Chapter 25

Bella sat in one of the cafeteria's plastic chairs, munching on a sandwich. It was the same sandwich she had every day for lunch: turkey on wheat bread with tomatoes and mustard. This day was much, much different, however. Because, instead of sitting at the table alone, she had company. And not just any company, either.

Alice, though she had wanted to follow her friend around all day like a little puppy dog, had graciously given her brother and Bella some much needed privacy. They needed to talk, though neither knew if they were ready. Regardless, they couldn't continue a relationship of any kind without defining what exactly was going on.

Edward watched Bella eat her sparse lunch silently. On her tray, along with her meager sandwich, sat a bottle of water and a small apple. Neither had been touched. He frowned, realizing that Bella had been depriving herself of much needed nutrition, which was probably why she looked as if she had lost twenty pounds. As soon as he saw her, he noticed how thin and frail she looked. But it wasn't until they sat at that table that he realized exactly what she was doing to her body. He frowned, though he knew it was a conversation that should be saved for a later day. Instead, he brought up the one topic that he knew needed to be resolved now. Because he needed her to know his intentions. And he needed to her know that he wasn't going anywhere.

"Bella," he started. He paused when he saw her stop eating, and lowering her sandwich to her tray. She knew what was coming. "Bella, I can't read your thoughts, and I have no idea what you think of this whole situation. But I need to know. How are you feeling right now?"

It was a loaded question. How was she feeling right now? Everything she felt was so confusing. She felt scared, yet relieved at the same time. She felt lonely, just as she had felt for the past year, though she knew Edward and his family were there for her. They knew what had happened to her, but they didn't understand. They didn't understand how lost and alone she was. She felt sad, knowing that she had caused Edward and his family pain, and she felt guilty. She was upset that they felt they could just come back into her life, but she couldn't put into words why she was upset. Yeah, she was thoroughly confused.

"I," she began, still unsure as to what she wanted to say. "I, I don't know. I don't know what I'm feeling. I know what I think about the situation. But I don't know how it makes me feel."

"Then what do you think about this situation," he said, motioning to the space in between them.

"I think it's weird," she said, her brow furrowing between her eyebrows. He thought it was absolutely adorable, though he was confused as to why she said it was weird. "Strange, I mean. It's too big of a coincidence that you are here. The world is too big for us to meet like this again by chance."

He understood exactly what she meant. "It's not chance. I think the world brought us back together for a reason," he said.

She looked off into space, her eyes focusing on some unseen object floating above Edward's head. "Perhaps. But for what reason? You didn't want me. You left me. Why would the world be so cruel as to bring you back to me, when you're what I've wanted all along?"

He was startled at this statement, though he should have been ecstatic. She wanted him. "That's the reason right there," he said, scooting his chair closer to hers. "You are all I want. You're all I've ever wanted. I made the biggest mistake of my existence when I left you. And now, the world is trying to remedy that mistake. We are meant to be together."

She frowned. "If we are meant to be together, why didn't it work out that way? Like I said, you left. Regardless of whether or not it was a mistake, there was a reason why you left. You didn't want me anymore."

He wanted to cry as she said this. "No," he growled. Her eyes widened as she realized the ferocity in his voice. "No," he said again, more gently this time. "I've always wanted you. I know that you won't believe this now. Or tomorrow. Or maybe even the next day, month, year. But I swear to you, Isabella Swan. You will know the truth soon. I've made an absolutely mess of everything, and whether or not you blame me for it, I blame myself. I love you, more than words can describe. This is my promise to you."

She was speechless, to say the least. She wanted to run to him, leap into his arms and stay there for the rest of eternity. But she'd given up on the reality of that fantasy long ago. Life was too harsh to believe in fairy tales, and she had learned that the hard way.

"You say that now," she finally said, her voice small. "You say you love me. You say you need me. Then why did you leave me? Because I don't understand."

"I left you because I wanted you to be safe. You didn't belong in my world. But leaving you was worse than any physical pain I could ever experience in my life. And obviously, you weren't safe while I was gone. I put you, and everyone you know, in the worst danger possible. So, there is no point in staying away from you any longer."

She looked at him sadly. "I understand, I think. But I also think you might be too late. I'm not the same, Edward. I'm not the same girl you used to know. You only think you love me, but you love the old me. What is going to happen when you realize that? Will you leave again, even though you say there's no point in staying away from me any longer?"

He looked at her, frustrated. "Do you love me?" He finally said.

He waited in agonizing silence for her to respond.

She loved him, she knew that with all her heart. She wanted him more than anything in the entire world. And as guilty as it made her feel, she would choose him over having her family and friends back. She would choose Edward over bringing Jacob back. But she knew that there was no reason for him to love her. Especially not when she didn't even love herself.

She prepared herself to say those words. Before they could come out, however, her heart beat out heard head, and her mouth began to move on it's own accord.

"I do," she said. "I love you, Edward."