Fan Fiction: "It Happened That Night", part 2

Disclaimer: The following is a fan fiction story, based on the Twilight series.  The characters belong entirely to Stephenie Meyer, and I have taken some liberties with them.  No copyright infringement is intended, either at present, or ever.


Note:  The beautiful banner for this story was created by Annamorphos, a twilighted.net member.  Thanks & kudos, Anna!!



I turned away again, and began walking through the crowd, looking for my friends Angela and Jessica. I saw that they weren't sitting at our table. Well, we had come in the same car.  I knew they wouldn't leave me stranded here. It was a long drive back to Forks. I hadn't really wanted to come with them, but Jessica had said that all the good clubs were in Port Angeles. Amazingly, Charlie had insisted that I go.

"You really should get out more, Bells," he had urged. I knew he meant well. He didn't like to see me moping around the house, thinking about Bill, the scumbag who had broken my heart just a year after I had moved to Forks. My only consolation was that he hadn't gotten any 'souvenir' from me to brag about with his male buddies.

At first, I had firmly told him that I was not at all interested.  Typically, Charlie wouldn't let the matter rest.  So I finally gave in, shrugged, and told him I would go. The joyful expression on his face had been gratifying. Dialing Jessica's number, I told her I had finally decided to brave the Port Angeles night life. Her squeal of delight nearly pierced my ear drums.

Now I looked around again, wondering where my friends were. What the heck was I thinking? I'd never find them in this mass of people. I went straight toward the table, slinging my purse around my shoulder again.

I sat down to wait, no longer in any mood to dance, or do anything else but leave. I couldn't believe the night was turning out to be a total waste of time, and it was my fault, too. I never should have done that to poor Tom.

Tapping one foot impatiently, I glanced around at the dancing crowd, hoping fruitlessly that I would see one of my friends as the dancers looped and looped around each other. I didn't   After a few minutes, I couldn't take it any longer. I had to go get some air, at least.  I rose unsteadily to my feet, dreading the need to weave through the crowd again. I never should have let Charlie convince me to go to a club. That whole scene had never been my style. As if to prove that to myself, I had botched the entire evening.

Taking a deep breath, I plunged into the crowd, determined to escape. The pressing bodies suddenly made me nauseous. The air was stifling. My urgent desire to get outside became even more urgent, as my claustrophobia kicked in. What had I been thinking? I had never liked crowds to begin with.
The music seemed to become even louder, the dancing wilder, and my claustrophobia was getting worse by the second. I wound my slow way through the dance floor, saying "excuse me" over and over again, as I stepped on too many feet.

Finally, I saw the heavy, double wooden doors in front of me. They opened as I approached, admitting a small group of people who had already been carded. I slipped through them, past the bouncers, one of whom glanced at me appreciatively. Then, I was outside.

I kept on walking until I had rounded the front corner of the building. There were some low bushes nearby, bordering the parking lot. A full moon intermittently lit up the sky with its pale gaze, as it drifted in and out of cloud banks. The night air was cool, and a refreshing contrast to the heavy, sweat-drenched atmosphere inside the club.  I walked a bit further away from the entrance, heading for a pool of shadow on the wall. I leaned against it gratefully, wondering if I should take off my heels, which were beginning to hurt my feet. Sighing, I closed my eyes.

"Hey," a soft, melodious voice whispered near me. Of course I jumped, and my heart did a little somersault.

Opening my eyes, I glanced toward my right, but for a moment saw nothing in the thick darkness. Then a tall male figure walked into a beam of moonlight, and I recognized the pale, strange man who had ordered me away. Instinct told me to bolt. My hormones perversely told me to stay.  He smiled, and my heart skittered. My breathing stopped momentarily, and then jerkily started up again. I felt the impulse to run once more, but found that I couldn't. His gorgeous face held me there, against the wall.

"Look, I'm really sorry," he said, slowly, smiling a crooked smile. He sounded so sincere. I was still wary, though.

"I know I acted like a real jerk," he continued, "but there's a very good reason for that. If we could take a little walk together, I could explain it to you. That is, if you'll let me. I really mean you no harm. Honestly."

An inner voice instantly warned me that this would not be a good idea. Besides, I had not yet recovered from his weird, rude behavior.

"I don't think I want to go anywhere with you," I retorted, surprising myself with my hostile tone.  How had I managed to talk this way to him, when it was all I could do to stop ogling him?

He ducked his head, and that mesmerizing, crooked smile of his became wider.

"I won't complain, because I know I deserve that," he chuckled.

I simply stood there, doing my best to glare at him. But I just couldn't stay mad at a living Greek god who would be willing to apologize to a mere mortal. I groaned as I realized what I was thinking. Good going, Bella! Putting a guy up on a pedestal again. But then, this guy was way more appealing than Bill ever had been. Heck, Bill who?

He turned serious. "What's the matter? Why did you groan like that? Would you like me to leave? I really, really should, you know. I've been a total idiot."

He waited for my answer as he stared anxiously at me.

I smiled. "Oh, no," I found myself whispering, "please don't leave. But I have to tell you that there's never a good reason to act like a jerk. Your story had better be good."

He smiled in return, and I had to stifle a nearly irresistible urge to stroke a lock of bronze hair that had fallen across his forehead. Down, Bella!

"Interesting...' he drawled appealingly. I loved the sound of his voice. "Then I suppose I should apologize all over again, because I really don't want you to be mad at me. That would totally ruin this moment - indeed, the whole evening."

I am very chagrined to admit that I totally melted when he said that.

"All right, you're forgiven." I sighed. It was no use fighting this… No, I was not going to bat my eyes at him.

"Then you'll take a walk with me?" His dazzling smile made me blink. Was he now trying to hypnotize me?

I nodded, and I could see him relaxing. "Sure, I'll go with you, if we don't go too far, that is. I'm with a couple of friends, and we have to get back home in one piece."

He laughed at that. "Are you one of those girls whose dad hides a shotgun behind the front door?"

I laughed in return. "Something like that."

"Well, that does complicate things, you know. I need some time to get to know you. A five-minute walk just won't do it."

I sighed nervously, although this remark sent my heart into its fluttering little dance again.

"Well," I countered, "it would be nice if I got to know you, too."