for something a bit more substantial than a children's sugar cereal."
"Wasn't it you who once told me, when the food is free, I'm just thankful." I mocked.
"You have to have something healthier in this…mansion besides that."
I jumped up onto my counter. "You're free to look but don't get your hopes up. I tend to eat out a lot."
Edward started to walk toward my refrigerator. He pulled it open and searched around. It didn't take him long before he signed and closed it back up. "Are you kidding me? All you have is a brick of cheese, some milk and like twenty containers of Cherry Garcia."
"Welcome to the lifestyles of the rich and famous." I sang. "I don't know how to cook so why would I have any food? That's what take out's for. The drawer over there has a couple of takeout menus. Find one you like and I will pay for it."
I hopped down from the counter, "I never had to work so hard to please a hungry person before." I grumbled.
Edward gave me a look before pulling the drawer open.
"A couple? It's like the takeout menu convention." He razzed.
I sighed and turned to run up to my bedroom. I quickly grabbed my laptop and ran it back downstairs. I walked over to my purse and pulled out some money and slammed it on the counter. "Here, a hundred bucks. Order whatever will get you to shut up all ready." I said handing him my laptop. "I'm going to take a hot bath and I expect you will have ordered something for me as well when I get back?"
Edward gestured for me to go and I rolled my eyes before turning to leave again. I got back to my room and was about to undress but then it occurred to me that I had person in my house. I never had a person in my house. I locked my bedroom door and stepped back.
What did you do Bella? What if he was like a stray cat? You feed it and then it never goes away. It's just one night. In California, the storms never last more than a day or two.
It took me quite a while before I could fully relax in my bathtub. I kept envisioning Edward breaking down my door to get to me but I told myself to relax and just have faith that I did the right thing. He wouldn't do that.
He was right about one thing, I was starving for real food. It was a big step to entrust a stranger with your food order. I prayed he chose wisely. Not only did he have to pick a genre but a dish too. It would be a real indication of how he saw me based on what he chose for me to eat. I had a feeling that he would go with Chinese. You seldom can go wrong with Chinese food. Pizza is another good safe food. Damn all this thinking of food wasn't helping my rumbling stomach.
I got out of the tub and hurried with dressing myself. I felt kind of bad because I didn't have any clothes for Edward to wear. He was still downstairs stuck in his wet dirty clothes. Maybe I could have Barney's deliver.
I walked down my staircase and was assaulted with something so mouth-watering I faltered on the step. What the hell kind of place did he order from? I walked into the kitchen and stood in shock as Edward was behind my stove making something. Oh…and he was naked.
"Uh…please tell me you have undies on under that towel?"
He turned quickly to me with a spoon in his hand, "I…I…I will." He put the spoon down and quickly hauled ass toward my laundry room. "Just give me one minute."
Okay what the fuck just happened. Edward…had muscles…lots and lots of muscles. Edward…was…hot.
He walked back in with his shirt on and the towel was still wrapped around his waist. "I have undies on now…I just…my jeans were still really soaked. I hope you don't mind." He apologized.
"Uh…no?" Did I phrase that as a question? My mind was screaming to tell him to take the shirt off again. "Was your shirt dry? You didn't have to put back on a wet shirt…I…you wouldn't want to get sick or something."
"Yeah, bad for business right?" he quipped.
"What are you making? Where did you get all this stuff?" I asked trying to focus on anything but Edward's abs.
"Oh…grocery store…they deliver. I figured why would we eat take out when I am perfectly capable of making us something. Kinda surprised you had so many pots and pans. For someone who doesn't cook, you sure have a lot of appliances."
I smiled softly, "Came with the house."
I pulled myself up on a bar stool and watched as Edward worked my kitchen. I looked around for something to do to keep my mind off of the obvious and saw my fireplace. I walked over and clicked the button and the fire roared to life.
"So…you finally took my advice and shaved?"
"It's an experiment to see if you are right? Do people give more to strangers when they find them more physically appealing? I thought it would make for a good…research…I mean it can't hurt." He shrugged.
"Has it worked?"
"I don't know. With the weather being pretty bad, it makes it harder for people to see you in the first place so…I won't know for a little while longer." I watched as he dumped the contents from his pan onto a plate. "Lunch is served."
"What is it?"
"Chicken on a bed of linguine and a side of asparagus."
"You had me until you said asparagus." I replied.
"You need to eat your vegetables." He stated and turned to dump the dirty pots into the sink. "You won't get dessert if you don't eat the asparagus."
I gave him a look but dived into my food without retort. I had just sunk my teeth into the meatiest part of my chicken which had been cooked to perfection when Edward asked, "Why were you looking up pictures of Carlisle Cullen shirtless?"
Even though the chicken was still in my mouth, it felt like it had instantly dropped down into my stomach. I had forgotten all about last nights…activities. Edward's face confused me; it was like he was waiting to hear a prognosis for an unbeatable cancer.
"Girl's gotta have something to masturbate to." I shrugged.
Edward dropped his plate onto the counter, "So fucking gross."
I couldn't help but laugh. He was being completely absurd.
"You do know that he is Alice's father right?" Edward exclaimed.
"And?"
I obviously didn't do what I said I did but it was so fun watching all the colors that Edward's face was turning.
"And… he is happily married and…WAY too old for you!" Edward declared.
"If the dude can still get it up, that's all that matters. Besides look at him, it should be illegal to be that hot. If gramps was in a wheel chair and having nurses wipe up his drool, I'd still hit it."
"So fucking disgusting. So fucking gross." Edward stewed marching around my kitchen.
"Calm down, I'm just fucking with you. I didn't masturbate to pictures of Carlisle Cullen naked, hell I never even saw what the pictures looked like because when I went to type them into the search engine last night, the damn computer died on me." I huffed and returned to my lunch stabbing a piece of asparagus. "I don't know what got your undies in a bunch, it's not like I told you that I was picturing him fucking you. Geez, he's Alice's dad, who gives a shit."
Edward pushed his uneaten plate of food at me, "Hats off, Bella. You managed to get a hungry person to never want to eat again."
He fumed his way over to my laundry room.
"Issues. Serious issues." I muttered.
He may have issues but damn this chicken was good. He came back stewing with his arms crossed over his chest, "My jeans still aren't ready."
"Sorry if I don't have a thirty-second dryer. Jeans take longer. Are you seriously not going to finish your food?" I asked him.
He just stood there and sighed.
"Well whatever, I finished mine and I want my dessert."
"I don't know if you even deserve dessert." He replied all sulky.
My jaw dropped and I picked up my fork, "I finished every last one of those disgusting asparagus. If you don't give me my dessert, I will stab you with this fork. I won't say where I will stab you but trust me, it won't be pretty." I threatened.
"Damn you could give some of those guys down at the shelter a run for their money." He pushed off the counter and walked over to my fridge. He pulled something out and walked it back over and set it on the counter.
"Jell-O?" I asked irritated. "I hadn't realized I had gone from homeless food to hospital food."
"Would you just eat the fucking Jell-O?" He sighed exasperated.
I grabbed the Jell-O and shoved a bite into my mouth. Damn! Even the Jell-O was good.
"You know sometimes I think it would be best if you did less talking and more eating. At least your mouth can't get you into trouble when it's filled."
"So your face." I mumbled through the Jell-O.
"So mature, Bella."
"Why don't you school me some more on manners and proper behaviors, old wise one." I mocked.
"I'm not that old. I'm at least a healthy age for someone like you unlike Carlisle Cullen."
"Awe does that mean you're throwing your hat in the ring for my hand?" I teased.
He looked over to me and sincerely replied, "Maybe."
And all that could be heard was my spoon as it dropped to the floor.
AN: Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! I hoped you liked it!