Emerging Swan

Chapter 14 - Black Eye

He had a black eye
He was proud of
Like some of his friends
It made him feel somewhere outside
Of everything and everywhere he'd been

Like his brothers
He emptied himself
And played it safe
Like their father
He wanted to remember
But he almost always
Forgot what he was gonna say

Black eye
Black eye

When he realized
That this one was here to stay
He took down
All the mirrors in the hallway
And thought only of his younger face

Black Eye ~ Uncle Tupelo

***

Edward Cullen, 2020

Events: 2014

"Oh, you have got to be fucking kidding me," I hissed as I read the letter that had been shoved through my letterbox while Bella and I had been on a date. It was two months since we'd become a couple again, and life had been amazing. Save for three people, all leading back to my fucking ex, who had been doing community service. Lauren, Alice, and Tanya. They'd been constant in the letters they sent and the rude images they posted through my door. We had no proof that it was them, but we all knew it was. Jasper was pissed as hell that Alice was doing such things, but not so pissed as my mother - she went bat-crazy when I mentioned the letters and images.

"What have they sent now?" Bella asked, sounding weary. She hadn't been feeling too great all week, and had been having trouble getting through the night without feeling sick. It seemed like those sleepless nights were taking their toll on her now, though, as she was becoming tired just by going out for a few hours.

"Just the usual," I lied. Bella saw straight through me, however, and snatched the piece of paper from my hand. Her face went from tired to fucking furious as she looked at the pictures and read what had been printed at the bottom. One of those bitches had taken a photograph of Lauren snogging some other guy, while straddling him, and had then added a photograph of a guy's private parts, followed by the words 'you should be fucking her'. Presumably, this particular piece of shit was from Alice, as she still, for whatever twisted reason, wanted me to date Lauren instead of Bella. Like that was ever going to happen.

"Just the usual?" Bella snapped, waving the paper around in front of my face. "This is fucking out of order. This is going too far, Edward. It has to stop."

"I'm sorry, Bella. I just—"

"Not you trying to save me stress, you idiot. This. The things those three are doing to you. It can't go on."

"What can we do, Bella? We've told the police, but we can't prove it's them."

"It's obvious it's them," Bella said, rolling her eyes. She sighed. "I don't know what to do, Edward, but this is getting out of hand."

"We could install one of those crappy home CCTV cameras," I suggested, laughing slightly.

"That's not such a bad idea. But, for now, I need to sleep."

"Are you going home, or staying here?"

"While every part of me wants to stay here, I need to go home. There are things that need doing."

"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"You could come with me, if you want to," Bella murmured, looking slightly embarrassed.

"I'd love to."

I grabbed Bella's hand, threw the vile piece of paper in the trash can in the corner of my kitchen, and we headed out to her car. Bella opened her front door as we arrived, and the moment she had it closed I found myself being pressed against the thing, Bella kissing me hotly and frantically. I groaned softly at the feeling of her mouth on mine, and placed my hands on her waist as I held her closer to me.