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X-X-X

I took a deep breath before starting, keeping my eyes on her. I had no paper written in front of me. I did not need it. Her picture was in my mind, and that was all I needed. My eyes stared into hers as I said what was in my heart-

'I can't even hold your hand,

But I love you with a love

That no one can understand.'

A tear was falling down her face by the time I had spoken the last word of my short poem. I could see that she was truly moved by my words. Our eyes lay interlocked as I saw her process through the words. That was the magic of poetry. That was the magic of words. They had the power to move you, and make you take a step back and think over your actions, your wishes and desires and even life in general. In these few short words I had told her everything what was in my heart. Unrequited love was a very powerful thing, but it was also the most difficult thing to experience in life. It is heartbreaking to love a person who does not love you back. It is truly painful to want and need someone in your life who does not want or need you in theirs. I did not want to be in this painful state of existence. I wanted to be hers, and I wanted her to be mine. I wanted to be a count of one of those rare cases where one sided love finally wins in the end and gets to be with the person they dreamt and hoped to be with. I wanted her in my life. I wanted to hold her hand freely in public and kiss her passionately on the lips. I wanted to show her of how much she meant to me, of how much I loved her. I didn't care of who thought what, if she was with me that was enough for me to survive.

I had never expected to fall in love in my life. I had never thought that I would find the one who would make me think such words for her. I had believed that if it did not happen in the first hundred years of my life, it just wasn't meant to be, but then Leah had walked in through those doors- making me realize of how easy to speak I had been. She was everything I could hope for and more. She was strong but not proud. She was quick to anger but also was one of the most understanding people I knew of. She was serious when the situation demanded and also funny when she needed to be. She was sarcastic to another extreme….. and most importantly, she had the power to fiercely love a person. When she loved she loved with all her heart.

We sat in silence for a few minutes. There was no need for words to be spoken at the moment. Our silence was heavy, yet full of meaning. We were absorbing the emotion behind the poetry that the both of us had just spoken- her words and mine, so different from one another. She was the past and I was the present. If only she took that leap and joined me in the present, we could make a perfect future for ourselves.

"Wow," she said finally "That was something else. It was amazing."

I smiled and nodded my head "Thanks,"

She gave out a small nervous laugh "And I thought your skills at poetry were beyond pathetic. How did this magic happen?"

I shrugged "I just wrote what my heart told me too."

She nodded her head, surprise evident on her face "That was a bit cheesy for my taste, but I know what you meant." "So, I know it is not my place to ask but did you write this with someone in mind? It sure feels like that." "You can refuse to answer if I have crossed a line." She instantly added.

I shook my head "No, I don't mind answering. To answer your question- yeah, I did have someone on mind when I wrote this down. It is pretty evident, isn't it?"

She was tempted to ask 'who', and I was equally tempted to answer the unspoken question. I took a deep breath before once again looking at her. Could I do this? Was she ready for it? Could I take the plunge?

"Actually," I started to say. I would face the consequences of whatever her response was.

"Edward," Esme's voice came from the door of my room. I hadn't even heard her coming. I looked at her in question and mild anger. She had super hearing. She would have obviously heard what I was about to tell Leah. She knew better than to interrupt at this moment.

She slightly shook her head, her thoughts giving me my answer 'No, Edward. She is not ready to hear it. She still loves him, or at least believes that she loves him. She is not ready to move on. If you hurry up right now, it will not end well for you. She will refuse to even stay friends with you. I know that I told you that Carlisle knows nothing about a woman's feelings, but at this point of time- He is correct. She needs a bit more of time. Don't push her away, but don't force her with the intensity of your feelings. She needs to be willing to move on when you tell her of what you feel for her. This is what I think.'

I nodded my head in reply. I did not like it, but I understood enough to believe in her. I sighed. A bit more of time- I could do that for her.

Leah looked confused by our silent exchange. She gave us a questioning look, and Esme smiled slightly in response.

"Edward, dinner is ready. Should I bring it up for the both of you? Carlisle and I have already eaten. He had to leave for the hospital, and we didn't want to disturb you in case you were busy."

"Thanks Esme," I said aloud for Leah's sake "But I think we can watch some TV while eating dinner? We can get back to the poem once we are done eating?" I looked at Leah, waiting for her to answer. Watching mindless TV would surely lighten the tension we had found ourselves in.

She looked hesitant, and I was scared that she would say no "Actually, my parents will be expecting me for dinner. I should get going. We can finish the poem on another day. On second thoughts, I think we can even submit either of the two poems. Either way it won't take much time."

Her thoughts had taken an uncomfortable turn to it. She felt like she would be intruding by staying for dinner, something that she was just not willing to do. Her memories were revolving around how often she would eat dinner at Sam's place with Sam and his mother in the past, or sit by the TV and eat dinner with him. Her mood had suddenly taken a turn from content and curious to the black space she had forced herself to be in for the past few months. I hated this. Leah had several small triggers that reminded her of Sam, and once something reminded her of him, it was difficult for her to get back to the normal mood she had been it.

I was about to protest. I was just not ready to let her go yet. I wanted to spend more time with her. Luckily for me, Esme laid a thick layer of her charm on Leah, her motherly charm that generally nobody could say no to, and finally Leah agreed to stay for dinner, messaging her mother that she would be home in some time.

We sat opposite the TV on the couch, eating Pizza as I randomly surfed through channels, searching for something to watch. By now I was used to eating human food for Leah. It was not comfortable, and I wish I didn't have to do this, but it was a sort of routine for me and Leah by now. We would sit together for lunch and complain about the terrible cafeteria food. It was a sort of our thing, and I would not let that go for anything.

"Which is your favorite TV series?" I randomly asked.

She raised an eyebrow in amusement "What is this- Twenty questions?"

I shrugged with a small smile on my face "Just answer it."

"I love Lucy," she said after a bit of thought "My mother loves that show. She owns the DVD, so naturally I saw it quite often growing up. In fact when I was a kid, every day when dad came home from work he would shout 'Lucy, I'm home!' loudly. Seth and I would laugh so loudly at that."

A big smile was on her face as she spoke about it. Her eyes were lit up with a new light in them. She truly did love her family.

"You loved your childhood, didn't you?" I asked before I could stop myself. The happiness that was flowing from her was one that was rare. I wanted to relish in it.

She made an hmm like sound, her mind telling the tale of her happy childhood.

"My parents… they did not have much, but they made sure that we had enough to keep us happy. They would tell us stories, have picnics with us, show us movies and play board games with us. You know Edward, there are so many families in my tribe that are broken, or are single parent families. Sam," she took a pause before continuing. This was hard for her to speak about but she wanted to share it with me "His father left his mom and him when he was hardly two. He doesn't even remember how his father looked like. His mother worked two jobs to raise him. There are so many families like his and so many people my age who have seen death, pain, sacrifice and so much more in this less of an age. My mom always used to make us thank God at night before we slept for the fact that both of our parents were alive and healthy, that we had food in our stomach and a roof on our head. I may rebel and shout at them when angry, but I am always glad that they are there for me. Even Seth, we may not be talking to one another these days, but still I will always love him. I know you must be thinking I am crazy for sharing all of this with you and…"

I cut her off "No, thank you for sharing this with me."

It made me realize that at least she trusted me enough to tell me all of this.

"You know, I miss my parents. I just wish I would have got more time to spend with them."

I had never told this to anybody. Not even to Carlisle or Esme.

"They died when I was younger. Carlisle and Esme are really great and they love me a lot, but it is not the same. It never is." I whispered.

"Oh," she replied softly "I had heard that you were adopted. If you don't mind me asking, how did they…."

"They fell ill with flu. Unfortunately it was too late to treat them. There were a few complications and comorbid illnesses. My father left us first and then my mother. She did even have any will to live once my father had left us."

I could not tell her the truth, but this was as close to it as I could.

"I am sorry." She said in a whisper "I know nothing can make it better, but I am glad that a couple like Carlisle and Esme adopted you. They are good people. Anybody can see that."

I nodded my head with a small smile "I am thankful for the same. Carlisle adopted me soon afterwards. He met Esme a short while later and she took to me like a son. I was their first child, even though I am not the oldest out of us five."

"What about your siblings? Have they also been through something similar?" her tone was understanding and curious.

"Not all of them." I said with a shrug "Jasper and Rose are twins. Esme is their aunt. Their parents expired when they were kids and Esme got their custody. Emmett and Alice have never really seen their parents. They were living in an orphanage. Emmett was in an accident and Carlisle was the doctor on duty. He and Esme fell in love with him in those few short days of his treatment and soon adopted him. Alice, well she came to us instead of the other way round." I finished with a small laugh.

Leah gave me a small smile, not questioning me ahead on this.

"So, I love Lucy is your favorite series." I brought us back to the original topic of conversation "Well, I generally don't watch much T.V, but I remember when Everybody loves Raymond had come out, Emmett's laugh could be heard throughout the house. He has a crazy laugh, the kind that makes everyone in a mile's radius turn and stare.

She snorted at that "Back in the tribal school there was this girl whose laugh literally went hee-haw- hee haw like a donkey. It was hilarious."

Her imitation of the sound cracked me up. I did not even know Leah could imitate this well.

"So," she said after she had laughed till her stomach ached, a rarity for her, "I am assuming you listen to music instead of playing video games," she pointed to the game lying around "Or watching TV?"

I nodded my head "Those are Emmett's actually," I said regarding the video game console "I listen to music and play the piano in my free time."

"I saw a lot of classical music in there…. in your room." She said with her eyes wide "I don't think I know anybody who listens to that much classical music."

I gave out a small laugh "You can say it is a guilty pleasure."

She nodded her head in reply.

"So, favorite color" I asked, making her laugh.

I gave her an offended look and waited for her to clarify.

"That is such a terrible question." She laughed. She was doing much more of this these days "I am sorry, I don't even think I have a favorite color."

I shrugged "Humor me,"

She thought about it for a minute or two "Black,"

I was surely surprised by that "Why black?"

It was turn to shrug "It is a beautiful color." "Who are you closest to in your siblings, and do you fight like normal siblings tend to do?"

I laughed at that "Of course we do. You have no idea the amount of fights that happen between us. To answer the first part of your question- I have been closest to Alice since she joined the family, but I am equally close with Jasper, and I have a hate- hate relationship with Rosalie. We actually have marathon banters."

"Seth and I were close too," she whispered under her breath, before asking loudly "Where are they right now?"

"Jasper and Alice have gone shopping and Emmett and Rose are out on a date."

"So that part of the gossip is true too that they are together?" she raised an eyebrow in question.

I sighed but nodded my head "Yup,"

I waited to see her reaction, but surprisingly she just nodded her head "Well, whatever floats their boat."

Her comment made me laugh, though I was a bit curious to know this "Really, you are that nonchalant about it?"

She shrugged "They are the ones living their life, and till I am aware they have not come seeking for my opinion on their relationship status." She sighed, pausing before continuing, looking at her lap "I hate to say that I was once like Jessica Stanley. I used to take pleasure in gossip, but when the tables turned after Sam…. I could not bear to be on the other side and listen to all that gossip about me of how there was something wrong with me because of which Sam left me, of how if only I had been less possessive or more accepting to experimenting, things would have been different. It was terrible. I can't go back to that. I have grown up so much in these past few months." her eyes pleaded to me to understand.

I took her hand in mine, the action far more intimate than any words possible "You are a better person, Leah. You have proved yourself. I am proud of you. You are taking a small step every day. Sam is a… dick, for lack of a better word, for doing that to you."

She gave out a small laugh "It sounds so weird when you curse. I just wish he would have given me some closure. What wrong did I do?" she almost cried out taking her head in her hands.

I softly removed her hands from her head, taking them in mine and enclosing them tightly.

"You did nothing wrong. He is the one who is wrong. You are beautiful. You are brave. He is the one who will regret this."

"And you are a flatterer." She added with a small smile.

I shook my head "Nope, just honest. Do you believe in second chances at love, Leah?"

She was quiet for a minute or two before she shook her head "No, we only get one chance at love. If you mess it up, you mess it up."

I shook my head slowly "And what if you were not the one to mess it up?"

"Does it matter?" she asked in a whisper.

"It does." I said as firmly as I could "I think second chances do exist. There are so many examples of it."

"Esme, can I?" I asked in a whisper, knowing that she would hear me.

'Yes, tell her.' came her reply instantly. I could see the worry and concern in Esme's thoughts for Leah.

"You know," I started loudly "I am not comparing between the two, but Esme is the biggest example that I know of second chances at love."

Leah looked up at me, waiting to hear what I had to say.

"Esme was in an abusive marriage for years. She had truly loved him. She had thought that he would change, but it didn't happen so. Carlisle found her after she had jumped off a cliff after losing her child. It took him a lot of time to make his place in Esme's heart, but it did happen. Second chances do exist, Leah. You just need to keep your eyes open and heart willing for it."

She was quiet for a few minutes, taking my words in before she got up from the couch all of a sudden "I should get going. It is getting late. I will see you in school." She said in a rush before leaving the house, not even waiting for me to reply.

She needed this time to revaluate over her opinions and beliefs. I could see it in her mind. Her biggest question at the moment was- Did everyone get a second chance, or only a lucky few?

I saw her sit in her car and leave the driveway a minute later. That was when I smelt it- the wet dog smell. A shape shifter was here, and I had a very good idea of who it was.

"Come out Seth," I said loudly.

A boy looking much older than his age walked out of the bushes and stood in front of me. He was furious at me, but had questions for me that he needed an answer to, before he made up his mind over who exactly I was.

"What are your intentions with my sister?"

I gave him an amused look at the question "Isn't she older than you?"

"Answer the question." He said through gritted teeth "It is my responsibility to look after her."

"My intentions," I said loudly, pretending to ponder over it "My intention is to make her happy. My intention is to make her smile much more often than she does at the moment. My intention is to make her forget all her worries and only concentrate on her happiness and wishes. I want to give her everything that she desires in life. Seth," I looked at him in confidence "I may be a 'monster' or a 'leech' according to your pack and a few of your tribe, but I am not a literal monster. I would never harm her after what she's gone through. I just want to love her."

"Will you keep her safe and happy?" he asked, his question far more mature than that of a fourteen year old.

I nodded my head "I promise."

"You will never leave her?"

"Never," I answered instantly.

He nodded his head with a deep sigh "I support you then."

I was a bit shocked by his easy acceptance. I was his mortal enemy.

He clarified looking at the shock on my face "if you make her happy that is enough for me. I don't believe in all this enemy business. Vampires can also be good and humans or shape shifters can also be bad."

I smiled. That was Seth- always accepting and always smiling. Now, I only had to convince his sister of the same.