Remember how I said that one chapter was the longest? Turns out I lied! THIS is the longest chapter in the story. Every other chapter from here on out is less than 700 words. The good news is I don't have to come to the seventh circle of hell tomorrow so you will probably get the rest of it then.

December

To say Angela was pissed I'd talked to her dad would be an understatement. I had no idea where we even stood in our relationship. She'd, for a second time, marked herself as single on Facebook, and she'd been hanging out with Jake Black and his friends from the Rez a lot. On the one hand, I seriously had to consider why that didn't bother me as much as it should, but on the other, I was still so busy I didn't let it bother me. It was sad when I could say that at least she wasn't texting and calling me a thousand times a day. While she would send the occasional text, usually still upset about me talking to her dad, it was nowhere near what it had been. Another huge weight lifted off my shoulders.

Bella and I were becoming good friends, and now that I knew for sure she wasn't in a relationship, I felt better about her going out on dates with James. Riley, Bree, Bella, and I also hung out quite regularly. We'd set up a good schedule for getting our work done. I was starting to think that maybe second term wouldn't be as bad as the first.

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I'd been exceedingly nervous about going home for Winter Break. I wanted to see my family, more than anything, but I also knew I was going to have to sit down and have a serious conversation with Angela. I just didn't see our relationship surviving the distance that was between us—from both school, and the rift she had caused by her actions. She'd never officially broken up with me, or me with her. Someone had tagged her in a picture from a party; she was with Jake Black, and the two of them looked a little more than friendly. It pissed me off. Not that I didn't want her to be happy, even if the person she could be happy with wasn't me, but because I felt she should have broken things off with me before doing so.

This weekend, a bunch of us were heading up from Harvard to spend time with Bella's brother, before heading home. The car ride to New Hampshire was hilarious; Bella was so excited to see Alec that she couldn't control herself in the car, and I took great pleasure in mocking her with James. I was thankful the two of them seemed so comfortable with each other.

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I was shocked but very happy to discover that not only did Jasper know Alec, but in fact was in the same fraternity as him. I couldn't believe I was going to get to spend the weekend with my friends, both new and old. When Rose, Emmett, and Alice showed up, I damn near cried. As much as I loved my new friends, I was hesitant to talk about all the shit I was going through with Angela. None of them knew her well, and I didn't want them judging her.

I'd already had a conversation with Jasper about some of the shit. He was pissed about the picture with her and Jake, and the fact she was fucking with my head so much. Alice and Rose, who had hung out with her for a bit at Thanksgiving, were just in shock period.

"I almost gave her a piece of my mind about that shit," Rose huffed. "But she never brought it up. She didn't even want us to talk about you."

"Well, I will give her a piece of my mind when we go home at Christmas. What was the shit with Jake?" Alice asked.

I sighed. "I don't know what to do here, guys. I mean, we've been together two years—do you think I'm not putting in enough effort? Should I try harder?"

"Edward," Emmett said, putting his hand on my arm, "you're doing all you can. Jesus man, we live hours away from one another, and this is the first time we're seeing each other. The first term, hell the first year away, is hard. Remember what I said to you at Thanksgiving."

"I know, thanks, Em. I have some more thinking to do, obviously."

"Speaking of Thanksgiving, Bella's family was so nice to let you come there. Tell us all about her." Alice sat beside me and put her head on my shoulder.

I laughed, giving Alice a side hug. "Before you girls go getting any ideas, we're only friends."

"We know you'd never do that to Angela, Edward." Rosalie's eyes grew hard. "Not that I think she's afforded you the same loyalty."

"Let's go join the others." I stood up. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."

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My phone died on the plane ride home, and I realized I'd forgotten to pack my charger in my carry-on bag. I hoped I'd remembered to pack it in my luggage. If not, I was sure my parents had one.

Heidi ran up to me in the airport, hugging me around the waist, squealing my name. I hugged her back just as hard. "I missed you!"

"Oh, Eddie, I missed you, too! Don't stay gone so long next time, please?" Heidi tightened her grip around my neck to an almost painful level.

"Oh, my boy! You're too skinny!" Mom hugged me around Heidi. "Let's get you home so we can get some food into you!"

Dad laughed. "Let's go, Es. Goodness knows what your mother is doing to our house right now."

"Grandma's here?" I asked.

"Everyone is here." Heidi rolled her eyes. "You'd think you were the first in our family to go to college or something."

I laughed, looping my arm around her neck. I couldn't wait to see the rest of my family.

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I'd texted Angela as soon as I had enough charge in my phone. My parents wanted me to spend the day with solely the family, so I decided I would meet up with her tomorrow. Heidi and I took our dad's car into town to pick up stuff for lunch that Mom had forgotten.

We were walking past the diner on the way back to the car, when I happened to glance inside. Angela and Jake Black were in the seat by the window; the one we all usually sat at. She was crying, and he was holding her hand across the table, saying something to her. She was shaking her head. My hand clenched into a fist.

"That happens a lot, you know," Heidi said quietly, putting her hand on my arm.

"What? Her and Jake?" I asked, turning to look at her.

She looked uncomfortable and fidgeted a little. "Yeah. They hang out a lot. It's weird. Mom got upset one time when she saw them."

I didn't know what to say to that, so I looped my arm around her shoulders and turned her toward the car. "Let's just get home and let Grandma spoil us."

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I texted Ang the next day to meet me at the meadow; it had always been where we would go to hang out when we needed privacy. I'd been up all night trying to figure out what I should do; as a result, I was here before she was. When she jumped out of her truck and ran at me, I almost stumbled back under the force of her weight. As she attempted to kiss me, visions of her kissing Jake at that party a couple weeks ago flashed through my head, so I gently gripped her wrists and lowered her arms from my neck.

She looked confused when I asked her to sit.

"You're scaring me, Edward. What's going on?"

I led her over to the blanket and sat down.

I didn't know where to start, my mouth opening and closing. I wanted to ask her what the fuck she was playing at. Being with Jake while still being with me. I would never do that to her—ever.

Instead, I went with the truth. I couldn't do this anymore. To me, or to her.

"I... I, um…" I blew out another breath. "I can't do this anymore."

"You can't do what? Talk to me?" She looked a little confused.

"No"—I huffed again—"this." I motioned between the two of us. "I can't do this anymore."

She started to cry, and I felt like shit. When I tried to grab her hand, she wrenched it away, screaming, "No! Don't… don't touch me."

"I really am sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

When she asked me if there was someone else, I almost lost it. I started to get up, but then I thought, fuck that, and sat back down. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and held her while she cried. "I really am sorry for hurting you. We can still be friends, though, right?"

I could feel Angela stiffen in my arms.

"Ang, you know I'd never cheat on you, but I saw you with Jake Black yesterday, you know. And I'm not mad. I think you'd make a good couple; if that's what you want."

She didn't say anything, and I held her for a while longer, until she calmed down.

Then with a huge sigh of relief, I went back home and spent an awesome Christmas with my family.

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