The Twilight Twenty-Five

thetwilight25[dot]com

Prompt: Bookstore

Pen Name: Mcgt

Pairing/Main Character(s): Bella

Rating: M

This will be a multi-chaptered story.

Photo prompts can be viewed here: thetwilight25[dot]com/round-six/prompts

A/N

Thanks to LittleRedScientist for helping beta this for me and Jenequilter for her prereader skills.

Sorry folks, I thought this was the date chapter, but it's not.

Chapter 14 – Bookstore - Let Down

After spending the entire first day of work cooped up in my office I'd decided to spend some time out in the front, needing to be around people and not the dismal financial records I was now hiding out from.

Because you know how well sticking your head in the sand works when dealing with life's problems.

I'd just picked up a new shipment of books when Angela rounded the corner and saw me struggling with the heavy box.

"What are you doing?" she scolded, grabbing the box from me.

Rolling my eyes, I knew she was going to chide me for lifting something over the ten pound limit she'd overheard Edward suggesting to me. "I was going to put some new books out. You know, since this is a bookstore and all."

Turning her back on me, she carried the box out to the display area that I'd already set up. "Bella you know you're not supposed to strain yourself." Wagging her finger at me she sternly stated "Ask. For. Help." She didn't say anything else and went back behind the counter to help a customer who'd come in.

I tried not to let it bother me that everyone was still treating me like I was a fragile little bird who would break with the least bit of pressure. The physical problems were nothing compared to keeping my financial ruin a secret.

After setting up the newest best seller I decided to finish putting the other books that had previously been on our feature table away. Grabbing a stack I wandered the store carefully placing the books where they belonged.

I'd always loved the scent that lingered in books. I wasn't sure if it was the glue, ink, or paper but the combination was always a relaxing one to me. After coffee I think it was my next favorite smell in the world.

"Bella, you back here?" I heard Angela call.

"In the YA!" I shouted from the young adult section.

Following the sound of my voice she peeked around one of the shelves, with two cups of coffee in her hand. "Figured it was about time for a break," she said, placing the cup on the small table near the end of the row. She then nodded her head to the chair beside the one she sat down in.

I hadn't been much for talk before the accident and it surprised me that she was waiting for me to join her. We'd never just sat down and had a conversation over coffee. It was usually just me asking her to do something on my way to doing something else. I didn't ever sit down to 'just chat', but after my experience on my little private beach I was thinking that perhaps chatting wasn't the worst thing ever.

"How you doing?" she asked, peering at me as if she could tell my blood pressure by squinting her eyes.

Sitting down I took a sip of the coffee, as it turns out, made exactly how I like it. "You know. Getting better every day."

"So what's going on with you and the good doctor?"

I couldn't resist dramatically rolling my eyes at her sideways smirk. This was why I didn't chat. Women seemed to always be such gossips and I wasn't generally a nosy Nancy.

"Come on Bella, he's been coming in here every day for almost two years straight. You had to have noticed him watching you before your accident."

Hold the phone, what? Two years? How in the world had I missed that?

After telling her she needed to have her eyes examined, I told her he was probably just suffering from some kind of guilty conscious. I mean, the man did almost hitting me with his car, but deep down, I hoped with all my heart that it wasn't the real reason.

"Have you seen the way that man checks you out over the top of his paper? I'd say your mother dropped you on your head as a baby for you to be that oblivious, but since you're still recovering I'll save that joke for another day," she quipped, sipping her coffee to hold back her smirk.

"Oh, ha, ha." I mocked, but for the first time since she started working here, it felt like we could be friends. "I don't know. We have this strange connection. He even visited me when I was in a coma. He just sat there next to my bed and talked to me."

"You know he came in here and talked to us about you after it happened, right?" she asked, setting her cup down and looking seriously at me.

"What do you mean? He only said he came in to return my ledger and you guys told him I was still at home recuperating."

Shaking her head she threw me a look that said I should've known better. "He told us, Bella. About how he wanted to help you get back on your feet after what Aro did. We even started brainstorming some ideas about a fundraiser and how to better promote the shop," she enthusiastically chattered on but my mind was reeling.

"He what?" I stood up so fast, the chair wobbled on its back legs. Without listening to any of the ideas she wanted to share with me I stormed off back to my office. I needed to cool down before saying something I would regret. It wasn't her fault Edward was as gossipy as TMZ. It was my fault in trusting him and for dropping that ledger in the first place.

Angela was knocking softly at my door asking me if I was okay. She had no idea why I was so upset. No idea that the mere thought of all the people around me knowing my business felt like the worst kind of betrayal. The fact that it came from Edward's mouth only made it worse.

"I need a minute Angela," I said, leaning my back against the door and sliding to the ground. I'd just cradled my head in my hands when the tears began to make their way down my cheeks. It felt like every single emotion in the world washed over me at that moment; anger, regret, shame, but most of all, complete humiliation. My heart ached knowing that Edward had released all of my secrets into the wild like a tiger being sprung from a cage. Now that it was out it was impossible to try and recapture the innocence of my co-workers.

I sat behind that door for a long time before another knock came shaking me out of my pitiful thoughts.

"Isabella?"

At the sound of his voice my rage consumed me, burning me from the inside out.

Whipping the door open, I stood toe to toe with Edward, my eyes alight with fury.

"How could you!" I shouted, dragging him into my office and slamming the door shut. Thankfully I had enough sense to know the customers in the store didn't need to be privy to the ass reaming I was about to give the man who I once thought could be my saving grace.

"Angela called me. What's going on?" he asked, his voice was soft and soothing yet it only fueled my desire to punch him in the face.

"What's going on? Why in the world would you tell people about my business? My personal business when it isn't any of yours?" I seethed, shoving him hard against the door.

His eyes grew wide after my assault and he raised his hands up in surrender requesting, "Calm down. I don't know what you're talking about."

I narrowed my eyes looking directly into his and repeated what Angela had just told me. "Why would you tell them about my financial troubles? That was private."

"I just wanted to help. I told you before, I know what you're going through and don't want you to have to start all over again at the bottom of a barrel like I did."

Throwing my arms up in disgust, "You haven't told me anything Edward. And you know what?" Pushing him out of the way I opened the door, waving my arm towards the exit. "I don't want to know. Get. Out."

"Isabella please," he whispered, not moving an inch.

"Get out."

With a shove, he begrudgingly allowed himself to be removed from my office. I didn't even hesitate to slam the door in his face when he turned to say he was sorry.

For the second time today I slid down the door and cried my eyes out.

A/N

Okay – so yeah… let the angry reviews commence, but wouldn't you be a little bit peeved if you found out someone let your deepest darkest secret out? Have no fear; the next chapter will be up tomorrow.

Hang in there with me, I promise. You didn't think Bella would be perfect right off the bat, right?