Rebirth

I made my way home after my last class was canceled and I was dreading it. I grabbed a hot chocolate on my way home. I was stalling. I knew it.

The last couple of weeks have been awful. Ever since Jake found out about my acceptance to study abroad program he has been a big pain in my ass. We have been fighting nonstop. Jake didn't like that I had applied without asking him first. He doesn't like a lot of things nowadays. Over the last five years a lot of things had changed. It's only natural. People grow up, mature and they change. I've changed.

I climbed the steps outside of my apartment. I checked the time, it was going to be five. Jacob was working until seven, at least the apartment would be empty. I sighed. I needed to talk to Jake. Things couldn't continue like they've been the last couple of weeks.

I grabbed my mail and make my way up to the third floor. I heard my neighbors horrible taste in music blaring again. What grown-ass childless woman listens to Miley Sirus? I shook my head again.

Lauren Malory was the bane of my existence. She was a 3o something year old bleached blond, tanned, high pitched bitch that lived next door. She worked as a waitress in her uncles restaurant downtown while pursuing a career in modeling and was bad at it.

I made my way to my apartment and as a sense of dread crept over me. The music wasn't coming Laurent's apartment, it was coming from inside mine. I unlocked my door and walked in.

"What the hell?" I said while I watched Lauren's orange ass riding Jake.

Jake had been my first friend in Forks. We were best friends and he was the first boy to ask me out. I was fourteen and after two years of asking I finally gave in and we went out. Jake's father and mine where close friends growing up. They, of course were all for the relationship. They encouraged it, so we dated. Jacob ended up following me to Massachusetts and eventually found a job in a garage as a mechanic. It was ... difficult. Most girls would be thrilled to have their boyfriends follow them after them, but not me. I was hesitant to say the least and told him so. Jake convinced me it was just the nerves of moving and as naive as I was I believed him. Now here I am watching my first friend, the first person I ever trusted (outside my family) fuck Lauren Mallory on my couch in my home.

I watched as they continued their little fuck fest not noticing I was in the room nor that the door was wide open. My initial sadness quickly dissolved and become anger. I was pissed. How dare they! After all these years and all the shit I went through because of him. This is what I have to look forward to? Hell no!

I clenched my hands and walked to the iPod dock and turn the horrible music off. The Jonas Brothers? Really? It took a while for the two idiots to realize what had happened. I grabbed my bat from behind the door and walked right up to them.

"If you don't want to pay for another nose job you should get your orange ass off my couch and out of my apartment. " I said to Lauren pointing the bat Phil had given me all those years ago at her nose.

Laurent quickly got her clothes and stuff together and ran out the door. When she was gone I turned to look at Jacob. His dumb-ass sat there with a satisfied smirk on his face. It was quickly wiped off when he saw the bat in my hand.

Jacob jumped up and pulled his pants back on, "It's not what you think Bells."

I scoffed, "Really Jacob? I'm seeing things? Bullshit!"

"Let me explain Bells." Jacob cut me off pulling his shirt on.

"Explain what? I come home early only to find you fucking that slut on my couch. What's left to explain? You're lucky I grabbed my bat and didn't go get my gun." I said.

"It was a mistake Bells. I came home early after getting fired again and ran into Lauren. We got to talking and we started to drink." Jacob shrugged, "It was a mistake! It won't happen again." Jacob took a step in my direction.

I pointed the bat at him. "You stay away from me Jacob Black." I shook my head, "I can't do this anymore." I shook my head at him, "You have ten minutes to get as much of your crap and get your ass out of my sight before I go get my gun you lying cheating bastard." I said.

"C'mon Bells, I have nowhere else to go. I just lost my job! Can't we please talk about this? Work this out. I love you honey. Don't throw away seven years because of a stupid mistake." Jacob said walking up to me and grabbing my shoulders.

That stupid smile was on his face again. I brought my knee up and he went down hard.

"Frankly Jacob, I don't give two shits if you don't have anywhere else to go. I can't care less if you go shack up with that bitch." I shook my head at him "You have enough to get your ass back home to La Push. You have ten minutes." I stepped away from him.

It took him a minute, but he got up and groaning he started packing his stuff. When he was done and his bags were packed he walked to the door and turned to face me, "I forgive you for hitting me and kicking me out Bella. Call me in a couple of days, after you've calmed down. We might still be able to work this out."

He turned to walk away when I stopped him, "Wait." I walked up to him, he turned to face me with a smirk. I held out my hand, "Give me back my keys." After he handed back my keys I slammed the door on him.

I locked the door and put the chain on for good measure. I locked up the apartment and made a mental note to get a new couch. I changed into my pajamas and changed the sheets, then climbed into bed and finally let my tears fall.

Jake was one of the only friends I ever had. Growing up it was hard for me to make friends. I was too smart, too quiet, too 'weird' and I moved around a lot.

You see my mother was what you would call a free spirit. Hell some might go as far as to call her a hippy. She came to America when she was twenty and meet my father two years later when he arrested her for disorderly conduct. They were complete opposites, but they fell in love. I was the result of their love. I was six we were living in California, my father a cop, my mother a music teacher when all hell broke loose. My mother, Renee left my father Charlie taking me with her. Charlie fought Renee tooth and nail, but since they were never married the judge gave Renee custody. Charlie only getting visiting rights. It wasn't much, but it was enough to keep Renee from returning to her home country, England, and taking me with her. She moved us around a lot trying to rediscover herself. I still got to see my dad, he usually flew to wherever we were living at the time. We had settled in New York when Renee meet a baseball player by the name of Phil. We lived there until I was ten when my mother and Phil died.

After my mom and Phil died my grandparents came and I said goodbye to my mom. They talked to Charlie and he agreed to let me visit them. After that I went to live with my father. He had moved to Seattle to be close to his mom after his father passed away. We lived in Seattle for three years before we moved to Forks. After Charlie got shot at work he was offered a job as chief of police in his hometown and he accepted. We moved in with Grandma Marie and helped take care of her until she died a year and a half later.

I meet Jake on a trip to La Push, he was two years older than me. Grandma Marie loved to visit the beach where she meet Grandpa Samuel. Whenever the weather allowed it we always visited. Jake was the son of Charlie's oldest friend, Billy. Needless to say Jake and I became close. Jake was the only friend, other than Grandma Marie, I had in Forks. I was thirteen and I was in high school. I was really smart which only gave the kids at Forks High more reasons to pick on me. It was the worst two years of my life. I only bothered with high school at all because of Charlie. It wasn't so bad thought; I had my books, my photography and my music. I loved music it was the thing my mother passed to me before she died. She was the one who taught me how to play the cello and I fell in love with it. Grandma Marie was the one to put a camera in my hands. Before she died she share with me her love for photography. When she was younger she had worked for a magazine.

I got accepted to Harvard when I was still fifteen but was too 'young' to actually go. I spend two years taking online courses until I was able to actually attend. Charlie was proud of course but was hesitant to let me go. Only after Jake announced he was going with me did Charlie lay off and agreed. After two years of asking I finally gave in and we started dating. Jacob didn't ask me if it was okay, no one did. They assumed it would be okay since we were 'dating'. If you would call pizza with his friends at his dads house or watching the game with Charlie while I cooked something to eat a date. Hell we barely ever kissed, but as naive as I was I thought it was just nerves, but needless to say things just went downhill from there.

I got a job in a coffee shop shortly after I started school. I didn't really need it. I had a full ride and I didn't have to worry about money thanks to mom, Phil and my inheritance that kicks in when I turn twenty one. Jake on the other hand had a harder time finding a job. It took him a year and a half, but he eventually found a job at a garage. My relationship with Jake was difficult to say the least. He was the first boy that I've ever kissed but in our seven years together we've never gone all the way.

Jacob despised change and we constantly fought. Our relationship was rocky, but I loved him. He was my best friend and I trusted him. Looking back now I realized I was never in love with Jacob Black. Sure I loved him but it wasn't the same kind of love and I realize that now. So I cried. I cried for the friend I lost and I cried because when I opened that door and saw Jacob and Lauren I felt free.

The next day I woke up with a headache. I took some Advil and a shower and felt better. I put on my shoes, grabbed my keys, bag and phone and was on my way.

I returned two hours later with three big boxes and a new couch. The delivery guys were nice enough to take the couch out to the curb for me. After I gave them a nice tip I went back inside. I ordered some Mexican food and got to work. A half an hour later, all of Jacob's crap was packed up and downstairs waiting to get picked up and sent back to his father's house in La Push.

When I was done I felt like a big weight had been lifted off of my shoulders and it felt nice. Really nice. I paid for my food and sat down to watch an episode of House. Half way through a second episode my phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Bella!" the voice of my close friend Angela Weber sang.

I smiled, "Hey, Ang what's up?"

"Nothing much. Just wondering if you were up for some girl time?" she asked.

I smiled, "Sure"

"Great, be there in five." I shook my head at my phone.

I meet Angela Weber shortly after I started school and she became my closest friend. I ran into her in the bookstore. I literally ran into her and we ended up having a couple of the same classes. Angela was from Seattle and had two younger brothers. She was tall, had black hair with blue streaks, brown eyes and was really pretty. She was outgoing and was really talented. Angela was the one who told me about the study abroad program and encouraged me to apply. She helped me break out of my shell and encouraged me to express myself more. I don't know what I would have done had I never meet her.

My phone rang again, only this time it was Jacob. I ignored it and grabbed a beer. I was in the middle of editing my paper when there was a knock on my door.

"Bella! It's me!" Angela shouted.

"Come in Angela." I rolled my eyes. Even though she has a key she always knocks.

"I have big news! Incredible, big mind blowing news!" Angela rushes in.

I finished and saved my work and closed my laptop. "What's up Ang?" I chuckled.

Angela stood in front of me bouncing, "I was in a meeting with Mrs. Harris. I was about to leave when I remembered she was in charge of the study abroad program. I asked when the notices would be going out and she gave me this" Angela pulled out a big manila envelope and started bouncing, "I got it! I'm going!"

I got up and gave her a hug, "That's awesome Ang. We need to celebrate." I went to the fridge and got a couple of Jacobs beers.

"Thanks Bell's, but that's not all." Angela took a drink of her beer before continuing, "I asked her about you and after some hedging and pleading she gave me this." Angela pulled out another manila envelope. "Were going!"