Locke. Chapter Twelve: In The Hall

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Chapter Twelve: In The Hall 

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I jumped to my feet, my eyes wide with surprise as I stared at Edward. He was dressed very well in black slacks and a midnight blue button-down, his hair slicked back as if he was going on a hot date and not coming to watch a girl get her ass beat for fun. The two handsome men looked at me in utter shock.  

“What the hell are you doing here?” I snapped in surprise, pointing a sharp finger at his chest as I stalked towards him. 

“Bella?” Edward said astonishment, his eyes getting wider. “Well, obviously I’m here for the same reason you are,” he answered calmly. 

His zen offended me. “And does your girlfriend know where you are?” I snarled viciously. All 5 '4 of me was going to stand up to all of six-foot-something of him if I had to. “Does she know what you’re doing right now?”

"Yes! She does actually," he replied quickly, backing up a couple of steps. He had never seen me like this before, and he was literally taken aback.  

“I highly doubt that!”

“That- That is totally understandable,” Edward started slowly as if he was trying to placate me. That wasn’t going to happen. “But-”

“What the hell is going on?” Jasper demanded. He looked between us, his hands balled up into fists at his side. 

“Dr. Bitey!” I proclaimed loudly, shoving a finger in the direction of his nose as I looked at the blond beside us. I could have punched Edward for even considering cheating on my friend. I was livid and ready for a fight. 

Understanding danced across Jasper’s features. “This is your roommate’s boyfriend?” He pointed his thumb at his friend, shocked. “This is the guy you-” 

“Yes!” I nearly shouted, not wanting him to finish the stupid sentence. I certainly didn’t have any positive feelings for him anymore. “I’m calling Tanya!”

“Yes!” Edward agreed swiftly, bringing his hands up. “Yes, please do. Please call her and ask you whatever you wish. I swear she knows. Do whatever you need to do.”

I stomped over to my purse, getting my phone quickly. My hands were trembling as I dialed. It felt as if my heart was going to pump out of my chest to the point that it made my ribs hurt, and I was sick to my stomach. 

“Hey!” Tanya answered on the second ring.

“Hi,” I replied shakily in a rush. 

“Is everything okay?” 

I shook my head so violently that my hair flung around me. “Um, no. Do you know where your boyfriend is right now?”

She kind of laughed, confused by my abrupt question. Tanya couldn’t understand why I was so serious. I hated everything that was about to happen. I just knew I was about to break her heart. “Yeah. He’s hanging out with an old college buddy. Why?”

I took a deep breath. “Because I’m standing right in front of him.”

There were several beats of silence, and then I heard a sound of understanding. "I didn't know you were kinky!" She exclaimed in amused surprise.  

I turned around, not able to look at either man. Both of their eyes were on my back, and I could feel them burning through my dress. “So… you know?” I questioned slowly. “You know what we were supposed to be doing tonight? I had no idea it was him, I swear.”

"Oh yeah. Edward has always been very open about his tastes. I'm not into it, so he gets his itch scratched elsewhere. I don't care. It's kinda funny that it's you this time." She actually giggled. I went to sit at the end of the bed, my head in my hand. "I thought you were so innocent. Small world, huh?"  

“Tiny,” I reiterated in a high pitched voice, stress coloring my tone. “You’re really okay with him doing this?" I wasn't sure if she even understood what we were doing besides ‘kinky.' I wasn't even certain that I could explain it to her over the phone at that moment.  

“Yup,” she began with no hesitation whatsoever. “He’s done it since the very beginning. As I said, he’s always been very honest about it. Gosh, how awkward is it in that room right now?”

“So. Fucking. Awkward,” I moaned, rubbing my forehead. 

She genuinely laughed. “Well, don’t worry. He’s not in trouble. At least I know that you’ve always got my back. Thanks for checking in first!”

“Yeah,” I sighed. “I… I need to go.”

My roommate giggled again, knowingly. "Okay! Well, you two have fun tonight!" She responded in a chipper voice before hanging up. I pulled the phone away from my ear, staring at the blank black screen for a long second. 

“See,” Edward smirked, waving a hand at me. “I told you.” I looked at him slowly, his expression slightly amused. I still wanted to punch him for some reason. I had never seen someone so hittable. 

I sat my phone in my lap, looking down at my feet as I tried to calm down. With both of my hands, I rubbed my temples. My brain was in a million wild places. I didn’t know what to do or say. 

“Bella, I had no idea,” Jasper began quickly. 

“I know,” I whispered, flushed with embarrassment. I could feel the sweat starting to form at my temple.

“So, what are we doing?” Edward asked with both hands in his pockets. I looked up at him again, confused by his words. “I mean, it’s fine with Tanya…” He trailed off, looking at his college friend before glancing back to me, then shrugged. My expression must have been appalled. “What?”

“What do you mean, what? I was expecting to show off a little in front of a stranger that I’d probably never see again if it didn’t work out and have some naughty fun. Not you!”

“Well, we can still have fun,” he grinned at me. His eyes moved from the tips of my toes to the top of my head, checking me out. Then he peered at Jasper with an eyebrow raised. “I certainly wouldn’t mind.”

Jasper was just… flabbergasted. I wasn’t sure what another word there was for it. He looked between him and me, his mouth open a little and his eyes wide still. He slowly shook his head, snapping out of it. He cleared his throat roughly. 

“I don’t know. I… Uh… I guess, it’s up to Bella,” he replied, gazing at me for just a moment before his eyes darted away. 

I looked between them, swallowing back my nervous stomach. I wasn’t sure how Jasper felt by his expression. Did he want to still? It seemed blank. I was too stressed to focus my thoughts.  

“What do you say, Bella?” Edward asked in his most charming tones. It was how he spoke to his girlfriend. “Would you like to show off for me?”

My startling beautiful long-time crush was asking me to play with him. It was a day of fantasies coming true. I didn’t like this one like I thought I would, though.  

“No…” I answered without a second thought. “No. I couldn’t do that. I… I-I I need to go,” I stuttered, my panic rising in my throat suddenly. Bolting from the bed, I rushed to grab my purse and went barrelling towards the door. 

"Bella!" Jasper shouted after me, but I didn't turn around to look at him. My mind was set on the elevators. It chanted ‘escape, escape, escape' at me. "Bella, wait!" He called after me loudly. I was almost there when he snapped, "Isabella!"  

The use of my full name caught my attention, making me automatically turn to look at him. He was coming down the hall towards me. Edward was halfway leaned out the doorway to watch our dramatic scene. “At least get your shoes, darlin.”

I looked down at my feet. I hadn't even realized that I was barefoot. I nodded my head quickly, ducking my head as I rushed back towards the room. He followed behind. I hurried past Edward, who was still standing inside with his hands in his pockets.  

“You know what? You leave.” Jasper grabbed him by the arm and shoved him out roughly before slamming the door in his face. I turned just in time to see his shocked expression for a quarter of a second. “I never liked him that much, anyway,” he mumbled to himself, locking the door before turning to me. “Bella, I am so sorry! I didn’t know. Please.” He caught my arm, stopping me from getting my shoes. 

“You didn’t do anything wrong!” I said immediately. He had to know that I wasn’t upset with him. “We didn’t know. No one knew.”

“Then why are you running away?” He asked in a worried tone. 

“I-I…” I started softly. “I don’t know. I just panicked.”

“I can see that,” he remarked, stroking my cheek tenderly. “This was a mistake. I shouldn’t have agreed. I am so sorry,” he repeated. 

"No! It wasn't. If he had been anyone else, it would have been fine. I do want to play with you with other people. That's not the problem. I'm so embarrassed." I tried to look away, but he held my chin.  

“Why?” He bent down some so that our heads were even. “You did nothing wrong. We didn’t do anything.”

"I know," I answered, unable to hold his gaze. For a reason that I couldn't explain, I felt as if I was going to cry. My emotions were getting the better of me, and I was overwhelmed.   

Jasper brought both of his soft hands to my cheeks, his thumbs skimming over my temples lightly. “I don’t know what to do or say. Please. Please tell me what I should say so that you don’t leave,” he begged. I looked into his deep blue eyes finally, flushing from head to toe again. They were so intense. 

“Tell me to stay,” I whispered. 

“I can’t do that. I’m not going to order you to do anything right now.” He shook his head quickly, swallowing. I watched as his Adam's apple bobbed, his jaw too tight.  

For the first time ever, Jasper appeared frightened. I hated it. 

“Just tell me that you want me to stay.” 

“I want you to stay.” He pulled me into his arms, smashing me to him. I pressed my face into his chest, wanting him to squeeze me tighter. “Of course, I do.”

“Maybe we should have tried playing with Alice first,” I mumbled into his pec after a few minutes. I felt him chuckle softly. Slowly, I looked up at him. “Well, that didn’t go as planned.”

“I think that might be an understatement.”

“How am I going to look at Tanya tomorrow?” I asked anxiously. 

He quickly shook his head. “Bella, we didn’t- And- She- She… seemed fine with it. I don’t know. I hate that I’ve put you in an awkward position,” he said in embarrassment. 

“No. You didn’t. I put myself in it. It’s always a risk when you have a lifestyle like ours. I just had no idea. Ugh,” I sighed. “It’s not like I asked for real names. I was the one willing to do it in the first place.” I put my hand on my aching forehead. “Fuck. Poor Edward.” 

“Why poor him?” He pulled back to look at me, his mouth an angry straight line. 

I laughed mirthlessly. “He was expecting a fun evening. Instead, he gets yelled at by his girlfriend’s tubby ass roommate-”

“Don’t insult yourself right now, Isabella,” Jasper cut me off. 

I wanted to pull away from him, but his grip was too tight. "I'm not! Trust me, I'm not the kind of girl he wanted to be here anyway." 

"Please! Did he see how you looked at you?" He snapped, almost indignantly. I shook my head. Jasper put his hands on my shoulders. "I did. He wanted you." 

“No, he didn’t,” I whispered. “It doesn’t matter anyway.”  

"Y-you had feelings for him?" He inquired in a tiny voice. I pushed away from him finally, and his arms dropped to his sides. I wrapped mine around my waist as I looked away from him.  

“Yeah. I guess it makes more sense now.”

“I guess so,” he breathed. 

“You said he was into pain and blood?” I asked, thinking about the conversation we were having the night before. “Uh, he’s a plastic surgeon! Seriously?”

“Would you rather him be a serial killer?” Jasper challenged gravely. I shook my head a little. He put his hands in his pockets, looking down bashfully before shrugging. “They say if you love your job, you will never work a day in your life…”

I laughed, covering my mouth. “Ew.” 

“By the way, you have no idea how accurate Dr. Bitey is. You called it, darlin,” he continued. He snapped his teeth to make a point. 

"You should seriously see what he does to Tanya. She's covered in makeup most of the time. Or turtle necks,” I informed him with a sigh. "You have never marked me up that much, and they're doing vanilla stuff."  

It was his turn to laugh. “Maybe she’s not as vanilla as you think.”

“Mm, maybe,” I snorted. I glanced up at him slowly. “What do we do now?”

"Well," Jasper started cautiously, rocking on his heels. "There is a rooftop bar. Would you like to put on some shoes and go get drunk with me?" He charmingly asked. I nodded my head immediately. "Good because I need a fucking drink."    

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