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Always

Chapter Two: The Encounter

Jessica Stanley

It wasn't until two hours later that the phone calls began and everything changed. The sky outside had turned dark, casting long shadows across my room. I could hear the distant hum of traffic and the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. It was Angela who called me, her voice trembling as she shared the news that something had gone horribly wrong. Bella had taken off, leaving behind nothing but a note in her bedroom. Her dad, Charlie, had found it; it explained that she loved Edward with all her heart but just wasn't ready for marriage. Apparently, no one had heard from any of the Cullens, and everyone was deeply worried about Bella, given that this wasn't the first time she and Edward had experienced problems. Not only had the Cullens not said a word about what had happened, Edward had been seen taking off in his car.

I remember Bella the way she was when Edward was gone; she was a ghost of her former self. Wherever she was right now, I just hoped she was okay and that she'd call her dad and assure him of this. I could hardly believe it. As soon as I hung up the phone with Angela, I began to stand up from my dresser, where I was still in my wedding outfit. The weight of the situation pressed down on me, and I knew I had to try and phone Bella, hoping she would answer one of us. Maybe she needed a friend, not her family or a member of the Cullen family.

It was all so sad, so unlike Bella. I can still remember the day the two first saw each other in the cafeteria; it was love at first sight, a moment frozen in time. That day was the day everything changed. I gasped, remembering that moment. I bit my lower lip and headed over to my closet. There, hanging amidst a collection of forgotten clothes, was a black satin dress with the thinnest straps. I took off my wedding outfit and went so far as to remove my bra and thong, feeling the cool air against my skin before sliding the black dress on over my bare body. I replaced my wedding shoes with a pair of black six-inch pumps, grabbed my car keys, and headed out.

The drive to the school felt surreal; the world outside my car window was a blur of colors and shapes. I could think of nothing but my destination and who I knew I'd find there. The school wasn't locked, of course; someone was probably cleaning some part of the building. I just knew where to go to find exactly who I was looking for. I didn't know what I'd do when I got there, just that everything inside of me was telling me to do what I wanted, not the right thing for once. I just wanted to be bad for once because it might show mercy at the same time.

When I opened the doors to the cafeteria, the sight of him stopped me in my tracks. Edward was sitting across the room at the table where they always sat, and the memories of so many lunches and stolen glances came flooding back. He was dressed in his wedding tux, a picture of heartbreak and elegance. Even from across the room, I could smell his intoxicating scent, mouth-watering and irresistible. He had been left on his wedding day, and I wanted to comfort him. I had no other intentions, no ideas for the future; I just wanted what I needed right here, right now.

As Edward's eyes locked onto mine, I focused on the sound of my heels against the floor, each step echoing in the empty cafeteria. I brought my hands up to the straps of my dress and slowly pulled them down over my arms, exposing the tops of my breasts to him first and then the rest of my body as I easily stepped out of it, keeping my heels on. He said nothing, didn't move, or even seemed to breathe. I knew we weren't going to talk; he was never a big talker, and right now, talking would ruin what I needed and what I hoped he wanted from me.

I stood between his legs and moved my hands to his shirt, quickly beginning to unbutton it as I felt his eyes roaming my body.

"I'm here." I whispered, the words heavy with unspoken promises. I knew he wanted this; I wanted it. It was simple and not complicated.

He reached up and grabbed my wrist, and as soon as I knew he was going to speak and object, I pressed a finger to his lips. "Don't talk," I whispered, before moving my hand to his hair and pulling his face to mine.

This was the day that I would make Edward Cullen mine. Tomorrow, I'd leave Forks and return to my old life. But right now, I wanted him to do what Mike couldn't. I wanted Edward to take my virginity; I'd always wanted him to be my first. I'd be leaving here a new woman and, hopefully, the one he'd been dreaming about all these years.

He groaned, his icy cold breath against my face, and my body was suddenly on fire. The anger in him burned white hot; I could sense it beneath his cool exterior, the searing pain of rejection.

"I know it will hurt." I gasped as the passion took control.

Edward took that for the invitation that it was. His cold hands like ice brushed over my bare hips; his welcomed touch caused an instant reaction, and my body begged for more. My body had begun to ache and throb, desperate for satisfaction. His eyes that I had never noticed until now up close were amber and not brown; he almost looked hungry as if he were stalking his prey. I couldn't believe I was sitting on his lap completely naked; anyone could have walked in, but it was worth the risk to feel him against me and to look at me like he looked at Bella. His gaze drifted down to my neck, where it lingered. I brought my hands from his arms, bringing my hand into his hair as the other remained positioned on his shoulder, his skin almost too cold to touch.

His eyes drifted down to my neck, and I held my breath as he looked at my breasts, my nipples hardening from the cold. I'd always had small breasts, but even I could admit they looked good now. When he leaned in towards my breast, I immediately closed my eyes and arched my back. He took my nipple into his mouth, and I cried out from the sudden sensation. It was strange and terrifying. It was so amazing, so intense, and everything I wanted it to be. As my hand worked through his hair, I opened my eyes to look down and watch him devour one breast while cupping and squeezing my other. My breast looked bigger somehow as he sucked on my nipple, my fingers gripping the ends of his hair so he would know I never wanted him to stop. My mouth fell open as his teeth brushed over the pink nub, causing me to cry out once more.

I brushed my hair back so I could have the best view of him, and when he took a mouthful of my breast, my back arched even further back to allow him access. With his hands gripping my sides, keeping me exactly where he wanted me, it was then he switched to my other breast, giving the same attention. I couldn't help the moans and gasps I was making, and when his head bent so his hair tickled the tops of my breasts, it only brought more pleasure to my aroused nipples, still slick from his saliva.

When I brought my hand up from the top of his neck and into his hair, his masterful lips brushed the side of my neck almost as if he were trying to tempt me into searching for his touch. He trailed kisses, wet and gentle, across the slope of my neck, making goosebumps erupt across my shoulders and up my arms.

"Edward," I whimpered.

But almost as quickly as his name escaped my lips, he brushed his palm over my mouth, silencing me as he continued to kiss along the base of my tender neck before he pressed his nose against it and inhaled. For some reason, he remained there, frozen, his muscles tight with what appeared to be pent-up rage, although for whom I did not know. Just when I was beginning to fear he would not go any further, he stood up, sweeping me up with him, my knees hooked at his rib cage. My arms were around his neck, and I was afraid to speak. Before I knew it, Edward pressed me back onto the table, where he left me as he straightened up. I had my arms around my chest as I panted, staring up at him as his gaze met mine. With his eyes fixed on mine, I brought my arms above my head, revealing my breasts to him.

Towering over me I watched Edward as he reached for the zipper of his trousers. I gulped; he wasn't even going to take off his tux; he just wanted to bury himself inside of me. Edward stared down at me as his hands fell down to his sides once more, his eyes on mine confident and even. That was all the indication I needed; Edward wasn't wasting time; he wanted to fuck.

"Show it to me." Edward commanded.

And just like that, his voice so deep, his features so hardened I swear I could have climaxed, but instead, I held my breath too nervous to even breathe as I parted my knees slowly for him. My pussycat was slick, my lips swollen, and he saw it—how turned on I was by him.

"Wider." He growled, and I knew what I had to do and spread my labia for him to see me, every inch of my bare mound, exposed just for him. Edward Cullen, the forbidden man everyone was so obsessed with and jealous of.

Instead of entering me like I was preparing myself for, Edward sank down to his knees and pulled me to the edge of the table. As he parted my legs so I was left wide open for him, he brought his nose to my core and inhaled once again as his mouth came just a hair's length from the very part of me he'd wanted.

"Oh my god." I whispered before covering my mouth with both hands.

That didn't stop Edward from bending forward and breathing over my aching wetness. He exhaled over my lips as I looked down the curve of my breast. His eyes were looking between my legs; he looked so hungry, like an animal that was trapped and hadn't eaten.

"Spread yourself." He commanded, and when I did as he asked, I could see his tongue poke out and graze the swollen and sensitive parts of my wet folds.

"Wow, okay," I gasped, not being able to stop myself.

This was like a dream and being here with Edward. I'd imagined kissing Edward, but I'd never allowed myself to fantasize this way. In fact, my heart hurt a little seeing him here, dressed, and about to make love to a ghost of the girl he wanted to be Bella. We were both going to take from this what we needed; it wasn't about emotions; it was purely physical for both of us.

Edward's tongue explored my lips and inner thigh until I was aching and needy and I needed more; his mouth could cover all of me easily if he wanted, and when he seemed to realize just how badly my swollen parts needed his mouth, his large hand wrapped around the top of my thigh, holding me down in place. The moment his cool mouth opened over me and his tongue invaded my aching and tender hole, I bit down hard on my bottom lip, choking down on my whimper. His free hand reached up between my legs, and when his fingertip began to trace slow circles around my clitoral area.

"Wait," I gasped. "Ed-"

Just like that, before I even knew what happened, my hips bucked and my body stiffened, unable to stop myself.

I covered my face with my hands and confessed under my palms, "I've never even used a tampon. Oh my god, this is so embarrassing!"

This was something I never thought I would ever be speaking to Edward Cullen about. But it didn't stop him; his mouth remained on me even though I was certain he had heard me. I began to apologize repeatedly, wanting to sink into the table and out of sight, but before I could, Edward pulled my body closer to the edge. His finger resumed its circles around my clitoral area, but it didn't matter anymore as the waves of pleasure surged through my core. My embarrassment faded away, leaving only desire for Edward's mouth and tongue, the waves and tides that rippled through me finally overcoming my senses.

Edward brought his hands under my knees, lifting my ass up from the table before he licked me right between the folds and slipped his tongue deeper inside.

There was no stopping it, and as I sat up and reached down, grabbing his head, I couldn't help grinding against his tongue. When his hands left under my knees, my hands took their place, keeping myself spread for him, all the while my heels remaining on as he gave me oral. He was eating me, sucking and slurping the most personal parts of me. The air was so cold when it reached the wet parts between my legs, but it wasn't the air I focused on. It was the sounds Edward was starting to make. I could hear the pleasure in them. I could feel him eating me as he squeezed my thighs and spread my labia wider so he could eat me.

That was all it took to push me over the edge—the mere knowledge of Edward wanting me as badly as I had desired him for all these years.

My legs tensed, and my body began to shake as I felt my breath quicken.

"Oh my god, I think I'm going..."

Edward let out the deepest groan as his entire mouth enclosed my sex and clit, causing his tongue to make contact and lick upwards between my slit. Then it happened: just as the last word slipped from my lips, my body couldn't handle anymore.

"Oh Edward, oh god, yeah!" I threw my head back and moaned. "God, I'm cumming; I'm coming so fucking hard!" My hands tightened in his hair, and my muscles seized up as if my body were being drawn and quartered; the release was intense, like nothing I've ever experienced.

He never stopped, even as my sex tightened and jerked around his tongue; he never even slowed. Aftershock after aftershock followed, making it almost impossible to keep myself controlled, as if every ounce of energy in my body had been expelled. I hooked my legs over his shoulders as he continued to eat me to see what he would respond with when he felt my heels tracing his back. When his fingertips dug into my ass and squeezed, I began to slowly lower my right heel down his back.

It was then Edward's finger began to trace my lips, and I almost crushed his head with my knees when they threatened to snap shut in instinct. Being a virgin was mortifying because he knew and was using that against me, having no problem taking control. I almost climaxed as soon as the first swipe of his finger brushing my pussy lips passed, causing him to grunt when the back of his finger tapped over my sensitive clitter. I gripped my thighs, knowing I wanted to go further. I braced myself for the pain.

Edward's finger stroked my lips before slowly parting them, gliding up and down along my slippery folds teasingly, just enough to build more tension but not nearly enough for me to fully lose my mind and get myself off on his finger; he was leaving all decisions in my hands.

"I want it." I gasped.

Edward began to insert his finger, and when I felt a mild stinging feeling, he stopped. I couldn't move; it didn't hurt exactly; it was just awkward and a lot. I began to hyperventilate; the sensations were so intense it made it so much harder to relax and just let my body become accustomed to him. And then, his tongue lapped gently at my clitoral area, and I lost all sense of discomfort.

I gasped out in surprise. "That feels so good." I moaned, my hands balling into fists.

At my response, he began to move his finger deeper, and before long, I could feel the base of his palm hit against my pubic bone. He was all the way inside me. I leaned up onto my elbows just so I could see; the feeling of his thick fingers inside me was amazing; this was a first. I sank back down to the table as he began to slide the same finger back and forth at a rhythm that began to take me higher, so very close to a release I wanted and needed. I began to push my hips against him as I gasped and began to claw at the edge of the table.

Edward seemed to know my body better than I did; he knew exactly when I was ready to take another finger. After only a few strokes, his other finger entered me, and he continued fingering my pussycat in slow, deep movements that were driving me mad. My eyes screwed shut as my grip on the edge of the table tightened and my body ached for a release.

"Oh my god, it's happen hhmmmhmhmgg," I cried out as I came against his mouth again, my whole body seizing up as my vision blurred. I couldn't breathe as I went stiff; everything slowed, and I collapsed in a heap.

Edward withdrew his fingers, which made me tremble from the sensation of him removing the only things making me complete. Slowly, as he pulled his fingers out, I heard him return to his feet. I looked up at him in my current daze, ashamed of how sweaty and pathetic I must have appeared to him. He reached his hand into the zipper of his trousers, finally releasing his rock hard without hesitating, and I leaned up on my elbows to look at it.

The hunger was back in his eyes; he seemed just as impatient as I was to be doing this, and he seemed unable to help himself. He was big; I'd never seen a penis before, much less one that was rock hard. There were no traces of pubic hair; his member was long, pink, and cut, and the sight of his cock just made me weak. He was wearing a tux, only for his fly to be undone and his thick member resting in his hand, ready to fuck me senseless. He stepped up close, bringing my legs around his hips before he brushed his tip down through the opening of my wetness. As he began to spread his cum, smearing the milky liquid onto the head and the tip, he looked as though he'd die if he didn't get inside.

"Wait, what about protection?" I questioned, still managing a small breathless voice.

Edward merely shook his head; what was that supposed to mean? That he didn't have a condom? Or that he didn't care about having unprotected sex? He didn't seem like the type of guy who would risk something like that; even in his current state, he always seemed to have morals. But I still had a decision to make, and when he brushed the underside of his swollen member over my clitoral area, I tried not to moan. It was so smooth and firm, sliding easily against my lubricant-coated slit and circling my tight hole, and every pass sent a small tremor throughout me as the engorged head spread his juices around me, making my clit throb and a slight wave of tension ripple through my belly.

My hesitation only fueled him to use his sex more; the man above me wasn't playing around. Was he waiting for me to give him permission to fuck me without a condom? What was I supposed to do? How could I possibly have unprotected sex? It was beyond reckless, and if I did this, it would mean I had no respect for myself and even more so that he had no respect for me. He could have an STD for all I knew, but his face wasn't budging. His features didn't soften or show any concern; not only did he expect me to have unprotected sex; he'd clearly never planned on wearing a condom; he started this knowing he didn't have anything to protect me with. It was beyond stupid to carry on any further, but the need for him—for him to be my first—made me feel so consumed.

When his eyes met mine, I reluctantly swallowed and gave a short nod. He held onto the back of my knees, pushing my legs as wide apart as possible. I wanted him inside so bad; his shaft, so erect and firm, glistened from my wetness and looked so dangerous and swollen, but when he spread his pre-cum at my entrance, teasing my throbbing lips, I couldn't contain the slight whimpers and the restless shifting I did on the table. It made him harden; I could see his muscle pulsating; it looked so big, so ready.

I ran my hands through my hair as he began to press the tip of himself into my tight entrance, and I could feel him getting me ready for him. He positioned it and began to inch his way into me; the pressure at my opening was immense. My heart was hammering; the tip alone was too much for me to handle; the second half would tear me in half. I bit my lip so hard I nearly drew blood.

"It's too big; it's too big," I whimpered.

Edward slid his member along with me again before bringing the engorged tip of his member back up and pressing against my entrance. As he did, I felt him push down onto my waist as he applied steady pressure on his tip while slowly edging forward as he returned back inside of me as gently as he could muster I imagined.

I felt something warm escaping down my legs; it ran all the way to the table, and its sensation made me lock eyes with Edward.

"I'm bleeding?" I muttered, not knowing if I was embarrassed or aroused by him watching me, seeing the proof I was untouched.

He didn't seem disgusted by it though; he didn't look me in the eye as he confirmed, "It's gone." He said it darkly, and it was official. Edward Cullen had broken through my hymen. I was no longer a virgin.

I'd lost my virginity to the one guy I wish would take a second glance at me. I'd done this on the day he got left at the alter. What did that say about me? But at the same time, what did that say about him too? Had he wanted me like this at one point too? I couldn't seem to focus; with every thrust, Edward was snapping me back to my reality and away from my thoughts. I brought my hands down to his hips, holding them as he continued to slowly push himself in and out of me as I adjusted to his length and exceptional girth.

As his thrusts went deeper, I brought one hand up to my mouth, biting into my knuckles when his pelvis ground against my swollen and tender sex and his balls lightly grazed against my inner thighs with the same smooth motion that continued. He never tore his eyes from mine, and in that moment, I felt the beginning of my next orgasm, and when I placed both hands on his lower abdomen, encouraging him, his slow and teasing pace increased in speed and strength.

"I want it," I moaned the second I closed my eyes and found the courage. "It's so big, I need it."

Edward didn't respond, and I didn't expect him either, but the groans and grunts escaping him told me he was just as desperate as I was for release. Edward's hands gripped my thighs, caressing them softly at first until I locked eyes with him and gave him a nod, leading him to become rougher with his skilled hands, clenching them tightly into my quivering flesh, causing me to respond, my back arching off the table before I brought both my hands up my body to my breasts, where I teased my nipples and rocked back and forth, matching him with every thrust, begging and pleading for more.

Edward pulled himself out from me, and I felt the gap he left behind for the first time. My eyes snapped open as his hand replaced his cock. Edward teased my clitoral area before he took me by my hips and spun me around until only the upper half of my body remained flat on the table while my ass and legs remained hanging off the table and over the edges, bent over as the tips of my toes barely touched the floor, and Edward was behind me instantly. As he slid back inside, he took his time, allowing me to adjust to the position as my heart raced and my entire body threatened to burst. As his member edged deeper with me, Edward's hand slid up my back and into my hair, pulling my head up and tilting my head back.

My lower half was in the air; Edward was thrusting down and into me, plunging himself in so hard he was bending my legs slightly with each motion. He wrapped my hair around his fist like a rope. I heard his sharp exhale followed by his groaning, deep, almost painful sounding, and my eyes screwed shut. The sound was so delicious. His pace never slowed, his breaths became shallow, and as he stood above me, I could imagine him back there, but I couldn't bring myself to look.

"It's so deep, it's ahhh, it's so close to my cervix." My jaw was slack, and my eyes were closed. I felt myself squeeze my walls around him tighter just to drive him crazy and heard his deep moan in response to my tease. He held my hair so tight it felt like my scalp was on fire; he was going deep enough that he could have ripped a new entrance if he kept slamming down like this, and he felt me start to tense up.

"Please, I want it harder." I pleaded with him breathlessly. "Do it harder; I want to know, uh uh uh, how it feels to be taken by you."

Edward yanked on my hair again, thrusting himself as deep as he could. Using his other hand, he grabbed my hip. The feeling of having a man fucking me as if I was going to vanish at any moment was nothing I could have prepared myself for. My insides felt sore yet pleased at the same time. The slight burning and painful throbbing was mixed with an intense pleasure and longing as I began to tense around him, and this time he responded with a spank to my right ass cheek, making my jaw drop in result to him being rougher. The sounds coming from my body were unholy; his fingerprints could leave a permanent mark on my skin, and the mere knowledge of the sex was getting rough, both physically and mentally, giving me enough incentive to moan for him, louder than ever, just the way he refused to let me think even for a second.

His grip on me tightened, his groans becoming desperate sounding, our bodies slapped and bounced off of each other, and he began to lean down closer over me. I could almost feel his cold body over my sweaty back. Why wasn't his skin on fire like mine? I couldn't seem to stop myself; my body reacted before I could stop myself. I reached behind me and gripped Edward's butt cheek with my left hand as he thrust. I wanted him to know he could go deeper and that I could handle it because I trusted him. Edward removed my hand from him and pinned it over my head. Just when I thought I might just die of embarrassment, I felt him bring my left leg up onto the table until my heel pointed to the next table across from us.

I gasped loudly as I felt within me how this small position change allowed Edward more space. He rammed himself harder; his body seemed so firm and strong, he was practically growling, low, and angry. His grunts, moans, and is animal-like. For a moment I almost found myself wondering if he was this way when he and Bella had been together, but it was as if he was a mind reader, for in that split second another spank to my ass distracted me from thinking about him with his fiancée.

If I wanted this to be physical and nothing more than I needed a reality check. Edward had given me intense orgasms and had been the one to take my virginity. But he was doing this out of revenge or grief over what Bella had done to him. I needed to let him know that I didn't expect anything to come from this, that I knew we were just having sex and nothing beyond that. I didn't care if he thought less of me for what I planned to do; I just knew that in that moment it was the right thing to do. If anything right could come from this.

"Pretend I'm Bella. I don't mind." I moaned through breathless pants, and his fingers released their grip from my hair.

A long silent pause followed before Edward spoke, "What did you say?" He asked, voice barely above a whisper.

His rhythm and movements stopped, and I could feel that I needed them back, so I pushed myself against him, back and forth.

"You know what you need, so do it, mmmmhhhh." I flipped my hair back. "Imagine her. Do it, do it, uh, make me pay."

Another silence, then a whimper or a gasp I'm not sure came from him or me, and then my hips were lifted off the table edge by a hand so powerful I yelped at the feeling. This wasn't the sort of movement where Edward was picking me up and supporting me with his hips. His hands grabbed my shoulders as his force drove into me; this wasn't gentle lovemaking; his moans weren't that of the loving groom.

"Bella..." His voice was hardly audible; I doubted he would have let the words past his lips if it was anyone else. He sounded sadder now than when I was beneath him, so full of passion for the person I was, he couldn't forget the one who had just thrown him away.

He pinned my hands above my head as his thrusts were relentless, his skilled tongue returning to my chest as I ran my nails down his back. He finally crawled over me on the table, pinning me beneath him. It was now Edward's turn to look me over; he was looking down over me.

"Take it. Take it. Be a good girl."

"Call out her name." I moaned, my hand reaching between my legs for my aching cough.

"Bella," Edward said only when he had his head next to mine and turned away from me.

I was rubbing myself between his thrusts while my other hand roamed his back, dragging my nails deep into his skin.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm going to come again, oh right, yeah there, please." I said loud and shameless, and then, without thinking or planning, I was scratching my nails down Edward's neck, making him groan loudly.

"Come, come, come." I pleaded, feeling my body throbbing so hard the sensation shot right down my thighs.

His muscles were moving in waves; it looked like something he didn't know he had the capacity for. All the sexual frustration Edward had kept at bay was unleashed. Then he stilled, grunting loudly and pumping into me one last time as he came inside of me.

As he finished, his eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he collapsed beside me. I panted hard, desperate for air, feeling his thick, oozing cum sliding out from within me, and between my lips and his cock was just so hot, covered in my release, and his and I had come three times by now, and my insides were completely numb.

My hair was everywhere; there was no chance that I would walk straight tomorrow, and even now I wasn't too sure.

Edward slid out from within me, and I looked anywhere but at him as he did. The second he leaned his body away from mine, I slid up off the table, and despite a small stumble, I quickly retrieved my dress from the floor. I just needed to cover up before Edward saw his cum sliding down my thigh; I didn't want him worrying that he'd made a mistake. I'd be going to see my gynecologist tomorrow; I'd make an emergency appointment, and I'd take the pill to ensure nothing came of this. As I slid on my dress, I waited for the shame and embarrassment to hit me, but it never did. My guilt was overwelming, but I wasn't ashamed of myself. I'd slept with a guy I'd wanted for years; even despite the circumstances, I didn't regret it.

Behind me I heard him zip himself up; he'd had sex with me while wearing his wedding tux. Everything about that screamed how desperately he already missed Bella. When I felt ready, I turned to look his way, only to find that Edward was already facing me. I attempted a smile, but not too much; I didn't want him to feel he had to smile back and make this even more awkward.

"Goodbye." I said and meant it.

I'd never see Edward again after today, and I'd make sure of that.

I turned on my heels and walked a few steps without a sound or word from him to stop me. But I stopped me; if I didn't say what I needed to say, then I'd lose a part of myself. I didn't turn to face him; I didn't need to see his reaction; I just needed the words to be said.

"You're not a bad person, Edward Cullen."

I didn't stay a second longer; I walked out of the cafeteria steady on my feet and keeping a respectful pace. A part of me had returned to Forks to say goodbye and to forgive myself for not being the greatest friend, to forgive myself for always being the prized student instead. There had been so many occasions in which I looked back and was ashamed of myself for putting test scores ahead of friend time and even family time.

No one would know what happened here today but Edward and I. I was taking this to my grave, and without shame, I'd returned to Forks to forgive myself, and today, I'd been there for someone who needed me during the darkest moment of their life.

It was over, and it was time to leave Forks.

A/N: AMAZING! I know you can't leave the story now, sooooo hit me up in the comments below and enjoy the next chapter!