Elena Swan in Eclipse

The meadow, Charlie talks to me, Bella avoids me

The meadow, Charlie talks to me, Bella avoids me and Edward interferes with me going to the reserve.

Elena's POV: (Preface)

Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice. From what I've tasted of desire, I hold with those who favour fire.

Edward and I are in our meadow. I am trying not to let him distract my by how close we are, while I am reading a poem. "But If I had to perish twice. I think I know enough about hate to say that for destruction, ice is also great and will suffice," he is now beginning to distract me while pulling my hair back from my face so I speak up. "You know I've got an English final."

"I know," he whispers but he doesn't seem to care as he kisses the side of my face.

"I gotta focus," I point out to him, as graduation is a mere weeks away.

And it's not like I am going to be able to go university in Alaska like everyone thinks I am. He leans forward and we begin to kiss just as his face shines in the sun. We pull away and I see the lights illuminating off of him and appearing all over me.

"Marry me," he says slowly.

Not this again. "No."

We both chuckle.

"Marry me," he tries again.

My turn. "Change me."

He looks away from me for a second and seems to think about it before turning back to me.

"Okay I will if you marry me," he tells me. That is not fair. "It's called a compromise."

I nod a little before pushing him down and move so I am over him. He holds my waist as I straddle him and put his face close to mine.

"It's called coercion," I say before he can speak again. "It's not fair. Marriage is just... it's just a piece of paper."

He smiles as he rubs my sides. "Where I'm from it's the way one says I love you."

I keep staring into his eyes. Probably was nearly a 100 years ago.

"Where I come from, at my age..." I begin slowly as this is what I am really against marriage at 18 for. "It's the way you say I just got knocked up."

I touch his face before sitting up with my legs still either side of him. I then move back so my legs are in front of me as he sits up and I look down.

"So you're worried about what people'll think," he wonders and I can tell he's still frustrated that he cannot read my thoughts.

I scoff. "You know two out of three marriages end in divorce."

"Well," he says looking away from me and then back again. "I think you'll find the uh, vampire-human divorce rate is a little lower.... just marry me."

"I can't," I say and he looks a little upset. "I have to be back at four."

He chuckles realizing I am having a joke. I gather my stuff, kiss him deeply and begin to get to my feet.

I walk through the door exactly on time as I am justifiably still grounded. Might never end.

Charlie is sat on the sofa reading the newspaper, as I enter he glances at the clock. I take off my bag and sit down as he begins to speak.

"4 o'clock on the dot," he reads the time. "That kid trying to brown nose me now or something?"

I roll my eyes behind his back.

"He has a name," I say opening the book I am going to read. "And now he's too punctual for you?"

Ever since Edward came back Bella has been ignoring me and Charlie has kept me grounded. I glance at him and he glances at me and then I look down.