A beautiful smile graces the lips of Isabella Swan, Forks High's sweetheart.

She walks the hallway dressed in a simple pair of skinny jeans, a long-sleeve shirt that accentuates her curves without being too bold, her hair in a messy bun, and a pair of dirty converse finish her attire.

Just a simple look but it draws the eyes of the boys, who pant over her. A shy look flashes across her eyes and one might say she's being coy as she hugging her chemistry book to her chest and walks to class, her group taking up most of the space in the hallway.

Bella doesn't seem to match them; Jessica Stanley and Lauren Mallory are clad in expensive dresses and heels far too high for the rainy weather outside. Their faces are touched up with only the best of the best and they flaunt their beauty and wealth with little regard. She's aware of their shallow nature and what they strive for. But she tolerates it. After all, she's far too fond of the old memories to disregard them as quickly as they do.

Angela Webber is quite the opposite. She's a rather shy girl, very studious, she really only focuses on getting into a good college. A friend as old as time and almost like a sister. Much like Alice Cullen who she has known since she was in diapers. Alice, much like Jessica and Lauren, is completely aware of her beauty and wealth though she doesn't flaunt it. And, unlike those two, she was liked for her naturally bubbly personality.

Bella shakes her head at their antics as she reaches her class, waving them goodbye as she walks toward her seat. A pinch of pain startles her as she lowers herself onto her chair and she breathes through it.

It was a pain she was used to.

As the lights tune down and the video begins to play, Bella clenches her side. The pain seems particularly worse together and she bits her lip to hold in the tears.

"Hey, Bella," Mike Newton whispers in a hiss, leaning back from his seat in front of her.

"Yeah?" she smiles through the pain, like always.

"Party at my place Friday night. I was wondering if you wanted to come?" he asked, his boyish grin cute.

But she didn't have a thing for Mike Newton like most people believed. Why, she didn't understand. But she preferred that over anything else.

She glances over at him and plasters on her sweetest smile, "I'll think about it, Mike. Family dinners are Friday."

The lie flows like liquid, it was so easy.

Mike pouts a bit but nods, "Can't pressure the Chief's kid."

He leans forward again and she notices his shoulders drop. He'd been trying a lot harder this year and her constant excuses gave everyone reason to believe she was either too shy to say yes or too worried her father might say something as he is the Chief of Police. She was okay with letting them believe that.

She just truly wasn't interested and didn't know how to let him down easily.

When the bells rings, she's up on her feet and walking out of class, heading toward the cafeteria. Much like everyday, she fights the feelings of discomfort and anxiety as she enters the room booming with sounds of conversation. Bella grabs a tray loaded with a pizza, a small salad, a banana, and water. Not much, and not very filling, but she knew better than to fill her stomach completely.

Seated at her regular spot, the noise around her rises and she focuses on her food, occasionally piping in. Alice talks her ear off on her latest shopping spree and about the outfits she'd planned for every for Mike's party.

"You're coming, right?" Lauren interrupts the conversation, staring directly at Bella.

Suddenly, all the attention is on her again and her cheeks flair with bright redness.

"Family dinner, remember?" she whispers in a meek voice, shrugging her shoulders in a "what can you do" manner.

Lauren rolls her heavily-linered eyes, "Of course. Come on, Bella. You can't be so boring. You won't be top of the food chain around here if you don't attend all events."

Bella held back a sigh, finishing her salad, taking a sip of water.

"Totally uncalled for," Alice glares at Lauren who simply holds up her hands in defense.

"It's true. She walks around thinking she's untouchable. There's a new crowd rising through the ranks. And she's gonna be dethroned."

As the conversation continues, Bella retreats into herself, her mind much too full. With thoughts, arguments, memories. All she can think about was that night, just a few weeks ago.

The night her mother died.

It replays in her memory and it appears at the worst times. She doesn't want to remember. Just forget.

But the emotions that come with it overpower her and she finds herself standing up. Everything is going slow around her. As if the farther she walks, the slower time goes. Alice calls out after her but she pays her no heed.

When she reaches the door, she slams them open.

Her breath is hard, shaky.

She can't think anymore.

Why did this happen so suddenly?

She finds herself outside, the uncontrollable sobs taking over her small frame as she hangs onto the wall, toward the front of the school. All she sees in her mind is her mother's lifeless form. Filled with pain, sadness, regret.

Pain from the beatings Charlie had given her.

Sadness for what her life had become.

Regret because she couldn't spare her daughter.

Bella sobbed into her hands, the tears like a river. She couldn't breathe at all. Her chest felt suffocated.

How did one live knowing that her father had killed her mother?