I POV – Thirteen years old. (Almost fourteen.)

I ran down the stairs and out of the front door, eager to meet my best friend and go to school. Edward met me on my drive every morning at 8:30 sharp. We took about twenty minutes to walk to school, and the other ten were spent just being together.

I reached the end of the drive and didn't see him anywhere.

Hmmm. That's odd. Edward's never late.

Oh well. Maybe Alice, his sister, had finally managed to get hold of him this morning. She was always determined to dress him in something 'better' than his usual jeans and t-shirt. She always complained about his hair too. Personally, I loved how his long, bronze locks always looked as though he had just rolled out of bed.

I stood and waited excitedly for him.

It was our first day back at school after the summer holidays. I had been forced to go and spend the entire time in Arizona with my mother. My parents had divorced when I was four years old and I had been bought up by my dad in Forks.

I hadn't seen Edward the whole time and had hardly been able to speak to him. He understood though.

I was so excited to see Edward again. We had been best friends since we were about three years old. Almost eleven years. The thing I regretted most about being away this summer was that I had missed Edward's fourteenth birthday. Ever since we were four, we hadn't spent our birthdays apart. I had actually laid in bed crying on his birthday this year because I hadn't been there for him.

Edward still didn't turn up. I looked down at my watch and was shocked to see that it was almost nine.

I pulled out my phone and dialled Edward's number. He didn't answer.

I tried calling Alice instead.

Alice was Edward's older sister. She had recently turned 16 and had just gotten her first car. Our schools were right next to each other.

"Hey Izzy sweetie. What's up?"

"Hi Alice, ummm, you don't know where Edward is do you?"

"Where Edward is? Isn't he at yours?"

"No. He was supposed to meet me at half eight. Same as always. But he wasn't here. I tried calling him, but he didn't answer."

"Oh. So, where are you?"

"Still at home. I didn't realize what the time was. Now I'm gonna be late for the first day of school!"

"Ok. I'm on my way. I'll be right there sweetie."

"Thanks Alice."

As I waited for Alice to arrive, I wondered where Edward could have gotten too. He had never been late before, except once when Alice had managed to tackle him before he left the house and had insisted on gelling his hair. Even then he had only been about two minutes late because he had sprinted the whole way.

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"I have no idea where Edward is, Izzy. I tried phoning him several times on the way here." Alice told me when she picked me up.

"You don't think anything happened to him do you?" I asked, nervously.

"I don't know....I hope not. Let's not panic just yet though!" she said, seeing my impending panic attack. "Let's just get you to school, and we'll see if he's there, then we'll decide what to do next if he isn't, ok?"

"Ok. I'm just really worried. He's never been late before...Ever."

"I know sweetie. I'm sure he's ok though...maybe he didn't feel well and went home? We have to think of all the possibilities honey, not just the scary ones, alright?"

"Yeah. Ok."

I took a deep breath to calm myself.

"I can't believe that I'm gonna be late for the first day though! And so are you!"

"Don't worry about it Izzy. I'll come in with you and talk to the receptionist, ok. You know how I can wrap people around my little finger when I want!"

I laughed, knowing full well just how Alice always got her own way.

She was so cute and spunky. She had long caramel coloured hair, the same as her mom and had it tied in high pigtails most of the time. It made her look so sweet and innocent, though everyone who knew her knew that the complete opposite was true. I was an only child, so I loved that Alice talked to me. It was almost like having a sister. Her and Edward's older brother Emmett treated me like his little sister too. He was eighteen and was nearly finished at school. He would be leaving to go to college soon. I would really miss him. Emmett always reminded me of a bear. He was big. He must have been about 6' 6" or something. He was taller than his father by at least 3-4 inches. He had cute dimples though. He was really cheeky and playful. I loved him to bits.

Alice pulled out her phone again but sighed as she hung up.

"Still no answer." she grumbled, flicking a strand of hair out of her face.

I sometimes envied Alice her looks. Although she was short, she was beautiful. She had large bright blue eyes, a cute nose and a brilliant smile. She was also slim and toned.

I, on the other hand, had short dull brown hair, boring brown eyes and was fat.

Alice always said that I wasn't fat. I was just a little chubby according to her. She said that I would balance out when I was older, but I didn't believe it. I was a little tomboy, and preferred rough housing with Emmett or Edward to doing my hair or playing with makeup. The way I looked was also the reason I called myself Izzy. I didn't think I was pretty enough to be called anything more girly.

That was the reason I had such short hair. I couldn't be bothered to mess around with it in the mornings. It was just cut in a plain, straight chin length bob with no layers or anything.

I wished that I was more beautiful, but I knew I never would be. I never understood why a family as attractive as the Cullen's liked me. Even their parents, Carlisle and Esme were beautiful. Still, Edward always told me that he thought I was beautiful. I always told him he was an idiot. He finally realised that I would never believe him, so instead told me that no matter what anyone said about what I looked like outside, I was still the most beautiful person on the inside that he had ever met.

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We finally reached the school and Alice walked into the reception with me.

"Hi, Mrs Cope." she said, smiling sweetly.

"Hello, Alice dear. What can I do for you?"

"I wanted to make sure Izzy didn't get in trouble for being late. There was a problem with her getting in. Her father was called out to work early and forgot that Izzy didn't have another way of getting here in time. She called me to go and get her."

"Oh yes. Of course. I'll just change the register and mark her down as attending. There we go, all done dears."

"Thank you Mrs Cope! Sorry for the bother."

"Oh it's no bother, Alice. I'm glad you managed to get here Izzy."

"Thank you, Mrs Cope." I murmured.

I forgot to mention, I'm very shy and quiet. I only really talk around the Cullen's, and even then mainly to Edward.

Mrs Cope smiled at me sweetly and wished me a good day at school.

As I picked up my bag to go to class, Alice pulled me aside.

"Ok, I'm gonna head to my own class now, but text me if you don't see Edward at all, ok?"

"I will. I hope he's ok...."

"I'm sure he is sweetie. Hopefully I won't speak to you till this afternoon!"

"Hahaha, I hope not!"

With that I walked into the hall and headed to my first class.

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It was almost lunch time and I was getting worried. I hadn't seen Edward yet, but Alice had told me not to panic unless I didn't see him by lunch.

I walked into the canteen, getting ready to pull my phone out to call Alice, when I saw him.

I let out a sigh of relief as I saw him standing in line to get his lunch.

"Edward!" I cried running up to him and hugging him. "Where were you this morning? You didn't turn up to meet me! I was worried something was wrong!"

Something was wrong. He wasn't hugging me back.

"Edward? What's wrong? Are you alright?"

"Yeah. Nothing's wrong." he replied, sounding strained.

I pulled back and looked at him. There was something different about him.

He wouldn't look me in the eye.

Suddenly I felt someone shove me aside.

"Eddie, you coming?"

I stared in horror as Jessica Stanley draped herself around Edward. Then she leaned up and kissed him. My best friend. And he let her. And kissed her back.

My best friend was......dating......my worst enemy.

Oh my god......

That's why he didn't come to meet me this morning. Because of her.

Oh my God.

"Oh, hi Izzy." Jessica sneered. "You look...good."

Her best friend Lauren Mallory let out a loud laugh beside her.

I looked at Edward, expecting him to tell her to leave me alone.

He didn't.

"Edward..." I whispered brokenly.

He wasn't even looking at me.

Oh my God.

I did the only thing I could then.

I ran.

I ran straight out of the school.

I couldn't even be in there right now.

I raced across to the High School and right to Alice's car.

I curled up by the side of her little Clio and sobbed harder than I ever have before.

I didn't know how long I sat there, but eventually I head a soft voice saying my name.

"Izzy? Izzy?"

I looked up, longing to see Edward, but instead I saw Emmett, with Alice standing behind him.

"Izzy, what's wrong?" she asked anxiously.

I just stared up at her. The word were to awful to speak.

Emmett knelt down next to me and stroked my hair.

"Hey, bug." he whispered, using the nickname he had given me years ago. "What's up kiddo? Why are you out here? Where's Edward? Why isn't he with you?"

"He....he...he's dating Jessica Stanley!"

"Jessica Stanley?!" Alice asked sharply.

"Uh huh. And...he...wouldn't hug me. Or even look at me. And when she was mean...he didn't do anything. He didn't even look at me then."

"That little asshole!" Emmett snarled angrily.

"Emmett! Don't swear in front of Izzy!"

"Oh, sorry Izz."

"That's ok." I sniffed.

I spent the rest of my lunch break sitting with Emmett and Alice by her car. Emmett sat on the ground and pulled me onto his lap and hugged me.

He really was like a big brother to me. He always hugged me when I was hurt.

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After a while, I had to go back into school for my last classes.

Alice promised to drive me home that afternoon.

Emmett promised to punch Edward for me.

Although I was still upset, I couldn't help but laugh at that. Trust Emmett to promise violence.

I really loved Emmett. Ever since I first met him he had always looked out for me. He always teased me, but he never meant it in a nasty way. He was my Emmie-bear.

I sat alone during the last lessons and Edward didn't speak to me, even in biology when we sit next to each other. He still wouldn't look at me.

When Alice dropped me off at home in the afternoon I just sat in my room listening to music and staring out of my bedroom window.

I had no idea what was going on with Edward. He had always said that we would be friends forever. And that nothing would ever change that. Obviously something had though.

I fell asleep hoping that he would maybe apologise tomorrow at school and that everything would be back to normal.

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So, what do you think? Any good so far? Will anyone bother reading it if I carry on?

~ ULTRAnumb