Update: 11-13-08 For everyone on their update list, this is not a new chapter. I just noticed some grammatical errors and wanted to fix them, because I'm compulsive like that. Chapter 3 was added today, though! Enjoy!

A/N Thank you to everyone that reviewed and added me to their alert list. I couldn't believe all the emails I had!

Just to clarify, I had someone ask why Bella was so OOC and that is definitely on purpose! I HATE her character in the books, I just want to slap her silly. The original Bella would have been an emotion wreck if Jacob had broke up with her, she wouldn't have been able to handle it. My Bella is more pissed than she is upset. That's why there were so much cussing last chapter. After she had her breakdown in the shower, some of that anger dissipated so she's calmer now.

--

I woke up early the next morning and quickly opened up my blinds. The snow had finally stopped falling, thank god, but the ground was still covered in a thick blanket of it. At least they got the roads cleared, that should help a little. Checking my watch I saw it was only 6 am. I wonder if Jake had got around to canceling my credit cards yet.

I hurriedly got dressed and packed my bag up so I could leave as quickly as possible.

When I got in my car I drove as fast as I could to the nearest gas station. Before filling up I went inside and asked the cashier if he could check if my credit card worked. He ran it through and said it was accepted just fine. Grinning, I went back out to my truck and filled it up. At least I would have enough gas to make it for a little bit longer. Feeling my stomach growling, I also grabbed as much food and water as I could.

After leaving the gas station, I passed a Wal-Mart on my way out of town. Smiling evilly, I went inside and bought a new coat since I had left mine at home. The only clothes I had with me were the ones I was wearing. I bought a few new outfits and some toiletries like toothpaste, a toothbrush, soap and a hairbrush. I also bought a couple packs of underwear. No telling when I'd be near a wash machine again.

After I left I felt a lot better. I didn't have enough gas to get me to my destination, but I had the cashier give me a cash back of 100 so I had a little bit of a cash cushion.

I pulled back onto the highway and got ready for a day of driving. At least I had remembered to grab my purse on the way out. I kept my Ipod in it so I'd always remember where it was at. Watch Jake try to take that away, too. The bastard.

My phone beeped in the cup holder signifying I had a new voicemail. I pulled it up and sighed when I realized who it was.

Bella? It's your grandmother, where are you? I called the house and Jake told me that you'd left in the middle of the night and he didn't know where you were. Whatever you're mad at him about you better get over it and beg him to take you back. You should know you can't do any better than him. Whatever you have to do, do it. I love you!

Snorting, I hung up the phone and threw it in the seat beside me. My grandma adored Jake. He could do no wrong in her opinion. Well, his money could do no wrong in her opinion. Of course, he didn't mention the fact that HE threw ME out. He made it sound like poor, pitiful Jake was at home wondering where his horrible girlfriend was. I could tell grandma about Leah and her first words would be- Can't he keep her on the side and still be with you?

My phone immediately started ringing so I picked it up and looked at the caller ID. Ugh, Jake. I pushed ignore and started to put the phone back down. On second thought, I picked it up and turned it completely off. No use worrying about people who have no worries for me.

My grandmother has disliked me ever since I was born. It was set in motion when my mother married my father. He was from a lower class than my mother and grandma never let them forget it. When I came along it was made worse over the fact that Isabella had been the name of my grandma on my dads side. Sometimes I wonder if they named me that just to get back at her.

I guess it didn't matter now. Mom and dad were no longer here for her to torture. So she placed everything on me. I think the fact that I was with Jake actually made everything worse for me. She still hated me, but now she had a reason to force herself in my life since he came from money. All of a sudden she became Cecilla Murphy, loving grandmother. And I hated every second of it.

Jake loved her. He thought she was attentive and caring. I guess that should have been my first clue. I tried telling him how she had treated me growing up, but according to him I was "exaggerating" it all and that I should be more respectful.

Oh well. Jake's no longer here to make me feel guilty and as soon as I get settled somewhere I'm changing my number and no one from my past is getting the new one. I'm going to make a new start and invent a whole new me.

I laughed, bitterly. Yeah right. You can never escape your past.

--

I spent all day on the road, stopping only to take bathroom breaks when I absolutely had to. I had enough snacks and water in the car to last for a few more days, so I didn't need to stop and eat. I had to make a gas run late in the afternoon. There went 50 of my cushion. I decided against getting another hotel room. I needed to conserve all the money I could. My truck would do just fine. There was a restaurant sign up the road, so I pulled into the parking lot and parked as far away from the front door as possible. I had enough clothes to make a decent pillow. I fell asleep with chattering teeth. My coat was warm, but at 10 degrees outside, the inside of the car was unbearably cold.

Sleep that night was not kind to me. I woke up several times to stiff limbs and a sore jaw from the shaking.

Early the next morning I awoke to a tapping on my window. Confused and still heavy with sleep, I rubbed my eyes and looked around, not sure of where I was.

"Miss?" I heard an unfamiliar voice call. "Miss, are you ok in there?"

I could faintly see the outline of a person through my frosted windows. I tried rubbing them, but gave up and opened the door. Outside stood a man who was easily over 6 feet tall. His muscles were the size of my tires. I shrank back from him out of instinct and he laughed and backed up.

"Hey little lady! No need to be scared. I may be big, but I'm more of a "gentle giant"."

Trusting he was telling the truth, I exited my truck.

He smiled warmly at me, "I saw you sleeping in your truck and wanted to make sure you were ok. Mighty cold out here this time of year."

Nodding, I looked down at my feet, "I'm fine, sir. Thank you for checking on me. I was just to tired to find a motel last night."

His mouth opened and then immediately closed. I knew he didn't believe my lie, but he was to polite to call me on it. Pointing to the restaurant, which I noticed was actually more of a café, he asked, "Are you hungry? I sure would like to buy you breakfast to make up for startling you." I shook my head and took a step towards my truck. "Now, now, no excuses. Everyone's got to eat and I'll feel guilty all day if you don't let me make it up to you." He looked down at me with puppy dog eyes, "Please?"

I laughed at his poor excuse to look sad, "Well, alright. I guess I am a little hungry."

"Well what are we standing here for? I'm so hungry I'm surprised you can't hear my stomach from there." We went in and grabbed a booth in the back. Several of the customers waved hello to him as we passed.

"So do you live in town?" I asked, trying to make polite conversation.

He grabbed two cups from the counter and poured coffee in them for us before he answered, "I'm pretty much from every town around here. Not one wants to claim me and not one can keep me town long enough to tame me." He laughed at his own personal joke.

"What do you mean?" I asked him, confusion written on my face.

"I drive a semi through here. I've been on the road for the last eight years. What you would call home, I guess, is a little town in Eastern Georgia." He stuck out his hand. "I haven't properly introduced myself, my name's Emmett Cullen."

I shook his hand with a smile, "Bella Swan. Very nice to meet you."

The waitress came over and asked us what we wanted, "Hey there, Velma. Me and Miss Swan would like the biggest breakfast platter you got."

As she walked away, I looked at him with wide eyes. He laughed, "Don't worry. You look pretty hungry yourself and whatever you don't eat, I promise I'll finish for you." He rubbed his belly and winked. "Man's gotta keep up his strength, you know."

His face turned serious, "So Miss Bella. What brings you down here to this parts? You don't look like one of the regulars, if you don't mind me saying."

I took a drink of my coffee before answering. "I'm on my way to Texas to visit a friend." That was mostly true, I guess.

Once again, he didn't believe my lies. "And why were you sleeping in your truck?"
I bit my lip, "I don't have enough money for a motel and my boyfriend canceled my credit cards."

"Well than he's an asshole, huh? What kind of a man takes away a woman's money in the middle of a blizzard?" His hands had balled up into fists in his anger.

"Oh don't worry, I ran them up before he canceled them." I winked at him. "I have a car full of junk food and clothes as payback."

Laughing, his hands unclenched and he relaxed again. "At least you found a nice, attractive man to take good care of you this morning. So you're headed to Texas? I'd offer to drive you there myself, but I'm headed down to Florida. I could give you my brother's number if you want. I think he's headed somewhere in that direction."

"Thanks, but I should have enough money to get there and I know my friend would send me some if I was desperate."

"At least let me give you my phone number so you can call me when you arrive safely. I'd feel better." He asked this without any deceit in his voice. He wasn't trying to hit on me, he was genuinely worried.

Smiling warmly, I agreed. By that time our food had arrived. My eyes just about bugged out of my head at the amount of food. Emmett laughed at my expression, "I told you, I'll be more than happy to finish off whatever you leave." He speared a hash brown with his fork and eyed it with lust, "Hello my pretties." He whispered before popping it in his mouth.

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Do you always talk to your food?"

"That potato gave it's life to feed me, I think it deserves some respect, don't you?" He answered, defensively.

Deciding just to go with it, I laughed and dug into my pancakes. He was right, I was hungry. After my pancakes I started in on my sausage links, then my hashbrowns, eggs and finally a bowl of biscuits and gravy.

Twenty minutes later, I threw my fork down and laid my head on the table. "I think I'm going to be sick." I moaned.

"Does that mean you don't want your bacon?" He asked, hopefully.

Groaning, I pushed the plate towards him. "I don't know how you do it, Emmett. Whatever your secret is, my hats off to you." I raised my head to watch him in wonder.

He was happily scraping my food off into his plate. He shoved two bacon strips in his mouth, "Mind over matter, my dear Bella. It's just telling your stomach ahead of time that's it's going to have a lot of visitors and that there's nothing it can do about it." He laughed at my expression. "It's good metabolism. My little sister is smaller than you and she could pack three of these away with no problem."

I shuddered to think of the havoc she could let lose if not controlled. That's all the world needs, an extra Emmett.

"What about your brother? Is he as big as you?"

He huffed, "Is that a fat joke?"

"No!" I assured him. "I mean, I can tell, it's all muscle. I was just wondering if he was built like you were."

He snorted, "Nah. He's a lightweight. He probably couldn't even have finished those pancakes. His genes come more from our mother. He's my height, but probably not much bigger than you are." He took the last bite of food off his plate and threw his fork down. "I think I need a cinnamon roll. You want one?"

I shuddered and shook my head no, not daring myself to speak for fear of puking up my breakfast on him. He got up and went up to the counter to get one. While I was waiting for him to return, I pulled my cell phone out of my purse and turned it on. I might as well put Emmett's number into my phone because I'd lose a piece of paper. My phone beeped to tell me I had messages. The first thing it told me was that I had three new texts. I went to my inbox and saw they were all from Jake, so I deleted them without reading them. Next on the screen was my voicemail inbox. Six new messages. Wonder who they were all from?

I called it since there's no way to delete them without starting them. The first four were from Jake-

Bella? Where the hell are you? I've tried to call you for the last few hours. Call me back.

Alright Bella, you've had your little temper tantrum. Get your big girl panties on and deal with it. Leah wants to know if you're still angry. She'd like to be friends with you. Oh my fucking god, is he serious? I still want my baseball back.

Your grandmother has called me eight times today. The least you can do is call her back. After everything you've put her through she doesn't deserve this. She's just an old woman. Grow up, Bella.

I'm getting ready to cancel the credit cards, so please make sure you cut them up before you toss them.

The next one was from the hospital where I worked.

We regret to inform you, Miss Swan, that your job in the ER has been terminated. We had a phone call from a Mr. Black who told us that you had left the state. While we hope that everything in your personal life is okay, we cannot keep an employee who does not give us notice of departure. Thank you.

Shoot! I had forgot to call them and tell them I was leaving. Of course Jake would be sweet enough to call for me. He wanted everyone to know that he was the innocent party in all this and mean, old Bella had left him.

The last message made me chuckle, a little.

Goddamnit Bella! Five hundred dollars? You ran my credit card up five hundred fucking dollars? What is wrong with you? I swear to god you are going to pay this back, every damn penny. You need to get a life and stop depending on me. AND I WANT MY FUCKING BASEBALL BACK!

Oh yes, that was worth it.

Emmett came back then and asked what was so funny. I told him that my ex had just found out about the balance on the credit cards and was not happy.

"Oh well. The asshole deserves it. What kind of a man does that?" He shook his head, "I'd feel a lot better if you'd let me call my brother and let him take you. You can always take your truck somewhere to park it. I don't think you'd get enough money out of it to even warrant selling it."

I poked him in the chest, "Have a little respect, it's an antique! And isn't vintage all the rage these days?"

Grimly, he said, "I'm surprised your truck even made it through the snowstorm. It needs to be junked."

"Well I'm not going to do it, I love my truck." I said, proudly.

He laughed and swallowed his cinnamon roll in two bites, "Yeah, yeah. I'll let this one go. But call my cell phone at 555-0987 if you run into any trouble."

Promising I would, I gathered my things and stood up to leave. Emmett walked out to my truck with me to say goodbye. "I hope you get to where you're needing to go, Miss Bella. It sure did make my day to meet a fellow traveler."

I smiled and hugged him goodbye, "Thank you again for breakfast. Maybe we'll run into each other again someday."

Heading back onto the highway, I hoped that the rest of my travel would be this easy. In a few more days I would be in Texas starting my new life.

--

A/N How many people wanted the window tapper to be Edward? :D

Patience, my dears. Patience.