Not a single soul paid any attention to the figure rushing behind the service door, the oversized hoodie hiding any view of the person's face. Bella knew she was late to her shift and was hoping she would sneak in before being spotted. But of course, the universe needed to remind her that she can't shake bad luck, and she came face to face with her shift manager the moment she entered the staffroom.
"That's an hour I'm docking from your paycheck," stated the shift manager without glancing up from her phone.
"But I'm only twenty minutes late."
A shrug was all she received as a reply. Not wanting to cause drama - and with a plan to speak to the Bar Manager the following day - Bella quickly went to her locker to get changed. She instantly felt vulnerable the moment she slipped out of her hoodie to reveal the low-cut singlet all female bartenders wore. The black shorts that were also part of her uniform showed too much of her alabaster skin. Even though she knew the uniform made her more tips, it almost wasn't worth being so exposed.
"Sarah!" A male voice echoed down the hall a few seconds before Daren, one of the best lines cook they had, poked his head into the staff room. "They need you at the bar."
Placing her phone face down on the table, she crossed her arms. "Why were you at the bar?"
"I was thirsty," he replied with a devilish smile. His eyes caught Bella's eye and he winked at her. "Good evening, Sunshine."
Bella had always felt comfortable around Daren, his dorky humour and calming demeanor making him the unofficial big brother of all the girls who worked at the dive bar.
"I'll be out there in a second to help with the rush," Bella told him.
"Amazing." Daren was gone the next moment, probably racing back to the bar to finish whatever drink he had one of the girls make him.
Sarah sighed and picked her phone back up. "Hurry up and get out there, Bella."
She was never out on the floor, instead opting to spend the entire shift texting some new poor soul who became entrapped in her web. She was notorious for having a new boyfriend every month, which is roughly how long it takes them to realise she's batshit crazy. It's too bad that her personality wasn't better, because she was drop dead gorgeous. Some things just can't be overlooked, though.
By the time Bella made her way to the bar, the only other girl working that shift looked to be on the verge of tears. Daren was stacking used glasses onto the dish tray to take back to the kitchen, which was usually not his job. Bella mouthed 'thank you' as he walked past with the heavy tray, and he gave her another wink.
"Bella, there you are!" Hannah was in her early twenties and had only started working in the bar a few weeks ago. Usually there were meant to be three bartenders on a Friday night, so her stress was obviously high and Bella instantly felt bad about being late. "I need some more limes cut and those two guys at the end want another pitcher of beer."
She went to work, mindlessly completing the same tasks she did nearly every night. One of the boys tipped her when she handed them the pitcher and she gave them a soft smile. Limes were cut, minifridges stocked with craft beer that no-one bothers to buy, cocktails were shaken, and many drinks were spilled on the floor. Bella's clumsiness had not disappeared since graduation, so at this point it was an occupational hazard. If Sarah sees her dropping a beer or breaking something she usually takes it out of her pay. Thankfully their shift manager hardly ever wanders onto the floor.
"You'd think some of these people would want to go home after working all week," mentioned Bella once it had quieted down enough for her to catch her breath.
Hannah tilted her head to the side and rose one shoulder in a half-shrug as she re-stocked the pineapple juice they use for cocktails. "Maybe their wives are constantly on their backs? Or they live alone and don't like the silence? Believe it or not, Bella, but this dive bar is probably a safe space for most of these men."
"Is your partner okay with you working so many late-night shifts?"
"I guess. We really need the money, so there's no option to cut back on hours."
Bella lent back against the bar, eyeing the giant mirrored wall of liquor bottles which allowed her to keep an eye out if anyone approached for another drink. It was a little later into the night and the place had settled down, with the regulars playing pool or silently watching the footy game playing on the flatscreen in the back corner of the room.
That's why it was easy for Bella to spot an unfamiliar figure enter the single black door before disappearing into the men's bathroom. She spun around just as the bathroom door swung closed. Something about the frame of the black trench coat cladded person gnawed at the back of her mind. She was too far away - the mirrored wall too distorted by the bar lights and colourful bottles lining the shelves - for her to get a good look at their face.
"Are you alright?" asked Hannah.
"Uh, yeah. I just..." Bella glanced down the empty bar before turning back to her co-worker. "I need to run to the bathroom."
She ran straight to the female staff bathrooms, locking the door behind her so Sarah or Hannah couldn't walk in. For some reason she felt her heart skip a beat or two before it began racing in her chest. The lights above the mirror were too bright, making her pale skin look sickly as she stared at herself. She ripped the hairband from her hair as the tension from having it tied back became too painful. Bella immediately knew she was having a panic attack and steadied herself by gripping the edge of the basin.
There was a single knock on the door before Daren's voice called out to her. "Bella, I made you and Hannah something to eat! She told me you didn't look well! Everything alright in there?"
It was a hard question to answer. Bella wasn't even sure why her palms were sweaty, her skin flushed, or why her mouth was dry. Her heart had slowed down and she began to think more clearly. Her body had such an adverse reaction to someone she didn't even know. She watched as the pupils of her eyes undiluted and the feverish red in her cheeks began to fade.
Daren banged against the door once more. "I'll get security to break in if you don't answer me!"
"I'm fine!" Running her fingers through her thick hair, there was no way she could ignore the slight shake of her hand. "Give me a minute!"
"Are you sure you're okay?"
He wasn't going to give up and she didn't doubt he'd break in if he thought one of the girls were in danger. Daren is the youngest of three siblings, with his two older sisters having raised him since childhood. His concern was evident in his tone and the way he refused to leave her alone.
Bella decided to use the only tactic she could think of, calling back, "It's just girl problems!"
There was a pause. "Do you need me to ask Hannah for a tampon?"
Goddamn his emotionally mature masculinity! Bella couldn't help but chuckle a little as she cursed at his sisters in her head for making him so comfortable asking such a question.
Once she was certain there was no sign in her eyes of the complete freak out her body just went through, she swung the door open to face Daren. His apron was dirty after the dinner rush and the net covering his buzz cut head was as useless as it was silly to look at. He was holding a plate of fries with a chicken burger larger than her head.
"I can't eat all that," she told him.
"I know." He produced a steak knife and placed it on the edge of the plate before handing it over to her. "You and Hannah eat like sparrows. Cut the burger in half so you can share."
Her heart gave a gentle squeeze at his thoughtfulness. "Thanks, Daren."
"Are you positive you're not sick?" Kind hazel eyes bore into her own as he asked this question.
"Yeah. It's nothing."
"If you need any-."
A shattering sound, like when a glass is thrown against something with force, broke off whatever it was he was about to say. But it wasn't until they heard Hannah scream that they were in motion, running down the hallway and into the bar area. Bella practically threw her plate of food onto the bar as she and Daren assessed the situation.
Two men stood toe to toe, shouting and cussing each other out while other patrons watched on. There was a palpable tension in the air that rarely meant anything good. Shards of glass littered the floor behind the bar from the broken mirrored wall, countless liquor bottles broken, their contents spilt everywhere. Hannah crouched down in the corner, arms covering her head from the flying glass. Blood from where the glass had dug into her skin trickled down to her elbow before dripping onto the alcohol-soaked floor.
"Security!" Daren's voice boomed over the music playing, and he raced to Hannah's side in the next moment, saying to her, "Go out the back. Get Sarah to call the cops. Bella will go with you."
Extending her hand to help Hannah to her feet, Bella led her back through the door and into the hallway behind the bar. "There's a first aid kit in the staff room."
Thankfully, their shift manager actually jumped into action when she saw Hannah being dragged into the room, bloodied arm clutched to her stomach. Sarah immediately called the cops after Bella's brief explanation, and then once that was done, she began tending to Hannah's wound. Everyone who worked at the bar had basic first aid training, though Bella's aversion to blood made it hard for her to be of any assistance.
There was another loud crash that echoed through the building and Bella could've sworn she heard Daren grunt in pain. Was he trying to stop those two grown men himself? Daren was technically a few years older than Bella, but he was very much still a cubby faced young adult. Even with the one security guard they had at the bar, those two burly men were drunk and not thinking straight. It was a recipe for disaster.
Not wasting another moment, Bella tore through her locker for her bag and began rifling through its contents. Her fingers brushed cool metal, and she took a shallow breath before pulling the pistol from its hidden spot in the bottom of her bag. The only time she's ever held the weapon was at the shooting range with her father, who had taught her over the past three years how to aim and shoot. Now was not the time for nerves, though, so she made sure to concentrate on breathing as she slammed the metal locker shut.
Sarah's eyes widened when she caught sight of what Bella was holding. "Don't be stupid."
"It's just a precaution," she assured the manager. Bella checked that the safety was still on before tucking it in the waistband of her shorts. "Who knows when the cops will show up. I'm going to go help."
"Bella -."
"Look, the weapon is fully licensed. I probably won't even need it." Another loud crash had Bella racing for the door, calling back to Sarah as she went. "Keep an eye on Hannah!"
Back out on the floor, things had taken a turn for the worst. The security guard was knocked out cold on the floor, with three other patrons dragging him away from the fight. Both instigators stood with their fists raised as Daren stood between them, hands up as if he was cautioning two attacking dogs. Neither man looked like they were ready to step down and it was only a matter of time before one of them swung again, this time no doubt hitting Daren.
"The cops are on their way," announced Bella in a loud voice, hoping her tone didn't convey how nervous she felt. "It's time to wrap it up."
"The hell it is," spat out the taller of the two men.
"Common, old man, give it up," the other guy taunted.
"Old man? We're almost the same age!"
The younger of the two chuckled darkly. "It's not my fault she left you for someone younger and more handsome."
Bella and Daren locked eyes at that statement and shared a single thought, Oh, no. This whole fight was over a girl that they'd clearly both slept with and who was at the center of this entire confrontation. Some women like the drama they cause when they jump from guy to guy despite what it does to the mental and emotional health of the men they use. It almost sounds like -
"Bullshit! You stole Sarah from me and I'm going to make you admit it."
It was almost comical despite the current situation. Their shift manager was the woman at the heart of the fight, and it was honestly completely on brand for her. Usually, she doesn't bring her boy drama to work, though, so this was a first.
Daren tried reasoning with them by saying, "How about we grab you two beers - on the house - and talk about it like civil adults?"
"Get out of the way," replied the shorter of the two men.
"Not if you're going to keep being idiots."
With his head turned as he spoke to one of them, it was clear he wasn't able to see the larger of the men draw his arm back, fist closed. Bella shouted for Daren to watch out as she raced forward, not able to slow down as her body knocked Daren's out of the way. He sprawled onto the dirty floor with a small yelp of surprise. Bella unintentionally placed herself where Daren was standing and her eyes widened as the man's fist swung towards her.
It made contact with something hard enough to make an audible crunching sound before the man bellowed in pain. Time seemed to freeze as Bella's brain tried to grasp onto the information her eyes were relaying. The coated stranger from before, who'd caused her instincts to flare and her body to enter into a panic attack, stood in front of her. She was able to see him more clearly now, which was why her brain was struggling to process what she was seeing.
Tussled bronze hair was highlighted under the lights hanging from the exposed beam roof, broad shoulders that rippled with unseen muscle, and a statue-like pose that wasn't even fazed when a grown man had attempted to take a shot. All of it was too much and Bella felt her heart begin to race once more. She didn't even need to see the face of her savior to know who it was. The reason for her mini episode earlier in the evening was because somehow her body knew who it was even before her mind did. Or maybe she had known deep down and was just suppressing it so it wouldn't hurt.
"I suggest the two of you leave this establishment immediately." Voice like velvet over smooth rocks; it hadn't changed a bit.
The one who'd swung at Bella ran out of the bar clutching his broken hand to his chest. Clearly listening to his instincts, the shorter male also gathered his belongings and fled out the door and up the stairs that led to the street above. Within thirty seconds the bar was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Daren managed to get his legs under himself and rose from the ground, rubbing a sore spot on his back. "Hey, man, thank you for helping out."
Nothing was said in return and suddenly Bella was staring up at a ghost. He looked exactly the same as he did three years ago. While her hair had grown longer, he remained untouched and perfectly styled. While the laugh lines in her cheeks had deepened, his porcelain skin was flawless. While she gained an extra two inches in height, he still stood almost a full head above her.
While she felt her heart tearing apart inside her chest, his expression was as emotionless as ever.
Edward blinked once, his expression shifting into one of concern as he asked in his rich voice, "Are you hurt, Bella?"
Everything came crashing down on her at once; every feeling of betrayal, heartache, sorrow, depression, sadness, unworthiness, hit her like a truck. Red clouded her vision and it was hard to stop the rippling of anger that rolled through her body. There was only one response that came to mind, and she was too beyond herself to stop it.
"Fuck you."
He lent back a little at the venom in her tone and the harsh words she used. Feeling herself begin to fall apart, she quickly turned and raced behind the bar to escape.
There was a small noise of commotion behind her and then she heard footsteps following. The person was loud, so she knew it was human, and she didn't stop until she was past the staffroom and in the kitchen. The last thing she wanted to do was deal with Sarah right now. She rounded the sinks and entered the storeroom at the back, pulling a warm can of beer from a carton, cracking it open and taking a swig. She grimaced at the taste before taking a longer drink from the can.
Daren stopped in the doorway, clearly assessing the situation before approaching Bella. He grabbed himself a can and took a sip. Neither of them said anything for a long time. When they both finished their drinks, two more were cracked open.
Halfway through her second beer, Bella sighed. "I can't answer all of your questions, just so you know. Not right now."
"Wasn't going to ask any," he told her with a casual shrug. "I just wanted to say that you're stronger than you look. My back is going to be sore for days."
A chuckle escaped her lips. "Sorry."
"Don't be. That guy would've cracked my skull open for sure."
Silence fell over them once more. Footsteps echoed down the hallway so they knew that Sarah was probably going to see what had happened, not knowing that she was too late for the show. The cops would arrive any minute, and with both men gone, all they could do was hand over the security footage.
"Also," started Daren after throwing back the last of his second can, "when did you start carrying?"
"Oh. Right." Feeling completely at ease with him, she pulled the pistol out and laid it on top of a nearby carton of beer. "It was a precaution. I don't usually carry it around."
"Do you know how to use it?"
"My dad is the Chief of Police in Forks, so he taught me everything I know."
Daren reached for another beer, offering a can to Bella. "Is that the small town near the National Park? Out towards Port Angeles?"
"I thought you weren't going to ask me any questions?"
"Hey, you can't help me from being curious. No-one here knows anything about you, and you rarely mention anything from before you moved to Portland." He lent back against the wall with his drink, watching her thoughtfully. "Now some random guy who looks like a model makes you act out in a way that had me scared, and I also learn that you own a gun that you're trained to use by your Chief of police father."
Bella set her unopened drink down and moved to stand up. "I'm leaving."
He was quick to his feet, an apologetic look on his face as he said, "But I respect a woman's privacy. I was just trying to cheer you up, Bella."
Instantly feeling bad for being moody, she bent down to grab the gun and place it back in the waistband of her shorts. "I appreciate it. This isn't something I can talk about, though. I left my past behind me in Forks."
"You're talking about that supermodel guy, aren't you?"
It was hard not to smile at Daren's innocent question and his face lit up in response. He was like a goofy older brother who made it their mission to ensure everyone around them wasn't sad. It was hard to become mad and stay mad at him.
Together they left the storeroom and Bella had a light enough buzz from the warm beers that she was able to care less about the events of the night. She put her gun away before tugging on her oversized hoodie and heading back onto the floor.
No less than five policemen stood around the bar, checking over the damage and taking statements from witnesses. Sarah was nowhere to be found, which meant she was most likely in the manager's room copying the footage from the cameras for the cops. One policeman was tending to Hannah's wounds, who looked wide-eyed at the floor as she sat in silence.
Daren kicked aside a broken barstool. "It's going to take forever to clean this mess up."
"Want me to stay and help out?"
"Nah. You should go home and rest. I'll just sweep it all aside and shut the place down. Deal with it tomorrow night."
Bella just nodded slowly and glanced around the room. "Okay."
Noticing her searching eyes, he continued with, "He must've left. But just in case, do you want me to call a cab?"
"No. I only live two blocks away." She gave him a soft smile, adding, "Besides, he won't hurt me."
"That's not a normal thing to say," he pointed out with a strange look in her direction.
She hoisted the strap of her bag higher on her shoulder. "Don't go looking into it."
"Alright," he agreed, raising both hands with his palms towards her. "Call me when you get home so I know you're alive."
After saying goodbye to Hannah, who was now crying on the phone to her partner, Bella practically ran up the stairs to the street. It was almost two in the morning and not a single car drove past. The fresh air felt amazing on her skin as she began heading towards her place. The walk home after a particularly rough shift always made her feel more put together and calm. But tonight was an exception, with her back rigid and tense as she made her way down the footpath.
A single streetlamp on the other side of the road had blown, creating pitch black shadows between two buildings. Bella's stride faltered when the hairs on her arm rose, and she knew without a doubt that someone was standing amongst the darkness. She could feel his gaze on her skin even when she tried to ignore it. He never appeared from the shadows, though she could feel him following her the entire way back to her house.
She rushed to unlock the front door, slamming it shut behind her and immediately jamming her key into the lock. The deadbolt slid into place just as Angela, one of her housemates and friends since high school, rounded the corner, probably wondering why she'd slammed the door.
Bella didn't turn to face her. "I'm sorry if I woke you."
"What? Oh, yeah, I was up already. NASA is uploading new images of Saturn from the Cassini probe they sent back in nineteen... Bella, what's wrong?"
During Angela's long explanation, she'd barely registered that she'd begun to cry until her friend stopped mid-sentence. The shock of the night had completely worn her down and now there was no defense against the raw emotions that surged to the surface. Her shoulders shook with the effort of keeping her sobs in, but she completely broke down the moment Angela's hand touched her back.
Bella spun and buried her face against Angela's shoulder, letting the emotions rake through her body. Her friend began saying soothing words and rubbed small circles against her back.
"What the hell is going on out here? A girl needs her beauty rest." Jessica stopped in her tracks when she saw the two girls, and Bella tried to give her a small smile that lasted a split second before the tears started again. "What happened?"
"I don't know," muttered Angela.
"I'm fine. It's fine. You guys don't have to worry," she said between choked sobs.
"I haven't seen you this messed up since..." Pausing, Angela pushed Bella back so she could stare at her tearstained face, eyes searching for something. They narrowed ever so slightly and Bella cursed her friend's ability to read her like an open book. "It's him, isn't it?"
Jessica gasped. "No freaking way."
There was no point in denying it. These two have been Bella's rock ever since she managed to pull herself out of the depression that threatened to swallow her whole. Angela was the calming presence who was patient and understanding as Bella grew into a version of herself that was somewhat normal. Jessica was headstrong and berated Bella whenever she tried to slip back into her shell. Both of them were important, and she knew she needed them now more than ever.
"Angela is right." Bella slowly took a breath, easing some of the pain in her heart as she glanced between the two of them. "Edward's back."