A/N: we're almost there.

Chapter 10: Time Passes

December 2014, afterwards

I've met someone. FaceTime and phone calls can only go so far to appease loneliness without Alice and Edward. So when I saw him at a party I thought: you look like a possibility. I approached him and next thing I know we're together. It's casual and nice. He's funny and doesn't ask for more. He takes whatever parts of myself I give him and I'm happy for that. His name is Felix and he's a business owner. He's 2 years older than me and though he can be a bit immature, he's successful. He's just busy.

Alice and Edward come home for Christmas. Seeing them again is so nice. I really wanted them to meet Felix but he was busy. Being a business owner is apparently very taxing and he can't get away. It's not the first time he hasn't came with me to meet friends but I don't want to fight over it. He's who I have when Alice and Edward are gone.

Alice and Jasper are stronger than ever. I seriously love Jasper like a brother now. He's chill as fuck and I see him whenever I visit Alice obviously. We've grown a lot closer.

Edward met someone at college too. Her name is Jessica and they're not serious yet but who knows what the future holds. We've both moved on and are happy for each other. We had to grow up without each other. I'm happy for him and whatever I felt is in the past. Same for him. It was and will remain the unspoken summer.

Alice and Edward aren't fans of Felix though. Alice thinks it's a red flag that he has avoided meeting her. Edward thinks it's weird too. Your girl's best friends should also be important so they don't understand how he couldn't set aside business to just meet them. I don't want to fight over it so I shrug it off. We're pretty casual anyways. It's not like Edward brought Jessica home. After I make that point the topic is dropped.

All too soon their visit is over and we go back to our lives without being physically together. It's hard but when I go back to school I can finally leave. When they leave Felix and I decide to really make things official.

December 2015

Things with my parents got worse so I moved in with Felix. I got financially cut off so I couldn't afford to go to school and pay rent. I had to take a year off to work and save up money to start again. Classes, textbooks, gas, rent, and food add up. I think I was naïve about how easy life could be if I just tried for my goals but at least I have Felix.

Alice and Edward didn't understand why Felix, with all the money he makes, wasn't helping me out. I didn't want to ask him and he didn't offer. I figured it was cause he was taking care of his family and I wasn't going to ask him. His parents aren't working so they rely on him. He tried to explain why but I didn't want to mettle. His parents don't like me very much. Parents normally don't like me anyways. I'm used to it. I guess I come off as cold to anyone but the Cullen family.

Felix still hasn't met Alice and Edward but it's just such bad timing. He's really busy and even works on weekends. We've just all come to this unspoken agreement that we shouldn't bring it up. As long as I'm happy they are happy for me

December 2018

I never did go back to school after 2015. It just was hard because San Diego is expensive to live in. I'm helping Felix with his business while working. I'll get there eventually. I'm just a little lost.

August 2019

I don't know how time flew by so fast but Alice is in NY now. I finally managed to go back to school. It's just a Cal State in the area. Edward left for New York too upon graduating. Everyone's lives are moving forward but they're there and eventually I'll be too. I've already talked to Felix about it. He's not a big city person but I think in time he'll see it as a business opportunity.

He met Alice once and that was it. He has been too busy and she basically only comes to this shit hole once and awhile. The Cullens are all in the East Coast now. The Del Mar home is now the vacation home. Esme and Carlisle brought a house in Pennsylvania when Alice and Edward moved to New York. They wanted a change close enough to their children but not in a big city.

A pandemic took over the world and all the time indoors with Felix has me questioning things. There's comfortable silence and there's forgetfulness. I think I've been forgotten or maybe there was nothing there in the first place. I love him but am I in love? When you go through the motions of daily life and only talk to fill the space what is it called? I feel like everything I say is taken as an opinion with no consideration. I feel like I'm screaming but it's not being heard. I need Alice. I need Edward. I need answers.