Who Will Save Your Soul
Prologue:
She spotted him just beyond the worn blacktop, sitting on a weathered picnic table beneath the tree as she'd asked him to. Honestly she was surprised he showed up…with his proven track record she doubted he would arrive before her, if not at all. But there he was, looking like proverbial shit; dirty clothes, greasy hair, signs of the path he chose. His appearance matched the gloomy overcast as soon the clouds would open and pour rain down upon them. He'd left just enough space for her to sit on the corner, enough space between them that was comfortable to be important to the cause. No way would she let his touch deter her from what she needed to do.
She's going to break his heart…
They were passed the pretense of selfish need to be in the presence of one another. Where once, just the sight of him caused her body to come alive…clearly leading to fumbling hands and passionate kisses. Knowing that they never should have crossed that thin line but not giving a damn. And while she wished to hold on to that, the boy that she loved was dead.
He'd broken her heart many times - so to say she was worried about how he'd take it would mean she cared.
"Hey." His voice grated on her ears like sandpaper, where it once reminded her of silk. Funny, he could barely look at her. She didn't want to be pleasant. She didn't want his greeting or anything from him anymore. After what he'd put her through….
Out of the corner of her eye she spotted the reminder of why the decision was final. The plastic bracelet around his wrist… that he'd been close to death and didn't care enough to take it off before he returned to what landed him there in the first place.
…She needed to do it now.
"I'm leaving." The words tumble forth through her dry lips.
She pretended not to hear the sharp intake of breath. Pretended not to feel him shaking, in disbelief or because of the drugs she wasn't sure. Did he feel it? That nagging, gut wrenching pain of not knowing how to cope when she was gone? That's what it felt like, every day. That's what he made her feel when he stopped caring.
"You promised." His eyes bore into the side of her face. She refused to look at him, holding strong as he crumbled beside her. "I…I'm trying to get better. I-"His voice broke at the end. Grabbing onto his dirty hair he pulled. Edward knew then as the poison in his veins sent his emotions running high that he had truly lost.
"You promised Bella!"
He's right. She did promise.
With his head against her chest and her arms around him, she promised never to abandon him...
Her knees shook as she stood looking down on the stranger that had taken her best friend away. "I lied."
She walked away, just as the sky opened and poured down a heavy spring rain. Bella couldn't save him because he didn't want to be saved. She left him there looking toward her future because if she didn't, he would take her down with him.
And that wasn't happening.
A/N: Welcome! Depending on the response I may add more frequently but I make no promises. This is a WIP. I am prepared for the onslaught of comments telling me they hate the characters. I like angst, so be prepared.
Until next time…