CHAPTER V: GONNA MISS YOU WHEN YOU'RE GONE [PATTY GRIFFIN]
A/N: OH MY GAHH! I am so sorry for the wait! Life got so busy and complicate. But life also became great! I have about 3 more chapters written, but have about 80% of the story mapped out. So hopefully no more waits like this. As always Read and Review my loves.
DISCLAIMER: SM OWNS ALL, NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED
EPOV
Phone call flashback
I'm not coming back Edward.
I'm not coming back Edward.
I'm not coming back Edward.
Fury boiled under my skin.
"What do you mean, you're not coming back?"
"Edward—
"No, don't Edward me." I was seething. "I don't know what he has been saying to you, or doing—
"He's not doing or saying anything!"
"I'm sure that's exactly what he wants you to think."
She sighed heavily. "Edward, I didn't call to fight with you."
"How did you think I was going to take this?"
I heard her sniff over the line, "You're my friend Leah, and I care about you more than most. I'm not going to stop looking for you."
"Edward—
"I told you that I would always be there for you and I failed, I won't fail you again."
End flashback
"Mr. Cullen?"
I turned my attention back to Mr. Banner.
"Are you with us?" he asked.
I stared blankly at him, nodding my head, but I wasn't there.
I was tired. As tired as a vampire could get, and it was because I was running myself ragged. During the week I was attending school, keeping appearances for the sake of my family. But by Friday evening I was out of the state of Washington, looking into any lead concerning Leah's whereabouts that had come my way.
And every weekend lead me home with nothing. I walked the halls of Forks High School with Bella by my side and the ghost of Leah following me. She was always there, with a knowing smile on her face. I found myself constantly forgetting that it was a phantom, stretching out my leg in class seeking out her scorching heat, only catching myself too late to realize that the warmth Bella provided was not enough.
It would never be enough.
I sighed heavily as the bell rang announcing class was over. It didn't matter, I was over this day and I was busting out of this joint.
Busting out of this joint?
I have to tell Leah that she—
Leah is gone, Edward. You know this.
She's gone and she's never coming back.
I could feel myself getting angry again. I was mad at Leah, for giving up. I was mad at myself for not being a better friend to her, for not being good enough to find her. I was mad at the entire world.
Alice was at my side as I stopped at my locker.
"You're going to get a phone call about her car."
She had my full attention. "Where?"
"California, about fifty miles outside of San Francisco."
I grabbed my jacket, not bothering to close the door to the locker.
"I'm leaving now."
"What about Bella?"
I sighed, "She drove herself today."
Alice followed me through the hall, grabbing my arm once I was in the parking lot.
"That's not what I meant and you know it."
"I have to go."
"No you don't, this is a matter involving the wolves, and they can handle it."
I could feel my face twist into a scowl. "Do you not understand that she is my friend?"
"I get that Edward, I do. What I don't get is why you couldn't tell me, your sister, your best friend, that you were friends with her. I understand we have secrets, but why this, what harm could it have done to tell me?" Her small hands framed my face, "But the one thing I am having difficulty processing is how this friendship you have with Leah is eclipsing everything that you have with Bella."
"Alice—
"You're leaving Bella behind after bringing her into our life, our world. If you feel something for Leah, Bella deserves to know."
"There is nothing going on between Leah and I."
Alice smiled at me, her eyes sparkling in their all-knowing way.
"Eddie, you and I both know that's a lie."
Just as Alice said, my contact called me and told me that he had found the car I described to him. I arranged a flight and was in San Francisco the next morning, by noon I was in her car driving back to Forks. The woman that drove the car said that a handsome man approached her and offered her $5,000 to drive the car to this location, no questions asked.
I thanked her, avoiding her advances, took Leah's car and began the long drive home. It was comforting, being surrounded by something that belonged to her- that her scent still clung to even though she had been gone for a little over a month. I couldn't wait for her to be back to complain about how I defiled her car by driving it, and how it would stink for the next month.
I'm not coming back Edward.
I'm not coming back Edward.
I'm not coming back Edward.
She was coming back, even if it meant I had to drag her.
"I found her car, drove it back yesterday."
I could smell the blood rush to Bella's cheeks as she pressed her face into my chest and sighed in frustration.
"I know how this is going to sound Edward, but I don't care."
She didn't care?
"What do you mean you don't care?" I asked pulling away from her.
"All you think about is her! Leah this and Leah that! Leah is gone, Edward, GONE!" she yelled her face red with anger. "And she said that she's not coming back."
"She is my friend!" I roared. "When I was alone, when I had no one, when I was waiting for you, Leah was there."
Bella jumped off the bed, her whole body flushed with anger. "I'm here now Edward! I'm here, and now you're gone! Now I'm alone and waiting for you to come back!"
I walked away from her. I had to turn my back because the monster inside of me was furious.
"She doesn't want to be here, Edward! And yet you are waiting as if she is going to appear out of thin air! It's like you're holding vigil for her. Have you ever stopped to think that maybe you stopped waiting long before I got here? That maybe you're waiting again because the one you've been wanting is gone?"
I never thought that I would have to fight with Bella over this because she was supposed to understand. Why didn't she get that Leah was the dearest thing in my life.
Shouldn't that be Bella, a part of me questioned.
She should've been, but she wasn't. It was then that I realized Bella never had a chance of being the dearest thing to me because Leah claimed that place in my life long ago. How had I not realized this before? How could I have pushed her to the side the way I did.
You are no better than Sam.
The realization of that felt like I had been slapped. I needed to rectify my wrongs, and it all started by finding her. Once I did, I would wrap her in my arms and never let her go.
"Edward!"
"You're right," I breathed covering my face with my hands. "Oh God, you are right."
There were tears in her voice when she spoke again. "I know."
"I'm so sorry," I looked up from my hands and moved towards her.
She stepped back, pushing her hands out to keep me away.
"I think you should go," she whispered.
I stood slowly, grabbing my jacket from her desk and walked out the front door alone. When I reached my car parked across the street, I looked up to see her standing in the window.
"I hope you find her," she whispered.
I would.
