Heartbreak Boy

Chapter-8: Twisted Logic and Mended Hearts

A/N: This is it, everyone. The last chapter.

Purlysurly, I hope you had fun reading this as much as I had while writing.

Once again, let me thank my beta and fic-wifey, Shae Maen for having my back and doing this on such a short notice. I love you, babes.

And Deonne has done an amazing job organizing this year's FAGE.

And last but not the least, a massive thank you goes to my lovely readers for taking the time to read this fic and trusting me with their hearts. You all are awesome.

Chapter-8: Twisted Logic and Mended Hearts

After the debacle with James, Mr. and Mrs. Cullen lead the guests back to their backyard where Alice and Jasper's engagement party is being held. And after making sure that I am indeed alright, our friends leave to join the party as well, leaving Edward to tend to my bruised upper arms.

He doesn't say anything as he leads me toward his old bedroom and makes me sit on the bed before going to look for a first-aid kit. I don't break the silence as he puts bandages on the places where James' nails had pierced my skin. Just as he's putting away everything, my eyes fall on his knuckles—his bloody knuckles. "What happened to your hand?" I gasp.

"James," he spits out the name like a curse. "The asshole has a hard head."

"Edward! You need to have that taken care of," I admonish softly, reaching for his hand.

He snatches his hand out of my outstreched ones and stands up abruptly, agitation plainly visible on his face. Shocked by the sudden distance between us, I gape at him as he breathes heavily. "Edward?" I call his name tentatively.

The sound of his name makes him step back close to me, closer than before so our bodies are almost touching. On shaky legs, I stand up to my full height, feeling like I'd need all my strength for whatever is coming.

For a long moment, he doesn't speak. Then in a hoarse voice, he whispers, "Why?"

"Why what?" I breathe, my heart beating faster than a hummingbird's wings.

"Why him?" he clarifies. "Why didn't you come to me instead?"

A white-hot anger surges through me at his accusatory tone and without thinking of what I'm doing, I grab ahold of his collars and bring our faces closer. "Why would I?" I ask back, keeping my eyes on his. "You never would've seen me as anything other than a friend. You'd always date whoever you fancy and then come to me to mourn the loss when you break up. You keep saying your heart hurts whenever a relationship ends, but you never realize that I'm the one you come to seeking for a cure. I'm tired of going around circles again and again with you. I'm tired of the heartbreak." As I confess the last bit, the fire leaves my voice and my hands go slack, knowing that my admission might've just cost me my friendship with him.

He opens his mouth but I shake my head, needing to get this out. "Look, I know I'm not your ideal type. I'm not blind, Edward, but I just wish you understood that my heart hurts too when yours does. I know that after this, you might never want to see me again and I know it'll hurt so bad that I'd probably wish that I had never told you this. But I can't take it anymore. I just can't. I'm sorry, but I can't be your friend and keep healing your broken heart only so you can break mine when the next girl comes around."

Tears, unbidden and unwelcome, stream down my face, probably making a mess of my makeup, but I can't seem to stop them. All the hurt and resentment from the years I've known him and seen him chase one girl after another, comes pouring out of me.

I try to step away from him, needing to remove myself from his company to keep my humiliation to myself, but before I can take more than one step, his reaches out, wrapping his arm around my back, holding me to him.