Hey everyone! so some of you guys asked for a EPOV on the final chs, but here's the thing, I think it wouldn't really fit with where the story is and where it's going, so here's what I'm gunna do, I'm gunna post it separately IF YOU REALLY WANT IT, sometime in the near future, k?? ALSO I know this ch short, but believe me when I say, it pack a punch! It's a bit of a tough ch, ok, so bear with me and get through it alright?
xoxo, devinerose
I Own nothing.
"Wha-What are you talking about?" I stammered.
"Bella," He said sternly, "Ever since you had words with James that night you've been off, it doesn't take much to put two and two together." He explained.
"Emmett I-"
"Don't do it Bella. You're not helping anyone by leaving, trust me." He said turning to me, trying in vain to convince me I was wrong.
"What choice do I have?" I asked hopelessly.
"Stay and make it work." He said bluntly.
"It's not that simple Emmett," If only he knew, "Between Edward coming home every other weekend with jet lag, working late, school, and a whole mess of other things, Emmett, he just can't handle it. I know, I know, Edward can do anything, but not this, no one can do this. It would just be better if I took myself out of the equation altogether."
"No, it wouldn't Bella, what you two have is more than just a summer romance, you two love each other the way I love Rose, or Alice loves Jasper. Bella, do you honestly think Edward is going to be able to focus with a broken heart. If you leave Bella it will destroy him, it'll destroy the both of you, don't-"
"Stop it." I whispered forcefully, he stopped talking. His words were cutting me from the inside out. Everything he was saying was true, but it changed nothing, Lauren was still the one holding all the power.
"Look Bella, I just need you to make the right choice here, okay?" He asked hopefully, I nodded, he didn't have to know the right choice wasn't the one he had in mind.
"So no more tears." He said softly, leaning over to brush away an escaped tear I hadn't even noticed before wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me into his side.
"It'll be alright kiddo, it'll be alright." He said comfortingly as a cool wind whipped through my hair. Edward jogged over then to grab some water,
"Trying to put the moves on my girl? Rose would be so disappointed." He teased.
"Bella wouldn't." Emmett joked back.
"Oh yeah?" Edward asked as he pulled Emmett into a choke hold and giving him a noogie,
"Uncle! Uncle!" Emmett laughed.
"That's what I thought." Edward laughed as he released Emmett to continue looking for the water in the basket Alice had brought. He pulled out a bottle and opened it, taking a long sip.
"What's the score?" I asked as Edward recapped his bottle.
"14-7, us." He answered proudly.
"Yeah, only because," Emmett began, "Blondie's too slow to keep up!" He shouted this in Jasper's direction. Jasper responded by flipping Emmett off, I saw Alice roll her eyes and Rosalie laugh.
"Anyway, I'd better get back." Edward said, putting the bottle back in the basket.
"What are you playing to?" Emmett asked.
"Just 21, we're all getting kind of hungry." Edward said, then leaned down to kiss my forehead before running out to the playing field.
Emmett and I watched in amiable silence until the game ended with Jasper scoring the winning touch down. They made their way back to the blanket and Alice began passing out the sandwiches she had packed for our lunch. As she did, Jasper began to give Emmett and me a blow by blow account of his win, until Emmett cut him off.
"Hey, we don't need the play by play you moob, we watched it." He told Jasper as he stared at his sandwich trying to figure out how to hold it one handed.
"I'm sorry, but did you just call me a-a 'moob'?" Jasper asked confused.
"Yep." Emmett answered triumphantly as he had figured out how to hold his sandwich so the stuffing wouldn't come out the other end when he bit into it.
"What is that?" Jasper asked puzzled, and slightly disgusted. We all laughed at his question.
"Oh Jasper, I love your southern innocence." Alice said with a laugh, getting up to sit in his lap as she placed a loving kiss on his cheek.
"No seriously." Jasper said looking around at us, "What's it mean?" He asked like a five year old being left out of the grown up conversation, this only made us laugh harder.
"We're-we're not laughing at you, Jas, just at-at the situation." Rosalie said through her laughter, trying to comfort him, it wasn't working.
"Sure you are." He said rolling his eyes. We finally stopped laughing enough for Emmett to explain to Jasper what a "moob" was. Once he did, Jasper responded with an audible, 'Oh', causing us all to fall into fits of laughter once again.
"Ahh shut up." Jasper said trying to fight back a laugh of his own. Lunch continued on like this for another hour, then we spent the rest of the time gathered around on the blanket talking, about everything and anything. It wasn't long before the sun began to go down behind the houses.
"I'd better get home, I don't want to be late. Charlie wants to do a final dinner tonight." I said getting up and stretching, Edward following suit.
"Tonight?" Alice asked in confusion, "I thought you still had three more days."
"I am, but he's going to be away on his last sponsored fishing trip for the next two days." I explained.
"Oh." Alice said understandingly.
"Yeah, so I'd better get home and get started."
"Alright." Alice said, they all stood up and gave me hugs goodbye, and Edward and I went to the car to get my bag. Afterwards he walked me home, but neither of us said anything until we got to the front porch,
"Edward, it's going to be a late night with Charlie and I, he said he wanted to make sort of a big deal out of it, so don't worry about coming over." I told him, it was a lie, Charlie just wanted to do dinner. I didn't want him over because I had already begun the painful process of detaching myself from him. It hurt like hell, and made it hard to stand, but I didn't let it show.
"Oh, um, Okay. Are you coming over tomorrow?" He asked, I nodded. I couldn't open my mouth to answer him, because a sob would be the only thing to come out, tomorrow would not be the day he was expecting.
When he kissed me goodnight, I tried to make it as empty as possible, I tried not to feel anything. When we pulled apart Edward stared at me, and I could see the hint of fear in his eyes. I wanted so badly to pull him back into my arms and kiss him, really kiss him, but I didn't as the image of Lauren popped into my mind.
"Goodnight Bella." He said quietly.
"Goodnight Edward." I said, turning to open the door. Before I could step inside, Edward's voice stopped me.
"I love you." He said simply, my knees buckled underneath me and I had to close my eyes to keep the tears of pain away. I took a deep breath and opened them to respond.
"I know." I said before stepping inside and closing the door behind me.
____________________________________________________
When I woke up that morning I knew that it was the morning. My hands shook as I tried to dress myself, and my breaths came in shallow gasps. My heart was barely functioning, and the only thing working properly was my head. It was pushing me on, telling me to suck it up and deal for Edward's sake. I had to be strong and make him believe that us breaking up was what needed to be done. Once I was somewhat mentally ready I got in the car and drove to Edward's house for the last time.
Emmett opened the door after I rang the doorbell, he was laughing about something, but abruptly stopped when he saw my expression. He stepped aside slowly to let me in,
"He's in his room." He said solemnly, I began to make my way up the stairs. "Bella, don't do this." He pleaded, I stopped and turned back to look at him. I ran back down the stairs and hugged him. He was surprised at first, but then he hugged me back.
"I'm sorry, Em, but I have to, I know what you said, and you're wrong. I'm so sorry." I said letting him go and tuning back to the stairs, he didn't stop me again. I made my way up to Edward's room and knocked on the door.
"Yeah?" I heard Edward call from the other side. I wanted to turn on my heel and run, but my knees were shaking too much. I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing would come out.
"Hello?" Edward called out again.
"It's Bella." I finally got out. I heard footsteps on the other side of the door, I took a deep breath and tried to make myself seem as expressionless as possible. The door swung open and Edward pulled me in, shutting the door behind me, pressing me against it. He leaned in to kiss me, but I turned my head, if he kissed me, I knew I would never be able to do what I had to. When I looked back at him his eyes were filled with hurt and confusion.
"Bella, what's wrong?" He asked.
"Edward, we need to talk." I said blankly, he recoiled slightly.
"About what exactly?" He asked apprehensively.
"Us." I whispered.
"Okay, so talk."
"I think when I leave, I should leave." My heart screamed in pain, it hurt so much I had to hold back a gasp.
"How do you mean?" He asked with furrowed brow, he understood, he just didn't want to. My next words made my stomach roll with nausea.
"I think-I think, we should stop seeing each other." I whispered weakly as I stared at his shoulder unable to look him in the eyes.
"W-why?" He asked
"You're starting your internship and school, you don't need me as a distraction Edward, we need to see this as it is, okay?" I couldn't tell him the truth and it killed me.
"No, it's not ok. Bella, where is all of this coming from?" He asked angrily,
"I've been thinking about it for a while. I-I think it's for the better." My words all sounded weak and reasonless,
"For the-, for the better?" He asked as if I were psychotic, "Bella, what the hell are you talking about?" His temper was rising as was his confusion.
"I-I," I was stalling for words, more excuses that would make some kind of sense, but there were none left, except the most harsh and severe of all, the one I never wanted to have to say. As I stumbled for words, he turned his back on me and headed towards his dresser. He rummaged through the top drawer with his back towards me, he pulled something out that I couldn't see, then shut the drawer.
"I was going to do this at the airport, but I have a feeling if I don't it now, I'll never have the chance." He said with his back to me as he spoke. Finally he turned around and made his way over to me, holding whatever he had dug out of the dresser behind his back in one hand. He took my left hand in the other, then got down on one knee in front of me. I stopped breathing altogether,
"Edward don't, please." I begged as tears slipped down my face, but he ignored them.
"Isabella Marie Swan, I don't know what's come over you these past few days, and I don't know what could drive you to think I would be better off without you. What I do know is that I love you more than anything in this world, I know I would give up everything if it meant I could spend the rest of my life with you. I understand we're young, but I don't care, will you marry me?"
Special Treat: 1,325 reviews(total)
Next Update: June 30, 2009
