Your depiction of addiction and its effect on those close to an addict is so accurate that parts of this chapter made me physically ill. That's a compliment even if it doesn't sound like one. I have never been so affected by a fanfiction story. Ever.

The part where Bella is wishing she were enough to help him, that she could be what Edward needed to stay sober -- heartbreaking. I think most people close to an addict experience this line of thinking at some point. "Was there something I could have said or done to help?" "Why am I not enough of a reason for this person to stay clean?" "Maybe if I had done this or that..."

I knew the relapse was coming, but there was a small grain of hope in me that thought maybe breaking it off with Bella really would help, he could get his act together and return to her when he was better equipped to handle a relationship. That wouldn't have been realistic, of course, since we could see Edward's behavior deteriorating in the past couple of chapters. We could all see it coming, but we still hoped for a different outcome, much like it happens in real life.

Great chapter, great story. I can't wait to read more.

 

I'm so mad at Edward right now, I can´t even talk!

 

omg this is freaking heartbreaking

Amazing....

Damn.

Damn, I thought the last chapter was heartbreaking.

Pretty dark, but I love it so far... Thanks for the chapter 1 :))

I have just finished your story, and I cannot believe how much I love it. Everything in it is perfect... the writing is sublime, so sparse, so accurate, so essential and yet so powerful.

Edward... what a wreck of a human being. He is so seriously broken, and it hurts how hard he's trying to put himself together, how much he despises himself, how guilty and inferior he feels. I cannot decide whether he truly loves Bella, or he just needs her, like another drug... his neediness is heartbreaking, like when he asks her to tell him she loves him. It totally makes sense what he does in chapter 18, even if it really makes no sense. I am seriously scared for him now  it seems inevitable that he's going to fall off the bandwagon, and i don't want him to, I care too much [angst]

I love it that you dont feel the need to constantly remind us how gorgeous he is- we know it, we get it, we glimpse it from how confident he is in his body.

And Bella... she's amazing. I mean, she's really innocent, in a way that few authors have managed to convey. She's an intelligent (both intellectually and emotionally) woman, very self aware, very mature, who is beautifully, realistically pure. She shines. Her hurt, her fear, are my own now.

 

Where do they go from here? I hope we have another chapter soon, I am dying to know. 

 

thanks for this amazing story.

I have just read all the chapters so far - bloody brilliant!  Hell of a cliffhanger now though, I am panicking and hoping against hope that Edward isn't going to fall back into his old habits.  Roll on the next chapter, and thank you for sharing your story with us!

I'm a new reader to your story, I was looking around for something to read and saw this rec'd on The Fictionators....and woah, I've read it all in two evenings. I LOVE IT. Your attention to details, your style, your characters...I only wish I could articulate why it's got me so hooked, but just woah, it's brilliant. Thankyou so much for sharing it with us, I cannot wait for the next update...what a point to read up to eh?! :)

awww...this was a really cute chapter. loving the story and glad for the many many recommendations i got for this story!

I completely adore your story, on several levels.

Thank you for sharing your writing with us.  I can't wait to see where you lead us next.

hmmm....i think i might be speechless. lol that was a very WOW first chapter!