A/N: Again you guys have made my morning with all the sweet reviews :) Thanks so much Shirley, angeleyenc, RyanPCullen, nougat81, LittleCoward, TwilightLover2010, FeltbeatsIsLove, twilight4evr84, Rubies, JENNIFER, twilight girl104, Emma-MasenCullen, star1the2friend, -KiwiCullen-, Lauren, titanterror12, CourtneyCS, vampirelover13, Paigey-Poo, cicas33, Goddess of the night shadows you're the best!! And OMG! more than 20 reviewers! How awesome is that?! *homemade apple pie for everyone! (unless someone wants a different kind of pie, just let me know in that case :P) and a personal digital Edward for everyone!*

Questions and answers:
1. Isn't Edward going to try to see Bella again? Read this chapter and find out ;)
2. Is Edward going to visit her while she is sleeping? You have to remember that Bella shares her room with Shirley, so it's kind of hard for him to get in there unnoticed and just sit there staring at Bella, would be a bit strange if Shirley wakes up and finds out :P But either way, this is BPOV and she doesn't know he's there and I haven't really worked it into the story because of the whole shared room thing :)

To Shirley: It pains me to say this but you can't have this Edward (A) At least you still have your typing Edward, had a lot of fun with him for one day though :D you should really let him out (read: visit me) more often ;)
To nougat81: I'm sorry you've got a cold :( I'm just too busy to update twice a day, sorry about that :) Hope you feel better soon! :)
To LittleCoward: I'm happy that you like my cliffhangers :D Thanks! :D
To twilight4evr84: I'm glad you like Jake in my story, I'm not a Jacob x Bella fan but I do like to see him as her best friend, he deserves to be happy too :P
To Rubies: Since you didn't throw a fit you can have some Phish Food B&J's ;)
To Emma-MasenCullen: I know you like Edward :D Don't we all (A) You're in luck :P This chapter and the next will be perfect for you then ;)
To -KiwiCullen-: Thanks so much for the compliment, I'm glad you like my writing style :)

To everyone: Here's the next chapter, I hope you enjoy it! :) Although I'm sure many of you will ;) And if not, then at least you'll enjoy the next one ;) Lemme know what you guys think, your reviews are truly wonderful! :) So on to chapter 7 already, it's called Meadow, intruiging right *wiggles eyebrows* well, enjoy! :D


Meadow

The next morning I woke up right before my alarm. I was feeling quite alright and it was time for me to go back to school now. I couldn't stay away from my classes forever, I would have to deal with all of it someday soon anyway. I dragged myself out of bed so that I had enough time to go through my morning routine while trying to calm myself and prepare myself mentally for the day.

After I got out of the shower and walked back into the room I noticed Shirley was awake as well and she was looking at me curiously.

"Are you feeling alright again?" she asked a little worried.

"Yeah, I think so. I can't keep skipping either way so I might as well go back today so that I won't get behind too far."

"Yeah, guess you're right." She nodded in agreement. "What happened yesterday? You didn't come home and I was a bit worried when Alice told me you weren't feeling well and had had a rough night. You could've woken me."

"I know, I didn't want to bother you. I had a bad dream and took it a bit hard. So I went for a walk. Alice found me in the morning and brought me to her place," I explained quickly.

"Oh alright. Are you sure you're feeling better now?"

"Yes, I'm fine, really, don't worry about me. You need to hurry up and get dressed or you'll be late for you class!" I told her mock sternly.

"Yes ma'am." Shirley replied while grinning widely.

"By the way, did you get a chance to talk to Max yet?" I asked curiously.

"No not yet, we haven't really been with just the two of us, but we're supposed to go to the movies tonight and nobody else of our group seemed to be able to make it. Are you free tonight?"

"I am but I won't be if that means that you and Max get the chance to be alone and talk," I said suggestively.

"Thanks," she said shyly.

The morning passed by like nothing had happened. I ran into Alice a few times on the corridors but I saw no other Cullens and I was thankful for that. Now it was time for lunch. The hardest time of day, I knew they would all be there at their table and I would have to work again to not let my eyes wander off on their own.

I managed to keep my focus all the way through the line and I walked over to my table, only staring at my feet. As soon as I reached the table I let out a sigh in relief, that was the hardest part, now I could just throw myself into what ever kind of conversation my friends were having and I wouldn't even have to think about not looking in their direction.

Max noticed I had been standing there and he rose from his seat. "I'm glad you're feeling better," he said while pulling me in for a short hug. I smiled at him thankfully before blushing and taking my seat.

Lunch went by quickly, I was chatting with my friends happily. Max also invited me to come to the movies but I had declined like I had promised Shirley earlier so the two of them could spend some time together. He shot me a thankful glance and when I knew Shirley wasn't watching I winked back at him. He grinned.

I couldn't help but feel like there was a pair of eyes boring into my back throughout lunch but I didn't have the guts to turn around and see who it was, I felt uncomfortable but tried to ignore is as much as I could. It wasn't like I actually knew someone was staring at me, I just had a creepy feeling, like someone was spying on me. I couldn't explain it very well, not even to myself, so I told myself I was crazy and let it go.

The bell rang and it was time for all of us to get up and move to our classes. I reluctantly rose and took my tray, another difficult task was ahead of me. Staring at the floor, all the while hoping not to run into anything or anyone, especially not him.

Of course I wasn't so lucky and the moment I turned around and started walking my foot got caught behind one of the chairs that a student just pushed back as he rose from his seat. I stumbled and I knew I was going to hit my head on the floor, that was going to be embarrassing. I waited for the thud to indicate that I had indeed fallen down but it never came.

Two strong arms were around me at once, saving me from my collision with the floor. As soon as I steadied myself the arms were gone and I shot a thankful glance at my savior. A big mistake.

I stared into his glorious face for the first time and I gasped. He was more beautiful than I had remembered and I couldn't form any thoughts anymore. I worked as hard as I could to get my gaze away from him but I wasn't successful. I stood there, staring at the man who had held my heart for so long. I memorized his facial features again, his smooth lips, his strong cheekbones, his pale skin, and lastly his beautiful golden eyes. I noticed his eyes were not the same as they had been before. They were sadder somehow. I couldn't quite understand why but I knew it was none of my business anyways.

"Thanks," I muttered while blushing a deep red as soon as I had been able to find my voice.

"You're welcome Bella," he said politely while smiling at me. It was the crooked smile I loved so much but it didn't quite touch his eyes. It was like he was a little dead inside. It hurt me to see him like that even if I didn't know the reason, I didn't want him to be in pain. "Can we talk?" he asked unsurely.

"I have class now," I mumbled.

"I didn't mean now Bella, I have class too," he said a little taken aback, "I meant tonight. Would you mind going somewhere with me and talk?"

"Alright," I said hesitantly, it seemed like his eyes still held the same power over me as they had done in the past and I couldn't deny him anything he wanted, so even though I was setting myself up for disaster, I agreed.

"Thank you, I will pick you up at your room around seven," he said softly.

I couldn't respond anymore so I just nodded.

"Bye Bella," he said before he walked away.

"Bye," I mumbled when he was already far out of my sight. I wasn't sure if even his vampire hearing would be able to pick it up.

"Are you alright?" Shirley's voice came from behind.

"I… I think so," I stuttered.

"What did he say? Did he hurt you?" she asked worriedly, from the look on my face she must have immediately understood who that boy was.

"No, of course not, I'm fine, he wants to talk," I stated simply.

"Really? About what?"

"I don't know," I admitted, "he's coming over to pick me up tonight at seven so we can go somewhere and talk." The realization of my words hit me and I started to panic. I couldn't talk to him! Why would he even want to?

"Alright well let me know what he said alright? We have to get to class now," Shirley said sympathetically.

"Sure," I replied. Then we went our separate ways.

The rest of the afternoon I was thinking about what was going to happen tonight. I hadn't heard a word my teachers had said and I grew more and more panicked with every passing moment. I couldn't handle this. I was going to call Alice and ask her to tell Edward that I couldn't and that I was sorry but that I had to cancel.

My phone buzzed, indicating that I had a text message waiting for me.

Bella! Don't worry, you'll be fine! Trust me! Please let him explain. Love, Alice

Of course she would have seen my plan. I did trust Alice and if she said it would be alright than I could maybe get through this. I certainly hoped so. I wasn't looking forward to another heartbreak like the last time. I couldn't handle that anymore. I wouldn't survive.

After my classes had finished time passed by quickly, too quickly, and before I knew it, it was a quarter to seven and I only had fifteen minutes left. I couldn't relax anymore, I was too anxious. Shirley and Max had left an hour ago and I had already been freaking out so much then that Shirley asked if I wanted her to stay with me and cancel on Max. Of course I had said no and shooed her out the door. At least one of us could be happy.

It was seven sharp when there was a knock on my door. My heart skipped about ten beats between the knock and the time it took me to answer the door. My stomach was making so many flips I was nauseous and my whole body was shaking. I felt like I was going to lose it. I wondered if this would be what it felt like for Jake when he lost control and transformed. But I didn't have time to dwell on it, Edward was still waiting at the door.

After a few tries I finally got my hands to steady enough for me to open the door. There he was, in all his glory, still the most beautiful creature I had ever laid eyes on and I couldn't stop my heart from going into overdrive. I blushed at the realization that he was perfectly capable of hearing the response my heart was having to his appearance and I hoped with all my heart that he would write it off as nervousness for what he was about to tell me. And it was partly that, because I was nervous. If he was going to break my heart all over again by telling me to leave him and his family alone or telling me that he was going to leave again I don't know what I would do but I knew it wouldn't be good.

No! I told myself sternly. Alice said you were going to be fine, trust her! I was arguing with myself. All the while I was still staring at Edward, he hadn't said anything yet and neither had I. I wasn't going to be the first one to break the silence again after I had acted like such a fool, practically drooling over his beauty. He wanted to talk, he should start.

"Hi Bella, you look nice," he complemented me. I couldn't find a false note in his voice but he couldn't be serious. I was a mess. I was wearing plain jeans and a sweater and my hair was worse today than I had remembered it had ever been. I looked terrible. I didn't have the guts to change or to make myself presentable, afraid I would give him the wrong impression and make him angry or sad, neither emotion was what I wanted him to feel. Not that I knew what I wanted but it couldn't be that.

I noticed I still hadn't answered him and my eyes were opened even wider after he had spoken. I must have looked like a moron. His beautiful voice sent butterflies through my stomach and I couldn't believe that even after two years of crying over him, he still had the same effect on me as he had had when we first started hanging out.

"Bella?" Edward's voice was worried and his eyes were questioning.

"Yes?" I asked dumbly.

"Right," he muttered with an expression on his face I couldn't place, "ready?" he asked unsurely.

I just nodded. He led the way to his shiny silver Volvo, it still looked exactly the same as before, it looked brand new but I was certain it was the same car. He held the door open for me and I climbed in. The actions hadn't changed, there was just a new tension between us that reminded me that it wasn't the same and he wasn't mine anymore, if he had ever been that.

After a while of driving in his car I was getting more nervous than I already was. I was curious to see where we were going and it made me anxious that he took me so far away from campus. That meant I couldn't just leave when I wanted to. Although I doubted Edward would ever physically hurt me or anything, but still, I didn't feel comfortable. So I kept shifting my weight nervously and fidgeting with my seatbelt.

"Will you tell me what you're thinking please?" Edward asked suddenly. It startled me a little and I froze in place. "I can't believe that still bugs me as much as it used to, even more in fact," he muttered probably more to himself than anyone else.

"Er, just wondering where you're taking me." No need to tell him about the visions of him pounding on me like I was his prey or anything else that might disturb him even more.

"You'll see soon enough, don't worry Bella, if at any point you want to leave, just tell me," he said with a strained voice.

It was eerie how it still felt like he could indeed read my mind even after all this time. Or maybe Alice had talked to him, told him I'd be nervous or something, I couldn't tell.

I didn't reply anymore, I just continued fidgeting again and staring straight ahead, hoping we would be at our destination soon.

I seemed to be in luck because Edward's car slowed down slightly as he took a turn and I noticed that the road ended there. Something about this reminded me very much of the first time he had taken me to what I used to think of as our meadow and visions of having to walk that long again popped into my head. My fear must have been clear on my face because Edward chuckled.

"Relax, it's not that far, and we won't go off the trail so it won't be difficult," he said still smiling. It still didn't touch his eyes but I was glad that he was at least trying to be a little cheerful. I couldn't stand seeing him unhappy, he didn't deserve to be unhappy.

"Sure, sure," I replied and I instantly smiled internally at the response I had picked up from Jake a while back.

Edward raised one eyebrow at me and I knew he had never heard me use that before, it must have been strange to him. I just shrugged and turned my face away from his gaze. His eyes were too beautiful and I couldn't stand to look into them for too long. They reminded me too much of the way I used to feel, and of what I had lost. The pain in them cut through me like a knife as well, I couldn't take it so I had to look away quickly.

"I really wish you wouldn't do that," he mumbled softly.

I didn't respond. I wasn't even certain I was supposed to hear it and by the way I was feeling right now there was no chance I was going to formulate a coherent sentence, it would be no use trying and making a complete fool of myself.

He seemed to deliberate for a moment, he was staring outside unsurely while playing with the keys in his hand. It was unusual for him to be moving that much, he almost seemed nervous too. But he couldn't be, why would he?

He seemed to have made up his mind about something because when I turned my head back towards him I saw him nod infinitesimally. "Are you ready to go then?" he asked without looking at me.

"Sure," I mumbled.

I unbuckled my seatbelt and before I knew it he was at my door again.

"You really don't have to do all of that," I said shyly.

"I want to, it's the way I was raised," he replied sincerely.

He waited for me to get out of the car. I saw his hand was stretched out towards me slightly, as if he had wanted to help me out of the car but decided against it at the last moment. When I was on my feet he started walking to what seemed to be the beginning of a trail. I followed him dutifully and we walked in silence the entire way.

Like Edward had promised me, the walk wasn't too long and before I knew it Edward came to a stop.

"It's a place I recently discovered and it reminded me a little of the meadow back in Forks, I figured it would be a nice place to talk." He seemed a little ashamed when he said the words while motioning towards the space in front of him.

There it was, a beautiful meadow that looked quite a lot like the one we used to go to. It was different though, even smaller than the one before and it wasn't perfectly round, it was more like a square but it was just as peaceful and almost as beautiful. I felt more at ease than I had felt around Edward in a long time all because of this place.

"Do you like it?" he asked unsurely after I had been standing in the middle of this meadow for a while just staring into nothingness.

"Sure, it's beautiful," I told him sincerely.

"I'm glad you think so," he said with an expression I didn't quite understand. Then again, I didn't seem to understand anything involving him anymore these days, I thought I had known him so well before but I started to doubt that now.

He sat down in the grass and patted the floor next to him, signaling me to do the same. I sat down and it was time for us to talk. I wasn't looking forward to this.


A/N: I'm sorry I had to stop the chapter here, it would have been way too long if I had continued :P The next chapter will be up tomorrow :) we're almost halfway through the story by now :) I hope you are all still enjoying it :) Let me know what you think! :) Xxx