Then

To say Bella was nervous for the school day to end was an understatement. She'd already failed the first day of avoiding Edward after ending their relationship.

Their relationship.

She couldn't get Edward's devastated look out of her mind. She never wanted to hurt him, but he deserved a chance to freely love anybody he wanted.

When the final bell rang, signaling the end of the day, Bella's stomach flipped. She stood and followed her classmates as they filed out of the classroom and into the hallways. Everyone was in a rush to get to their lockers and either go to their extracurriculars or straight home, but not Bella. She wasn't eager to step outside the school building or to go with Edward anywhere.

That wasn't entirely true. She actually yearned to spend time with him, but they were over. She ended it, so there was no need for her to feel excited to be around him. Once she made it to her locker, she opened it and grabbed her coat and backpack, throwing her notebook in it. She'd, per usual, finished her work ahead of time, so she didn't have homework. She'd been working on a reversal spell - potentially something to veil Edward's feelings for her. The ideas came at the most random moments, so she'd needed a notebook handy. She hadn't tested any of them out, yet.

She threw the jacket on and followed the crowd of children who were desperate to leave. She headed to Edward's parking spot, unsure if he would be at his vehicle yet. When she spotted him, hunched over with his hood over his head, she slowed her gait.

She observed him. He was sitting on the hood of his car, and he hadn't noticed her yet. He tapped his foot for a moment before jumping up and pacing. He didn't have a jacket, something that normally led to her scolding him. It wasn't freezing out, but it wasn't warm enough for a light hoodie.

When she walked closer to him, he finally saw her. She was near enough to see his entire being relax. She still kept her distance.

"You came," he sighed, in relief. She nodded.

"I said I would."

He spun his keys in his hand. "Ready?"

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see," he responded, unlocking the doors. She got in and tried to control her breathing while they rode in silence. Being in such close quarters with Edward wasn't the best idea. She was aching to touch him.

After a few moments, Edward spoke again.

"Can...can I hold your hand?"

She whipped her head over to him. His throat bobbed as he swallowed. He kept his eyes on the road. It was as if he hadn't spoken, but she heard him loud and clear.

"I don't think that's such a good idea, Edward," she replied, softly, despite the fact that she wanted nothing more.

"Right," he shook his head. "I'm sorry."

Her eyes remained on his face. He looked how she felt - tired and sad. The last thing she wanted to do was cause him more pain, so she reached across the console and grabbed his hand, linking their fingers. His head snapped towards her, and his intense expression startled her.

She automatically went to pull her hand away, but he held it tight. She quickly looked away and out the passenger window, attempting to focus on the trees as they drove past them. She tried not to focus on the feeling of his warm hand over hers or the soft pad of his thumb as he rubbed it across her knuckles. Her heart was fluttering out of control.

She knew that if he really looked at her at the moment, he would see that she was desperately in love with him.

So, she kept her body turned away from him.

After a few minutes, she realized they were headed in the direction of his parents' home.

"Are we going to your house?" She asked.

"No," he responded. "But it's not far from there."

Instead of heading straight which would take him to his house, he took a left, which led them to the beginning of a path through the woods. He followed the path for about ten minutes. Then, he pulled his car over to the side and killed the engine.

"It's just up the path," he let go of her hand and pointed ahead of them. "Like a two minute walk."

"Okay."

When they both got out of the car and began walking, Bella realized how nervous Edward really was. Or maybe he was excited. She couldn't tell.

Along the path was a variety of different colored roses - mostly red, but pinks, purples, and even blues grew alongside the reds. They were beautiful and clearly a result of Bella. She kneeled, not caring that she was getting mud on her knees. She wondered when these grew.

Edward watched.

"I wanted to show you this...before," he said from beside her. She knew what he meant by 'before' - before she broke his heart. "Your gift...it's everywhere. I discovered this when I took a walk the other day. But these aren't what I wanted you to see today. It's up a little bit further."

He moved next to her and helped her to her feet. He led her to the end of the path. There was a clearing, which made Bella gasp. It was a sea of fresh roses. Reds and pinks continuously sprouted before their eyes. The garden was alive.

She knew exactly why. As much as she tried to hide her feelings for Edward, they manifested very near his home. She felt his eyes on her which made her cheeks heat. When she snuck a peek at him, he was still looking at her. The expression on his face told her everything.

He knew the meaning of the flowers. He knew she was in love with him.

The world shifted for her in that moment.

"We shouldn't be here," she whispered, feeling mortified by how bad of a liar she could be. She couldn't make her feet move, though, not when he was looking at her that way. After a moment, he moved closer to her. She was still frozen in place with an itch to leave and a need to stay.

And he was still looking at her like that.

"Bella," his voice was quiet. "I have something for you - something that I wanted to give you last week."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet bag. "I...I'm not sure what happened to make you end things, but I...I…" He took a breath and a step closer to her. He opened it and dumped the contents - a ring - into his hand. He then handed her the ring, which she took and examined. On it was a small anchor. It was simple and beautiful.

"My family and I move around a lot as you know. And it hasn't bothered me. This is the one time in my life I want my parents to stay put permanently. It's because of you. It's an anchor. You're my anchor." Her eyes welled up as she shook her head. He exhaled and laughed nervously. Then he looked directly in her eyes. "It's cheesy, I know. And if it's not clear, I'm in love with you."

The pull was undeniable. Before she even realized what she was doing, her lips were on his. He responded immediately, snaking one arm around her waist. He buried his hand in her hair and pulled her even closer as they deepened the kiss. He didn't care that she didn't say it back or that she had just broken his heart. All he cared about was having her in his arms.

Bella was as receptive to his touches as he was to hers. She wished she was closer to him. She let him unzip her jacket and shivered at the change in temperature.

"I have something for that. Wait here. Please." He kissed her lips one more time and rushed back to his car. He didn't take his time as he snatched the two blankets from the back seat. He had recently read an article about the importance of a car emergency kit. His normal luck had accidentally prepared him for an event he was certain wouldn't happen.

When he made it back another minute later, Bella was breathing heavily in the exact spot he had left her. Again, he looked relieved even though she would have had nowhere to go. Her expression softened when she saw what was in his arms. They both knew what it meant for them. His eyes were wide as he slowly approached her again.

Of course he was prepared to make their first time special. He laid out the first blanket, helped her undress and covered her with the second before removing his own clothing. Because he had been hoping for this moment since their first date, he'd kept a condom in his wallet. He figured if he ever had the opportunity to make love to Bella, he'd want them to be safe.

They took their time with one another, as the roses grew around them. And when they finished, and she lay in his arms, Bella decided it could never happen again.

Sigh...Thank you for reading. I hope this helps keep your mind off the chaos that is happening right now. It sure has helped me!

-Bravery