"Too late we learn, a man must hold his friend
Unjudged, accepted, trusted to the end."
- John Boyle O'Reilly

"Oh God, yes baby, just like that," groaned the voice below me. I gripped his muscular shoulders for leverage as I bounced up and down on his hard length. I could feel beads of sweat trickling down my chest as the hot air enveloped us both. We were surrounded in complete darkness except for a faint light shining from a lamp on his dresser.

"Jake...I'm almost there," I whispered quickly to my newest bed mate. At least I think his name was Jake. Or was it James? No, I'm sure it was Jacob. Whoever it was sure didn't seem to mind what I called him. It probably helped that we were both intoxicated and he was getting laid. I could have called him Bubba for all he cared.

I met Jake at the grand opening of the newest club in our town "The Pink Monkey." My best friends and I were out celebrating Edward's big promotion to Vice President of Volterra Advertising. It wasn't every day that all six of us had the chance to hang out together because we all had busy schedules. When we did get together, we did it up big. Of course, Edward had his connections.

Edward was my closest friend and I considered him to be the brother I never had. Perhaps if he weren't so drop dead gorgeous people would actually believe we were siblings. We were practically joined at the hip starting from the very tender age of six years old. We became neighbors when my flighty mother Renee decided marriage with my father Charlie was suffocating and void of passion. After meeting a baseball player at a game and in her words "falling in love at first sight" she said sayonara to Charlie and we moved to Phoenix with her rich baseball player boyfriend, Phil Jenkins.

Phoenix was a big change from our small home in Forks. With Phil's salary we managed to move into a large house in a very affluent neighborhood, right next door to the Cullens.

It was on moving day that I first met the Cullens. Esme Cullen rang our doorbell and greeted us with a beautiful smile and a Welcome to the Neighborhood chocolate cake. She wasn't alone and had her two children with her, Edward and Rosalie. Her husband Carlisle happened to be busy working at Phoenix Medical Center and couldn't join her.

Renee and Esme clicked immediately and I was left to play on the stoop with Rosalie and Edward. Even at age six I found the both of them to be striking. Rosalie had long blond ringlets, big blue eyes, a pink dress and those frilly socks I would yell at Renee for forcing me into when she wanted to dress me up. She was a year older than me. Edward was a different story, he was my age and had beautiful bronze hair, which he must have gotten from his mother and the most hypnotizing green eyes I had ever seen. He was wearing a blue shirt with bugs bunny on it and blue jeans ruined with grass stains on the knees. I happened to be adorned in my favorite rugged black jeans that Renee hated and tried to throw away more than once, a large faded gray shirt and Phil's old baseball cap, which was way too big, was on my head and worn backwards. I was the epitome of a tomboy.

"How come you dress like a boy?" Rosalie asked with a look of disgust on her face.

"Because I want to," I retorted back to the princess.

"Leave her alone, Rosalie." The beautiful green eyed boy spoke up for the first time. "Or I'll tell mom!"

"But she's a girl!" she exclaimed.

"And you're a booger," he said matter-of-factly. We both doubled over in laughter. I liked this kid already.

Rosalie sneered at us both and stormed into the house most likely to tell on both of us.

"I live right there." The beautiful boy pointed to their house next door. "You could come over and play with me and my friend Jasper if you want."

"OK," I offered him a shy smile and he responded with a crooked grin in return.

From that day on, I'd find myself at the Cullens' house playing tag, football and baseball with Edward and his friends in their big yard. Rosalie would often try to steal me away to play dolls or dress up, but I would always find myself returning to the yard, playing roughly with the boys.

As we grew older, our friendship continued to change and we grew closer. When I was ten and Renee and Phil had their heated arguments, I would climb through Edward's window which was across from mine and sleep in his bed with him. I would be on the verge of tears but Edward would wrap both of us in his blanket and tell me everything would be okay.

I reciprocated when Edward would have those dreadful clown nightmares that only I knew about.

On those nights I would hear someone falling through my window. He wouldn't say anything, but I knew. The clowns were after him again. I'd lift my blanket and he would climb in while I ran my fingers through his bronze locks. He would immediately fall asleep.

Our bond was like no other. Rosalie was my best friend too, but my friendship with Edward was stronger. All three of us ended up going to Chicago State University. Edward studied Communication Arts with a minor in music and I majored in English Literature.

Edward was well known throughout our college years. The professors adored him and the girls flocked to him like a swarm of bees. I didn't blame them at all. Edward could have had a great career as a model if he wanted to. Many girls would often slip me their number to give to him since we were so close and they didn't see me as threat.

Why would they? I didn't consider myself an obvious beauty and our relationship couldn't be mistaken as more than friends. I've never held any romantic feelings toward Edward, although, I could see why the girls loved him. Edward was like a brother to me and I'm sure he felt the same way about me.

Six years later and with hard work and persistence, Edward climbed the ladder at Volterra Advertising and became Vice President at twenty-four years old. This was no surprise. Edward was a very intelligent man and his personality was contagious. He had the ability to capture everyone's attention and it also helped that he wasn't bad to look at either.

Edward called me immediately after he found out and I was so proud of him. I demanded we do drinks that night with four of our closest friends, Rosalie, Emmett, Alice & Jasper. At least that's how it was supposed to be until Edward invited his on and off again girlfriend Jessica without giving us any notice.

I couldn't stand her and wondered what Edward saw in her. She was loud, obnoxious and wore way too much makeup. She spent the evening on Edward's lap in a tight pink dress that left little to the imagination. I did my best to ignore her most of the night and focus on why we were there, but it was very difficult watching her take Edward's attention any way she could get it.

We all danced the night away, my friends in their own pairs, while I managed to meet Jacob on the dance floor. He was tall and built with long black hair and tan skin.

"And what is a beautiful girl like you doing dancing alone?" he asked.

"I'm not alone anymore," I said with a smirk. We spent the rest of the evening on the dance floor. I looked over his shoulder and saw Edward pinning Jessica against the wall in a lip lock. Gross.

Six drinks later, Jake was pulling me into his jeep and I was whisked away. I knew I should have told my friends goodbye but I'm sure they didn't notice, and hell, I was a grown woman, I had needs too.

My thoughts were interrupted as I was instantly flipped on my back and met with several hard thrusts. I could tell he was almost finished as he quickened his pace and I felt his muscles tense. That familiar feeling in my stomach made itself known and I knew I was close.

I wrapped my arms around his neck as he plowed into me.

"Oh Jake!" I felt melt myself tighten around him as he rubbed my bundle of nerves. I squeezed my eyes shut as I felt the most intense orgasm take over my body. Jacob growled as he came inside of me after two more thrusts collapsing on top of me.

We were both gasping for air by this time.

"That was amazing," he managed to breathe out.

"Mmhmm," I mumbled sleepily.

He slipped from inside me and wrapped me in his arms as we both turned in for the night.

This was the life I thought to myself. My lifestyle was definitely a shock to those who knew me. I was a junior high school English teacher by day and a sex prowler by night, it seemed. I enjoyed sex. It brought me pleasure and made me feel wanted and powerful. My friends didn't exactly agree with my lifestyle, especially Edward. I held his opinion in the highest regard but not when it came to this. Edward could be overbearing, overprotective and controlling when it came to me. If he weren't so busy lip locking with Jessica at the club, I'm sure I wouldn't have made it out the door with Jake. I didn't see what the big deal was. I was a grown woman and I was being responsible when it came to my sex life.

"It's just not right, Bella." Edward would chastise. "You deserve better."

I hated the look in his eyes when he told me that. I felt so small. But he didn't understand. He would never understand.

Of course our other friends would add their two cents in occasionally. Fortunately, Alice and Rosalie learned to butt out after I told them how responsible I was being and explained the double standard when it came to women having sex and being looked down upon while men were praised.

I released myself from Jacob's embrace to retrieve my purse from his nightstand. I dug for my phone and sighed at the screen. Seven missed calls from Edward and two from Alice and Rosalie. Yep, I wouldn't hear the end of it tomorrow. Edward would be throwing his usual temper tantrum.

I dropped my phone back in my purse and returned to Jake. His arms immediately sought me out and once again I felt at home. My previous wariness disappeared quickly. They would never understand.

We will get more information on Bella and Edward's relationship in the next few chapters. If you want to read more, please review!