I kissed her on the forehead and then ran away, leaving her with just the touch of my lips as a reminder of me. I couldn't bear to kiss her lips. I would never have the courage to leave her if I did.

Lydia wasn't stupid enough to go after me, to try to find me. She begged me to stay, asking, "who will love me besides you?"

"Plenty of people," I said. "I deserve you least of all."

"Edward, please, we can fix this-" I couldn't bear to hear her plea. I kissed her forehead and ran as fast as I could in the opposite direction. When I finally reached my house, my family was waiting for me.

"Oh Edward," Esme said softly. "You don't have to throw your happiness away like this." Her face was soft, her eyes pitying. I internally flinched.

"No," I said, my voice not sounding as rough as I felt. "It's for the better."

Alice looked at me with angry eyes. "You may have done it for better, but that doesn't mean it was the better thing to do."

I glanced at Carlisle. "You already know what I think, Son," he told me.

I hate seeing him like this. He was so happy and now he's miserable.

I sighed, hearing my father's thoughts. I didn't need anyone's pity.

"Hey man we're here for you-" Emmet started to say.

"Will you leave me alone?" I asked, raising my voice. I hadn't meant to shout, but I didn't want to talk about it.

Poor Edward, Esme thought. I turned and marched out of the living room.

"You did the right thing," Rosalie called after me.

I disappeared into the night, alone with my thoughts, peaceful in the worst possible way.

I stayed by myself for a year before coming back to the family. Leaving Lydia slowly got easier, but I kept thinking about her. Missing her. Years passed. I mentally marked her birthday on my calendar. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22…..I hoped it got easier for her as time went on. It sure didn't for me.

One day, in the middle of year six without her, something happened. We were in our second new place now, having lived for there two years, and it was a night where we were all home. Rosalie and Emmett were playing chess, Esme was flipping through some home décor magazines, Jasper had just gotten back from hunting with Carlisle. Alice was walking into the room to greet them when she stopped suddenly, her eyes going wide. She gasped.

I watched her vision play out in her head. A masked man entering a house, into a kitchen that looked like Lydia's. The man walked forward, slowly, decisively. He held a hammer in his hand. He raised it and brought it down, and a scream of terror and pain made me flinch.

Jasper was by Alice's side in a second. "Alice, what did you see?" He sounded alarmed.

Everyone stopped what they were doing to look at her, rising to their feet in alarm.

"Alice," Jasper repeated, sounding panicked. "What did you see?"

"I think Lydia might be in danger," Alice said, her voice breathless.