I would like to THANK YOU ALL for the amazing reviews I received! Thank you so much, I got so many on the last chapter and I really appreciate it a lot! I'm almost as 150 ahhh! That's crazy, I never expected I would get that many! Please R&R! Thanks!:)
Chapter Sixteen: Letting Go
Previously on Unrecognizable~
Edward has collapsed on his knees to the floor, Carlisle was shocked, holding Esme tightly in his arms. Esme's golden eyes were glazed with venom tears, tears that would never fall. I could tell she was holding back a sob. Emmett was also holding Rosalie , Emmett's eyes held shock yet sadness while Rosalie's held anger. No surprise there. Jasper had a look a shock as well as guilt, Alice's eyes were also filled with tears, I could tell she felt surprised and betrayed.
But they betrayed me first.
A strangled sound came from Edward's throat, his eyes were a bottomless pit of agony.
"Bella…" He choked out.
Now on Unrecognizable~
Izzy's POV
I narrowed my eyes at Edward, getting up from the piano bench.
"It's Izzy now." I sneered.
"H-how?" Not once in my life had I heard a vampire stutter until today.
"Simple," I answer nonchalantly as if I were talking about merely the weather, "You saw what happened in my mind."
"Is it really you Bella?" A quiet voice asked.
I turned to smirk at Alice. "Of course."
Esme dissolved into sobs that shook her body. Carlisle gripped Esme tighter to his chest in a reassuring way.
I paced across the room, "I'm sure you all have questions…" I paused, my eyes trailed around the room before continuing, "But I won't answer them all. Some things are to be left unanswered."
"You've changed." Alice whispered, sorrow lacing her quiet voice.
I glared, "Well certainly abandonment changes you."
Though I stood strong and tall, in the inside I was completely and utterly broken. The ache in my chest persistent as ever, never lessening.
"Bella, I'm so sorr-"
I put my hand up, effectively cutting Edward off. "And I'm going to stop you right there. I don't want your pathetic apology. It's far too late for that." I stopped, "No, you know what? It has always been too late for an apology. You don't deserve my forgiveness."
Edward bowed his head, looking down at the floor, seeming to feel ashamed.
I smiled smugly. He should be ashamed for his actions.
"You bitch!"
My head snapped up to look at Rosalie. A growl erupted from my throat as I glared, my anger flaring.
"Shut up Rosalie! Fuck! You don't know the half of it!" I was seething at this point, how dare she!
She abruptly untangled herself from Emmett's arms and came over to me. The anger was evident in her icy gold irises.
"I won't shut up, because you are the one who doesn't understand! Can't you see the anguish you are putting my family through! Look at Edward for god's sake! Can't you see the pain you are putting him through! If you don't see it then you truly are a heartless bitch." Rosalie sneered.
My eyes narrowed, my hands tightly clenched into shaking fists. "Edward deserves it for everything he has put me through. Heck, you should understand the most considering you were turned against your will too!"
All the Cullens with the exception of Edward gasped. Rosalie's mouth was agape, she shut it and went quiet. No retort from her, instead Emmett grasped her hand and pulled her back into his protective arms.
Alice began sobbing with Esme, each of them burying their face into their mate's chest. Jasper's face was one of pure pain from the pain of all his family members. Nonetheless he gripped Alice reassuringly in his arms. Emmett's eyes were filled with sorrow, no jokes from him, his usual smile void from his face. Carlisle was also visibly pained, I could tell he was trying to stay strong from Esme and the rest of his family. While Edward was still silent on the ground in his broken crumpled from.
"That's right." Venom coated my voice, "Victoria visited my home in Forks, she killed Charlie first then she turned me against my will to get back at you Edward for killing her mate James."
Their sobs only got louder as I continued.
"So I have the right to feel and act this way after everything Edward has done to ruin my life. I will never get back what I lost that night, my humanity is gone forever. Thanks to you Edward." I glared at him.
Edward's head rose from the floor to look me in the eyes. His smouldering golden pools were deep, filled with endless amounts of pain.
Right then and there I desperately wanted to forget everything that happened in the last twenty years and run up to him and kiss him.
But I didn't.
I couldn't, nothing could fix what happened. What occurred between Edward and I in my human life was gone. Edward said so.
The only reason he feels the pain he does right now is because he is guilty for his actions. He doesn't even love me, he never did.
So instead of backing down, I put up my facade and stood tall. "I hate you Edward Cullen with every fiber of my existence."
The hole is my chest tore open, bigger than ever before. The pain was nothing I've ever felt before.
This was the end.
I took one more glance at the Cullens, saving Edward for last. I lingered on him for a second before swiftly turning on my heels and jumping through the window. My impact shattered the glass pane, shards of glass flew everywhere. The last thing I heard before I landed on the snowy ground below me was Edward's strangled scream. It tore at my heart but I demanded myself to stay strong. So without a glance backward I bolted deep in the forest. Ending that part of my life forever. Never again would I see another Cullen in my pathetic immortal existence.
XXX
Edward's POV
I let out a quiet gasp.
They were everywhere. Every surface was completely covered in the same photo. A photo I remember being taken, a photo that had haunted my memory.
My heart clenched as I walked up to the wall and pulled a picture off. I remember the exact thoughts running through my head when this picture was taken on the night of Bella's eighteenth birthday party.
In the picture, Bella looked so breathtakingly beautiful in her deep green party dress. Her soft chocolate brown hair fell in smooth ringlets, framing her face. In the picture, she gazed at me with so much love, it hurt to look at it. I was gazing back at her, love in my eyes as well but also sorrow, knowing I would soon have to leave for her protection. After the incident at her birthday I knew I had to leave, there was no other choice. Bella's safety always came first, there were absolutely no exceptions.
In my years without Bella, I had always wondered of another outcome. If I stayed. But having these thoughts and daydreams only made me more depressed since I knew it was already over. I let her go for her own good.
Over the years I have felt a great amount of regret as well as depression. They were always there. Regret for leaving Bella the way I did, lying to her. Originally I had planned to tell her the truth but after thinking it over I knew she would have never let me leave. Bella was my only weakness. I know she would have convinced me to stay, what I don't know is if she would have been able to persuade me. I would like to think I would have held my ground. But in truth I don't know if I would have been able to, my love for Bella was so great that it made me weak. She had the power to make me do anything for her happiness.
At first, it was questionable what came first. Bella's safety or her happiness. Both so important to me. In the end her safety was my number one priority.
So I lied to her.
Though still, even after twenty years if had gotten another chance to change things and tell Bella the truth of my leaving, I don't know if I would change my decision. I'm just far too weak. If only I was stronger like my Bella.
I glanced at the picture again before looking around the room at the hundreds of other copies.
Suddenly it came to me. I had been so blinded with my thoughts of Bella I had never wondered how all these pictures ended up in my room. Furrowing my brow, I put the picture in my hand on my leather couch and looked around the room. A white sheet of paper caught my eye. Puzzled I made my way over and picked it up. Carefully, I unfolded it and began to read.
Immediately I knew Izzy was the one who had written it. But as I continued reading, I became more and more confused. First she had lied about being friends with Bella but what surprised me even more was when I stumbled across the word love. My heart ached when I read that, that was my name for precious Bella. Of course I passed it off to be a coincidence but my heart didn't seem to be convinced. Nonetheless I continued reading.
My heart twisted when Izzy spoke of revenge. The amount of hatred her words held was overpowering. I didn't understand how she could possibly want to hurt me the way her words said she did. Sure Izzy had a sad mysterious past but from the short time I've known her I hadn't thought she would ever be this kind of person.
An ache ripped through me at the final line of the letter.
I hope you burn in deepest pits of hell Edward Anthony Masen Cullen.
It shouldn't have hurt as much as it did.
But that was absolutely nothing compared to what came next.
My heart dropped.
Sincerely,
Izzy Elizabeth
Or as you may know me,
Isabella Marie Swan.
Bella. She was my first thought. But I didn't allow myself to believe Izzy, this was all some sort of sick joke.
Liar.
Izzy has to be.
If you don't believe me then you will find out the truth soon.
Was her last line.
My mind was in overdrive, the new information that had been presented to me was running through my head, clouding my mind. My thoughts jumbled and my heart throbbing.
Izzy wanted me to read the lyrics of the attached song but I couldn't. I needed the truth. So I dropped the letter and ran down to the piano where she told me to meet her.
Again, I was unprepared for what I was about to witness. The air whooshed out of lungs as I took it all in.
There she was.
I was blind to everything else around me, my eyes only focused on her.
Her silky chocolate brown hair was curled, her makeup light, enhancing her natural beauty. Blush covered her cheeks like it did years ago.
My eyes widened.
That's when she turned.
Her brown doe like eyes meeting mine. I gasped inaudibly as I saw what she was wearing.
Her prom dress.
The throbbing had long turned to agony, ripping through my chest.
"So it appears you have found my note?" Izzy said through her signature smirk.
I gulped. "Impossible." My voice shaky and quiet. I didn't know if I could believe it.
"Hmm, what a pity." She stood, taunting, then stalked over. On her tiptoes she purred into my ear. "You must remember this outfit?"
I remained silent, not processing what was happening as my eyes widened further.
"However I suppose I don't look identical. I was wearing a cast that night. You know after the whole accident with James?"
I cringed as remembrance of the incident flooded through my mind.
I didn't know where Izzy had gotten her information of Bella and I. I still didn't want to believe it was my Bella, I couldn't.
"You know what Edward?" Izzy narrowed her eyes, "I know why you didn't change me that night." Circling, her hand skimmed over my shoulder.
Electricity sparked at her touch, something I hadn't noticed till now. Strange…
"You didn't want to be stuck with me for an eternity…" Izzy trailed off, pausing."Instead you lied, blaming it on not wanting to take my soul away. I always knew that was bullshit.."
It was becoming harder to deny the fact she knew a lot. Too much. Doubt was beginning to surface. Could it really be true?
"I have something for you." Izzy announced, turning back to the piano bench.
I heard a quiet intake of breath before she started to hit the keys delicately.
"No, I can't take one more step towards you
'Cause all that's waiting is regret
And don't you know I'm not your ghost anymore
You lost the love
I loved the most."
Suddenly images flooded my mind. I gasped.
Instantly I knew it was the mind of Bella. That meant this was truly her. My mind could not even comprehend that thought just yet.
She way lying on the forest floor, appearing to be on the brink of unconsciousness. I knew it was the day of my leaving.
"Edward" She whispered, choking on a sob.
Again she whispered, her voice breaking at the end, "Edward."
Anguish tore through me.
The thought disappeared, vanishing from my mind.
"I learned to live, half alive
And now you want me one more time"
Bella was being carried in someone else's arms.
My immediate reaction was jealously until I realised what was happening.
"He's gone."
I knew she was talking about me and that only made my heart break even more.
Like a mantra Bella repeated it again, "He's gone."
They broke through the trees, judging from her thoughts, an entire search party had been looking for her.
I almost cried. She had ventured further into the forest after I left, looking for me?
For the last time before the thought vanished, Bella whispered "He's gone." Then she was passed into Charlie's open arms.
"And who do you think you are?
Runnin' round leaving scars
Collecting your jar of hearts
And tearing love apart
You're gonna catch a cold
From the ice inside your soul
So don't come back for me
Who do you think you are?"
My body was immobilized with torture at what I saw next.
"EDWARD!" She screamed, jolting awake into a sitting position on her bed, the last bits of her nightmare fading away.
Then Bella burst into tears.
Her frame shook with the power of her sobs, it seemed she was trying to hold herself together as she wrapped her arms around her torso.
She was so selfless, she attempted to muffle the loud sobs for Charlie but it was already too late.
Charlie stumbled in, sleepily, "Bells…"
That shattered every piece of me.
"I hear you're asking all around
If I am anywhere to be found
But I have grown too strong
To ever fall back in your arms
I've learned to live, half-alive
And now you want me one more time"
Months had to have gone by in the next memory. In a mirror I saw Bella.
It killed me to see what I had done to her…
Bella's pale cheeks sunken in, her lips cracked and a pasty white color, and lastly deep purple circles etched beneath blank eyes.
She had turned into a zombie.
Pain hit me like bullet to the heart. It was so intense, if I had been human I would have fainted.
"And who do you think you are?
Runnin round leaving scars
Collecting your jar of hearts
And tearing love apart
You're gonna catch a cold
From the ice inside your soul
So don't come back for me
Who do you think you are?"
Judging from what I was seeing next, Charlie had taken Bella to the doctor.
Her diagnosis shocked me.
"It seems Isabella is catatonic."
Charlie too, appeared shocked.
From Bella's thoughts, she didn't care, she only wanted me.
If it were even possible, my pain worsened to a ten fold.
"Dear, it took so long just to feel alright
Remember how to put back the light in my eyes
I wish I had missed the first time that we kissed
'Cause you broke all your promises"
What happened next sickened me.
"Victoria." Bella choked.
"Bella." She smiled a sick smile.
"What do you want." Bella's voice breaking at the end, she was absolutely terrified.
"You of course." Victoria smirked as she stalked toward her.
The anguish was worse than the venom used to turn me into this awful creature.
"And now you're back
You don't get to get me back"
I knew to prepare myself as the vision continued.
"Please don't hurt my dad." She pleaded.
Victoria cackled, "Too late, he was quite tasty.."
Bella's knees buckled and she limply fell to the floor.
"W-why a-a-re you doing this?"
"I thought you would have figured it out by now." She taunted, "But if I must explain."
"I am avenging my mate. I'm going to make Edward pay. He took my only reason of living away, I shall take his."
With that a sob escaped my throat. It truly was all my fault.
"And who do you think you are?
Runnin round leaving scars
Collecting your jar of hearts
And tearing love apart
You're gonna catch a cold
From the ice inside your soul
Don't come back for me
Don't come back at all"
In a flash Victoria lunged for Bella's neck. Instantly Bella's eyes widened and screams of pain escaped her mouth. Her small delicate hands shot up to her neck and pressed down on the bite. Blood pooled out from the infected wound. Slowly her eyes shut as the pain took over.
I cried out in affliction. She had been turned all because of my stupidity.
"Who do you think you are?
Who do you think you are?
Who do you think you are?"
The song came to an end and I noticed I had collapsed to my knees during her playing. I also noticed my family had come in during the song as well. But I had been far too caught up in the memories that I had yet to notice until now.
A strangled noise came from my throat, then I choked out "Bella" as she turned away from the piano to face my family and I.
Finally I updated! Yay! This so incredibly late omg! I had started writing this chapter last month and never finished it until today. I started school up a few weeks ago, I'm in my sophomore year of high school now. I haven't had too much homework so far which is great so I can update more. I did have a bit of writer's block for a while and then I started school up again, further delaying this chapter. But finally I'm updating!
Also it's been a full year since I've started writing this story! It seems like yesterday I began writing, never mind a whole entire year. I think my writing has improved a lot since the first chapter.
I hope you like this chapter as much as you liked the last chapter and don't worry there is still lots of drama ahead! :D
Thanks for reading! Please review to let me know what you thought.
~ Alexandra
PS: I'm apologizing in advance for any mistakes I may of made. I haven't gotten to send this to my beta yet because I really wanted to get this up for you guys since it's been over a month since my last update. So please don't mind any mistakes!