Ok, so you have been warned… this is not at all a happy witfit. I couldn't think of anything to write until a couple hours ago, and I was listening to music. And the song "Travelin' Soldier" by the Dixie Chicks came on, and the idea came to me that what could be more evil than the outcome of that song. Besides the fact that it was a one-shot I'd wanted to write for a LONG time, as a couple of my friends pointed out tonight. (ie. "OH MY GOD, YOU'RE FINALLY WRITING THAT?!")

Take care!


Penname: kyla713
Creative Original or Derivative Fiction: Derivative

Rating/Warning(s): T

Notes:

Disclaimer: All copyrighted, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

Prompt: Evil

The first time I ever saw him, I instantly thought he was one of the most beautiful boys I'd ever seen. Walking toward the small diner I worked at after school, wearing the familiar green uniform I had seen far too many young boys at my school clad in these days, only to never be heard from or seen alive again.

So many had gone that way; Mike Newton, Tyler Crowley, all these boys I had know from the time we took our first steps.

And now, this boy was leaving as well, taking the same risk. His bronze hair glinted in the few rays of sun that were peeking through the clouds and as the bell jingled above him as he came in the door, I gazed upon the most intense green eyes I'd ever seen.

He sat down at a booth in the far left corner, and after he briefly perused the menu, I walked over to him.

"You know what you'd like?" I asked with my pad out, ready to take his order.

"Just a coffee, please," he replied in a soft, voice, never looking up at me.

"Sure," I replied, moving to the counter to grab a cup and the carafe of coffee, bringing it back to him. "Here you are."

His eyes finally rose to mine to thank me and I gave him a small smile before turning away again.

"Um, Miss?" I heard his voice behind me and I turned back around to see him staring at his hands.

I returned to him and leaned down on the edge of the table on my hands, my smile growing as his eyes finally met mine again. "Is there something else you need?"

"Would you mind sitting down with me for a bit? I'm leavin' for California in the morning, and before long, I'll be off in 'Nam," he said sadly, and I found myself crouching down beside the table as he spoke, resting my chin on my hands. "Not exactly the highlight of my life. I'd really like someone to talk to."

"I wish I could," I replied remorsefully, watching his face fall and he head lowered. I turned to see my boss coming out of the kitchen and stood, placing my hand on the young man's arm. "But I'm off in an hour. We can talk then and get out of here."

He looked up at me again and a smile graced his lips for the first time as he nodded, and I swore my heart stopped for the briefest of moments.

The following hour passed slowly, but once it had, I took his arm as he was paying for his coffee.

"Waylon, if my dad comes in after work, tell him I'll be home by curfew, thanks!" I called out to my boss as I pulled the young man out the door, and nodding toward my truck. "Get in."

"This is yours?" he asked, trying to hide a smirk as he gazed at my red beast.

"Don't hate on the truck," I pointed at him as I stepped up onto it, and looked over the roof of my '56 Chevy at him on the other side. He laughed, and it was so beautiful that at that moment, I felt as if I would do anything to hear that sound every single day.

God I sound like such a guy.

"So where are we going?" he asked once he tossed his duffel in the bed of the truck and got inside.

"The beach. No one's there this time of year, and we can just sit and talk," I replied, starting up the engine and pulling out of the lot.

We drove for a while in silence and I began to wonder if maybe he was saving all his talking for the beach, when he finally spoke. "I'm Edward, by the way. Edward Masen."

"Bella," I said, holding out my hand to him as we came to one of the three stoplights in the entire town, just before crossing over into La Push. "Bella Swan."

Expecting him to shake my hand with his, I was more than a little surprised when he took it in his left, raising it to his lips and gently kissing it. "It's nice to meet you, Bella Swan."

To my increased astonishment, his cheeks were slightly tinted and he appeared a little nervous, even after he released my hand. He remained this way all the way to the beach when I pulled up along the cliff.

"Come on," I said, nodding my head toward the door and hopping out of the truck, walking toward the edge. I sat down with my legs dangling over the edge and gazing down at the water, waiting patiently as he came to sit beside me. Neither of us moved to speak at first, and I picked lightly at the sleeves of my sweater. "So… you wanted to talk?"

I watched him nod, taking a slow deep breath and gazing out over the water below. "Listen, Bella. I know you probably have a boyfriend or something, and I would completely understand if you said no. But I'm leaving here tomorrow, with nothing left for me here to come back to, no one to send a letter to or receive one from in return. And I was wondering, if you would mind if I sent one back here to you."

Tears began to well in my eyes as he spoke, reaching my hand over to rest on his. "Your parents…?"

"My mom and dad died when I was real young," he replied, his eyes distant. "And I came up here to live with my aunt and uncle. Uncle Carlisle had a heart attack last year, and Aunt Esme… I think between losing him and my draft letter, it was just too much. She couldn't bear the thought of being alone and she passed away in her sleep six days ago."

"I'm so sorry, Edward. I had no idea. You're the Cullens' nephew then?" I asked and he nodded in response, and I gently squeezed his hand. "I think I must have lost count how many stitches your uncle gave me over the years. And no matter how old I got, he always gave me a lollipop after."

We both chuckled softly, and I slid my fingers between his. The warmth of his hand engulfed mine and I felt as if I were sitting with an old friend rather than a young man I'd known for only hours.

"I love writing letters," I said suddenly and smiling at him when he looked up at me as if pulled from a daze. "And I'd really like it if you wrote to me. I don't have a boyfriend for you to piss off, don't worry. It's kinda hard to have a boyfriend right now when…"

"You're not sure if they're gonna be there tomorrow," Edward finished my sentence for me as my voice dropped sadly.

"Yea," I spoke in barely above a whisper, my eyes locked with his.

We sat and talked for hours until the sun had completely set and I heard someone coming up from behind us. Turning around, I saw Jacob jogging toward me and I stood. "Hey Bells, Charlie just called my dad. Wondering if we'd seen you."

"Damn it, what time is it?" I said in a rush, looking down at my watch, but unable to read it in the dark.

"Don't worry, you still have some time before curfew. Princess."

"Grease monkey," I shot back at him with narrowed eyes in the same way we had since we were children, and he laughed as he walked away. I turned back to Edward and smiled sadly. "I have to go. I'll take you back to the diner so you can catch your bus in the morning."

We got into the truck, and once again, silence surrounded us. Neither of us spoke all the way back and as I shifted into park outside the diner, I couldn't even bring myself to look over at him.

"Bella?" he soft voice filled the cab and my tear-filled eyes finally shifted over to him. "You have to go."

My lip trembled slightly as I nodded and reached down beneath his legs for my schoolbag, pulling out a sheet of paper and writing down my address. I folded the sheet in half several times until it fit into my palm, sliding it into his and holding onto his hand for a moment.

I didn't want to let him go. All these years, when I'd listen to my dad tell me how he knew he loved my mom the instant he laid eyes on her, I'd thought he was crazy. It was simply impossible. But my hand fit perfectly in his, everything had been so easy between us for the remainder of the evening, my heart was pounding in my chest right now as I gazed into his eyes.

What else could this be?

He released my hand and took out his wallet, sliding the piece of paper inside and then tucking it back into his pocket. "Thank you, Bella. For everything tonight. Bye."

He leaned over to kiss my cheek and then stepped out of the truck, grabbing his duffel out of the bed and waving before he closed the door.

My fingers traced over the spot on my cheek that his lips had just been, and the skin tingled in a way I'd never felt before. I shook my head, even if only to myself. No, this was not goodbye.

I swung my door open suddenly and stood up out of my seat. "Edward!"

He turned around at the sound of my voice and I hopped down from the truck, closing the door and walking determinedly toward him. When I reached him, his arms came around my waist as my fingers drove into his hair, our lips meeting the other's heatedly.

I felt in that moment with this beautiful, almost stranger everything I had never felt with any of the other boys I'd kissed; though albeit, not very many. His lips were firm while still soft against mine, he held me as if I were the only thing in the world that mattered, and I felt safe there.

As my lips parted from his, I stared into his eyes, running my fingers through his hair. "You have something to come home to now. So come home to it."

His forehead creased slightly as his lips met mine against briefly, holding me tighter.

We parted silently, neither of us wanting or willing to say the word 'goodbye', our hands touching until they could no longer reach; him walking back to the diner and me to my truck.

For the next week, I would check the mail every day when I got home from school or work, looking for a letter; but it never came.

Then the following Saturday, my dad came up to my room and knocked on my door as I lay on my bed.

"Baby, who Edward Masen?"

He barely got the words out before I was off my bed and grabbing the envelope from his hand, tearing it open and reading its contents.

That night, I got a long lecture about how I was far too young to 'be wasting my life waiting for a boy who may never come home'.

But I didn't care; I continued writing to Edward.

Crying myself to sleep when I got the letter to tell me he was shipping out to Vietnam.

Laughing as he told me of the horrendous piano lessons his aunt forced him into when he was younger.

And feeling my heart break for him as he confessed how he wished more than anything that he could just sit behind the magnificent instrument again.

We shared everything in those letters. Our hopes, our fears, our dreams… there was nothing we couldn't say to each other.

Then came one that I would never forget.

Dear Bella,

I need to write to you now because I don't know when I'm going to have another opportunity. Things are pretty bad where I'm at, but don't worry, I'll be okay. I have something beautiful to keep me going, you and that night at the beach. Remembering your smile and your voice is getting me through even the worst of it over here.

I think I'm in love with you, Bella. I've never felt anything like this with anyone before, especially over a distance like this. You make me feel as if I'm not alone in this world anymore, even from so far away and only in letters.

I needed to tell you that. I will write you again as soon as I can. They are coming to move us out now.

Take care of yourself.

Love,

Edward

I ran up the stairs as fast as I possibly could, sitting down at my desk and grabbing my stationary from the drawer, immediately penning a reply. I only hoped it would reach him soon.

Dear Edward,

You're not alone. You'll always have me, and I'll be standing there at that diner, waiting for you when you return. I love you too.

Be safe and come home soon.

Love

Bella

Weeks passed after I sent that letter, and I tried my hardest not to fear the worst. That any day now, I would go to my mailbox to find a letter from him telling me that he's safe, or even better, he was coming home.

Angela, in an attempt to distract me and lift my spirits, persuaded me to go out with her one Friday to the high school football game. I hadn't been back there since I'd graduated in June, and it was nice to see some of my old friends… whoever was left.

After the Pledge of Allegiance, a man came to the podium and turned on the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please. Before we start the game, would you please bow your heads for a moment of silence for the local Vietnam dead."

I closed my eyes in an attempt to drown it out, but my attention was caught by a young girl behind the stands, joining the cries of those around me as the names were listed off.

"Edward Anthony Masen."

My head shot up amongst the whispers around me, my body stiffened in shock.

No, there had to be a mistake. Not my Edward. He was coming home to me, he promised.

As I collapsed onto the bleachers behind me, I suddenly realized that I was the only one who cared. The only one it mattered to that this beautiful boy, one with such a promise and more than just a pretty face… ripped away from this world by the evil of a pointless war.

See? What could be more evil than no more Edward?!