PERSISTENCY: Syllabification: per·sist·ence-se NOUN.1) Firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition. Example: There was a persistency to his nature, a sort of dogged determination that she would have admired if it didn't grate her so.

CHAPTER TEN

"…and that was it. I walked into his parents' house. They were all having some little party and I wanted to ruin it for them, like I had believed that they ruin new years for me. How dare they tell Edward where I was going to be that night but Alice and Rosalie swore that they didn't say a thing, which means that Edward stalked me to that bar. Completely inappropriate, I tell you. So you see I have to move in here for a little while. Edward is held up at my house and refusing to move out. This whole thing is just one big nightmare."

Michael sighed and took a long swig of his scotch. He set the glass down with great concentration before looking up at me.

"You're an idiot." He stated.

I pulled back taking offense. "Okay, so yes, I picked the very wrong kind of man to get involved with. How was I supposed to know he turn into a psycho. It doesn't make me an idiot, it just makes me a…a…romantic." I snapped my fingers together finding a perfect word for my plight.

Michael shook his head and then took a seat on the bar stool across from me.

"Bella, let me retell your story to you and let's see if you can't see where the blame should lie." He spoke to me slowly, like I was retarded. "There's this guy…who, for the sake of this story, let's call him Edward."

I rolled my eyes at him and looked away from his hand gestures.

"This guy, who by the way, loves this girl, which for the purpose of this story let's call her…" He pretended to search for a name.

"Bella?" I suggested.

"No. That's not it." He thought hard. "Dumbass. Yes, let's call her dumbass."

"Michael!" I scolded.

"Just hear me out." He tried to calm. "So one day, dumbass goes out and decides that she thinks she doesn't know herself well enough and the only missing link that can give her clarity is to chase down a man who has been dead for nearly ten years, a man she has never met before or has had any influence on her life, but what the hell, she's a dumbass."

"If you don't stop calling me that, I'm going to leave." I threatened.

"Fine. D.A. then. So D.A., finds a book with some arbitrary list written in it and decides that this is how she will find herself. Edward fully supports D.A. even though maybe he should have his head reexamined too but hey, that's what you do when you love someone."

"Maybe you're the dumbass. You completely missed the whole reason we broke up." I interrupted.

"Oh…and what reason did you two break up again?" He asked.

"We don't have a future. We want completely different things. He wants a wife and kids and he thinks I spend too much money which is completely ridiculous."

"Okay, I'll give you that last one. If I showed him your bank statements from two years ago, he would have thought that you had taken a vow poverty based on your current statements. This and only this, is he the D.A., however, are you telling me that you really never want to get married or have kids? Never ever?"

"I don't know." I sighed, "I'm so young and I don't think he would want to wait on a possibility. I mean…I might travel down the road of marriage someday but it's just all too much and I know he would make a good father but, I could never promise to make a good mother. I have absolutely no reference for good mothers. I would be a disaster. I can barely take care of myself as it is."

"Bella, this is exactly what I was trying to tell you at Christmas time. You're just being lazy. You could have it all if you just pulled your head out of your ass. As crazy as Edward is acting right now, you can't stand there and tell me straight to my face that you don't love him?"

I looked away from his question. Did I still love him? Edward had pulled some prize idiotic moves lately. Downright frustrating. Wouldn't listen to a word I say.

"He's a menace. He has vowed to not leave my house. He is refusing to leave the premises. I'm going to have to obtain a restraining order just to get him out. He's lost it."

After we got back from Scotland, Edward set himself up in the guest bedroom and told me that he wasn't leaving. No matter how much I yelled and insulted him, he still wouldn't budge so now, I'm here at Michael's house hoping to move in till my crazy ex-boyfriend comes to his senses.

"But you still love him." Michael noted.

"Has absolutely no regard for what I want."

"But you still love him."

"Always on my ass about spending this money. There are children going hungry tonight, Bella. Do you really need that purse? Like I don't know that. I do a fair share of help."

"But you still love him."

"We only dated a year and then he asks me to marry him? Then he's all butt hurt when I turn him down. His father's a nightmare, scaring me half to death with a fake death bed last wish. Plus, he always goes on and on about my studies, like my education is as important to him as it is to me. He has a whole closet of suits that he never wears but takes up all this space with his stupid stupid suits. And don't get me started on the whole savior complex. Always having to save the day and do the right thing. Always trying to fix everything and make everything perfect. Well life is not perfect. People don't get everything they want in life. I won't get everything I want in life because…"

"You're a dumbass!" Michael reiterated.

"SHUT UP, MICHAEL!" I yelled. "You're supposed to be supporting me and my side. You stupid boys always taking each other's sides because you're still all pissed off ever since we got the right to vote. Screw you! I don't care if you think my mission makes me a dumbass. You're supposed to be there for me because we're family. I supported you! I supported you enough and believed in you so much that I gave you a multibillion dollar company. Maybe I am a dumbass for that too!"

I pushed off the bar stool and grabbed my suitcase and tore out of his house. Damn him! Damn him for not listening to me and taking my side. For making me second guess my choices. I slammed my car door and let myself have a good ole scream. It didn't change anything but it did make me feel marginally better.

I decided to drive home and figure out my next plan of action there. I pulled up to the house and opened the garage, taking a moment before I gathered up the courage to enter MY house. I set off determined to talk Edward into moving on.

"Hello, sweetheart. Did you have a nice time with your brother?" Edward asked sweet as pie when I entered.

I set the suitcase down and tried to talk myself out of strangling the man before me.

"Edward." I took a breath. "We need to talk. I understand that you have probably suffered some enormous break down but I want to talk to you about our futures. You see, I think I have gone about this all wrong. I have not been understanding of your needs. I was so focused on my own drama that I haven't thought about what this has done to you."

It took everything in me to be calm but I knew I must if I was going to succeed.

"So…if you please, talk to me and tell me what you're feeling."

Edward put down the wooden spoon from the pot he had been stirring and appraised me, searching for the sincerity of my words.

"Well…Bella…I wish you would understand how much I love you and I know I screwed up. I shouldn't have ruined your number one on your list. But, to be fair, you didn't tell me what the number one thing on the list was so, it's not entirely my fault."

I nodded. "Yes, I understand and I forgive you."

"Okay…" He narrowed his eyes at me still not quite understanding how I could be so calm.

"What's going on? Just this morning you told me to drop dead in five different languages." He pressed.

I waved that off, "Four. Pig Latin hardly qualifies as a language, besides; I probably wasn't in my right mind. I haven't been sleeping well and I have had a lot to deal with lately. My apologies for speaking to you in such a manner."

"Bella, I want you to give us another try. Just forget all that I said before. I never proposed to you and we don't need to talk about anything along that line for years to come, if it would make you feel more comfortable. I just want you back…I want us back to what we once were."

"I wish I could go back but I can't. I can't do that to you because I already know where the future is for us if we were to be back together and I want better for both of us. Please, Edward. Don't you want to be happy? Find someone who will love you and want the same things with you? Some girl who is just as penny pinching, annoyingly perfect, can cook and clean, just like you?"

"And what do you think you deserve? What kind of man would be the Bella equivalent?" He asked.

I scrunched up my nose and huffed. "I don't know. A messy, commitment phobic, arrogant pretty boy?"

"Jacob Black?" Edward suggested. "You're ideal man would be Jacob Black?"

"WHAT? NO!" I spit disgusted.

"Everything you just described, he would fit the bill."

I huffed and turned away from him before I would lose my temper.

"You don't have to be exactly like you partner. They made a whole song about opposites attracting. I think we balance each other out nicely and I don't believe you're arrogant. Look, I'm sorry for how I reacted about the whole money thing. I promise that it is something I will work on. I don't think you're a horrible person for wanting to treat yourself. I will be better and not get on your case anymore about it. In fact, go shopping and spend, spend, spend, if that will make you happy."

I groaned out loud losing my patience.

"That's not what's going to make me happy! Spending money, doesn't make me happy. You know I used to spend lots and lots of money before you came along and I was miserable." I snapped. "Why can't you just understand that I want what's best for you and I'm not it!"

I could feel myself begin to tear up, my anger and frustration had won out and I was through with calm.

"Dammit Edward! Why won't you just leave? Why can't you get it through your thick skull that I don't want you here. I want you to leave my house and get on with your life. You want to make me happy? Then go! GO! Go and find the one you're supposed to be with. Please. Please." I whimpered.

"I can't leave you." Edward managed.

"WHY!" I cried frustrated. "I don't understand how why you're doing this to me. You are the most frustrating person on the planet. You make me so mad I could spit nails, I swear I could. You just won't accept that you and I are done. Why are you so stupid? Why am I so stupid to ever think that this, us, is a good idea in the first place? It was all right there, proof that we would never make a good couple. You were homeless and I was…me. Two different worlds and even after I had learned what you truly were, to believe that you and I could ever be happy in the long run but I gave you a chance because you made me believe and now I'm in all this pain and you won't go and move on. Just go the fuck away, Edward Cullen!"

Then there was silence. I cried and he stood there staring at me. I couldn't think of what to say anymore to this man that would make him understand.

Edward gulped and finally spoke, "But you still love me."

My eyes snapped up to his and my mouth opened a small bit.

"You spoke to Michael." The tears were drying.

He didn't deny it but his expression told me everything. My own brother had in fact betrayed me to tell the enemy of our talks. I shook my head.

"Bella." He tried.

"Keep the house. You can stay here all you like but I won't be here."

I picked up my suitcase once more and walked out to my car in the garage. I felt completely violated. Here I had gone over to my brother's house to seek help and he stabs me in the back to tell Edward of our talk. My skin felt like it was on fire as I took to the streets, not really knowing where I would go now. A hotel perhaps but that just seemed so isolating. I pulled onto the 210 freeway and began driving, not really knowing where I was headed to. When I reached traffic I decided to exit to take streets. I guess it didn't matter that there was traffic, with nowhere to go, why did it matter when I would arrive however just as I was pulling off the ramp a car cut me off and the driver gave me the bird.

My mouth dropped open and I was incensed. How dare he! He cuts me off and thinks he could flip me off after I had done nothing wrong? I was not in a place to be messed with at the moment. I tore down the ramp and pulled around his Maserati viciously. I managed to cut over and cut him off this time, sticking my middle finger out the window with a wave. I guess mister Maserati driver didn't like that, he came around at the stop light and pulled up next to me lowering his window.

"Hey bitch! Why don't you pay attention next time. Learn to drive!" He yelled.

I could see the light that we were stooped at readying itself to turn back to green.

"Hey asshole, why don't you eat my dust and fuck off." The light turned green and I peeled out of there, getting in front of the Maserati with ease. The asshole sped up around me and flew by me. Just as I was about to speed up I saw flashing red lights go on behind me and for a second I was miffed. I was being pulled over.

But then something occurred to me.

"Number five." I marveled and suddenly the world was right.

But the cop behind me sped past me and then had the audacity to pull the Maserati over. I watched as the Maserati slowed and pulled to the curb.

"That asshole! That's my ticket!" I screamed.

I had obviously lost my mind when I decided that pulling up behind the officer's car was a good idea that day but like I said, mind was lost.

"Excuse me!" I hollered. "Excuse me."

I waved down the police officer who had just walked up to the passenger window of the Maserati.

"I don't mean to be a bother but why would you pull him over when I clearly was doing wrong as well." I asked.

The police officer looked around like he was trying to see if there were any hidden cameras before speaking.

"Uh…miss, I suggest you return car."

"Why? Is this because I'm a woman? You treat me with kid gloves because I'm just some sad defenseless woman? I am not leaving here until you give me my ticket." I demanded.

The officer straightened up and walked over to me. He looked deep into my eyes and took a whiff from my air supply.

"Are you under the influence or something, ma'am?"

"No!" I replied offended. "I just…the asshole in the Maserati and I were in some kind of street racing tizzy and if you're planning on giving him a ticket, it's only fair that you give one to me as well. Why would you think I was on something because I want what is coming to me?"

The cop looked completely lost for a minute before replying. "I didn't see you make any infraction so consider this your lucky day, get back in your car and please move on."

I believed that he was losing his patience for me but I was under much duress and was so far from completing my list since the disastrous trip to Scotland.

"I'm afraid I can't allow that. I deserve that ticket and I refuse to leave until I have it. Geez, it's no wonder there's so much crime when police officers don't want to do their jobs."

Okay, that may have been one step too far.

"Up against the car." He demanded.

"As much as I would love a good frisking, I'm not really needing that at the moment. Just a ticket, nothing more."

The officer put a hand on my shoulder and forcefully pushed me up against his squad car.

"No need to get violent." I snapped as he forced my hands together and cuffed them.

"Miss, into the car." He pushed me into the car and then slammed the door on me. Was I under arrest? This wasn't good. God dammit! The thing on the list said, get a ticket. It didn't say get arrested. How is it possible that this is happening to me again? Every single time but the fountain have I tried to achieve something, I get close and then, detour.

I watch as the officer walks over to the Maserati and waves him off. My eyes narrowed, so not only am I under arrest but that asshole does not even give him a ticket? What is wrong with this world?

The officer came back and then proceeded to ask for my name. As much as I wanted to give him a piece of my mind, I didn't and complied sensing I was in enough trouble.

"Isabella Swan. Looks like you have quite a few unpaid parking tickets. I'm going to have to take you in."

I sighed, "I don't care about parking tickets. The book said traffic ticket. Parking tickets don't count."

The officer looked at me through his rear view window, giving me a questioning look. "Okay, I don't quite get it. I can definitely tell that you're not on something. You drive a nice car and I can tell that you have a privileged upbringing so I just don't understand why you seem to be crazy. Most people don't want traffic tickets. What's your deal?"

"How long have we got till we get to your station?" I asked rhetorically.

I looked out at the tow truck driver that had arrived to take my car away and wanted to yell at him to be gentle but I didn't have any fight left in me. This was so not how I planned this day going. It was all Edward's fault. If he had just left me alone like I had requested, none of this would have happened this way. I would have eventually received a ticket for something domestic like speeding or driving in the carpool lane.

"So, you see it all started when my dumbass boyfriend proposed to me…"

"Most people would want their boyfriends to propose." He interrupted.

"Officer Walker, do you mind? I'm trying to tell a story here." I shook my head, "So, he proposed…look, we had only been dating a year. It's not like he needed to shit or get off the pot. Everything was going great and then he thinks the best thing to do to us, is propose?"

"Well at your age…you're not getting any younger. Maybe he wanted to have kids."

"At my age? I'll ignore that, Officer Walker for the time being. Of course he wants to have kids but that's the problem. I'm not a kid friendly person. Can you imagine me raising a kid?"

Officer Walker looked back at me and I gave him a look.

"Well…if you're as crazy as I think you are, probably not." He shrugged and pulled out into traffic.

"As I was saying…." I coughed irritably.

So, I continued to regale him with my plight. I told him all about my dead bio dad and wanting to do something that would not only make me feel closer to him but honor his memory with the list. I told him about Scotland and the breakup with my boyfriend that had let to leave my house. My stupid ass brother and his need to meddle in my life and choose my ex-boyfriend over me.

"Wait a minute, did you say Edward Cullen?"

"Yes…" I wondered where he was planning to go with this.

"Emmett Cullen's brother?"

"Yes…"

"Oh…wow. I've heard all about you." He replied pulling into the station.

"What's that supposed to mean?" What the hell did Emmett say about me?

"Well, I guess I could call Emmett in on this as a personal favor." Officer Walker sighed.

He got out of the car and then helped me out, releasing me from my cuffs.

"I'm not going to book you but I'm going to release you into the custody of Emmett. You pay off those tickets before you leave, do you understand?"

I scrunched up my nose and rubbed my wrists. "I don't want preferential treatment. Besides, like I said before, Edward is my ex-boyfriend, which would make Emmett, my ex…boyfriend's brother."

"You know, you are an odd one Isabella Swan. Emmett's stories ring true after all." Officer Walker shook his head and then proceeded toward the station. "This way, I will show you where the people wait who are not receiving preferential treatment."

We walked into the building and the officer proceeded to guide me through the place toward the back. The station was busy as we walked through the throngs of people to get to our destination.

"Here's a nice non-preferential cell for you to wait in until I can track down Emmett."

"Are you kidding me?" I looked up at him and back at the cell. "I can't stay in there. It's all dirty."

"A nice non-preferential cell for a non-preferential inmate. This is what you requested, is it not, Miss Swan?"

I sighed and walked into the cell. "You are one weird dude, Officer Walker."

I turned around and looked out at the busy station as he closed the barred door on me.

"Don't worry, Miss Swan, I'm sure milk and cookies will be around shortly. If I were you, I would take this time to think over some of your recent decisions. Contemplate how it is you came to be here and how your life would have turned out if you had just said yes."

I grabbed onto the bars. "You can't seriously be taking his side in all of this? I swear you men all stick together no matter what!"

"Why don't you have a nice long chat with Cherry while you're in there. Tell her of your woes."

He nodded his head toward the cell next to me and it was then that I noticed an older girl sitting on the metal bench. She certainly wasn't in here for speeding dressed in those non-church clothes. Her arms were bruised up from what I could only imagine came from nothing good and she seemed to be a tad bit out of it. The stockings that she wore were full of holes and if I didn't know any better, she was a common street walker.

I looked back at Officer Walker and he gave me that little challenging nod.

I huffed and stood back from the cell door.

"Cherry, is it?" I flattened my dress with my palms and stood up tall, "Would you like to hear a story?"

Time to prove to Officer Walker that I wasn't the crazy one. Men really were sticking together and all I needed was a good female audience to prove that I was in the right.

"So it all started when my ex-boyfriend proposed…"

AN: Thank you for taking the time to read and review. Sorry that updates have been infrequent lately. I've been in a weird funk. Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed it.

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. Story is mine.