A/N: This is my first Twilight fanfic, a plot I've been toying around with since forever. My passion is writing and I have been doing so since forever, but I would appreciate constructive criticism if you don't mind giving some.

In the story, Renee didn't leave Charlie and never met Phil, but they did move to Riverside, CA then to Phoenix, AZ.

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight and I would so appreciate it if you don't go and sue me.


BPOV

What could you do when your existence seemed to be inundated with pain and suffering? When the one candle that lit your path was taken away, leaving you stumbling in the heavy darkness pressing upon you? When it seemed that you are all alone in facing the horrifying reality life is intent on slapping upon you face?

I'd never really had the best life ever lived. To tell the truth, I've never even felt as if I'd lived a life at all. I had no family, as my parents died in a car crash that fateful night—the night which doomed me to this funereal existence. Since then I'd been passed from foster home to foster home like some detestable creature.

It wasn't until I met him that my life started to acquire a sense of purpose again.

I was only eight years old at that time. Young though I seemed to be, the two years I spent in misery had shaped me to become stronger and wiser to the ways of the world, and I felt older than most kids my age. I stepped on the porch of Mrs. Newton's foster home and laid my eyes on him for the first time.


October 1995

It was one of those days. The authorities who supervised foster children brought me to the Newton house. I cautiously stepped in and glanced behind me. The woman who came with me nodded and turned back to the van.

I turned back to my new foster family. Mrs. Newton was a short, strict woman. Four boys stood behind her, a blonde one who was eyeing me, two dark-haired boys who didn't look too comforting either, and another boy who stood farthest back.

I was transfixed.

He had messy bronze hair and intelligent green eyes and he was staring at me curiously, as though trying to see through my blank expression. Not only that, he was beautiful, an angel sent by God to live among us mortals on earth.

"You'll be Bella Swan, then? The orphan?" my new foster mother's sharp voice snapped through my thoughts.

I nodded nervously. Then she beckoned me to come follow her up a rickety staircase and through a dark hallway.

"This will be your room."

I peered in and found a small, gloomy room which was almost bare, save for the bed and an old bedside table. There was a small window opposite the door covered by ratty curtains which didn't quite meet across, letting a chink of sunlight enter the dank room.

"Um…" I didn't know what to say. Thank you?

"You will, of course, go to a school near here. But I must warn you, I do not tolerate laziness. When you are at home, you will have chores to do. You are not allowed to leave the house or do anything I would surely disapprove of." Mrs. Newton rattled on while I pondered about my new situation. At last, she said, "Any questions?"

"Um…" I began again, even more nervous this time. "Where will I go to school? And who will buy my things?"

Mrs. Newton faced me. "You will join the boys in walking to Forks Elementary School. The state authorities have already arranged to have your supplies paid. You will start school on Monday. All clear?"

I nodded, too anxious about starting a new school at a new place to speak. Mrs. Newton exited the room and left me to dump my bag on the floor and flop on my bed facedown. The bed had a hard mattress and the lone pillow was lumpy, but I didn't care. This was just another stay at yet another foster house. I was used to this, being uprooted from one house to be replanted at another. I can handle this.

Yet the tears came. They always did once I was alone.

But I was too busy crying to notice I was not alone. A loud creak came outside the doorway and I sat upright, startled.

"I'm sorry." It was the bronze-haired angel I saw earlier. He had such a pleasant voice to listen to and I found myself wishing he would speak again.

I sniffled, drying up my tears. "It's all right."

He stepped inside the room tentatively. "Are you all right?" Was I imagining things or did he actually sound concerned? I wasn't used to anyone being worried about me at all, except my parents. But they were gone now…

My shoulders slumped and I looked down on the dirty hardwood floor. "I will be."

"My name is Edward." The boy said, an apologetic note in his velvet voice. "You're Bella, right?"

I nodded, the lump in my throat making it hard to say anything.

"Would you like to be friends?"

That one made my head jerk upward. I was plain old Bella and invisibility was one of my skills. The kids in my old neighborhood in Phoenix didn't pay any attention to me. No one had ever wanted to be my friend, and it constantly worried my mom when I would spend summers reading in my room instead of playing with other children my age.

"Really? You want to be my friend?" I asked in a hushed voice.

He looked confused. "Of course. If you want me to, that is."

I couldn't stop the smile growing on my face. "That would be great."

He smiled back, stunning me, and came closer. He held out his hand and said, "Friends?"

I stared at it for a second before taking it. "Friends."

I had one of the best night's sleep in a long time that night.


June 13, 1998

I had spent two years in the Newton household by now. It wasn't too hard to blend in the students in Forks Elementary. I might as well have been a wall. I also had Edward as my friend—actually my best friend—and he always helped me with my schoolwork. No, the problem was Mike Newton, my foster mother's real son, and his gang, Eric Yorkie and Tyler Crowley—also two of my foster brothers. They never let another day pass without taunting me, which provoked Edward into protecting me.

"Hey, Swan," Mike yelled across the school courtyard, with his friends around him all wearing identical smirks. I felt Edward stiffen up beside me. I brushed my hand lightly on his arm to remind him to keep his calm, as he always went home with bruises whenever he fought against Mike and his cronies.

Instead, I pulled Edward around to face the other direction and marched off, which infuriated Mike further. Before I knew it, he'd grabbed my arm and roughly pulled me around.

Edward launched himself at Mike, ignoring my futile attempt to hold him back. Snarling with rage, he reached out and hit Mike with all his force. Mike stumbled back, while his friends growled at Edward. He glared back at them. Another fight would've broken out if it wasn't for the principal arriving at the scene that very moment.

"What is going on boys?" He cut in, loud enough for all the students in the vicinity to hear.

Edward and Mike began explaining at the same time.

"He grabbed Bella—"

"I wasn't doing anythi—"

The principal eyed them both and calmly said, "In my office. Now. The rest of you, your classes are about to start in a few minutes."

I looked anxiously at Edward. "I'll come."

"No." He protested firmly, placing a hand on my shoulder. I shook it off and continued following them.

"But it's my fault. If you just left it alone—"

"Bella, it's not your fault. Just get to class."

"Edward," I whined. "Just let me come. I can decide for myself."

Edward frowned. "Bella—"

"No, I am going." I put my hands on my hips. Even he can't resist under my indomitable will. I think. Whatever, I'll be the one to explain this. He had to stop treating me like a fragile glass figurine. I survived without his help before and I still will. No questions asked.

He sighed and I hid my grin. I knew when I had him. Just then, a thought came to me.

"Oh, and Edward?"

He lifted his eyes to look at me sideways. "Yeah?"

I smiled. "Thanks."


June 20, 1998

It was Edward's birthday today. The rest of our foster family didn't even acknowledge our birthdays, but we were fine with that. During his two previous birthdays, we spent the day in school and the rest of the time doing chores, though we were always together. I always felt bad about not giving him anything, but I didn't have any money to my name. All the same, he seemed to enjoy it, especially when we would sneak out to the river behind the house.

It was a Saturday today, though. We had tons of chores to finish but sharing the work with Edward seemed to make it lighter and easier. At last, we finished and had been given permission to go up to our rooms.

"Hey, Edward," I called him as he was passing by my open door. He paused and peeked in my bedroom.

"Yeah, Bella?" He asked, coming in to sit beside me on my bed.

"Um, I have something to give to you?" It came out as a question. I was apprehensive. What if he didn't like it?

He couldn't help smiling. "You didn't have to. Just spending the day with you makes my birthday a lot more special."

I blushed. I seemed to do that a lot whenever he said something like that. "Well, it's your birthday, so deal with it. Besides, you gave me something for mine." I held out a gold watch. It was from Charlie, my father, and he'd given it to me before he…well, the point is, he gave it to me. Now I was entrusting it to my best friend.

"B-Bella…" Edward stared at the watch on my hand. "Where did you get that?"

I rolled my eyes. "Well, I cut classes yesterday and broke through that jewelry store near the school. Don't worry; the police won't come after you—if you keep it a secret." I said, sarcasm dripping from every word.

Edward sighed. "I can't accept."

"Sheesh, Eddie, I was joking. It's my dad's watch, he gave it to me."

"Don't call me that. And it's exactly why I can't accept. It's a memory you have of your dad, I can't take it away."

Hmph. If only this boy wasn't so hardheaded, I would've had an easier time giving him the freaking watch. "Edward, it's my birthday present to you. Won't you accept it?" I tilted my head and looked up at him through my lashes, pouting. Hah, that always got to him.

Edward sighed again. I swear, he was more dramatic than a girl sometimes.

"Fine, if you insist." He held out his hand and I happily dropped the watch in it. He held it closer, examining it. "Thanks, Bella." He finally said, smiling sheepishly.

"You're welcome. And happy birthday, Eddie." I threw my arms around him. He stiffened for a moment before relaxing and returning the hug, too. I could feel his quiet chuckles vibrating in his chest.

"Thank you, Izzie."


November 1999

I didn't know how it all happened.

Edward was called from our Math class to the principal's office. He'd never been in any trouble, though, unless you count the fights he had with Mike, Eric and Tyler, which was usually on account of Mike taunting me.

Then it was dismissal and I'd stood on our usual spot on the courtyard, waiting for him.

I had been standing for about an hour, impatiently checking my watch. The place was almost deserted and it was growing dark.

At last, I headed home, angry at him for keeping me waiting. He was really going to catch it when I arrived.

But when I entered the house, it was only Mrs. Newton waiting for me.

"You're late. Where were you?" she barked.

"I was…waiting for Edward. Where is he?" I asked, suddenly uneasy.

Mrs. Newton frowned. "The state authorities for foster children have located his birth parents. They arrived this morning and took him away. Thank God, the five of you have been quite a burden to feed."

I suddenly felt a tightening in my chest. "He's…gone?" I squeaked.

Mrs. Newton tutted impatiently. "Yes, that's what I said, isn't it? Dr. and Mrs. Cullen have left with him for Chicago. Now, you still have chores. Get going."

Numbly, I headed to my room, every step I took punctuating my thought. Gone. Gone, gone, gone. He'd left me in this dark existence. I should've known that he was too good to be true. He was like all dreams I had, drifting away into the wind, doubling the pain I felt. I was all alone.

When I reached my room, I stumbled to my bed and tried to keep the tears at bay. I felt the old hole in my chest open up, as though had Edward filled that hole and, now that he was gone, it was ripping open again, much more painfully this time. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying not to crumble down, but the hurt was too much.

Finally, the tears flowed and sobs racked my body. I've never felt this alone, even when my parents died. Now that I've felt once again the happiness of being accepted by someone, losing it was harder. Now that I was alone once again, I felt that emptiness settle into my life—an emptiness that used to be filled by my parents and Edward. Now that they were both taken away from me, I was nothing. A total zero.


BPOV

Five years had passed since that happened and I still couldn't get over the pain I'd suffered.

As my body lay on the bed, sore after being beaten my Mike, now my boyfriend, I still relived the emotional and physical ache I experienced of losing people so close to my heart.

I didn't know how I survived these last five years. Or how I ended up like this—with an abusive boyfriend. And I was still passively enduring it all. I guess I lost my will to fight for myself since I lost the only people who cared about me. It didn't matter. I had no one to live for anyway. No one cared about me or my damned life. And I couldn't care less about what happened to my life next.


A/N: You might hate me or you might…hate me. I didn't like putting Bella through this, too, I swear. I just felt it was necessary or the story might not have the same impact at all.

Now, how about that constructive criticism? Please review!

J.