Ever since his visit to the hospital, Edward has been in a very sour mood. But really, after the news he uncovered, who could blame him? It was one thing to discover that your fiancée was cheating on you with your best friend, but another to know that said fiancée and best friend were also planning on taking over your family's company.
Edward had to hand it to them, though; their plan was pretty good. With Edward out of commission, the work he and Jacob used to split would be put solely on Jacob now. Eventually, he'll be promoted, and if Edward dies, the company would most likely be handed to him. Jacob would then marry Rosalie, and the conniving assholes would live happily ever after while his family would be left with nothing.
On the other hand, if that plan failed, Rosalie could make use of her status as Edward's fiancée. Since she was going to be a future Cullen anyway, there was a possibility that Carlisle would let her have control of the firm – after all, if Edward wakes up and inherits Cullen Architecture in the future, then it would be just as much as Rosalie's as it is his.
Still, despite how well-thought-of everything was, Edward wasn't going to stand by and do nothing. If anything, he was very determined to expose the two traitors. He just had to figure out how.
"Hey. You alright there, sugar?"
Edward almost jumped as he felt Charlotte's hand on his shoulder.
Presence of mind, Cullen. You're still working in Heaven. Now isn't the time for making take-down plans.
"I'm fine, Charlotte," Edward tried to smile at him reassuringly.
"You sure?" Charlotte asked. "You've been mopping the same spot for about ten minutes now."
"Oh," Edward glanced at the floor. "Sorry. Didn't notice."
"You look like you've got a lot on your mind," the woman observed. "Anything you wanna share with the class? I'm a good listener, y'know, and I give out great advice."
"Er, thanks, but it's okay. It's nothing I can't handle."
"Okay," Charlotte's tone was reluctant. "Maybe you should take five minutes off. It's a slow hour, and Jane can take the two customers who're in here."
Edward nodded thankfully. He had honestly forgotten how tired he had left Jasper last night, so the aches and pains he experienced upon possessing his body were a bit of a surprise to him. Still, he got up and made his way to his first official day at Heaven Café.
He had wondered how Jasper did at the diner last night, but his host's body didn't seem to have moved at all from how he left him. Even his clothes were still the old polo and slacks Edward had worn for the interview.
That could only mean that Jasper missed work…and that Edward was going to have another nagging session as soon as Scheduler finds out.
Thoughts on the tiny drill sergeant disappeared as soon as Bella emerged from the kitchen. She pushed a cart through the doors, and began to unload the cakes it carried into the display by the front.
Edward was up and moving towards her before he even realized what he was doing.
"Hi," he smiled when he was close enough. "You need any help?"
Bella looked up at him from her crouched position and smiled back. "Sure. Can you hand them to me?" she gestured to the pastries.
"So, uh, are you okay?" Edward asked as he carefully passed a strawberry shortcake to her, partially to avoid ruining the pink and white creation, and partially to avoid moving his sore muscles too much. "From yesterday, I mean. You seemed kinda upset before I left."
When Bella didn't reply, Edward did a mental face palm.
Of course she's not going to explain anything to you, idiot. You're just some kid she used to know in high school, not her best friend.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine," Bella responded a moment later. "I'm sorry, Jasper, it's just…I'm not used to people actually asking me how I am. So…thanks for asking."
Edward beamed. "It's no problem. That's what friends are for, right?"
Bella turned to him and grinned back. "Right."
All awkwardness that might have been present before evaporated, and the two worked amicably. When a new customer entered, Edward was reluctant to leave her and actually do his job.
"Are you sure?" Edward asked after Bella told him to see to the patron. "I mean, Jane can probably take it."
"I'll be fine, Jasper," Bella said. "It's just the cupcakes that are left. That would take about five minutes, tops. Now, go do your job before Aunt Charlotte finds out you've been slacking."
"Alrighty, boss," Edward chuckled. He approached the newly occupied table with his pen and notepad at the ready.
"Good afternoon, sir. Welcome to Hea –"
Edward choked on his words as soon as he realized just who he was speaking to. It was no other than Jacob Black.
Edward could feel his face contorting to that of hatred and disgust. He managed to calm his facial muscles down, but not so much his hand; white knuckles still held his pen in a death grip.
Clearing his throat, his forced himself to gain composure and restart his practiced greeting.
"Sorry about that. Welcome to Heaven. What can I get you today?"
"A cappuccino sounds good," Jacob's dark eyes went over the menu again. "And the carbonara. I'll have a vegetarian Panini to-go as well."
Edward's mind went full-on bitter mode when he realized who the Panini was for; dating someone for nearly a decade would make you aware of that person's favourite foods. Still, he just nodded and concentrated on writing the order down.
"Would that be all, sir?"
"Yes, that's all."
Edward nodded again and all but stomped towards the cashier. Bella, already finished with unloading the cakes, was standing by the counter. She didn't miss Edward's angry stance as he brusquely entered the order.
"Is everything okay?" she asked warily.
"It's…yeah," Edward's reply was curt. He crossed his arms and glared at the back of Jacob's head.
Bella followed his stormy eyes until she caught on with the source of his sudden annoyance. She still didn't understand what the man did to him, though.
"Really?" she said. "Because from the way you're looking at him, one would think he caused you some great misery or something."
Edward didn't answer.
"Wait," Bella's tone became more serious. "Did he?"
Edward wrestled with the words that sat on his tongue. What was he supposed to say? "Why yes, Bella, he is indeed the cause of my misery. That's Jacob Black – cheating, devious, evil mastermind-bastard-asshole extraordinaire. Would you mind if I beat him into a bloody pulp? I promise to clean up the mess."
"He kinda brought back some unwanted memories," he muttered finally.
"Oh," Bella looked over at Jacob again. "Do you know him?"
"I…yeah. Sorta. We went to high school together."
"Huh. So that means I know him, too," Bella deduced. "Who is it?"
"Jacob Black."
"Jacob Black…as in, the kid who transferred from La Push our senior year?" Bella asked. "He was Ed – I mean, yeah. I remember him now."
Edward almost had whiplash from how fast his head snapped to face Bella.
Holy shit. She remembers me?!
Well, Bella didn't exactly finish, but it was obvious that she was about to say 'Edward' before she stopped herself. After all, what other kid whose name begins with 'Ed' went to Forks High and was all BFF's with La Push transferee Jacob Black?
"I didn't know you were friends with him," Bella continued, oblivious to Edward's shock. "Though I guess you weren't really friends if he reminded you of bad memories. Were you guys close at some point?"
Were Jasper and Jacob ever close? As far as Edward could remember, Jacob only ever hung out with him and Rosalie, and Jasper was pretty much under the radar in high school, so that would be a…
"No," Edward said. "We weren't close at all, but…it's complicated. Let's just say he's done some… scheming and deceitful things that I don't think I can for – "
"Isabella Swan, is that you?"
Bella and Edward turned to see Jacob approaching the counter.
"Um, yeah," Bella smiled, but Edward noticed that it didn't touch her eyes.
"Well, I'll be damned. It's me – Jacob Black! You probably remember me as captain of the football team, student council vice presi–"
"Oh, right. Jacob," Bella interrupted the beginnings of his long, egotistic spiel. "Yeah, it's, um, been a long time since high school, but I still know who you are."
"Of course you do. But I must say, you aren't like the girl I remember from high school. Time has been very good to you, my dear. Well, the both of us, really!" Jacob laughed.
Edward could feel a growl begin to build in his chest. He didn't like how Jacob just walked over and interrupted his and Bella's conversation, and he definitely wasn't happy about how he eyed Bella like she was a piece of meat.
Back off, asshole.
"I beg your pardon?"
Jacob was looking at Edward with a raised eyebrow while Bella had a mixture of both panic and shock registered on her face.
Crap. Did I say that out loud?
No shit, Sherlock. Quick, maybe you can still save your ass.
"I…uh, sorry. Was just clearing my throat," Edward prayed that his voice was too low for him to understand.
The universe was working with him, thankfully, for Jacob just shook his head. "Hm, well you better have that checked. I heard you cough when you took my order, and now isn't the time for me to be catching any diseases."
Yeah, because you're so busy planning on taking over my family's company, right?
"Jacob, do you recognize Jasper Whitlock?" Bella stepped in quickly as she placed a hand on Edward's back. "He went to Forks High, too,"
"Oh?" Jacob looked Edward up and down. "No, I can't say I do."
"He was president of the photography club,"
"The photography club? Well, that's…an achievement, I suppose." Jacob's smile was so condescending that Edward almost leapt across the counter and tackled his sorry ass to the ground. To keep calm, he focused on the warmth of Bella's hand through his shirt.
"And you're working as a waiter now?" Jacob continued with a chuckle. "Not all of us are destined for greatness, I suppose. Besides, someone has to do it, right?"
Edward was so tempted then to strangle the man, and he was going to do it, if Bella hadn't stepped in once again.
"The service industry is no walk in the park, Jacob. It takes a lot of patience and a good temperament to make it here. In fact, servers may very well have a harder job than you have. They deserve as much respect as whatever corporate people you deal with, if not more, so if you're going to keep demeaning and disrespecting the servers working here, then I suggest you leave and never come back."
Both Edward and Jacob were slack-jawed: the former from awe and amazement, and the latter from surprised disappointment.
"Well," Jacob fixed his tie. "I apologize, then."
"Why are you apologizing to me? Jasper's the one you so passive-aggressively insulted."
"Right," Jacob looked like he would rather chew leather than to say the words that were about to come out of his mouth. "I'm…sorry, Jasper. I didn't mean to…belittle your profession."
It might have been a bit immature, but Edward didn't say anything back. Instead, he nodded and crossed his arms over his chest.
Much to everyone's relief, the kitchen chose that moment to send out Jacob's order. Jacob quickly requested that everything be to-go, and after everything was put in containers, he was out the door.
"Wow," Edward remarked as he looked at his defender. "Thanks, Bella."
A blush spread across Bella's cheeks. "No problem.
"I didn't know our shy little prom queen had it in her to tell off the almighty Jacob Black," he continued teasingly.
"Well, no one messes with my friends," Bella smiled. "Besides, the guy's a massive douche. I can see now why just seeing him put you in a bad mood."
Edward's responding laugh was so loud that everyone in the café turned to look at him.
…
Jasper didn't understand what the hell was happening to him. First, he woke up with the worst muscle ache he had ever experienced. Then, upon arriving at the diner, he found out that he never made it to work last night. He discovered a tag from Heaven Café with his name on it when he got home as well.
And, to round everything up, he didn't remember anything – not missing work, not being hired at Heaven, and certainly not whatever sadistic exercise he decided to undertake to produce such body pains.
"It's all probably just sleep deprivation," Jasper muttered to himself as he laid his head on his pillow. "Your memory's just going haywire from stress and tiredness."
And with that, he promptly fell asleep.