Rain: And I am back with a new chapter for you guys! This chapter will primarily deal with Edward as well as Bella so sit back, relax and enjoy the show!

Mario: Here we go!

The Crimson Eyed Drifter: Distance Between Hearts
Chapter Sixteen

Los Angeles, California
Edward Cullen

"Well, isn't this a great surprise!" Angela said with a wide smile on her face as she stared up at me, her petite hand in mine. I pulled her up off the ground, careful of my strength and nodded with a small smile at her.

"It is. What are you doing way out here?" I asked her curiously.

Angela smiled and answered with "Well, my family usually comes to California to visit family during this time for my grandpa's birthday. What I am surprised about is you! I thought you always stayed in Forks."

I chuckled a bit.

Always so curious.

It was almost endearing.

"I do but I realized that maybe it was time for me to branch out more," I replied.

Angela nodded as she murmured "I see, I see..." before she looked around me and asked "I'm surprised Bella isn't here with you. Where is she? Back at the hotel you guys are staying at?"

A look of sadness appeared on face but I quickly masked it up into a look of aloofness but I wasn't quick enough to change it because her curious look changed into a saddened one. "Oh...Did something happen between you two?" She asked softly.

"We...Broke up," I answered after a moment of silence.

Angela gasped in surprise at this news and said "No way. You guys always looked so happy...That is terrible..."

I didn't have to read her mind to see that she was genuine in her being upset but I laughed softly and replied "Its alright. We just found out that we aren't compatible. Sure we fought quite a bit before we realized it but its better this way."

Angela looked unsure at this but she nodded and said "If you're sure. Well, since you're all by yourself and I'm here kinda by myself, why don't we hang out together for today? It'll be nice to get a chance to spend time with you plus, with you just breaking up with Bella...I have a feeling that you don't want to be alone."

I stared at her long and hard.

Normally, I would rebuke her offer, stating that I needed to be alone and whatnot but considering that I want to step out of my brooding nature, I think I'll take her up on her offer. Besides, from her mind, I don't hear any underlying scheme or plot.

She just wants to hang out with me.

Besides...How could I deny those eyes?

"Truth be told...I'd rather not be alone. I'd be happy to hang out with you today," I replied with a slightly wider smile.

Angela beamed at me and said "Awesome. So tell me, is this your first time in LA?"

I nodded and it was sorta true.

I haven't been here in decades and it's almost unfamiliar to me.

"Great. Well then, you follow me and I will show you around my stomping grounds. First stop, the Hollywood Walk of Fame," Angela said to me before she grabbed my hand pulled me along, with me allowing her to pull me.

"The Hollywood Walk of Fame?" I questioned.

Angela looked back at me and replied "Yeah, before I bumped into you, I was heading there. Its where Hollywood put their best and brightest. Its a huge honor. You really must have never been here if you didn't know about it. Welp, that is about to change!"

Her smile was infectious because I found myself smiling as well.

After running a few blocks, the two of us were finally at the very beginning of the Walk of Fame and I was immediately surprised. What was so honorable about having people step on your star?

"So now that we are here, what were heading here to do?" I asked Angela, who was pulling out her digital camera.

"Well, anytime my family comes to LA, I always come here to play "Find the Stars!" Its basically me looking for very specific stars for the celebrities that have come and gone. I've done this for a few years and it never gets old."

"How interesting. I used to do the same thing when I was younger...Just not with the Walk of Fame," I told her.

"Oh? How did you do it?" She asked curiously.

"I used to visit cemeteries and see if I could find people with the same last night," I replied. "A bit morbid I know."

"Not at all...I...I used to do the same," She responded with a small smile on her face, which made me blink in surprise. I heard the surprise in her mind but I didn't expect for her to have done what I used to do in my youth.

How surprising.

The two of us shared a smile before she murmured "Time to start I suppose...Let's look for the Rugrats' Star first."

I nodded, not exactly sure what Rugrats even was.

"Aww neat! I found the Rugrats Star!" Angela said excitedly as she leaned down and took a picture of the star on the ground. As of this moment, we were searching for specific stars on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.

From what she explained, whenever she would come here, she would make a game out of finding certain people on the walk of fame without looking them up.

Now, for me, I could easily just cheat and find them with no problem but I decided to take my time. It had been decades and so much of this city was brand new to me so I wanted to explore it. Besides, this was...fun.

"What other star were we to look for while we were over here?" I asked her as I gazed at the ground below me, gazing for the next name on her list.

"Melvyn Douglas," Angela responded as she also looked around on the ground. "He was a leading man in Hollywood. Played in quite a few films including my personal favorite, "Being there" with Peter Sellers."

"What's it about?" I asked curiously.

"Well, its about a simple guy who has no real knowledge of the real world being kicked out of his home and he's pushed into political stuff. My mom and grandma adores this movie and of course, it's mine as well," Angela replied with a smile on her face.

"I've never seen it before," I told her.

"Then if you want, we can watch it together sometime," She said with a rather charming smile, which made me smile in return. It was then I saw the star we were looking for and said "I found the star."

Angela's eyes lit up and quickly ran to my side to snap the picture before she leaned up into an upright position and said "And that finishes up my "Quest for the Stars" now come on, there is still more to see!"

I chuckled at her enthusiasm and followed her. From the beach to the Hollywood sign, Angela showed me all around this vast city until the two us sat on a bench, her truly exhausted and me feigning my own, both of us watching the sunset.

"Thank you for showing me the sites of this city. I never realized how great this place was," I told her genuinely. I was truly grateful for her showing me around the city and making it entertaining as well. "You were the perfect tour guide."

Angela laughed softly and said "I do try."

Truth be told, I don't think she had to try at all.

It was weird spending time with another human female without Bella.

It almost felt that I was betraying her in a sense due to me hanging out with another human female but there was something fetching about Angela and yet, I couldn't explain what it was.

"Man, I am exhausted," Angela said with a yawn. "I should get home but I am too tired to move."

"I can drive you home if you like?" I offered but she merely smiled and shook her head but I quickly retorted with "I'd feel too guilty leaving you while I get in my car and drive off. Please, allow me to try a gentleman."

Angela giggled and said "I don't think you have to try to hard to be one...I accept your gentleman-ship and your ride back home."

I smiled and stood up from the bench and held out a hand to her. Her hand melded into mine and I slowly pulled her to her feet.

The two of us gazed into each other's eyes for a moment before we shared a smile and began to walk to where I had parked my car.

We soon reached my car and after opening the passenger door for her, I slipped into the driver's seat, started the car and drove off, making sure to follow her directions until I stopped in front a moderately sized cream white two level house.

"And we're here," I said after I ran to the passenger side and opened the door for her.

Angela gave me a grateful smile and said "Thank you, Sir Edward. You are a model gentleman," before she gave a quick curtsy, which made me laugh and give her a brief bow.

"It was as honor, Lady Angela," I replied before we both stood upright and laughed slightly. How strange...I promised myself that I would try to be more open and outgoing instead of brooding but with her, it seemed natural to me to be this happy.

I had never felt this way before...Not even with my family.

"So...What are you doing tomorrow?" She asked me curiously.

"Well...I don't know honestly. I figured I would just roam around," I explained before I asked "Why?"

Angela seemed to flush a bit under my curious gaze and replied "Well if you aren't doing anything tomorrow, I was wondering if you wanted to go to the Queen Ann with me?" I opened my mouth to answer, she continued with "My family thinks the place is haunted so they won't go with me and I know you just broke up with Bella and I'm sure you have a lot of stuff on your plate to want to hang out with me aga-"

"I would be honored," I told her, stopping her in her tracks.

Angela looked up with me stunned look on her face as she said "Really?"

"Really," I responded honestly. "I mean, I'm still new here and you know this place well. Besides, I had fun today and...I would like to see you again."

Once again, her infectious smile over took her face, which instantly made me smile as well, as she said "Great! Well, now that you know my place, we can begin our adventure tomorrow morning if you like...Say around seven-ish?"

I nodded before I said "Here, why don't I give you my number? That way, you can reach me when you're ready."

She nodded and after we traded numbers, she smiled and said "I'll see you tomorrow Edward!"

I waved to her as she went into her house and I couldn't help but smile as I got into my car.

I had made a lot of bad choices when it came to Bella that in hindsight, I realize was terrible. I won't allow myself to make that same mistake again.

Forks, Washington
Alice Cullen

"So you spoke to Peter?" I asked Bella as the two of us walked out of the grocery store. Bella had invited me to come shopping with her for Charlie and during that time, Bella told me what had happened after she stopped crying that Jasper had left.

"Yeah, apparently they were fighting a vampire war? Can you believe that?" Bella said with a frown on her face. "See, Jasper is away for a few weeks and already, mass havoc!" Bella shouted out before she grumbled and said "And I'm sure its only going to get worse before it gets better."

I grinned at her cute, pouting face and replied "He'll be fine. He, Peter and Charlotte are tougher than you think."

"I hope so...I've been waiting for Peter to contact me but he hasn't yet," Bella noted as she slipped her phone back into her pocket and added "It's just so strange...I'm still coming to terms about what Jasper did and what Edward said...As well as my realization that Jasper is my mate. What can I do to keep myself busy?"

I titled my head in thought and opened my mouth to answer but then I caught it.

That familiar scent.

Desert Rose...

I quickly pulled Bella into a bush, with her yelping in surprise as I did so. The moment she was pulled into the bush, I covered her mouth and said "Shhh..."

Bella's eyes narrowed in confused annoyance while I narrowed my eyes.

There she was.

That girl I had met in the cemetery with the wonderful scent.

She was eating in the restaurant across the street from the bush where Bella and I were currently hiding.

I could feel Bella squirming against me but then she stopped and suddenly, the brat licked my palm!

I removed my palm from her mouth with a surprised look while she gave me a devious grin. "Sorry but I wanted to breath somewhat easier," Bella told me before she asked "So why are we hiding?"

"Because of her," I replied while pointing through the bush to where the girl sat.

Bella quirked her brow and said "Her? I know her."

My eyebrows rose in surprise as I turned to face Bella. "You do?!" I whisper/shouted at her.

Bella nodded and said "Yeah. That's Leah Clearwater."

Leah Clearwater.

Heh, such a cute name.

"My dad is dating her mom. Her mood whips faster than hair in the wind but she's pretty chill otherwise. Her brother Seth is the best," Bella continued but she then turned to me and said "So why are you hiding from Leah?"

"I-I'm not hiding," I told her but my voice came out a little bit light. Truth be told, I didn't know why I was hiding. I didn't know why Leah's scent was driving me wild. I didn't know why I seemed drawn to her but I was.

I just needed to figure out why.

I turned around to face the window again but she was gone.

But the sweet scent was stronger than ever.

I was almost drowning in it.

"Ah, so you two are the ones spying on me," her confidant voice rang out behind me. I quickly turned around and saw Leah standing over the bush with her arms crossed against her black tank top and a pair of blue jeans, a brown bomber jacket wrapped around her hips.

"But the question I wonder is...Why?"

Rain: And that is the end of this chapter. The next chapter will deal with Leah, Alice and Bella as well as Team Jasper so until then...

Mario: See you next time!