This was it. Presentation day.

Everything was done and ready for the afternoon. Both Edward and I–in our own spare time–had checked that everything was correct, flawless basically. Now all I had to do was make it through without stumbling over each and every word.

I hardly paid attention to the light pushing through my closed curtains as I jumped into my jeans and tugged a long sleeved shirt over my head. Mom and Dad were both half-way out the door by the time I made it downstairs. They both waved goodbye and reminded me to lock the door behind me as I left for school. Breakfast was a quick whip-up of eggs and toast and then I, too, was leaving home for the day.

Sunlight illuminated the trees and streets, making it feel more like noon rather than early morning. I squinted at the unusual brightness, a small seed of worry planting itself in my stomach. I hastily pushed it away. Even if Edward's family wanted to take advantage of the nice weather, there was no way he would leave me hanging on such an important Friday.

I pulled into the parking lot that was already filling up with students and teachers alike. Our usual meeting table was empty when I walked up. I scanned the cars around me for the Tesla, but it was nowhere to be found.

No need to panic yet, I told myself. Everyone was allowed to be late.

Keeping the faith, I sat down at the table and waited. I watched the entrance as every car turned into the lot. Despite their variety, none were the one I wanted. I held out, though, giving Edward the benefit of the doubt, even as I checked my watch for the time and headed to class with just a few minutes to spare.

All throughout the hour, my leg bounced under my desk, my eyes flickering to Alice's empty seat like a tic I couldn't control. She never showed.

At the end of the hour, Abby stood and threw her backpack onto her shoulder. "Did Edward say he wasn't going to be here today?"

I shook my head. "No, he didn't say a word."

"Huh." Abby gave me a look of sympathy as we exited the classroom and separated for our next schedule.

Still, I didn't want to think that Edward would leave me like this. How many times had I expressed my anxiety over this? Would he really leave me to face it on my own so he could go hiking in woods he'd seen a dozen times already?

By lunch, I had accepted that the answer was yes.

The usual table that the Masens occupied was empty, no one daring to take it even though they weren't in school. Nor was Edward sitting by himself for us to conduct our mutual lunchtime interrogation.

"Tough break," Jackson said as I sat down across from him, my tray rattling as I put it down on the table. "I doubt Shetler's going to let you delay it until Edward gets back."

"Which just means he'll be docked points," Tanner inserted. He took a bite of a carrot, the crunch earning a flinch from me.

"And that Sloane has to give it all herself," Abby added. She patted my back while I picked at my sandwich. To me, she asked, "Do you know the whole thing?"

I nodded. "Yeah. It's not that hard." Lucky for me that I had an obsessive anxiety issue and went over the presentation over and over by myself, so it's all up there. But I didn't want to do this on my own. If it weren't for the grade, I'd skip out on physics myself.

Retrieving my phone, I brought up my messages with EJ.

Can we go hiking tomorrow? I need to blow off some steam.

Shockingly, EJ replied right away.

You got it. I've missed you.

I told him that I had been missing him, too, and told him to meet me at the roadside rather than the store at nine tomorrow morning.

Feeling marginally better, I peeled myself out of the chair when lunch was over and walked with Abby to the science building. I stared at Edward's empty desk, barely acknowledging the other students that walked by to get to their own seats.

"Miss Summers?"

I jumped at my name. It took a moment to process that it was Mr. Shetler who called for my attention. He stood over my desk, a frown wrinkling his forehead and nose. "Yes, sir?"

"I got a call from Dr. Masen this morning," he said. "Apparently, the entire family is down with the flu. So, obviously, Edward isn't going to be a part of the presentation. Can you handle it on your own?"

Despite the nauseating feeling in my stomach, I nodded. "Yeah, I'll be fine."

"Good to hear. I can let you go first, if you want."

"Sure." Might as well get it over with. At least then I would be able to make it through the rest of the hour with only one feeling: pure agitation.

This was not happening. Please, someone tell me this wasn't happening.

"Come on!" I groaned at my windshield. "Where are you?"

I tried calling EJ one more time. It rang once, twice, three times and then voicemail. Annoyed, I hung up before it could beep over to recording and tossed my phone into the passenger's seat.

The time was nearing closer to ten and still EJ hadn't shown. There was no message from him when I woke up this morning that he wasn't going to be able to make it. Parked on the side of the road, I had half hoped that EJ would be here when I arrived, given that I was running about five minutes behind. I wasn't all that surprised when he wasn't. I gave him about ten minutes before I called. And now he would have about four missed calls and an equal amount of text messages.

Fine. If he wasn't going to show, then I would go hiking by myself. I refused to let another flake ruin my day.

Snatching my phone back up, I shoved it into my pocket, hopped out of the car, and locked it behind me as I headed for the treeline.

The clouds above were heavy today, as if to make up for yesterday's sunshine. There was still enough to see by, but I made sure to keep watch of the forest floor, especially for lifted roots or fallen branches.

Foregoing my typical calculated method, this time, I walked in a straight line in a direction that I was positive that I hadn't explored before. The trees were thick and the ground a bit uneven, but it was beautiful. Moss covered the trunks and leaves of varying colors covered the soil. I pushed through as time went on. My phone never vibrated in my pocket. EJ still wasn't responding. I wondered what his excuse would be this time.

Another hour of walking went by. My legs were growing weary. I started looking around for a possible place to rest for a while when I noticed that up ahead the trees thinned and then stopped for good. Did I accidentally cross the entire forest and come up to another road? Too curious to wait, I forged ahead. The treeline did give way to something, but it wasn't a side road.

A clearing–a meadow, really–wide and round was a hidden jewel. It didn't feel manmade and it certainly wasn't on any tourist map. Little wild flowers shriveled amongst the tall grass, their colors faded and dull. I stepped further into the meadow, eyes bouncing endlessly. That was when I realized I wasn't alone.

In the middle of the meadow, someone was lying on their back, their silhouette barely visible amongst the grass. If they heard me enter, they made no move to show it.

I kept my steps slow and as quiet as I could control. The person let me come closer. About fifteen feet away, I finally saw his face.

"Edward?"

At the soft whisper of his name, he snapped up, eyes wide with shock. I stopped my approach like a deer caught in a truck's headlights. We stayed like for a whole minute, neither moving, whether to close the gap or retreat to isolation. It was Edward who broke first.

His eyes relaxed, then his shoulders. He leaned back on his elbow and motioned for me to come closer. I did so cautiously, fearful that he would change his mind and demand I leave. He looked away, not bothering to watch as I walked to him. Even when I came to a stop by his side, he kept staring at the trees. I hovered over him for some time, hoping that he would speak. He didn't.

With a sigh, I removed my bag from my shoulders and sat down next to him. Then frowned. While I was dressed in sturdy pants and thick sweater for hiking, Edward was not so sensibly dressed. His white t-shirt was thin and his trousers seemed too nice to be laying in dirt. I didn't see a jacket or bag anywhere nearby.

"What are you doing out here?" I asked.

He didn't look at me as he said, "I come here when I want to be alone."

"Oh." Not exactly a welcoming answer. I bit down on my lip nervously. I had thought that when I saw Edward again that I would tell him off for missing out on the presentation, especially since he didn't seem to be sick on any level. But after seeing him here, a sneaking feeling stopped any accusations from flying. "Do you want me to leave?"

He took a deep breath and let his eyes flutter closed. "No. Your presence here–it's not as bad as I thought it would be."

I snorted. "Wow, thanks."

"No, I'm sorry." His eyes shot open and whipped towards me. "I just meant–" He rubbed the creases on his brow with his fingers. Sighing, he leaned back in the grass, using his hands as a pillow. "There are memories here. Painful ones."

"But you still come here?" I questioned.

His eyes followed the blanket of clouds above us. "Yes, I do. Even if it is painful, I still need to remember them. To make sure that they're real."

That didn't sound unreasonable. "I can leave, if you want me to. I came across this place by accident while hiking. I can keep going."

He stopped my rise with a hand around my wrist. "No. Stay. You being here seems to sooth the memories."

Oh. That was… unexpected. "Okay."

For a while, he didn't say anything. He'd released my wrist, leaving me sitting beside him, looking down while he stared up at the sky. He didn't seem to mind that I, in turn, was staring at him. The sunlight, however dim today, seemed to bring out the red in his bronze curls. The urge to run my fingers through the strands was great. As subtle as I could, I wedged my fingers under my legs to keep them from giving in. Apparently, it wasn't subtle enough.

Edward's eyes–now a bright and vibrant amber–flickered over to me. "Where are your thoughts?"

The odd sentence made me giggle. "In my head. Like everyone else's." His gaze narrowed as we both knew that wasn't what he meant. My smile faltered. "Your hair is redder than I thought."

"Emmett likes to tease me about it." As if teasing me, he twirled a few strands between his fingers. "It stands out among my family. Another reason I do, I guess."

"I like it," I admitted. "It's pretty."

Edward released a soft chuckle. "Not often is something related to me described as 'pretty'."

"Would you prefer I call it handsome?"

He shrugged.

As I began to relax in this strange turn of events, I laid down in the grass beside him, propping up on my elbow and using the hand as a stand so I could still see him. "How often do you come here?"

"This is the first time in a long while." He flipped over to his side so he was mirroring my posture. "I didn't think it would be good for me to come here. That I would feel the sharp pain even more than usual. But, for a reason I cannot fathom, it doesn't."

I tried to follow along, to understand his words so I could give him comfort where needed. But they weren't making sense. His family had only moved here only a few months ago, so I couldn't make the connection as to how he could have been here before. A long time ago he had said. My whole life had been lived here in Forks. If the Masens had been here before, I certainly would remember it.

"What is it?" Edward asked, referring to my ever deepening frown.

"Nothing," I lied. I didn't know why. The question I wanted let out was right there on the tip of my tongue. It was an easy enough one to ask. And yet, it remained inside, filed away for a later date and time.

Edward growled lowly in frustration, taking me by surprise. It seemed a bit extreme, but I didn't say anything. "You're obviously thinking of something. It's written all over your face."

"You're always so interested in what I'm thinking," I pointed out to him. "I doubt my thoughts are really that interesting."

"I guess we are forced to disagree on that," he murmured.

"What are you thinking about?" I threw back at him in hest.

"Why you were out hiking by yourself," he answered quickly and in a very scolding tone.

I raised an eyebrow at his answer. While he gave very little detail on his life outside of school, I remember being much more forthcoming. "I told you I like to hike."

"But you said that you hike with friends?" he countered.

"True," I confirmed. "But sometimes they can't make it." My eyes fell from Edward's face to the blade of grass I was wounding around my finger. "Even when they promise to."

"That happens a lot, it seems."

I nodded. "More and more lately. It just sucks because they're always together. They always know what the others are up to. And they cover for each other. I'm always left as the odd one out."

Edward's fingers entered my vision, unwrapping the piece of grass from my own knuckle. I didn't like the obvious differences between our hands. Though his skin was paler than my own, the bone structure was more elegant, long and lithe as opposed to my shorter, stubbier fingers. "Perhaps they have a good reason for it," he defended.

I let my free hand drop onto the soil. "If it was a good reason, then why don't they ever say what it is?"

That seemed to stump him. Because what could the answer be? Excuses could only be good if they were put into use. And friends should be understanding–should have a chance to understand. I didn't really care about the "why". I just didn't want to be constantly lied to or blown off. If something came up within the twenty-four hours of making plans, then alright. It happens. Did EJ not trust me to be understanding? Had I given him a reason to think that way?

"It's not you."

My gaze shot up to Edward. "What?"

"Your friends aren't canceling because of you," he clarified.

I shook my head. "I wasn't thinking that."

His response was to huff. "Then what were you thinking?"

"Only that," I licked my drying lips, "if he had a good excuse, why didn't he think he could trust me to say it."

"Maybe he's trying to protect you?"

I laughed wryly. "Protect me? What could I possibly need protection from?"

Edward did not find it as amusing. "You would be surprised."

Rolling my eyes, I adjusted so I was lying flat on my stomach, two elbows now holding me up instead of one. The veins in the one arm were starting to tingle, but I didn't want to completely lie down and tangle my hair in the foliage.

"So, what are you protecting me from, then?"

It was his turn to be taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"If you're trying to hide that you're hiding something," I said, "then you're not doing a good job of it. I'm not saying that you have to be an open children's book, but–" I shrugged, unsure of how to describe how secretive he's been. It was all vague, his answers and the way he avoided certain inquiries.

"I am simply protecting you from myself," he said after a prolonged pause.

That was probably meant to scare me, to get me to audibly gulp and say that I was needed back home and to leave him behind. But it didn't. Because very little of what I had seen of Edward warranted fear. Yes, he could lash out, but that was because of whatever he was hiding, whatever he was scared to let others see. So, instead of giving him the satisfaction, I nodded. "I see."

"I question if you really do."

I smirked. "Have you been reading Shakespeare again?"

He frowned at that. "Not recently, no."

"Just checking. You remind me of Hamlet." Yes, the character whose odd reactions and occasional soliloquy constantly has everyone else questioning his stability. I didn't believe Edward to be insane. Merely unpredictable. I could see him pulling a skull out of nowhere and asking what the point of life was. To be or not to be and all that.

He made a face. "Rather him than Romeo."

Feeling a bit cheeky, I followed him down this flattened path. "Romeo is very fickle, though possibly misunderstood."

That piqued his interest. Sitting up, Edward repositioned himself so he was fully facing me, legs crossed and back as straight as a fence. "How so?"

"Well," I pushed myself up as well, though my posture was nowhere near as eloquent, "most people these days would say that he was a whiny boy who fell for whatever he saw next and deserved what he got in the end." Edward nodded but did not insert his own criticism, rather waiting for me to go on. "Now, I can't disagree with him being a bit rash, but I don't think Shakespeare meant for him to be seen that way."

"Maybe not," he agreed, "but have you ever heard of 'death of the author'?"

Now I was the one making faces. "Heard of it? Yes. But I don't agree with it at all."

"Why not?"

"Because completely ignoring the intent behind the author's choices means you completely miss the point. Not that all literature has to have a point," I corrected, "but still. The author was the one who put in the work unto crafting the story and its details. To completely dismiss that so it can fit your own narrative is very narcissistic."

A bemused smile crept up on Edward's lips. "An interesting point. Though I'm still not sure how that relieves Romeo of his choices?"

"Most of his choices weren't his own," I countered. "Falling for Juliet, sure, but how he handled it from there, it was a mix of his youth and the family feud."

"His youth?" he echoed.

Reaching out, I tapped gently against his forehead. "He was only eighteen. Lack of a fully formed frontal cortex. We're hopeless without it. Rash."

A puzzled expression deepened the lines on Edward's face. "That is quite an argument. Though I think I'm forgetting the reason it started in the first place."

I gave a half shrug. "None, really. I just wanted to keep you talking." Lifting my hand, I gestured back and forth between us. "The flow of conversation."

He smirked. "Is conversation with me that interesting?"

I matched his expression. "Fascinating."

Rather than the explosive laughter I had expected, Edward's lips pressed into a hard line. His hand drifted over the grass and wildflowers, barely brushing the tips. He didn't speak for several minutes. The wheels of his mind were working hard, but on what I couldn't fathom. Did I say something wrong again? Was it bad to say that I enjoyed speaking with him? Surely I had said something similar before.

Under his breath, he said, "Will I never learn?"

"What?"

He didn't explain or expand on his words. He stood to his feet and held out his hand to me. "It's getting late. And it's dangerous to hike these woods alone. I'll see you back to your car."

I wanted to refuse the hand, lay back in the grass, and tell him he could leave if he saw fit, but I was getting hungry for something that wasn't a protein bar. And, given what I knew of Edward's personality, he wouldn't just leave me here. So, I took the hand, the fingers wrapping around my own as he helped me to my feet. With my bag slung over my shoulders, I motioned for him to begin the journey back.

"You came this way?"

I nodded confirmation. "It should be a straight line back to the road."

The flow of conversation that I had been trying to keep back in the meadow came to a complete stop as we hiked through the forest. Multiple times I tried to find a way to restart it, but each attempt felt silly or redundant, so they never fell past my lips. When the ground became uneven, Edward was always there, a steady hand held out for me to take until we moved on to smoother footing.

As much as I hated to admit it, I relaxed as I recognised the foliage around me. We were getting closer to the road and my car. I needed to get out of this awkward situation, to give this tension time to release. Edward always seemed better after a short stint apart.

"Wait." Edward stopped me with a hand around my wrist. His eyes flittered around, head tilted as if listening for something I couldn't hear. I tried to remain as still as possible, straining my own ears for whatever had caught his attention. Then I heard it.

"Sloane! Sloane, where are you!"

The yelling was faint, far away as it echoed off the tree trunks. It seemed to be coming from our right with Edward a few steps closer to it. He pulled me in closer to his side, his posture taking a protective form.

"Sloane, come on!"

It was closer now. And clearer. I knew that voice. I tried to get around Edward, but he blocked my attempt.

"Hold on," I told him. "I know who that is."

"Who–"

"EJ! Over here!"

"Sloane!" Edward hissed between his teeth.

The rustling of leaves and breaking of twigs grew louder. Edward kept his protective position around me, his back blocking most of my view. But EJ was nearly impossible to miss as he broke through the trees.

"Sloane!" Panic erupted in EJ's voice as he looked from me to Edward and back again. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said, confused. Edward straightened, but kept between me and my friend.

EJ's eyes narrowed at the other male. "What are you doing with him?"

"Hiking," I snapped. "You know, like we were supposed to be?"

My anger took him by surprise, shaking him out of his focus. "I-I'm sorry about that. I had something I had to take care of."

"Yeah, you always do," I said bitterly. Taking a hold of Edward's arm, I tried to pull him towards the treeline that was only thirty feet away or so. He didn't budge. "Come on, Edward." Again, he didn't move. It was as if I wasn't even trying.

"No."

It was EJ who spoke.

"Excuse me?" I scoffed. He really had the audacity to try and tell me what to do.

"Will you see to it that she makes it back to her car?" Edward asked softly. EJ replied with a hard nod, his lip curling, ready to snarl. "Thank you."

"I'm not doing it for you."

"I know," Edward said. "But it doesn't mean I'm not thankful." Looking down at me, Edward's eyes were stormy, as if fighting something within himself. "I have to go."

"But–"

"Sloane. Please."

The pleading in his voice ran deep. So, I had no choice but to drop my hand and let him go. In a shocking change, however, he cradled the back of my head and kissed where my beanie laid on top of my hair. Then he disappeared within the trees.

EJ gave a small cough in disgust.

"You are such an asshole," I spat before turning on my heels for the road. He caught up within just a few steps thanks to his long stride against my short legs.

"Sloane, hold on!" He grabbed my arm and pulled me to a stop before I could reach the treeline.

I yanked free of his hold. He wasn't using his obnoxious strength or else I wouldn't have been able to break it. "What is your problem?"

"My problem? It's the fact that you're hanging out with that– With–" He pointed in the direction that Edward left in. Unable to finish his sentence, he let out a wordless yell and ran a rough hand through his shaggy hair. It was nearly to his shoulders now. Another sign of how long it's been.

"Edward," I finished for him, acid in my voice. "His name is Edward. And what does that matter to you? You're ditching me all the time. It was inevitable for me to make a new friend."

EJ scowled. "So you're replacing me with him?"

"Oh, my gosh, Embry! I'm not replacing anybody!" The nerve and gull he had. This wasn't fair. He held me on a string and then got upset whenever I let go. "I can have friends besides you, Alex, and Graham! What is wrong with you? You've never been like this to Tanner and Jackson."

EJ shook his head ferociously. But after a few short breaths, he managed to gain control of it. "I'm just worried about you, Sloane. I don't want you to get hurt."

"Well, don't worry about me," I said, bringing my own tone down to meet his own. "I can take care of myself. You're hardly ever around anymore. What else am I supposed to do? Sit on my ass, staring blankly at the wall until you decide to come around here again?"

"Better that than–" His jaw popped.

I crossed my arms. "Than what?"

"Nothing," he growled. Huffing out a lungful of air, he opened his arms wide. "Come here."

Not so fast. "Are you going to explain to me why you didn't tell me you were going to be late?"

He grimaced. "I… can't."

I nodded, already expecting that answer. "Then I can't either."

"Sloane, come on!"

I ignored him as I pushed through the rest of the trees. I was sick of vague answers and avoidance. I was sick of being lied to and left out. If he wasn't going to be honest, then I wasn't sticking around to hear the lies or excuses.

I made it to my car and behind the wheel with EJ stumbling behind. He was using his speed to its fullest extent, letting me have the option to let him catch up. That wasn't going to happen. He was still calling after me as I started the engine and headed back to Forks.