Authors Note: Not much to say, except that this is continuing from the last chapter. Also, please don't send me hate mail about what is going to happen in this chapter. It will get better, don't worry. This is all part of the story.

Better or Worse

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I felt a tear start to form in my eye. "No." I whispered, so quiet I wasn't even sure if he heard me. He must have, because he turned to look at me. "No Edward... you just can't. I can't let you..."

"But Bella, I love you." He said quietly.

"No!" I screamed. "Don't say that!" Tears were now pouring continuously out of my eyes. I felt so selfish. I had been praying for him to say these words the whole time I'd been here, knowing it would take a miracle. Well, here's a miracle. He said them.

He let out a frustrated sigh. He whispered something like "I knew I should have waited."

I looked up at him to see that he had his head in his hands. "What was that Edward?"

"I said I knew I should have waited. With you being in.... the condition that you're in, I knew it would probably just make things worse. But, I didn't think I could wait any longer. I wanted you so badly. I needed you. I needed you Bella." If he was a girl, he would definably be crying right now.

"Edward...." I loved how his name felt on my tongue. I knew I shouldn't. But honestly, I don't think I could help it. "Why?" That was one of the only things I needed right now. To know why.

"Why what, Bella?" he looked confused.

"Why do you...." I couldn't force the words out. I hated the sound of them. "....love.. me?"

He chuckled quietly. "Bella, what's not to love about you? You're the most amazing girl I have ever met. It's just all the little things that add up to one big thing. Like how much you try, even though you know you can't. And how much you will do for somebody, even though you hate their guts. I've been watching you Bella, and you are defiantly more than you think you are."

After hearing him say this I put my head in my hands and started to silently sob. Great. Now he was in 'love' with me. What the hell was I supposed to do now? Tell him I felt the same way about him? Tell him to screw off? I wasn't quite sure. I didn't want to lie to him, but that might be the only answer.

I felt his arm wrap around my shoulders and pull me closer to him. I didn't notice this before, but I was so cold I was shivering. As much as I wanted to pull away, I knew I should at least warm up first. And I just loved to feel somebody so close to me, like they truly cared.....

"Edward... I need to tell you something." I decided to tell him the truth. It would be the safest thing to do. I waited a moment, playing with a leaf that had been on the bench beside me. "I..." I tried to word my words perfectly, but I knew there was no perfect way to say what I was about to say. "have the same feelings for you." I sighed deeply after I had let it all out.

"Bella, if you have the same feelings, why are you so upset about me telling you? Wouldn't somebody in your place be happy about that?" he said.

"It depends what you mean about 'in my place'. Sure, the average girl would be just thrilled to bits. But me... well, lets just say that I'm not the average girl." I couldn't believe how good it felt to tell somebody what I had been thinking for my whole life. "I try not to get attached to something that can't stay with me, like people. Eventually, I'm going to be moving on, and they aren't going to be coming with me. If I'm attached to somebody, it will be so much harder mentally to adjust to the new location I'm going to. Foster care is so in the air, you just never know exactly where you're going to land. I don't want to land somewhere I can't handle, just because of the people I lost."

I was relieved to tell Edward what I was feeling. I turned to look up at him after I had finished explaining my feelings. His eyes had a familiar sparkle in them. "I'm sorry Bella. I didn't really think about how this could effect you in the long run. All I thought was how good it would feel to just tell you. I understand though, how you feel, and it's fine that you don't want me." He paused and sighed deeply. "I'm sorry." He began to get up to leave, but I stopped him.

"Wait Edward," I said while grabbing his arm. I stood up beside him. "I do want you. I just don't want to get so attached that I can't handle it when I leave."

Edward smiled at me. "So, you're pretty much saying you just want want to take things slowly?"

"Not just slow..... super slow. I can't handle too much..."

He smiled at me. "Okay Bella. Are you going home now?" Without letting me answer, he said "I'll walk you. Come on. Let's go."

As I walked, I thought things over. Was this going to make things better, or would it make things worse? That was one question I couldn't ignore.

Authors Note: Sorry this chapter is short, but I think it was important, don't you? (That was NOT a rhetorical question. I want you to answer that in a review)

Ideas are always welcome. I know what is going to happen in the next chapter, but I could always add more events to chapters after that.

REVIEW!

-Emma-:)