A/N: This is the first time I have shared my writing with anyone beyond my immediate family. And now I have readers across the globe who are enjoying my work. This truly warms my heart. You all are the best! But remember, I LOVE reviews! Get me to 25 reviews and I will send you cookies! Or post another update. Whichever you prefer! :-)

PS: This one's kinda short. I'm working on making them longer as I proofread.

---Bella---

My head was throbbing. For a moment, I was having trouble remembering why. Oh wait. That's right. My boyfriend neglected to tell me that he and his family were a bunch of vampires. I groaned and grabbed my head.

"Bella?" a muffled voice broke through the ringing in my ears. Great.

I squeezed my eyes closed, willing it all to be a dream. I opened them slowly, allowing myself time to adjust to the light. I blinked a few times until Edward came clearly into my vision. He had the nerve to smile at me.

"Welcome back," he said softly and clasped my hand in his. I wrenched it free and scrambled to the opposite end of the couch. He frowned. "Bella, please let me explain."

"You aren't going to eat me, are you? Don't! Come near me," I ordered when he tried to close the distance between us.

"It's not like that," he began. "We don't feed on humans. We survive on the blood of animals. Some of us for decades, others for centuries."

"How…how did you get like this?" I still couldn't believe he was telling me this. Vampires weren't real…they couldn't be.

"Carlisle created myself, Esme and Emmett. We are, in that sense, family. Alice and Jasper 'adopted' us and we have lived and traveled together for close to one hundred years. We tend to stay in climates that are inclined to inclement weather, as when we are exposed to sunlight our skin shimmers."

"Shimmers, huh?" I pursed my lips. "I thought you were supposed to turn to dust."

"Fallacy," he responded.

"Right," I scoffed. "And next you're going to tell me you aren't allergic to garlic."

"Will you let me finish?"

"Fine."

"When we settle in our chosen destination, Emmett, Jasper, Alice and myself matriculate at the local high school, while Carlisle establishes himself at the closest hospital. Where we appear so young, it is very easy to pass us off as Carlisle and Esme's adoptive children. Once the last of us graduates, and before the humans can catch on that we aren't aging, we move on to the next town. I couldn't tell you because our existence is supposed to be kept secret. You were never supposed to find out"

"So…" I said once he finished.

"Yes?" he asked, his eyes hopeful.

"You were going to what, just leave me?" I glared at him.

"No, not at all!" he was taken aback.

"But you just said I was never supposed to find out!" I shouted.

"I know but…"

"But what, Edward?" I sneered.

"I didn't want you to find out that way…"

"What way?! "

"Bella!"

"Did you think I was stupid? That I wouldn't figure it out on my own?!" I spat.

"Of course not! Please! I'm sorry!" he apologized.

"You're sorry?!" I fired at him. "You're sorry. I was never supposed to find out, and you were never going to tell me. We were going to graduate and you were going to leave and never see me again. And you're sorry."

"It's not that I didn't want to," he trailed off.

"Right, right, you couldn't," I stood from the couch and paced across the room.

"Bella be reasonable!" he pleaded.

"Don't tell me to be reasonable! You're the one that lied!" I snarled.

"I was trying to protect you!" he roared.

"Protect me from what? You?! You said you didn't eat humans! Or is that a lie too?" I accused and whirled around to face him.

"Stop saying that! I never lied to you," he said in a dangerously low tone.

"Bull shit!!" I retorted. " 'I have no secrets' " I repeated his words from our first date. " 'It's poor circulation.' My ass you never lied! Thanks for having such little faith in my intelligence!"

"Bella, no! It's not like that!"

"Oh really?" I laughed harshly. "Then what is it like, Edward?"

"I-" he stopped, unable to explain further. "You have to understand-" he sighed, exasperated.

"Oh sure, sure, I understand. I understand perfectly," I nodded and folded my arms across my chest. I saw the light return to his eyes as he looked at me. It only infuriated me further.

"I completely understand! I mean why would the hottest guy in school want to hang around with a loser drunk like me? Oh that's right! Because he's a vampire and was just going to leave anyway." I growled.

Edward's brow crinkled in confusion.

"I mean, a suicidal freak doesn't deserve happiness, right?" The words fell out before I could stop them. "But how could I find happiness? The man I'm in love with isn't even real!"

"Bella, what are you talking about?" his tone became gentle and concerned. He was suddenly directly in front of me, stroking my hair in an attempt to soothe me. I couldn't stop the tears as I realized what I had just told him.

"Oh no. No, no, no, no, no…" I whispered. What had I done? I jerked away from his touch. He reached out again and I turned and fled. The tears blinded me as I ran, but I somehow managed to make it down the stairs without killing myself. I threw the front doors open and stumbled outside, the bright sun now obscured behind the trees. I would have made it to my truck unscathed if it hadn't been for the damn railing. My foot caught in the wrought iron and I was flung forward. I waited for the pain that hitting my head on the concrete would bring, but it never came. I found myself right back on my feet again and trapped in the stone-cold prison of Emmett's arms.

"Let me go!" I sobbed, "Please," I clutched his shirt and rested my head on his chest. "Just let me go!" He placed one finger under my chin and tilted my head up until our eyes met. I sniffled.

"Tell me what happened," he stated softly. His expression was filled with worry, and I fleetingly wondered how he could go from hating me to caring how I was feeling.

"No. I… I can't!" I tried to push him away but found it only hurt my hands. "Please! I need to go home!"

He released me and I ran the rest of the way to my truck. I peeled out and tore down the dirt path, pushing the truck beyond it's limit. The next thing I knew I was in my own driveway. I didn't recall the ride home, but I just didn't seem to care. I needed to hide. I should have been more careful. Edward was never supposed to hear any of that. What happened in Phoenix was left in Phoenix and wasn't supposed to come with me. This was supposed to be a new start.

I dragged myself through the front door and up the stairs to my room. I changed into pajamas and crawled into bed, despite the fact that it was only dusk. I sincerely hoped that sleep would temporarily erase the pain that gripped my heart. I checked my bottle of Ambien only to grimace when I found it empty. Wonderful. I flopped back onto my pillows and prayed that I'd be able to drift off on my own. I tossed and turned for hours until I finally gave up. I sat up and glared at my alarm clock. It still happily blinked twelve a.m., the same way it did when I left. It was pitch black in my room, so I could only guess at how late it truly was. I flicked on my lamp and rolled out of bed. This wasn't going to work. I wasn't going to fall asleep no matter how hard I tried. I couldn't fight off the guilt and wracking self-pity. At least not on my own.

I stalked down the stairs and into the laundry room. I felt around under the dryer until I found the little key that was taped to the floor underneath. I ripped it out, stood, and stormed into the kitchen. I tossed a chair in front of the stove an climbed up onto it so I could unlock the cabinets where Charlie stored the liquor. I grabbed a full bottle of Southern Comfort and hopped down. I snatched a glass out of the dish strainer, then returned to my room with my spoils. I propped myself up on my pillows and poured myself a mouthful. I toasted the air

"So much for keeping my mouth shut," I muttered, and proceeded to drown my sorrows with the warm, sweet liquor.