Bella

I didn't even know were I was driving to, or if the truck had enough gas in it. I just knew I needed to get out of Forks, well at least to the outskirts. I watched my surroundings melt past me into a blur of green and it reminded of my first day here.

If only Renee was alive, I could ask her what to do. She'd become mature for a moment, her brown furrowing her eyes delicate and soft, concerned. She'd lay her hand over mine and help me by telling me what the right thing was. Then after it all, she would make me smile. Without her I was just downright confused.

I couldn't concentrate on my driving, my vision was blurry from the tears and I pressed down to hard on the brakes, causing the truck to jump suddenly and serve on of the road. My hands were sweating and shaking as I was gripping the steering wheel too hard.

I eventually realised I probably had gone far enough and pulled into a huge park. There were swings and slides but it looked abandoned, probably because of the huge, black clouds hanging overhead.

I had a flashback, my mother pushing me on the swing laughing and I shouted "higher!". Her caramel coloured hair, brown eyes, warmth and love for me was evident even in my memory. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to hold the pieces left of myself together.

I took a seat on a small wooden bench that had graffiti over plastered over it, there were random names, little doodles and two names surrounded by a heart.

Kyla and Matthew forever

My finger traced the surrounding heart absently and my thoughts wandered back to earlier, my heart tightened thinking about what Jacob had told me.

The story kept replaying in my head, I could almost see the scene happening like some sort of movie, but each time I could never picture Edward as how Jacob had described him. He never gave me any impression to suspect him of any sort of actions. I'd trusted him whole heartedly, but I was in pieces now, not knowing what to think.

But it had been all laid in front of me and in detail. It made sense, why the student population seemed to despise him and why the students avoided him like the plague. I started to drift back into my thoughts when suddenly I heard a shuffle from behind me.

"Bella?" I heard a voice say and I jumped and screamed to find Edward staring at me with a pained expression. I blinked twice to check that my imagination had not just conjured him up to taunt me, but I knew it was him. His green eyes were twisted with pain and his bronze hair was standing on its ends, damp with the dribbling rain.

"Edward how did you know I was here?" I asked weakly not even recognising my own voice. It was hoarse and raw and my words stuttered out in a rush.

"I was out for a drive and saw your truck pulled up at the side of the road." He answered.

"Oh." I answered half heartedly, he didn't move he just watched me for a moment silently. Then it was as I something had clicked inside him and his facial expression turned to pure horror.

"Someone said something didn't they." He stammered nervously and he clenched his fists tightly, my heart began to thump rapidly. How had he figured it out so soon?

I didn't say anything, I didn't even move. What was there to say?

"Who?" he demanded.

"Jacob." I said quietly, another tear sliding down my cheek. This time though because I felt like I'd betrayed him.

He walked over to me and sat beside me on the bench but I just stared at one of the swing sets as the wind pushed it gently back and forth, creaking loudly like a ghost was pushing it back and forth.

"Bella look at me." He whispered and I used what strength I had to turn round to face his broken expression. His eyes were raw with emotion, his skin was pale and taut and there were dark circles under his eyes.

"It's not true, I promise you with my whole heart," I sat in silence and he tipped his head toward mine, are foreheads almost touching, "You've got to believe me, you're the only one to give me a chance. Bella I lo-" he cut himself off there and took a sharp intake of air.

"Whatever had been said, it is far from the truth. No one ever listened to my side of the story; they just heard what they wanted to hear. That perfect Masen was the complete opposite, a psycho, stalker and a woman beater. But Bella that isn't me, you know that! Please tell me you believe me." He faded on the last sentence, quiet and pleading.

I sat in silence for a moment, my mind reeling over all the information I received over the past hour, it was too much for one person to handle.

My head was telling me No don't believe him, he's lying.

But my heart was shouting at me, Yes trust him, you love him

There was an internal battle inside of me, violent and bloody, it wouldn't end until everything was destroyed. I couldn't answer his question yet so I asked him one instead.

"What's your side of the story?"

I knew he hadn't been prepared for this by the way he stared at me with his eyes wide and panicked.

"I…I don't think I can tell you." He said his voice full of regret. The voice in my head was amplified, blocking out my heart.

"What do you mean? You just said that no one listens to you. Well here I am, ears open, and you won't tell me. What the hell am I supposed to think!" I said angrily through my tears.

His jaw clenched and he sat up defensively, he was tearing my heart piece by piece the longer he took to speak.

"How do I know Bella that it won't come back to haunt me? You don't know what it's like, trying to live with these people who just want to break my life more and more." His voice was detached and uncertain but I could see the determination in his eyes and it scared me.

"So what you're saying is, you don't trust me, you think I'd tell the whole world." My words came out more scornful than intended, I read between the lines and I could the accusation in his words in black and white. He didn't trust me. The irony of it all struck me, leaving me numb.

"It's not like that Bella, it's just…" but he couldn't finish and I felt myself swell with fury, here I was going to give him a chance but he was throwing it back in my face.

I stood up to walk away but he followed, grabbing my arm so I fell back towards him.

"What else do you want from me?" I yelled at him, "I gave you my friendship, trust and love, for absolutely nothing in return. Just because I wanted too! I gave you all of me. What else is there left? Do you want my dignity too?!"

I was breathing heavily, I felt out of control, away from my rational thinking but I felt he hadn't given me a choice to behave otherwise.

"No, Bella, please don't say that." He said weakly, his eyes were intense but his emotions remained concealed, he wasn't letting me see the real him.

"You know Edward, maybe Jacob's right. Maybe I can't trust you, you aren't as you seem." I spat, it was a low blow and I could feel it but it wasn't me talking anymore it was all my pent up rage being released. From my mother being stripped away from my life, my father's avoidance, my old life and friends ripped away and now Edward and his inability to trust me, everything was finally hitting me.

Now I could see him fuel up and his eyes seemed to turn black with rage.

"You know what Bella, I said you were different. But maybe you're not. You're like the rest of them. You just wanted a piece of Edward Masen, so you could spread more lies about me. That's all, wasn't it?!"

His accusations really hit home and I choked back a sob. I didn't want to show my weakness in front of him, I tried to pull away but his grip was too tight and he yanked me forward, his eyes dangerous and threatening.

"So that's what you think of me then," he said low and darkly, "I'm just scum that can't be trusted. I could hurt you next."

He was getting closer to me and the electricity between us was nearly unbearable but I pushed it aside. I wasn't frightened of him, deep down I knew he would never harm me.

"And you have such a high opinion of me as well," I said my voice dripping with sarcasm, "I'm really just a gossip, who was out to hurt you the whole time!"

We stood in silence, if we were an inch closer we'd be touching but we both just glared into each other's eyes. I felt the rain starting, droplets falling onto our faces, one slid down his forehead."

"There's more to you though Bella, something that happened in the past. You won't tell anyone, I can see it in your eyes. Your mother?" some of the anger had retreated from his expression and his voice was softer, he touched the locket hanging on my neck.

I gasped and took a large step back. How had he known about it? Was I that much of an open book? I'd never mentioned anything to him before.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Just... just stay the hell out of my life!" I shouted but the tears falling from eyes.

I couldn't take it anymore; taking advantage of his moment of concentration relapse I sprinted away towards my truck.

He called my name out loudly but he never followed and for that I was thankful.

I threw myself in and roared the truck to life. I drove on down the road my vision becoming blurry from the tears. The rain was thumping down harder and I finally lost the will to go on further so I pulled over to the side of the road. I let myself fall to bits, sobbing freely and burying my head in my lap, letting my hair fall over my face.
My mind was streaming my mind with thoughts, I didn't know where I was or how I'd get home, since the truck was too low on gas.

I began to panic slightly but I couldn't force myself to do anything about it, so I remained there. A crash of thunder echoed through the sky, and a spark of lightening flew down, lighting the sky in a shade of deep purple for a moment before fading away to the dark black of night.
Suddenly there was a knock on my window and I jumped back in fright. I could only see a black, looming silhouette in my window, they slowly pulled my door open and I pushed myself against the driver's door, ready to make an escape at any moment.