The Ex Factor

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Edward Cullen & Bella Swan are exes who were once in a beautiful and growing relationship. On the eve of the day they planned to tell each other how they TRULY felt, unplanned events took an extreme turn to the south, and things ended on a hurtful, sour note. Though they are still in-love with each other, even four years later, they are stubborn and cannot admitt their feelings, and treat each other like crap to keep their hidden emotions at bay. Now, fate as dealt them another hand of cards, and when they get stuck in the same atmosphere together, they are forced to discover each other again, hash out the past, and expect the unexpected. Because love is a force to be reckened with... especially when it comes out and bites you in the ass. Twice.

--------------This story was inspired by Jimmy Eat World's "The Kill" and multiple ideas that won't ever leave my freaking head!! --------------

All Human. Pairings are not the usual, especially at first. Personalities are both similiar and opposite as usual. [They're angry, of course they're not going to be all happy-go-lucky!]

Rated Mature for Language, Mild Violence, Drinking/Illegal Activity, Sex, ETC.

[NOTE: BEFORE READING = Please check profile for my CHARACTER MAP art that I have written up, to see their breakdowns.]
Characters include Bella, Rosalie, Jasper, Jacob [not with Bella, no worries!!], Edward, Emmett, Alice, and Tanya.

Will be swapping out the different POV's, to keep it interesting!! PLEASE REVIEW!

Now I DO WARN YOU: The first chapter is going to shock you. I'm not starting with a preface of any sorts, leaving you to wonder what happened between Bella and Edward to cause them to break up. And since I'm not, you're coming in at the beginning, where everyone is hostile. Their thoughts on each other are going to be random and mean, and there is going to be some bickering. But that's what happens when you have an ex. So be prepared that it's not the cute and cuddly, oh they broke up, oh their back together and everything's peachy scenario! Because that's now how it really goes down!

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Disclaimer: I own nothing that is Twilight or Stephenie Meyer related. Just this little story, not the characters.

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Could it be that everything goes around by chance, or only one way that it was always meant to be?

You kill me, you always know the perfect thing to say...

I know what I should do, but I just can't walk away.

-- Jimmy Eat World, "The Kill"

Chapter One: Reunion

EdwardPOV

"Edward mother-fucking Cullen, you're doing it!"

Emmett ran into my living room looking like a child on Christmas morning who had just seen Santa before he escaped back up the chimney. I couldn't help but be amused by him. I mean, being that Emmett looks more like a professional quarterback than a three year old child, but still has the same excited wide-eyed expression and large smile, it was impossible not to laugh at his energy.

I slouched into my comfortable dark blue plush recliner, rubbing my fingers over my tired face. I tried to hold a straight face when I replied to him, but it didn't work too well. "Em, I'm not doing that shit again. Do you remember what happened to me the last time?"

He plopped down across from me, shoving cheetos in his mouth. "Yes and it was fucking great!"

I shook my head at him, crinkling my forehead. "Great? Define how it was great."

"It got you laid, didn't it?"

I felt my side smile creep up my face, but shook it off and held my composure as I tossed the football at him, hitting him square in the chest. "That's not the point, bitch. I woke up face down on some random girl's floor, trying to figure out how the fuck I ended up there and where the hell my clothes were."

Emmett pretended to think for a moment, tapping his finger on his chin. "Well," he finally replied, shoving more chips in his mouth. "Sounds like a pretty fucking great night to me!"

"What are you two talking about in here?" Alice came and plopped down on my leather couch, sticking one of the side pillows between her legs as she became comfortable. She wore dark jeans and a white tanktop, with a blue-blazer vest over it. Her dark choppy hair had been perfected into beautiful little sections, and the smile on her face bounced around on the walls, causing us to smile back at her.

She reflected sunlight. That's just who she was.

I tilted my head at her and gave her my signature smile, tangling my fingers in my hair. "Emmett wants me to smoke out with him again before we go tonight."

"You're doing it too!" Emmett launched the football back at me, and I luckily caught it before it could do any physical damage to my shit.

"Shut the fuck up!" I shouted back at him, before returning my attention back to Alice.

She was my best friend, and has been since I was three years old. Our mom's were best friends. Alice and I have always watched out for the other, and have always been there for each other when shit gets rough... Really rough, for that matter. She knows I'd kill any motherfucker who tried to hurt her, and I know she'd do the same for me. Alice may be tiny, but she can definetly pack a punch. I should know, being that I've pissed her off more than a dozen times this year.

Alice sighed and reached over Emmett's legs, snatching the bag from his crummy fingers. "If he doesn't want to Em, then don't make him."

Emmett's mouth dropped and he stared at her like she was the second coming of Christ. "Who the fuck are you, his mommy?"

"No," she replied cutely, sticking a cheeto between her lips. "I'm the girl who's going to shove my foot up your ass if you don't leave him alone."

"He wants to!" Emmett shouted, standing to his feet and thrusting his index finger at me. "I know you do so don't fucking deny it! He was the one who stood out on the balcony last night smoking a fucking cigarette and telling me he wished he had some good shit instead!"

"Well," she sighed heavily, showing him she was annoyed with his tactics. "... maybe he changed his mind."

I laughed as I watched these two bicker back and forth. An everyday event in Casa De Cullen.

Emmett glared at me, hands on his hips. "You're fucking doing it. You have to."

I shook my head, placing my cheek in my palm as I scooted down the chair, plopping my foot on the coffee table. "I don't want to do that and then go somewhere, man. It's cool when we're at home, but I don't want to be in some club, fucking five hours from now, plastered with strobe lights messing with my vision while some random girl is trying to hook up with me. I hate that shit. I can't pull my thoughts together to make a rational decision."

"Uh!" Emmett pouted, throwing his head back to look at the ceiling while he held his arms out. "That's the point of it!"

"Please, God, strike him dead. He's waiting on you." Alice giggled and leaned over to pat my shoulder with her tiny hand. "I've got your back, buddy. I won't let any hoes go around you, if they don't qualify."

Emmett snickered, plopping back down in the chair. "Alice, hate to break it to you, but how in the hell do you know who's good enough for Edward? Hell, he doesn't even know, hense the 'single' sign blinking in bold white lights from his forehead."

Alice glared at him, before shoving another chip in her mouth. "I would know. Edward and I don't normally associate ourselves with ugly people. We only keep you around for entertainment value."

"No, that's why he keeps Tanya around. He keeps me around because I'm the fucking shit."

I just shook my head and yawned, closing my eyes and enjoying the moment.

It was so easy to let these two make all my decisions for me. It meant that I didn't have to think about it. And not thinking is my new policy, after all.

Because thinking only gets you fucked over. When you actually take the time to wonder how you got into something, like a perfect relationship for example, and then you let your thoughts sink in and take over... You start feeling shit you shouldn't, and end up getting hurt in the end. And I don't want to do that shit ever again. So I choose to avoid it like the plague. And it's been working so far.

"Hey," Emmett said, looking around in his seat for a few seconds and then glaring at Alice's direction. "Did you just steal my cheetos?"

Alice and I exchanged a look, before she snickered and ate another. "Fucking stoner."

BellaPOV

"Sunshine!" I heard a sing-song voice echo through my subconscious as a tiny soft sock pushed on my hip. "It's time to wake up from your nap."

I groaned, flipping my head around and throwing the covers over my body to avoid the streak of light coming from the hall into my bedroom. "Five more minutes."

"No, no, no," her voice came louder as she pushed harder on me. "The time is now."

"Rosalie," I croaked, blowing my hair out of my face. "Please stop quoting Dr. Phil."

She giggled. "I can't help it, the show is too addictive."

"He's a middle-aged man avoiding a mid-life crisis by talking to other middle-aged adults having a mid-life crisis."

"Exactly!" she replied as she yanked my warm covers off of my body. "It's so devious."

I rolled over to give her my best glare, showing her that I still didn't like to be messed with when I woke up. "I really hate you sometimes."'

She giggled, shaking her head. "You love me, sissy. Now get up." She exited my room in a skip, flipping her long blonde hair over her shoulder to look back at me, making sure I didn't pull the covers back over me. Then she winked and strolled down the hall, humming to herself his theme song from his show.

Rosalie is my step-sister. Her father Phil and my mother Renee married, uniting us when we were kids. She's blonde and fierce, and has spread her personality out on me more times then she should. I mean, I guess it's a good thing, being that I've become more free-spirited and have experienced a lot of things... but sometimes I allow her to take it too far, and it comes back and bites me.

I climbed out of my bed, scratching my head as I walked down the hall toward the bathroom, but stopped dead in my tracks when I saw a cozy blonde, twist locked-haired guy sitting in chair in the living room, staring back at me. I ducked into the bathroom and shut the door, my hand on my chest. What is he doing here?!

I walked over to the mirror and gasped, horrified by my hair sticking out each way, my makeup smeared under my eyes, and the dried piece of spit on the corner of my mouth.

"Rosalie!" I shouted hastily, slamming the back of my head on the door and praying for God to put me out of my misery. "Rose, get in here please!"

I heard a knock on the door, followed by an "It's me, let me in."

I sighed and swung open the door, glaring at her as she snuck under my arm.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, he called and said that he was going to come over here and wait, so we wouldn't have to pick him up. He didn't want you to use your gas. I didn't think you'd care."

"Ugh!" I stomped, shoving my hands in the air around my body with an expression that says look at me! He seen this!

I glared at her, trying to calm myself down. "I care."

She frowned and raised her hands, brushing out my tangles with her fingers. "Don't hate me. He's just so sweet and nice and I couldn't say no to him."

I curled out my lip and pouted while she worked to fix my rat's nest. "This is so embarrassing."

"Oh it is not," she replied, smacking me on my butt while I began to brush my teeth. "Jasper adores you. Why would he care what you looked like when you woke up?"

I glared at her through the mirror and rinsed out my mouth. "This is like a first impression!" I spat at her. "He's going to not want to be with me now. He's seen me looking like the crypt keeper for Christ's sake! Men sit there and fantasize about waking up with a girl and what she looks like with her makeup off, and here I am, becoming his worse nightmare!"

She giggled and turned on the shower for me. "I don't think he cares. The boy's smitten, Bella. Now get in the shower before I send him in here to make you really nervous."

I placed my hands on my hips, shooting her the evil eye. "How much time do we have?"

"Forty minutes. Then we're heading to the new club, Rainn. Should be awesome!"

While I was showering, I tried to think about the only time a man has woken up beside me. Only one comes to mind, but I wouldn't classify him as a man. More like an asshole.

Yeah, he shouldn't even have a real first name... he should just go by Asshole Cullen. It seemed to be more fitting for him.

Stupid cocky arrogant jerk.

EdwardPOV

I stood in front of my closet, towel wrapped around my hips, trying to find my favorite shirt. All the girls seemed to like it, and since Tanya wasn't going out tonight with us, I figured I might as well put it to good use.

When I finally found the dark green shirt, I yanked it out and laid it on my bed, humming to myself. Alice came through the door and sprawled out on her stomach on the bed, resting her chin on her fingers. "Favorite shirt, huh? What's the occasion?"

I shrugged nonchalantly and took out the rest of my clothes, sitting them beside the shirt. "Just feel like it, I guess."

She sighed, rolling over on her back to stare at the ceiling while her hands flopped down beside her tiny body. "Edward, you don't have to pull out a favorite shirt to get attention. Women just flock to you, like you're some kind of angel sent from Heaven. God if they only knew the truth!"

"Hey!" I shouted playfully at her, tilting my head in her direction. "That's not very nice, what did I do to you?"

She giggled, rolling over on her side. "Nothing. I just like getting you worked up."

"Well it works."

I got dressed quickly, making sure not to drop my towell from my waist until it was covered, so Alice wouldn't get any peep shows. After brushing my teeth and styling my hair, I walked back out to the room, and noticed Alice staring at me in thought. I furrowed my brows at her, trying to figure out what she was thinking.

"Your voice is raspy. You smoked, didn't you?"

I inhaled deep, unable to hide my smile. She threw her hands over her face, letting out an exhausted whine. "Edward! Why did you do that? You know he's never going to learn if you keep giving in to him!"

I threw myself on my back beside her, gathering her tiny cold hand in mine. "I know. I couldn't say no though."

"It's rather easy," she said, scooting closer to me to gather my body heat. Her tiny body never held circulation correctly. "N and O. No. Say it with me now..."

I chuckled and smiled at her, staring into her big eyes. "Alice, come o-"

She cut me off. "Noooo, say it, Edward. Noooo."

I chuckled, throwing my arm around her to cuddle against her, warming her body up. "Nooooo."

She stroked her fingers through my hair. "Good boy."

"I'm not a dog."

"Yes you are."

Alice and I have always had this close type of friendship. Anyone who didn't know us would most likely think we were banging, but it wasn't like that with us. We were just close, and comfortable being close. I could climb in bed with Alice anytime, and not feel like I had to put on a show for her. We loved and accepted each other, full heartedly. She knows I'm cocky now and compliments my moods, being the spunky confident pixie that she is.

Now, I'm not saying she isn't pretty at all. She is very much so. In fact, when we were younger, I used to be attracted to her. But after a certain girl got in the middle of that, I defined beauty to that new girl, and couldn't consider anyone else to fit that category after it was all said and done. Now girls are defined as pretty, cute, hot, sexy, easy, slutty, and challenging. But not beautiful. No one since her...

"What are you thinking about?" Alice whispered, snapping me out of my daydream as I refocused in on her eyes.

I took a deep breath, shaking my head before I spoke. "...She's coming tonight, isn't she?"

"Bella?"

I glared at her, wishing the name wouldn't be spoken in my presence. The mere mention of it caused my heart to sink and me to feel frustrated.

"Sorry sweetie. I'm guessing she is."

I exhaled deep, rolling over on my back again. "I'm getting fucking wasted then."

"I'm sure she won't even come near you. She hardly ever does."

"Yeah, but after tonight, I'm going to be stuck in the same fucking place as her. For three weeks. We're bound to run into each other, Alice."

"Well," she pondered, stroking her index finger into my palm. "I've heard she's dating someone. Some guy from work, or college or something. So that should make you feel better."

I closed my eyes, swallowing hard. "It doesn't."

"Yeah..." she said, pulling me up by my hands off the bed. "I know."

*&*#!#$^%$^

After taking a few shots of Patron tequila at the house, we left for the the club. The entire drive consisted of blaring music too loud so we wouldn't have to hear Emmett's plans of seduction, and Alice and I shared glances of annoyance as he tried to scream over the music, not very sucessfully.

We climbed out of my silver Porshe Carerra GT, which was a gift from my father Carlisle after I graduated from college, and headed toward the ropes. I hadn't gone through with Medical School straight after, being that I wanted to take a break and live awhile first. I stuck a piece of gum in my mouth, taking in the crowd and busy street lights around us. The lines were packed full with people dressed scantily and the music was banging from the walls of the three story building. There were a pack of guys staring awkwardly in our direction, and I shot them my worst glance possible.

I threw my arm over Alice's shoulder, pulling her into my side. "I really wish you would've worn something else. A black leather mini-skirt and pink flimsy tank top hardly classifies as clothing."

She wound her arm around my waist, giggling. "Edward, I am a grown woman."

I shook my head, continuing to glare at the dick heads. "Yeah, and I'm sure the three of them want to take you into the bathroom and show you how grown they think you are."

She smacked me hard on my back. "Edward Anthony Cullen, that was horrible."

Emmett shoved his body between us, tossing his arms over our shoulders. "Come on fuckers, time to party."

We both shot him a pointed look, before walking up to the ropes, to meet a black, bulky security guard that pretty much scared the horseshit out of everyone who tried to sneak past him.

"Ahh, Mr McCarty , how are you doing today?"

Emmett smirked, shaking his hand. "Good, good, Albert, thank you. This is my buddy Edward, and his-bitch-of-a-best-friend-slash-prissy-roommate, Mary-Alice."

Alice smacked him on the back of the head and called him a dick, and then smiled graciously at Albert. "Hello." she blinked at him.

Albert chuckled, taking in her outfit with a large smile. "How do you do?"

"Fine."

I cleared my throat, bringing his attention back to our faces and not at her legs. His eyes locked on mine, and I smiled at him, not saying a word.

"Well, Emmett," he replied, snapping his head back to him. "You all joining us tonight?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world!" Emmett responded as the rope was lifted for the three of us, causing the line wrapped around the building to cuss at us. Emmett just smirked and flipped them off as we followed him in.

The three story club was definetly a sight to see. Emmett's parents own ten of them down the Seattle strip, making him a party child since, well, birth. This one had built in waterfalls down the walls, and a glass dance floor on the bottom story that made you feel like you were dancing above the water. It was three stories tall, and each floor had hand-made caves that people could climb in and dance around. Some were even filled with water, like in the tropics or some shit. There were lava bars in every direction, with bartenders that flipped bottles around like a circus act. Only the hottest songs hit the speakers, and Emmett normally helped his dad pick the joints. After all, he was going to inherit all of it one day. Might as well learn it all while he can.

Women's hair were smacking around their tiny bodies as they stood on tall pivots, dancing high above the crowd and showing all the men their underwear, or lack their of. There were some on bars. Some on the steps. Basically fucking everywhere. There were even decorated sky swings stringing down the center of the third story, dangling all the way to the first, and had women acrobats swinging around. There were women in glass boxes dancing around to tease the customers. There were neon lights, strobe lights, strap lights...

Emmett's dad is a fucking genious. This is one of the hottest new clubs in the country. And it's only been opened for a few weeks.

We all nodded to the beats of the hip-hop mixed version of Cupid's Shuffle. It always got everyone moving.

We slammed down a few more shots, and I couldn't help but feel the electric current surrounding my back with the last heated one. Which meant she was close by. It didn't matter how many times I've tried to turn off that fucking switch, it didn't work. It was somehow super-glued in 'on' position.

I inhaled deep, ordering another one. Because if I was going to have to face her, I might as well be fucking smashed in the process. And Emmett was up in one of those caves, dancing with three Chinese girls. No help.

After taking that double, I turned around, and found her sister walking in through the crowd, holding a hand behind her. Rosalie wore black jeans and a green silk tank top, her blonde curly hair flowing around. Then came Jacob Black on Rosalie's right, which is Bella's fucking shadow, wearing his typical black shirt, dark jeans, and black jacket. He had always been around her, usually on his cell phone, trying to watch over her every move. Like he was a fucking body guard and she was a celebrity.

Then came a guy I didn't recognize. He was tall, had twisty blonde and brown hair past his eyes. He was attractive, I guess, but had pussy written all over his face. I could definetly take him, no problem. The loser wore a black t-shirt and jeans, looking casual, and obviously not good enough for her.

Then, behind him, she stood, with her hair moving with the wind from the waterfall crashing behind her and the fans from the club. Like a model.

My breath hitched as I secretly took in her appearance. She sure has grown up, I thought to myself. She had her long chestnut hair with twisty curls streaming down over her pale shoulders. She had makeup on, which I seen her wear before, but now it was like...on. Like the other girls in the club, not that she compared to any of them. She wore a dark blue tank top, with the top part of it squeezed and pushing her breasts high to taunt my stupid ass. The bottom of the silk shirt flowed loosely over her small frame. She wore dark jeans and -- wait a second -- heels? Bella was coming into a dance club wearing heels? When in the fuck did she become so fucking coordinated?

I shook my head, turning back toward Alice, who was talking to a stranger with long black hair. I rolled my eyes and yanked her to me, glaring at him. "I don't fucking think so," I spat at her. "He's old enough to be your father."

She inhaled deep and tilted her head at my direction so I could see her annoyed expression.

"I don't care," I chuckled, soaking it in. "He could rape you or some shit. I'm not in the mood to save your ass tonight."

"Oh Edward," she said, pushing me back. "You need to quit it! My gosh!"

I gave her an expression that showed I didn't care what she thought. "You know I'm right," I replied to her, trying to ignore my heart pounding out of my chest since I saw you-know-who here. "So just deal with it."

She smiled at me and swallowed down her orange drink, slamming the empty cup on the bar. "Oh yeah?" she replied icily as she licked her lips. "Well Bella is standing five feet behind you, dancing with a tall gorgeous guy. Deal with that."

I felt my eyes tighten into a line as I hesitantly glanced over my right shoulder. There she was, my ex girlfriend whom ruined my life, practically having sex with that curly haired motherfucker in the middle of the glass dance floor. She had her hips shaking, her right leg between his, her arms around his neck, her hair flipping around on her back... She looked sexy, I'm not going to lie. I'd never seen her dance in public before, being that she always said she was too afraid to humiliate herself. Yeah, well she isn't doing that now.

I growled loudly to myself and turned back to the bar, ignoring the three blonde girls to my left who were staring at me and whispering to each other. The last thing I needed was to see that. I mean, why couldn't she just stay home within the privacy of her bedroom if she was going to do that shit with that dick head?

Then, a thought came to my mind that only comes out when I'm jealous... I might as well get fucking even with her. Bitch.

BellaPOV

Jasper really is an incredible dancer. It almost amazed me. Being that he is so sweet and down to earth, having manners and respect, I had no idea he could move like this. It was almost too much for me to handle, not that I didn't need to release some tension. It'd been ages since that happened.

The speakers thudded with Ciara's "Go Girl" bouncing off the walls of this noisy club, causing us to move our hips more seductively. Jasper's hands caressed my hips as he smiled down at me, soaking me in his eyes. He sometimes had this ability to reflect his emotions onto me. Onto everyone, for that matter. Anytime that he was in a good mood, or a sad mood, or a sexy mood -- like now -- it made me feel the same way.

I was thankful Rosalie showed me how to dance last year. Because the way Jasper followed my every move, I couldn't help but enjoy myself. I smiled back at him, tangling my left hand in his curls. Maybe this could work, I thought to myself. You just have to relax a little and let it happen, Bella. Jasper's a good guy.

Then as soon as I thought that, I felt my stomach twist as I glanced over Jasper's right shoulder. "Let's Go" from Trick Daddy was blending through the speakers.

It was him.

He had a blonde girl with her ass pressed against his crotch, bent over with his hand on her head and his other hand on her hip holding her against him. He worse a dark green shirt that matched his eyes, denim blue jeans, and his hair was spiked into a messy dissaray of bronzed delight. I felt my heart stop as I glared over at him, watching him put all his focus into that stupid skank.

"Bella?" Jasper asked. "Are you alright?"

I nodded, shooting daggers into that blonde girls head. It wasn't Tanya, thank God. I'd hate to have to kill that nasty bitch in the middle of this club. But still, for Edward to go for the typical slutty yet pretty blonde girl, it just disgusted me more.

They looked like they were having sex!

I inhaled deep, tightening my grip around Jasper's neck and forcing myself to focus on him instead of the prick behind him.

Jasper smiled again, causing me to reflect it back. "You look so beautiful," he whispered in my right ear.

"Thanks."

No matter how hard I tried though, I couldn't help but glance peeks over at him. The current surrounded me at that moment, knocking me over almost. It always came around when Edward was around me, and annoyed the hell out of me when I couldn't escape from it.

I closed my eyes, getting lost in the music.

Just ignore him, just ignore him, you've moved on, so ignore him.

He doesn't exist.

*&*#!#$^%$^

I made the mistake of telling Rosalie that Edward was here.

Now all she wants to do is go kick his ass. So here I stand, chugging down drinks with my friends while holding onto her wrist, telling her he's not worth it, and to just ignore it.

"Not worth it?" she shouted back at me after she swallowed down her Vodka shot. "How so? Because I think he deserves more than just a four-inch platform heel in his dick hole."

"Who's not worth it?"

I turned to find Jacob removing his cell phone from his ear long enough to swallow down the double shot I ordered for him three minutes ago. Jacob has been my friend for years. He comes out with me, but keeps an eye out for me, to make sure no one tries to do anything stupid.

And he cannot stand Edward, or his best friend Emmett.

I shot Rosalie a glare, telling her with my eyes not to mention Edward. She just inhaled deep. "Edward."

"Rosalie!" I shouted, my look growing fiercer.

She just shrugged, ordering us another drink. "I don't care if he knows. I hope he squashes the mother fucker into a million pieces. He broke my sister's heart."

Jacob slid between Jasper and I, looking down at me. "Edward's here?"

I swallowed hard and nodded slowly. "Yeah, but he hasn't said anything to me, so don't do anything at all, all right?"

"Where is he?" Jacob replied angrily, ignoring my last sentence.

"No, Jacob, I said not to bot-"

"Oh there he is." Jacob stormed away from the bar, in the direction of Edward and friends, and that stupid skanky girl, with her three blonde friends backs turned to us.

I ran after him, almost tripping on these stupid heels. "Jacob! No! Please don't!"

Jacob jerked his wrist from my hand, speeding up his pace. I heard Rosalie and Jasper following behind us, Jasper asking her who were were going to find. Rosalie was informing him of all the dark and uncomfortable details, while my heart continued to pound out of my chest. I didn't want to be this close to Edward tonight. Didn't want to deal with him, or the stupid electric current that was yanking me in his direction.

"Jacob!" I shouted again, but it was too late. Edward turned around, drink in his right hand, his left hand around one of the girls waist, as Emmett nodded to him that someone was behind him. Edward's eyes focused in on me first, then up at Jacob, with the stupid cocky attitude that expressed he expected Jacob to show up.

"Yes?" Edward replied as he lifted his head up at Jacob, waiting on him to do something.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Jacob spat at him. "Did you know we were going to be here?"

Edward laughed as he leaned back, obviously as drunk as the rest of us. "Do you think I give a shit if you guys are here?" he replied back at him. "I don't fucking think so."

I inhaled deep, jerking on Jacob's wrist. "Let's go," I gritted to my teeth, yanking harder.

"Well I do find it quite obvious that you are here, the same night as her."

Edward smirked, dropping his hand from the blonde girl and swallowing down his drink while he shook his head. Then the bar chair was flipped behind him and everyone stood up fast to their feet while Edward got in Jacob's face, steaming down at him like he was trying to burn fire through his skull. "I don't give a fuck that Bella is here, Jacob. I didn't come here for her. Didn't come here to piss anyone off. I'm here to hang out with my friends, end of story. What she does is her own fucking business."

"Okay!" Alice shouted, moving to squeeze her way between them, her hands on Jacob's chest to push him backward. "I think it's time we go our separate ways, guys."

Jacob knocked her hands off of his chest. "Get the fuck off me bitch."

"What the fuck did you say?" Edward shouted, moving Alice to his side so he could push Jacob back. "Don't you fucking touch her like that!"

"I can touch her however the fuck I feel like, dick. You're the one who needs to take some fucking manners on how to treat girls, not me."

Edward smirked, shaking his head. God, he was so arrogant. "Jacob, I suggest you take a step back and rethink your actions before you get hurt."

Before Jacob could talk, I pulled from Jasper's grip and stood between Edward and Jacob, pushing Jacob back. "Come on, Jacob. Edward's a dick, you made your point. He's not going to hurt me, let's go."

"So you think you still need to send your geeky best friend to protect you?" Edward spat down at me, causing me to whip my head around and glare at him. "Still not big enough to say how you feel yourself?"

I felt the smoke coming from my ears as I glared up at his perfect -- dickhead -- smirk. "I can handle my own, Edward, thank you very much. I'm just trying to not let him kill you. I cannot control how Jacob feels about you, Edward. He has a mind of his own."

"No he doesn't!" Edward replied. "Jacob's only been about one thing when it comes to you, and you know exactly what that is."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Edward's expression sunk over my face, as if he were saying think about it.

I inhaled deep, relaxing my mood for a second. "Well, Edward, it appears you haven't changed at all, have you? Still worried about everyone else when you should be worried about you."

He shook his head, chewing his gum in silence while he thought.

I used to think it was sexy to watch him chew his gum. Or smoke. Or drink. Or breathe.

Now I was just annoyed with him and his cocky fucking crooked smile he was giving me right now.

He inhaled deep, taking a step back to clear some more space between us. "Bella, can we talk for a second?"

I studied his eyes, trying to figure out why in the hell he would want to talk to me.

"Just for a second?" he stated again, tilting his head to give me his best poker face.

I closed my eyes, wishing I never told anything to Rosalie, so I wouldn't have to face him.

"Fine," I exhaled. "For one second."

I sent an apologetic glance to Jasper as he picked up the chair Edward launched earlier, and he nodded for me to go. I watched as Emmett busted out laughing when I followed Edward to one of the empty caves in the corner of the club, and rolled my eyes at him.

When we stopped inside the cave, I caught a glance that his eyes were glazed over. "Well," I began, shaking my head. "Still smoking, huh?"

He scoffed, looking down at his feet. "Yeah. Look, Bella, I didn't come here to stalk you or anything. Alice told me you may be coming since Emmett's dad sent ya'll an invitation to the third week opening, and I thought we could easily avoid each other, being that this is a three-story club. But you need to calm Jacob down before I beat his ass into the ground. Because I'm really in the fucking mood to do it right now."

My heart was pounding at my chest as I watched him lick his lips, waiting on my response.

I cocked my head up at him, rounding my shoulders. "I'll do what I can," I replied shortly at him. "Are we done here?"

He shook his head while he checked me out slowly. "You've grown since I saw you last."

"It happens. Are we done here?"

"Who's that guy with you?"

I inhaled and held my breath. "Why does it matter?"

"Curiosity, mainly."

"He's a friend."

"Just a friend?" He let his tongue dance on his bottom lip as he kept his eyes on me. God, he knew just what to do to push my buttons.

I glared up at him, throwing my hands on my hips. "Yes, just a friend. For now."

He smirked, thinking about my words. "Quality choice, Bella. Where'd you find him at? The toy section in K-Mart?"

I shoved him back hard, pissed at that remark. "What the hell is your problem, Edward? Do you have to hit a certain sarcastic-comment mark or something? Can't shut up until you reach a certain word limit?"

He laughed, pretending I wasn't phasing him. "Oh my God, we're going to have so much fun these next three weeks. Just you, me, and all our wonderful friends shacked up in a cabin somewhere."

I took a step back, eyes wide, hand on chest. "You're not going to the cabin!"

"Yes, I am. Being that Carlisle and Phil purchased that winter house together so our families could share, I most definetly think I am going to be there."

Right before all my anger could come out, a blonde snuck between us, placing her hand on his chest. .

"There you are!" she shouted, and my heart began to do double time as I dragged my eyes toward her head. "I have been looking all over for you! Emmett texted me, telling me to meet ya'll here, and I couldn't find you. But here you are!"

I waited until she looked at me, tilting her head and smiling at me in a snooty way.

"We're talking, bitch." I spat at her, praying looks could kill.

Tanya smirked, wrapping her arm tight around Edward's waist. "Not anymore," she replied, her left eyebrow raised as she glared back at me.

I inhaled deep and curled my fingers into firsts as Edward pulled away from her, studying my expression.

I was about to knock the bitch out.

He knew it.

"Uh," Edward found his voice, pushing her lightly to behind him. "Tanya, go wait over for me with Emmett. I'll be over there in a second."

I watched as her arm wrapped under and then around his, and placed her hand over his chest. "No, Edward, I want to stay here with you. I've missed you."

I threw myself at her, only to be caught by Edward, but I did get one punch to the top of her forehead.

She shouted at me as Edward lifted me from the ground and pushed her back with his free hand, yelling for her to go wait over there again.

I was kicking and screaming at her, calling her every name under the sun. I wanted to kill her.

"Bella stop it!" He shouted, placing me on the ground and holding my shoulders tight while he pinned me against an exit door.

My breathing was out of control as I glared up at him. "Get. The. Fuck. Off of me!" I shouted, trying to pull away from his hard grasp.

"I'll let go when you calm the fuck down!"

"I don't have to calm down!" I yelled back at him. "She needs to get her fucking ass beat!"

He glared down at me, inhaling deep and not replying.

I could tell our blood pressure was up, my heart pounding rapidly out of my chest.

Once I was calm enough to stand, he released his grip on me. "Bella, she does it to piss you off."

With that comment, I turned around and stormed off.

"Bella, wait!" Edward shouted after me, and I felt two hands on my wrists, yanking me back to him.

"What the hell do you want, Edward?!" I screamed, whipping back around at him, the anger boiling up so high that I was almost to tears.

He glanced down at me, his mouth open, with no response.

"Say it!" I shouted up at him, refusing the shaken tear to fall down my right eye.

"I didn't know she was coming here." His voice was shaken and deep. Calm. He was trying to be honest.

I jerked my wrists away from his palms, almost knocking myself over by the alcohol intake. "Like it fucking matters."

"It does matter, Bella. I wouldn't have asked to talk with you if I knew she was com-"

"It doesn't matter, Edward!" I cut him off, trembling in my stance. "You're with Tanya. Big deal. Like I didn't fucking know that, Edward. I knew it all along!"

Edward shook his head, reaching to grab my hands again but I pulled away too fast, glaring down at him.

"Don't touch me!" I shouted at him, wishing he would just go away.

Edward froze, his hands in the air in a surrender motion. "Okay. I won't touch you. But listen, truth, okay? I didn't know she was coming. I'm sorry."

I glared into his piercing green eyes, reflecting every thing he done to me in the past. "Yeah," I replied, my voice shaken and low. "Well it's a little too fucking late for apologies, Edward. Plus, she's here now, isn't she?"

He nodded, looking just as frustrated. "Yeah. She is."

I scoffed, shaking my head as the alcohol blurred my focus. "Go be with your girlfriend, Edward. We all know that's where you want to be, after all. She's what you chose, remember?"

Edward's eyes zoned in on me and he was silent for almost an eternity, it felt like.

"You're right," he exhaled, shaking his head as he threw his arms to his sides. "You're right, Bella. Tanya's what I want. How could I be so stupid."

And with that final knife wound to the heart, I smacked him right across the face, letting the tears fall as I glared up at him.

He stood steady with the red mark on his cheek, staring at me with an unrecognizable expression.

I turned, running back to Jasper, begging him to get me the hell out of the club.

He obliged, covering me with his arms and soothing me as we walked out.

Why did I let him get to me?

Why did I go and talk to him?

And why in the hell didn't I knock that stupid bitch on her ass when I had the chanec?

Because I'm stupid, and broken still. Four years later.

Nothing has changed.

And I don't see it changing anytime soon.

----AUTHOR's NOTES----

Phew! This was a hard one to get started. Being that I've been writing "A Love With No Limits" [EB's honeymoon] and "The Search For Myself" [Bella being the Vamp, Edward the human], I decided that I really needed a break from the lovey-dovey chapters I had surrounded myself with [voluntarily, of course] and just really have fun, give twists, get down and dirty, and CREATE SOME DRAMA!!

So there we go, Chapter 01! Keep the reviews and compliments/suggestions/positive feedback coming in! They are always welcome.

Stay tuned, because you'll never know what to expect with this story!

ANSWERS TO REVIEW QUESTIONS/RESPONSES WILL BE POSTED HERE AT THE BOTTOM:

xxxxx

Sincerely, Angela.