Well, hey guys. Hopeless Case Lover here. This is my first fanfic, so please, be nice.
Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns the characters, not me. I merely own the plot.
PROLOGUE
: ~ : Isabella Marie Swan : ~ :
"I love you," I stated sincerely.
Mark smiled but it didn't reach his dark eyes; they remained sad and slightly distant. "I wish," he muttered so low I wasn't sure I had heard correctly. Before I could say anything, however, he said; "Goodbye Bella," and had gone for his plane.
Confused and worried, I walked slowly back through the airport, his words ringing in my ears. "I wish." What did he mean? How could he doubt my love towards him? I loved him more than anything else in the world. That could never change. That would never change. No matter what happened.
I thought back to his departing words. "Goodbye Bella." Why had they sounded like this was the last goodbye? He was coming back . . . wasn't he? I racked my brains for when he had first told me his mother had broken her leg.
"I'm just going to visit. I'll be back in a week. Don't worry." If he was going for a week, why did he have three suitcases full? My head was spinning in circles. It didn't make sense. None of it made sense. What was going on?
(...)
Click his name. Go on. Just do it. Pick up your phone, scroll down the contacts, and click his name. Easy. Just do it. Do it. It had been three weeks since Mark had left, and I had been sitting on my four-poster for an hour straight, debating mentally whether or not I should phone him up. Something was wrong. I could feel it.
My curiosity finally getting the better of me, I grabbed my iPhone and dialled his home number. After five rings, when I was about to disconnect, his mother spoke.
"Hello?"
I pulled myself together quickly and spoke clearly and politely. "Hello, Mrs. Tyler. This is Bella Swan."
"Oh, hello, dear! What a pleasant surprise! How are your summer holidays?"
I sighed. I had forgotten how nice his mother was. I hated disappointing her. "They're fine, thank you. How's your leg?"
"My leg?" She sounded genuinely confused.
"Um," What do you say to someone who claims nothing is wrong with them when it is? I changed the subject. "Could I speak to Mark please?" He'd have the answers.
"Mark? Isn't Mark in Florida with you?"
"Mark said –" I stopped myself halfway. I shouldn't be worrying Mrs. Tyler unnecessarily. This was my problem. "Sorry, my mistake. I think I mixed him up with someone else. Sorry. Um, I have to go now. Bye."
"No problem. Goodbye, Isabella. Do call more often, please."
"Sure thing. Thank you again. Bye."
"Bye."
I disconnected and breathing heavily, found Mark's mobile and clicked on it. I had pushed all the emotion out of my brain. I needed to function properly. And I couldn't do it panicking.
"Hello?" I gasped when I heard an obviously female voice. This couldn't be happening again.
"Could I speak to Mark please?" I requested in a whisper, unable to speak any louder without breaking down.
"Um, he's in the shower. Sorry. Can I take a message?"
I sighed. "No, it's okay. Just tell him Bella Swan called."
"Sure. Bye."
"Wait!" I almost shouted into the receiver. "Sorry, I forgot something. Who are you?"
"Oh, Amanda Denali. His girlfriend. And you are?"
I bristled at her demanding tone, tears streaming down my angry face. "And you are?" "His ex." And I hung up before she could say anything that would break my shattered heart any further.
:~: Edward Anthony Cullen :~:
"It's over."
"We weren't made for each other."
"Have you ever made time to spend with me?"
"You spend more time with your sister than you do with me!"
"You never act like a proper boyfriend! Sweet, caring, romantic, protective!"
"You're not serious about this, Edward. It's obvious. You're not ready for a relationship."
I buried my head underneath the soft pillow, focusing only on the music that was playing through my headphones. It was over. Everything was over.
"Edward, tell me now if you are indecent or I'm coming in. Three . . . two . . . one. Okay, I'm coming. What the –? Edward, what are you doing?"
I sighed as the pillow was lifted off my head and tiny fingers wrenched the earphones out of my ears. It seemed I couldn't block my pixie-like sister, Alice, out no matter how hard I tried.
"What?" I muttered. I was not in the mood.
"What do you think you are doing in bed?" Alice demanded.
"Um, let me guess," I faked thinking. "Sleeping?"
"Sleeping? My dear idiot brother, does first day of school ring a bell?"
"My dear annoying sister, does get-out-and-leave-me-alone ring a bell?" I shot back, pulling the pillow out of her hands and burying my head underneath it again, only to have it pulled off again.
"Edward," Alice's tone was much softer now. "Moping about it isn't going to help. Come on, you need to start afresh. Come on." She tugged on my arm, and I finally gave up.
"Fine, I'm going to change. I'll meet you at the car in ten," I said, rubbing my sore eyes.
To my surprise, Alice blushed a delicate shade of pink. "Um, I'm going with Jasper today. He's waiting out front." And, before I could say anything, she quite literally ran out of my room.
I sighed again, as I opened my wardrobe, looking for something decent. When I was dressed, I made my way slowly to the dining room.
"Hey, Edward, dear. Are you sure you're up for school today?" Esme looked at me with concern in her caramel eyes.
"Of course, Eddie is! Eddie's up for everything! Aren't you?" Emmett made his usual loud entrance and threw his arm around my shoulders.
"Good morning to you too, Emmett," I muttered, shrugging out of his arm.
"No annoying Edward today," Esme said with a stern look in his direction.
To my utter surprise, he nodded seriously. "Of course not. I'll be sure to annoy the hell out of him tomorrow!" Grabbing a pancake, and laughing his booming laugh, he departed as well.
"Don't mind him," Esme said.
I put on a grin for her sake; this whole Amanda thing had depressed her more than it had me. "Do I ever?"
And, before I knew it, I was in her warm comforting arms, crying like a complete sissy. Thank God Emmett had left.
"Ssh," she comforted me gently. "It's going to be okay, Edward. Everything will be okay."
If only, I thought. If only.
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Coming up (if I get reviews): Bella moves to Forks and starts to bond with Charlie. She also has her first day at Forks High. What happens when she meets the Cullens?