First Blood | Ed. Cullen & B. Swan

Chapter 10

Simon watched as Edward walked to the other side of the airport to go get them a rental car for the trip. He and Bella followed, but Simon kept their pace slower as he took her hand in his. He leaned down after he was sure Edward was out of range, keeping his voice quiet even still as he spoke next to her ear.

"There's something I need to tell you," He murmured, "You can't tell Eddie you know until after we get back home, alright?"

Bella looked up at him curiously, but she nodded her head anyway. "Of course, you know I can keep a secret."

"Alice's vision, the one you had asked about, was about Victoria. Edward reminded you of this trip because he wanted you out of town for the weekend."

She stared at him in shock, before anger soon seemed to win over. "And what about you?" She asked, "Why did you agree to the trip?"

Simon quirked a brow at her obvious accusation. He shook his head, gently rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand as they started walking again.

"Because I knew you needed a break, Izzy. You rarely get to see your mother, and honestly, I really want to meet her. Edward already got that privilege, but I didn't. They may not know that you're dating me, too, but I already won over Charlie. I plan on trying to do the same with your mother."

Bella relaxed as she listened to him, realizing his motives were pure, if not a little mischievous. She lightly slapped his chest, playfully glaring up at him.

"There's no need to win anyone over–"

"Maybe not from your standpoint," Simon tentatively cut her off before continuing, "Publicly, you're with Edward. I'm stuck as the friend. Having Charlie like me makes it more bearable. It lets me know that Edward isn't the perfect one for you. I don't care if it's selfish of me, but that makes me feel better."

He remained quiet for a minute as they approached the parking garage where the rentals were.

"I know I'm not perfect, either. I know you want and need us both. That we make you feel better, together. I just...I'm used to ending up in second place, Izz. Even now. If the Cullens had to choose, they'd choose Edward. That's just the truth of it. Even...Even Esme would. She lost one son, and I wouldn't be able to stand making her lose a second one. It's our unspoken rule as siblings. Those we view as our kids come first if it comes down to it. They don't care for me as much as they used to, which I guess I understand. It's partly my fault for leaving."

Bella was already shaking her head by the time he finished. She stopped walking and moved in front of him, causing him to stop too.

"No," She poked his chest. "You would never be my second choice–"

"Yes, I would be," He gently cut her off, though his voice was still firm. "I'm his second choice, too, Bella. You already know the story of Edward and I's relationship. I screwed that up between us."

He moved forward, stepping closer to her. He continued as he took her face gently in his hands, looking into her pretty brown eyes. "He found you before I could. He loved you long before I did, and he has loved you for much longer. You aren't making a choice between us, but I know that if you were forced to, you'd choose him. You're already engaged to him."

"Simon..." Bella spoke quietly as she stared into his eyes and placed her hands over his, seemingly at a loss for words for a few seconds. "Si, I'm so sorry...I thought you said you were okay with him marrying me?"

He sighed quietly, closing his eyes as he rested his head against hers. "I am, Izzy," He muttered, "I want that for you both. But I'm a little jealous, alright? And I'm scared. This whole thing, what we're doing, it scares me. Because I've never felt this way before. So happy, yet so fearful that I'm going to be the one to break this paradise. If this is a dream–" He flinched as he heard his voice crack. He took a deep breath before he finished his sentence. "If this is all a dream...Izzy...I really can't afford to wake up now."

He kept his eyes closed, not knowing if he would be able to handle how she was looking at him. He heard her inhale, but his body was tugged away from her before she could speak. His breath hitched as his chest hit another, and he found his body tense as he stood in Edward's embrace. He fought silently against his urges, but he lost his grip as Edward hugged him tighter.

Simon found himself leaning into the taller male against his own accord. He buried his face against Edward's shoulder and he gripped onto the man who held him so carefully.

A soft exhale registered in his mind as Bella stepped closer, and he found himself jerking out of Edward's hold. He picked his bag back up, heading over to where the rental car waited as he avoided both of their worried gazes.

He took the driver's seat after getting the keys from the staff member standing nearby. He remained quiet, even as Edward sat up front in the seat next to him, leaving Bella to sit alone in the back. He pulled out of the airport, using his previous knowledge of the city to drive to the address Renee had given Bella.

"I'm sorry," He said, finally breaking the heavy silence that had filled the car.

He tensed as Edward took his hand in his, though he soon found himself relaxing as that was all the other male did. Silence soon elapsed them again, but it wasn't tense like it was before. They pulled into a driveway after a little while, and Bella rushed out of the car as she saw her mother come out of the front door. He got out soon after her, helping Edward with their bags.

Simon and Edward followed the women inside, setting the bags down in the guest room. They moved back to the living room, where Simon was surprised to get pulled into a hug. He let out a small wince, shooting Edward a small look of shock at how hard the small woman seemed to hug him.

"You must be Simon!" Renee exclaimed as she pulled away, keeping him at arm's length. "Charlie has told me so much about you, c'mon, come sit. I need to know everything about my daughter's best friend."

Simon shot Bella a look of confusion as he was dragged away, only to get a shrug from her in response. He shook his head as a smile found its way onto his face, and he followed after the excited woman.