Chapter Five

EPOV – Eight years ago

I watched as Bella drove off in anger, leaving me in the parking lot. She was right; I had been a jerk to her all day. The thing was, I didn't exactly know why. This morning on the way to school I told her that Tanya had asked me to the spring formal. I don't know why, but a huge part of me wanted her to shout at me for saying yes to Tanya, to tell me I had no right to do that. Needless to say, I was very disappointed when all I got from her was an 'Oh'. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. Well, this was a fine mess. The only question now was how to fix it? I didn't want to lose her. I couldn't lose her. She meant way too much to me. She was my best friend, my companion, my world.

What? Your what?

Yeah, I said it.

Yes, but why? Are you in love with her?

No! Well, as a friend. Maybe? Oh I don't know!

What about Tanya?

With that thought, I realised what I needed to do to make things better. I had to tell Tanya that it wasn't going to work between us. I refused to lose Bella over her. Bella was more important to me. I didn't even know why I accepted to go to the dance with Tanya. Oh, yes, I did. I was a hormonal teenager and had needs that had to be fulfilled and to me Tanya was an easy lay and its common knowledge that she frequently put out. It didn't hurt that she was a very good looking girl. I took a deep breath and ran. I ran all the way to Tanya's house, going through my mind as I ran in the lightly misting rain all the things I needed to say to her and how to go about saying them. Tanya had been hounding me for days. Chasing me. Following me. Asking me out with various pretences of spending some time with me alone. I had finally given in yesterday when she asked me to go to the spring formal with her. I had planned on asking Bella to go with me as friends, but like I said, I am a hormonal teenager after all. But my hormones were nothing compared to the guilt and pain I felt at the thought of Bella in pain. I couldn't do that to her.

I knocked on Tanya's door and tried to catch my breath while I waited for her to open the door. I was still, panting when Tanya swung the door open

"Edward! What a pleasant surprise! Are you ok?" I shook my head and followed her into the house. I shrugged out of the shirt I was wearing, hanging it on the banister as I went. The shirt was wet with sweat and rain and I didn't want to ruin any furniture

"Tanya, we need to talk" I breathed out, still trying to calm my breathing. Tanya gazed at me for a long moment and then nodded. She gestured to the sofa and I sat down.

"You're breaking our date" it wasn't a question, but I nodded anyway

"Look, I'm sorry Tanya. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, but I can't go to the dance with you" I looked at her apologetically. She was looking down at her hands and did not look up at me as she spoke

"Its Bella, isn't it?" I was surprised to say the least; I decided that honesty was the best policy

"Yes, but not in the way you mean" Tanya looked up at that, her expression disbelieving

"Why did you yes in the first place then?" I shrugged but said nothing.

We sat for over half an hour talking and then I left. I was nearly home before I realised that I had left my shirt behind. Damn! Now I would either have to go back and get it or ask her to bring it to me at school tomorrow. I really didn't want to go back so it looked like I would have to wait for her to bring it to me. I trudged up the steps to the front door, lost in thought. I had just made it to the top steps when the door swung open and two huge arms pulled me into a bear hug

"Em! Let me go, you douche! I can't breath!" I gasped out. Emmett released me and stepped back

"Where the fuck have you been, you dick? We've been worried sick!" I heard my mother snap from inside

"Language, Emmett!" I smirked at Emmett before I replied

"Out. There was something I had to take care of" Emmett stared at me for a moment, he seemed to be choosing his words carefully

"Bella?" He finally asked, I shook my head

"Tanya" Emmett gave me a knowing look, but I shook my head again

"Not like that, you sicko. I had to inform her that I couldn't go to the dance with her is all" Emmett looked surprised

"But I thought you had already said yes?" I nodded

"Then why did you tell her you couldn't?" Emmett asked, confused. I sighed

"Long story. I'm going to call Bell" Emmett grabbed my arm as went to pass him and dragged me away from the house

"Em, what the hell? Let go of me!" I jerked my arm out of his grasp and turned back to the house

"She's gone, Ed" I stopped, not sure I heard him correctly

"Who's gone?" I was confused

"Bella" I froze, unable to absorb what he was saying

"What? What do mean she's gone?"

"I mean, she's gone. She left town and she's not coming back apparently" I heard a rushing through my ears, I was faintly aware that Emmett was still speaking, but I couldn't hear what he was saying. I felt myself sinking. Drowning. I welcomed that blackness.

EmPOV – Eight Years ago

I caught Edward as he fell to the ground; he whispered just one word "Kitten" before he succumbed to the darkness. I was panicking

"Mom! Dad! Come quick!" I screamed as I carried my little brother to the house. My parents met me at the front door. Esme took one look at Edward and was in hysterics, crying and shouting at me, asking me what was wrong with him. I carried him over to the sofa and laid him down, then moved aside to allow Carlisle to examine him. I wrapped my arms around Esme and tried to reassure her. I knew I wasn't doing a good job of it, but it was either that or I started having hysterics myself. I watched Carlisle look over Edward, and wondered how he could have such a strong reaction to the news. They were just friends right? Unless….Nah!

Over the next few weeks and months I watched over my little brother closely. He didn't seem the same anymore. He was quiet and only spoke if was spoken to and only answered in as few words as he could manage. It was as if the light had gone out of him. He had not once uttered Bella's name. Not since that day.

Four months after Bella left, Edward came back with a vengeance, only he wasn't really Edward anymore. He was angry at everything and everyone. The catalyst event was when he turned up at the spring formal with Tanya on his arm. Alice had come back to town for the formal as she had promised to go with Jasper and she refused to speak to Edward at the dance. She had told Rose, Jazz and me what exactly had happened to make Bella leave. What actually had happened the day she left town. Needless to say we were all extremely disgusted, so when Edward walked in with Tanya on his arm, Rose thought it prudent to tell him exactly she though of him. It wasn't a pretty sight.

Two days after the prom it all came to head between Alice and Edward. We were at lunch and in the cafeteria when Edward sauntered in with Tanya, both had the 'Just Fucked' hair thing going on and that infuriated Alice to no end. She stormed up to Tanya and laid into her

"You bitch! How dare you! Are you so hard up for sex that you would take it from anyone, even after they turned you down?" Alice screamed so loud that the entire lunchroom was quiet

"Alice, step off" Edward was relatively quiet compared to Alice

"No Edward, I won't. You have no idea what she has done" Alice was poking a finger in Edward's chest

"What are you talking about, Alice?"

"Bella. Bella is what I am talking about" I heard Edward suck in a breath and flinch at the sound of her name and I held my own, waiting to see what would happen next

"What about Her, Alice?" He still refused to say her name

And so Alice launched into a full explanation of why Bella left. All that happened that day. When she had finished there was a long beat of silence and then…

"WHAT?" Edward roared, spinning round to face Tanya who, much to my delight at this point was cowering

"Edward, I can explain…I...I thought" Tanya stuttered as Edward advanced on her menacingly

"Explain then, Tanya. Explain to me how you could say those words to her and not feel shame? Explain to me your reasoning behind your treatment of my best friend?" Edwards tone was so scathing that even Alice took a step back. I was shocked to say the least. This was not my brother. Edward had always been the calm, collected one of the two of us, so this was...new.

"I...Uh...I..." Tanya continued to stutter

"Spit it out Tanya! I can't wait to hear your most brilliant reasoning" Edward snarled at her. I saw her eyes widen even further in fear

"I thought she was trying to get in your pants! That she was trying to take you away from me!" Tanya blurted out in one breath. Edward froze. I could see his hands shaking

"What, pray tell, gave you the idea that you had any claim over me in the first place, Tanya?" Edward's voice was low now, but it somehow sounded all the more threatening. At this point, I was beginning to fear for the girl's life so I stepped in and put my hand on Edward's shoulder

"Ed, you need to calm the fuck down" Edward merely shrugged his shoulder away from my hand

"Tanya, I am going to say this once and once only, so you had better listen well. I am not now, nor will I ever be yours to flaunt, fawn over or even to protect. If you had any hope of being with me in any way, the day you spoke to her was the day you lost it. Stay the hell away from me, you got it?" With that I watched in awe and pride as my brother whirled and stalked out of the lunch room.

I caught up with Edward in the parking lot. He was sat in his car staring straight ahead, not moving, and not even fucking blinking. I walked slowly to the passenger side and slid in. Edward did not even acknowledge my presence. I sat there for what felt like hours and then finally Edward stirred, turning his head in my direction, but his eyes still not meeting mine

"She left me, Em. She left because of what Tanya said. It's all my fault" I felt my heart clench at the sadness and emptiness in his voice and eyes

"I'm sorry, bro. I don't know what to say to make it better"

"Tell me where she is, that's the only thing that will make it better" I shook my head. Alice had made me promise not to tell Edward where Bella was. Bella had made Alice ask Rose and I to keep her whereabouts a secret. She didn't want to see Edward. How do I tell my little brother that? I wondered. How to tell my little brother that Bella left because she was heartbroken and didn't want Edward to come after her? I couldn't. That would break his heart. The douche may not realise it yet, but I knew the reason for his reactions. My little brother was in love with Bella. I couldn't tell him, so I did the only thing I could

"I don't know where she is, Edward. She refused to tell anyone, even Alice" I lied. I watched his shoulders slump and nearly catapulted and told him the truth. I opened my mouth to say the truth, but no sound would come out. As much as I loved my brother, I loved Bella too. She had always been like my baby sister and I was fiercely protective of her. Edward had not realised that he loved Bella and until he did, I couldn't say anything. I couldn't hurt either of them that way.

So I shut my mouth and I kept it shut