The Tale of the Brokenhearted

Chapter 10: Burning Unnecessary Bridges

Edward's POV

I was always amazed how time can slow and speed by at the same time. That was how my nights felt with Leah. We could stay in one moment, perfectly still, and yet time sped by around us.

"Leah?" I nudged the lady shifter who was currently using my left thigh as a pillow. She looked up at me and pulled one of her headphone pieces out of her ear.

"Yeah?"

"It's 11:50, are we going anywhere tonight?" I asked and she replaced her headphone and shook her head.

I'm comfortable here Edo. No need to escape this feeling, I could stay like this all night, she thought and I agreed. I wasn't in a big rush to go anywhere; I just didn't want to feel like my presence in her home made her leave her midnight routine. I picked my book back up and began to read. Leah was listening to classical music which was something that I accredited to myself. One night she had allowed me to pick where we went for our midnight run, we started early, and I drove. We went through two states and by midnight were enjoying the sounds of one of my favorite pianists, Valentina Lisitsa, and since that night Leah has been hooked.

She lounged with me smiling to herself with her eyes closed; I loved when she was this relaxed. It made it easy play tricks on her, and it was also when she looked the most attractive. The very moment I decided Leah needed to be teased in some way, my phone started to buzz. I had to disturb Leah to get into my left pocket. She gave me her famous 'what-the-hell' expression and sat upright.

"Rose?" I asked into the phone, seriously confused.

"Hey Edward, Alice told me to tell you that it's movie night, and to get over here." Rose was speaking in a monotone. I knew she didn't really care if I came home tonight, this was Alice's doing. I know why Alice got Rosalie to call me; I hadn't really spoken to her since we went to the club that night.

"Can you please tell my sister that I'm comfortable where I'm currently located, and I hope you all enjoy movie night?"

"Edward, just come over, for crying out loud! You and Alice are both being ridiculous!" I sighed and rolled my eyes. Leah was more than amused by this conversation, and she was interested to see what my answer was going to be.

"I'm sorry I'm going to have to disappoint Alice, I'm staying home tonight!" I said as I stealthily reached over to tickle the stomach of my cocky looking wolf buddy. She silently giggled and pushed my hand away.

"Home? I thought this was your home, Edward?" Rosalie challenged, I could just imagine the puzzled expression on her face.

"You know what I mean, Rose," I groused as I intensified my tickle attack and Leah's giggles got louder.

"Apparently I don't," Rose snapped bluntly. "Is that Leah giggling like that? Does she think this is all funny?"

"No, I'm uh, tickling her," I knew how it sounded as soon as I said it.

Leah snatched my phone. "Make him stop! He's trying to kill me!" Leah gasped, but then said, a bit more seriously. "And your brother will be there, when does the movie start?" I tried to grab the phone from her but she wasn't having it, she leaned far over to the side holding the phone out of my reach. She struggled out of my grasp, rolled to the floor and tried to wriggle away from me.

"Leah, stop I don't want to go!" I stated loudly so my sister would be able to hear while I tried to decide if I was going to follow her.

"Midnight, okay he'll see you then! Bye!" she ended the call and smirking like she'd out smarted me she sashayed back to the couch and plopped down. "You better get a move on before you miss the beginning of the movie.

"Oh no you don't, Clearwater, if you want me to go you're coming, too!" I said lifting her fire man style off the couch.

"EDWARD, STOP! PUT ME THE FUCK DOWN!" Her anger startled me. I placed her on her feet. I'd almost made it through the front door with her. She took a deep breath and adjusted her clothes. "Edward, your family wants to see YOU, not me. You've been over here so long that Esme has probably forgotten what you look like." She was seriously concerned.

"Leah, I'm more than grown up and able to make my own decisions regarding where I want to spend my time." I told her bluntly.

"That's not the point." Leah countered. "Don't you miss spending time with your family? Your family actually cares whether you live or die."

"Leah, I'm undead, there's not much to worry about!" I sat down on her couch and buried my head in my hands. Where was all this coming from? I took a minute to really consider what she was saying and thinking, and realized that she didn't want my company.

"You don't want me here anymore?" I raised my head and looked up at her.

"What? Edo, don't be stupid!" She came and stood directly in front of me and placed her hands on her hips. "I just feel like you're burning unnecessary bridges," She said reasonably. "I also think that as close as I am to you … I'm not really a part of your family, and your family wants your time. My family … they couldn't care less that I'm gone. Have you seen anyone from my pack even try to call me since I moved? You have someone from your family calling at least once a night and they're always trying to find ways to be with you. I just don't want you to dismiss that as though it were nothing." Leah was speaking so calmly, as if she was speaking to a child. I realized I was acting kind of foolish, behaving as though I couldn't manage a couple hours without her. I knew I could, I just … didn't want to.

"Fine," I hung my head, admitting defeat, "I'll go watch movies with the family and then go hunt, so you probably won't see me until tomorrow." I got up and headed towards the door.

"Okay." she said patting me on the shoulder. "Have a good time Edo. I mean it!"

"Yeah you, too." I grumbled as I headed out to spend my first midnight without Leah in a long time.