"Bella?! Bella!!! Bells! Can you hear me?" Slap. And I was up, clutching my cheek. Jacob pulled back from his position hovering over me, a concerned look on his face.

"D-id you j-ust slap me?" I stammered. My cheek was warm beneath my palm. My heart was hammering in my chest and I was getting the jitters. Everything was coming back to me now…I glanced around and spotted her.

"Y-you!" I cried. "P-please tell me – Oh Gosh – You're not, you can't be –"

"Bells!" Jacob rushed, grabbing me by my shoulders. "Calm down here."

"Oh, Jacob, really, stop mollycoddling her. She's a grown woman." Jacob glanced back at Leah, giving me enough time to spring to my feet.

"I – I gotta get out of here." I stumbled around on my legs, feeling weak, but I managed to get to the hallway, but not without Jacob on my tail.

"Bells, wait!"

"No!" I shouted. He grabbed my arm but I shook him off. I stopped just outside the doorway, looking back at Jacob. Leah stood just behind him, smirking.

"Why, why do you stand it, Leah? Why do you let him do this to you?" Leah shrugged and looked at her nails.

"Well, life pays being Mrs. Jacob Black. I don't care how many other women Jacob fools around with, they're just that: other women. He's never going to divorce me. I never have to live in squalor and I get prestige. Tell me you wouldn't do the same thing if you were in my position?" She looked at me, her eyes humorous. I just shook my head.

"And you, Jacob?" I all but whimpered. "How could you choose such a wife? And was all that stuff you told me when you were 'bearing your soul' true? Or was it just a lie? A lie to hook me?" Jacob looked down at his sleek Italian leather shoes.

"Bella – It, it was just…I didn't want to lose you," he whispered. He couldn't even look me in the face as he told me he was a liar and a cheat. I shook my head, tears spilling down my cheeks as I contemplated him.

"All this? And for what? What did you think was even going to happen? That I wouldn't find out? That I would what, marry you? That's illegal. And I can't even stand to look at you right now. Don't ever call me. I don't ever want to see your lying face again! You hurt me more than words can say." And with that, I turned, with not a glace back, and headed to my car.

"Bella, please!" I heard him call after me. I listened to the pain in his voice and shook my head. There was no way in hell he hurt more than me right now. I slammed my car door and sped out of there like a bat out of hell.

I don't know how I made it out of there without breaking down. It took me about just outside of Seattle that the waterworks started. I started sobbing so hard I couldn't see the road. I pulled over and curled up in the fetal position in the front seat and cried until I couldn't breathe. Snot ran out of my nose and my eyes were red-stained, my face tear-streaked as a rain slicker. I couldn't move, I could only shiver, whimpering as I thought about all the time and love and care I had given up to Jacob and how I knew I truly had betrayed Edward. I had fallen in love with a cheating jerk, who never truly loved me, he just wanted me because his own wife bored him to death. I would have become a side dish to satiate his appetite.

The thought of that made me choke and tears spring to my eyes.

"Edward!" I sobbed, hoping against hope that somehow he could hear me, somehow join me here in my car and bring me back to life.

"Edward…" I rasped. Edward refused to appear…or maybe we just weren't as connected as we once were. I stared at the inside of my eyelids for what felt like hours on the side of the road. I couldn't bring myself to move, to get out of this.

And then there was a tap on my window. Blearily, I opened my eyes and looked out the driver side door. A cop was standing out there, glaring down at me. I sat up, still disjointed and a bit delirious, and rolled down the window.

"C-can I help you?" I mumbled, rubbing a hand at my eyes and trying to get the cop in focus.

"Are you alright, ma'am?" the man asked. I thought about it for a moment. Was I alright? My body would tell me, no, no I was physically ill and my mind would have to agree, yes, I was ill, ill enough that I couldn't think straight – but I wasn't about to get this complete stranger involved, especially since he couldn't help me…Alice could. I had to get to Alice.

"Yes, yes, I'm alright," I replied, giving the cop my best 'A-okay' face I could. I don't think he believed me, but it wasn't in his place to say so.

"Alright, ma'am. I just wondered if you were having car troubles or something. If there's nothing I can do, then I guess I'll move along."

"Thank you for checking up on me, officer." He nodded and headed back to his car, which was idling just behind mine. Once he was in, I revved up my engine and got back on the road. My head was clearer, now, from pretending to be normal, so thankfully I stayed within my lane as I drove away from him. Forks was not too far away, so I focused all my energy on one thing and one thing only: getting home to Alice.

*

"Alice!" Bella called, banging on the door that Alice's directions had led her to. This was only the third or fourth time she had actually been to Jasper's apartment, and she still wasn't sure if she'd be more likely to find Alice there or Jasper. The door cracked open and I was greeted by Jasper's shining face.

"Hey, Bella, what's up?" Jasper's smile faded a bit at the sight of my face. Subconsciously, I ran a hand through my hair and against my face. I could feel the streaks left from all the water my eyes had poured over my face.

"Y-yeah…Um, fine. Is Alice home? I really need to talk to her," I mumbled, avoiding eye contact.

"No, actually…She's out shopping. Is there anything I can do to help?" Dang Jasper and his uncanny ability to pick up on my moods…although, granted, I was very easy to read.

"Well…It's very complicated and really, I just need my best friend. You know…this is a girl thing." I blushed bright red and started to turn away.

"Bella, wait," Jasper called and griped my shoulder gently. I turned and was hit by the soft look in Jasper's eyes. "Whatever it is, it looks like you're not doin so good…You can stay here till she gets back. And if you feel like it, you can tell me what's bothering you. Honestly, Bella you can trust me, whatever it is…And, I may not be a girl…but I think I can wrap my head around it. Plus, I could give you a different perspective on the situation since I'm a guy." He made a good point. Plus, it's true, I could trust Jasper. I trusted him with Alice, so I could trust him with myself.

"Alright," I agreed, and followed him into the house. Jasper led me to the living room and there I simply sank into the black leather sofa facing the fireplace. Jasper took a seat in the recliner opposite me. For a while we just sat in silence. There was really nothing to say, and yet I got the feeling that Jasper read more out of that silence than if I'd been talking incessantly about every single thing I hated about Jacob Black and how much he'd hurt me, emotionally and physically.

"I don't think I noticed it until now, but I think you had a glow about you a couple of weeks ago, back before you made that first trip to Seattle," Jasper stated, looking at me. I didn't know what to say to that.

"And now, looking at you, I'd say something just went down, back in Seattle…Which means that it was either Jacob Black or something about your novel. From the looks of you, I'd say it must have been him. I only met him once, but I got a weird vibe from him. I really couldn't see you with him, Bella…your emotions both just seemed to clash…you're much more a blue and he's totally a red…and, while they're both primaries, it just doesn't work out in real life. I mean, blue blood is oxygen deprived and red blood is oxygen enriched…so you're really opposites."

I just stared in disbelief at him. Jasper, up until this point, had never shown this side of himself. While Alice constantly told me tales of how intuitive he was about people and reading them, I'd no idea that he was so perceptive. He really was the best psychologist I'd ever met.

"He really must have hurt you, Bella. I can see it in your eyes…they don't look right. They haven't looked right for a while now…Almost as if…Well, let me tell you something, it's just a little theory of mine, but I could be very wrong." He paused, as if to gauge my consent. I didn't say anything so he continued.

"When we first met, when Alice introduced us, I saw something in your eyes…in your whole demeanor actually, that suggested fulfillment…or completion, if you will…" His voice had that tone of a scientist explaining his findings, very authoritative. It unnerved me to no end…and yet I was fascinated with what he was saying…and completely terrified of just how close to the truth he was coming.

"You looked…to put it in simple terms…like Alice did when I realized she was in love with me…I thought, for sure, actually, that you were with someone, or had met someone who had changed your life, that you loved most deeply. This aura grew about you in the course of the next few weeks…but then, all of a sudden, that look changed…Like something tragic had happened…My guess, that he had broken up with you or somehow the two of you had been severed in some way…But even when you had bonded with Jacob and physically looked healthier and happier than you had in the last couple weeks, I could still sense that you weren't the same any longer, as if a piece of you were missing.

"Now, I might be completely off base or totally overstepping lines here, Bella, but whatever it is that's happened to you…I understand, if you need to talk about it. I can just be there for you…I know you're Alice's best friend, and that means you're like family. I want to help you because I care about you and I know it would be what Alice would want. You don't have to worry about me telling Alice things if you're not ready to discuss them. It could be like, doctor-patient confidentiality. I am certified, you know…I mean, not in anything medical, but…"

"It's okay, Jasper," I assured him, softly. He stopped at the sound of my voice and gave me an apologetic smile. "Thank you," I whispered, looking down at my hands. Thank you for telling me that. You know…you really are amazing." And that was all I needed to tell him. He didn't push me or ask me to verify anything.

And just like that, Jasper and I had a connection unlike anything I'd ever experienced. And it was freeing. Finally someone else knew what I was going through…and that made it easier for me to make the decision to tell Alice about Edward. I had to…and she'd expect it of me, as her best friend. We never kept secrets…and here I had one, a life changing one, and I hadn't told her. And it had backfired, because I wound up having to bottle everything up inside me…and that made the pain and the suffering worse. I was broken and I needed her to help pull me up.

We didn't have to wait long for Alice, she returned half an hour after Jasper had given me his little talk. She was, obviously, surprised to see me.

"Bella?! What are you doing here? I thought you were going to go surprise Jacob?" The moment she said his name a giant shiver ran up my spine. And, of course, what with Alice's extremely perceptive eyes, she picked up on it. "What's going on, Bella? Spill," she demanded.

"Oh Alice," I exclaimed, my voice quivering as tears pricked my eyes, "I've made a-a terrible mistake!"

"Oh, sweetie," Alice sighed, opening up her arms and I immediately ran to her and threw myself into her arms. I was full-out sobbing now, which was not the first time that day, of course, but somehow my body still had enough water left in my body to force out. She held me as I cried and rocked me. I don't know how long we stayed in that position, but eventually she got Jasper to help her move me back to the sofa, where she sat next to me with her arm cradling me to her.

"Now, Bella, I want you to tell me everything. Don't leave anything out, and I mean it." It was almost as if she was on the same wavelength as Jasper – it was like she knew I was hiding something from her that went beyond Jacob. I knew this was my moment to break the news to her and hope that she wouldn't hate me for keeping such a big secret from her.

"Alice, I have a lot to tell you…" I sucked in my breath, "and it all began when I came to Forks and moved into my new home…And it all fell apart because I fell in love with Edward Masen."

Well, guys, I must apologize for the Edward-no-show, but I wanted to get this up because I know how impatient you guys are to figure out what happens. Trust me and please forgive me for waiting, but Edward will be in the next chapter, don't worry. Now, if you would please, please review and let me know what you thougth about this chapter. Thanks for sticking with the story...it's almost finished with, which is sad, but I will be starting a new story after this so I won't be absent for long. Well, until next time. Cheers.

Playlist:

42 – Coldplay

Knife Going In – Tegan & Sara

Look Where We Are Now – Teddy Geiger

The Conversation – Motion City Soundtrack

Cheating On You – Franz Ferdinand