Scene 1, Take 2

Chapter Fifteen

Scene 1, Take 2

Chapter Fifteen

Edward POV
Song: "Hunger" Ross Copperman

I pulled Bella with me as I searched for the tree. We walked in silence, and I could tell that she was excited. I wondered how she would react to what I had engraved into the tree.

The option that seemed most likely to me, was anger. I could see her getting mad at me for doing this, for having the audacity to do it after leaving her.

She could be sad, because after all, her life was taken away from her. She could act like she doesn't care, she could scream and screech, she could cry or laugh.

None of the options that I saw were what I hoped for. I hoped that she would be moved by the short speech. I hoped that it would help move our relationship forward.

But so far, none of the things I did seemed to do that. I loved her so much, but she wasn't letting me. I had to constantly hold myself back with her.

I stopped my searching, and looked up to recognize the tree. I had picked a strong one, and it hadn't fallen. The trunk was covered in green moss, and the branches were sagging downwards.

"This is it" I whispered. Bella looked at me with wide eyes. Asking for something, but never saying quite what. I searched her eyes for a hint, but all I could find was warmth.

For the billionth time, I wanted nothing more than to hear her thoughts at the moment. Hear the questions that were roaming her mind.

But I couldn't, so to distract myself from her, all of her, mentally and physically, I began climbing up the tree.

My fingers flew across the trunk as I carried myself upwards. To my great relief, the green moss disappeared completely at a certain point.

I heard Bella behind me, and felt a sudden urge to make sure she doesn't fall. I knew she wouldn't, of course, but I didn't know it. Was it a fact? Yes. Had I acknowledged it? No. Not yet, anyways.

The tree hadn't grown much taller, and I soon leaned back on a large branch, staring at what I'd engraved into the trunk fifteen years ago.

Bella quickly followed suit, and at first she didn't notice what was written on the trunk. I pointed to it, and braced myself for a big blow.

I watched silently as her eyes swirled with emotion at the words.

Here lies Bella Swan
The beautiful swan that always wrongfully saw herself as an ugly duckling.
Your beauty will never be forgotten,
Inside and out.
I love you Bella, and I'm so sorry.

They weren't as sharp as they were when I engraved them, the edges much softer and the periods and commas almost completely faded.

I couldn't even watch her face. Of course she'd be angry. I held a private funeral for her, in the very place I'd left her, which is very close to her home, after I practically killed her.

Sometimes, when vampires get angry, our vision gets tainted with red. Almost like we have a built-in infra-red viewfinder that targets our objects of hatred. I imagined Bella's vision being a deep and dark red at the moment, pointed right at me.

I still couldn't avert my gaze to her, but I whispered urgently. "I'm so so sorry. Really. Truly. And I understand that it wasn't my place at all t–"