Disclaimer: I do not own anything!
I stayed in bed the next morning, not really in the mood to get out just yet.
I thought about the exhausting day I had yesterday and wanted to go back to sleep. The sun was just starting to shine through my window, so I knew it was still early. I haven't heard Charlie get up this morning and wondered if he worked today. I know the last couple of days he had been getting home late, but he was always up before the crack of dawn.
I looked at my phone, which was dead, and stuck it on the charger. I decided on a shower to help pass some time. But first I went upstairs and started the coffee maker.
Jake was snoring softly on the couch and I wondered what that was about. I hoped he confessed to kissing me and I knew his bond with Phiona would force him to tell her. I wondered if she cried or if she was pissed off. I wondered if she blamed me or him, or...herself. I shouldn't have judged her too much since I know none of the imprinting stuff was her fault, she was innocent in this whole thing. But I couldn't help but hate her, after all she took something very important from me.
It wasn't about Jake being my boyfriend and all that. It was the fact that he was supposed to be my best friend and after being there for me through the whole Edward thing, I hated knowing I lost him over a girl. I hated knowing I couldn't talk to him the way we used to talk, all because his imprint was jealous of me and ordered him to never talk to me again. Maybe if she let us hangout in a group then the tension between us wouldn't be like it is now, maybe we could have been friends.
I chuckled to myself knowing we would never be friends. Phiona was the type of girl you fooled around with and then never looked back. She may have been pretty on the outside but on the inside, she had a black hole for a heart. Charlie told me she had a record that was longer than my arm. I shuttered to think Jake was with someone who might be dangerous to herself and to him. And poor Billy, having to deal with her for a daughter in-law.
Once I heard the coffee going I went downstairs and jumped in the shower.
The hot water was relaxing but it sucked not being able to use my casted hand, which was now tightly wrapped in a garbage bag. I knew a bath would have been better, but I thought bathing in your own filth was not a good idea if you wanted to get clean. But I did the best I could with what I got and felt cleaner than before I showered. I was never one for taking a bath, you really didn't get clean since you soaked in your own filth.
After I got out the shower and towel dried my hair, I took the bag off my hand and wiggled my fingers the best I could. I popped some aspirin for the pain then brushed my teeth and relieved myself.
I threw my hair into a messy bun and added light make-up of black eye-liner and red stain lip stick. I didn't plan on doing anything else with my hair, so I left the bathroom to get dressed.
I paused in my living room to see deep blue eyes staring at me.
He was wearing black jeans with an all too fitting black t-shirt with his signature leather jacket. His hair fell just under his hairline and I knew he must have gotten a haircut because he was able to look at me in that sexy look he always has. His mouth forming a very sexy smirk that I wanted to both smack off his face and kiss senseless. He raked his eyes up and down my towel clad body and knew he was thinking of something very bad.
"What are you doing here?" I tried to sound neutral but even I could detect the tremble. I gripped my towel tighter when the look in his eyes told me he wanted to devour me. I needed to be neutral with him until I could decide on what I wanted. His story really got to me yesterday.
"I wanted to see if you were ok. At first, I was going to just wait out in my car but then I saw the big guy knock on your door a few times. So, I thought I'd come rescue you, your dad let me in. He left for work a couple minutes ago." His voice was so smooth I couldn't tell if he was affected by me or not.
"Ugh...thanks. I'm doing good, I guess." I walked into my bedroom and he followed.
"Good because the girls want to invite you to the beach. It's really nice out and they figured you might be happy cause the sparkly ones won't bother you today." He sat in the middle of my bed so causally I had to stop and stare. Why couldn't he just ask me what he really wanted to ask me?
"And why didn't they just come and ask themselves?" I knew the answer, but I wanted to pretend I didn't.
"They figured I'd get you to say yes and they know if you say no I'd just throw you over my shoulder and make you come with us anyway. Plus, I really want to explain about Katherine." He shrugged as if it meant nothing. "And I wanted to know if you were disgusted with me yet!"
"Soo… explain while I change and then I'll make my decision." I said and left the closet door open a crack while I browsed for clothes. "I'm not disgusted, a little unnerved maybe, but I need time to think it all through. I don't want to fight to win the battle if in the end I lost the war." I hoped he understood what I meant and when he slowly nodded I knew he needed time to think as well.
"She can compel vampires. It's one of the tricks she picked up. Along with drinking small doses of vervain a day so she can't be compelled herself. What you saw that day in the woods was her compelling me, I didn't want to do it. Not after everything that has happened with her over the last couple years. I'm done with her and that life."
"So, you were forced." I asked sliding into one of my new bikinis. It was all black and barely covered much. I loved the top because it was a slight push up bra and made my breast look amazing.
"She's always loved my brother, I made due with that fact. She's been trying to get him back and I was just a pawn in her twisted game. I thought she was Elena at first and we were talking for a little, then she's against the tree. And you showed up and when I saw you standing there..." He paused. "The look on your face killed me. It opened my eyes and made me see that it wasn't Elena but Katherine. Bella you have to believe me when I say I didn't want to hurt you."
I didn't say anything as I slipped into black shorts and a sleeveless dark grey shirt that had a tie just under the boobs to make it show my belly and a couple of my ribs. I grabbed a pair of candles and walked out the closet.
"So... let's say I believe you. Is that why you had her tied up in the living room?" He nodded.
"We wanted to know what she was playing at, what did she think she was doing. Apparently, she thought you were Stephen and she wanted to make him jealous; I was a pawn. After we all had a nice long talk, Katherine has agreed not to harm you in anyway so long as she's able to stay in the house."
"Elena must not be happy about that. Her twin living under the same roof as her boyfriend when said twin wants him. Plus, Katherine is good at pretending to be her. Whose to stop Katherine from taking what she wants?" He smirked at me and shook his head.
"No, she's not happy. Stephen asked her to move in with him... Said it would be better if she was with him all the time. That way there was no possibility of Katherine pretending to be Elena."
"What about you? Will she try anything with you since..." He nodded. My heart sunk and now I really wished I hadn't talked to Matt.
"But now you know...and like I said I'm going to let you explore this thing with Matt. But we both know it's not him you really want." He moved closer to me and barely cradled my cheek in his hand. "I want you to believe me when I tell you this…I am so over Katherine and her games. I was over her a long time ago and I wished she wasn't here. I like you Bella and I know my past is haunting but I hope you can believe me when I say that was the past."
I closed my eyes and sighed. I grabbed his shirt in my hands and pulled him a little closer, so our chest was just touching. His other hand was laid on my waist and I knew he was going to kiss me, I could feel his breath on my lips. I opened my eyes to stare deep in to blue depths and I knew he wanted me to kiss him, his eyes pleaded with me.
Just as our lips met I heard a throat clear from the doorway. We broke apart and he walked out the room as I turned to see Phiona of all people standing there. I sighed and slipped on my sandals before gathering a small bag for the beach. I made sure to pack an extra outfit in case I spent the night again at the boarding house.
I don't know who this girl thinks she is, but I never invited her down to my space and I sure as hell didn't tell her it was ok to intrude on me and my guest.
"What do you want." I snapped. I was agitated because she interrupted something...special? I was confused as to what was happening between Damon and me. I just knew I wanted that kiss to continue, I wanted to know where it was going to lead.
"Sorry, I knocked but you didn't answer." She sounded sincere, but I knew she was pissed on the inside.
"That doesn't give you permission to just come down here. There is a doorbell up there in case I don't hear the knocking." I say and head upstairs with my bag, locking the door after she's out. Damon is nowhere to be seen so I assumed he left to the car.
"I was just going to ask if I could wash clothes. But you just locked the door so can you unlock it?" She asked, ice in her eyes. I laughed and shook my head. I knew that even though she was asking, she was really trying to force me to do what she wanted.
"Saturday is laundry day. You came here unannounced so don't expect us to switch our routines for you. Either wash clothes by hand, take it to a laundry matt in town, or wait. But there is no way in hell you're going down there when I'm not home." I say as I text Charlie and let him know my plans.
"How dare you!" She said through gritted teeth and both Jake and Billy came into the kitchen.
"What's wrong?" Billy asked kindly and I kissed his cheek, Jake was just staring at me and I felt chills run down my body, not pleasant ones. I quickly made a cup of coffee in one of the to-go mugs and grabbed an apple from the fridge.
"We need clean clothes and she won't let us use the washer." Phiona stomped a foot and I laughed at how childish she was being. How could Jake love a girl like this, if anything she was someone I could see Seth with.
"Did she explain why?" Billy says calmly, and I laugh, knowing he probably heard the whole thing. My laugh just makes her madder and she stomps her foot again, she is such a child.
"I'm going to the beach with some friends, I already told dad. I'll be back later, if you need anything, here's my new cell number." I handed him a piece of paper and left, I could hear Phiona yelling from my car. I chuckled as I left and noticed the crow on the tree outside my house: Damon.
I blew the bird a kiss and watched as it picked a pink flower from the tree across the street. It then flew to me and landed on my shoulder, dropping the flower in my hand. I pet the top of the head and watched at the crow closed his eyes. I smiled wide as I said the words I knew would tick him off.
"Who's a pretty bird."
His head snapped my way and he softly pocked my head. He flew away and I continued to laugh knowing I would pay for it later.