Chapter 4
Someone Like You
"I heard that your settled down,
that you found a girl,
and your married now
I heard that your dreams came true
I guess she gave you things that
I couldn't give to you."
I walked down the slick concrete sidewalks of Seattle. His house was only a few blocks away from the publishing house where I worked. Who would've thought? All that time I spent wondering where he was and he was in walking distance from me. I finally got his adress from his sister Alice after I accidently bumped into her in a cooffee shop. I smiled fondly at the memory.
I grinned and held the tiny peice of paper with Edward's adress scribbled on it tightly to my chest. Alice had looked conflicted as she handed it to me which I found stange since she had liked me when Edward and I dated in highschool.
"What's wrong, Alice?" I asked cautiously. She looked even more conflicted before finally seeming to make a decision in her head.
"Bella, you should just know that Edward is happily married now. I'm kinda've scared for what seeing you might do to him." I felt my body go numb with shock. Edward was...married? It only makes sense my consience told me. You're 26 now not 17. It's been a long time. You can't blame him for moving on. But a tiny selfish part of me did want to blame him. He said he loved me. He said he'd never forget me.
"What do you mean 'what it might do to him'?" I asked her. She twisted and untwised a peice of silky black hair around her finger, deep in thought.
"Bella, my brother was very much in love with you in highschool. What you two had was much more than a simple high school relationship. He loved you more than he ever loved anyone else. Even Tanya." I assumed that Tanya was Edward's wife. "But I don't want him wrecking his marriage. Tanya is a sweet girl, she doesn't deserve that."
"Don't worry, Alice. I swear I'll make it seem like I'm over him aswell." I said with a false smile. Alice gave me a sympathetic smile in return.
"But you're not, are you?" I didn't answer her. I simply thanked her for her time and exited the coffee shop.
"Old friend, why are so shy?
Ain't like you to hold back
or hide from the light.
I hate to turn up out of the blue,
uninvited,
but I could'nt stay away
I couldn't fight it.
I'd hoped you'd see my face and be reminded,
That for me it isn't over."
So here I was now. Walking from my work to Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen's house in the ever drizzling rain of Seattle. I stepped over a puddle and remembered our very first date.
We were driving in Edward's silver Volvo from Forks to Port Angeles. He was taking me to La Bella Italiana a cute Itallian reataurant for our very first date. The silence in the car was nice, but a little tense. I reach over to the dial of the radio at the same time that he does. Our fingers graze eachother and I feel the shock go up my arm and throughout my body. It happens everytime we touch and I have almost gotten used to it now. Okay not really. I doubt that I ever will.
"Sorry." We both mumble at the same time. We laugh then and the silence is broken. He pulls up to the restaurant and I open my door, forgetting that he likes to do that. I extract myself fromthe passenger's seat and start to get out. But my heel catches on the carpet of the volvo and I faceplant. Righ into a puddle. I quickly rub the gross puddle water out of my eyes and feel tears prick them. Of course, my first date with the perfect guy and I screw it up horribly. Edward is at my side in an instant. He helps me up onto my shaky legs.
"Are you alright, Bella?" I can't answer him without sobbing so I just shake my head instead.
"What? What's wrong? Where are you hurt?" I shake my head and finally say in a quivering voice.
"It's not that. I'm just so pissed at myself. This date was going to be great. I just knew it. And now I've gone and ruined it." I sniffle as the tears finally run down my face. Edward frowns and brushes the tears off my face with the pads of his thumbs.
"It's not ruined Bella. How about this, my parents aren't home so we'll go back to my place. You can shower and borrow some of Alice's clothes while I make dinner or us."
"That sounds perfect. You'd really do that for me? " I question.
"Of course." He says and brushes the last of my tears away.
"Nevermind I'll find someone like you
I wish nothing but the best for you, too
'Don't forget me' I beg
'I'll remember' you said.
Sometimes it lasts in love,
but sometimes it hurts instead.
Sometimes it last in love,
but sometimes it hurts instead."
I shook off my flashback, reminding myself that Edward was married, there could be no other relationship between us now other than friendship. I just needed to make sure that he was happy; really, truly happy like he derserved to be. I looked up and found that I was standing right in front of the house with the adress Alice had given me. I felt my pulse quicken and I walked up the the modern two-story house before I could lose my nerve. I knocked softly on the door.
"Just a minute!" I heard a feminine voice call out. It must be Tanya. I shifted from foot to foot untill I heard the door click open and am greeted by the lovely face of Mrs. Tanya Cullen. She looked at me confusedly but sweetly. She was obviously trying to figure out who I was. She had strawberry blonde hair and intelligent blue eyes. She was wearing a pale lavenger blouse and skinny jeans, paired with white wedge sandals. Her body was slim but curvy. She was the exact opposite of me. She was perfect. I let out a deep breath and introduced myself.
"Hi, uh you must be Tanya. My name is Bella Swan. I'm an old ...uh, friend..." I stuttered over friend because I knew that Edward and I had been much more than friends, but I didn't want to seem like a crazy ex stalking her high-school boyfriend. Even though I kinda was. "...of Edward's. Is he here right now?" Tanya smiled and her face lit in recognition.
"Oh, so you're Bella! Edward talks about you from time to time. He said you were one of his bestfriends in high-school. I'm so glad I got to meet you! He's not here right now but he should be coming home from work pretty soon. Please, come in. Would you like something to drink?"
I wanted to hate her. I wanted to hate her so badly. But I couldn't, Alice was right, she was sweet. Her eyes were evershining and here smile was infectious. Maybe if the situation was different, Tanya and I would have been good friends. But the truth of the matter was that I was still in love with her husband. I would never act on it, of course, but it was still true.
"You know how the time flies
Only yesterday
It was the time of our lives
We were born and raised
In a summer haze
Bound by the surprise
Of our glory days"
"A cup of coffee would be lovely." I whispered as Tanya usher me into her modern yet comfortable home.
"Sure, I just made a pot actually." I sat down on a plush armchair facing the T.V which showing 'The Jersey Shore'. Tanya blushed and sat on the couch opposite of me as she came back from the kitchen with two cups of coffee.
"Sorry. What can I say? I'm addicted to waching people make idiots of themselves on national TV. You can change it if you want." I chuckled.
"It's okay I am too. Do you watch '16 and Pregnant'? That one's the worst."
"Oh, definately. I Tivo every episode." We dissolved into fits of giggles and I understood how easily Edward could have fallen in love with her, she was great.
"So how did you and Edward meet?" She asked me.
"Well, we met in Biology class Sophmore year of high-school. We would write notes when the lectures were boring, which was 90 percent of the time. And we've been...friends ever since." It was still so hard to get that word out.
"That's great! Edward and I met in college. We hung out casually at parties a few times. I really liked him and told him so, but he warned me that he was still pretty hung-up on his ex. They had mutually decided to break-up, but he still really loved her, you know? I told him it was okay and we worked it out and started dating which led to him proposing, which led to marriage." Tanya said. So he had missed me. At one point at least.
"I hate to turn up out of the blue,
uninvited,
but I could'nt stay away
I couldn't fight it.
I'd hoped you'd see my face and be reminded,
That for me it isn't over."
"Did he say what her name was?" Tanya frowned.
"No, but I never pushed him to tell me. I was always curious but, the past is the past. But sometimes he gets this far away look in his eyes and I'll know that he's thinking about her. They're far and few between these day, though."
I felt my heart sink. He really was forgetting me . Slowly but surely. Even when I begged him to always remember me, He promised he would. Suddenly we're interrupted by the jingling of keys in the lock and Edward's musical voice.
"Tanya? Baby, I'm home." Tanya jumped up from her seat on the couch. Edward set his bag down on the ground and took in the scene before him as I took in him. He looked the same yet so different. His eyes were the same peircing green and his hair still a beautiful, unruly mess. However he had gotten taller, his body was a little more muscular and his face had lost all traces of baby fat. He was gorgeous, not that he wasn't before.
"Nevermind I'll find someone like you
I wish nothing but the best for you, too
'Don't forget me' I beg
'I'll remember' you said.
Sometimes it lasts in love,
but sometimes it hurts instead.
Sometimes it last in love,
but sometimes it hurts instead."
Tanya walked over to him and gave him a quick peck on the lips before telling him excitedly.
"Edward! Welcome home, honey. Your friend Bella popped by for a visit. She's lovely I can't believe you never invited her over before! Well, I'm sure you two will want some privacy to catch up, so I'll go upstairs and read. Have fun!" Before Edward could say anything Tanya was already halfway up the stairs.
I kept my eyes trained on my coffee as I greeted him.
"Hi, Edward." I heard more than saw him sink down on the couch where Tanya had just been sitting.
"Hey, um Bella. How are you?"
"Okay." I answered was an uncomfortable silence untill I broke it.
"So, marraige huh?" Edward ran his hands through his hair sheepishly.
"Yeah..."
"She's lovely Edward. Really lovely. You're a lucky man." Edward's eyes flashed up to mine, surprised.
"I know I am." This was so awkward. I shouldn't have come. I shouldn't have come. I fidgeted with my hands.
"Bella, why did you come here?" He didn't say it in a rude way, but it still stung.
"I just came to make sure you were happy. You obviously are. Um, so I guess I'll go..." I got up and started toward the door.
"I never broke my promise." I stopped and turned back to him with wide eyes.
"W-what?"
"I said I never broke my promise. There's not a day where I don't think of you. I know that sounds horrible, since I have a wife, but I do. Everyday." I smiled.
"Thank you, Edward. For keeping your promise, but I don't want you to keep it anymore. Forget about it. Forget about me. You have a beautiful home and a gorgeous wife. I was selfish to make you make that promise anyway." Edward's eyes turned somber, but he nodded his head anyway.
"Nothing compares
No worries or cares
Regrets and mistakes
They are memories made.
Who would have known
How bittersweet this would taste?"
I walked to the stairs instead of going to the door. I found Tanya's room easily enough and knocked on the door.
"Come in." I opened the door to find Tanya lying on her bed reading. She looked at me with knowing eyes and smiled.
"Hey, Tanya. I just wanted to thank you again for the coffee and being so nice and stuff."
"You're her aren't you?" I froze and looked fearfully into her blue eyes. She wasn't angry or sad. She looked kind. I didn't answer so she went on.
"He got that same far-away look in his eyes when he saw you." I just looked at the ground and took it as my cue to leave. As I was leaving, Tanya said one last thing.
"Now I know why he loved you so much. Goodbye Bella, I hope I see you again."
"Nevermind I'll find someone like you
I wish nothing but the best for you, too
'Don't forget me' I beg
'I'll remember' you said.
Sometimes it lasts in love,
but sometimes it hurts instead.
Sometimes it last in love,
but sometimes it hurts instead."
I walked/ran down the stairs where Edward was nowhere to be found. I was glad for his absence and made as graceful exit as I could. I remembered that there was a bar a few blocks down and made my way toward it. Maybe I could get drunk and pretend that this whole fiasco was just a dream. I entered the bar and plopped myself down onto one of the barstools and ordered a beer.
"Hello, there beautiful. Hey, do I know you?" I looked to my left and found that I was sitting next to a tan, dark-haired man with pearly white teeth. Did I mention he had dimples? Yep, he had dimples. Now that I thought about it he did look awfully familiar...
"Bella Swan!" He said triumphantly. "We used to make mudpies together when we were little."
"Jacob Black." I grin back.
"Well, it's great to finally see you again. I used to have the giggest crush on you when we were kids." He held out his hand. I blushed and shook his hand. The was no magical spark, but there was a warm tingling feeling.
Maybe one day I could settle for it.
"Nevermind I'll find someone like you
I wish nothing but the best for you, too
'Don't forget me' I beg
'I'll remember' you said.
Sometimes it lasts in love,
but sometimes it hurts instead.
Sometimes it last in love,
but sometimes it hurts instead.
Sometimes it lasts in love,
but sometimes it hurts instead."
A/N I know, very sad! But all of my one-shots have had happy endings so I figured it was time to do one with a sad ending. Please review and tell me what you think. Love always.
-Hearts