A/N: Hello. First off thank you to the few of you who are reading this. So I haven't forgotten about my other stories but I just felt like channeling depressed Bella tonight. I know this story may not seem original yet but it will make a twisting turn in the not too distant future.

As always reviews are welcome and thanks again for reading.

Home. What was home? I had never really known. In Phoenix home was a place where I had taken care of Renee, where I succumbed to her whims like a parent to a child. In Forks it was a roof over my head. This house was a shelter for sporadic Christmas memories and occasional summers many years ago. Home. The only home I had ever found lay in an unbeating heart that was miles across the globe by now.

I stood at the bottom of the stairs praying for some reason not to ascend. But I would have no respite. "Bella?" my Father asked in a concerned tone. "I'm fine Dad." I replied with a weak smile and climbed my way to hell.

The door to my room was open and I stood at the precipice clutching the frame for support. Sometimes I thought I could still smell him, his sweetness washing over me like torture. My bed was a traitor. Every time I looked at it I saw his form waiting for me to crawl in next to him so he could whisper nightmares into my sleeping ears. I dumped my things on the bed dashing in and out quickly as though a monster would nip at my heels if I lingered too long, and I made my way to the bathroom.

The mirror is unkind. An empty shell stared back. It used to be a girl, a girl with hopes and dreams and a future. She is covered in scrapes and her eyes are adorned in black circles. I lift my shirt and pull at the edge of my jeans to examine my bruises. They are almost black in some places and edged in blues and purples like some sort of twisted sunset. A bitter chuckle escapes me. He was always so afraid of hurting me. He left me because he didn't want to hurt me. What would he think of this? It didn't matter. He would never know.

"Bells?"

My Father's voice shocked me from my reverie and I jumped turning to face him.

"Sorry Bells. Do you want something to eat?"

"No, but I'll make something for you if you like."

His eyes grew sad when I said that and he sighed. "Bella…" he began to chide and I decided to cut him off quickly.

"Don't you need to get to work?"

He stared at me, unsure of what to do.

"Dad, go. I'll be fine."

He turned and kicked the door frame. "Damn it Bella."

"I'm fine." I whined, trying to push him downstairs. "I got it out of my system. If it makes you feel any better I'll call you every hour."

He turned again to face me. "Promise me?"

"Yes, I promise. Now go."

I busied myself the rest of the day with housework and homework. These were familiar to me, comfortable. Angela had been kind enough to drop off the school assignments I had missed. I knew I should call her but I couldn't bring myself to talk to anyone yet. I had been working in silence when I suddenly heard a knock at the door. I opened it to find a tall dark skinned boy with long sleek chestnut hair standing on my porch. A smile brilliant as the sun stretched across his face at the sight of me.

"Hey Bells!" he said pulling me into a bear hug, his heat enveloping me. Jacob Black was the son of my Father's friend Billy and someone I had vague memories of from when we were kids.

"Jake…" I stuttered as he released me. "What are you doing here?"

"Your Dad sent me to check on you." He replied brushing his way past me into the house. I groaned and rolled my eyes.

"Jake I don't need a babysitter." I said as I followed him into the living room.

"Tough Bella, you tried to kill yourself on my res so you have no say in the matter."

I couldn't help but smile at his words. This was one of the things I loved about Jacob. He didn't coddle me. He didn't mince words. I could always trust him to be honest with me and to not take any bull from me.

"Does this mean I'm your prisoner?" I asked plopping down on the couch next to him.

"Sure." He replied in a somewhat haughty air.

"Fine. What's on the duty roster for today?"

"Hmm…" he contemplated, tapping his finger against his chin. "I could teach you to be a grease monkey." He asked hopefully.

"On the truck?" I asked getting up from the couch.

"No, my stuff's back home."

"Oh Jake, I can't." I said backing away. "I can't go back there yet."

"Sorry Bells." He said standing. "How about a movie? Something mindless and violent."

"Sounds perfect." I said finally smiling, grabbing my coat off the hook and heading outside.

I tried to ignore the fact that it was sunny out.