Disclaimer: Things I own would include, a very old copy of Wuthering Heights, a mildly old Epiphone guitar and a very new pair of moccasins.

Things I don't own would include, Twilight by the lovely SM, Ignorance by the rock awesome Paramore and anything else you may recognize.

Things that own me would include Robert Pattinson and apparently also faux-hawkward. Swoon.


Prologue

The moment I stepped outside of my house I internally sighed and wished for the rain to be here instead of the snow. Wrapping my old jacket tighter around myself I made a dash for my truck. Sitting in the cabin, waiting for the heat to start working, I reached for the hair that no longer rested on my shoulder. Sighing dejectedly I reasoned with myself that it was worth it, my hair looked nice short. Right? Shaking my head of silly errant thoughts, I reversed my truck out of my dirt driveway and headed south.

I parked my truck in the lot behind my favorite little sushi joint in the down town area of Forks, Washington. I loved this area; it had an old-time feel to it. There were always white twinkle lights in the trees that ran down both sides of the narrow streets.

Passing the Starbucks on the corner of the street, I noticed a large group of people gathered inside the store. Not caring enough to stop and see what all the commotion was about I kept walking until I saw the welcoming 'open' sign lit up on the front window of my sushi place. I smiled.

I was about to step through the doorway when someone called my name. A chill ran throughout my entire body. I let go of the door and slowly turned toward the voice…

Well shit.

"Bella! God, it is you! I can't believe it!!!"

I was frozen in place, taken aback by the tall, solid form that was quickly approaching me. He jogged out of the Starbucks and stopped a foot in front of me.

His hair was cropped short on the sides and his orange-brown curls were haphazardly formed into a messy faux-hawk on the top of his head. There was just a hint of stubble on his face. He was wearing a black shirt with a deep v-neck that showed the dip between his pecs. I followed the line of his broad shoulders to his forearms where I stared at the veins disappearing into his sleeves, which were pushed up passed his elbows. The black shirt made his light skin look paler than I had ever seen. He had on a pair of black jeans that were cut close to his legs and then bunched together at his ankles where they met with his worn-in black chucks.

His lips slowly pulled around his teeth to form into a large smile, while his jade-green eyes scanned from my jean-clad legs up, until he met my eyes.

God he's beautiful.

"Edward." I breathed. Though my face did not show any sign of happiness, his smile did not falter.

"I can't believe I ran into you here!!" Edward said as he moved to embrace me in a hug. He wrapped his left arm around my waist and his other came to bring my face to his chest, it was hard. He smelled like coffee and maybe a little bit of sunshine. I patted him back with one hand, my other hanging at my side.

"Look at your hair! You chopped it all off!!" He grimaced as he pushed my bangs aside and ran his fingers through my hair. "Did you dye parts of it black? It makes your brown look lighter. That's cool I guess." Apparently Edward didn't enjoy my new haircut.

"Edward, I live in Forks. It's not that surprising that you would run into me here." I said ignoring his comments about my hair and talking a step away from him.

It was then that about seven people exited the Starbucks, laughing. One man with a British accent called out to Edward. Suddenly, I understood what the crowd was inside of Starbucks.

While still keeping eye contact with me, Edward, called out, "Peter!! Come here. Meet Bella."

The group walked up behind Edward and then flanked his sides. As if to show I was alone. I quickly scanned the group around him, they all looked familiar, I had seen them before.

Peter made a move to greet me, but I waved him off with my hand, still keeping eye contact with Edward. I know I was being a jerk to Peter. I had always wanted to meet him; Edward talked about him all the time. But I was not about to pass up this opportunity.

"So, are you here to eat at Bishamon? It's your favorite sushi place." Edward's obvious assessment broke the silence; that smile still plastered on his face as he tilted his head toward the restaurant.

"Yes."

"Are you alone?" Edward said, looking behind me now.

"Yes, Edward." I sighed wanting to be away from him. Kind of.

"That's great!! We'll join you." He motioned to the group around him. It was a statement, not a question.

After letting out another sigh I replied, "I'd rather not."

"Wh-what?" Edward stuttered, which was unusual for the confident bastard.

"I'd really rather you didn't join me for lunch Edward."

"Um, yes, I understood what you said… I just don't understand why…" he trailed off.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Throwing my hands up in the air, I continued."What is your problem?" I yelled, while pointing my finger at him. "Don't you pull this shit with me Edward Cullen. You know exactly why I don't want to be around you."

While continuing to stare at me with a blank expression on his face Edward took a step closer to me. I took a step back.

"Bella, I-" he said while reaching his hand out for me.

"No, Edward. Stop." I interrupted him, looking at his hand. When I looked back at him, he dropped it to his side.

"How dare you…" I said in my calmest voice. I needed to control myself; I was not that little girl anymore. "How dare you treat me like this. You're a liar Edward. You lied to me. I can't believe I ever trusted you."

I stopped myself when I started to feel my eyes water. He had seen me cry too many times and that will never happen again. I will not be weak. I took a deep breath and ran my hand through my hair to calm myself. Edward's entourage, though still very present, began to move away after my little outburst.

"Bella..." Edward pleaded, again reaching out for me. I took another step back and crossed my arms so he couldn't grab them. His face fell.

"A year." I said and then took another deep breath while running my hand through my hair. "You haven't spoken to me in over a year. I traveled half way around the world for you and you couldn't even carve an hour out of your oh-so-busy schedule to be with me. I guess you don't think I'm as special as you once thought I was. It makes sense, I mean, I'm not gonna scream and cry to touch you. I'm not gonna ask for your picture or for your autograph. I'm not impressed by this façade you've created… because I know you."

"And that's what you want. Isn't it Edward? You love that you're a big deal now. You'll even shove people out of the way to get it, even me, even your beloved. How dare you think you can spout out pretty words and then ignore me for a year. Did you honestly think I'd just come crawling back to you? You're not so special Edward Cullen."

Suddenly I was inches from his face, staring up at him, daring him to deny my accusations. He didn't move an inch or look away. Nor did he speak.

"You're just like them." I whispered in his face.

Finally he broke from my stare and looked away. I took a step back and pinched the bridge of my nose trying to relieve the headache I left building. But I still wasn't finished; there was more to say.

"I fought for you." I said almost to myself, closing my eyes.

"What do you mean?" He whispered back. I opened my eyes in time to see his shoot up to meet mine.

"In London, when Rosalie and I got in that fight. She told me this would happen Edward. She told me that she was glad for me that you moved so far away. She told me she was proud of me that I didn't let your actions bother me. And do you know why I didn't let it bother me Edward?"

He said nothing.

"Because I knew. I fucking knew that was going to happen. I- I wrote to you the night I got back from London… sobbing and alone, praying that maybe you'd prove Rosalie wrong. But you didn't... you did exactly what she said you would."

That was it and I was done. I couldn't stand here and look at him anymore.

"You're a selfish asshole and you aren't worth it anymore." I could feel the tears building in my eyes and I knew I only had a few more seconds before I was going to cry.

I pushed passed him. "Wait." He said softly, just as I passed the rest of his group.

No.

It dawned on me that his entourage had witnessed my entire outburst. But I didn't care, maybe that would do him some good, for them to see that not everyone swooned at the sight of him. But if I was being honest with myself, I don't think I had met anyone who hadn't instantly fallen in love with him.

"Bella… Isabella!!" He yelled after me.

No.

I ran towards my truck with tears threatening to spill over.

No…

"I hate you!" I wanted to scream back to him but couldn't. I didn't hate him, even if the only feeling I wanted towards him was hate. I didn't hate him. The only reason he had this effect, this control over me was because I loved him. I loved him so much. I loved him too much.

I turned the corner away from the Starbucks and my truck came into view. I grabbed my keys out of my purse and looked down to find the right one. I ran a few more feet and just as I was about to push my key into the door I was spun around and shoved against my truck.

"Don't touch me!" I yelled as I tried to push his hands off of my shoulders. He wouldn't budge.

"Don't!!!" I screamed. "I'm not the same kid from your memory. I can fend for myself!! I don't need you!! I don't need you." Whether I was saying this for his benefit or mine, I'm not sure. But as the words came out of my mouth Edward staggered back, leaning into the car parked next to mine.

He looked as if I had punched him in the stomach; his body contorted at my words.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, looking at his shoes.

"D-don't… don't say cr-crap to me that you don't mean." I stuttered as traitor tears streamed down my face blurring my vision of the beautiful man I could not longer look away from.

Still not looking at me, Edward slowly starting shaking his head from side to side. "But, you are just a kid," he mumbled to himself, "…so young..." He trailed off.

"What… what does m-my age have to do with t-this?" I stuttered through my tears.

Without moving away from the car he was leaning against, Edward straightened up and looked at me. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides as he watched the tears pour down my face, keeping himself from touching me. He hated when I cried.

"Bella, love. You're… you're so young."

"I'm not..." I trailed off as I began to sob, putting my face in my hands.

"No. I can see that you're not…" he said as I heard him take a step away from the car. "But you're a teenager. Just a kid." His words only caused me to cry harder.

"N-no Edward. No I'm not." I took a deep breath and tilted my head back, willing the tears away. Willing myself to calm down. "You've forgotten my birthday this year." I said as I tried to remove the tears from under my eyes.