AN: Just a short quick chapter, but still action packed! Thank you so much to my lovely reviewers!
Coolfun and BellaGirl, thank you so much for reviewing every chapter! Haha im so glad you're enjoying.
Guest, you are so right – I never realised how intensely angsty this story would be, it was always supposed to be fluff, oops! I'm sorry to say that it will get a bit angstier, but I promise to bring the fluff back soon!
4Gracie04 – Jacob to the rescue always :)
Enjoy!
Chapter Eighteen
"You're married?" I demanded, releasing Jacob and poking Cole hard in the chest. "You made me feel bad and yet you're married?"
"Yes he's married!"
As one, we all turned to look at the new voice who had just spoken. Laura, Jacob's ex-girlfriend, dressed in an icy blue ball gown stood in the hallway, gripping the arm of a lady who had to be her sister. They had identical white blonde hair and deep blue eyes. They were both glaring daggers at me.
"Laura? What are you and Beth doing here?" Jacob took a step closer to me protectively, clearly not liking the tone in her voice.
"That bitch has been sleeping with Beth's husband."
Her words hit me like a slap in the face and I felt Jacob tense again.
"Don't you dare call Bella that," he growled.
"Why not?" demanded Laura. "She stole you away from me and the whole time she's been sleeping with Cole."
My mind whirred and I didn't know what to say. My mind was trying to catch up. Not only was Cole married, but he was married to Laura's sister?
Mel stepped in, her hands clenched and her face a mask of misery. "No, actually Bella has nothing to do with this. I was the one sleeping with him, not her."
The woman beside Laura, silent until now, screamed with pure rage and launched herself at Mel. Seth, who had appeared out of nowhere, grabbed her, trying hard not to hurt her as he hung on while she fought against him. Karin and Chris were behind him and they looked on, eyebrows raised.
"What the hell is going on?" Karin asked.
It was Laura's turn to lash out. "These two," she jabbed her finger at Mel and me, "have both been sleeping with my sister's husband."
And it was Chris' turn to react. He walked casually over to Cole, who had finally recovered and was standing upright on his own, drew his arm back and punched him hard in the face.
Mel and I screamed and then Laura launched herself angrily at Jacob, slapping him hard everywhere she could. Beth was also fighting back against Seth, trying hard to get to Mel. Karin was having none of it and she shoved Beth hard.
"Enough!" roared Alice, her delicate light voice louder than I had ever heard it before. She turned, appealing to Jasper who nodded and again, an unsettling calm washed over us all. For a crazy moment, I thought this must have been what it was like for Jasper when trying to control a newborn army. I looked around at the chaos in the hallway. Mel was holding on to Karin. Alice had a hold of Seth, who was still grabbing Beth. Jasper had gently pushed Laura away from Jacob and Cole was on the floor again, this time holding his face and whimpering.
I hurried over to him and pulled his hands away from his face, surveying the damage. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that he was not bleeding. A frenzied vampire would not help the situation right now. I roughly helped him again to his feet.
"Cole and Beth, you need to leave. Go home and work out your marriage," I told them crossly. Before either could reply I spoke to Laura. "Laura, you need to leave too. You weren't invited. I'm sorry that Jacob doesn't love you, and I'm sorry that he's with me now, but it never would have worked out between you anyway."
She snarled, looking like she wanted to retaliate but Jasper was pushing her down the hallway and she seemed too afraid of him to fight back.
"Chris, how's your hand?" I asked.
He flexed his fingers and winced.
"I'll get him some ice," Mel said. She shot one last look at Cole and then led Chris back down the hallway and out of sight.
Seth had finally released Beth and she swept her long blonde hair over her shoulder, glaring at her husband. "You can find your own way home," she spat at him, stalking away after her sister. Cole shook his head dejectedly, and without another glance at the rest of us, followed her back to the noise of the party.
The rest of us stood in silence, shocked by what had just transpired. Then Karin broke the uncomfortable silence by laughing. I glared at her but she ignored me, and clutched her knees, bent double with mirth.
"This," she gasped for breath, "is the weirdest event I have ever been to."
Gently, Jacob wrapped me in his arms and I tucked my head under the crook of his chin. I let him hold me, needing the warmth and comfort of his arms, surprised to find that I was crying. He murmured softly to me. Jacob had always been my sunshine. In my darkest hour he had made me smile and made me laugh. And here we were, five years later and he could still make everything better.
When we finally broke apart, the hallway was empty once again. Karin, Seth, Alice and Jasper had left us in private.
"Bella," Jacob began, gently taking my chin and lifting my face to his. "I am so sorry. I feel like I've ruined your big night."
I shook my head emphatically. "Don't be ridiculous," I argued. "This is all my fault. I had no idea who Cole really was."
Jacob leant down and kissed me softly on the mouth and I reached my hands up, tangling them in his hair, pulling him closer to me.
"I don't want to end up like Laura," I whispered. "She's never got over you."
"Hey," he said gently. "Don't think like that Bels. You and me, honey, we're always going to be together ok? You never have to worry about losing me. Remember, I promised? I'm never going to hurt you."
I laughed, "You were sixteen when you made that promise, Jake. I'm not sure it still counts."
"Then I'll make it again now. I promise you will always have me."
I shook my head and pulled away from him. "Please don't make promises like that," I begged him. "Don't make me promises you're not sure you can keep."
I hurried back down the hallway and into the light and noise of the party. Marcus was standing at the podium, giving his welcome speech and butterflies tumbled nervously in my stomach. Of course, I'd nearly forgotten.
I pulled out a small mirror from my clutch and wiped away the mascara smudges from under my eyes. I combed my fingers through my hair and then made my way towards the stage.
"And now," Marcus boomed across the crowd, loving the spotlight, "can you please put your hands together for the incredible Bella Swan, the very talented lady responsible for tonight's event."
The crowd of people clapped politely and I climbed the steps, begging myself not to trip over my own feet. I thanked Marcus and took the microphone from him. Looking over the heads of the crowd, I willed myself to not throw up. I was not comfortable with public speaking ad wanted to get this over with quickly. All I had to do was introduce the first guest speaker, and then I could go home and curl up into a ball in my bed.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," I began and heard someone wolf-whistle. I glared at Seth who was grinning widely at me. Jacob had joined them, and he was gazing at me with his serious dark eyes. "Thank you so much for coming tonight and supporting our wonderful authors.
"Someone once said, 'every man who knows how to read has it in his power to magnify himself, to multiply the ways in which he exists, to make his life full, significant and interesting', or to put it more simply in the words of Dr Seuss, 'The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go'."
The audience laughed and I paused, looking up from my notes to smile at the crowd. And then I saw him, standing in the middle of the dancefloor gazing up at me.
And I could have killed him.
Bloody Henry.
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