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Another day, another chapter...

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EPOV

Trees, trees, and more trees.

God, I feel like a hippy with a hard-on, I've never been so excited to see so many fucking trees up close before. Even the air-freshener hanging from the rear view mirror is a god damn tree.

"So...bet you never thought you'd be happy to be back here again?" Jasper laughs as he drives past the town sign. From what I can tell, nothing's changed in Forks since I was driven away from here seven years ago.

"Understatement of the century," I snort, shaking my head.

Don't get me wrong, Forks is nice and all, but it's too small and too quaint for my liking. My plan had always been to get a fresh start in Seattle after my release, but with no place to live and no job prospects, my options were pretty limited.

So here I am, back in my hometown.

I can only hope that they've forgiven me for what I did and aren't waiting outside my mom's house with pitchforks and torches. It was an accident afterall, how was I to know that cheap carpet was so fucking flammable. One misplaced cigarette and BAM, the community centre is up in smoke and I'm spending the next seven years in the Clallam Bay Corrections Center.

It's funny how things turn out sometimes...

"Where to first, then?" Jasper asks as he drives down the main street. Being a Sunday, I don't have many choices. Sure I could go straight to mom's place, I guess, but knowing that "Doctor" Carlisle will probably be there makes me want to put it off for as long as possible. Watching mom's boyfriend strut around in his pastel colored safari suits is something I definitely didn't miss.

There's only one place I really want to go, only one person I really want to see.

"I wanna go see Bella," I say quietly. My body jerks forward as he slams on the breaks, stopping the car in the middle of the street. He turns his whole body in the seat to face me.

"What?" he snaps. He looks a little pissed at me.

"Take me to Bella's," I say seriously.

"Dude, no," he sighs, rubbing his hand across his forehead.

"Why? She's not still pissed at me, is she?" 'Cause yeah, she was furious with me when I got arrested. She loved that community center, always volunteering and helping her mom teach classes and shit, and while I'd always given her crap for being a goody-two-shoes, I'd never have intentionally taken that away from her. It was an accident, but no matter how many times I tried to explain that to her, she wouldn't listen.

"I don't know, we don't talk about you," he shrugs. His admission hurts a little, if I'm honest. Knowing that my two best friends don't even talk about me anymore is a painful reminder of how my stupid mistake hurt others. "Things are different now, more complicated. It not just because of you."

"Then what's it about then? 'Cause nobody will tell me anything about her anymore," I say. It's true. Every time I ask Mom or Jas about Bella, they just clam up or quickly change the subject, like I'm not even allowed to know how she's doing.

"Fine," Jasper grumbles, putting the car in gear, turning around and driving in the opposite direction. "Let's go see Bella."

A few minutes later he pulls up in front of neat looking two-story house. There's a small blue car in the drive-way, so she's obviously home. I open the door and thank Jasper for the ride, telling him that I'll just walk back to my mom's house.

"I think I'll wait," he smirks. Obviously here's pretty sure that Bella's not going to want to talk to me. I shake my head at him as I walk up the front steps and press the doorbell. The chiming music inside is soon followed by the sound of footsteps hurrying towards the door. I plaster on my most sincere, and hopefully, charming smile as the door slowly opens. The face that greets me is definitely not Bella's, and it's the last thing I expect to find at her house.

"Who are you?" the little boy asks, folding his arms across his chest and curling his lip into a sneer. Jesus, what's this kid's problem?

"Who are you?" I shoot back. There's no way I'm letting this little gatekeeper cop an attitude with me.

"I'm Lockie Swan," he snaps, not relaxing his stance. Wait...did he say Lucky?

"What the hell kinda name is Lucky?" I laugh. There's no way Bella would give her kid such a stupid name. Maybe Bella's parents had a mid-life crisis baby or something, I wouldn't put it past Renee to think of a weird name like Lucky.

I wonder if his middle name is Charms...

"It's not Lucky, you idiot. It's Lockie," he shouts, stomping his foot on the floor. He scrunches his face up in anger, and it would almost be cute if the little monster didn't look like he was about to junk-punch me.

"Listen you little punk-"

"Edward!"

I look up to find Bella standing in the hall, glaring at me. I can practically see the smoke coming out of her ears.

I guess I've completely blown my chance at a good impression.

The little demon between us giggles and shakes his shaggy blonde haired head.

"You're in sooo much trouble now..."