dusk

chapter 11

When we got to the airport we went through all the usual stuff you go through at an airport. We waited in line to get our tickets, we waited for our bags to get weighed, we took the tram to the terminals, we found the correct terminal, and we sat and waited. We got to our terminal with forty-five minutes to spare. Charlie got up to go to the restroom but I hardly noticed.

Tonight was the night of the war. Tonight when the moon comes out, the war would start and Edward would be in it. I almost cried when I remembered how cold I had been to him; how I hadn't even told him I loved him. What if he dies? What if he dies thinking I don't love him?

As I was thinking someone came up and sat right next to me, in Charlie's spot. I thought that was unusual for an airport. As I was turning around to tell him that the seat next to me was taken, recognition hit me.

"Laurent!" I cried, giving him a big hug. I don't know when we got so close, but he didn't seem bothered by my embrace. He just hugged me back.

"Running away, also, are we?" he asked once we had let go of each other. I looked down at the carpet, ashamed.

"I'm not running away. I was forced to go." I corrected him in a hard tone.

"Ah, yes. Your overly protective boyfriend wanting to keep you safe?" he asked in understanding.

"I don't know if we're really together anymore," I mumbled softly.

He raised his eyebrows in disbelief.

"I gave him the cold shoulder before I got here. I'm not letting myself feel anymore," I said to him just as much as to myself.

"Pardon me but I find that ridiculous. We all feel and that's not something we can just decide not to do anymore," he said. I looked at him with sorrow in my eyes.

"And I also find your behavior incredibly rude, selfish, and cold. And I know you and you are none of those three," he said.

"Selfish?" I started. My voice was filled with anger. "I left for him!"

"Isabella, just because you decide not to feel pain anymore doesn't mean Edward has," he said, his voice filled with ancient grief. I almost cried right there as I realized what he was saying.

"Rude because he loved you. He gave up his life and the safety of his family for you. He fought a vampire who I thought to be invincible and now is going against mobs, werewolves, vampires, and Tribal Elders," he continued. A tear slid down my face.

"And cold because today is the war. Today he does battle on your behalf and today is the day he needs you most," he said. I suddenly got angry at him for trying to make me cry.

"Are you trying to make me feel bad?" I yelled at him.

"Partially. More generally, I'm just trying to make you feel," he qualified.

"Why?" I asked, suddenly ashamed at myself for yelling at him.

"Because you need to feel. You need to go to him. You shouldn't be leaving him, you should be following him," he said.

"But he doesn't want me there!" I objected. I was going to say more but he cut me off with a wave of his hand.

"He doesn't want you there, he needs you there," he said simply.