Emerging Swan

Chapter 8 - Dark Side

Don't know, don't know if I can do this on my own
Why do you have to leave me?
It seems I'm losing something deep inside of me
Hold on onto me

Now I see, now I see
Everybody hurts some days
It's okay to be afraid
Everybody hurts, everybody screams
Everybody feels this way and it's okay
Ladadadada, it's okay

It feels like nothing really matters anymore
When you're gone, I can't breathe
And I know you never meant to make me feel this way
This can't be happening

Everybody Hurts ~ Avril Lavigne

***

Edward Cullen, 2020

Events: 2014

I awoke the morning after I'd run into Bella at that petrol station feeling absolutely fucking furious. I couldn't believe that those bastards had done that to her, I couldn't believe that her boyfriend had betrayed her as he had, and I couldn't believe I hadn't realised that something was wrong.

I swore to do better.

I hope she'll agree with me when I say I think I have.

I swung myself out of bed with a sigh and picked up a towel and headed out towards the bathroom, not really taking in the fact that it was only six in the morning. I shoved open the door and allowed the hot water to wash over my skin, attempting to erase the anger I felt towards Mike and his fellow fuck-ups. I knew it would be bad to show Bella that I was angry, hence why I'd kept my cool the previous night. I wasn't really sure why I cared as much as I did, though.

Turning the shower off, I dried myself off and wrapped the towel around my waist. I scrubbed a hand through my dishevelled hair once, and then opened the bathroom door, paying no attention to where I was going at all. I'd barely taken two steps onto the small landing before I found myself smashing into someone, and that someone was Bella.

"Shit! Sorry!" I grabbed Bella's shoulders to stop her toppling backwards down two flights of wooden stairs. Her eyes widened as she took in the fact that I wasn't wearing a shirt and was still damp from a shower, and she stepped awkwardly away from me. Unfortunately, the landing of my house was only about two metres square, so she couldn't move far.

"Sorry," I said again. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

"It's fine. I'm sorry too," Bella squeaked out, looking a bit cat-ate-the-canaryish.

"I, er, need to head out to work in about thirty minutes. Do you want me to see you home first?"

"It's fine," Bella said quickly. "I'll just hang around and call Charlie today."

"Okay."

We stood there, just looking at each other for a moment, before Bella made to move past me to use the bathroom just as I tried to move past her to get to my bedroom. This resulted in her fingertips brushing across my bare chest, which caused both of us to blush deep red as we finally got around each other.

***

The next time I saw Bella was that week on Thursday. I was doing my weekly shift in the minors department at the hospital, and was somewhat surprised and a little concerned to see Bella Swan, accompanied by a girl with bright red hair, walk into my office. I'd have hoped it was the red-head that had something wrong with her, save for the way Bella was walking.

Bella stared at me for a second as she sat down, and then let out a bark of laughter, which confused her friend significantly. I too laughed at the coincidence of us running into each other at the hospital after our conversation about it at that club weeks ago. Ironic, to say the least.