Disclaimer: Not mine!

Thanks for the great response to my prologue! I don't want to spoil you guys with thinking that I'll be updating this story every day, because as I've mentioned, I've got 2 others as well. So look for weekly updates like normal after this! I jsut wanted to give you guys a real feel for this story, and I think it's better in chapter 1. Let me know what you think!

White walls.

White floors.

White jackets.

When I opened my eyes, this was all I saw. I knew that I was lying down, but I had no recollection of where I was or how I got there. It was very bright.

"Bella?" That was my name-I should respond. How did I do that again? "Bella honey? Can you hear me?" Hmm. That voice was familiar. Just say something, Bella. Say anything.

"Yeah." Way to use the English language. But it was all I had. All I could muster. What happened to me? I looked in the direction of the voice. "Mom?" I asked. I didn't know where I was. She let out a loud sigh of what sounded like relief.

"Oh, honey, thank God!" she cried, throwing her arms around me. It was uncomfortable, considering I was still lying down. I tried to sit up to hug her back, but I was just so stiff. My mother's tears of what I hoped was happiness dripped down my neck and stuck in my hair. I finally managed to pull myself into a sitting position. I was in some kind of room that I didn't recognize. The walls looked soft.

"What's going on? Where am I?" I croaked. My throat was dry. What the hell day was it?

"You're…in a hospital honey. Do you remember anything?" Remember? What would I have forgotten? I tried to think back-to remember something. It was like everything was fuzzy and I couldn't focus. I looked down at my arm-an IV. That would explain the fuzziness.

"I'm not sure. I don't know what's going on." I was trying to keep calm, really I was. But honestly, I was starting to freak out.

"There was an…incident." She said simply.

"That's not helping me remember, mom. Incident? What are you talking about?" She just looked at me, concern filling her features.

"Charlie found you on the floor of your room. You wouldn't say anything or wake up. He was so scared, honey! He called an ambulance, but when they got you to the hospital, there wasn't anything wrong with you. The doctor's were saying you were catatonic. He called me and I've been with you ever since." I stared at her, trying to process this information. Catatonic?

"What? Why? How long was I like that?" I cried.

"Charlie says you were holding on to a letter. From Edward. Do you remember that? And I've been here 3 weeks." It hit me like a ton of bricks.

Edward.

Gone.

I love you. I'm sorry.

He left me.

I started to hyperventilate. Mom, looking panicked, tried to pull me to her, but I resisted. Three weeks?! I was out for three weeks. Because of Edward. Because he was too much of a coward to stay with me. It was like something inside me snapped.

I was pissed.

"Bella? Sweetheart? Are you okay? Calm down honey," mom coaxed, trying to calm me. I tried to listen to her words, because I didn't want to cause her any more pain.

"I can't believe…three weeks…are they all gone?" I stumbled incoherently. Had they all left me behind, just like Edward? Was I really that indispensable? I knew she would know what I was asking.

"Yes." She didn't need to say anything else. I must have meant nothing to them. This was bullshit. Complete and utter bullshit. He could have left when we first met! He wanted to! But no-he stayed because he couldn't stay away. He made me love him, and then he left me! And with a note? What kind of man does that? Three weeks! Through my anger, part of me knew that I had to take some of the blame. After all, I was the weak, delicious human with the tasty smelling blood. Always blushing. You know what? Fuck that. I sat on a bed in a padded room, and I decided.

Edward didn't live here anymore. Not in my heart. I am Bella fucking Swan, and I'm not going to be the weak one anymore.

"Can we go?" I asked, looking towards the door. My mom hesitated.

"I'll have to call the doctor-let him know you're awake. But I'm sure he'll discharge you. Then we'll call Charlie. Honey-do you want to come home with me?"

"No thanks, mom. I'm going to finish school in Forks. Go ahead and call the doctor-ask them to bring me some clothes."

Two Days Later

"Dad? I'm going into town for a bit." Charlie had been hovering ever since I got home, but I hadn't given him any reason not to trust me to leave for a few hours. He eyed me speculatively from the recliner.

"Where to? Are you sure you feel up to it?"

"I'm going to get a haircut. I haven't been in a long time, and I think I'm about due. I feel fine-in fact; this will make me feel better." He nodded in consent. I grabbed my purse and made a quick drive to one of the only salons in town. There was no waiting of course.

"What are we doing today, sweetie?" the young stylist asked me.

"Cut it off." She looked at me, surprised, but didn't ask any more questions. I guess I looked like a girl who means business. While she was cutting, I thought of Alice. She would have hated this.

~Flashback~

"Bella, stop it! I don't have much hair-please let me play with yours!" Alice pouted as I tried futilely to protest. I nodded in ill-felt compliance. "yay!" she squealed, immediately pulling me into a sitting position. She had pulled a chair into her room and I was sitting in it, facing her bed. She was flitting around her room looking for something.

"Lose something?" I asked impatiently.

"My curling iron. I have one around here somewhere…oh yeah!" she pranced over to the chest in front of her bed. I asked her once why she had a bed, considering she didn't sleep, and she merely shook her head. She swung the trunk lid open and rooted around inside, tossing things aside as she went. While she was rooting, I caught a glimpse of a picture. It was faded and old but there was no mistaking Alice. That's odd-it looks like she's in a wedding dress! But Alice had never been married, at least not that I was aware. Before I could get a good enough look at the man she was with, Alice threw the picture back in the trunk. He had blond hair.

"Who was that, Alice?" I asked, motioning towards the picture she had thrown out of my site.

"What? Oh, nobody." She said clearly avoiding the subject. "I wonder if your hair will take to curling-I bet it will. It has a little bit of natural curl to it anyway-you're going to look so cute! Edward is going to freak. Do you like…"

I had completely forgotten about that until now. She had started talking so fast that I lost track of my question. Which, thinking on it, was probably what she wanted. What did it matter now? I looked down at the floor and saw a mountain of hair. I smiled. The girl spun my chair around and turned me towards the mirror.

My hair was cut into a neat, chin-length bob that was slightly angular. It was completely different.

I loved it.

I paid the stylist and made my way home, excited with my new look. I needed to catch up on my homework, considering I'd missed three weeks of school. My teachers had been pretty lenient, considering the circumstances, so I wasn't that bad off, but still. I also wanted to get my application in to a few collages-no way on earth was I going to waste away in this little town waiting for magic to find me. I had my eye on a study-abroad program in London. Before I got home, however, I decided to make a quick stop by the Wal-Mart in town.

I need new sheets.

As sick and sad as it is, I could still smell Edward on my bed, and it bothered me. I didn't want to think about him, and it was worse at night. I could smell him when I slept, and it would cause me to dream. I don't want to dream about Edward anymore.

The Wal-Mart wasn't busy; nothing in this town ever was. I went straight back to the bedding section and grabbed a set of green sheets. I was tired of purple, anyway. When I got home, I went upstairs and immediately changed them. I took the old ones and threw them straight in the trash. I had no desire to wash and keep them. No more reminders. I stayed up, sitting on my new, non-Edward-smelling sheets, until I caught up on all my homework. I had to admit, I was feeling pretty accomplished.

I changed into my pajamas and ran a brush through my newly short hair. When I turned around to face my bed, I noticed my window was open. I had kept it open for months because it was Edward's entrance point into my room. He made it that way. Before I knew what he was, he would sneak in and watch me sleep. He pushed himself into my life. Angered, I stormed over to the window and slammed it shut. Hell, if I would have had a hammer and nails, I would have nailed the damn thing closed; not that it would have done any good, but it's the thought that counts. I allowed myself a few seconds to think about what he was doing now, and I hoped that he was really and truly miserable. I had grieved inside my own head for three weeks. I had scared my family enough that they had me committed. I knew one day I would remember those three weeks, but I thanked God that it wasn't going to be today.

I fell asleep and didn't dream at all.

The next morning I got ready for school with a slightly sick feeling in my stomach. What had been the story while I was gone? The town was too small for this to have been kept a secret, so I was sure that there was some kind of story circulating about me. Poor Bella Swan, locked in the crazy home because her boyfriend left her. Fantastic. It was going to be an awesome day.

I parked my truck and walked in, trying to keep my head held high. I was going to do this right. I wasn't going to let them get to me. Mike was by my side the second I walked through the door.

"Bella! Oh my God! Welcome back! How are you feeling?" he asked, sounding sympathetic.

"I'm great! Never been better." I said, moving past him to my seat. He followed me to my seat, but didn't say anything else on the issue. Good old Mike, my golden retriever forever. I made it to lunch without another incident.

"Hey, Bella. Good to see you back," Angela said, patting me on the back. I was most comfortable with her-she would never judge me. I gave her a warm smile and followed her to our lunch table. Jessica was waiting, looking like she was going to explode.

"Bella! You look good. I like your hair! How are you doing? I'm sorry to hear about the Cullen's leaving," she rattled on, trying to sound sincere but failing miserably.

"Thanks Jessica." I said curtly, sitting down to face Angela. She smiled at me again. Mike joined me on the left, looking impossibly hopeful considering I just got out of the nut house. I had no patience for Jessica anymore, and I was going to make a point to ignore her as much as possible.

"Did they cut your hair for you in the psych ward, Bella?" Lauren asked snidely, smirking at me. Oh, you bitch.

"You know what, Lauren? I've got some good advice for you. How about you fuck off?" I spit back.