Action

-*+ 57 +*-

29 April 2020

-+= Edward =+-

"Shut the door."
I was uncomfortable, but I did as she said, closing the door to the maintenance closet behind us. A small lamp strung on a hanging wire lit the space dimly, and the air smelled faintly like burned rubber and must. Shelves surrounded on each side, stopping only to leave room for a breaker box and some other electric controls.
"Well, get on with it then," I said impatiently, crossing my arms and leaning against the door.
"I'm not as terrible of a woman as you claim I am, Mr. Cullen," Vic said, flipping her flawless hair over her shoulder. "I just think Isabella has a right to know where her boyfriend has been."
"It doesn't matter where I've been," I replied, gritting my teeth. "It only matters about now."
"You told her you never kissed anyone," she laughed. "What kind of ludicrous lie is that?"
"I never kissed anyone genuinely."
"But you didn't specify that, did you?"
I turned my gaze away from her, guilt beginning to bubble in my stomach. It was true, as far as Bella was concerned I was perfectly innocent and never kissed anyone else. But I had mentioned it once, hadn't I? I wracked my brain trying to remember, but no incident came to mind. The guilt boiled angrily as I swallowed hard, forcing down a lump in my throat.
"Regardless, you did it all to yourself, Victoria."
"Sure, I'll admit that, but you didn't exactly turn me away."
  "You knew I was desperate. You preyed on it, you abused that knowledge. And when word got out, everyone knew you were to blame. As ashamed as I am to admit it, when everyone was feeling bad for me, it was my breakthrough to the industry, and it paved the way to my success - based on an illegal technicality that got you in trouble and everyone feeling sympathetic for me."
  "And once it was over with, you threw me to the wolves," she said, her cool façade slipping away, her eyes darkening and her jaw clenching.
  "I was sixteen, Victoria. What else was I going to do?" I sighed in frustration, drinking deeply from the glass I brought with me. The rum tingled in my throat, along with the carbonation of the coke, providing a distraction from the tingling guilt in my gut.
  "I don't know, maybe, accept your fault in it?" She suggested angrily, crossing her arms.
  "Accept my fault? You lured me."
  "A sixteen year old boy knows what getting involved in the adult film industry entails. You could have said no. You could have pretended you were eighteen - you definitely looked the part."
  "Vic - just accept it. You seduced an underage boy. You took advantage of me. I needed money, I was kicked out of my house and desperate, and you used that."
  "You know you liked it, Edward."
  "Yes, I did," I admitted. "But it was wrong, and I knew it. You knew it, too. You're lucky you had a great lawyer, Victoria, because you would be in jail right now otherwise." I was uncomfortable. Being in a small room like this, alone with Victoria, was bringing back memories that I did not want to remember. I was becoming hyper aware of her choice of clothing, and how she used to make me feel...

—+=+*+=+—

-+= Bella =+-

"You're a natural, Bella!" Lana said excitedly as I sunk the ping pong ball into the third cup in a row. We still had all our articles of clothing on, while the boys were downing shots and stripping like no tomorrow. It was girls versus guys, and we each had fifteen cups. While Lana and I had gotten all five in so far, the boys had only made one, leaving them missing four pieces of clothes.
  It was easy to catch on - you make it, you're safe. If you miss, you take a shot and remove something. Being sober made it easy.
  On the next round of my turn, however, the anger building inside me in Edward's lack of return got the best of me, and I threw the ball too hard, missing tragically. Ross and Noah found this hilarious, and they promptly handed me and Lana a shot of vodka each.
  After throwing the vodka back, I simply took my shoes off, and Lana took her elastic out of her hair. The boys grumbled.
  "That's hardly fair," Noah whined, wearing only his boxers and a Rolex watch.
  "It's not our fault we are smarter than you, babe," Lana spoke sweetly, blowing him a kiss.
  I knew I was a lightweight, especially since I was only eighteen. The vodka burned, but I liked it. It numbed my emotions and thoughts and soon Edward was the last thing on my mind. A crowd had now formed around us, watching the game intently as the boys finally scored their first cup. Rounds went on, and more clothes were shed. The more I drank, the less I cared and the harder I laughed. I was truly having fun.
  By the time we won the game, the boys were naked and drunk. I couldn't gather my thoughts, but I knew I wanted to dance.
  "This is my song!" I cheered, climbing up on the pool table. I was completely exposed except for my bra and panties, and I spun around excitedly as the crowd cheered me on. My vision was blurred and I tripped a couple times, but I didn't care.
  Until I heard it.
  "What the fuck, Bella?"