Hello!

Uh...hello?

I'm so so sorry for not updating in so long. One of the problems with having a business that sell handmade products, is that you actually have to make the handmade products. So thank you all for being incredibly patient.

Great news! This story has now passed the 100 review mark (123 to be exact)! My next goal is over 164 for the entire story, which will beat the amount I received for Here I Am. We've still got quite a few chapters left in this story so I'm hopeful.

Massive thanks to boowip for fav'ing, MeBHop & for following and to BelleBiter (super sorry for spelling it wrong last time :-( ), VioletDream13, jansails, madkins, leegee123, Edlovesme & delilahdean for all your reviews. You are all by far the greatest readers in the world and I honestly couldn't do this without you guys.

This chapter is short but I'm writing it during a quick break between pieces. When I get more free time, I'll write more.

:-D

EPOV

Karma.

It has to be karma.

The moment I finally assert myself and start ordering the others around, someone has to come along and put me back in my place.

Unfortunately that someone is Emmett.

Like I said...karma.

Now my options are fairly limited. I could casually walk away and hope he didn't notice me...standing right in front of him...trash talking him...

Yeah, that's highly unlikely.

Or I could do the responsible thing. Face him like a man and stand behind my comments. Sure he could kill me but I'm certain a small part of him would actually respect me for being brave enough to take whatever punishment he delivers. I would be an honorable way to die, right?

I choose option three.

Before he can say another word, I'm off and running as fast as my legs can carry me. Sadly, because my entire exercise regime centres around my Xbox, I barely make it to the end of the block before my lanky body begins to let me down. My lungs are burning and I feel like I'm about to have a heart attack.

Maybe I should've taken off my pack first.

"What are you doing, Edward?" Jasper calls from back down the street. I look behind me, expecting to see a hoard of angry jocks hot on my heels but there no-one there. Well not right behind me anyway. They're all still standing exactly where they were before. And they're all laughing.

Laughing at my cowardice...

Laughing at my abysmal display of physical prowess...

Laughing at me.

Defeated, I stop running. Apparently now that Emmett's returned, the natural order has been restored and I'm back where to being the butt of their jokes. I knew this new found respect wouldn't last forever.

Now I just want to go home.

I miss my mom. I miss her hugs and how she always smelled like flowers and freshly baked cookies.

I miss my dad and his well-meaning advice and lame jokes.

I miss my room and my bed. And my books and my video games.

I miss my life.

I watch the others for a few minutes. They're not laughing at me anymore, they're not even looking in my direction, but they're still smiling.

They look happy.

And maybe they are. Maybe they like living in this time. Maybe I'm the only one who wants to go home. I unclip my pack and drop it on the ground. They'll need it more than I will.

I'll miss my best friend.

I'll miss my maybe-girl.

I'll even miss my annoying twin sister.

But I can't stay here and I can't make them leave if they don't want to.

I know that they'll be fine. Finding food won't be a problem, there are plenty of animals around to hunt and gardens overrun with fruits and vegetables, and, with a surplus of alpha males and healthy females, I'm sure they'll have no trouble repopulating the world. It could be a utopian paradise for them.

But not for me.

I quietly raise my hand to bid them farewell but no-one seems to notice. So without another word, I turn and continue on my way to the campsite.

And hopefully, home.

Now don't be too hard on Edward, okay? Sometimes some people need the validation of other to be able to believe in themselves. He's not pulling a Jacob, I promise.

:-D