Starlet Teaser

Apparently, I had dozed off and I woke with a start with Edward entering my condo. He held a bag from my favorite Chinese place and a to-go tray of something to drink. “Hey slacker,” he teased.

“Shhhh,” I hissed. “Too loud.”

“Sorry,” he chuckled as he grabbed some plates. Balancing the bag, the drinks and the plates, he walked to my spot on the couch. “I got you crab Rangoon, General Tso’s chicken and shrimp fried rice. Then, for dessert, strawberry milkshakes.”

“Ugh,” I groaned, holding my stomach. It was flipping, turning and doing massive somersaults in my tummy.

“Too much, too soon?” he asked.

I looked at him and nodded pitifully. “Perhaps later?”

“Okay,” he said as he went to put the food and drinks in the fridge. He sat down next me and stared into my eyes. “What do you remember?”

“Emily, purple, then fuzziness,” I said.

“What do you remember about Emily?” Edward pressed.

“Um, that she went down on me,” I mumbled, blushing furiously. I looked up at Edward and saw a faint blush on his own cheeks. “I don’t remember much after that.”

“You went wild, Bella,” Edward said. His eyes were filled disappointment, anger and sadness. “You drank yourself silly and took ecstasy. On top of that, Mike ‘No-Dick’ Newton spiked your drink with something. It was Emily that noticed that something was wrong with you. Mike looked like he was…um, ready to reenact the scene from a few days ago, without your knowledge.”

“He drugged me?” I whispered, tears filling my eyes. “Did he do anything?”

“He was feeling you up when I dragged you away,” Edward explained, rubbing his face. “Bella, I feel responsible for what happened. I shouldn’t have left you alone. I should have stayed by your side, no matter what.”

“What did you do that you had to leave?” I asked.

“I had to pee,” he muttered.

“Edward, do not put this on yourself because you had to take a piss,” I snapped. “Ow. I shouldn’t yell. That hurt. Part of it is on me. While I had no control over Michael, I did control what I did prior to that.”

“Bella, the drinking and the drugs scare me. I lost my parents to a drunk driver,” he said as he took my 

hand, staring into my eyes. “I don’t want to lose my best friend the same way. Or in an overdose or something worse.”

“I’m your best friend?” I blubbered.

“Yes. You are,” he said, giving me a crooked grin.