The clock had stopped, Bella was sure of it. She was in her last class of the day and she just wanted to get away. She couldn't stand the looks she got in the lunchroom and classrooms. Her shell was getting thinner and harder to keep up. She received sympathetic looks from Angela, her last remaining friend, and the teachers. It was as if they could see the walls hiding her from the world cracking and crumbling around her. Mostly, she was still overlooked by everyone else. 10…9…8… Bella tensed and grabbed her books, ready to make a break for the door. 3…2…1… The bell rang.

Bella tried shoving her way out of the overcrowded room, but ended up getting jabbed in the ribs with a floating elbow. The walk to her locker was possibly the longest three minutes of her life. She spotted the dull grey metal with her number on it and opened it. The metal was cool against her overheated skin. Like Edward… She slightly winced as her mind whispered his name. She tugged her forest-green messenger bag and slammed the locker shut, reluctantly letting the handle go. He doesn't want you, Swan… Bella reached her truck, shaking from her depressing thought and from the violent wind whipping around her. Just as she stretched her arm to reach for the handle, a patch of ice came from nowhere and she fell on the paved, blacktop parking lot.

Fuck… From the sideways glances, Bella figured she muttered the explicative pretty loudly. Great… now they probably think I've really lost my head… Bella's fingers sought her finely rusted truck bed and pulled herself up. She brushed the debris off her clothes from her fall and promptly fell again, her head only inches from hitting the truck. She leaned back, sitting there for a moment. Only you could fall trying to get up from one… Bella's eyes opened when someone blocked the light coming from behind the pale grey clouds. Angela was standing there, looking slightly worried, but trying to hold back a laugh as well.

"Having fun down there, Bella?" she asked. Bella's eyes widened as she heard herself reply. "Oh yeah, it's a party." Angela gasped in delighted surprise, not expecting Bella to do anything but stare back at her. She held out her gloved hand, after making sure there was no ice under her own feet. Even as she reached for her friend's hand, she knew there was no going back. She heard the walls fall completely, leaving her feeling vulnerable and weak. "Thank you," Bella said softly. Angela just looked at her and smiled. Suddenly, she grabbed Bella and pulled her into a hug.

"It's going to be ok, Bella," Angela whispered into her ear. For a minute, Bella just stood awkwardly, unused to physical contact, but eventually gave in and hugged her back. She didn't even know she was crying until she felt the wet spot below her cheek, on Angela's wool coat.

"Yeah…" Bella whispered back. A car sped by them, and even though they saw it coming, they barely flinched as they both landed on the pavement. Angela just sat there, staring blankly at Bella with her mouth partly opened. A little bit of mud had landed on her cheek and in her hair. Bella stared back. She heard a croaking laugh and was shocked to find it was coming from her. Angela slowly joined in and by the time they had stood up, Bella's side was stinging. For the first time in months, Bella gave Angela a genuine smile.

"You need a shower," Bella said softly, still not accustomed to using her voice. Angela looked her up and down, taking in the mud that caked the bottom of Bella's jeans. Mud was also scattered on her skin and hair.

"You probably need one more," Angela stated back. Bella looked down and assessed the damage. She groaned loudly at the offending mud.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Bella's mind was screaming at her now. It had been so long since she had given anyone any kind of reaction and her mind was working double time. It wanted to go back to the blankness and emptiness of the before time. Well too bad… We're going to get through this, Swan. Angela was turning to walk away, sensing Bella's inner turmoil.

"Hey, Angela," Bella's voice quivered with the strain of talking above a whisper. The girl turned around. "Would you wanna go see a movie tomorrow night?" Bella startled herself by her boldness, but embraced it. Angela's eyes brightened and she gave Bella a brilliant smile.

"I'd love to Bella," Bella released the breath she hadn't known she was holding. "I'll tell Ben tonight." This might be a good thing, after all, Bella. Finally, Bella clambered into the cab of her truck and drove home.

***

Bella had finally finished putting away all the clothes she had thrown all over her room the previous night. Her bed was made as well. It was pretty amazing to go through a day without the black outs. She bent over and reached under her bed, checking for any hidden clothes or dishes, but found none. As she rose to her knees, a board on her floor caught her eye. It was warped and one whole side stuck up. She reached to push it down, but the other end rose upward. On an impulse, Bella stuck her fingers in the space and lifted gently. What she saw stopped her in her tracks.

There it all was. Everything from the Cullens. Pictures of her, Edward and Alice. The cd with her lullaby and even the unopened gift from Carlisle and Esme.

It will be as if I never existed...