Chapter 5

Four years later

Bella

Four years. I'd given him four more years just like I said I would. Yet here I am sitting on the perfectly crisp and cushioned couch in our fancy apartment. I looked around the room and everything screamed Edward. Everything screamed Cullen. The walls were white and the floors were stark white tile. There was a grand piano in one corner of the room. White marble sat on top of white cabinets. Deep blue blankets and pillows were scattered strategically on the furniture in an attempt to make the space feel homey and welcoming. It didn't work. My home felt sterile and cold. Much like Edward.

I sat quietly, just thinking, waiting for Edward to get home. The only sound in the room was the hum of a Rumba gliding along the floors to pick up any dirt that may have collected on the pristine tile. The only color or warmth in the room aside from Edward's favorite blue was my forest green suitcase and a cardboard box filled with my belongings placed next to my feet. Four years here and I only needed one suitcase and one box to fit all of my belongings I wanted to take back to Forks with me.

I felt jittery. I was both excited to be leaving Olympia and Edward behind, and I could also feel the nerves building in the pit of my stomach. I didn't know how Edward was going to react. I never did. But I was determined this time. I was really going to do it. I was really going to flee from my personal hell and sprint into freedom. "No matter what." I quickly stated aloud, as a promise to myself.

I'd tried so many times over the last few years to leave Edward, but I think it was all a part of his master plan. Get me away from Forks, away from Charlie, away from any of my friends. He'd cut me off from talking to Renee and he checked my emails to make sure I wasn't contacting Angela or Jacob. Although I did manage to talk to Renee and Angela on rare occasions, I never had spoken to Jake again. He really had broken my heart.

That being said, it was hard to contact anyone in my life whose last name wasn't Cullen. Rosalie had become an unexpected ally in the last few weeks. She had explained to me that she only kept her distance from me because she thought I was being stupid and choosing the wrong path. Over time though, she had come to realize that Edward had some sort of hold on me, and we didn't know what, but we both knew that I had no intentions of becoming a vampire any longer, and that solved any qualm she'd ever had with me. She'd helped me pack my things, she'd helped me prepare what I was going to say to Edward, and she'd help me figure out how to hide it from Alice, who had foiled all of my previous attempts to escape as soon as she had seen my decision to do so.

Edward had become a monster. He still wanted nothing to do with my body, he talked down to me nearly everyday to keep me down, and he put me in situations that made me feel dependant on him, then would once again remind me of my weak humanity. Edward pressured me to do various things that I didn't want to do, and never allowed me to do the things that I did want to do. He made me financially dependant on him, not allowing me to get a job. I realized that he would never come to treat me as an equal, vampire, human or otherwise. The worst part of everything though was how quickly he could change. One day he would come home and call me beautiful, he would want to watch a movie, he'd make me popcorn and we would talk endlessly about the hopelessly romantic characters on the screen. The next day he would come home silent. He would remain silent until I spoke up. Once I spoke up all bets were off. He'd change his tune completely. Suddenly I was ugly, I wasn't good enough for him. I had an annoying voice and he just wanted me to keep quiet. He would stew in his own thoughts and blame me for how unpleasant they were. He would poke and prod until I was a mess of silent tears on the shower floor. He would play games. He would tell me lies, just to see how I would react. He played with my thoughts and manipulated my emotions for his own pleasure, and my pleasure meant nothing to him. I meant nothing to him.

I meant nothing to him. That is, until I had finally had it and was ready to leave, then suddenly, he was so sorry for how he acted, and he just loved me so much, and he was going to try his best to be a better man for me.

"It's bullshit." Rosalie stated, causing me to jump out of my own skin, I hadn't heard her come in. "I can see it on your face. That asshole has really done a number on you and I can't stand to watch it anymore. We are getting you out of here tonight you hear me?" She told me with hard, serious eyes.

I nodded, tears filling my eyes. I was so nervous and scared, but I knew what I had to do.

"Shh… it's okay Bella. We're gonna get you out of here." she soothed me as she brushed the hair out of my face, then pulled me in for a hug. "I swear, I am here for you. Do you want to sneak away now? I can keep you safe from him, and you'll never have to see him again." She asked.

"No, I have to do this. I have to face him." I told her, shaking my head no and wiping at my tears. "I can't run away, I would never get to see Charlie, or Renee, or Angela again."

"I know." She sighed. "I just had to throw the option out there. I will be there for you no matter what you end up doing, you know that right?"

I nodded once more then said, "How did I get so lucky to have you for a friend?" I smiled slightly and she smiled back. Nothing else really needed to be said as we waited together for Edward's imminent arrival.

The door began to creak open and in walked Edward whose eyes immediately turned black upon seeing me with my things and Rosalie next to me. She started to get up to give us some privacy, but I grabbed her hand and silently pleaded for her to stay with me. She must have gotten the message because she sat back down and looked down at her hands, still trying to give us as much privacy as possible while still being in the room.

"Bella. Rosalie." Edward greeted, his voice terse and agitated.

"Edward… we need to talk." I began. He sat on the opposite end of the couch and looked at me, waiting for me to continue. "I want to go back to Forks."

"It looks like you already have it all figured out Bella." He sounded eerily calm.

"Well I do." I replied, biting my lip and becoming even more nervous than I already was. I could feel my palms begin to sweat, my cheeks begin to heat up, tears begin to fill my eyes, and my stomach begin to roll.

"And does this little plan of yours include me or do you only ever think about yourself? Don't I get a say in the matter?" He spat.

His tone and his demands made me angry, but I had to push those feelings down because I was on a mission, and over the years I had learned that no matter how stubborn I was, he could match me step for step until it just ended in a battle I was destined to lose. Tonight though, with this battle, I was not willing to lose. I had to get away from him, and that is exactly what I was going to do.

"No Edward. You don't get to say that to me. I went to college with you. I gave you four more years of my life. My human life. My years are so much longer and so much more precious than your unlimited ones are, and I gave them to you. Well, I am done now. I need to be selfish. I need us to be over." I got it all out in one breath and I was proud of myself. I also felt sick to my stomach and like I was going to pass out. But the shocked look on Edward's normally smug face reminded me of how angry I was and so for that, I pressed on. "I can't be with you anymore. I deserve someone who will treat me better, and maybe there is no one else out there for me. I don't know, but finally Edward I am ready to say that I would rather be alone for the rest of my life than be with you a moment longer." It was true. It was all true. I'd always been horrified of Edward leaving me, of being alone, and having it proven that I simply was not good enough for him, but I didn't feel that way anymore. I would rather be alone and miserable with the hope of a better, brighter future, than be with him. I could see my future with him, I really could and it was bleak, and other than his moods it was monotonous and repetitive day in and day out for an eternity of days all the while he was so incredibly unpredictable and unstable and ruthless towards me. He was not the same man that he was when we were teenagers and I fell in love with him. Or maybe he was, and that was even scarier… but the point was I was leaving, and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Bella, I-" "Edward, I think that Bella got out what she needed to say, and we are leaving now. Do not follow us. Do not come back to Forks. Ever." Rosalie interrupted before Edward could begin to argue. Her voice had a fierce finality to it that left no room for question, and before I was even up and grabbing my bag, Edward was gone without a word.

Rose and I had made it to Forks in just under two hours due to her pushing her red BMW nearly as fast as it could go. If my heart wasn't still stuttering from my conversation with Edward, it certainly was for the fear of death considering how fast were going up the windy highway 101.

Olympia was nice, but I did miss the lush forests that become more evident the further north you went into the Olympic Peninsula where Forks was located. I felt like I was home, and I felt like a heavy weight had been lifted off of my shoulders.

It was a little bit after midnight when we pulled into the sleepy town, so Rose and I decided that it would be best to stay at the inn before going to see my dad in the morning. I had told some of my friends that I was coming home, and planned to meet up with them, but I hadn't told my dad yet, so I couldn't wait to surprise him in the morning.

As soon as we were checked in we headed up to our room and Rose immediately threw herself on the bed. "I wish I could sleep." She whispered, and I knew that she hadn't intended for me to hear, so I went into the bathroom without comment.

I turned on the water and took what was possibly the longest shower I had ever taken. The water was so relaxing against my skin and everything felt so right being away from Edward and the apartment that we had shared. I was excited to see my friends soon, I had plans to meet up with Angela, Jessica, Tyler, and Mike. I'm sure Lauren would be there, but it was worth it, I hadn't seen any of them since we all left for college. Angela was the only one that I had even kept in contact with at all, and it was because of her that I was going to be meeting up with the rest of my friends too.

Eventually the water ran cold and I regrettably had to get out of the tub/shower combo. I towel dried, through on some panties and an extra large shirt that fell to my mid thighs, and combed through my hair with my fingers before leaving the bathroom.

"Damn, there you are, I thought you had croaked in there or something." Rosalie joked. I laughed and it was genuine and I could tell that Rose had heard the difference too.

I yawned long and loud, for once not worried about how much noise I would make. I mumbled a good night, and I think I fell asleep before my head even hit the pillow.

Author's note:

So I am happy that she's finally not with Edward and is in Forks, getting closer to her future. I'm so excited! Anyways, you know what's up. I appreciate any reviews, especially constructive criticism :)

Also, here is a room somewhat as I imagine Bella and Edward's apartment to look like, just imagine this with a kitchen and some navy blue pillow accents. .