thing　that　you　told　me。〃　Including　the　words　that　had　negated

all　the　rest。

He　brushed　the　tip　of　his　cool　finger　against　my　lower　lip。　〃Bella；　you　seem

to　be　under　a

misapprehension。〃　He　closed　his　eyes；　shaking　his　head　back　and　forth　with

half　a　smile　on　his　beautiful

face。　It　wasn't　a　happy　smile。　〃I　thought　I'd　explained　it　clearly　before。

Bella；　I　can't　live　in　a　world　where

you　don't　exist。〃

〃I　am〃　My　head　swam　as　I　looked　for　the　appropriate　word。　〃Confused。〃　That

worked。　I　couldn't

make　sense　of　what　he　was　saying。

He　stared　deep　into　my　eyes　with　his　sincere；　earnest　gaze。　〃I'm　a　good　liar；

Bella；　I　have　to　be。〃

I　froze；　my　muscles　locking　down　as　if　for　impact。　The　fault　line　in　my　chest

rippled；　the　pain　of　it　took　my

breath　away。

He　shook　my　shoulder；　trying　to　loosen　my　rigid　pose。　〃Let　me　finish！　I'm　a

good　liar；　but　still；　for　you　to

believe　me　so　quickly。〃　He　winced。　〃That　was　excruciating。〃

I　waited；　still　frozen。

〃When　we　were　in　the　forest；　when　I　was　telling　you　goodbye—〃

I　didn't　allow　myself　to　remember。　I　fought　to　keep　myself　in　the　present

second　only。

〃You　weren't　going　to　let　go；〃　he　whispered。　〃I　could　see　that。　I　didn't　want

to　do　it—it　felt　like　it　would

kill　me　to　do　it—but　I　knew　that　if　I　couldn't　convince　you　that　I　didn't

love　you　anymore；　it　would　just

take　you　that　much　longer　to　get　on　with　your　life。　I　hoped　that；　if　you

thought　I'd　moved　on；　so　would

you。〃

〃A　clean　break；〃　I　whispered　through　unmoving　lips。

〃Exactly。　But　I　never　imagined　it　would　be　so　easy　to　do！　I　thought　it　would

be　next　to　impossibl