A New Dawn

Disclaimer : Don't own Twilight. No copyright infrintment intended. SM owns Twilight.

The rest, however, is mine. Read and enjoy...


Chapter Two

I hated the old Bella, loathed her.

I hated her quiet and shy demeanor. I hated her for not sticking up for herself when those assholes walked all over her, tortured her until she broke. She was weak and pathetic, and I hated her for it. I hated her for not being strong enough, for not defending herself, and there was nothing I could do to change that.

I couldn't change my past, but I could make damn sure my future was different.

I was different now, better. No longer a shy fucking wallflower. No one would ever treat me the way Cullen and the others had. Never, never again.

I'd heard time and time again that revenge wasn't the way to go, but I didn't give a fuck about being the bigger person and forgiving and all that shit.

Fuck that.

This was personal.

I'd like nothing more than to castrate Cullen, McCarthy, and Whitlock with rusty spoons and watch Brandon and Hale also suffer something slow and torturous, but I'd be even happier if I never had to see them again.

Maybe I wouldn't see them at school, I thought, trying to be positive even knowing it was highly unlikely and pointless to even have suck high hopes. I'd see them around alright. There was no avoiding, that I was sure of.

I desperately wished Renee was here to tell me what to do. But she was gone. Charlie didn't go to her funeral. I'm not sure why, and we never talk about it. He hadn't even mentioned her since I'd been here. Hadn't shed a single tear. I think he had his own way of dealing with things, throwing himself into his work.

"Are you sure you're ready to go back tomorrow?" Charlie asked on one rare even when he was home early for a change, eyeing me warily.

"Yes," I lied.

I didn't know what I was ready for. I didn't feel prepared for anything except to tell those assholes where to shove it in case they approached me, but it's been a long time. I don't know what it will be like to see them again in person.

I'd had nightmares about them…but seeing them in personal again was an entirely different thing.

"Bells, if you need a few more days, I'm sure your teachers would be more than understanding," he said, sounding concerned and unconvinced of my declaration of readiness to go back.

I shook my head. "No, I want to go to school. I need to. I need something to keep my mind off of...everything," I admitted truthfully.

He sighed, seeming slightly appeased by my answer. "Alright, Bells," he finally said.

I yawned, putting out dirty plate from dinner in the sink.

"I'm tired. I'm gonna go to bed early tonight," I said, leaning down to give Charlie a good-night hug.

He kissed me on my temple. "Night, Bells."

"Night, Char—Dad," I yawned again before heading out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

I brushed my teeth and changed quickly into a white tank top and my favorite pair of holey, comfortably grey sweatpants. I really was tired, but too anxious to sleep. I kept thinking of a million different things that could go wrong tomorrow at that hell hole, Forks High.

I thought of all the people I'd once considered my friends who'd turned against me so easily when Cullen stepped in to make my life a living hell.

Fucking sheep, all of them, following the pretty boy jock.

Figures.

I'd remember that tomorrow if any of those fuck faces tried to get friendly. I'd remember their betrayal.

When I thought of these mindless sheep, one person in particular wandered into my mind, Jessica Stanley, a girl I'd become friend's with my freshman year right before the bullying started.

I walked into the locker room, my book bag slung over one shoulder as I made my way over to my usual changing spot.

Jessica was standing on the other side of the locker room today. Usually she changed right next to me, filling me in on the latest ignorant gossip or chatting incessantly about something trivial or something she found scandalous.

Instead, she was standing on the opposite side of the room, whispering in a hushed tone to Tanya Denali. Tanya listened intently to her, a curious expression on her face before her eyes went wide as if she'd just heard something wonderfully juicy in the gossip world.

Tanya glanced up to see me standing there, cleared her throat, and nudged Jessica who then turned around also. She looked at me like I was a freak, before her and Tanya began snickering about something.

I stared at her with a bewildered expression. I didn't understand why she was acting like this. Just yesterday she was acting like my best friend, but now…

"Jessica?" I called.

She looked up at me with this look on her face like she couldn't believe I had the nerve to even speak to her.

"Yeah, freak?" she sneered.

Confused, I stammered out, "W-what?"

She sighed, looking at Tanya, chuckling.

"Let me explain something, Bella. You're a loser, get it? I don't associate with losers, got that?" she demanded, glaring at me.

"But I—I don't understand?" I questioned slowly, baffled and, quite frankly, hurt. Her words stung.

She sighed again, louder and with annoyance, and looked to Tanya for help.

Tanya gave me an annoyed sideways glance as if I were dirt on the bottom of her shoe.

"Edward Cullen is my boyfriend, Bella," she said, approaching me slowly.

I didn't understand. What did that have to do with me?

"He told me all about you, you little slut. Edward's mine, understand? I don't need some little nerdy bitch like you trying to take him away," she said, then smirked. "Not that you could if you tried anyway."

My jaw dropped to the floor. Never once had I ever been called a slut in my entire life. I'd never deserved the title. I still didn't.

They laughed mockingly at my expression. It was all a game to them.

They left the locker room together, new pals.

Jessica purposely bumping shoulders with me as she passed.

Tanya chuckled. "Pathetic."

"I know right," I heard Jessica's nasally voice sound.

It had been the first time I felt like a true outcast.

It was just the tip of the iceberg though.

I'd always been different, but I'd never seen it as a bad thing…until that moment when I felt completely alone. I never imagined that in the years to come I'd be ridiculed and mocked for something I didn't do or something I wasn't.

Just because I'd refused to spread my legs for Edward Cullen and the entire football team like Tanya and Jessica had, I was a slut?

No, I would not forget what had happened.

Sleep evaded me for most of the night, but I didn't mind so much.

Starting tomorrow was a new era, a new chapter in my life.

I saw it as I chance to do something to rectify the past.

As I lay awake, I could help but wonder where Cullen was at this moment and if he was ready for the hell coming his way tomorrow.

I pulled into the parking lot of Forks High the next morning in my old beat-up truck, sticking out like a sore thumb, but I tried not to care. I didn't like being in the spotlight or calling attention to myself, but I simply could not do without my old, rust bucket of a truck.

What can I say? It held a soft spot in my heart.

I scanned the lot before exiting my monster of a truck. A few familiar faces here and there but none of significance. Not Cullen or any of the other fucktards.

Finally, I jumped out of my truck and slammed it shut, drawing the attention of a few on-lookers. I heard hushed whispered and glared at the fuckers.

They immediate shut up and looked elsewhere like the smart sheep they were.

I slung my bag over my shoulder and headed to the registration office.

I entered the warm office and Mrs. Cope was sitting at the front desk. I remembered her well, and immediately recognized her frizzy red hair and thick black glasses. She had gaudy, bright red lipsticks smeared across her barely-there lips, overlapping the skin in an effort to make her lips appear fuller, failing miserably.

I wondered if she'd recognize me.

She took one look at me above her black thick-rimmed glasses and smiled, revealing the red lipstick smeared on one of her front teeth.

I resisted the urge to shudder.

"Isabella Swan?" she asked sweetly, smiling at me.

At the mention of my name, a few heads snapped up in my direction.

I ignored them. Fuck them.

"The one and only," I replied, stepping closer to the desk.

"How are you, dear?" she asked.

"Just peachy," I replied dryly.

Her smile dropped, and I think she got the hint I wasn't interested in her small talk. I wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.

"Yes, well, everything's already been set up," she said, going through a shitload of papers scattered across her desk before finally handing me a hot pink one with my schedule printed out on it.

I looked over it, approving it quickly as I realized I had AP Lit first period. Chemistry second block wasn't so hot, but I could make due. Economics third block. Last but not least, fourth block was pottery III, oh joy, something for me to take my anger out on: clay.

"Thanks," I mumbled before walking out, not waiting for her response.

I was too distracted looking down at my schedule as I collided with someone, landing on my ass from the blow.

"Ow," I grumbled before looking up into a pair of friendly brown eyes that stunned me for a moment because of their warmth and friendliness they seemed to hold.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going," he said quickly, reached a hand out to help me up.

"Uh," I said stupidly, staring at him dumbly like an idiot.

He was handsome. Russet skin, short black hair. Muscular. His face was completely unfamiliar which is why I couldn't allow myself to shoot him a dirty look.

He stared at me with a questioning look as his empty hand hung in the air, still extended towards me.

Take his hand, Bella, you idiot, my inner thoughts commanded.

I did as the voice said, and he pulled me up easily with what looked like little effort.

"Oh, um, no, it was completely my fault," I stumbled out, embarrassed as I rushed to pick up my things, but he beat me to it, easily reaching down with his tall frame and scooping up my bag.

I felt my face heat as blood rushed to it and avoiding his eyes as he handed me my bag. "Thanks, and I was the one not looking where I was going," I assured him, holding up my schedule.

"Ah, new student?" he asked.

Something like that, I thought to myself.

"Fresh meat," I confirmed, finally looking at him.

He laughed freely. The sound was warm and made me smile. His laughter and smile it would seem were contagious.

"Need a tour guide?" he asked.

"Um, not really. I know my way around, but I wouldn't mind some company," I said truthfully.

A warm smile broke across his face, making me smile also in return.

"Sure thing. I'm Jacob, by the way," he said, eyeing my schedule.

"Bella," I told him.

"What do you have first block, Bells?" he asked, using a nickname as if we'd known each other for years, not that I minded.

"AP English," I replied, handing him my schedule.

He looked over the rest.

"Good news is we have Economics together. We get second lunch," he said.

"Good."

He nodded. "So, where you from?"

"Um, Phoenix, Arizona…kind of," I said hesitantly, not sure if I was willing to share the sordid, shitty details of my complicated life at this point.

"Kind of?" he asked curiously.

"Well, I grew up here in Forks. Then I moved to Phoenix with my mother about a year ago. Now I'm back. I'll be finishing out the remained of my high school career here at the lovely Forks High," I said as we continued to walk along.

He looked at me for a moment.

"So you must be Isabella Swan, huh?" he asked.

My eyes snapped to his, looking for any sort of judgment in his face but found none.

"News of my arrival's spread that quickly, huh?" I asked flatly.

"Ugh, yeah. Sorry, I didn't mean to . . ."

"It's fine," I assured him. "What rumors are going around now? I'm interested to hear."

He laughed. "Nothing good."

"How'd you know who I was? Does everyone in this town know my entire life story?" I asked.

"Well, rumor has it you fled the state because of some asshole and his friends. And your mother . . . passed away, so now you're back, staying with your dad, Chief Swan," he explained simply, sounding reluctant to mention my mother.

I tried to ignore the tiny sting that came with the reminder of her loss.

"Nice," I said sarcastically.

"So, is it true?" he asked.

"Which part?"

"The part about Edward Cullen bullying you until you left to stay with your mother and stepfather?"

God, this town has no fucking secrets, I thought bitterly.

"Depends. People still kissing his ass and kneeling at his feet?"

He laughed. "Umm, not so much. He sort of keeps to himself."

Interesting…

I sighed. "Then, yeah, it's true."

Jake walked me to first block. I learned he was into extreme sports like cliff diving (he promised to take me sometime) and a passion for fixing things like junk cars.

The day had started off a lot better than expected. Things seemed like they might actually go well.

That all changed very quickly when I walked into my first class.

"Yes, Isabella Swan. You can—"

"Bella," I cut Mr. Riley off, correcting him.

"Yes, well, Bella, you can have a seat next to . . . Alice. Ms. Brandon, raise your hand please," he ordered, looking over my shoulder.

I gritted my teeth and turned slowly to lock eyes with her, Alice.

Her wide blue eyes met my slightly narrowed ones as they glared at her all on their own accord.

I had a moment of anger before I smiled internally.

Hello, Ali, long time, no see.


A/N: So...yeah, Bella's a bit more...potty-mouthish(?) in this version.

What do you think Alice will be like now? Different? The same? Oh, and what do you guys think of the cover I made for the story?

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