Chapter 3

Oh my god.

Oh my god!

Edward?

Edward is Mr. See?

Ugh. No. Edward is Mr. C.

Edward is Michael's teacher.

My son's teacher is Edward.

Edward was going to be a doctor; what the hell is he doing teaching my son?

Ugh! I just did the walk of shame in front of the guy. I mean, man. Man, he looked good. Somebody shoot me now!

Okay, well, it wasn't a walk of shame, but I look like it could've been. Maybe he didn't see me? The lights were off in the classroom, and I ran pretty fast getting out of there if I do say so myself. Pretty impressive actually for someone who hates to run.

Bella, shut up!

He called me by my name.

He saw me.

My head is swirling with my thoughts. I'd be yelling them out loud, but I already ran out of the school looking like a madwoman. I don't need to draw any more attention to myself.

I'm not supposed to see my ex-boyfriend looking like this. Crap. Women should only run into their exes when they're having the best hair day of their lives. When they look perfect even without any makeup on. When they're dressed in their best pair of jeans which makes their ass look amazing. Not in day-old crumpled yoga pants and too-big T-shirts with elephant-sized spaghetti splotches on it. With their hair in a ponytail that looks like their five-year-old did it. Ugh. One day! I had one good day here!

Who was the idiot who thought moving to Forks would be a good thing? Oh, that idiot would be me. "Go to Forks," they said. "It will be good for you," they said. I'm going to shoot whomever told me that!

I need a drink. I need a pitcher of drink. It's gotta be noon somewhere, right? As I slink back into my car, my mind wanders to the last time I'd seen him.

It was the summer after graduating from high school. We were down to the last few weeks before we packed up to go to UDub. Originally, I'd applied to my dream college on the east coast but had been wait-listed. I'd given up any hope of being accepted as there were only a few weeks until the semester began. I'd just checked the mail and was shocked to find an acceptance letter. My emotions were all over the place.

When I first applied, Edward and I had discussed what it would mean for us. We knew we were meant to be together, so going the long-distance dating route was what we'd decided to do. It was all moot until this letter arrived. We were going to college together and had planned for it accordingly. Sharing a car, living in the dorms, and going home together when time permitted. All of our plans were being thrown out the window.

I remember being so caught up in my excitement, I didn't even realize Edward was standing right behind me when he surprised me by calling out my name.

"Bella."

"I got some news we need to discuss," I said as I turned, clutching the letter behind my back. I wanted to make him guess before springing it on him. I'd given up hope, but I knew he was going to be happy for me. Yes, we'd be on opposite sides of the country, but the distance shouldn't scare us as we trusted each other.

I was supposed to be meeting him at his house so I asked him why he was there. He was so nervous. Shuffling his feet. His shoulders all slouched and his head down. I was surprised by his behaviour. He'd never been uncomfortable around me before. He couldn't even look me in the eye when he told me he had something he wanted to tell me.

"Oh, well, you go first," I'd said. After, I'd wished I'd never let him speak at all.

He took a deep breath and finally looked up at me. I recall perfectly the words he said.

"Okay, here goes... Bella, I know you'll understand when I say... I think we should just be friends."

My letter fell, forgotten, as my life fell apart. I recall being so shocked, confused. Edward continued to talk to me, but I didn't hear a word he said. It felt as if my heart stopped, and I hadn't taken a breath since he said those awful words.

"...it's for the best. We'll still be friends, Bella. We'll always be friends," he'd said with more confidence than when he first arrived.

So stunned, I paced all over my front porch as I started to yell. "Friends? Friends! Who are you? I love you! I thought you loved me! We've made all of these plans TOGETHER! You want to be friends? You're breaking up with me?" I tried so hard not to cry. I didn't want the reality of why he was there to settle in.

"I've known you almost my entire life. This doesn't have to change anything," he insisted.

"No, Edward. I can't be just 'your friend'. Not now. Not after everything we've shared. I'm... " I tried to stop the memories of the past few years from racing through my mind. The future promises I thought we'd make to each other, gone.

I didn't understand how he could stand there and say that to me. How could he choose to end our relationship so simply? How did he think I'd respond? Feel? Where did this even come from? Why?

I blurted out to him, "Well, I'm choosing not to be friends. Just as you're choosing not to be my boyfriend anymore." My confidence shattered as the tears stream down my face.

"Maybe you feel that way right now, but give it some time. I know we'll be okay," he told me, standing there with his hands in his pockets and an assured look on his face. "We'll take a break these few weeks before school starts, finish up the summer, and all will be fine."

"It won't be fine, Edward. It will never be fine. You can take your few weeks, but this is goodbye," I choked out. "If you don't want my love, you don't deserve my friendship either. I've loved you with my heart and soul. What you're doing right now, I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. You're doing it to someone I thought you loved. No, I won't be your friend. Right now, I don't think or feel as if I ever was."

I turned around and went to my door, resisting the urge to run to him and beg him to change his mind. He looked so certain. So confident. I'd been clueless. Didn't know there was a problem. As I walked through the entrance to my home, I closed the door on the very person I never imagined leaving behind.

I never saw him again. Not until today.

- HtoF -

After a quick shower, I settle myself at my desk to work. Unfortunately, my brain doesn't cooperate.

Over the years, the pain and shock of the moment had slowly eased. It was the feeling of betrayal I had a hard time coming to terms with. That someone I thought loved me so much, could hurt me so deeply. Unfortunately, I'd later learn, all over again, how possible it was.

Maybe we should have remained friends. I'd missed him so much. My first year away, I could have used his advice and friendship many times. However, I couldn't handle the thought of watching him move on. My seventeen-year-old heart was so fragile. There was no way I could remain friends and see him fall in love with someone else. Losing him is one of my greatest disappointments. Apparently, one I still couldn't handle well.

When I think of all the people I expected to possibly run into when I moved back to Forks, Edward wasn't one of them. Before he broke up with me, he intended to go to college, then medical school. Afterward, he was going to move to some big metropolis and set up his practice there. I know this because we'd talked about doing it together. We talked about doing it together for years. He always wanted out of Forks. We both did. So why is he here now, and what happened to him becoming a doctor?

Part of my decision to move back to Forks was because I was so certain he wouldn't be here. I came to get away from the hurt in my life. I didn't want to have to look at it daily. I needed peace. Not constant reminders of my failures. I was going to spend time with my children. Finally pursue my dream. He was supposed to have followed his. So he shouldn't be here. Leaving was a dream we both shared, and Edward was never one to give up on his dreams, although he gave up on ours. But, I'm here now, so maybe I shouldn't be so surprised he is, too.

No! There is no reason that makes sense as to why Edward is here. Especially, here teaching! His father and grandfather were both doctors. He always wanted to be a doctor. He used to try and play doctor with me any chance he got. I don't know if I'm more in shock about Edward being in Forks or about him being a teacher.

I remember sitting in my kitchen one time, trying to get a splinter out of my finger, when he came in to pick me up for school.

"Yo, Bella! Are you ready yet?" he yelled as he entered my kitchen.

I told him about the splinter, and he offered to get it out with a needle from my mom's sewing basket. I almost fell off the chair laughing when I told him there was no way my mom had a sewing basket.

I sobered up immediately when I realized he wanted to use a needle on me. I insisted I could get it out by pinching it with my fingernails. We bantered back and forth as he tried to convince me.

"I'm planning on becoming a doctor one day. This will give me excellent practice."

"Yeah, well, planning to be a doctor and actually being a doctor are two different things there, bud. Plus, this is a splinter; it's not surgery."

"You know I've been helping out in my dad's clinic. I've seen him do this countless times. Come on, at least let me try. I can practice my bedside manner, too."

Smirking, I'd replied. "I already know your bedside manner, Dr. Cullen. I don't think we have time to practice right now. We're already late for school as is."

"Well, Nurse Swan," he'd said to me, grinning as his eyebrows danced up and down, "if we're already late, what's a few more minutes, huh?"

"You don't normally take just a few minutes, Doctor."

"Well, with a patient as beautiful as you, why would I?" He always knew what to say to me.

Edward got my splinter out, no problem. We missed our first and second classes though, as a result of us working on his anatomy knowledge. His bedside manner was excellent. We'd had lots of practice since we'd been together. I was shocked though at how gentle he was removing the splinter; I didn't feel a thing. It was when I realized how much he paid attention while helping his dad. He was supposed to be answering phones and cleaning up the rooms in his dad's clinic, but I guess he was actually observing more and more. He was there every chance he could get. So much so, towards the end of our senior year, in addition to all of his studying, I barely saw him. He seemed to enjoy it, and I knew the knowledge he gained would be an edge for him when competition to get into a good med school was fierce.

Once again, I find myself lost in thought over the break-up with the person I thought would be my forever guy. Now knowing he didn't become a doctor, I wonder if he had been helping his dad. Maybe he was doing something else? Doing someone else? I never considered the idea he'd been cheating on me, or broke up with me because of it. Seeing him now as a teacher has me so confused. I never in a million years would have pegged Edward as a cheater. It must have been something else. Please, let it be something else. I don't think, even after all these years, I could handle finding out he'd been lying to me.

Edward didn't just break my heart when he broke up with me. He ruined my ability to trust people. It took me years to get over it. Eventually I accepted we weren't together anymore. I had no choice or say in the matter anyway. It wasn't that he broke up with me; it was how he did it that killed me. And now, now I need some answers, and I know just where to find them.

- HtbF –

Oh, Edward. What were you thinking? Good for Bella for moving on though. Did he?