Edward
"I love you too…" Bella whispered, sweetly. I tightened my grip around her and began to spin round in happiness. My Bella still loved me! After everything I had done, she still loved me!
"O, Bella! I thought you'd never say that again! You don't know how happy I am!" I placed the now-dizzy Bella back onto her chair and knelt down beside her. Something was wrong. She looked...sad. "What is it? What's wrong?"
"You're so happy!" Tears rolled slowly from her beautiful chocolate brown eyes.
"Why is that a bad thing?"
"I can't be with you! I love Jacob! I'm so sorry." She blubbered.
Slowly, I tangled my fingers in hers and pulled Bella close to me. She buried her head in my shoulder and continued to sob.
"I don't need you to be with me. I need you to love me. I'm happy for you and Jake…honest! I want you to be happy, no matter who you choose to be with. I will always love you."
"Thank-you." She hugged me tighter.
Truth be told, I did want her to be happy but I wanted her to be happy with me! I wanted her to laugh at my jokes. I wanted her to kiss my lips. I wanted her to want me. Unfortunately, as we climbed onto the plane back to Forks, I saw that what I wanted didn't matter anymore. She walked hand-in-hand with Jake. They looked into each other's eyes like there was no-one else in the world they would rather be with. Jake giggled (what kind of guy giggles!) as Bella tripped over some stray luggage. Bella pushed him into a stand of postcards in return. They laughed together. It was the perfect picture of the perfect couple.
"You'll find your mate soon, Ed." Alice said as she gave me a big sisterly hug.
"I thought she was my mate…"
"I know, bro. But there's someone out there for you, and obviously Bella wasn't her."
Emmett joined us and we followed the 'lovely' couple into the first class seats. I sat on my own, drinking champagne and staring, intensely, out of the window.
As expected, it was raining in Washington when we landed. Chief Swan and Carlisle were waiting for us in the car park.
"Did you have a nice time, Bells?" The chief asked Isabella as she threw her luggage into the back seat of the cruiser.
"Yes, Ch-Dad. Just glad to be home!"
She threw her arms around Jacob, gave him a kiss on the cheek and then pushed him into the cruiser, as the chief watched with surprise.
"Hey, Edward. I'm sorry things didn't work out with you and Bells. I was just starting to warm up to you, as well." Charlie joked, patting me on the back in a 'well-done-for-trying' way. Then he got in his car and drove away, taking the girl I loved and her new boyfriend with him.
"It's going to be okay, son. Maybe you should stay away from town for a while." Carlisle comforted me, like any father should. "Why don't you go and stay with the Tanya?"
"I want to be here, just in case Bella needs me. She and Jake might have a fig-"
"I wouldn't get your hopes up, Ed. Just go… Please."
I knew Carlisle was right. I needed to get away from Forks.