New Fic of the Week: 9/12/11

Turning Pointe by Viridian6

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7308154/1/Turning_Pointe

Reviewed by Agrutle

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Angst
Characters: Edward & Bella

Summary: Edward's life was a non-stop party – drinking, drugs, girls – he's completely out of control. Determined to win back his father's approval, he befriends sweet & innocent Bella. His plan backfires, but can he give up his new addiction? 

After an accident that killed Edward's parents when he was eight, he was adopted by Esme and Carlisle Cullen. They had recently adopted eight year old Emmett, who was excited to have a brother, Edward just wanted to go home.

A drunk driver killed my parents. I was in the car too. I survived, they didn't. 

I lie when I say I don't remember them. In truth, I remember everything about them. I remember my mother's chestnut-colored hair and green eyes; I see them in my own reflection when I look in the mirror. I remember how she would always smell like vanilla and the songs she would play for me on her piano. I remember my father's booming voice and the way he would ruffle my hair when he was proud of me. I remember our house in the small town of Forks, Washington. I remember the way my father's shoes would tap against the kitchen floor every morning when he would leave for the office in his black suit and tie. I remember my swing set in the backyard and the surrounding forest I would play in for hours. I remember fishing trips and camping trips, birthday parties and neighborhood friends coming over to play. I remember being happy. 

Playing the piano connected Edward to his mother, he had stopped playing piano until he met Mrs. Cope. He then began to learn all the songs his mother loved. He would spend weeks working on songs, working until the last song he had to work through was finished, then he felt like he had lost her all over again. He hasn’t played the piano since. When Edward was fifteen, he started heading in a different direction. While Emmett was concentrating on football and being an all around good guy, Edward did none of that.That’s when he met Jasper, and they began their crazy journey. Skipping school, cliff diving, shoplifting, and then later the partying and drugs. He didn’t stop until he wrecked his car and woke up in the hospital broken bones and a charged with felony possession of a controlled substance. As a result,  Carlisle was just finished, he quit speaking to Edward unless absolutely necessary.

So, I have been staying out of trouble. I want Carlisle to regain some of his faith in me just as Esme has done. I have adopted the philosophy that my actions speak louder than my words, assuming when he sees I am making an effort to be good, my spoken apology would carry more weight. I started going to class every day, finishing my junior year with straight A's. I never miss a meeting with my probation officer and my drug tests are always clean. I even try spending less time with Jazz, all in an effort to appease Carlisle. 

A few months have gone by and my good behavior continues to go unnoticed. It's irritating to work so hard and have him completely ignore my progress. It's so easy to fall back in to my old habits when I get aggravated by Carlisle. Like last night, hanging with Jazz and getting drunk at a rock concert. Of course, I regret it now and not because of my splitting headache, but because I feel like I'm always taking two steps forward and one step back. What the hell do I have to do to get back in his good graces? 

Isabella is a dancer and she is coming to stay with the Cullen’s so she can study under Victoria James at the Washington Academy of Performing Arts on a scholarship. Charlie is friends with Carlisle and is super overprotective of Bella, so much in fact that he almost didn’t let her take the scholarship, that is until Carlisle offered for Bella to live with him and Esme. Edward isn’t excited, neither is Emmett really. Bella is so thankful that the Cullen’s have let her come to stay with them, she is overwhelmed at the acceptance and the studio that they had built for her. She and Edward seem to hit it off and she is glad to have a friend. She also thinks he is the most beautiful person she’s seen. All the while, Edward is thinking that if he is nice to her and befriends her, Carlisle will lay off of him.

I begin to form a plan. 

If Carlisle sees I'm playing nice with the good girl next door, maybe I can score some points with the doctor. Perhaps Bella and I can even be friends. Certainly Carlisle will like that – me spending time with someone like Bella. He detests Jasper. Maybe befriending somebody who is Jazz's polar opposite will help level the playing field. Besides, I wouldn't mind spending more time with Bella. Furthermore, if a person like Bella thinks I'm worthy of their friendship, maybe Carlisle will see I'm not all bad. 

Virtuous by association. 

The whole situation might actually work to my benefit. 

The author has a way of making you feel bad for Edward, even though he has done this to himself. He has caused the issues he has with Carlisle. I am intrigued to see how this relationship with Bella works out. How she does with school and handling Edward. There is so much more that I wanted to say but I want you to read it for yourself! Run over and read and review it!!! You won’t be disappointed!!