Rated: T (for strong language)

Word Count: 2,682

Main Characters: Bella Swan and Edward Cullen

Setting: Sacramento, California

~ζ~

The Speak Now Series

-Track No. 1: Mine-

You were in college working part time waiting tables

Left a small town never looked back

I was a flight risk with the fear of falling

Wondering why we bother with love if it never lasts.

I say, can you believe it?

As we're lying on the couch

The moment, I can see it

Yes, yes I can see it now

Do you remember we were sitting there by the water?

You put your arm around me for the first time

You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter

You are the best thing, that ever been mine

Flash forward and we're taking on the world together

And there's a drawer of my things at your place

You learn my secrets and you figure out why I'm daunted

You say we'll never make my parents mistakes

We've got bills to pay

We got nothing figured out

When it was hard to take

Yes, yes I thought about.

Do you remember we were sitting there by the water?

You put your arm around me for the first time

You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter

You are the best thing, that ever been mine

Do you remember all the city lights on the water?

You saw me start to believe for the first time

You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter

You are the best thing, that ever been mine

Oh, oh, oh

And I remember that fight 2:30 AM

Yes, everything was slipping right out of our hands

I ran out crying and you followed me out into the street

Braced myself for the goodbye

'Coz that's all I ever known

And you took me by surprise

You said "I'll never leave you alone"

You said "I remember how we felt sitting there by the water

And every time I look at you, it's like the first time

I fell in love with a careless man's careful daughter

She is the best thing, that ever been mine"

(Hold on, we'll make it last, hold on, never turn back, hold on)

You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter

You are the best thing, that ever been mine

Do you believe it? (Hold on)

(We're gonna make it now) I can see it

(We're gonna make it now) I can see it now

Mine © Lyrics by Taylor Swift

~ζ~

I glanced at my dirty little fingers from the dimly lit space. Jacob will definitely won't find me here, I'm always good at hiding. The dark is just a perfect for a hiding place. Sweat drops ran down my face, I wiped it irritatingly though very quiet. I waited patiently for the door to open and have Jacob find me here. I can't wait to see him annoyed because he can't find me. I always won in our game of hide and seek.

The door opened but the steel doorknob hit the wall loudly. I heard by mom screaming at my father.

"ALL YOU DO IS GET WASTED, YOU EVEN CARE ABOUT BELLA!"

"Mom? Dad?" I whispered to myself as I look through the small opening from the inside my parents' closet.

"WHY DO YOU CARE? I GIVE YOU ENOUGH MONEY FOR EVERYTHING"

"BUT THAT'S NOT ENOUGH! SHE'S FOUR, SOON SHE NEEDS TO GO TO SCHOOL! THAT MONEY SHOULD BE FOR HER EDUCATION… BUT YOU RATHER SPEND IT FOR YOUR ALCOHOLS" What's alcohol? What's education? I thought school is fun but why is mom yelling at dad about school?

"WE HAVE SPARE!" he yelled right into mom's face with his very scary eyes staring right into her fierce ones.

"SPARE? SPARE?" I placed my hands over to my mouth when I saw mom slap dad in the face making him turn away but faced her in his frightening forceful glare. "SPARE FOR YOUR OTHER WOMAN THAT IS!" she said in her fuming tone. What's other woman?

Dad threw his metal fists into mom's face making her fall back over the bed. I'm so scared what if dad sees me here, I'll get spanked for sure, I heard my mother groan one more time right after another strong blow.

"DAMN YOU, YOU STUPID SON OF A BITCH! YOU KILLED IT!" she limply shrieked. Killed it? Is it my little brother in her tummy? I heard her cough then yelled really loud. I placed my hands over to my ears. Mom said I shouldn't be hearing these words that my father says but I don't understand why she's saying this to dad.

I leaned on the closet's wall trying my best to minimize the loudness of my sobs by holding my palms tighter on my mouth across my wet cheeks. The tears won't stop; I hugged my knees and sank my face into the space on my chest.

~ζ~

After that incident over 20 years ago, my parents divorced leaving me with my drunkard brutal father, Charlie. My mom, Renee remarried and didn't care about me anymore. Right now I'm still enduring my father's house while I'm almost finishing college and currently working for myself. I've been obedient to my careless father though it really sucks.

Right now I'm working in a fast food where I met Edward Cullen. He lived in forks but went here in Sacramento for his college. There's this look on his eyes that dazzles me but at the same time scares me. It's a weird feeling I have towards him is that he's very stunning at every angle but something pulls me away from him. A powerful gravity. It's like he's so close but very far apart from where I am.

"Hey, Bella… wanna go out?" Edward asked in his mesmerizing crooked smile while wiping the table nearby the counter. "I mean, if you don't have any plans, that is."

"Yeah, Bella, you should go out." Alice blurted from the cashier with a clever grin.

"I have plans" I replied coldly leaving him in dismay. This is the kind of thing that I was talking about, he tries his best to know me better but I keep pushing him away. Is it because he's that charming to break a careful heart? But Edward never shown any flaws to me. I want him, but I'm just so scared to fall in love.

I took my bag out of the employee's room as soon as I finished changing to normal clothes getting ready for my dismissal from the fast food chain.

"Bye, Alice." I kissed her cheek as she did with mine.

"Bye, be careful." She waved from the cashier still in the fast food's uniform.

"I always am" I responded with a smile and a cheerful wave. I waited by the side walk for a bus to Sacramento park.

I reached the park in less than 15 minutes before the Twilight. I sat on the grassy slope near the riverbanks.

This is what I meant by plans… staring at the gold sun as it slowly drowns in the horizon Sacramento Park is beside the river and over to the other side is the tall clamoring city buildings and busy streets, as the sun sets I calmly watch the lights lit and its colorful reflection on the wavering dark water.

"So, this is your plans?" a familiar voice whispered in my ear. I could tell he's close to me.

"Edward? What are you doing here?" I said in surprise as he sat beside me handing me a can of soda.

"I knew you'd be here."

"Huh?" even with his response; he still left me in perplexity.

"You left your diary on a table" he smirked nervously. "Sorry, I can't restraint myself from reading it… it's just so complex to figure out what you're thinking" he paused for silent scenario trying to find words. "Just the last few pages only" he tried to cover up in a nervous chuckle.

"Why would you like to figure me out?" I took the soda from his hand and clicked it open. I took a sip, feeling the rush of sparks in my throat. I pulled the can away from my lips before he could answer.

"I don't know, you're just so…" he smiled my favorite crooked smile. "… Cute" he whispered in his breath, chuckling at the awkward moment. "You just need to trust people more, not everyone is want you think" His words make my eyes water. I leaned my head on his shoulder as he held me closer to him. I forgot my name; in that moment, nothing existed but me and Edward.

"Why did you read that part?" the tears fell. I wrote in my diary that I'm afraid of people that's like my mom and dad.

I flushed all of a sudden, smiling sheepishly as I felt his arm on my shoulder. His touch is so gentle and made the chills of the evening fade and be replaced but his warm touch. Somehow I'm relieved from I don't know. Maybe this is the feeling I want. To be pampered like a little kid. I lost my childhood because of my parents' unsettlement.

Now I want to trust him. He had wanted to meet me but I kept pushing him away from me. Now, I'm willing to take a risk. I've already known him ever since college started. I never had a boyfriend before. I know it has been my religion that boys are all the same and love is a mere illusion that is never meant to persist for an eternity. That love is always been mistaken for infatuation. Renee's only 17 when I was born. I'm the reason why she didn't finish her high school as well us college and ended up marrying a bastard like Charlie that abuses his own blood and flesh. I am a mistake. But with Edward, I'll take any kind of stake for him. I now believe that love can come the least you expect it.

~ζ~

After Charlie went home drunk again he threw a glass right in my face when I tried to stop him from drinking more alcohol. He punched me on my face and tried to hit the hell out of me, I thought I was dead as soon as he was finished beating the fragile punching bag.

Edward suggested that I go find myself a new apartment and leave Charlie. I sued him which led him to jail. I sold his house, creating a rebel of my own self against my careless brutal father.

After two years, we married in a small chapel and rented a house for us.

"Bella, let me take care of that" he took the box out of my hands as he smiled at me. He never seizes to dazzle me with his smile. I want to see it forever.

"Thanks"

"Is that the last?"

"Yup" I hugged him tightly. "Thank you for all this."

"Anything for my everything." He held my waist. "Let's see the room" he pulled away putting my hand in his and led me to the room.

We rested on the couch side by side; I rested my head on his chest as we watch those late night crime series on the TV without really paying attention to the images on the screen but each other's astounding eyes.

"Why do I feel like it's the first time I saw you?"

"Because it get better and better each time," I kissed his nose. "Each time I see you, I'm born all over again." I rested my head on his chest again.

"You are the best thing that's ever been mine" He kissed my forehead. "Be mine forever, my sweet fragile Bella."

"Forever" I mumbled tucked myself further into his torso, he wrapped his arms around my waist. This is comfort, I'll never forget this moment with him. "The best thing that's ever been mine" I repeated his words in my mind.

~ζ~

"Bella" he called out from the room while I was standing at the hallway.

"Edward?" I went in to see him sitting on the bed holding my diary in his hands. He stood up and dropped the diary on the bed as soon as he held my gaze. He drew close to the doorframe, where I'm standing. He encaged me in his arm's clasp.

"We will never make your parents' mistakes." He held me tighter under his warm grip. "You'll never have to be daunted ever again" [Sorry for the word-for-word scene] his words made my eyes water while I slowly made my arms wrap on his neck, my face sank to his shoulders as my eyes watered excessively. He already found out about why I always push him away.

There's a part of me that reminisced the day I realized I loved him. The precise moment that he held my shoulder while we sat beside the riverbank's water as the sun makes it way down the horizon. It's a moment of tranquility, the serenity of the images, nothing can ever compare to the silent magnificence of the busy building's lights reflect to the dim waters.

~ζ~

I was staring at the round clock ticking loudly in the intolerable stillness. It says it's already 2:30 am but Edward's not yet hear. I was leaning against the counter inside the kitchen, standing alone in brief silence. I glanced at the ripped envelope in my hand having my free hand pinching the bridge of my nose as my eyes shown anxiousness, my brows slightly pressed together.

The envelope is from the owner of the house that says he hasn't paid for 3 months and that note on the refrigerator door made me fuming as soon as I read the words all together.

To: Mr. and Mrs. Cullen, please pay right away for the rent for financial reasons, if you fail, then we suggest that you leave the property immediately. From: Management

Despite of this unresolved problem he still has the guts to have a party with Emmett and Jasper at this late hour? This is unbearable, I don't know what to feel. I'm angry. I want to despise him but I just can't figure it out for this concise moment. I don't know what to think clearly.

I heard the door open and then shut lightly, the way he always open the wooden door. I didn't glance at him but I heard his footsteps getting louder, suggesting his short distance.

"Why are you still awake?" he said out in wonder.

I didn't reply but instead I rubbed the rough brown paper underneath my thumb as I stared into space. Without thinking, I held the envelope up. "Explain this." My lips hardened as I uttered the words with my teeth clutched, it sounded violent as it came out. "WHERE ARE WE GOING TO LIVE IN SUCH A SHORT NOTICE?" I threw the paper down the marbled floor. "WE'RE ALMOST HOMELESS AND ALL YOU THINK ABOUT IS TO GET WATSTED?" I shrieked as I created a distance from him. iwas devastated while he just stood without any defense for himself.

"Bella" his eyes pleaded as if saying to stop but his brows clutching at my sudden reaction.

"DON'T BELLA ME!" I breathed heavily from the deepest part of my lungs. "EXPLAIN YOURSELF!" I followed.

"WELL I'M SORRY IF I'M NOT EARNING ENOUGH!" he shouted at me. "I'M DOING MY BEST AND ALL YOU DO IS SHOUT AT ME LIKE I'M SOME KIND OF INDOLENT SLAVE?" his voice is stiff and powerful.

"IF YOU DON'T EARN ENOUGH THEN WHY LET ME STAY IN THE HOUSE…! IF YOUR MONEY IS NOT ENOUGH FOR THE TWO OF US?"

"I WANT TO—"

"WHAT?" I cut him before he can finish. "YOU CAN BE FREE? SO YOU CAN GO SCREWING OTHER GIRLS WITHOUT ANY RESTRAINT?" he petrified even more now holding his fist up and ready to throw into me. I was suddenly staring at his furious eyes in terror. My memory flashbacked to the time when I was playing hide-and-seek with Jacob, when I was in the closet watching my parents scream at each other, the image of my mom being hit by Charlie's heavy fist right into her face, nearly breaking it. I never imagined that Edward will do the same. At that moment, he looks exactly like my foolish father. My hands trembled insanely as I pulled myself back to reality. The reality that this marriage is slipping away, my Edward was slipping away.

I felt nothing. I'm a living corpse, my body's numb all over but I found the way out of the house. I ran out wanting the largest distance possible from him, I didn't even notice the tears escape my pitiful eyes. The expression of Edward before I ran outside, it looked guilty, a look that says I didn't mean to… but there's this part of me that didn't believe that face he show.

I have absolutely no idea where I was heading. I guess this is the end there, it has too. Like my parents. I need to brace myself for his farewell. It was going to come, I just know it. We can't fix this now, after that feat I threw to him. His goodbye can't be prevented from coming. Another goodbye is coming. That's all I knew.

I slowed my feet's pace. I tried to catch my breath. Suddenly, a cold hand pulled my arm. I was shocked. He pulled me into a kiss, it made my stress dissolve as his gentle lips crashed into mine, I'm completely relieved, my senses seized from anger. All the intensity disappeared. The moment is alleviating every nerve in my body.

"I'm sorry" he pulled away but embraced me tightly. "I never leave you alone, Bella… I don't want to let you slip out of my hand while I'm holding it into my grasp, I can't let go of what's mine"

"Sorry" I sank to his neck. "I love you"

"I remember how we felt sitting there by the water. And every time I look at you, it's like the first time. I fell in love with a careless man's careful daughter. You is the best thing, that ever been mine"

My memory brought me to that unforgettable moment again. When he came in the right time.

"Things like this happen, just hold on" I pressed him tighter in my arms "We'll make this last… forever." This is truly an unbelievable scenario with Edward.

~ζ~

[A/N: SORRY! I think I didn't give justice to the song and more focused of how I'll show the imagery of the song. Please review to point out any further mistakes I've done… sorry again to disappoint you]

~ζ~

~A ONE-SHOT BY MsDayDream~