Hey guys! Okay, these chapters should be coming out sooner once I get back into the swing of school. Luckily, I'm a senior and a mid-term grad so I will be graduating in January. I'm super excited the release date for Twilight was bumped up to November. WOOHOO! I'm not a huge Harry Potter fan though, so I suppose that has something to do with my excitement. Sorry for those of you HP fans that have to wait until the day before my 18th birthday to get your movie. So, HERE WE GO!

I've lost count of chapters.

I cried until my mom and Chase came home. By that time, I was out of tears. I couldn't believe he just left. Just like that.

Actually, I can believe it. Was I really expecting anything else? I guess somehow, a little hope had creeped into me without my knowledge. And it was only making this more painful.

As soon as my mother saw me, she put Chase down and rushed over to the couch.

"Honey! Honey, what's wrong?" she was frantic as her eyes looked me over making sure that I wasn't physically harmed. As soon as she was convinced I was not in need of a trip to the E.R, she pulled my head on her lap and started stroking my hair.

And the tears came back.

She waited until I was out of tears once again before asking me softly, "Do you want to tell me what's wrong, sweetheart?"

I sniffled and wiped my eyes with the back of my hand.

I knew that I couldn't not tell my mother that Edward knew. She would eventually know something was up, even if she hadn't found me crying like a baby, because it looked like Edward wasn't going to be coming around anymore. He didn't want to have anything to do with me.

"Okay, but Mom? You have to promise not to get too mad at me. I'm going through a tough enough time as it is."

She looked at me with slightly frightened eyes. "You're really starting to scare me, Bella. What is going on?"

I could tell she was suspicious, and I knew exactly what was going through her mind. I knew exactly what she thought I was going to tell her.

"Mom, it's nothing that bad," Unless you want to call losing the best friend you've ever had in your life and the only person you could really relate to that bad.

She inclined her head towards me as a sign to keep going. I took a deep breath before finishing my explanation. "Well, I told Edward. About, you know...Chase," I whispered the last part.

It was silent for about two counts and then she was screaming.

"Isabella Marie Swan! What the hell were you thinking? Why would you do that? We had an agreement! You weren't supposed to tell anyone about Chase! He is not your child. He may be yours biologically, but I raised him! I provided for him. I am his real mother!"

I couldn't deal with this. The pain of what happened earlier with Edward and what my mom was saying all turned into anger. And it was all directed towards my mother.

"Will you just shut up?! Edward was the one person that I could truly tell anything to. He was the one person I could be completely myself with. He was the best friend I ever had. I couldn't bear keeping a secret this big from him. He was too observant. He knew something was going on and he deserved to know the truth, so I told him! But I guess that you don't have to worry about me getting too close to him anymore because he doesn't want anything to do with me! He thinks I'm disgusting!"

The sadness was now back, mixed in with the anger. I could feel even more tears pouring down my face. Huh, I thought I had used all of those.

"And Chase is so mine! I conceived, carried, and gave birth to him. He is a part of me, not you! And I didn't agree to anything! You ordered me to keep quiet about it! You forced me to give him up! But you know what? I'm tired of your charade! I want my son back!"

And it was true. I loved Chase. So much. It had been so hard to pretend that he was a less significant part of my life than he actually was. And I know that if everybody I know and love is going to stop talking and hanging out with me, I'm going to need someone to keep me company. To love me.

Who better than my son?

My mom was speechless. She was so furious, she couldn't form a coherent thought. But I didn't really want to stick around and hear what she had to say once she put her thoughts back together.

Before she could say another word, I ran out of the front door. I had no idea where I was going to go, but I knew that I had to get out of there. I had to go somewhere. Of course I planned to go back. If for nothing else, I had to go back for Chase.

It was then I realized that I was subconsciously headed to Edward's. Old habits die hard. I quickly redirected myself to the park that was at the Elementary School, only a mile or so away from my house.

I sat down on a bench that was in front of the big yellow slide and just waited. I waited for my temper to die down. I waited for my silent tears to stop running down my face.

I didn't know what I was going to do without my friends. Surely Edward would tell them. He would go back home and tell them all how disgusting I was. How much of a slut. And they would all stop talking to me. How would I get to school if Edward wouldn't drive me? How was I supposed to pick Chase up and then go back home? What was I supposed to do or say if I saw any of them at school? Nothing at all? Would I go back to being the depressed Bella I was before moving here?

No. I didn't think I would. I would be able to recognize Chase as my son now, and not lie to myself. I'm sure that would make me at least a little bit happier than I had been.

But at the same time, I was losing something of more value to me than I had ever had before.

By this time, the tears had stopped and I was just staring out into space. I didn't even hear the footsteps coming from behind me until I saw a head of bronze hair sit next to me on the bench. I didn't look over at him, not really wanting to be the first one to speak. What would I say?

He just sat there for a while looking out in front of him before sighing and turning to face me.

"Kind of chilly out here, isn't it? You should have probably brought a jacket," he spoke in a small, kind voice. I could tell he didn't really know what to say either.

"I'm fine," my voice cracked as I said it.

But we both knew he wasn't here to talk about the weather.

"I'm really sorry about the way I acted earlier, Bella," his voice was still quiet.

"S'okay. I guess I really didn't expect anything less," my voice was dead.

He sighed. I couldn't figure out why he was apologizing.

"I was just shocked. I mean, I guess I thought you were too innocent to do something like that. You caught me off guard."

I was too emotionally exhausted to come up with an answer.

When I didn't say anything, he continued, "It was really stupid of me to just leave like that without even talking to you about it, and hearing what you had to say. I'm sorry."

"How many people did you tell?" I asked him in the same dead voice, still not daring to meet his eyes.

I could see his eyes grow wide out of my peripheral vision. "Do you really think I would go off and tell people that after you worked so hard to keep it a secret since you got here?" He sounded hurt at the thought.

I shrugged. "I just figured you would want to go tell your family that I was too gross to hang out with now. That they should stay away from me or it could ruin their reputation or something like that."

He started shaking his head about halfway through my sentence. "I would never do that, Bella. I didn't tell anyone," he whispered.

I nodded. "Thanks," I whispered back, my voice cracking once again.

"No problem."

It was silent for a moment.

"So am I forgiven? I know what I did is horrible but--"

I cut him off. "What you did was horrible? What I did was horrible! I lied to you for months when you didn't keep anything from me! And it wasn't a small secret either!" I was slightly hysterical by the end of my rant.

Edward put his hand on my shoulder to calm me down. "Bella," he spoke softly, "I understand why you did it. If I was in your shoes I would have done the same thing. I realize that now. I really am truly sorry for how I acted back there. Everyone makes mistakes and everyone should be given a second chance. I'm not going to sit here and judge you for a mistake that you made three years ago; one that you are truly sorry for."

I threw my arms around him and was so thankful when he didn't pull back.

"I was so afraid I was going to lose you forever when you walked out my front door. I couldn't take it. You mean way too much to me, Edward, I don't think I could have bared that," I whispered fervently into his ear.

"I'm so sorry, Bella. I can't seem to stay away from you either."

"You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for."

We stayed there a few minutes longer, just soaking up each other's presence. I felt so ridiculously happy in his embrace, feeling the heat from his body radiate out and envelop me. I couldn't keep the goofy smile off of my face.

When we pulled away, we still just sat there, staring off into space once more.

"So are you going to start being Chase's mom for real?" he asked trying to keep the curiosity out of his voice.

"Yeah. Renee wasn't too happy that I told you about him but I stood my ground and told her I was going to start being his mom and walked out. I couldn't quite handle standing there and listen to her chew me out."

The smile on my face had dropped slightly.

"You know, I can't quite regret this whole mess. If you hadn't gotten pregnant, you wouldn't have moved here and I wouldn't have met you," he told me with his signature crooked smile on his face.

I smiled weakly. "I can't quite regret it all either."

He smiled even bigger and grabbed my hand, lacing the fingers on his left hand through my own.

He then wrapped his right arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer so that was leaning against him. It felt so right but I almost pulled away when I realized this position probably meant something else to him than it did to me. Almost.

I relaxed into him as he whispered in my ear, "I'd much rather have you with all your so called 'baggage' than not have you at all. You're still the same Bella I know and love."

At the word love, my breathing hitched and he quickly moved away from me, blushing.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. I know you probably don't feel the same way," he said while averting his eyes.

Wait. What?!

"W-What?" I whispered, my voice once again failing me.

He sighed and looked down at his lap while playing with his fingers. "I love you, Bella. I'm in love with you. I know I shouldn't have said anything but I can't help the way I feel. I've tried to keep it secret for a while now and I guess it just kind of slipped out."

He loved me? He loved me? He loved me?

I couldn't quite wrap my head around the concept.

He had been hiding it for a while? He had felt the same way for me as I had felt for him all this while?

I looked over at Edward, who was now as red as a tomato, and saw that he looked terribly unsure of himself and embarrassed.

Oh! He didn't think I felt the same way. He thought I didn't love him the way he loved me.

I couldn't quite find my voice to reassure him, so I did the next best thing.

I quickly scooted over so I was sitting as close to him as possible, grabbed his face in my hands, and pulled his mouth to mine.

Kissing Edward was way better than kissing Robert. I can't believe I had even thought that Robert was attractive. Edward was so much better.

We kissed hungrily, not wanting to put any space at all between us. My hands were in his hair, like the last time, securing his face to mine. His hands were rubbing up and down my back and pulling me even closer to him. His tongue ran across my lower lip and I allowed him entrance.

When we ran out of breath, we broke apart gasping for air.

"In case you didn't know by that," I said in reference to our kiss, "I love you too"

He smiled the biggest smile I had seen on him; his whole face seemed to glow.

"Really?"

I laughed and rolled my eyes. "I wouldn't have said it if it wasn't true. I knew I was never in love with Robert. Not even close. And I knew that I felt something between us since the beginning. I just didn't know it had turned into love until you said something. But I do, Edward. I do love you."

He smiled even bigger and kissed me softly.

I smiled bigger too.

"So are you going to tell our friends?" he asked. I could tell he was trying not to offend me, but also not wanting to keep this a secret for long.

"I guess so," I replied trying to sound indifferent.

He laughed at my reluctance and stood up, offering a hand to me.

"Well, let's get it over with, then." he said with a chuckle.

I took his hand and stood up with his help.

I guess I had a frightened look on my face because he wrapped his arms around me, pulled me to his chest, and whispered in my ear, "Don't worry, I'll protect you."

I know it's shorter than my other chapters but I couldn't draw it out any longer. I hoped this chapter made up for the ending I gave you last time. I might possibly be getting a job at Best Buy soon. I made it through two interviews and they want to give me one final one so if I do well, I will get the job. I'm honestly surprised I made it through the first two and was asked back both times. Anyway, my workload this year is really light compared to last year. Hopefully I'll be able to update more frequently now. If you have any suggestions, let me know PLEASE!

And please REVIEWWWWWWW!

That is all.