. . . . .

I sat in the meadow with Edward, my hands pressed between his. We were sitting cross-legged, facing each other.

I knew what I had to do, what I had to say. But I didn't know how.

How do you tell a person you love that you are making the choice to not love them like that anymore? That you're choosing someone else instead of them?

Edward smiled at me, and I saw in his eyes that he knew.

"Bella, it's ok." His voice was gentle.

"No, Edward, it's not. I made a promise and now I'm not going to keep it." I looked down at our hands. Mine were shaking; Edward's hands were steadying them. "I'm going to break your heart."

I couldn't speak louder than a whisper. I felt like I was choking.

His words were kind. "Bella, all I want is for you to be happy. As happy as you can be, and I want that for you regardless if it's with or without me. I'd do whatever it takes to make that happen"

"But I don't want to be without you—I love you." I whimpered, unable to look him in the eye.

"You don't love me enough to marry me. And that's ok, Bella. You have a life to live, and you deserve to live it your way—whether or not I'm in it. All's fair in love and war, Bella. I won your love, but I lost the war. That's the way it goes sometimes."

I leaned toward him and pressed my lips to his. He put his hands on either side of my face, letting our lips linger.

Then he pulled away and smiled. His face was blurry through my tears.

. . . . .

I pulled into the Blacks' driveway. The light was on in Jacob's shop, and it spilled across the gravel lot. I could hear his radio through my open window.

I turned the key and flipped off the headlights, leaned back against the seat and shut my eyes.

This was it. I was making my choice.

I took a deep breath, grabbed the handle and opened the truck door. My feet planted into the dirt and I slammed the door, remembering how it was this old truck that rekindled our relationship after all those years between childhood and now.

The gravel crunched under my feet as I walked to the garage. I knew I should be nervous, but everything about this just felt right.

I reached the garage door and paused. Steeled myself for what I had to say.

"Hey, Jake."

I stepped in toward my future and shut the door behind me.

. . . . .

The end