Emerging Swan

Chapter 13 - Strong Enough

God, I feel like hell tonight
Tears of rage I cannot fight
I'd be the last to help you understand
Are you strong enough to be my man, my man?

Nothing's true and nothing's right
So let me be alone tonight
Cause you can't change the way I am
Are you strong enough to be my man?

Lie to me
I promise I'll believe
Lie to me
But please don't leave, don't leave

I have a face I cannot show
I make the rules up as I go
Just try and love me if you can
Are you strong enough to be my man, my man?

Strong Enough ~ Sheryl Crow

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A/N

At the moment, there'll be 16 chapters in this book, an epilogue, and possibly an outtake. There's a very short bit of intimacy in here - you know the drill by now. I've put a warning in, but it's not overly explicit and is kept PG-13. Can't take it, don't read it. The events that happen afterwards are key, however. Enjoy this chapter, though it's a bit shorter.

Lucy xX

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Bella (Swan), 2020

Events: 2014

I was hit hard by Edward breaking up with me - harder than I should have been. I expected him to call me in a day or two after the incident, thinking he was just in shock or something, but when a week passed, I realised that wasn't the case. He was gone for good. So I cried again, scoffed a tub of ice-cream, then picked my shit up and buried myself in work. I was an independent, grown-ass woman, and I refused to be ruined by some asshole who clearly didn't realise what he'd be missing.

Okay. Possibly those were Rose's words, not mine. But still. She had a point.

I was stunned when, five days after Edward had broken up with me, there was a knock on my door, and I opened it to reveal the one and only Edward Cullen. I stared for a moment, taking in that how tired he looked, and then I felt anger well up inside me. As he started to speak, my self control snapped, and my hand cracked across Edward's cheek.

"You fucking bastard, Edward Cullen!" I shouted. Edward took a nervous step backwards, and my lip curled slightly. "Don't you dare back away from me! Get your good for nothing ass in here and start speaking!"

I pursed my lips as Edward stepped over the threshold of my house, and I slammed the door furiously. He had some fucking nerve coming here, now, after all he'd fucking done. God, I hated him sometimes. I folded my arms over my chest and waited for him to speak.

"I'm sorry," was all he fucking said. Are you kidding me? I'm sorry? Was that all he had to say to me? What was the fucking point of coming if he was just going to tell me he was sorry? Fuck him.

"Great. I'm sure you're fucking sorry, Cullen, because it can't have escaped your notice that I look like shit. Sorry doesn't even begin to cut it. If you've come to say you're sorry, then get out. I don't want to hear it," I snapped, glaring at Edward.

"What do you want to hear? What can I say? I realise I made a mistake with what I did, Bella, and I'm sorry!"

Oh, fuck me, I thought, barely restraining myself from rolling my eyes. This wasn't mending my torn and broken heart. This just sounded like a generally nice guy realising he'd been a bastard, apologising, but ultimately standing by his prior decision. This wasn't boosting my mood at all.

My lips folded into a thin line. "I want you to tell me - prove to me - that you've pulled your head out of your ass."

"I was wrong, Bella. So wrong. I was breaking up with you because I thought that it wasn't fair to you to have to deal with all this shit that surrounds my life. I was worried. If people are breaking into your house just because we're dating, what else are they going to do?"