Hey guys! The next chapter is here!

I'm not going to bore you with my rants, so i'll let you read the chapter... THEN i'll bore you with my rants :D

Enjoy!

Oh! And this chapter is after graduation :D

I flicked through the acceptance letters uncaringly.

"Which one do you think?" Edward asked, doing the same with his.

I sighed and glanced at the first again. We'd already attended Oregon University, so we couldn't apply for that again. So we applied to other Universities that had three quarters of its year overcast by clouds and rain, and we'd also applied for California, just to make it look good.

We'd got accepted to all of them and now we had to make a choice.

"Umm... It's between New Hampshire, Alabama and Louisiana." I said, looking up at him.

"Which would you prefer to go to?"

"Not New Hampshire, that's probably the one with the most rain... So I think we should save that one... I'm not sure between the other two..."

"Well." He said, putting his letters down, "We can decide when I get back."

I hung my head, "I don't want you to leave..." I mumbled, "We've only just graduated and finished school."

"Exactly, it's the perfect time for me to go... That way I can get back before we decide on University and we can spend some quality time together." He smiled, coming to wrap his arms around me.

I laid my head on his chest, "I suppose your right." I muttered.

He laughed and moved a piece of hair behind my ear, "I won't be gone for long anyway, I only want to check up on my parents... Jasper won't even be there, he's probably already moved away to University, you know how sometimes they ask you to come straight away to get your room."

I nodded, "It must be hard for them... Losing another son... Their all on their own now."

"Which is exactly why I want to go check up on them." He said, stroking my hair gently.

I looked up at him, "I love you..." I whispered.

He smiled crookedly, "I love you too."

I put my car keys down on the table by the door and hung my coat up, the absence of Edward already looming over me and making me want him back.

"Bella." I heard Carlisle's gentle voice and I looked up.

I saw Carlisle and Esme, standing with very serious and concerned faces, and in between them was another vampire, with strawberry blonde hair that sat curled around her shoulders. She was incredibly beautiful, her pale skin and golden eyes complimented her delicate features and curvy body.

I felt my eyes roam over her, searching for an answer as to who she was.

Then I remembered that Carlisle had spoken to me, "Yes?" I asked, looking at him.

He looked me deep in my eyes, "This is Tanya... From Alaska."

I felt my breathing stop as I took in his words and my memory flashed back to the time ten years ago when Edward had mentioned her. The memories were hazy, but I definitely remembered her...

"Bella." Tanya came forward suddenly, "I'm so very sorry for what I did..." her eyes were gentle, pleading with me, "Please let me explain myself... My actions." She said taking my hand in hers.

I stared at her in shock, not quite knowing what to make of her.

I glanced behind her at Esme and Carlisle. They shrugged, their faces gentle, but not pressuring me into anything.

I needed Edward...

"Edward..." I mumbled, looking back at Tanya, "Edward's not here..."

"Yes, Esme and Carlisle explained that he's checking up on family... But it's you I want to see." She closed her eyes, "Of course I have to apologise to Edward... But it's mostly you... It's your life I put in danger Bella."

"We can leave... We need to hunt anyway..." Esme whispered, "That way you can have time alone."

I thought for a long moment. I should probably hear her out... She looked really sorry, but why had she waited so long to come and apologise?

I nodded, "Thank you." I said to Esme and Carlisle, they nodded immediately and walked towards the door. After they'd left I turned back to Tanya, "Okay, we can talk."

She smiled and let go of my hands. We walked into the living room and sat beside each on the couch.

"Bella... I'm so sorry for going to the Volturi... I honestly don't know what came over me..." she shook her head and looked down at her hands, "I guess I was just jealous..." she whispered.

"Jealous? Of Edward and I?"

She nodded and looked back up at me, "When I'd first came to visit Esme and Carlisle and met Edward... Well of course I found him attractive, I mean who wouldn't? But then I found out about you and how heartbroken Edward was... I left and after a few months I came back... Edward had changed."

I felt my brows furrow at her words.

Edward had changed?

She continued to speak, "He seemed to have gotten over you, he seemed better... And he told me he liked me." I felt my breathing get more out of control as I watched her speak, her words cutting through my heart like barbed wire, "We hit it off... Everything seemed perfect... I'd finally found my mate. Then Edward came back from school and told me he had to go tutor some girl..." she laughed once, "I'd told him I'd go, sit outside and we could talk to each other, human ears could never hear our conversations... So I followed him... Then he saw you again. I listened to what happened between the two of you, I could tell you loved each other dearly... But I couldn't hold back the anger I felt... Edward had played me... Made me feel special, like I'd found the one... So I took off, went to the Volturi." She looked up again, "Bella, I'm so sorry."

I stared at her with wide eyes, trying to find my voice to speak, "You and Edward h-hit it off?"

She looked confused, "Didn't he tell you?"

"He told me that nothing happened between you... That you liked him but he was mourning me..."

She laughed once and shook her head, looking away from me, "I can't believe him..." she bit her lip in anger, "Bella, I'm not sure what exactly he's told you... But what I've just said is the truth... Edward and I did hit it off..."

"Did you... You know..." I trailed off, the absurdity of what I was hearing hitting me hard, Edward would never do that to me...

"Yes." She answered, "We did."

I stared at her for a long moment, taking in everything. An hour ago Edward and I had the perfect relationship... And now it was in tatters? It didn't seem possible. I felt like I was dreaming, like everything I was hearing was a lie.

But Tanya looked so hurt and distressed over what had happened.

I looked her deep in her eyes, trying to get to her soul, "Tanya? Are you telling me that you and Edward were together and when I came back he got back with me and you went to the Volturi because you were jealous and also hurt over what he'd done to you?"

She looked away for a long moment, pain crossing her features, "Yes..." she barely whispered.

I felt my whole world come crashing down around me.

How could Edward do that to me?

I felt my anger build up, but on top of that was deep sorrow and pain.

"Tanya..." I whispered, a lump in my throat deforming my voice slightly, "Could you please leave? I forgive you and thank you for coming to say sorry... But I need some time alone..."

She looked down at her hands and then back up at me, "Of course Bella... I really am sorry."

I nodded as she got up off the couch and picked up her bag. She walked towards the door and turned back to look at me as she placed her hand on the doorknob, "I hope you truly do forgive me Bella... I'm so very sorry."

I nodded, unable to speak.

I heard the door closing and I let out a deep breath which lead to sobs that racked my body, even though no tears were formed.

I put my hands over my eyes to try and block out the images that were haunting me.

Edward smiling with Tanya.

Edward moving a piece of Tanya's hair behind her ear.

Edward kissing Tanya.

Edward holding Tanya.

Edward and Tanya...

"Ugh!" I screamed as I jumped off the couch. I looked over at the fireplace and saw Edward and I's wedding picture. We both looked so happy... Little did I know he was keeping a secret from me...

In truth I knew deep down this was always something I'd feared. Edward had told me that no one in school was competition for me... But someone else had dominated his heart that year we were separated.

I knew that if it wasn't true, Edward would probably kill me for even thinking that he'd want someone else... But what was I supposed to do? I wasn't the prettiest girl out there... I was always going to have the fear that Edward would get bored and move on...

Tanya was certainly the girl to do that with...

And he had...

I closed my eyes and tried to take a deep breath.

I had to leave. I couldn't stay and pretend everything was fine...

I had to leave and sort out my thoughts which were travelling in a whirlwind right now...

I looked down and saw both our acceptance letters from the Universities. I bent down and picked mine up, scanning the letters quickly as I made my decision.

I was going to University.

But Edward was smart... He knew I would go to New Hampshire to get away from him because that's the place I didn't want to go... So it would be the first place he would look...

I took Alabama and Louisiana and closed my eyes. I swapped the pieces of paper around until I was happy that they were switched enough, then I opened my eyes and looked down.

Alabama it was.

I sighed and read the letter. Apparently rooms could be taken within days of calling. I picked up the phone, my hands surprisingly not shaking, and rang the number.

I closed my eyes as I sat on the bottom step of the stairs.

It's the right thing to do Bella... I tried to convince myself.

I took a deep breath and stood up. I grabbed my suitcase and ran out to my car, placing it in the boot quickly. I went back inside and contemplated leaving Esme and Carlisle a note to explain, but then I realised that might give something away.

I sighed and picked up my handbag and as I did I saw the red tulip lying inside. I closed my eyes as the memory of Edward at the airport flooded my mind and I put my hand over my heart as if to stop the aching.

"Here." He'd whispered, handing me the flower.

I smiled, "It's beautiful."

"Like you." He chuckled, "Listen... I want you to watch this tulip okay? And I guarantee that I will be back before it dies..."

I laughed and nodded, as he planted a kiss on my lips.

I took a ragged breath as I came out of the memory.

Undying Love...

I wondered if that still applied...

I didn't take the tulip out, something told me not to. It was probably my heart trying to hold on to the last fragments of Edward before it shattered completely.

I took one last look around the house, seeing the memories playing out as my gaze moved from room to room. I'd done this once before, watching memories... When I'd been moving to Forks...

I shook my head and turned to leave, trying to erase the force that was pulling me back.

What I was doing was for the best...

I got into my car and put my bag on the floor of the passenger seat. Glancing down at the tulip again I thought about going back in and leaving Edward a note, I'd left without saying anything, the only thing they'd see was that my wardrobe was empty. I shook my head, deciding against the idea, it would only cause more heartbreak for the both of us.

I put the keys in and started the engine. I drove down the lane, everything in me was screaming to go back, to not leave everything I loved...

But I had to...

Okay now before you all start cracking up because Bella has left and not heard Edward out, just think about what she's doing. She's leaving to save her and Edward the heartbreak, she doesn't want to see him and think about him with Tanya. Bella doesn't see herself as worthy of Edward, she always believed he would move on to someone else, she feared deep down it would happen, THAT is the reason she believed Tanya.

Now onto something more exciting :D

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW EDWARD'S REACTION WHEN HE GETS BACK?

This story is purely from Bella's POV, BUT if you want a sneak peek into Edward's head and his reaction when he arrives home to see no Bella, then all you have to do is review and i'll send you the sneak peek :D (Obviously you have to have an account :( BUT if Edward finds Bella then you'll hear what he was thinking when he tells her... IF he finds her that is ;) lol)

I know it's blackmail... But you LOVE it!