Prologue

Bella's pov

8 years old

I don't understand why they pick on me. I know I'm not the prettiest girl at school, in fact I might be the ugliest. I have frizzy brown hair, dark black rimmed glasses, and I'm a few pounds over weight. But I'm smart, and kind, and I'm honest. But nobody knows that because nobody cares about who I am, just how I look.

Ok, let me start at the beginning. My mom and dad got a divorce when I was three. Then my mom moved to Phoenix, but I stayed to live with my dad. Now I wish I could go live with my mom. All the kids in this town make fun of me. The worst ones are Edward Cullen and Lauren Mallory. There's also the Cullen's, Emmett and Alice, Edward's siblings. And there's the Hale twins, Rosalie and Jasper. There's also Mike Newton, Jessica Stanley, Meagan Davis, and Josh Daniel's.

Lucky me, we are all the same age. I used to be best friends with Edward, but then he went on a trip with everyone else, and came back a completely different person. I was going to go to, but I went to visit my mom. Maybe if I had gone he would still be the same. I don't know what happened at that camp, but it was the start of my miserable life.

At school

" Watch where you're going you stupid freak," someone screeched. I looked up to see Lauren standing over me with a look of disgust on her face. I was on my way to lunch, when I slipped and fell right into Lauren.

I looked at her with fear in my eyes, I was about to say I was sorry when out of nowhere, the rest of my tormentors showed up. I considered running away but I would probably just end up falling, and anyway they had me cornered by the lockers.

" What the little worm do this time?" Rosalie spat. Ok, Rosalie never liked me so I wasn't upset when she insulted me.

" She ruined my shirt," Lauren complained.

I kept my mouth shut, I knew it would be useless. " Don't worry Lauren," Alice said, " it's still looks better than hers." Everyone laughed, everyone except Emmett. Emmett never laughed or made jokes about me, he even came up to me when no one was around to apologize.

" I can see why your parents got a divorce," Jasper said.

I clenched my jaw in anger. Someone always had to bring my parents up. " Aw," Edward said, " what's wrong Bella? Can't stand the fact that your parents hate you?"

I looked into his sneering face. I don't know what possessed me, but I pulled my fist back and punched him and broke his nose. He fell down clutching his nose and looking at me with wide eyes. Everyone's mouth was hanging open, including mine. I looked at everyone and they looked ready to attack me, so I ran. I ran all the way home.

I was leaning against the wall by my window, just looking up at the stars. I breathed deeply and closed my eyes. I had made my choice, I was moving to Phoenix with my mom. Now all I had to do was convince Charlie. I sighed, not a conversation I was looking forward to.

I opened my eyes to the sound of the phone downstairs. I ran as fast as I could without falling. " Hello?" I asked a little breathlessly.

" Bella?" a deep voice asked.

I sighed annoyed. " What do you want Emmett?"

He was surprised by my harsh tone. " I wanted to apologize," he said quietly.

" Oh now you want to apologize?" I snapped. Honestly I don't know where my courage came from but I was saying the things I should have said a long time ago. " You have really bad timing," I said.

" At least I'm apologizing," he said with a little anger.

" Thanks," I said sarcastically, " but next time maybe you can actually try defending me. Oh that's way to much to ask for because you don't have the nerve to stand up to your friends. Instead you wait until no one's around then you come to apologize," I snapped. Now that I was going I couldn't stop and my voice rose to where I was screaming. " So you know what Emmett? Apology Not accepted," I screamed, " and I'm going to do you and your friends a favor. I'm moving to Phoenix to get away from you jerks! And I am NEVER coming back. So when you get a conscience and the guilt is eating you alive, then you can call me and then I might actually forgive you."

And without waiting for him to reply I hung up. I was breathing deeply, I felt so relieved that I finally got that off my chest. " Bella," I heard someone whisper.

I turned around and saw my dad, Charlie, with tears in his eyes. He had heard everything, well that's not how I wanted him to find out, but hey it was easier this way.

" Is what you said true?" he whispered.

" Yeah," I said quietly, " I'm tired of all the kids here. They do nothing but mess with me. every time I try to stand up for myself they gang up on me. And I don't have any friends to defend me."

He looked really sad and guilty when he heard this. Before now I have never said anything about my situation at school. But now that I had I think it was a little bit easier for him to accept. He looked at me for the longest time, then he nodded. I smiled really big and jumped him with a hung, he hugged me tightly. He let go and smiled while I ran up the stairs to pack.

The next morning at the airport

" Are you sure about this Bells?" Charlie asked for about the hundredth time.

I sighed, " Yes dad."

" I can talk to the kids parents," he said in a desperate voice.

I shook my head, " I need a change." It was true, I was tired of being a miserable child.

Finally Charlie gave up and soon I was on the plane to Phoenix.