I know things are getting hairy for our erstwhile lovers and some of you are wondering if they're ever going to find their way back to each other. I'll tell you up front, that's not going to happen in this chapter. No, unfortunately, Edward hasn't hit his rock bottom yet. He has to sink just an inch or two lower into the sea of angst.
But before I give you the teaser I wanted to address the question of why. Why are we torturing these two characters? Why can't we just let them have a bit of happiness? Why do we insist on being cruel women? Good questions. And the answer, in my humble opinion, is because angst is an essential part of the narrative arch. There can be no light without dark, no love without hate and frankly Edward can't come to grips with who Bella truly is without walking down some dark roads of his own.
So he's a bit of an asshole when he's hurt. He says things he shouldn't. He does things he shouldn't. And it's not just there to yank your chain, it's because that's what real people do. At least it is in my experience. But at least working through these challenges is what allows us to grow. Right? And Edward needs to grow and in particular, grow up. However many years he's existed, he's still an 18 year old boy when it comes to romantic relationships because he's never allowed him self to experience these emotions with anyone else. And clearly he needs to work through some issues.
Who knows angst better than a 15 year old guy living out in rural Virginia?
I don't know but Justin Williams, the artist who took this photo,
definitely has my vote for best pictorial capturing of this emotion.
So....please bear with us through these next few dark chapters. We're getting to the end of the self-inflicted pain and soon we'll be moving on into the land of catharsis. And just so you know, Catharsis-ville is filled with lemons. Whole groves of them. *wink* And now, this week's teaser:
“Slow down there, Edward,” she grabbed his arm, breaking his stride as he tried to streak past her. “Who lit a fire under your ass?”
Edward shook her off angrily. “Leave me the hell alone, Rosalie,” he spat back before pointing an accusatory finger in her face. “Not one more word out of you. ‘Maybe you still have a chance at happiness,’” he sneered as he quoted her words from just a few days ago. “’Don’t you want some sort of closure?’ Ha! Closure?” He savagely dragged his hand through his hair in order to prevent himself from shaking the living daylights out of his sister. “Do you know what kind of ‘closure’ I got, Rosalie? Can you guess?”
Rose’s eyes were wide and wary. “I’d be willing to bet it wasn’t what you were hoping for.”
“And the lucky streak continues!” Edward whirled away, forcing the palms of his hands into his eye sockets as if he could somehow block out the vision of Bella entwined with her lover. “No, it wasn’t what I was hoping for,” he whispered bitterly.
So what now? You’re going to run away, then? There was no accusation in her thoughts, just regret for somehow precipitating the pain her brother was in and sorrow for how their parents would ache for him during his absence. Will you come back?
“I don’t know,” he sighed wearily. “I just can’t…I can’t be here; not knowing she’s here too.” With him, he silently added. He looked up into Rose’s eyes, struggling not to break down like a child, begging for her to understand.
Go…I’ll explain to Carlisle and Esme. She stepped aside so he could get to his car. “Just…please call them so they know you’re ok.” Don’t stay away long, Edward. Please. He saw her standing in the open door of the garage, watching him as he sped down the drive and out of sight.
The playlist song for this chapter is Wasted by Def Leppard:
2 comments:
Awesome teaser I can't wait for the next chapter where Edward starts growing up.
and I know you girls are not cruel, you are both just awesome writer!
As much as I want things to even out for these two, I completely agree with the need for the darkness to appreciate the light. *sigh* I'll keep my tissues on hand through these next few angsty chapters.
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