Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, Steph Meyer does.

EPOV

I'm running.

Why am I running?

I hear footsteps….I'm being followed?

I hear whispering,

I turn a corner, and the footsteps are getting closer, more hurried, more rushed.

A sense of fear grips me as the footsteps get closer and faster still.

I am no longer being followed…I am being chased.

I turn another corner hoping to find some sort of solace, only to be faced with a seemingly endless hallway.

The quiet whispers morph into screaming shouts.

"Run, run, run, but you sure can't hide…"

"You're worthless…"

"You are a loser…"

"No one will ever love you…"

"You…are…nothing…."

I run.

I run from the negative shouts.

My goal…the door at the end of the hallway. I run with all my might. But yet, the voices grow stronger still. I push myself toward the door, but to no avail. NO matter how hard I force my legs to carry me, I can never reach the door.

The voices are getting closer.

Faster…

Got to run faster…

"Ha, ha, ha, come out, come out wherever you are…."

Keep going…Almost there….

I finally reach the door. I throw all of my weight against it, desperate foran escape. The door opens. I am enveloped into a bright, white light. A whispered echo follows me on into the unknown.

"You'll never escape us…"

I gasp, waking up from my nightmare in a cold sweat. I start to panic when I realize that I'm not in my bedroom, but I calm down when I notice the source of heat lying next to me. Bella. My angel. So beautiful. So innocent. How could she love someone like me? Someone so damaged? I'm no good for her. My demons run too deeply. I would only bring her down. She needs to be with someone who people respect. I love her too much to let her become victim to this town's ridicule. So I do the only thing I know how to do. I run.

BPOV

Looking at the note Edward left, I'm frozen as a mirad of emotions take over me. It starts with hurt and anguish, followed by embarrassment and self-pity, and ending with pure, unadulterated fury.

How dare he take my virginity, and then leave without so much as a goodbye. Just a stupid, misally, little note?

EDWARD CULLEN IS A DEAD MAN!

In my blind fury, I managed to throw on my sweats from last night, grab my keys, and rush out to my truck. My destination…The Cullen Residence. On my drive over, I take the time to try and put myself in Edward's shoes. It didn't help. It only succeeded in pissing me off even more. Edward's excuse, whatever it may be, will be mediocre at best. What teenage boy would leave the girl who loves him, after they make love for the first time, just return to a place where he doesn't feel safe in?

It doesn't make sense.

I want answers, and I want them NOW!

When I arrive at the Cullen's, my truck hasn't even made a complete stop before I am banging on the front door.

Esme opens the door. Herr usual warm and inviting smile is on place, though it doesn't quite reach her eyes. While we are on her face, I take a closer look. Wrinkles, worry lines, and dark circles are evident. A clear sign of the stress she's under

"Good morning, Bella, dear!" Esme is in a rare form. She' wearing sweats, and her hair is in a messy bun on the top of her head. She looks as though she has been exercising intensely; not working in the kitchen or garden like the good little stepford wife she'd become since marring The Carlisle Cullen.

Carlise must be at work. I thought as I pushed my way into the house. I was on a mission.

"Hi, Esme" I say once I've made my way around her, "Is Edward up?" My determination shining through, making itself known.

"No, actually, he's still asleep. He went to bed around 7. I'm guessing he's had a long night."

Oh, Esme, if only you knew. I thought bitterly.

Even though she wouldn't admit to it, Esme seemed anxious to get me out of the house. I was about to comment on her odd behavior, but was thwarted by music drifting from upstairs.

"Well, it looks like Edward's awake now, so…." I trail off, pointing towards the stairs.

A look of hesitation crosses Esme's tired face, before she composes it. She quickly plasters a forced smile on her face, and nods. I trudge my way up the stairs. The music never ceases. It grows greater in tempo. As the last notes trails towards me, I am hit with a wave of unexpected sadness as the notes have a gloomy undertone to them. My earlier anger is back in full force. I didn't realize how hard I had opened the door, until it slammed into the wall behind it. The music stops instantly. Edward doesn't face me right away, though. He seemed to be trying to gather his thoughts, before acknowledging me. Not that it matters, I don't want his excuses. When Edward finally does turn to look at me, fear,, guilt, and trepidation are present in his eyes.

"Bella—"

"What the fuck, Edward?" I cut him off.

"Be—"

"NO! Edward, I don't want your apologies nor your half-assed excuses. I just want answers." He hangs his head in defeat. "Why?"

"Why, what?" He mumbles looking at his feet.

"Why would you leave after we make love? How could you? After everything we shared. After everything I gave," My voice breaks from the impending onslaught of tears that are sure to come. It angers me that he could make me feel this insecure and vulnerable, yet I continue to lay my heart out on the line for him. "Don't I mean anything to you? Does my love mean that little to you?"

Edward finally lifts his head, so that we are staring at each other. Pain is the only readable emotion on his face, making his face even more tragically beautiful. I glare at him harder. He will not break me. I will stay strong.

I will not let him get to me. I chant to myself. I will get the answers I came here for and then I will walk out of his life. Edward Cullen will regret the day he hurt me.

The problem is I don't know who will hurt the most from my leaving his life. Me or him? And can I stay away from Edward?

A/N: Sorry for the late update. I was hit with one of the worst case of writer's block imaginable. Plus this was my first time that I've done an EPOV and I wanted to do it justice. Did I pass or fail epically? Leave a review and let me know…..