28

Edward watched Bella. He wanted to follow, to make sure she was okay, but he knew she wasn't okay. Neither of them were, to be honest. The people they had spent the majority of their lives calling friends had turned on them, judged them for pretending to date. How would they react if they knew they were gay?

"Edward."

Shifting his attention to Ben, Emmett, and Jasper, he saw the way they glared at her, while pitying him. For reasons he couldn't understand, they honestly believed she wasn't good enough for him.

"Save it for someone who gives a shit," Edward scoffed before turning and heading down to Carlisle's class.

Though he was hoping to find Carlisle seated behind his desk, he wasn't. He, Bella, and Esme knew a flimsy piece of paper wasn't going change anything overnight. So instead of Carlisle seated behind his desk, Coach Clapp was. Edward ignored Emmett and Jasper when they followed him inside.

As the rest of the day passed, Edward could see the judgements in their classmates' eyes, heard the whisperings about them. The news of their marriage had trickled through the ranks. It took every ounce of his control not to lash out at each and every one of them for being judgmental assholes who didn't know how hard it had been for them to be gay and in high school.

By the time lunch rolled around, Edward's head was aching. No, throbbing. Emmett, Ben, and Jasper had tried multiple times to corner him, to defend their feelings toward Bella, toward him and Bella. If they knew the truth about their relationship, the truth about their sexuality, they would shun them, throw them away like they were nothing.

"Hey." Bella slumped against her locker, her eyes closing for a moment before she looked at him. "Longest fucking morning ever, am I right?"

Edward laughed. "No shit, Swan."

"Have you heard from him?"

Edward shook his head.

"Yeah, no word from her, either." Bella brought her fingers to her mouth, chewing on her nail. "What if they don't believe our lie, Masen? What are we going to do then?"

"I don't know," he confessed, turning so that he was facing her just as Mike Newton and Jessica Stanley walked by.

While he laughed and slung his arm around her shoulder, she glanced back at Bella, a look of shame filling her eyes that Edward had never seen before. He glanced at Bella, who was glaring at Newton's back.

"He say something to you?" Edward asked.

Bella turned to him and shook her head. "Jess . . . Masen, Jessica told me that Mike raped her at his party a few months ago."

"He . . . he what?" Edward snarled.

She sighed, turning to face him. "I don't . . . I was in the restroom after first period, you know, just . . . just you know, trying to get a moment where people weren't staring at me, calling trash, and, um, she came in. She wanted to apologize for hitting me the other day, and . . . Anyway, she . . . she told me that when they had sex at his party, Masen, she was a virgin. Said she tried to stop him, but . . . He told her she couldn't get him so worked up and then refuse."

"I'll kick his ass," Edward groused, taking a step toward them, but Bella moved so that she was blocking him. "I'm not going to let him get away with that, Bella!"

"I know, Edward, I know, but . . . but it has to be her choice. We can't . . . we can't do it for her."

He clenched his jaw tight but nodded. "Maybe we should have just left town, Swan."

"Yeah, I'm starting to think that, too, Masen."

—S —

It took every ounce of Edward's control not to bash Mike Newton's head in every time he saw him. Not to mention the snide, disgusting comments he made through practice about him and Bella. And it didn't help that Carlisle still wasn't there, that they still hadn't heard from him or Esme, even Peter. Bella was taking the brunt of the smack talk, of course. Even though she and Edward had told their 'friends' that Carlisle was her cousin, it didn't seem like the majority of people had heard or cared.

Once Coach Clappe ended practice, Edward was the first one inside the locker room, stripping off his pads and hurrying into the shower. The faster he changed, the faster he could leave. Then, maybe, he could at least talk to Carlisle on the phone, hear his voice. Get reassurance that he still loved him, that he needed him as much as he needed Carlisle.

Though when he walked out of the showers, only Emmet, Jasper, and Ben were left. Something he knew wasn't a coincidence. Stifling the urge to roll his eyes, he yanked his locker open and grabbed his clothes, dropping them on the bench before drying off.

"It doesn't matter what you have to say," he quipped, laying his towel on the bench before picking up his boxer briefs and slipping them on. He turned and faced them. "I don't understand how you can look at her and not see what I see."

"It's not that we don't like Bella, Edward, because we do," Ben said.

"She's cool, but . . ." Emmett trailed off.

"But you don't think she's good enough for me."

"Is she?" Jasper asked, folding his arms in front of him.

"Of course she is!" he all but snarled. "She's smart and beautiful and snarky and when I needed someone, she's been there."

"And we haven't?" he pressed.

"No."

"How have we not?" Jasper asked. "You're our friend, Edward."

"Then how could you just ignore the way my dad beats on my mom?"

"We haven't!" Emmett insisted.

"But you did!" Edward exclaimed, taking a deep breath. "You did. Everyone has, except her, Coach Cullen, and his wife. They've been the ones holding me together after my dad destroyed my car, after . . . after he called me a faggot."

"Not like we believe that bullshit," Emmett scoffed. "Your dad's a dick, Edward. None of us believe that you're gay."

"No shit. You're about as gay as Jacob Black," Jasper snickered.

Edward pressed his lips together.

"Do you really love her, Edward?" Ben asked, causing Emmett and Jasper to look at him. "Do you?"

"I do," he admitted. "She . . . she accepts me for who I am, Ben."

"And there is nothing going on between her and Coach Cullen? They're really . . . cousins?"

"They are," he lied. "Family is kind of a hard subject for her, you know? Her mom bailed when she was little, and her dad . . . Well, he thinks she should be dating Jacob Black."

"Eww," Emmett grumbled. "Mr. STD?"

Edward nodded. "He put his hands on her, called her . . . called a bitch and a whore. She didn't deserve it from him, and she doesn't deserve it from you, either."

Emmett sighed. "We just . . . we just don't want her to hurt you, Edward."

"She's not hurting me. You are, Em. You and Jasper and Ben, Rosalie, Alice, and Angela, you're supposed to be our friends, but instead of supporting us, being there for us, you've treated her like a skanky whore and me like an idiot for loving her." Edward pulled on his jeans and shirt before grabbing his shoes. "If you cared about us, like you claim you do, you would love and support us for who we are, regardless of if you approve or not."

And grabbing his backpack, he hurried past them and outside, up to her truck, but before she could reach her, he saw Mike Newton leering over Jessica Stanley, who had her hands on his chest and a terrified look on her face. Edward didn't think twice before he hurried over and grabbed his hair, yanking him away from her.

Jessica screamed, while Mike cursed, throwing his hands back as he fell onto the asphalt and looked at him, his eyes widening in fear.

"Keep your Goddamn hands off her, Newton," Edward snarled before kneeling with his knee in his chest. "If I hear that you're pressuring her for sex again, like you did the night of your party when she told you no, I'll fucking kill you. Do we have an understanding?"

Mike nodded furiously.

"Get the fuck out of here," Edward growled, standing.

Mike scrambled to his feet, running to his car and peeling out of the parking lot faster than he'd ever seen the asshole move. Taking a deep breath, Edward turned to Jessica, who was still pressed against the side of her car.

"He doesn't get to touch you if you don't want him to, Jess. You deserve better than to be treated like shit." He paused before saying, "You deserved better than to lose your virginity in the bathroom with everyone on the other side of the fucking door. You deserve better than to be raped."

"I . . . I do?"

"You do." Edward reached for her hand, which she tentatively placed in his. He tugged her into his arms. "I'm sorry if I hurt you, Jess. That was not my intention, but don't let Mike Newton use you like that, okay? You said no, and he . . . he should have accepted that."

Jessica grabbed the front of his shirt, crying so hard she could barely stand.

"Everything okay?"

He looked over his shoulder, finding Bella behind them. "It will be." He kissed the top of Jessica's head before taking a step backward. "I know you're scared to tell the police what he did to you, but you need to."

"They won't believe me," Jessica whimpered, turning as Emmett, Jasper, and Ben walked out of the stadium. "Nobody will."

"We do," Bella said, sliding her hand into Edward's. "And we will fight for you, Jess."

"You will?" she cried, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Of course we will," Edward added. "That's what friends do."

Jessica nodded, causing more tears to sprinkle down her face. "I'll . . . I, um, I better go. Got a stop to make."

"If you need anything, let us know, okay?"

Once more, she nodded before climbing into her car and driving away.

"Do you think she'll report him?" Edward asked.

"When she's ready." Bella turned toward him, her eyes flickering to where Emmett, Jasper, and Ben stood with Rosalie, Alice, and Angela. "Let's get out of here before they tell me again how worthless I am."

"Swan," Edward whispered.

Bella simply shook her head before taking a step backward, pulling on his hand. "It is what is, Masen. It is what is."

Though Edward wanted to argue with her, he didn't. They'd broken her heart, and they didn't even understand why. With a glance back at them, they walked over to her truck and left.

They wanted nothing more than to drive back to Carlisle and Esme's, to throw themselves in their arms and beg them to take the hurt and humiliation away, but they couldn't. Too many people had been watching them, judging them, so instead, they drove across Forks and pulled up in front of the rental house Sam Uley had offered.

It wasn't much, Edward thought, as they climbed out, walked through the wrought iron gate and onto the front porch. He smirked as he swept Bella into his arms, causing her to squeal and wrap her arms around his neck before he carried her over the threshold.

"Just in case anyone is watching, Swan."

Bella laughed as he set her on her feet. "You're so cheesy, Masen."

They looked around, both sighing. The furniture was dated, orange and yellow floral pattern, the carpet was shaggy, and the walls had wood paneling. They wandered into the kitchen, finding much of the same. Green appliances and dated countertops. There were two bedrooms, both smaller than they had in their parents' houses. Full-sized beds and a dresser took up most of the space. His belongings were in one room while hers were in the other.

"This is . . ." Bella shook her head before she sat on her bed. "We made the right decision, didn't we, Edward?"

"Yes."

"You don't sound very sure."

Edward laughed and sat next to her, taking her hand in his. "I'm not, but if . . . if this is the only way we can still have them, then what other choice do we have?"

"Yeah," Bella whispered, leaning her head on his shoulder. "I told myself it didn't matter if . . . if the others accepted me. I mean, I've never felt like I fit in with anyone until I learned the truth about you and Carlisle. But standing there, listening to them call me trash, tell you I'm not good enough for you, it hurt, Edward."

"They're idiots."

She smiled weakly. "They are, but they were supposed to be my friends," she added with a whimper. "I've been lonely, you know? Nobody to lean on, to share my secrets with."

Edward nodded. "Me too, but we aren't anymore."

"No, we're not." She tilted her head back. "I'm going to call her, see if I can catch her before her shift."

He kissed her forehead. "I do love you, Bella. You know that, right?"

"I do," she cried. "Just wish we didn't have to hide who we really are with the people who claim to be our friends."

"Me either."

While Edward left Bella in her bedroom, he walked across the hall, closing the door to his room. He slipped his phone from his pocket as he sat on his bed, calling Carlisle.

The phone barely rang once before he answered with a hurried, "Hey."

"Hey," Edward whispered. "I miss you."

"I miss you, too. I've been worried sick all day about you."

"Me too." He scooted against the headboard. "It was weird not seeing you in class, or in the halls."

"Well, I'll be there tomorrow."

"You will?"

Carlisle laughed. "Yep. Peter and I went to the superintendent's office this afternoon with documentation that Bella and I are cousins. They . . . peppered me with questions. You know, why I didn't mention it when they hired me, why Charlie never said anything. Told them how we aren't close due to her mother leaving, blah, blah, blah. And then Peter threatened to take it to the media, said the press would love to hear about how the school ostracized the two of us just because we didn't grow up together. He . . . He immediately got on the phone with the school board, and they agreed that the decision to suspend me was premature, that they acted rashly, and invited me to come back to work tomorrow."

"I'm glad."

"Me too." Carlisle paused. "Was the wedding nice?"

"Not really," he said. "We both said I do, had some pictures taken just in case, and flew home. It would have been better if I were marrying you. Had a proper wedding night."

Carlisle moaned. "You on your knees, my cock in your mouth. That kind of proper?"

"Hmm," Edward moaned, swallowing thickly. "To start."

"And then what would happen?"

"After you came in my mouth, I'd bend over the side of the bed and beg you to fuck me. You would, of course. You'd pound into me, maybe even grabbing my hair in the process. You'd make me beg to come, beg you to come inside me."

Carlisle moaned. "I need you so bad right now."

"If you were here, you'd already be inside me."

"Damn right I would. And you know why?"

"Why?"

"Because you are mine, Edward. All mine. Isn't that right?"

"Yes."

"We're going to make this work, I promise."

"Yeah?"

"I'm not letting you go. Ever. You and me, we're forever, babe."

"I hope so," he whispered, though he wasn't sure Carlisle heard him.

Thank you for all the AMAZING reviews. Last update for a couple weeks. I leave Sunday for a much needed vacation.