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I sat in the recliner staring at the phone, expecting it to ring. I exhaled. I've been sitting here for nearly an hour. Bella would be home in half an hour. He said he would call…
I stood up and paced. I glanced over at the mantle and looked over our wedding pictures. I picked up a picture of Bella and I on our wedding day. Bella look beautiful as ever, we both were smiling at the camera. We looked so happy. I sighed and placed the picture back. I picked up a book covered in lace and flipped to a random page. Then something caught my eye.

To Mike and Bella, the best of luck to both of you. You really deserve her Mike, you're a lucky man. Bella, you better take
Care of him and give him the love he deserves!
- Eric Yorkie

I felt tears coming so I put the book down and walked away.
Eric Yorkie, my love, my high school sweetheart. The only reason
we weren't together in high school was because my parents started getting suspicious. Me and Eric used to go camping every other weekend. That was, until my dad found condoms in my camping bag. He started asking questions so as a cover, I asked Jessica out. I knew she had a thing for me so it was easy. Only then did my dad back off. How I wound up with Bella started out as a romantic night out with Eric…

Eric and I snuck out one night and went to the forest. It was just a normal romantic evening between us two when we heard a noise several feet away followed by a sob. I panicked.
"Hello?" I shouted.
"Mike?" The voice said, it was Bella.
"Christ…" I whispered.
"I'll see you later," Eric said quietly, giving me a quick kiss goodnight. "I love you."
"I love you too," I whispered back. Eric slipped into the darkness. I sighed and turned towards Bella's voice.
"Mike?" she sounded worried.
"Yeah, I'm here Bella," I walked towards her voice. I found her sitting against a tree with tears flowing down her face. I sat with her.
"What's wrong," I asked.
"Oh Mike! Edward went camping with his brothers so I went to La Push to get my mind off of him. But on the way home, my truck broke down. I don't have a cell phone so I had to walk home. It just really hasn't been my day," she sobbed. I put a comforting arm around her shoulder and she wrapped her arms me and cried on my chest. I wrapped my arms around her awkwardly.
I felt weird, now only because Bella was crying in my arms, not even because we were all alone in the middle of the night, but because the memories of Eric and I were still in my mind from earlier that night. His scent was still fresh in my mind, the tingly sensation of that goodbye kiss still lingered on my lips.
I stroked Bella's hair and patted her back. Slowly, the crying stopped.
"Mike…" She looked up at me. She pulled me close to her and kissed me. I pulled away automatically.
"So you're gonna reject me too?" She spat at me. The words ran through my mind. So Cullen had rejected her? She was so soft and beautiful in the moonlight. I'd always liked her since she moved here. I thought she didn't like me but I guess I was wrong…
I had unthinkingly pulled her closer. She took this as a sign to continue. My mind told me to stop but my body wanted it. I slowly began to kiss her back. After a while, she stopped and looked at me.
"Please," she whispered, "Please, Mike." Then she began kissing my neck and working her hands slowly down my chest. I caved.

Some time near dawn, I'd woken up. I looked to my left and Bella was asleep, covered with my jacket. Our clothes were scattered everywhere. I got up to put my clothes on. I went to pick up my shirt when I found, just a foot away from it, a used condom. No doubt the same one I had brought with me with the intentions of using it with Eric. My lip trembled. I sat down and covered my face with my hands, tears started to roll down my face. Eric loved me more than anything in the world! How could I have betrayed him like this! I heard Bella stirring so I straightened up and walked over to her.I knelt by her side and she automatically opened her eyes. She sat up, clutching the jacket to her chest. She took a quick look around.
"Where are we?" she asked.
"I don't really know… my guess is wherever we were last night."
She smiled and leaned over to give me a quick peck on the lips before she got up to get dressed. My heart twinged, but I put a smile on my face. Now that I came to think of it, Eric was going to college in Boston while I was going to college in Seattle. It's not like we could really be together. I heard Bella was going to school in Seattle too… While I was thinking, I didn't notice Bella had dressed and was sitting front of me. She grabbed my hands, breaking my reverie.
"Mike…" she started,"I know what happened last night was really sudden but… I don't know if it was just me but I felt something. I'm going to break up with Edward, I'm not asking you to break up with Jessica but…" I looked at her, her face was growing red and her eyes appeared cautious.
"Yeah," I said, "Do you really want to be with me?" She nodded. I smiled.
"Okay." She kissed me and stood up. I got up. "So I'll see you in school tomorrow?" she asked smiling.
"I'll be there," I replied smirking.
"Great." She gave me a swift kiss on the cheek and turned to walk away. Then she stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Oh Mike?"
"Yes?" I replied.
"Don't tell Jessica," she said coyly and winked. I couldn't help but smile.
"I wouldn't dare." I promised. Then she proceeded to walk away. Once she was out of sight I sighed and walked toward the unforgiving condom. I made a small hole in the dirt and buried it. I got up and slowly walked home.

That day, I broke up with Jessica. The following day, Bella gave me a note to meet up with her later. It also told me that she broke up with Cullen. About a week later, the Cullens moved to San Diego. During this time, I tried acting normal with Eric, but I felt incredibly guilty the entire time. I could go on doing this for much longer. Bella and I continued to have late night rendezvous. After graduation, I asked Bella out. Eric asked why I'd done this and I lied and told him it was just a cover. Bella and I went out to dinner, to movies, and did everything couples do. I had never been happier, but also I had never felt guiltier. The day before Eric left for Boston, I came clean about everything.

"You lying piece of -"
"Eric, PLEASE LISTEN TO ME! I'm sorry, okay!"
"Everything we had meant NOTHING to you?!" He covered his face as he let out a painful cry. By now I was crying harder than before. He was breaking my heart. But I had hurt him so much more, I guess I deserve this.
"Eric, baby-"
"Don't you 'Eric baby' me! Get out of my house!" He walked over to the door and pointed outside."NOW!"
I rushed over to him angrily and kissed him. The kiss was was rough and passionless. I truly still loved him but I couldn't take all his rage. I wanted to show him I still wanted him. He started to kiss me back but just as soon as it started, it ended and he pushed me off of him and I fell down his front stairs. When I recovered he said "You can't have us both," and slammed the door.

After that, I live and breathed Bella. I gave her everything she could ever want. That wasn't very hard because the only real thing she ever wanted was sex. Which was fine by me... After college, Eric moved back in with his parents. Also after college Bella and I got married. Everyone in Forks was invited. At the wedding, things between Eric and I were a little awkward, but we were friendly. After the wedding, Eric and I exchanged emails. But afterwards, before we parted, he gave me a tender kiss. I was too shocked to react, but when I finally caught myself, he was long gone. Married life with Bella and I was normal and content. Days went by, months, years. Eric and I have kept in touch, sending emails from time to time, talking about dreams, ambitions, and our problems. He was always so kind, so eager to lend an ear, so easy to love… Recently I had gone to Seattle to visit him, he'd gotten a job offer and moved there. While I was there, every move he made seemed sensual, every word loving, everything he said had a meaning. We talked a little about out past and he looked me square in the eye and told me he love me. That he always has and he always will. He told me to leave Bella and to run away with him. To live out the rest of our days together. Then he kissed me. The kiss was so raw and pure that it brought back all of our memories. Our first kiss, the first time he told me he loved me, our first night together… The kiss filled me with passion I haven't felt since that night in the forest when it was just us two. Before Bella came into the picture… Without bella…

I glanced at the clock and then at the phone. Bella would be home any minute now. My face felt hot so I went into the kitchen and splashed water on my face. He will call, he will call… I chanted to myself. Just like a prayer answered from god himself, the phone rang. I raced to the phone and picked it up.
"Hello?" I nearly shouted into the phone.
"Hey," the voice was Eric's. My heart skipped a beat.
"Eric, when are you coming?"
"When should I be there?" He asked.
"Um, I guess tomorrow morning, before 5. Bella has to get up for work by then." I heard a car pulling into the driveway. "Eric," I hesitated.
"Bella's here? Alright, I'll see you tomorrow around 4:30." He sighed.
"Okay," my voice broke, "I love you babe."
"I love you too," he said reassuringly. "Bye."
"Bye…" I whispered. I hung up the phone. Bella walked through the door, dropping her purse and jacket on the couch on her way to me.
"Hi Mikey," she kissed my cheek, "how was your day?" It was going to be a long night.
We had dinner, watched a movie while cuddling on the couch. Bella fell asleep on the couch so I carried her to our bed, laid her down and tucked her in. She opened her eyes and smiled. She pulled me in for a kiss.
"I love you, Mikey" she mumbled. My eyes began to water and guilt hit me like a ton of bricks.
"G'night Bells." I managed to get out the room. I went out to the dining room and completely lost it. I wish this all had never happened. I wish life was simple with either Bella had never interfered or that Eric had never come back into my life. I pulled out a sheet of paper and a pen and wrote my goodbye letter.

Bella –
I'm leaving. I don't feel like things are working out. I will never forget our time together. I still love you but I need space. I don't expect to return. Please forgive me, I am so sorry.
Mike

I folded the note and placed in in my pocket. I couldn't sleep so I stayed up to pack last minute things and wandered around the house. When the time neared 4:30, I went into our bedroom and placed the note that I had written and read so many times during the night onto Bella's nightstand. I leaned down to kiss Bella's cheek and pull up the covers. I stood and watched her sleep until my watch beeped. 4:30. I silenced it quickly and walked out of the room, taking one last look at Bella before quietly shutting the door. I walked towards the front door, gathering my bags on the way. I took one last look around the house to make sure I had everything. Lastly, I placed my wedding band on the dining room table. I walked out of the house and into the chilly morning air. Just as I reached the bottom step, Eric's car pulled around the corner. I quickly walked over to the trunk of the car. He'd already popped it open so I loaded my bags in. I shut the trunk and went around the car to climb in the passenger seat.
"Good morning," he said quietly. I looked over at him. I leaned over, cupping his face in my hand, and kissed him gently. I rest my forehead against his.
"Good morning," I sighed. I leaned back to look him in the eye. His eyes were sparkling with hope. Right then, I knew I made the right choice. I leaned against the back of the seat and Eric turned his eyes to the road and put the car in drive. He intertwined his fingers with mine and we rode off toward the rising sun.

The End.