The kiss was simple yet intimate. Not too much and not too little. It was sweet and was evidence of the 'honeymoon' period. The couple were locked in an embrace, their arms around each other. The man's more possessive, the woman's clingier. He was several inches taller than her, just enough to have to look down whilst she looked up. Their eyes shone with adoration and you did not need to hear it from them to know how much they were in love. He laid his forehead against hers, before their lips met again. The magnetic pull too hard to resist. The woman's hands were clasped together behind his head, holding him in place just as his were claiming her hips. The kiss ended and the smiles stretched so wide on their faces. His nose was red from the cold, her cheeks flushed with colour. The man tucked stray hairs behind her ear before tenderly holding her cheek. Whispered words made her giggle and he smiled in return. Each touch given was affectionate, each look was smouldering and each kiss exploded into tingles. The whole presentation screamed love. Most passers-by looked on fondly, others with disgust at the over the top display and some with envy that they could never find someone to share their love with to heal their broken hearts.
One however felt nothing. A young woman sat on a bench across the couple watching. Just watching. She felt no jealously, no repulsion and most definitely no resentment seeing the display. Her heart did not flutter and it did not ache with loneliness. She simply watched and observed. She observed the way the couple's hands intertwined, the way their lips seemed to just fit and how the way each kiss sent silent messages of love.
The woman pictured the couple in 10 years time. They got married in a beautiful ceremony that was one of the happiest moments of their life, they had three children, they never argued and their home was filled with the never ending laughter.
However that image was not reality. The woman's mouth twitched slightly as she pictured what would probably, most definitely happen. In 10 years time the couple would get married and it would be the happiest day of their life. They would have three children and argue everyday due to the stress and the lack of communication and commitment to each other. The man would have an affair with the blonde woman at work who was fifteen years too young, and the woman would sit at home and be filled with grief at her husband infidelity. She would think back to this day and wonder where it all went wrong. They would eventually divorce and the children would grow up believing everything was a lie.
The woman blinked the image away and continued to watch the couple that were for now, in bliss. She wondered if they knew. If they knew that they would not always be this happy. They probably did, but were too stupid to realise that being alone was better than building your hopes up on short term contentment. She liked being alone. The word alone had too many negative connotations. To her she saw all the positive aspects that came with it. She would never have to live up to someone's expectations of being perfect; she would never have to spend weeks agonising over a present, and she most definitely would not have to be worrying that her other half was committed.
No, being alone was best.
She had tried all that before. Being in a relationship. Feeling the pressure to be immaculate and groomed. To be the suitable girlfriend that was paraded around like eye candy. To practice that false smile in the mirror so it didn't look false. To be something that she wasn't. Trying to fulfil expectations that were much too high. She had turned into the person she never wanted to be. A person she didn't recognise. She was lucky that she got out before it was too late and she lost herself. She almost had. Maybe she already was.
The woman pushed the lingering thoughts away as she watched the couple walk away with their arms wrapped around each other. They were probably going home. To their home. The home they spent so long perfecting together to make sure it was just right for their future family. So it was warm and cosy and inviting. It would be a loving home, one that they could share with each other together.
Bella Swan had never experienced a loving home.