IMPORTANT A/N

I am a 20-year-old Pre-Nursing student, going to school full-time, and working three part-time jobs on the side. I'm sorry that I suck at updating, but education is important, therefore I have to go to college. College is expensive, therefore I have to go to work. Work takes up much of my time, therefore… you get the point. As much as I love writing, more important things hold my attention at the moment. I appreciate the constructive criticism, the positive and negative feedback, ALL reviews, ALL favorites, and ALL follows. Stick with me, please. I have much planned for this story.

I know that this one is kind of short. But it's kind of important to the story.

Love you all!

Izobella

CHAPTER 7

EPOV

"For never was a story of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo." I whispered against her ear, closing the book gently. She took in a deep, shuddering breath, turning to nuzzle her nose into my chest.

"It's so beautiful," she murmured wistfully, sniffing loudly. I grinned, leaning down to press my lips to her hair. "Do you think someone will ever love me that much, Edward?" She asked, tilting her head back to look at me.

I took a moment to look at her, cuddled between my legs on the forest floor. Her eyes were pooling with unshed tears, and her cheeks were wet with ones that had already fallen. I brushed back the hairs that had stuck on her damp cheeks and watched a pale pink spread across her face. I smiled.

"Absolutely, little love." She eyes flickered between mine for a moment before she turned around in my arms, facing me on her knees.

"Have you ever loved someone that much?" She asked, flushing bright red now. My eyes widened and I shifted, crossing my legs. She sat back, mimicking my position, and began to fiddle with the laces of my sneakers, looking anywhere but my face.

I had known this was coming. I just wasn't ready. At all.

I had noticed the change in her behavior months ago. It first started when her heart would randomly pick up its pace, or her breathing would begin to increase. Sometimes, she would blush, and I couldn't even think of a reason why her face darkened with blood.

But after a while, I realized that it wasn't random. It was me. It happened everytime she looked at me. At first, I didn't want to believe it. But after testing my theory, and coming to the same conclusion multiple times, I had to accept it.

Bella was attracted to me.

And as I stared at her red face, listening to the increase in her heart rate and breathing, I knew that this moment was no different.

But it was very different. Because I was about to break my girl's heart.

I took a deep breath and released it slowly. "Yes." I said, and nothing more. I watched as her breath left her again and her shoulders sagged.

"Did... Did... Where is she?" Her fingers fiddled with my shoes strings still, a little more violent than before. I thought for a long moment, choosing my words carefully.

"I've been alive for 100 years, angel... You know what happened." Her eyes flashed up to mine and her fingers froze.

"She... died?" She asked, eyes wide. I nodded, watching her face carefully. Her brows furrowed and her mouth opened, then closed... then opened... then closed again. Air left her nose in a huff, and she turned back around, pulling my legs apart and lying against my chest again.

"Do you miss her?" She asked after a thick silence, her voice hard.

"Very much." I say. She was quiet.

"What was her name?" My smile was bittersweet when I heard the jealousy in her voice.

"Elizabeth." Truth.

"How old was she when she died?"

"19." Lie.

Another silence.

"Okay," she sighed, shifting to stand. I jumped up, pulling her toward me so that she didn't fall. "I think it's time to go home." She pointed at the sky and I looked up to see the sun disappearing behind storm clouds. Looking back, I noticed her purposeful distance from me and grunted. She turned to look at me and I held out my hand for her.

"Come then, little love. Time to go home." We began to walk, silent and tense.

"I think I need to replace these things." I say to break the silence, kicking out my foot to show her my ragged Converse.

"No!" She snapped, freezing in place. My eyes widened as I looked back at her. Her shoulders relaxed and she blushed, looking down at my shoes. "Don't get rid of them... Those are my favorite." I smirked but my brow furrowed.

"Why?" I was bewildered by her reaction, and I couldn't help but feel curious.

"I... I don't know? I just... They're my favorite... They look good on you." Her voice cracked and she turned away, walking briskly toward her house. "Goodnight!" She hollered, turning only to wave.

I shook my head in disbelief, still smiling. I looked down at my shoes, kicking the dirt and then turning, running back to my house.

"Edward?" I sit up straight and look toward the voice. Esme peers through the doorway at me, giving me a questioning look. Sorry, she thinks guiltily. I knocked, but you didn't answer.

"It's fine," I shake my head, turning to look back at my Converse. "I'm almost ready."

"Okay, sweetie. We'll be waiting in the car." I nod my head toward her and let my shoulders slump forward as she shuts the door behind her. I take a deep breath and hold it for a moment, shaking my head.

"Esme?" I murmur, squeezing my eyes shut. Her hand rubs against my back before I've even finishes speaking. "Do you think that... Is... Oh, god." I sob, my shoulders shaking violently. Venom leaks from my eyes, but the pain is nothing compared to the pain I feel in my chest.

"Shhh, it's okay sweetie. It's alright." Esme attempts to comfort me, but I stand quickly, shaking in anger.

"No, Esme, it's not alright! Everything... Nothing is 'alright.' My girl, she's... I fucked up everything!" I growl, yanking at the roots of my hair.

"Edward Cullen that is enough!" Esme snaps, standing with her hands on her hips. My hands drop from my head as I look over at her, shame coloring my posture. Her expression softens when she notices how defeated I look. "I know... that you feel guilty right now. And I understand that it's hard to cope with what has happened to her." I begin to shake my head again but stop when her soft hands cradle my face, making me look at her. "But you had no way of knowing; you had no idea what making her forget us would end up doing. It is absolutely not. Your. Fault." She widens her eyes, willing me to understand the situation from her point of view. And I do understand it.

I just don't agree with it.

Sweetie, she closes her eyes, resting her forehead against mine. My eyes close with hers. If I blamed myself for everything that has ever happened because I made a wrong decision, I don't think I would even be here right now. But I am, because I chose to take things as they were. You can't constantly live by what if's. It will drive you crazy.

After a moment, I sigh, nodding my head against hers. More venom leaks from the corners of my eyes and I hear it sizzle quietly against Esme's thumb as she wipes it away.

"Good," she smiles, raising her eyebrows encouragingly. I smile too. It's fake – which she knows – but it appeases her for now. She darts toward the door and holds her hand out to me, waiting.

I shove my feet into my shoes, not bothering to tighten the loose strings, and follow Esme to the car.