It's been over a decade since the release of Breaking Dawn in bookstores worldwide put an end to Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series, but fans still can't stop obsessing over the vampires and shape-shifters of Forks, Washington. Internet trolls often joke about how many things are "still a better love story than Twilight," but nearly everyone who actually read Meyer's best-selling books or watched the incredibly successful Summit Entertainment films based on them believes otherwise. In fact, most "Twihards" consider Edward Cullen and Bella Swan's love story to be one of the greatest ever told.

Edward and Bella's attraction to each other was instant and all-consuming, and despite the various setbacks thrown their way—from vengeful rival bloodsuckers to a love triangle with their future son-in-law—nothing and no one was able to stop the couple from attaining their happy ending together at the conclusion of Meyer's epic saga. Some Twilight fans will always wish Bella ended up with her best friend Jacob Black, but it was clear throughout the saga that Edward and Bella were meant for each other. That being said, they still may not have been the perfect couple that some fans choose to believe they were.

Edward's over-protectiveness kept him from respecting Bella's personal boundaries and Bella's dependency on her soulmate kept her from enjoying life whenever they were apart. Issues like these may not have seemed significant back when we first enjoyed Meyer's beloved supernatural-romance saga, but in retrospect, such glaring problems really shouldn't be ignored or forgiven. Here are 20 Things About Bella And Edward's Relationship In Twilight That Make No Sense (And Fans Ignore). 

EDWARD WAS INITIALLY DRAWN TO BELLA'S SCENT

Even though most logical individuals agree that it's better to better to fall for someone's personality or mind rather than merely their appearance, people across the world romanticize the idea of "falling in love at first sight" and truly believe that it's possible to find one's soulmate within mere seconds of meeting them based solely off of attraction to their physical characteristics. For Edward, his initial draw to Bella was even more ridiculous—all he had to do to become completely infatuated with his eventual wife was smell her.

Bella's blood was even more alluring to vampires than normal human blood, and Edward couldn't ignore its sweet and irresistible scent. He eventually found Bella to be beautiful and became attracted to her personality as well, but if Bella didn't have such aromatic blood coursing through her veins, Edward may not have desired her so strongly.

EDWARD MAY HAVE SIMPLY WANTED WHAT HE COULDN'T HAVE

All vampires are gifted with hardened skin that shines when exposed to sunlight, enhanced speed, and superhuman strength, but some vampires also benefit from additional powers. When Edward became an immortal, his knack for reading people was amplified into an ability to actually read minds.

When Edward met Bella, he was shocked to discover that she somehow was able to mentally shield herself from his special gift. This made Edward incredibly curious about Bella. Her thoughts were the only ones he couldn't access on his own, and it's entirely possible that his obsession with Bella initially started as him wanting something he couldn't have.

EDWARD CONSTANTLY PUT BELLA'S LIFE AT RISK

When Edward first recognized his feelings for Bella, he fled from Forks in an attempt to keep her out of harm's way. He soon realized he was incapable of leaving her side for long, and convinced himself that he could become Bella's protector instead of her greatest threat. Edward claimed that he would do anything to keep Bella safe, yet he was the primary reason her life was endangered so many times throughout the Twilight series.

James decided to hunt Bella in an attempt to provoke Edward, and when Edward ended James' life, Victoria set her sights on Bella in revenge. Bella's life was also threatened when a paper cut prompted Jasper to try to attack her, and when Edward later attracted the attention of the Volturi. If not for Edward, Bella could have led a normal, danger-free life.

EDWARD LEFT BELLA ALONE AND DEPRESSED

Edward knew from the very start of his relationship with Bella that her life would be far less dangerous without him in it. He ignored that fact and stayed with Bella even after she almost perished at James' hands, but when her life was again threatened by his own adopted brother, Edward finally decided it was best for him to leave Forks and abandon Bella for her own safety.

By the time Edward accepted the truth about Bella being safer without him, she was absolutely dependent on him and unable to live life without him by her side. So, in leaving Bella when he did, Edward made things even worse as he sent her plummeting into a horrible sadness that she was entirely unable to escape from.

BELLA AND JACOB HAD BETTER CHEMISTRY

Bella spent the first several months after Edward left her either going through the motions at school or alone in her bedroom, refusing to accept or move on from their surprising breakup. It wasn't until she started spending time with her friend Jacob Black that she was finally able to find some semblance of happiness again.

Jacob was able to put a genuine smile on Bella's face, and she became as dependent on him as she used to be on Edward. They had great chemistry together, and fans who value being friends with a significant other before entering into a relationship with them found themselves rooting for brooding heartthrob Edward to stay away so Bella could end up with optimistic and caring Jacob instead. Unfortunately for those "Team Jacob" , that wasn't what Stephenie Meyer had in mind.

HE WATCHED HER SLEEP BEFORE THEY WERE A COUPLE

Some individuals dislike the idea of even their significant other watching them while they sleep, but in romance books and films, staring at someone who is off in dreamland is often meant to be a sign of true love because it's an opportunity to see a soulmate looking peaceful and content. The problem with Edward's observation of Bella's sleeping, however, is that he started watching her before they even got to know each other.

Edward liked to break into Bella's room in the middle of the night and just stare at her as she slept. At the time, the duo weren't even friends, let alone lovers, so this practice really shouldn't be considered romantic. It was disturbing, and even the biggest Edward and Bella fans shouldn't forgive him for this.

EDWARD IS COLD AND STATUESQUE

Edward was one of the most handsome teenagers in all of Forks, so it's no big surprise that Bella became so incredibly attracted to him. His good looks were only enhanced when he became a vampire, but unfortunately, the transformation into an immortal brought with it some serious downsides that fans often ignore when they imagine themselves lying next to Twilight's leading man.

Vampires' skin is incredibly cold due to the lack of blood coursing through their veins, and it is far more impenetrable than normal human flesh. Cuddling up to a vampire would be a similar experience to cuddling up with a marble statue. That's why, when Bella, Edward, and Jacob all shared a tent at the top of a snowy mountain, Bella choose to share a sleeping bag with her best friend over her boyfriend.

EDWARD RARELY ENCOURAGED BELLA TO SEE HER FRIENDS

When Bella moved to Washington to live with her father Charlie in Twilight, she found herself completely alone and without friends at Forks High School. Luckily, it didn't take very long for Bella to meet people like Mike Newton and Jessica Stanley, who went out of their way to make her feel at home.

Bella's human friends were a very important part of her life for her first few weeks at Forks, but when she started getting close to Edward, she completely abandoned them. She went back to them when Edward and the rest of the Cullens abandoned her in New Moon, but once her boyfriend returned, Bella went right back to neglecting her friends. Edward loved being possessive and over-protective of Bella, so he did nothing to encourage her to have a social life outside of just being with him all the time.

HE MADE BELLA FEEL GUILTY FOR WANTING TOGETHERNESS

Edward grew up in the early 1900s, so it's understandable why he's so old-fashioned when it comes to his views on togetherness before marriage. What's far less understandable, however, is why he made Bella feel so guilty all the time for wanting to take their relationship to the next level.

During their first kiss, Edward dramatically backed away from Bella. He continuously told her about his desire to wait until they were married to do anything more than kiss, and anytime Bella implied she wanted more, he embarrassed her or made her feel ashamed of her feelings. At one point, Bella even itted, "you really make me feel like I'm some sort of villain trying to steal your virtue."

THEIR HUGE AGE GAP

At first glance, Edward and Bella appear to be a perfectly age-appropriate couple. Bella was turned into a vampire when she was eighteen years old, while Edward will forever look like a seventeen-year-old because that was his age when Carlisle Cullen chose to save his life by granting him immortality. Looks, however, can be deceiving.

Edward was actually born in 1901, making him 104 when he met Bella at Forks High School in 2005. Bella was just an awkward teenager, but Edward had been alive for over a century and was thus significantly more intelligent and experienced than his sudden crush. Even if was physically a suitable match for Bella, he was emotionally and mentally far too old for her.