My fingers trembled as I held the small postcard in my hand. I looked over my shoulder at the mounds of boxes that took up half of my new apartment.

How could I go back when my life was such a mess? I had plans. I had dreams. And somehow they seemed to stay just out of reach. Never quite close enough.

I hated admitting that I was a twenty-eight year old divorcee. I couldn't stand this new place. It was barely large enough for the things I'd brought from our house. His house, I guess. It wasn't mine anymore. He wasn't mine anymore.

My entire life was in these boxes now.

My cell phone rang and I knew before picking it up that it was my mother. She'd called seven times since I woke up this morning and texted me more time than I could count. I almost regretted showing her how to do it.

Bella, are you alright?...

Bella, did you get my last text?...

Bella, I called you…

It wasn't that I was avoiding her, I just didn't need to hear it. The sympathy in her voice. Everyone looked at me like I was a little girl who lost her puppy. In reality, I was just a woman that lost the life she thought she wanted.

"Hi, Mom," I answered. I sat down on the couch and ran my fingers through my hair.

"Hi, honey…" She murmured. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine."

"I thought I'd drive up there and bring you some food, I know the last thing you want to do right now is cook…"

"Mom, you don't have to do that." A small smile played on my lips. "Besides I don't cook much anyway." I played with the hem of my shirt. "Maybe that's why I wasn't good enough for him."

"Sweetheart, Michael Newton is a good for nothing son of a bitch. You were too good for him."

"Thanks." I tapped my foot anxiously.

"So did you get your invitation yet?" She asked.

"Invitation to what?"

"Your high school reunion, Bella. I saw an announcement in the paper…" She started. I glanced down at the postcard in my hands and frowned. "How exciting. You really should go, honey. I think it'd be good for you."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Because I just got divorced, Mom. Why would I want to go see all these people that I haven't seen in ten years just to tell them that my life has been a complete let down. I don't want to see their happy marriages or pictures of their kids. I don't want to listen to them talk about how much money they're making at their jobs." I scoffed. "It's just not a good time for me right now."

"They're separated you know…" She said.

I pursed my lips. I didn't need to ask who she was talking about.

"That's none of my business anymore," I said.

"I still talk to Esme every now and then…you know at the grocery store or at the diner sometimes. She always asks about you."

"Edward isn't a part of my life anymore. I haven't even seen him in ten years, Mom. It's over."

"That doesn't mean it can't start again, Bella. You two were good together."

"Listen, I have to go. I want to get some things unpacked before I head to bed."

"Okay. I'll put the sheets on your old bed just in case you decide to come."

"Goodnight, Bella."

"Night, Mom."

I hung up the phone and set it down on the small coffee table in front of me.

I reached over to the box beside me and rummaged inside for my yearbook from senior year. As I flipped the front cover open, I saw the scribbles of my classmates inside.

You're so sweet, Bella. Never change! –Jessica

Best friend, I can't wait for college. I just know it's going to be everything we hope it will be. I'm so lucky to have you in my life! XOXO –Alice

I laughed at the next entry.

Rosalie Hale

She really did know how to leave an impression in so few words.

I cringed as I turned the page and found his entry.

Bella,

The first time I saw you, I didn't think you were real. I thought I'd taken a baseball to the head and was lying on the ground unconscious. If that was the case, I didn't want to wake up.

You made this place tolerable for me. It wasn't baseball and it wasn't even my friends. It was you. You didn't treat me like everyone else did. You didn't see me like everyone else did. You saw the real me.

Despite the fact that high school is over and we're all moving away, I want you to remember how much you changed my life. I don't care if we're a thousand miles away from each other, just know that I'll always be loving you.

Edward

p.s. You look really hot right now

I slammed the book shut and buried my head in my hands.

Everyone thought it was strange, how easy I'd gotten over him. It was all a lie. I held on with the tips of my fingers, burning in pain just to make it look that way. It was hard. The hardest thing I'd ever done. Harder than allowing myself to fall in love again. Harder than this divorce. Just…hard. I didn't know if I could face him again, or any of them for that matter. That part of my life was a lie. Easy.

I sighed and got up to put the book away. As I passed the mirror in the hallway, I stopped and tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear as I stared at my reflection. Part of me wondered if he'd even recognize me. My hair was a little shorter, a little lighter. But I was still me, right?

I stumbled over to my open laptop and pulled up Google. I shook my head, almost telling myself I was an idiot for doing this. I quickly typed in his name in the search engine and hit enter.

I held my breath as the images started popping up on my screen. Ones from high school, when he played baseball. And ones from now.

He'd always been handsome, but now that he was older it looked like he'd really grown into it. No longer a high school boy. His face was strong, a slight scruff on his jaw. His hair was shorter, not so grown out and shaggy as it had been in high school.

I clicked on the first link under the pictures and it took me to a newspaper article. Edward was standing in front of one of the older buildings downtown with one arm around her and the other pointing to the new sign on the large, storefront window. Cullen Antiques.

I closed my eyes and my laptop before crawling into bed, leaving the boxes completely untouched.

I felt more alone than I'd felt in a long time. Mike and I hadn't slept in the same bed in months, but this was different. I had.. nobody. Except for a couple dozen classmates expecting me to show up tomorrow for a week of reunion activities.

I turned over and set the alarm on my phone for early the next morning. I had to get an early start if I was going to get to Forks on time.

I was going back.

A/N: So my retirement has turned into the type of retirement when I'm only retired if I don't have a good plot here we go again. : )

This story is based on the song "Easy" by Rascal Flatts and Natasha Bedingfield. JaimeArkin made me a fabulous banner to go along with this, which you can find on my twitter (MandyLeigh010) or my FB (Mandy Leigh).

Thank you to my prereaders ImHereToReview and RoyalTwiGal! To quote Mr. Fabolous "I'm a movement by myself, but I'm a force when we're together." You guys make me better! So thank you for your time : )

Chapter will be roughly 1,500-2,000 words. I've done shorter and longer ones before but this length seems to suit the story well. The whole story won't be more than 20 chapters, maybe even less than 15. Don't have an updated schedule at the moment. Probably not every day, but possibly at least once a week.

Thanks again for reading! I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Mandy