Those days after my birthday were strange and terrifying. Something was building, but I didn't know what.

Alice and Jasper didn't come to school all week. Edward wouldn't give me a straight answer when I asked where they'd gone. He scowled tightly and changed the subject.

"Is it all because of me?" I asked him, "has Jasper run off because I got a papercut? I know that it wasn't his fault. I understand. He does know that, doesn't he? You have told him that it's alright?"

Edward's hands tensed on the table. "I couldn't tell him that," he said tightly, "it isn't alright. It never will be again. Besides, I haven't spoken to him since he left."

"But you could get a message through Alice," I pressed, "what if he's waiting to hear that you forgive him before he comes home?"

"Then he'll never come home," Edward spoke so low it was almost a growl.

I didn't know what to say to that. This was all my fault. Edward was fighting with his siblings, Jasper and Alice had run away from home, and all because I couldn't go five minutes without a clumsy accident.

It wasn't until the next day that I tried to talk to Edward about it again.

"Maybe," I said, "it's time we talked about changing me. I can't stand what this is doing to your family. If I was like you, then Jasper wouldn't need to stay away and . . ."

Edward just got up and walked out of the room without a word.

Things got worse after that. He was barely speaking to me. He didn't even seem to be able to look at me without suddenly remembering his anger and pain, he huffed and sighed, pulled at his hair and clenched his hands into fists. Something was brewing. At some point all this tension had to break.

So I wasn't really surprised when Edward said we needed to talk. Sure, I was terrified, and panicked, but I wasn't surprised.

He led me into the woods, a little way from the house. Then he turned to look at me.

"Bella," he said softly, "it's time for me to go."

"To leave Forks?" I asked, so this was what they were going to do, move on, start over in a new place, it made sense. But, what did that mean for me? Was this it? Was this the moment I would change forever, had he led me into the woods so he could turn me into a vampire?

Now that the moment had come, I was afraid.

"Oh," I stuttered, "I suppose that I can't exactly say goodbye to Charlie, that would raise too many questions. Will he just think that I've disappeared?"

Edward looked temporarily puzzled, but he quickly collected himself, "you're not coming," he said.

"Oh," I said, "I suppose that might be suspicious, if I disappeared at the same time as your whole family. How long will we gave you wait? Does Alice know how long it will be before I can disappear without suspicion falling on you?"

I was wondering how I would sleep without him, but that seemed like a pretty thing to bring up. I needed to sound practical now, to convince Edward that I was ready for this, for him, for forever.

"You're not coming," he said again, "not ever. We're leaving without you. This is goodbye."

"I don't understand. What are you saying? We're in love. You said that your kind didn't change."

"We don't change," he agreed, "I feel the same today as I did when I met you."

"Then, what's happening? How can you? Why would you? Edward?"

He looked me in the eye, at last, "I don't love you," he said, "I have never loved you. I never could love you. You are human, plain, silly, a little girl playing games she doesn't understand."

I gaped at him, and he quirked his mouth into a tired smile.

"Oh, Bella," he said my name slowly, as if this was the last time he would ever say it, "didn't I tell you what a good liar I am?"

Then he turned heel and ran, away from me and into the woods.

I couldn't believe he'd gone.

Barely knowing what I was doing, I tried to follow. I ran, but he was long gone, I had no idea which way he had turned.

I ran and ran, probably calling his name, never hearing any response.

I'd always known that I wasn't enough for him. But for him to realise it, so suddenly, for him to leave, like this; it wasn't the ending I'd expected.

I ran until I fell. Then, not knowing where I was, which way I'd come, how to go one chasing him, I gave up and stayed in the mud.

I couldn't find my feet. I couldn't even move my head. I just lay, where he left me, crumpled up like a used tissue, soaked in tears and snot.

I don't think that I was waiting for anything. I don't think that I really expected him to come back. Why would he?

Yet, when I did hear footsteps, my first thought was - Edward!

I looked up.

I saw the flash of a vampire running towards me. I felt cool hands on my back and brushing my hair out of my face.

I looked into golden eyes,full of sympathy and sorrow. But they weren't Edward's eyes. It wasn't him who had come for me.

"Alice! What are you doing here? He said you'd all left."

She shook her head, "what did that foolish boy say to you? I never thought that he would be cruel. I knew he was going to say something stupid. But I never thought that he would hurt you. Even when I saw it, I still didn't think he really meant to do it. I thought he would change his mind, once he was looking at you face to face."

"He . . " I was going to defend him, to explain that he had only told me the truth, nothing worse, but I couldn't get the words out. When I tried to say that Edward had left me, all I could do was cry.

"Oh, Bella," Alice said, pulling me close in a hard hug, "I'm sorry. Come on, let's get you home before it gets dark. What on earth was he thinking, leaving you here in the woods all alone? When I catch up with him . . . Well, we'll worry about that later. Come on. You need to get home and into bed. I'm sure sleep will help, it's pretty much a cure all for humans."

She lifted me easily and led me back to the house.

I wasn't interested in eating, and Alice accepted that. She put a glass of water by my bed and let me alone.

She must have stayed to talk to Charlie, because he didn't disturb me that night and, the next morning, he already knew about the break up.

I walked downstairs in a bit of a daze. It was hard to believe that Edward was really gone, but there was no denying the empty space next to me when I woke up.

Charlie was sat in the kitchen waiting for me.

When I entered the room he looked up, examining me carefully, as if he thought that my choice in outfit might give him some important clues.

"How are you doing?" he asked. Then, seemingly feeling that he needed to push a bit harder, he added, "break ups are really tough."

I opened my mouth, but quickly found myself swallowing tears. I couldn't say anything without crying yet, apparently.

Charlie winced, he has never really been strong on the emotional stuff.

"Look," he said, "I know it's hard for kids to believe, but I really do understand what you're going through. I mean, when your mum . . ." he looked at the table and coughed unnecessarily. "This isn't about me," he said, gruffly, as if his voice was remembering swallowing tears of his own, "just try to believe I get it. If you want to take the day, just stay home, lick your wounds a bit, I'll write whatever note the school needs."

I gulped and sqeaked out, "thanks, dad."

He nodded, "yeah. But - remember I am talking from experience here - only take today, alright? Take one day to, y'know, be sad. Then, tomorrow, get back out there, get on with stuff, and distract yourself. Won't stop it hurting - we both know that - but it'll keep you from getting lost."

I stared at him. He's never opened up so much before. I couldn't imagine what had brought it on now, only that I must be looking like hell.

"OK," I said, though I couldn't imagine ever wanting to leave the house again, let alone tomorrow.

He nodded and then gulped back the rest of his coffee.

"I've got to get going," he said, "take it easy, try to eat, and I'll bring back pizza for dinner, alright? Love you, Bells, that guy never deserved you."

I couldn't speak again, but that was alright, Charlie didn't seem to expect a reply, he just left his coffee cup in the sink, grabbed his jacket, and left.

I was alone in the house.