Chapter 2: Shadow
Bella sighed as she woke up to the sound of her alarm going off. She looked outside and saw that it was down pouring, nothing new in Forks. She got out of bed, showered, and got dressed. Right before she got her shirt on, she saw a long scar gong from her left side to her bellybutton, an ugly scar that she was trying to hide. She bit her lower lip as she pulled her shirt down and started brushing her hair out when there was a knock on her door. "Yeah," she answered.
"Bells, breakfast is ready," Jasper informed.
"You cooked?" She asked surprised.
"Well your cereal is poured," he replied making her laugh.
She opened the door and kissed her brother's cheek. "You're sweet Jazz," she told her brother.
"Hey, just trying to help," he answered.
They both went downstairs. "Dad go to work already?" She asked.
"Yeah, you were tossing and turning in your sleep again last night so he didn't want to wake you," Jasper answered.
Bella sat at the table and took a bite of her cereal. "Are you having nightmares again?" He asked.
"No, I'm fine," she replied.
"Bells, you're a bad liar, especially since you were talking in your sleep last night too," he told her.
The young woman poked at her cereal, chewing slowly. "How long have you been having nightmares about this?" He asked.
"They just started up again," she replied.
"Do you want to talk about it or are you going to talk to Jake about it?" He asked.
"I'm not talking about it," she replied.
She got up and dumped her cereal down the garbage disposal. "It's done, it's over with, I'm fine," she told him. Jasper got up, grabbing his sister's arm.
"Bella, come on, you never have to hide from me," he insisted.
Bella shook her head. "I'm not going to break down and cry like a baby again," she insisted.
"Bella…" he started.
"No, Jasper, we're going to late for school," she told him grabbing her backpack.
She went to move by him when she tripped over the chair leg, falling on the floor. Jasper walked over and helped her up. She pulled her arm away and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm fine let's go," she told him.
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They arrived at school and Jasper got out of the truck. Bella got out, pulling on her backpack, staring at the ground and not at the people who stared at her. The stares haven't stopped for a year and a half. She lifted her head up and walked up the stairs when she slipped, almost falling face first on the concrete stairs when someone caught her by her arms. "You okay?" A velvety voice asked. She looked up into a pair emerald green eyes.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied.
Edward helped her stand back up. "Alice is waiting inside for you," he told Jasper. Jasper kissed his sister's cheek before going inside to meet up with his girlfriend. "Are you sure you're okay?" He asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks Edward," she answered moving by him.
Edward watched her walk up the stairs and let out a sigh as he walked up the stairs after her.
Bella walked down the hall and opened her locker, stuffing her things inside. She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear before grabbing her books for her first class. "Bella," Angela called smiling. Bella looked over at her best friend.
"Hey Angela," she greeted.
"Hey, how was your weekend?" Angela asked.
"It was alright, yours? Have a nice weekend with Eric?" She answered.
"Except for the part where Eric wanted to watch old ninja movies," Angela replied.
Bella laughed and the two girls moved down the hall. "So are you and Jacob going to the prom?" Angela asked.
"We haven't really talked about it, probably because I'm not interested I going," Bella replied.
"What? You have to come though," Angela insisted.
"I don't dance Angela," she answered.
"Will you at least come to Port Angeles and help me pick out my prom dress?' Angela asked, still very disappointed that her best friend wasn't going to the prom.
Bella smiled a little. "Yeah, I'll help you pick out your prom dress," she assured her.
"Awesome, oh and Alice is coming with us," Angela informed.
Bella laughed shaking her head. "That doesn't surprise me," she commented about her other best friend also her brother's girlfriend.
"How are things with you and Jake?" Angela asked.
"They're alright," Bella replied.
She pushed her hair out of her eyes. "It'd be better if he wasn't' at my house everyday after school," she added.
"Still? I thought you talked to him about that?" she asked.
"I did, it stopped for two weeks. He's been all over me since the…incident," Bella replied.
Angela nodded her head slowly. "You should talk to him," she suggested.
"Again, I've tried," Bella answered.
The two girls were silent as the walked down the halls. "I just don't know what to do Angela," she sighed. Angela wrapped her arm around her shoulders with a small smile.
"It'll be okay," she assured her.
Bella nodded and the girls went to class.
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After lunch, Bella walked into biology and took her usual seat next to Edward. "What are we doing today?" She asked.
"Onion root cells," he replied.
She nodded her head slowly and pulled her hair back in a ponytail. "How are you doing?" He asked. She glanced at him.
"I'm fine," she replied.
He nodded his head slowly. "This slide has anaphase," she informed.
"Mind if I check?" he asked.
"Knock yourself out," she replied.
Edward checked to see if she was right. "Anaphase…" he said more to himself than to her.
"Like I said," she answered.
Edward glanced at her and she sat back in her seat. "When would you like to work on the biology project?" he asked. He noticed that Bella was off in her own world. "Bella?" He called.
"Yeah," she answered snapping out of it.
"When would you like to work on the biology project? You know the big project that we were given instead of a final," he reminded her.
"Oh…right…um…I'll have to get back to you on that," she answered.
Edward took another slide and looked at it. "Just let me know," he told her. She nodded her head slowly and started staring at her notebook.