Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyers owns Twilight. I do not. I do however, own my 'gang'.
A/N: Also thanks to my awesome Beta, Blueboarderchick.
Thank you to my reviewers.
A/N:I decided to answer this question here instead of individually. Jacob will re-enter the story after Bella finishes college and goes back to Forks. And no I won't hurry through the chapters to get her back to Forks quicker because rushing ruins stories and then you won't understand why this and that happened. Now, with that said, I promise not to drag the story out and bore you to tears in Bella's time away from Forks. Read my chapters carefully. Everything I write has hidden meanings or is the setting for a future scene.
Believe me. No one is more excited for Bella to return home than I am. The things I have planned...(evil giggles)
Chapter 39
Ten minutes later, I parked my car and walked the distance to the frat house. On the walk there, I was nervous and fidgety thinking about what I would say to him and wondering what he would say. Upon walking into the house, I greeted a group of guys on the couch playing an army type game on their Xbox. It looked like one of those Brothers in Arms games. I wasn't sure. They were so immersed in their gaming that only a few heard me when I came in. Preston was among them but I didn't see Dillon.
"Hey, Preston. Is Dillon in his room?"
Preston managed to tear his grey eyes away from the TV long enough to murmur, "Yeah." He turned back toward the screen and was lost in the sea of blood and mangled body parts.
I climbed the stairs then proceeded to walk down the hall to Dillon's room. When I got to his door, I had to pause because the I'm busy, Go away! sock was hanging on the doorknob. I brushed it off, thinking that Dillon was probably waiting inside for me, hoping to get lucky. Reaching out one hand, I turned the door knob and pushed it open with a smile that froze on my face. It never occurred to me that Dillon could be in there with someone else. The trusting fool that I was.
The door swung open and saw Dillon sitting on the edge of his bed. He was much too engaged to notice me as he was busy receiving a blowjob from a blonde haired girl. My body seemed to be frozen in place. I was unable to move at all or look away from the scene. His head was thrown back and he would occasionally let out a pleasure-filled groan. His hands fisted tightly on the sheets as the girl's head bobbed up and down. I wasn't able to see who she was because she had her back toward me.
I think I might have been experiencing one of those out of body moments. The only thing I felt was detached numbness as I watched them. Dillon's head rolled forward then his eyes opened slowly. He appeared dazed for a second before it finally dawned on him, who I was and what he was currently doing. His features appeared to be frozen in shock until he shoved the blonde away from him. She fell backwards onto the floor and I caught a glimpse of her face. It wasn't some random girl, it was Amber.
This just keeps getting better and better.
Dillon cursed and sprang to his feet, hastily tucking his dick back into his pants. It was still moist from Amber's saliva. I found it a bit revolting that this was my first look at the thing that had been poking me for months.
His eyes were wild with panic as he struggled to come up with an explanation. Not that one was needed, of course. Dillon opened up his mouth and said the most clichéd thing I'd ever heard. "It's not what it looks like."
Forcing the words past my lips, I asked in disbelief, "It's not?"
I fought the urge to laugh. It was the most stupid thing a man could say at this point, but it seemed like everyday, somewhere in the world, a man said it whenever he was caught cheating. I wondered if it was my turn to do something equally clichéd. Should I throw his varsity jacket in the Connecticut River?
Amber smoothly climbed to her feet and straightened her clothes, wiping her mouth with her fingers. She looked like this was just another ordinary day in the life of Amber Hodge.
Her face was a mixture of smugness and malicious satisfaction as she studied my face. "Oh my God. I can't believe you walked in on us." She purred in false surprise and I thought, funny, you don't look surprised.
Dillon shot her a glare then turned his anxious gaze to me. "I can explain."
"Explain what exactly, Dillon? How much of a liar you are or how big an idiot I am?" I asked with a slightly shaky voice that I hated myself for.
By this time, I was beginning to feel nauseous, wondering how long this had been going on back my back. How many times Dillon had kissed me just after he'd finished fucking Amber? Was she the only one? Who else had he been screwing around on me with? This was the exact reason why I'd agreed to be exclusive, so I wouldn't be wondering where his mouth had been or who he'd had his mouth on. I felt so violated and shit… hurt. It seemed that I didn't protect my feelings as well as I'd thought.
Dillon raised his hands in a placating manner, trying to calm me down. "It was a mistake. I made one mistake, Izzy."
Amber cackled at Dillon's lame attempt to save his ass. "One, Dillon? Why don't you tell her about the night of the keg party? The night she left with my date. We well... to be completely frank… we fucked like rabbits," Amber revealed. Her eyes were full of amusement as she observed me. This was entertainment for her.
"Shut the fuck up, Amber!" Dillon yelled at her.
"Why should I?" Amber snapped him with her blue eyes blazing. "It's better that she knows the truth now." She turned to me with hateful, malice-filled eyes. "You don't belong in our world and you never will. I mean, really. Did you think Dillon would be satisfied with the likes of you? You're nothing but white trash. An insignificant speck of nothing."
By this point angry tears brimmed, burning my eyes. Seeing my expression, how close I was to crying in front of her, Amber smiled venomously at me. "Taylor's going to see what I see eventually. You're nothing but a passing fancy to him. He will never be with someone like you. Pretty soon he'll grow tired of you and move on to someone just like me. The same way Dillon did. That's why I organized this little get together, to show you just that." Her mouth curled into a vicious smile.
I stared at her in shock as realization hit me like a ton of bricks. Dillon wasn't the one that sent me the text message, it was Amber. This entire thing had been planned and orchestrated by Amber for my benefit. This was why she'd been giving me nasty looks all week long. My gazed flicked to where Dillon stood motionless, listening to every word of her rant. His face was pissed off as he stared at Amber, realizing he'd been used and played for a fool. Clearly, he wasn't expecting me to show up at his door when I did.
Searching my heart, I tried to summon one ounce of sympathy for Dillon and couldn't do it. He didn't have to go along with her game but he couldn't keep it in his pants long enough to think that it might have meant something to me. Dillon stole something from me that day. He made me feel insecure and inadequate. But even though what he did was awful, what Amber did was ten times worse. I don't know what he thought they were doing when they started sleeping with each other, but I knew he didn't think she was just using him to make a point.
Amber deliberately set out to hurt me. For no other reason than to prove that she was better than me. My unshed tears dried up as I stared at her, feeling my rage bubbling up in me. It wasn't bad enough that Amber humiliated me by sleeping with my boyfriend and laughing about it behind my back to her friends. No, she had to make sure I saw it for myself with my own two eyes. How could any woman do that to another?
Then I thought about Taylor and if he'd been a weaker man, to fall for Amber's crap. Would Amber have used him the exact way she'd used Dillon? I concluded that she would have. Just so she could break me and see me crying in front of her, defeated. And a year ago, it might have worked too. The old Bella would already be hysterical with tears, running out of here like the leading lady in a bad flick about a nerdy, high school girl that got her heart broken by the captain of the football team.
No, that was the old Bella. Now Izzy, on the other hand, she wasn't about to take this shit lying down. I'd survived losing Edward and Jacob. There was nothing she could have done to bring me any pain equivalent to that. Amber had to understand that there were consequences for screwing with other people's lives. She couldn't be allowed to get away unscathed and scotch free. Someone had to make her pay and I was the person to do it.
Amber must have seen something in my face because her wicked smile abruptly lost some of its potency. Grounding my teeth, I slowly crossed the threshold with my gaze fixed firmly on her. My nail bit into my palms as I fisted them tightly. Amber's wicked smile was now hanging by a thread as she studied me with uncertainty in her eyes. I watched as her eyes darted nervously to where Dillon stood, eying me curiously, trying to predict what I would do next.
Moving quickly, Dillon appeared between Amber and me after I'd closed half the distance between us. He tried to act as a referee. "Whoa, calm down, Izzy."
I had no words to say to him. This wasn't about Dillon anymore. This was about me standing up for myself and fighting back. In an attempt to stop my advancement, Dillon placed his hands on my shoulders and I snapped. He had no god damn right to touch me.
My movements were swift and unexpected as I brought my knee up sharply and into his groin. I watched with a small amount of satisfaction as he crumpled to the floor, whimpering and holding his crotch in agony. His entire face was a deep shade of red and a large vain stood out, pulsing on his forehead.
That's for all the kisses I wasted on you.
With Dillon out of the way, I returned my attention to Amber. She looked up from Dillon's pathetic form to me, no signs of a smile in sight. I raised my foot, stepping over him and continued on my way toward getting even.
Anger and adrenaline coursed through my bloodstream as I slowed my footsteps, coming to a stop a few feet away from Amber. "Who do you think you are?" I asked, taking a step closer to her.
"Excuse me?" Amber eyed my advancement with anxiety.
"You think that just because you have money, it gives you the right to mess with people's lives. You know what, Amber? You're a pathetic, bitter hag who delights in torturing others on account of the fact that it makes you feel better about your miserable, worthless existence. You might be, what society thinks is, beautiful on the outside, but inside you're nothing but a disgusting pile of shit." My hand shot out hard and fast, pushing at her shoulder.
"What do you think you're doing?" Amber stumbled backward, asking with a slight tremor that gave away her fear.
"I'm warning you. Stay away from me. And stay away from my friends," I warned through clamped teeth.
The evil twinkle in her blue eyes returned. "You must mean, stay away from Taylor. Do you honestly think that I'll just stay away from him? No, no. A man with looks like that deserves to be… sampled." Her mouth curled into a predatory smirk.
In my mind, I pictured Amber with her grubby hands all over Taylor, using him then throwing him away like he was nothing when she was finished. Just like she did with Dillon. Rage surged up inside me, boiling to the surface.
Faster than Amber was able to dodge, my hand flew out, slapping her hard across the mouth.
Amber screamed out, hands cradling her once perfect mouth. "I'm bleeding, you trailer trash!"
My blow split her bottom lip, and I smiled crudely. "So you are."
"Bitch! You'll pay for doing that!" Amber shrieked at me.
I attempted to dodge Amber as she reached a hand out, trying to claw me. But I wasn't quite fast enough and I felt a slight burn on my neck. I slapped her hand away as she tried to grab for my hair. She was unable to achieve a firm grip because it was secured in a ponytail. However, her hair was loose and free flowing.
My hands darted out, getting tangled in her hair and I yanked hard. Amber screamed out painfully and flung her hands out blindly, catching me off guard. I lost my balance and fell backward, taking Amber with me. We landed on the floor with a heavy thud and Amber attempted to gain the upper hand in our bitch fight by climbing on top of me.
She managed to land one slap before I clenched my hand in a fist and punched her square in the face. I felt my knuckles pop painfully as my fist connected with her jaw and she fell off me. By this point, I was much too consumed with rage to stop myself. I climbed on top of her and slapped her.
Because she should have left me alone.
I slapped her again.
She should have stayed away from Taylor.
I smacked her hands away when she tried to fight back and hit her in the eye.
Because I'd had enough of people trying to hurt me on purpose.
Somewhere in my mind, I heard a loud commotion of approaching voices, signaling that we had company. I wasn't aware that I was screaming, stay away from him! at the top of my lungs, until hands wrapped around my middle, lifting me off Amber.
"Shit, Izzy. Calm the fuck down!" Preston's voice sounded strained as he struggled to restrain me. I was currently kicking and twisting against him, trying to go after Amber again. The room quickly filled with guys, some of whom I recognized, others I didn't. Two guys went to Amber's assistance where she lay on the floor, bleeding and cursing.
"Call the police! I want that bitch arrested!" Amber's shrill voice rang out across the room.
The crowd parted for us as Preston dragged me through the door. My adrenaline began to subside and I let my body relax. When Preston was certain that I wasn't going to resume my battle, he loosened his hold and set me on my feet. Faster than I could blink, Preston spun me around to face him and held me by the shoulders.
"What the fuck, Izzy?" Preston was genuinely shocked.
My chest heaved up and down as I panted with exertion, "Believe me when I say it, Preston. That bitch had it coming." I pushed his hands away and stomped down the hall. I had every intention of getting the hell out of here. Dillon's voice called out weakly behind me but I just kept on walking. There was nothing he could say to me.
I vaguely remembered the brisk, chilly walk back to my car as the feeling of animosity was still burning within me. Afterwards, I climbed into the driver seat, started the ignition and sped back to the apartment. With my dangerous driving, I was lucky to have avoided crashing my car as the roads were slick with snow and ice. My anger ebbed away and I began to fret about what I'd just done. I just assaulted two people. Granted they deserved it. Would I get arrested? They could press charges against me. My mind was in a fog as I drove back to the apartment.
My temper flared again as I shoved my way through the front door, surprising the hell out of Liz, Ryan and Zach when I slammed it behind me. Taylor was still at the library. My appearance must have been worrying because Liz jumped off the couch and was rushing toward me in the blink of an eye.
"Izzy, my God. What happened to you?" She ran her hands over my blouse and I realized that my sleeve had been torn in the fight, exposing my shoulder.
I opened my mouth to explain and, to my never-ending humiliation, promptly burst into angry tears. Liz wrapped her arms around me, before leading me across the room to settle on the couch.
Ryan scrutinized my torn clothes and lost it. "Did Dillon do this to you, Izzy? I swear to God, if he did this I'll murder that bastard!" Ryan bellowed and Liz shushed him. Zach peered at me through narrowed eyes, waiting for me to expound.
And so I did, in between sobs, revealing everything that happened. From finding Dillon with Amber to the cat fight that went down between us. Eventually, I was able to calm down. I knew I had Liz and her constant wrestling matches to thank for being able to hold my own against Amber.
"Damn, Izzy. You really kicked her ass, huh?" Ryan chortled.
"Yeah, but I guess I'll have to look for a lawyer now." I was so not looking forward Charlie finding out about this.
"Why?" Liz stared at me blankly.
"Because even if Dillon won't go to the police, Amber will." Just thinking about it was enough to make me grimace.
"Please, Izzy. If Amber goes to the police and this goes to court, then everyone, including her parents, will know that you kicked her ass after you caught her giving head to your boyfriend as revenge. Believe me, Izzy. She won't risk word getting out about her improper behavior. Her parents might disown her." Liz snorted with a roll of her eyes.
"Seriously?" I didn't think about it from that perspective. Zach disappeared into the kitchen for a few moments then returned with a glass of water for me. I smiled in thanks as I took a sip of the refreshing liquid.
Ryan nodded his head in agreement with Liz then added, "That's one thing you should remember about the rich, Izzy. They do messed-up, disgusting things all the time and it's okay. Just so long as they do it in private. So don't worry, you're in the clear."
"Man, rich people are screwed up," Zach concluded, and I agreed with him on that.
"I don't even know why I cried in the first place. It's not like I was in love with him or anything." I wiped at the remaining tears on my face.
"But it still burns, doesn't it?" Liz queried softly. She took my hand in hers, rubbing soothing circles. I winced slightly and glanced down at the hand she was holding. It was already beginning to swell.
"Yeah, I've never been cheated on before." I admitted.
With Edward and Jacob, the thought of being cheated on never entered my mind. I felt like any future relationship I had from now on, a small part of me will always worry about the guy cheating. It would be damn near impossible to return to my pre-cheating ignorance.
"That bastard. Do you want us to go kick his ass, Izzy?" Ryan growled, cracking his knuckles and Zach's face darkened. They'd been looking for any excuse to beat Dillon down over the past few years.
"No, it's fine. Leave it alone, you guys." I warned both Ryan and Zach, hoping against all hope that they would listen to me.
"We can't make you any promises, Izzy, especially where Taylor's concerned," Zach said in a low voice.
My mind flashed back to Taylor's fight with Dillon and I blurted out, "You can't tell him!" I didn't want to deal with having to bail Taylor out of jail. If there was any way to prevent Taylor from finding out, I was all for it.
Liz refused, "Sorry, Izzy. We're not going to keep this from him."
I looked around to discover that they were all in agreement and conceded reluctantly, "Fine. I think I'll go lie down in my room for a bit."
"Okay," Liz murmured in understanding. I just needed to be alone.
Upon entering my room, I went straight to my mirror to survey the damage. My right cheek was slightly red and swollen, and there was also a scratch on my neck. But other than that, I didn't look bad. I took evil-minded solace in the fact that Amber probably looked much worse.
Slowly, I eased my weary body onto my bed, lying on top of the blankets. My eyes drifted closed for what seemed like a brief moment. I think I must have fallen asleep because hours later, I awoke to a dark room and someone pushing me across the bed.
Instinctively, my body stiffened in alarm until I heard a deep voice. "It's me."
Realizing that it was Taylor, my body relaxed and I moved aside to make room for him to climb in next to me. The bed shifted under his weight as he crawled in behind me and I rolled over to my side, facing him. He reached out an arm and pulled me closer to him, not quite touching him but close enough to feel the warmth coming off his body.
I shifted under his penetrating gaze and murmured, "I take it you've heard."
"Yes. Are you all right?" He lightly ran his hand down my arm before linking our hands together.
"I'm fine. I think my pride hurts more than anything else. I feel a little stupid," I confessed after chewing worriedly on my lip.
"Dillon's the one who should feel stupid, not you."
"Why do you think that?" I snorted softly.
I didn't think Dillon was feeling any shame right now. After what happened, he'd probably been labeled an even bigger stud, having two girls fight over him. Sure, we weren't fighting over him but it would look that way to his friends. He's probably getting slapped on the back as we speak.
"Because you are well worth the wait, Isabella." He stared at me intently and I felt like something was a little different between us. But I wasn't able to put my finger on it. He released my hand and gently brushed my cheek with his fingers.
Something flashed in his eyes, and then he was leaning toward me. My heart pounded away in my ears as his gaze shifted to my lips and I knew he wanted to kiss me. Once again, my feelings were all mixed up. A part of me wanted desperately wanted him to but the other part of me was positively terrified of starting something up with him.
My stomach clenched nervously as his breath fanned across my face. Suddenly, it was as if Taylor changed his mind. My breathing was shallow when he touched his nose to mine for a brief moment, before pressing a small kiss at the tip of it. Subsequently, he gathered the upper half of my body to his chest, before rolling onto his back. Eventually, I fell asleep with my head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.
It wasn't until morning that I would see the bruises on Taylor's face and hands. Apparently, when Zach disappeared into the kitchen to get me a glass of water, he also called Taylor and told him everything. Immediately, Taylor stormed out of the library to pay Dillon an impromptu visit before coming home. Dillon would have a new bunch of injuries to add to the one I gave him.
A/N: Bella and Dillon are so over.
What did you think of the fight between Bella and Amber?
I bet a lot of you didnt see that one coming but that's what happens when someone gets pushed too far.
I tried to make the kiss happen between Bella and Taylor but it just didnt feel like it was the right time.
Coming up next: Bella deals with the aftermath of her breakup with Dillon.
Taylor gets mad when his father makes a request of him.
It's Christmas time again and Bella gives Zach the best gift ever.
The gang rent a cabin in Vermont with fireplace and bear skin rug. (romantic)
Bella contemplates a relationship with Taylor.
Two lives hang in the balance as an unforeseen, life-threatening accident happens.
A/N: Thursdays are quickly becoming my least favorite day of the week but if you guys insist, then I'll give you the next chapter this Thursday instead of next Monday.