Everyone has defining moments. I've had several. Some more signifigant than others. For instance, my first day of school which, for me, was terrifying. I didn't know anyone and the teacher smelled funny. Had I not been able to go home after a few hours, I have no doubt that I would have been emotionally scarred for life. Barring that first day, my little moments continued until I graduated high school and began preparing myself for the real world.

During my senior year at Northwestern, I met Tanya Denali. She was exquisite. Smart, extremely confident, beautiful, and mean. Tanya was a hell cat, and could hold a grudge for an eternity. I have no idea why I was attracted to her. Her physical beauty was beyond compare, but she had the personality of a snake. She was perfect around others, but I knew that someone would eventually slip and say or do something that she didn't like. I had made that mistake on more than one occasion. Those were the times I dreaded most, because when we were alone, she didn't hesitate to take,whatever out on me. It didn't matter who the offender was. One would think that I'd be exempt from her fury, but I wasn't. If anything, I bore the brunt of it.

Hoping to turn things around for us, I planned a trip to Mexico, during spring break of our senior year. It didn't go well. Her selfishness knew no bounds, and it seemed that no matter what I did to try to please her, nothing worked. I knew then that I couldn't win.

We graduated shortly afterward. I'd earned a degree in architecture, and she, in graphic design. While she remained unemployed, I landed a posh position with Volturi Designs in Chicago. I loved being able to just create. Marcus Volturi was my boss. He gave me little projects to do, and being satisfied with my work, started giving me more responsibility. Marcus was a great man. He was encouraging, supportive, and generous. He was alot like my own father. So, it was no surprise to me, when my parents were killed in an auto accident the following January, how comforting Marcus was.

My defining moments may have seemed insignifigant to others, but the death of my parents, a definite moment, nearly crippled me. Understanding my grief, Marcus was, I thought, lenient, where I was concerned. I had lost, not one, but both of my parents in one careless action. They had been my center, my balance. I was barely able to even comprehend their absence from my life, much less deal with the aftermath of that absence I was an only child. I had no other family, except my mother's sister, Esme and her family, but they were hundreds of miles away. Seeing Aunt Esme had been wonderful, and under different circumstances, would have been a truly joyous occasion. But her visit had been shrouded in a blinding fog of pain and loss. I wish she had been able to stay. Being near someone who loved my parents as much as I did was a great help. But life goes on, and she had to go.

I threw myself into my work. I knew that Marcus was concerned, but since my work hadn't seemed to suffer, he kept quiet. Tanya was another story. It was always something with her, and I'd grown so tired of her games, the mere thought of being in the same room with her made me ill. I was raised to be respectful, to be a gentleman. I was taught that 'class' is defined by one's actions toward others. So, I made sure to give the homeless man on the corner a few bucks, hold doors open for old ladies, tip well, and make sure that my secretary always got coffee for herself if she was getting any for me. Tanya, apparently, was not raised the way I was. She was spoiled. She expected to be the center of everyone's universe, including mine, and she thought 'class' was represented by what type of car a person drove, or the name of the designer that happened to be stretched across her ass. She didn't have a pair of shoes that cost less that five-hundred dollars, and didn't have a problem dropping two grand on a butt-fucking-ugly purse. Which she did frequently. Tanya Denali was a walking cliche; Beauty is only skin deep. For she was just as ugly on the inside, as she was beautiful on the outside.

I had been working late one evening, a few months after my parents' accident. Tanya had called several times, then resorted to texting after being sent to voicemail for the gabillionth time. If I had been paying attention to the messages, I wouldn't have felt the need to rip her limb from limb and burn her world to the ground. I simply would have left the office and dealt with her in a gentlemanly fashion. Well, as much as I could have. The texting stopped after a few hours. I had been completely stupid to think that she'd just given up. I recieved an email from her. I wasn't in a hurry to open it, but the caption in the 'subject' bar captured and held my curiosity. So, I opened it. 'This will each you to ignore me!" This sentiment was accompanied by a video attatchment, which I also opened. I immediatly recognized Tanya. She was in my apartment, no, she didn't have a key, in my bed, with one of my co-workers. James Laurant, shitty architect, esquire. The entire world took on a red haze. She was fucking a piece of shit in my bed.

In the year and a half that Tahya and I had dated, I never fucked anyone else. And I would never have done so in her bed, if I had. But that was the difference between us. She expected, and she took, and it didn't matter to her who she hurt or stepped on as long as she got what she wanted, when she wanted it, and God help anyone who didn't comply or conform. I had reached my breaking point. I picked up the phone and dialed her number. I wasn't surprised that she picked up on the first ring.

"It's about fucking time, asshole!" She hissed. ,Hissed. At me.

"Are you still in my apartment, Tanya?" I kept my voice as calm as I could. I knew she was hateful, but I had no idea of how truly evil she could be. She said that she was now at home, and asked if I was coming to see her. "No, Tanya. I've had my fill. Stay away from my apartment. Don't come near me again or I swear, I'll tear that psychopathic head of yours off of your body and shit down your neck." She remained silent. "Do you understand what I'm saying to you, Tanya?"

"Edward, I was just trying to get your attention. You know I don't like being ignored!"

"Well, congratulations. You've got my attention. Now, you better pay close attention to me, because I'm only going to say this one time. Stay the fuck away from me! If you have any sense of self preservation at all, stay away."

"Are you threatening me, Edward?"

"No, I'm not threatening you. I'm telling you, stay away. Don't make me repeat myself, Tanya. I assure you, you won't like it. Not one little bit." I hung up before she could say anything else, and called Marcus to see if a leave of absence would be possible. After explaining the situation, he assured me that I could take as much time as I needed. I, then went home and called the only family I had left.

"Edward, sweetheart. It's so good to hear your voice. How are you?"

"Aunt Esme." I sighed. "It's good to hear your voice, too. I've been thinking about visiting... indefinately. Would that be a problem?"

"I'll get the guest room made up in the morning. It'll be ready for you when you get here. I love you, Edward." She whispered. I could feel the sting of tears. It felt so good to know that someone, somewhere loved me... just because.

"I love you, too." My voice cracked. "Thank you. I'll see you soon."

I packed a couple of suitcas, then took my bed, linnens and all to the basement of my apartment building, and left it by the incinerator. I called the airport for the next flight to Seattle, booked a flight for the next day, and crashed on the couch.

The next morning, I went to the office to wrap up a few things, and give Marcus the number at Aunt Esme's. I was preparing to walk out of my office when James Laraunt stepped into the door. He eyeballed me from top to bottom, and then sneered.

"How's it going, Masen?"

I grinned, smugly, and picked up the keyboard that sat on my desk. I was very thankful it was wireless. Before James could blink his eyes, I reared back and swung the keyboard like I was hitting a home run. It made contact with his jaw with a resounding thwack. The keyboard shattered against his face, sending assorted letters, bits of plastic, and a few teeth flying through the air. And there was blood. Alot of it. James Laurant fell slowly backwards into the hall, just outside of my office, completely unconcious. I heard a few quiet screams, yelps, and 'Holy Shit's', but I didn't look up from Jame's battered face. I dropped what was left of the keyboard on the floor by his head.

"That's how it's going,motherfucker"" I growled.

I looked up and met the eyes of my secretary, a cute, young girl named Jessica. She was smiling. I couldn't help but smile back at her. I looked down at James and them back at her.

"Don't worry about the trash, Mr. Masen," She said. "I'll have it taken care of."

I nodded and smiled, and left without another word to anyone. I made it back to my apartment, to collected my luggage and make my way to the airport. On the way out, I asked the superintendant to change the locks on my door, and gave him the address where I would be staying so he could send the keys to me. I also made sure that Tanya Denali no longer had access to the building. I stepped outside and hailed a cab, hoping my destination would bring another, happier defining moment.