N/A: Hello! First, I'd like to say thanks to everyone who sent me messages supporting me. That was really helpful and very sweet from you guys. You are the best!

I know it's been a very long time, but this year it's being very hard on me. And because of that, I wrote this chapter.

I also would like to say thanks to Shadowman55, who helped me with my classic grammar mistakes.

Enough chit chat! Happy reading!

Ushio-chan

Chapter 19

Its my Life

"Better stand tall when they're calling you out

Don't bend, don't break, baby, don't back down"

It's My Life – Bon Jovi

BPOV

"You've got to be kidding me." I managed to mumbled, pathetically

I turned to see Lauren and her friends being conducted by the hostess (who didn't conducted us here, by the way) to a table on the opposite side the place we were sitting. I saw her whip a lock of her dyed golden hair and flash a smile to the guy who sat by her side before a huge group of girls walked to the dance floor and block the vision.

I gasped and quickly turned my back to them.

"Shit!" I said, looking at Alice, in panic. "How is that possible?"

She shrugged, taking a sip of her drink. "Well, that's a hot place, Bells." She shot me an apologetically smile "I didn't know she'd come here.."

"Bella?" asked a soft, velvet voice in my ear. I looked at Edward, who was offering me a new martini and I grabbed automatically the glass and took a long sip. He looked at me, worried "Hey, easy Bella. This is not lemonade. "

"I know. I'm just thirsty." I said with a faint smile.

He glanced at his sister and back to me. I stopped an impulse of hiding myself under the table. I wouldn't be able to hide this from him.

"What is this?" he asked taking the glass from me before I could take another gulp. "What's going on here? Why do you look so upset?"

I bit my lip. I felt so ridiculous, so weak, that I couldn't speak. Lauren humiliated me seven years ago and I still felt inferior to her. Maybe we never really get over High School.

"Lauren is here." Answered Alice in my place "With Rose." She added, sending Emmett, who was wrapped around Kate (or Kate was wrapped around him. I certainly couldn't tell) a smirk. Emmett cringed and she chuckled. I smiled a bit.

"What?" Asked Edward. He looked up and looked for them. His face, usually, so smooth and angelic, suddenly became very dark. He clutched his fists into balls. His eyes were filled with hate and disgust. " I want to have a word with her."

"Calm down, Edward.' Said Alice. "Let's finish our drinks first."

"Alice.' He said, rolling his eyes. "This is not the time."

I decided interfering. "No, Edward. She's right. Let's not spoil our night because of her."

Better would say do not spoil our night because of me, I thought, as Edward occupied the chair beside mine and wrapped an arm around my shoulders protectively. I leaned against his warm body, enjoying his company, half hearing Alice and him chatting quietly. I felt protected and safe. Who cares if Lauren is here? Who cares if my father doesn't approve my style of life and my ex-fiancé doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon?

I saw Emmett picking from over Kate's shoulder and I guess he wasn't pleased to see Royce with them. To be honest, they were a very shiny group, with Royce (who was using a bandage on his nose) and Rosalie as main stars, Together, they looked great, both tall and blondish. Lauren was talking to a sandy haired guy. He had tanned skin and a long fair hair pulled on a low ponytail. Tall and muscular, he was quite charming, actually, in Indiana Jones sort of way. Not really the type of the guy you expect to see in Lauren's crew.

But, well, what do I know?

I didn't see Jasper, tough. And I guess I wasn't the only one who did notice his absence. Alice wrinkled her cute nose and took a sip on her drink, but I could tell she was disappointed. She barely noticed the gorgeous dark haired guy who seemed to be trying to get her attention by half an hour, with no success. Oh, boy.

I felt Edward's fingers on my hair and I looked at him. "Do you want to go home?" he whispered, his pure forest green eyes studying my face. I could see he was worried about me, but I also could notice the anger, cold and somber down the surface. He was trying to look indifferent, but his jaw was locked and he seemed distressed.

I hated to see him like this. I hated what she had done to us. Or worse, what we let her to . If we had trusted more on each other, she wouldn't have taken us apart. Because there she was, just a few steps and Edward is here by my side and nothing seemed so right in my life.

Old Bella would have run. She ran from Edward the first time and she ran from Jacob, when things got too messy. Because she was a victim. I refuse myself being that person again. I despised her.

So I got up from the high chair where I was sitting.

"Whoa, what are you doing, tigress?" asked Alice, raising her eyebrows.

I flashed her a smile.

"I'm going to compliment an old friend." I looked at Edward and he looked stunned. I stretched my hand "Are you coming?"

He hesitated for a second and then he flashed me my favorite crooked smile, as he took my hand on his and got up too "I wouldn't miss this for anything."

"What?" asked Emmett, finally unlocking his lips from Kate's. "Are you guys serious?" he asked in awe and pushed Kate from his lap brusquely. She looked at him, pissed. "Cool. I'm on it! Maybe I can punch that asshole of King again."

"Don't you dare, Emmett Cullen!' Hissed Alice, picking her tiny purse and narrowing her baby blue eyes at him. I could swear she had grown a few inches. Scary. "I'm not going to jail because of you again."

"Oh, come on!" said Em, rolling his dark brown eyes 'it wasn't that bad."

"What is going on?" whined Kate, looking hurt. It was funny because she didn't look mystical when she was angry. But it was just a second before she had put on her dreamy expression. Emmett explained to her and she shot a long, pensative look at Lauren and Rosalie's group. "What a dark aura." She commented, darkly, taking her tiny hands to the aquamarine stone she was wearing as pendant around her long neck.

Alice rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, whatever." She finished her drink and gave me a meaning glance "Let's finish this. I'm hungry. Shall we?"

The five of us crossed the dance floor, where sexy, partially dressed bodies were shaking their hips at the sound of 'Pokerface", from Lady GaGa. I guess the DJ felt the changing on the mood. As we approached, I started to feel less confident. Maybe that was a bad idea. Because I had no clue about what I was going to say to Lauren. What the hell was I thinking?

And then we were just a step beside her table and she turned to see us. I realized that I had absolutely nothing to say. Instead something in me seemed to break. The past few days, even years seemed to be too much. The hand that was holding the glass of martini started shaking and then I…

Well, I spited the drink all over her blonde hair.

"Fucking hell!" cried Emmett, cracking out with Alice. I stared at Lauren, whose pale face was completely wet and then I turned to Edward, who had bend while he was laughing. The three people who were with Lauren stared at us ion shock. I couldn't believe in what I have done, but I have to say that I was quite pleased with myself. Thank God, Alice composed herself and wrapped an arm around my waste and grinned to Rosalie.

"Well, it was fancy seeing you, guys. But we are leaving. Have an adorable evening!"

And she made us all turn and leave, very, very fast. I heard Lauren shrinking of pure hate while the security of the club accompanied us out. It was the second time this month we were kicked out from a place like that. I didn't care. I was free.

* * *

Saturday passed in a blur. First because of the horrible hangover and because we spent the whole day unpacking our stuff and setting up in the house. Thank God, I haven't heard hear a word from Jacob since last time. If God had heard my pray, he'd already departed back to Seattle and never come back here.

But I managed to wake up on Sunday morning with the phone. Which was not very pleasant, since Alice managed to change the ring tone again, so while I was looking for the phone on the bedside table, I recognized Pink yelling with Christina Aguilera and Lil'Kim:

"Gichie gichie ya ya da da (hey hey hey)

Gichie gichie ya ya here (hee oh)

Mocca choco la ta ya ya (ooh yeah)

Creole Lady Marmalade (ohh)"

Please, don't misunderstand me, I love "Lady Marmalade" like everyone else. But not as ring tone and definitely, not at 7am.

I heard Edward grunting by my side and then, after letting the little portrait fell on the floor (dammit!) and almost making myself falling on the floor, I managed to grab the damn phone and groaned.

"Yeah?"

"Isabella Marie Swan!" cried my mother. Oh, just perfect. "Are you awake?"

"No." I mumbled, passing my free hand on my messed hair. Seriously, why me?

Of course a little thing like me being asleep wouldn't stop Renée.

"Well, it's better for you to discover by me, then. Dear, you won't guess, but, it's in the internet that you ex-fiancée Jacob had announced his engagement with Leah Clearwater!"

That woke me up. I sat up quickly

"What?"

"You ex-fiancée, sweetie. Jacob, the Bastard! He's going to marry Leah Clearwater next month!"

"What story is that?" This time, I really had woken Edward up. He sat up and looked at me, confused. I signed him to approach, so he could hear Renée too.

"Of course I quickly called Emily and she told me her cousin got pregnant from Jacob, so Billy Black practically threatened to disinherit Jacob if he didn't assume the child. He said he wouldn't allow this kind of scandal. You know how these people are, Bella. "

I was trying to process all the information.

"Well, that's awesome!" I busted I grinned at Edward and he kissed me fully in the mouth. I got so distracted that I completely forgot about Mom. She kept calling me out until Edward hung up the phone. We spent the rest of the morning the bed.

When we finally got up and went to grab something to eat, we found Alice and Emmett working on their lap tops. Em handed me a cup of coffee and Alice looked up.

"Jesus, you guys look rabbits."

"Shut up, Alice." Said Edward with a grin, patting his sister gently on the face. "Not now."

"Oh, let her be. She's just mad because she's losing the bet." Said Emmett with an easy smile.

"I'm not loosing." She said between her teeth and then she raised her chin "I'm just checking on my options.

"Whatever you say, sis." And then she peeked on her from over the lap top screen "But you know that poligamic relationship that guy has won't count right?'

I almost spat the coffee. Edward snorted.

Alice stared at him, disgusted. "Shut up, Emmett!"

Emmett laughed "Your face is red! Alice, you naughty girl!"

I decided ignoring them, so I grabbed one of the ciabatta sandwiches that a good soul had brought us. It was cold, but I didn't care. "Oh, today is the dinner, guys. Do you have any suggestions?"

"Well, we won't have to do anything, Bella." Said Emmett, defending himself from Alice's wrath. "The Denali chicks will managed everything, remember?"

The bell rang just after that. Raising his eyebrows, Edward got up and went to see who it was. I heard a noise from the door and then Kate, followed by two people I didn't know made her dramatic entrance. Well, I just knew it was Kate because of the aquamarine pendant because she was almost all covered by a vivid orange shawl, that almost reached the floor. The four of us widened our eyes at her, as she bend courtly and murmured

"Good morning"

What the hell?