The Stages of Love

By: Fangirl12

Disclaimer: I still don't own Twilight.

Chapter: Stage 1- pt.2-Hate

A/N: since I got so many reviews, favorites and story alerts I decided to put this chapter up tonight. Thanks to all my reviewers. I really appreciate you guys.

(EPOV)

Esme and Carlisle weren't happy about my week suspension. I got like a days long lecture about what I did and how it was wrong. They also told me that I should apologize to Bella. I had to laugh at that. I was quite happy that I'd won this battle and there was no way I was going to say sorry for my victory.

Now my week is up and sadly it's Monday again, I have to go back to school. I was outside my car waiting for Bella to show up so I could see the pathetic angry look on her face, but I got tired of waiting and left.

Bella never showed up that day. Wow I must've got her good. The though immensely brightened my day. I became even happier when she didn't show up the next day or the next. For some reason, though, I kept getting glares from her best friend, Angela Webber. Finally, on Thursday, she showed up, and she was in Angela's truck. Angela got out the truck, walked around to the passenger's side, opened the back door, pulled out a pair of crutches, opened Bella's door, and helped her out onto the movement she made, she winced in pain. There was a cast on here leg. She looked so pale, weak, and fragile. What the hell happened to her? Slowly she and Angela made her way into the school. Seeing as I could walk faster than her, I decided to wait for by her locker, to make fun klutziness.

When she finally arrived, which took forever, Angela was with her and ready to fight when she saw me by Bella's locker waiting for her.

"So what has the clumsy Bella done this time? Got hit by a truck?" I laughed at that one, it seemed very probable.

"Leave her alone Cullen," Angela sneered with ferocity.

"Don't worry about him Ang, just help me with my books," Bella said quietly. I wasn't used to be brushed of so easily by her. It sort of hurt in a way.

"You're still here," Bella said barely above a whisper.

"So what's the story," I asked again. She turned. The silent huh, I thought. I could fix that. I reached out to touch her when Angela slapped my hand away.

"Don't touch her," she growled. Bella turned back to me

"Why do you care," she asked bitterly. Before I could say anything she started to yell at me.

"WHY DO YOU CARE SO MUCH, CULLEN?! YOU DIDN'T CARE A WEEK AGO WHEN I WAS GETTING SUSPENDED BECAUSE OF YOU!" With every word she either winced or grimaced. I could tell she was in great pain.

"I'm tired Edward. I give up, you win. So just, just leave me alone already. You win. Please go away." She whispered the last part so brokenly. I really pitied her right now. She was trying to hold back the tears that were already pouring down her face. What brought this on I don't even know.

"C'mon Bella, let's go," Angela said gently. The whole hall was staring at our little chat. I just stood there dumfounded. What the hell just happened here? She said she gave up, that I won. Finally, battle after battle we'd fought, but for some reason I wasn't happy. I was happy at all.

I felt regret, no not regret, total guilt. For some God forsaken reason, I felt like it was my fault. I punched the lockers in frustration, leaving a small dent. Why the hell was I felling like this. I should be fucking celebrating

It was around lunch time when I hear that Bella had fallen down the stairs, again. It's was the gossip of the day. Anyway, that must've been the fourth time. How do you fall down the stairs four times? I don't even know, but that's Bella for ya. Even though that's what they said, I had a nagging feeling that, that possibly can't be it.

I watched Bella as she walked into the cafeteria. It was so quiet that it seem liked everyone had died. Angela helped Bella into her chair, and went to get them something from the line. I watched the way Bella move. Everything hurt her. She tried to hide it, but failed miserably. I knew Bella was a tough cookie, so this just didn't make sense.

Bella hadn't touched her plate since she got it.

"You have to eat something, Bella," said a worried Angela.

"Sorry Ang, but it hurts me to eat. Everything hurts."

"Oh, well, let's go then. I'm done anyway. Angela dumped their trays, and she and Bella were out the cafeteria. What was that, I thought.

"Edward you alright," I heard Jasper ask.

"Yeah," I replied getting up to follow them. I stopped right outside the doors, and looked both ways. They were nowhere in sight. Where can a girl on crutches get to that fast? I decided that I'd try at her locker. I was about to turn the corner of the hall that her locker was on, but I heard them talking

"Bella you have to tell someone about this." That was Angela's voice. I peaked around the corner." Bella looked around.

"Ang, you know I can't do that." I've never seen Bella look so serious in my before.

"Why not Bella? You are practically broken. You should be in a hospital."

"Angela, they would ask what happened to me, and Charlie would kill me if he found out." Angela didn't reply.

"I'm gong to the bathroom, wait here for me." Bella leaned against the lockers and sighed.

"Time to find out what this is about," I said to myself. I walked down the hall and

stopped in front of Bella. When she noticed my presence, she looked up to see who it was. "Oh, God," I heard her murmur.

"Well," she said expectantly.

"What happened to you?"

"Well in case you haven't heard, which I'm sure you have, I fell down the stairs," she replied.

"No you didn't," I said back. For A second there was a look of shock on her face, but then she pulled her poker face. I knew I was in for a battle then,

"How do you know what I did? Why can't you just except that I fell down the stairs, like everyone else. I've done it before."

"Exactly," I said taking a step closer, "you have fallen down the stairs before, and the damage wasn't nearly as bad as it is now. You did not fall down the stairs, but I don't know what really happened." Her masked cracked. She looked away.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said defiantly. I became very frustrated at her resistances, and then I turned her face back to mine.

"Yes you do." I pressed myself on her stomach and she winced. I down at her stomach. Before she could move, I raised up her shirt and saws scars and black and blue marks everywhere.

"Bella that doesn't happen when you fall sow the stairs." I fond my voice rising. I grabbed her hand a pushed up her sleeves. More spots of black and blue. Her attempts to stop me were so feeble and pathetic.

"What happened to you," I growled. She looked so scared that my face softened the tiniest bit. Then there was a sudden click. Her conversation with Angela. Her reaction when the Mr. Varner told her that she was suspended. It all made sense. Realization washed all over my face.

"Bella, does Chief Swan hit you?"

A/N: A cliffy. Edward knows. What is Bella gong to tell him? What is Edward going to do? To find out I will need five reviews for chapter 3.