bahaha. trying to update from my phone when i have comments and such to make is fun. lol.

so, R&R. :) please? yeah. thanks. you've been awesome so far, even though there has only be two, but still! you're awesome. i've gotta hurry and write more, 'cause i'm only at 26.

who knows? by the end of the long weekend, i'll probably have that far up to here. :)

oh! btw, this chapter song? i love it. i'm not normally a "Disney star" fan, but Demi Lovato's different. i love her songs, especially off her new album. :) so, i recommend listening to this one also.

22. Until You're Mine: Demi Lovato

*Mayze*

I was frozen still, even as Seth came and figured out why I had done so. At first, he was a little mad, but then, he realized why I had done it. It wasn't to invade his privacy at all.

Then, it was my turn to be mad at him. What in the hell was he doing talking to Edward?

"How could you do this?" I exclaimed. "Seth, what . . . ?"

But I didn't know how to finish my question. I wasn't even sure what I wanted to know. I was still too shocked to think straight, to even breathe right. What was there to say? Nothing that I knew of made any sense.

"Let me explain," he said swiftly as he held both hands up, as if to calm me down and defend himself. "Mayze, I am talking to Edward, but there's a reason, a really important reason." He brightly smiled. "I've been talking to him for the past five months now. Me and Embry both have."

That hit home. My two best friends lied to me?

"So you lied," I said quietly, nodding. "Right. Thanks, Seth. You're the best friend I've ever had. You too, Embry."

The sarcasm and ice in my tone made them both cringe away from me for a second, but they quickly recovered and straightened up. I tried to get away, but they forced me to look at them.

"Just let us explain," Embry insisted. "We've been talking to him, telling him how you are and everything. Updates, if you will."

"Why the hell does he care?" I asked icily as I turned towards the Jeep, not sure if I wanted to leave or just go inside. "It's not like he ever cared about me anyways."

"But he did," Seth disagreed gently. "He never stopped caring about you, Mayze. Ever since he met you, there hasn't been a single ounce of a second he hasn't cared about you."

"Then, why—?"

They exchanged another glance before sighing in unison.

"We weren't supposed to tell you this," Embry muttered, looking down at his feet with a grimace.

"He made us swear," Seth went on, biting his lip. He was clearly hiding something again, but I would demand that answer later. "But I guess we have no other choice but to tell you now."

"Every time you say something about how he doesn't care, we wanted to tell you so badly," Embry informed me, coming over to hug me. "It killed us to see you like that, knowing we could just tell you and make you happy."

Seth walked over and joined our hug, making it a group hug. "You need to know now, though. He does care, enough that he checks up on you constantly. He is dead, basically, and he's all by himself. He keeps himself locked up in his penthouse, secluded from the world. The only time he ever left was at nights when he absolutely had to hunt. It's rather sad."

I was aware that I was crying again, but it was tears of confusion. Honestly, I wasn't quite sure if I wanted to believe them, or if I should. They wouldn't lie to me, but if that was the case, why doesn't he just come back?

I pulled away from them and laughed breathlessly, still not sure what to think. I wiped the tears away with my jacket sleeve. "So you were always hiding something from me. Back when I didn't trust myself, I never believed it. I thought I was reading everyone wrong, like I had been my entire life. But, you were."

"Yeah," Embry admitted while nodding. "But, whenever you get home, you should check out Edward's playlist. I've seen it, and it would've told you the same thing." He laughed. "It was right in front of you, but you refused to look."

I sighed as I smiled at how simple everything suddenly seemed after seeming so complicated and scary just two days prior. "I know, but, honestly, I wouldn't have believed it anyways. Still not sure if I do. Seeing it would've just given me even more pain, and I never would've believed it. If it wasn't for these past few weeks, guys, I wouldn't have believed you now."

Seth put his arm around my shoulders. "So, see? Everything happens for a reason. Do you wanna know why he left?"

"Oh, I already know," I said simply, shrugging. "Assuming you guys are right and he's not just making this up so you two don't get pissed and kill him, I knew it was one of two things. One, he never really cared and I read him wrong, which . . . ." I took a deep breath. "Which I trust you guys, and the Cullens, enough to believe isn't the case. It's the second one. He cared so much he was willing to leave to keep me safe. He was able to put me above what he wants."

"Exactly," Seth said encouragingly as we walked inside, his arm now moving by his side. "Except it is for certain. There's no need to worry."

All eyes turned to me, and Quil nodded encouragingly. Colin and Brady grinned at me, but Sam shot them a look, which made them look away towards the floor.

I could already tell me and Sam were not going to get along.

"Hi," Emily said brightly with a smile before gently hugging me. I felt uncomfortable hugging her, but she was so nice, how could I refuse? I mean, it's Emily. "How are you, Mayze? Have you been well?"

I smiled back and nodded. "I'm good, Emily; getting much better."

"So," Sam said blankly, kinda rudely, as I sat down in-between Embry and Seth on the couch, both of them grinning at me for a second before eyeing Sam skeptically. "What's it like?"

"What?" I asked blissfully as I looked up at him. Even Sam, the guy I absolutely hate, couldn't bring me down. I had just been told Edward had cared about me, all along, by two people I trusted with my life. It had been said by six people I trusted with my life too, but until I saw that they had kept in touch with him too, I didn't believe it, for some reason. I just couldn't.

Until now.

His eyes slightly narrowed. "Knowing we were right about the leech and you were wrong."

My head tilted slightly to the side, pretending to be confused, of course. I honestly wasn't sure my mind was ready to believe it, but my heart knew it was true.

"What? Oh. I'm sorry. I never got that memo. Since when were you right? Who says he's not coming back for me?"

"Uh, it's been nearly five months," he pointed out icily. "I'm pretty sure it's safe to say he's not coming back and he never cared about you."

I frowned. "You know, Sam, I really don't like you. You and Jacob are really getting on my nerves. I mean, honestly. How many times can you try to crush a girl's spirits before it just gets old?"

He glowered at me as I stood up. "I'm trying to get it in your head that—"

"You can just save it," I interrupted. "Alright? You're not getting anything through to my head, alright? I'm going to be a vampire soon, and it's not because of the Cullens. I do not like you, at all. Simple as that." I looked down at Seth and Embry. I couldn't help but smile at them. "Sorry, guys. I've got things I need to do. I need to talk to Emmett about something."

They both grinned back at me and nodded.

"Go on, sweetie pie," Embry encouraged.

"Bye, Mayzie!" Seth exclaimed before eagerly waving at me.

I just laughed before turning back to Sam. "And, for the record, I don't need your protection, alright? I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself without your help. I've got an entire coven of vampires with connections. Why would I need you?"

With that, I waved at Embry, Quil, Seth, and Leah before happily running out. Leah had a grin on her lips as she watched the man she was still in love with and trying to get over get told off. Jared didn't think this was too funny anymore, not once he realized I was about to be with Edward again. Quil was looking at the floor to hide his humored expression, and Embry and Seth were silently laughing as I blissfully skipped out and towards the Jeep.

Paul, though, looked pissed, but I didn't care. Paul didn't like me, just like Jacob and Sam didn't. Like I said, I didn't care.

Somehow, I managed to breathe as I jumped in Emmett's Jeep. My mind was a jumbled up mess as I ran my fingers through my hair and pulled out of the driveway.

As I was straightening up, Jacob and Bella pulled up in Jake's truck. Jacob's eyes were suspicious as he noticed the bright smile on my lips, but I just waved sweetly before driving off down the road.

Nothing mattered anymore. He loved me. This much I knew now. Like Alice, Emmett, Esme, Carlisle, Jasper, Rosalie, Embry, and Seth all said; it's just a matter of time now before he's back in my arms.

And I couldn't wait.