Bella the Witch (2021)

Chapter 10: The Changing of The Game

I knew I should've ignored them and kept going. But I smelled like beer to no fault of my own and creeps needed to be taught a lesson. I turned around and kept quiet and stalked toward them. They weren't put off by my demeanor but in their druken state, they seemed amused by me. 

"That's a good girl." The one with a neck beard spoke.

"I thought I wasn't that cute. Isn't that what you said?"

"No way. Must have misheard." Another one slurred before taking a gulp of beer from the nearly crushed can in his grip. 

"My mistake, but you should know, women don't like being cat called especially by a bunch of drunk losers." I grinned.

Some chuckled but neck beard, clearly their leader recognized that I was insulting them. "What?"

"Hmmm, how do I phrase this so that you'll understand? You and your buddies should learn some respect. I'm sure your mothers, sisters, girlfriends or your wife," I pointed to the man in the back holding onto the wall. "Would love to know how you treat women out on the street." He gulped, put his left hand in his pocket and looked away from me. "Now, I suggest you all go back to whatever hole you crawled out of before I get mean."

I sensed a vampire somewhere close. The feeling was in the back of my mind all day but at a far enough distance. It could've been a coincidence that a Cullen was in the area or whoever it was could've been following me. 

Neck beard smiled and walked closer to shorten the distance between us. "I like mean girls, the nastier the better." The one who was married stayed where he was but the three others followed suit.

Everything moved in slow motion then. I saw neck beard reach his hand out to touch me, magic wasn't an option if a Cullen was truly near, so I avoided his touch kicked him between the legs. While he bent over in pain the others got ready to rough me up when a silver, very familiar car pulled in quickly then stopping a few inches away from me, frightening the men. 

As they stumbled back, Edward Cullen stepped out with a look of rage on his face. "Bella, get in the car." He said with deep, gruff voice that terrified the men further. We hadn't spoken in days and I almost forgotten how he sounded. There was no arguing with him so I got in. After a moment, Edward got in and after taking a quick look to see that my seatbelt was on, he pulled out as quickly as he arrived. 

He was seething and gripped the steering wheel tight causing his knuckles to become even more  pale. The heat was on full blast and I struggled to shrug off my jacket.

"Are you alright?"

"I smell like cheep beer, but other than that, yes." I finally got my arms out and threw it on the floor next to my bags in a huff. 

"I'm glad that's all that happened. The things they were....they were disgusting." 

"The things they were thinking?" I asked. 

He let out a bitter laugh. "Is that one of your three questions?"

I shook my head. "No."

We went silent for the rest of the ride. He was an excellent yet insanely fast driver, I gripped the handle above the door as we pulled up to the restaurant Angela had suggested. The two girls were coming down the steps as I met them halfway. 

"Bella, where were you? We texted and called like crazy." Angela squeezed me tight. 

"Yeah and we ate without you because we were starving." Jessica said.

"I know, I-" Their eyes widened as Edward strolled up next to me. 

"That was my fault, ladies. We ran into each other and got talking." He turned on the charm. Jess looked star struck while Angela looked spooked. A Cullen's presence was intimidating and I thought back to the conversation we had in the school parking lot. She was right to be wary of them and what was waiting to be unleashed within her was still unknown to me. She adjusted herself and put on a small smile. I looked at Edward and wondered what he heard her thinking. His eyes were bright and he wore a sweet smile; if he had indeed heard anything alarming, he didn't show it.