Lyrical Melodrama Story Contest
Name of story: After All this Time
Pen name: Jacky-Cullen
Song story is inspired by: Blind
Artist: Lifehouse
Category: Newbie
Main Pairing: Edward and Bella
POV: EPOV

A/N: All known characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. Thanks to my awesome beta soobcesseditsnotfunny.

Ten years ago

Love sucks. My life sucks. Life was so much better when girls were just girls, but no, I had to grow up and start noticing girls. How I wish I could go back in time where my only troubles were if I had lost some of my crayons.

Everything started during sixth grade. Bella and I had been friends since the first grade, when I was the only person who talked to her when she came into the classroom because she was a new student. I had never noticed her beautiful brown eyes, or the way they sparkled when she was happy. I had never noticed her long, brown, curly hair or her gorgeous smile. That is until we started the sixth grade.

We had always been in the same classroom, so it was a big surprise when fate decided that Bella should be in a different class, away from me. We still hung out during lunch and recess, but it wasn't the same. I wanted to be with her all the time, but it just wasn't possible.

I also wanted to know how she felt about me, but I didn't know what to do or say. I spent most of the school year trying to figure out what to do, but I never actually did anything. One day I overheard a guy from Bella's classroom telling his friends that he was going to ask Bella to be his girlfriend. That's when I decided to go to my dad for help.

"Hey dad, can I talk to you?" I said while knocking on his home office door.

"Sure sport, what's on your mind?" He replied, putting down the newspaper he was reading.

I didn't know how to start, and I was kind of embarrassed to talk to him about this stuff.

"Well, I have this friend," I started, but was interrupted by his chuckling.

"What?" I asked him. I wanted him to take me seriously.

"No, nothing, please go on son," He replied and made his face all serious again.

"Ok, I have this friend," I paused to see if he was going to interrupt me again. When I saw that he was waiting for me to go on I continued, "And he has this girl best friend, who he suddenly likes, but he doesn't know if she likes him. He doesn't want to ruin their friendship by telling her, but he is desperate to know if she feels the same way. What do you think I should tell him?"

"Umm… I see, so this friend of yours has a crush on his best friend and wants to tell her, but doesn't want to get rejected," he said.

"Exactly, I mean what if she doesn't like me, I mean him, and then they can't be friends anymore because it will be all weird," I said, hoping he didn't catch my slip.

"The only way he can know if she likes him is to tell her," he started, "I would tell your friend to write this girl a letter explaining to her how he feels, that way it won't be as embarrassing for him if she doesn't feel the same way."

"That's a great idea dad," I said and I took off running towards my room. I would write Bella a letter and hope she felt about me, the same way I felt about her.

So I took my father's advice, and I wrote Bella the most heartfelt letter ever written. In it I explained how she was my best friend, and how she was always there for me, and that I would always be there for her. I also wrote about how pretty she was and how much I liked being around her. Once I finished I took an envelope from my mom's stationary and sealed it up and with my best handwriting wrote Bella on the front.

It was the last week of school, so I decided that it was the perfect time to give her the letter. If she didn't like me like I like her, then we would have three whole months to spend time apart, and maybe she would forget about it by the time school started again. But if she liked me, then we wouldn't have to be separated the whole time, and we could spend every day together.

My plan was perfect. That is until Bella decided to not talk to me anymore. I had taken the envelope with the letter to school, I was going to give it to her during recess, but Bella was acting strange, and she seemed to be really sad.

"Hey Bella!" I said to her when I saw her in the playground we used to hang out before the bell rung.

"Hi," she said, but it was barely above a whisper.

"What's wrong?" I had to ask, because she was usually laughing and playing around, but today she was just sitting there, with a frown on her face.

"Nothing, I have to go," she said, and with that took off running towards her classroom.

The same thing happened during lunch. I would ask her what was wrong, but she would answer that everything was ok and then she wouldn't say anything else.

The same thing happened the rest of the week. Bella wouldn't talk to anybody. She would go to school and go back home without saying one word, unless she was asked something by a teacher. She wouldn't answer the phone, and when I went to her house, her mom would always tell me that she was either busy or asleep or some other excuse. The light in her eyes was gone too. It was as if she was a zombie, still on earth but dead inside.

Finally on Friday, the last day of school, she talked to me. It wasn't a full conversation, like we used to have, but she did ask me to meet her at the park after school. She wouldn't tell me what she wanted to talk about, but I could sense that she was really nervous about whatever it was.

Immediately after school I went home to tell my mom that I was going to the park with Bella. I changed from my uniform and took the letter from my sock drawer where I had hidden it. I took my bike and rode toward the park. When I got there I saw Bella sitting on a swing.

"Hey," she said as she noticed me. Her eyes were full of tears, but she was working hard to keep them from spilling.

"Hey," I answered back.

"Edward," she started, but just then her tears fell down her face. I went to her and hugged her. It was hurting me to see her this way, but I still wanted to figure out what could be so bad that made her cry this way. After a couple of minutes, which seemed like an eternity to me, she calmed down enough to tell me what was on her mind.

"Edward, I'm sorry I've ignore you this whole week. It's just that you're my best friend and I didn't know how to tell you. I know that there is no excuse for what I've done, but I just don't want to move. What am I going to do without you?"

She spoke so fast I almost missed the part where she said she was moving.

"What are you talking about?" I had to ask. I was having a really hard time understanding the concept that Bella was moving away from here. Away from me.

"We are moving, Edward," She said, sobbing again, "my dad was offered a great job, and he couldn't refuse. We were just waiting for me to finish the school year here."

I was suddenly angry. She knew she was moving for god knows how long and she never told me? What kind of friend does that? She knew our time together was limited yet she never said anything, and she kept me away from her. We could've enjoyed our time together, but instead she just pushed me away.

I couldn't take it anymore. I had to get away from here and away from her. I got on my bike and pedaled like I've never pedaled before. I didn't know where I was going, but I just wanted to be alone. Bella was half screaming, half crying for me to go back and forgive her, but I just could do it. I had never felt so betrayed in my life.

Once it was dark, I decided to go back home, I didn't want my mom or dad to worry. I went up to my room, ignoring my mom's calls to go back and eat dinner. I guess she then noticed that I wanted to be alone because she didn't say anything else.

Half an hour later there was a small knock on my door.

"Go away, I want to be alone," I said to whoever was outside my door.

"Edward, honey, what's wrong?" my mom asked as she came into my room and sat at the edge of my bed.

"Bella," was all I could manage to say.

"Oh, I get it, she finally told you," mom said while stroking my hair.

"What do you mean she finally told you?" I asked angrily at my mom, "You mean to tell me that you knew all along that she was moving and you never told me anything."

"Yes, I knew, but Bella made me promise that I wouldn't say anything to you," she calmly explained, "She wanted to be the one to tell you."

"I can't believe this," I said, "how long have you known this?"

"Since Charlie accepted the job," she answered me, "so about two weeks."

"Two weeks! And you never said anything, how could you do this to me mom?" I yelled at her. I had never yelled at my mom, and I could see the pain I was causing her in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Edward, but I promised Bella I would let her be the one to tell you," she said, getting up from my bed. She then stepped out from my room, but before she closed the door she turned back to look at me, like she wanted to say something else, but she didn't and just left me alone to dwell on my misery.

All night I couldn't sleep. All I did as soon as I closed my eyes was see Bella's hurt face when she was telling me she was moving and her face when I just left her in the park. I also felt bad for my mother, for screaming at her. I knew it wasn't her fault, but I was just so frustrated I had to take it out on something, and that just happened to be my mom. I knew I had to apologize, to both of them, and maybe Bella and I could arrange something to keep in touch.

As soon as the sun came up the next morning I got up and went to my parent's bedroom. I made sure to knock first; God knows what they could be doing in there.

"Come in," I heard my mom say.

"Mom, I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry for the way I behaved yesterday. I promise you I will never talk to you that way ever again," I said, hoping that she would forgive me.

"Oh, honey, it's ok, I forgive you," she said while extending her hands, letting me know that she wanted a hug, "I know you must feel terrible, losing a best friend is a horrible experience, but I'm sure everything will be alright."

"I know mom, now I just have to go and apologize to Bella, she must feel terrible for the way I left her yesterday," I said, and with that I took off running towards Bella's house.

Once I got up the few steps I noticed that all the lights were off, which was odd, because Charlie would always be up at the crack of dawn. I knocked on the door a few times, but the whole house was quiet. I then decided to climb the tree directly in front of Bella's window. It was closed, but taped to the outside was an envelope, with my name written in Bella's handwriting on the front. I took it from the window, and climbed down the tree. Inside there was a tear-stained letter. I immediately took it out and read it.

Edward,

You don't know how much it pains me to have to leave this way. I never wanted to hurt you, but there is nothing I can do to change this situation. My only hope now is that someday you can forgive me.

Bella.

She was gone. Bella left me, and I never asked her to forgive me. I never told her how I felt and now she would never know. She was gone, and I was all alone.

A/N2: please go to www(dot)thewriterscoffeeshop(dot)com to see the rest of the entries to this contest. Next chapter will be up next week. Voting will start on Monday, November 30th, at the same website.