(SMALL TOWN SATURDAY NIGHTS)

The squad car pulled to a stop in front of Officer Swan's house and Bianca surveyed the white 2 story house with an amused expression. It was so typical, nothing was broken, well manicured lawns, the front door was even painted to match the dark gray shutters at the windows.

It was, in short, something like you'd see on a 50's sitcom. And this amused Bianca to some degree, given how her own house looked, unkempt, barely teetering on the verge of total condemnation, beer cans and tall grass, briar bushes littering the front yard.

She cut it every now and then, but her mother always came out screaming at her about how that 'damn noise' was wrecking her post drinking binge nap and her head hurt.. Usually, she'd just wait until her mother passed out drunk, or she was gone out to a bar or nightclub to clean the house, cook her own food for the rest of the week. The more she stayed out of her mother's hair, the better off she was. Last time she'd pissed her mom off, she'd had to wear a pair of cheap drugstore sunglasses to school for almost a week.

Bella heard the snickering and asked calmly, "What's so funny?" as Bianca shook her head and then muttered quietly, "Nothing." while getting out of the car, walking up the concrete walkway that lead to the front door of the pristine house, looking around. She caught herself trying to imagine what it'd be like, growing up in a nice house, with parents who actually gave a damn about her for a split second, but the brunette teen shrugged the thought off as quickly as it came.

After all, she'd been around for 16 years now, long enough to learn that in her case, you could crap in one hand and wish in the other and see which one filled up first. She knew her life was what it was, she knew it wouldn't get any better, and she knew that she had to take care of her mother.

Parts of her hoped that one day she'd wake up and her mother would be sober, happy, would want to be a real mother, would want to be the adult for once.. But she knew better by now. Her mom had 'promised' several times to quit everything she did, she'd always make it at least one week. Then it was back to her old ways, back to her old life and her old personality.

Bianca knew that as soon as she was 18 she was outta there, but for now, she was stuck. She had no other options, her grandma lived in Detroit and hadn't spoken to her mother since the day her mother ran away with her father at 17, because she'd gotten pregnant.

Her aunt died 2 years ago, and she'd had kids of her own, had no interest in taking in her sister's daughter, so she hadn't had that way out either. And she hadn't seen her father since she was 3, so she wasn't counting on him to show up and play daddy one day.

"Woo.. Earth to Bianca.." Bella said quietly as Bianca blinked and then asked quietly, "What's up?"

"My dad asked if you wanted pizza." Bella said as Bianca gave her a thumbs up, sat down on an overplush living room couch warily, jumped out of her skin when the tv roared to life in the final seconds of a football game. "What the hell?"

"It's a remote.. With these, you can turn on the tv in the next room." Bella said sarcastically as Bianca grumbled and then settled warily back into the seat. Bella sat down on the opposite end of the couch and asked, "Do you like.. Watch anything?"

"Yeah, mostly stuff like racing or professional wrestling." Bianca said as she pretended interest in the tv as it played in the background. Bella took out her books for school and then said "So.. I was thinking.. You need help.. I have nothing better to do and apparently, it's going to rain tonight.."

"Nope, not interested." Bianca said curtly as she added, "So you can laugh at how stupid I am? No thanks, Swan." while biting her lower lip nervously, shoving her hands into her leather jacket as she looked around. "Nice place.. It's clean." she mused aloud, mostly to ease the awkward tension in the room.

Bella nodded as she passed Breakfast Club on tv. Bianca nudged her and said "Hey, go back. I mean if it's cool.."

Bella flipped the television set back and Bianca asked aloud, "So.. You're not at Newton's party tonight? I mean I figured that since he was your friend.."

"Was being the key word." Bella said stiffly as she added "Not into parties much.. Besides, with the way this town is, it'll be over before it really starts. Someone will call it in, they always do." before looking at Bianca and asking, "What about you? I mean you know about it, I heard it's pretty much open invite.." in curiousity. Bianca shrugged and then said "Might walk over later and check it out. Usually doesn't go well when I show up at those things though, my temper and people's stupidity.. They don't really mix well."

"So you're not a people person either." Bella mused as Bianca shrugged and said "Nope. I mean I'll party, hell yeah. But Mike's a douchebag. So are his idiot friends. Not really much to party with there. Now my friends.. They have the awesome parties." Bianca smirked as she leaned back a little, wiggled around in the couch, getting slightly comfortable.

Anywhere, really, was better than being at home with her mother right now. When she'd left for detention that morning, her mother was already working on the second half of a bottle of vodka. That alone told Bianca all she needed to know about how her Saturday was going to go, were she to dare to venture home before midnight.

The tentative plan for now, was to eat with Bella, ease out and maybe go skate at the park or go hang out with her friends at this little spot in the woods. Nobody ever broke up their parties out there. Then she'd probably sneak in her bedroom window at 2 am or something, if she didn't just not bother going home, crashing at a friend's house instead.

"Well, I wouldn't know.. Like I said.. Not a party person." Bella said as Bianca nodded and then laughed at the movie. Bella pretended interest in the movie, when she wasn't stealing look at her cell phone, willing it to ring, willing Jacob to call, everything to be okay again.

"You keep looking at that cell phone like it'll ring. If he ditched you, he ain't gonna call." Bianca said aloud as Bella turned off the television and turned to face her, said calmly, "Jacob's not like that. He says this is for my own good."

"Right.. Because guys always worry about hurting a girl." Bianca countered as she said with a smirk, "So.. This guy.. He wasn't.."

"Wasn't what?" Bella asked as she looked at Bianca with a raised brow, waiting on whatever Bianca was about to say before, but had obviously stopped herself from saying for whatever reason.

"He's not like.. creepy like Hair boy.." Bianca finished as Bella glared and then said through gritted teeth, "Edward isn't creepy."

"He was. I mean he was always looking at you like he wanted to eat you or something.. And his family, oh man.. They were weird.." Bianca said as Bella glared and said curtly, "At least they weren't all a bunch of burn outs. I mean that is what over half of your friends are, right? Burn outs and tramps?"

"At least those burnouts and tramps don't go putting my shit out on front street when something bad happens to me. I mean according to Jessica Stanley you're kinda going insane. At least that's what she's tellin the whole damn school behind your back. Personally, I agree.. But hey, at least losers like me will say it to your face." Bianca said as she took a few deep breaths and stood, was about to leave when Bella's father peeked in and said "The pizza, ladies, is done."

Mentally, Bianca kicked herself. She shouldn't have ever taken the ride with Bella's father when he offered. Being around Bella was proving to be amusing, interesting and infuriating all at the same time. And they weren't even on the same page on anything.

But, as stated before, it beat the heck out of being at her own house right now, listening to her mother, worrying about her mother, wishing her mother would just leave her during the night so she wouldn't hurt her anymore.

Bianca shuffled into the kitchen and took a seat at the table, Charlie's eyes caught on the scars and bruises that peeked through the girls transparent shirt sleeve. People talked a lot about Ms. Russo, the way she treated Bianca, but as usual, in small town fashion, nobody actually tried to do anything.

"Wow."

She shoved her sleeves completely down and then muttered something he couldn't make out, keeping her gaze down on her plate as she said aloud, "So.. Thanks for asking me back here, sir.. But I'm probably not the kinda girl you want hanging around your daughter, so when I finish my food, I'll just go.." in a calm and straighforward voice.

"Actually, if you want, you can stay as long as you like." Charlie said as he looked at Bella who mouthed "Are you insane?" and gave him dirty look after dirty look. Bianca shook her head and laughing said "Sir, all due respect.. You're only doin this because you know what I live in. Thanks, but I'm kinda past the whole pity thing. I'd really rather not." while picking at her food, taking a few bites here and there.

In the back of her mind, she was worrying about her mother, wondering if she'd go home to find her mom passed out, or she'd go home to find her awake and in a rage, or she'd go home to find her dead from alcohol poisoning.

"It's not pity.. Bella just hardly ever has anyone over anymore, and when I picked her up today, you two seemed to be talking." Charlie stated as he took a bite, looked at the girl. Bella spoke up and said calmly, "Just let her go, Dad.. If she wanted to hang around me, she would on her own." while sighing a little.

Bella, of course, was both grateful that Bianca was going to leave, and a little worried about the younger girl, truth be told, because like her father, she'd seen all the scars and bruises throughout the day.. And she knew about the trouble Bianca seemed to find easily.

And she really wanted the girl to be okay, she couldn't help but feel sort of sorry for her.

Bianca finished her food and put her plate in the sink, then found a dish rag, washed it, sat the plate in the drain rack by the sink. "And again, sir, thanks for the ride, and the food, but I'm gonna go now. Don't wanna wear out my welcome or anything, besides, my mom's probably pissed at me now.." biting her lower lip as she lingered in the door for a moment.

Then she walked out, disappearing into the late afternoon's grayness.

The door closed and Charlie said quietly, "I really hate not being able to do anything to help her unless she or a family member comes to me personally and suggests she needs to find another place to live. She's not a bad kid.. I mean she wouldn't be if her mother weren't the way she were." as Bella nodded and said quietly, "People always give her a ton of crap at school. I feel bad too, but if she doesn't like me, Charlie, there's not much I can do." before standing and adding, "And if she wanted a friend, she'd have taken the bait."

Charlie shrugged and said "I don't know what else to do with you these days, Bella.. I mean you're pushing everyone away, you spend hours in your room, you don't do anything but eat, sleep and go to school. Even Jacob's at a loss, that's probably why he stopped coming."

"I know, dad.. Look, I just.. It hurts, okay? I can't explain it."

"You're only 17. Breakups happen, Bella." Charlie stated as Bella gave him a look and then shook her head, edging out of the room. Up in her room, she dug around in her books, finding one to read as she flopped on her bed. In the back of her mind, the girl she'd met earlier today did make her curious.

Maybe if she tried harder...