I gawked at the couple waiting at the register like an idiot. If it wasn't Douchebag Ponytail, it had to be a twin. His greasy hair was still slicked back in the same ponytail. His dark, piggish eyes narrowed in recognition. The chinstrap beard was new; it made his scowl more hideous. The bridge of his nose was crooked, from when I broke it. His arm wrapped around the waist of a girl with fiery curls. Her cheetah print ensemble reflected her posture—both dangerously feline. Her eyes affixed to my chest hungrily, like she had just found her mouse.

"Come on, Babe," he tightened his grip around her. "Let's get out of here."

"No!" I rushed forward the three extra steps to the register. I even reached out to grab his arm until I thought better of it. He couldn't leave. Not when he should be nothing but chum in the ocean upon hearing the deadly voice of my siren-ex girlfriend. "Did you talk to Bella?"

His date's eyes flashed with jealousy at the mention of another girl.

"What? No. I haven't seen your freak girlfriend since high school graduation."

"But, did she talk to you at graduation?" The question was a pathetic plea.

"Why the fuck are you asking me that? I thought that little bitch couldn't speak."

The redhead's fiery anger dulled as James insulted the supposed threat to her man.

James still thought Bella was mute. She couldn't have spoken to him at graduation. Which was quite obvious, given the fact that he stood before me, alive and breathing. I was barely present in the coffee shop as my brain whirled, rapidly reframing its entire understanding of my break-up with Bella. James and his girlfriend were already halfway out the door by the time I had thought to ask, "What can I get you?"

"Fuck off." He threw the curse over his shoulder as he slammed the door shut.

The chime of the bell over the door that indicated their departure also initiated my freak-out. I fisted my hands into my hair and slumped onto the counter, almost slamming my forehead onto the Corian. Bella never spoke to James, I told myself over and over. Bella did not kill James.

Bella was not a liar.

The real liar was at the plastic picnic table behind the shop, enjoying her lunch.

Like a switch had been flipped, my sorrow turned to fury. Lauren meddled in my love life. Allowed me to break up with my girlfriend, fully aware that our break-up was centered around her lie.

I stomped into the kitchen. The swinging door slammed against the wall as I pushed it out of the way. Lauren and Angela were back from their break. Lauren had taken over my task at the sink. Their conversation stuttered to an awkward stop at my arrival.

"Edward what the f—." The oath caught in Lauren's throat as I loomed over her, ripping the cleaning cloth out of her hands. I wanted her attention fully on me.

I leaned down so my face was inches from hers. "Graduation," I spoke through my teeth low and slow, "Did Bella talk to James?"

Lauren flinched back. "What?"

"Did Bella talk to James?" I roared. At the sound of a raised male voice, Allison rushed out of the back office. Lauren and I had not had an altercation since our first day working together. It was mostly due to the fact that for months I had felt nothing, including irritation towards Lauren. But now, I felt everything. And I was especially furious.

Lauren's eyes flickered to Angela, then Allison. She held her head high and kept her expression haughty as she said, "No, she didn't."

I spun on my heels, unable to even look at her. I dug my fists into my hair, wishing I could rip it all out to relieve some of this frustration.

"Edward?" Angela asked, her voice meek and mildly afraid.

I shook some of my anger. The last thing these three girls needed was for me to start swinging—I could practically feel the fear pulsing in the small, backroom. As I pushed back the anger, I found the only thing I had in me was hopeless sorrow. It would have to do.

"Then why on Earth would you tell me that she did?"

On my left, the smallest gasp escaped Angela's lips, as she put two and two together.

Lauren was momentarily thrown by my sudden shift in mood. Her own tone lost its edge. "I always suspected there was something fishy about her. I wanted to help you see, but you never would."

"And to prove me wrong, you decided to tell me my mute girlfriend could speak?"

Lauren's lip quivered—the audacity to be upset for being called out was unparalleled. "I thought she might have been lying about the mute thing. So, I wanted to test you. To see if you were in on it."

"She couldn't! There was never anything wrong with her!" All my frustration was directed at Lauren, though most of it I felt towards myself. I knew Bella, I trusted her. I was furious with myself that I had been stupid enough to allow the judgment and lies of Alice, Lauren, and Bella's sisters to cloud my vision of my mermaid. "Why couldn't you have just left her alone?!"

"You're the one who broke up with her. I didn't make you do it."

"Because I thought a very significant part of our relationship was nothing but a lie!" My hands trembled, and I realized my whole body was shaking. I took two steps back, out of range of everyone in the vicinity.

"Oh, Lauren," Angela's words dripped with disapproval.

"You let him dump that sweet, little disabled girl?" Allison added.

Lauren cringed away from the judgment of her friends. Her eyes flickered around the room, like the walls or the ceiling could give her a plausible excuse that would justify her actions. "I tried to help you! I wanted to set you up with Jessica, to make up for it."

As if Jessica was any replacement for my Bella. I wasn't sure if I should laugh or cry at the thought.

"Lauren," Allision spoke softly, yet firmly, hoping to diffuse the tension in the room. "Why don't you take the day…"

"I'll go," I declared, daring anyone to stop me, "I'll take tomorrow, too."

Allison nodded. She didn't fight. Not after I had spent months as her most reliable employee. Especially not while my eyes were swimming with unshed tears.

The girls except Lauren bid me a quiet farewell as I left the kitchen.

I was able to keep the emotions at bay as I slid into my car and backed out of the parking lot. Without even realizing it, I found myself on the route to Bella's private beach instead of home. Rather than turn around, I completed the journey. At the beach, I stumbled out of my car and towards the water, just like I had done many months ago. This time, I scanned the entire shore for mermaids.

As the river of emotion broke through my poorly-constructed damn, I fell to my knees. My tears flowed freely. I fisted my fingers in my hair in frustration. The waves lapped over me, soaking through my clothing.

Right here, right on this beach, I left my Bella. I had been seconds away from accepting her back into my arms and promising her that we would figure everything out together. But, like an idiot, I let everyone else break my faith in her. In us. I allowed her sisters to convince me that my love for Bella was nothing more than a curse placed over my heart. I allowed Alice's damaged love life to question my own. I used Lauren's lie to test Bella's integrity.

A test I thought she had failed.

But she didn't kill James. She truly had nothing more to tell me that day. Her intentions were good all along.

"I'm so sorry, Bella," I sobbed to the sea.

Hopelessness washed over me, as powerful as the ocean waves. My body shook with desperation for Bella—or perhaps it was the chill of the water. Looking out at the ocean, I never felt so helpless. It was too vast. Even if I dedicated my life to searching the ocean, I would never find Bella. I would never apologize or vie for my place in her heart. It felt useless to even try.

She was gone.

It was all my fault.

I picked myself up on shaky legs, knowing I would have to be home for dinner. The fear of Esme's wrath—or worse, her tears—was the only force strong enough to motivate me to leave that beach. Recalling the old days when I snuck Bella around, I maneuvered through a full house up to my room without being seen. I didn't need anyone asking why I damp and stunk of seaweed when I was supposedly at work all afternoon.

I was showered and dressed just in time for dinner. I tried to recall how I pushed back my feelings for so many months and use that to look somewhat normal for my family. I obviously lost my touch, because Carlisle picked up on my weird mood the moment I stepped into the room. Before I sat down, he grabbed my shoulder and pulled me away from my siblings. "Everything alright, son?"

I genuinely had no idea whether everything was alright. On one hand, my relationship with Bella was real. On the other, she was gone forever, no matter how much I loved her.

"I found out some… weird news today. Trying to digest it."

Carlisle pursed his lips like any appropriately concerned father. "If you need to talk about it…"

"Your door is always open," I finished for him. "Thanks, Dad."

We were met with a few curious stares, but my siblings knew me enough to leave me alone. I had been the brooding, lonely brother for the majority of my time living here, and it was how I was perceived. Eddie the Emo, Emmett said once when he thought I couldn't hear him.

True to Eddie the Emo, I barely tasted dinner. Esme could have fed me balled-up tissues for the past few months and I wouldn't have noticed. Tonight, was no different. However, instead of a lonely heart, I had a hopeless one. Somewhere, out in my untamable ocean was my love. And I had no way of getting her back.

During my silent brooding, Jasper placed his fork and knife neatly over his plate and cleared his throat. The family perked up, curious. It was unlike Jasper to call the attention of the family to himself. Before I took over, he was the sibling who usually kept to himself.

"Um. I have something I would like to say."

"Gay," Emmett whispered to Rosalie, who immediately smacked him in the chest.

Jasper made eye contact which each person at the table, ending with Alice, where his gaze remained as he spoke. "I… I realized something about our family last night. A Cullen tends to go against the grain when it comes to love. And because their love for each other is unconventional, it makes it stronger."

Esme and I shared a quick glance. Apparently, we weren't the only two looking for a midnight snack.

"I may not officially have the Cullen name, but I'd like to think of myself as a permanent member of the family."

"You are, honey," Esme interrupted, "Absolutely. You are a Cullen."

He broke his strong eye contact with Alice to smile at Esme, "Thank you, mom." His eyebrows crumpled. "But, I'm not a Cullen. My heart is too weak to bear the family name. I let love go at the first inconvenience."

Jasper rose from his seat and sank to the floor in front of Alice. Rosalie choked on her water. Esme gasped. The tension in the room was taut as a tight rope until Jasper lowered his second knee onto the floor. Then, the room itself seemed to exhale in sweet relief.

Now on both knees before Alice, Jasper continued speaking. "I may not be a Cullen, but I would like the opportunity to earn one's love. Past judgment, through whatever hardships, during hard times."

Alice lowered her hand from where it covered her open mouth. The twinkle in her eye led me to believe she was going to let Jasper off the hook right then and there. But Alice was never one to give up power. "You hurt me, Jasper."

"I know. I am so sorry."

"You'll have to work for my forgiveness."

Jasper rested his chin on her knees. "I will. Anything it takes, I will do it. I can start by moving out."

That statement brought Esme flying out of her chair. "What?!"

Carlisle stood with his wife, trying his best to calm her with reassuring pats. "Jasper, there's no need to jump the gun here."

"I only want to do what's right for Alice."

"This will be a discussion," Esme said. Which usually meant Esme would get what she wanted.

Alice smirked at the drama that had already begun on her behalf. "You will start by making an announcement. Letting your friends know."

"I'll do you one better," Jasper smiled.

He got up from the ground and left the table. Rosalie, Emmett, and I shared confused looks. Emmett looked like he was seconds from bursting into laughter. Still standing, Carlisle held Esme's head against his shoulder, whispering something into her hair.

Jasper returned carrying a massive canvas, almost as large as he was tall. He flipped it over and was rewarded with awed gasps from everyone in the family. The background was a large watercolor portrait of Alice, covered with a tangle of black lines of various widths. As my eyes traced over the lines, I slowly picked out several more depictions of Alice at different angles. The more I looked, the more images of her I found, weaving and warping into one another, creating a striking effect.

"This is my love note to you. Say the word, and this will hang in my studio at school. It will be the main page of my website. The thumbnail of my social media. No one will know of me or my work without knowing to whom my heart belongs."

The apology was an over-the-top declaration, perfectly suited for Alice. She grinned at the magnificence of the piece. "The word."

"Done."

After dinner, Alice found me in my room. Esme's meal was all but forgotten as the family descended into madness over Jasper's declaration and removal from the family. Esme wasn't sure how to handle it, and it took the effort from everyone to calm her down. The crisis ended when Carlisle offered to take his wife to a bar, informing Emmett he might request a ride home on their way out.

Alice tapped lightly on the frame of my door, not barging into my private bedroom, even though I was a boy. "I know I'm the last person you want to talk to…"

"No, that spot's reserved for Emmett," I grinned, "I never understand any of his jokes."

She smiled back, obviously relieved I didn't send her away. "That's because most of his jokes are referencing the one TV show he watched six years ago."

"I'm sorry for…" she looked around for the right word and ended up with, "…everything."

I laughed. "It's okay. You were hurt."

It wasn't her fault her breakup happened at the most inopportune moment. Alice joined me where I sat on my balcony. I had a notebook on my lap and a pen in my hand. She asked what I was writing.

"I need to get my own love note out to Bella."

"So, it's true? I really did convince you to break up with her?"

Technically, yes. But, there were too many factors to pin the blame on Alice. "If it makes you feel better, you're also part of the inspiration to get her back."

That did cheer her up. Alice adored accolades in any form, including this one. At her request, I caught Alice up on everything she missed. Her eyes were the size of saucers by the time I finished my tale and let her know my plan.

"And you think it's going to work?"

"No," I said, honestly. "But, I'm going to try anyway."

I couldn't sit and do nothing. I had too much love for Bella, and I needed to express it to her, in any way I could. No matter how stupid I felt or how much time and energy I waste, I would do anything for my love. I had to.

I was a Cullen, after all.

oOo

It took me four weekends, but I finally caught Charlie at the marina. He sighed audibly when he spotted me running down the docks, shouting his name.

"This outta be rich," Charlie muttered to himself just loud enough for me to hear as he reluctantly invited me on board his boat.

"Bella!" I shouted, too loudly. Charlie shushed me and hurried me below deck.

"When did you last see her?" I asked the second Charlie shut the door.

Charlie regarded me with frown, deciding whether or not I was worthy of the truth. "About three weeks ago. Gave me a damn scare, too."

I flinched at the blow. Three weeks ago. Bella had been here. So close to me, yet chose not to seek me out. And why would she? I had been the one to stupidly break up with her.

"When you see her again, can do something for me?"

Charlie didn't say anything. It wasn't a yes, but it wasn't a no, either. I pulled a small, glass bottle with a rolled-up note inside out of my pocket. The note inside was addressed to Bella, asking her to join me for a picnic.

I had been somewhat inspired by Jasper's declaration. I couldn't paint anything, obviously. Nor could I post anything online that would catch my mermaid's attention. I could, however, write my own love note and spread out in the only way I knew to spread a message via the ocean.

I had already left one of these bottles on the secret beaches I knew about, and then some more Alice and I found using Google maps. In sheer desperation, I even threw a few of them into the ocean. I knew how ridiculous it was. With each bottle I threw, I felt more and more insane. There was the tiniest chance Bella should find one of my messages, let alone know to read it.

But I was willing to try anything.

I held out the bottle for Charlie to take, which he did not. "Can you please give this to her?'

"Why?"

I swallowed hard. "Because I messed up. I need her to know how sorry I am."

He regarded my bottle for a long moment. "Bella said she was the one that damaged your relationship."

Of course, she did. If Bella hadn't riddled herself with guilt, her cruel sisters would have tricked her into taking the blame.

"No, it was me. I… I didn't trust her like I should have."

"Figured."

The word hung in the air, awkwardly.

"So, will you give her my note?" I confirmed.

Charlie sighed heavily, again. When he didn't reach for the bottle, I sat it on the tiny strip of kitchen counter between his sink and oven.

"Thank you." Before I ducked out onto the deck, I froze. I knew I had already overstayed my unwanted welcome, but I couldn't help myself. "How is she?"

"She's good."

I closed my eyes in relief. That was one, single blessing. I had been worried sick that my mermaid was out there, lonely and miserable.

I thought that would be the only information Charlie would be willing to share, but I heard a rustling coming from behind. When I turned around, Charlie was rummaging through his mini-fridge. He already had a beer in one hand and pulled out a flavored sparkling water, which he handed to me.

"She found another tribe of her kind. Somewhere over in Europe. I don't remember the country, they're all the same over there." He took a seat, and I followed suit. "They taught her more about herself than her sisters or so-called mother ever did. Tricks for hunting. Easier ways to hide herself and blend in."

He recounted what Bella told him to me. I couldn't believe it. But, I also supposed that Charlie wasn't able to discuss his spectacular daughter with anyone, and was willing to jump on the small chance to do so. Even if it was with the boy who broke her heart.

"There's one over there that's been married to the same human woman for fifteen years." He said, adding another character to Bella's story. "Who taught Bella the parameters of which she needed to speak to someone." He eyed me, sternly. "Out loud."

"She has to have their heart," I whispered. Either stolen, like what her sisters would do. Or in Bella's case, offered completely.

Charlie didn't nod or confirm my guess. He took another sip of beer. "I thought she had come back to speak to you."

"No, Sir."

The corners of his mouth twitched at the absolute desolation in my voice. It must have elicited some sympathy out of him. because Charlie plucked the bottle off the counter. "I expect this is some sort of apology?"

"Yes, sir."

"I'll give this to Bella when I see her again," he waved it in the air. "Not because of anything you did, but because I know she cares for you. If anything, it would be to give her closure."

If closure would bring Bella happiness, then it would be worth it. If she wouldn't be with me, she should at least be happier without me.

"Thank you."

From then on, each Sunday at sundown, I spread out the same picnic I used on the day I told Bella I loved her. I added candles, and a portable record player, hoping to beckon her with music. When I grew sick of cheese and Esme began questioning the raw shrimp that showed up in the fridge that was not a part of her meal plan, I gave up on the entire picnic and only brought flowers. I sat on the blanket, knees up against my chest, where I would remain for the next hours, looking out over the water.

I waited.

And I hoped.

There were weeks when I had to force myself to go to that beach, feeling the hopelessness seep in. Other weeks, I couldn't wait to get there, firmly believing this picnic would be the one.

After two months of waiting and hoping, I found myself back at the beach. I was stretched out on the blanket on my back, unable to read or work on homework, or whatever else I did to pass the time. My record player sang out Etta James' best hits—the only album that accurately reflected the longing in my heart. As the songs switched, I heard a displacement of water make a small splash. I sat up, reluctantly, expecting to see the same birds and fish that always brought my hopes up.

I scanned the horizon. My breath caught in my throat.

Past the rocks, across the waves, a human silhouette emerged from the water.

A sob ripped through my chest.

In a feat as impossible as her existence itself, my mermaid had returned to me.