Eight days later
I finally reached Forks it was 4:00 Tuesday afternoon unless her schedule had changed Bella would be working, with Mike. The thought of Bella and Mike caused the bitter feeling only Bella could manage. Though I had no right to be jealous the feeling still overwhelmed me. I had wanted to wait until the evening to see Bella once she had fallen asleep in the vain hope that I would once again gain small insight into the workings of her mind I couldn't gain my…usual way. But now I had to see, to see whether or not my suspicions were true. I was nearly to the Newton's store when Alice called me again, she would see what I was now going to do. For a split second I worried Alice had predicted Bella would notice me, but I immediately pushed the thought from my mind.
I scaled the side of the building and crouched low behind an old tan Honda. I looked around the parking lot and Bella's old rusty truck caught my eye and the first smile in months graced my lips at the sight of Bella's car, but it didn't hold my attention for long. How could it when just a few feet from me the love of my life, or I suppose more appropriately the love of my existence, was only a few feet from me, when I could almost smell the floral sent of her blood.
She was sitting at the counter looking bored and distant while mike chattered on in her ear. I stared memorizing again each aspect of her body and face. I was pleased to see after receiving no reaction from Bella; Mike dejectedly slumped off to re-stock some shelves. Even more pleased that Bella didn't seem to notice or care, still looking spaced out and, it pained me to observe, sad as she rung up the only customer in the shop. Then she looked up and, I noticed a moment too late, in my direction.
BPOV
I finished ringing up a tent and a pair of brown hiking boots for the tall man that stood before me chattering on about the trip he was planning to go on with a 'pal' of his. I looked over at mike as the man walked out to his car, and I felt bad for tuning him out as he described some sport or another where he had been on the winning team, but I just didn't have the focus to pay attention to his story today.
I looked out to the parking lot and my breath caught. Previously I had only heard his voice and only when I was being reckless. But now it was obvious. I had gone over the edge and I knew this as I caught sight of the penny colored hair in beautiful disarray I had seen so many times before but only ever on one person and not in so long.
My face must have shown my feelings more than I knew. Mike called over, "Bella? Hey Bells, you okay?" I nodded my head and then shook from side to side. It was probably just a trick of the light, shining off a car or something. I looked up at the clock; I was off in about thirty seconds. So I stepped from behind the counter and waved goodbye to mike, walking out the door at precisely 4:30p.m.
I walked out to the truck scanning the lot as I walked. No, I told myself, he was not here. He didn't want me anymore. I clutched my stomach at this last thought, hard. Thoughts like this I usually banished because they tugged at the hole left by the Cullens, even the thought of their name cased a pang.
I drove home in a daze refusing to let myself think about anything beyond the road ahead of me. When 'I got home I did some laundry and made dinner, I lucked out because Charlie had and early game to watch he was eating in front of the television tonight. He said hello, thank you and walked into the living room and switched on the baseball game leaving me free to go upstairs finish my math and English homework, then crawl into bed.
I had been asleep for about an hour but it was still only around nine. My room was sweltering hot so I opened my window and got back into bed. Falling asleep to Charlie's snores from down the hall.