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Chapter One: Betrayal, and Other Matters

Disclaimer:

Me: I own Twilight and everything in it! Yay me!!

Stephenie Meyer: *suggestive cough*

Me: Oh, Stephenie! How wonderful to see you! I was just saying how everything Twilight belongs to you!

Stephenie Meyer: I thought so.

BPOV

Edward and I were riding to my house from school, in a tense silence. This in itself was weird- usually, we never ran out of things to talk about, what with Edward's nearly constant stream of questions, analyzing every bleak corner of my past, and my existence.

The silence wasn't the only weird thing about today, though. The past couple of days had been strange, abnormal.

It was Edward.

It had started at my disastrous birthday party. I almost groaned aloud at the memory of the dastardly event. I had been at the Cullen's house when it happened. Alice, being Alice, couldn't resist throwing me a huge party for my 18th birthday. Alice was Edward's adopted sister, a little pixie-like vampire with an obsession with shopping. Not the best combination, especially if she decided you were 'a disgrace to fashion itself'. Her words, not mine.

Who would want to celebrate my getting older, anyway? Being a year older than Edward wasn't exactly something I was about to go jumping for joy over.

Anyway, it had all been going fine, for a birthday party. The house was lit up by thousands of white candles, placed on every flat surface. Beneath them were cream colored tablecloths, and also on top of those, were crystal vases filled with soft pink roses.

I shivered at the memory. Alice was going to kill me some day, with her elaborate party planning.

The party had progressed without a hitch. Even Rosalie hadn't been too mean. Rosalie was the one Cullen out of seven that seemed to not want to accept me into her family. In her opinion, things were going fine in her world until I showed up, and that they would go back to being fine only if I was to leave. Let's just say we aren't on the best of terms.

I was just about to open my present from Edward and Alice when things went horribly wrong. My finger slipped as I was tearing the wrapping, and the paper had sliced through the finger. A single drop of blood oozed from the tiny cut.

The next few seconds of memory were very clear, and they almost had me cowering in my worn out 1960's Chevy seat in terror.

A paper cut may not seem like a cringe worthy moment, but it all depends on the circumstance. If I had been at school, the only problem would have been that I may not have been able to find a Band-Aid.

But it was at the Cullen's house that my bad luck had decided to kick in. And so my biggest problem was trying to stop being eaten by Jasper, Alice's husband, and the Cullen with the least amount of control over his bloodlust.

Thankfully, Edward was there. He shoved me back, and intercepted Jasper on his way to me. Unfortunately, when Edward shoved me out of the way, he must have used more strength than he intended. In any case, I flew into a stack of china plates, and went through the cake too. When I fell to the floor, the shattered china drove into my arm, and I started bleeding more than ever.

Carlisle, the Cullen father figure, managed to fix my arm up, although he had to wait until after Emmet and Rosalie dragged Jasper out. All of the other Cullen's had slowly filtered out after that, leaving me alone with Carlisle. He had shared with me some interesting information, about both himself and Edward. I had learned more about Carlisle's past, and the reasons behind his decisions to become a good vampire, and a doctor. I had gained a lot of respect for Carlisle that day. I had also learned a lot about Edward. More specifically, about his reasons not to change me.

He thought he had no soul.

The notion was so absurd- how could someone as good as Edward be soulless? Impossible.

Edward took me home then, and I found out what my birthday present was- a recording of his music, his compositions. Everything had seemed fine, then. Sure, Edward had been acting strange then, but I thought it would pass.

It didn't.

The simplest things were different about him- he seemed tenser, stiffer, and more… vampire like. He didn't talk as much, to me or anyone else, including his family. He acted less natural, and his eyes… they were bleaker than I had ever seen them. Cold, remote and distant. There was no warmth in those eyes.

Not even his family was here to help me try to get to Edward- they were all gone, on different personal trips. Alice was with Jasper, trying to cheer him up after his laps in control. Rosalie was with Emmet, continuing their honeymoon, and I hadn't seen Carlisle or Esme since my birthday.

So here I was now, in my truck with Edward. I decided, as he navigated the groaning car on to the driveway, that we had to talk, now. If I pu it off, Edward would just be in his coma like state for that much longer.

I was surprised when he was the first one to speak.

"Take a walk with me."

I nodded slowly in response, and got out of the car. Edward led me to the small trail in my backyard, and we started forward. We were only a few feet into the forest when Edward turned to face me.

Some walk.

Edward looked into my eyes as he said "Bella, we're leaving."

I took a deep breath. I knew it was coming sooner or later. What with the Cullen's inability to age, they were always on the move, always going to new towns to keep their secret a secret. People in Forks would be noticing soon, surely.

But why now? Why would the Cullen's choose to leave now, right after my disastrous birthday?

"Okay," I said slowly "Just give me a few days to pack up, and make some excuse…" My words died on my lips as I saw Edward's expression. His butterscotch eyes were mocking me, as if I was dimwitted, and had missed some obvious detail of what he had told me.

My heart dropped into my stomach.

"When you say we…" I whispered.

"I mean my family and myself." His words were still mocking- but they seemed somehow false. As though his heart wasn't in it. "Did you rely think we'd bring the pet along?" He asked "You do know you are one of many. Very many humans that we have decided to toy with over the years. We pick up a new one every few towns." He laughed, and it was cruel, not the warm laugh I loved. An immortal's life is boring, Isabella, you have to realize that. We've got to have some fun sometimes." He laughed again "Normally we would string you along for a while more, but we decided to find a more interesting human. You don't know how boring it is, being around someone with no personality."

His face was a cold mask as he said it, the expression cruel. He looked in pain too, though I couldn't care less at the moment. He deserved whatever pain he was in now for what he was doing to me.

They had all lied to me. Every single one of them even Alice! My best friend. Well, not any more, or ever, apparently. They had all played me. Played me like Edward plays the piano. Beautifully.

I collapsed to the ground, tears running down my face.

In a swish of air, Edward was gone. Taking parts of me with him. The best parts of me.

I don't know how much later it was that a bubblegum pink voice sounded in my ear. "Well well well." It crooned, "this is just too easy."

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up in terror.

Cliffy!! Sorry, I couldn't resist.

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