A/N: Hi. Wow... I didn't expect followers and reviews so quickly. Honestly, I was expecting at least a week before anything popped up. I'm shocked but happy. Thank you for the reviews and follows so far.

Okay... so I have a few things to say before carrying on. First, is it written okay? Like I said, this is my first try at writing anything like this, so I'd like to know. And please be honest.

Secondly, just to remind you, I have written up to 6 chapters so far. I'm in the process of writing the 7th. I wasn't expecting to update so soon but after seeing all the followers I couldn't make you wait for a few days so I'm uploading now. After this I'm going to bed (it's night in England) and I'll post Chapter 4 in the morning. I was thinking about leaving no less then 4hrs between each update. Some times it may be more but the least will be 4hrs. Is that okay? I'm not sure... let me know in the reviews.

Lastly, it saddens me to admit that I have ME myself. So updates may sometimes be slow as it takes a lot out of me to write these. But I'm hoping that leaving at least 4hrs between each update will give me enough time to write a good portion of chapters. After all, I have the time. And just so you know, Bella's story with her illness is not an exact copy of mine. Of course I've used some of my own experiences as inspiration but the time frames and happenings aren't the same as mine.

Anyway, enough about me. Let's carry on with the story. I hope you enjoy!

KS.reader

Chapter 3: The Cullens

My morning has been good so far. I feel giddy, excited to go to school and not be the focus of every single person I pass. Today, my ribs are sore, they feel bruised. My knees and ankles have a constant ache in them, like I've been crouched down in the same position for hours.

I'm currently sat at the table eating some cereal. Charlie sits opposite me reading the newspaper. At moments like this, I have the chance to really look at my father. I notice the dark circles under his eyes, the wrinkles that faintly crease his face. This illness hasn't had an impact on just me, but also my father. He looks like he's aged ten years in just under two. If I didnt feel guilty already, I definitely would now.

After consuming my last lot of morning meds, Charlie helps me stand and shuffle to sit down in my wheelchair. The pain in my ankles and knees spreads up my legs as I hold my weight for a few moments.

I drive myself into the Beauty room and wait for Sue. She enters several minutes later, after saying a brief hello to my dad. We start on with the routine for the morning.

Once I'm washed, Sue helps me get dressed. Today I've chosen to wear a pair of plain black leggings, a white racerback cropped tank top, a denim jacket and a pair of white Adidas sneakers.

I leave my hair down for today, in an attempt to hide my collarbones that protrude more than they should. I don't want the new kids to make any crazy assumptions, though I know they probably will. They'll wonder if I starve myself, if I choose to be this way, if I'm lazy!

As soon as I'm dressed, me and Sue leave the room and go see my dad. He's sat on the sofa watching something sporty. When he sees me he quickly turns it off before getting up and showing Sue to the door.

The rest of the morning goes as planned. I have my morning classes with breaks in between. Mr. Mason wears the same ensemble he always does. I get my results back for my Christmas homework; 100%! This news makes me even more happy than before. Mrs. Jefferson wears a knitted grey jumper dress that shows NO cleavage. I guess she was a little cold yesterday. It is winter after all. I find her class a lot easier today; only missing a word or two in the half an hour.

After a short nap I head back to my study. Less than five minutes later Mr. Varner enters the room, scowling. Suspecting he's still unhappy about yesterday, I immediately apologise for skipping his lesson. He dismisses my apology and says he understands, though I'm not sure he does. I let it go anyway. We get on with the work. I struggle with understanding trigonometry; always have, even before I was ill. However, Mr. Varner is an excellent tutor and I'm gradually making sense of it.

Our time is up, finally, so we leave the study. I make my way to the living room and wait for my dad to conclude his conversation with Mr. Varner before asking him to help me. He helps me move from wheelchair to recliner, where I put my headphones in and listen to some music until it's time to leave. I must have dozed off because I'm called awake by Charlie saying we need to leave in ten minutes.

Soon we're in the car, on our way to the school. Charlie parks up, helps me out and watches me move towards the school. I turn to give him a final wave and when I do, I spot a car I've never seen before; a silver Volvo. It must belong to the Cullens.

I sign in before making my way to Mrs. Goff's classroom. The bell rings a minute after I arrive and the previous class flood out of the room, talking amongst themselves. Most of them completely ignore me, some still stare. I hear the words 'dreamy', 'handsome' and 'Cullen' from passersby and realise that I was right. The arrival of the Cullens has taken the limelight off of me for a while.

It's such a relief.

I enter the classroom and take my place behind my desk. Others start to slowly enter the room. Jessica passes my desk with a disgusted look on her face before taking her place behind me.

"Is it okay to sit here?" I look up to see who the bell of a voice belongs to. A small pixie-like girl with short, black spiky hair is standing next to me pointing at the empty desk space.

I nod silently, shocked that she's even acknowledged me. She must be one of the Cullens. She sits down with grace that I can only dream of having and turns to me. Mystery girl stares at me and I stare back. I start to feel uncomfortable; I don't know what she's waiting for.

Slowly, I start to avert my eyes when she suddenly thrusts her hand out to me. "I'm Alice. Alice Cullen. I just started here today. It's a pleasure to meet you!" she says confidently. I can already tell I'm going to like this girl. I extend my hand to shake hers.

"Likewise. I'm Isabella. Isabella Swan. But please call me Bella", I reply with what I hope to be the same amount of confidence. She just smiles sweetly at me. Mrs. Goff walks in at that moment and the lesson begins.

Today we're working on speaking about our talents. She asks us to, one by one, say what we think our talent is to the class. Dancing, running, drawing, skating, maths - people chuckle at that one - climbing... and it goes on and on. When it's my turn to speak I'm interrupted by a snicker behind me.

"Sleeping." Jessica Stanley answers for me and the whole class bursts into laughter, apart from Alice. She just looks confused. I duck my head down as I feel my cheeks burning. Mrs. Goff tries her best to hush the class as quick as possible.

"Miss. Stanley, it was not your turn to speak. Please stay back after class. Now Bella, will you tell us what your talent is." she requests. I look up at her and she's gazing down at me with concern in her kind eyes. Or is it pity?

In a timid voice I answer, "Singing. I used to sing." That seems to be enough because she moves onto the next person, which is Alice. She answers with "fashion" before turning her head to look at me. I think she's trying to catch my attention but I don't dare look at her. I don't want to see the curiosity on her face, because soon will follow the questions and I don't think I'm ready to answer any right now.

Mrs. Goff tells us what to do next. We're instructed to have a conversation, in Spanish, with the person next to us about our talents. I glance at Alice to see her whole body facing me as she smiles away. "How good is your Spanish?" I ask in said language. She replies in clear, perfect Spanish that it's "pretty good", like she was born there and it's her native tongue.

We slip into easy conversation and before long we're talking about music and clothes; all stuff related to the work, kind of. It's different talking to her. She doesn't ask one question about what Jessica said or why I'm in a wheelchair. Mrs. Goff comes to check on us, more specifically me, and she is soon roped into our discussion.

It doesn't take long for her to ask me what she really wants to know, "How are you Bella? How were your morning classes?" I quickly glimpse at Alice to see she's waiting intently for me to answer, just as Mrs. Goff is.

"I'm good thanks. They were okay. I completed all the work today." I reply nonchalantly, as if I'm talking about the weather. She smiles at me in response before moving to the front of the class and announcing it'll soon be time to go.

When the bell rings I wait for everyone to leave, as always. When the noise has depleted I go to move out of the room when I realise that Alice Cullen has stayed behind with me. I don't know why, but I don't get the chance to ask. Jessica glares at me from across the room and I know that's my cue to leave.

I make eye contact with Alice and gesture my head towards the door. We silently slip out of the room. She starts up chatter again, this time in English. People stare at us as we pass them in the halls. I'm used to it but I don't know if Alice is, though by the way she's chatting I highly doubt she's bothered much or that she's even noticed.

When we reach the lunch room I take a quick look at mine and Angela's table to see her sat with two other people I don't recognise. I realise that these must be the other Cullens. Dread fills my stomach when I spot Rosalie freaking Hale stood by the table talking with them all. I consider hanging back until she leaves, but before I can put my plan into action, Alice is beckoning me to follow her to the table.

She bounces up to them and kisses the guys on the cheek before introducing herself to Rosalie. I'm a bit slower in my venture over. As I'm moving, I take a closer look at the boys that are sat at my table.

One is a beast of a man, with bulging muscles and a big goofy grin. He looks like a senior, the same as Rosalie. He's staring at her all googly eyed, like most men do. The other guest at the table is beautiful. That is the first word that comes to mind. He has messy bronze hair that looks as if he's been pulling at it all morning, and the most emerald green eyes I have ever seen. He's got a perfectly chiselled jaw and I can see his lean muscles through his tight grey t-shirt.

I look back up to his face and feel my own flame red. He's staring right at me. I quickly look away but not before seeing a lopsided smirk creep onto his oh-so-handsome face. I don't want to even consider what he's thinking about me. He won't find me attractive like I do him, I know that much.

I'm close enough to the table to hear what's being said now. Angela is talking about meeting Alice earlier this morning. Before Angela can even notice me, Alice is out of her chair and moving the unwanted chairs out of the way. I come to a stop once I'm under the table, and say a quiet thank you, hoping to not be noticed just yet. Everyone stops to look at me due to the noise my chair makes. Rosalie gazes at me with disinterest.

Alice is the first to break the silence. "Guys this is my new friend, Bella. We have Spanish together. Bella this is Edward, my twin," she motions to the gorgeous man sat next to me, and then she gestures to the other one, "And Emmett, our older brother."

"S'up Bella? I haven't seen you around here yet. Nice wheels!" Emmett booms at me. I hope that people are minding there own business, but a quick glance around shows me that nearly everyone is staring over here. So much for me not being the center of attention today.

"Just ignore him. He doesn't think before he speaks. I'm Edward, though you already know that. It's lovely to meet you." says the perfect specimen sat next to me. Oh my gawd! His voice is just as perfect as the rest of him, smooth and velvety.

"Hi. Thank you Emmett, I guess? No, you wouldn't have because I'm only in school from 11am", I direct to Emmett, "And it's lovely to meet you too!" I say to Edward, "I've heard some interesting things about you both in the small time I've known your sister."

After I say this they both groan. "Alice!" they whine in unison. It makes everyone at the table laugh, except Rosalie, who's looking at Emmett. When she realises I've caught her admiration of the eldest Cullen brother, she turns her attention to me.

"How are you feeling today Bella?" She asks with genuine concern in her voice. I freeze for a moment, unsure if it's a trap or not. I glance at Angela who shrugs, equally confused as I am. Scrutinizing the look on her face, I see no reason to believe her question isn't authentic. When I notice everyone at the table is waiting, I begin to answer truthfully.

"Eerm... well I'm tired today and -" but I'm cut off mid-sentence.

"Yeah I'm pretty tired today too. That back to school party really knocked me out last night. How about you Lauren?" Rosalie says. I realise a little too late that Lauren is approaching behind me and goes to stand next to Rosalie.

"I'm so tired today Rose. I didn't want to get out of bed but I did, unlike some people. I didn't catch you at the party last night Bella. Maybe I missed you." Lauren replies in a sickly sweet voice. I feel my face flood with embarrassment. She knows that I wasn't at that party.

Before I can come back with my own remark, she carries on. "But I guess it's okay for you though Bella, right? You've had the luxury of sleeping all morning and you get to leave in an hour to go back to it. I'd love to have the time to nap but you know, we actually want to learn." I maintain eye contact with Lauren. When she sees I'm not going to give in, she huffs and takes a breath to carry on with her insults. I hold my hand up to silence her.

"Just stop Lauren. I've heard it all a million times. If I throw a bone will you go away?" I say. I have to remain strong on the outside, even if I'm breaking down on the inside. The Cullens and Angela all snicker at what I just said. Lauren looks confused and Rosalie looks pissed.

Lauren starts to ask "What?" so I explain my point further, "Look, if I wanted a bitch, I'd have brought a dog with me." She understands me loud and clear now. Her face goes bright red (in either rage or embarrassment) and she stomps her foot. Both of them begin walking off and just as I'm about to start another conversation at the table, Rosalie speaks out, loud enough for the whole room to go silent.

"Bella, if I were you I wouldn't wear that top again. You're so skinny. It does nothing for you. Real men like curves, only dogs like bones." And with that she turns and walks away, leaving me in shock as the room explodes into laughter. Our table is silent.

I quickly recover, buttoning up my jacket rapidly and wiping away the few tears that have unwillingly leaked. I can't look anyone in the eyes and without further thought I make my escape, zooming out of the room. I speed down the halls and enter Mr. Banner's classroom. With a shaking hand I move to my desk and sit in peace.

As my tears fall silently, I replay what just happened in my head. I can't believe she said that. In front of my new friends. In front of Edward. What must they think of me? I know I shouldn't be bothered but it stings more then I care to admit.

Edward pov:

We all watch as Bella leaves the room. The laughs of everyone bounce off the walls, making the noise appear louder then it actually is. I look at Emmett and then Alice. None of us have a clue as to what just happened. We all look at Angela for answers. She's staring at Bella's retreating form.

The moment I saw her I was enamoured, and curious (obviously). Who wouldn't be? It's not very often you see a seventeen year old in a wheelchair. That doesn't bother me at all though. All I saw was the way her long tresses of chestnut hair tumble down, past her shoulders. That even though she's in a wheelchair she still moves with confidence in her actions and she doesn't let the obnoxious stares affect her.

When she looked up into my eyes, I felt butterflies in my stomach as girly as that sounds. Her eyes are like pools of chocolate and they stared straight into my soul, searching for something. The blush that tinged her cheeks is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. The moment she spoke I knew that I have to get to know this girl more. Her voice was like music to my ears.

She seemed to be in a good mood until the bitch spoke. And from there, everything went down hill. I don't know what blondie was talking about; Bella has luscious curves. I should know, I got a good look at her figure as she sat next to me, well at her top half anyway. And so what, if she seems a bit skinny; most girls are nowadays. It's not a crime!

Alice's voice drags me from my thoughts. "Okay, what the hell just happened? One minute we were all laughing and joking around, and the next Bella is out of the room crying. Angela?" she asks. I want to know the answer to this myself.

Angela's eyes flicker between all three of us before she finally answers, "It's not my place to say what's wrong with Bella but what just happened isn't a rare occurrence. They usually pick on her, because she's in such a vulnerable situation. But... they've never said anything like that before. I-I have to go find her. She needs to eat or..." Angela stops mid-sentence, afraid she'll reveal too much? She quickly leaves in the same direction as her friend.

Me and my siblings sit in silence as we eat, unsure of what to say. Surprisingly Emmett speaks up, "It isn't a rare occurrence? So she suffers through that most of the time?" he asks, though we know he's not really looking for an answer.

What a great first day.

Bella pov:

I sit wallowing in self-pity when the door opens. Angela rushes into the room with her arms open wide. She hurries over to me and envelopes me in a gentle hug. I try really hard to hold it in, but I can't, and the floodgates open. Sobbing into Angela's side, I let it all out.

Minutes pass and I slowly calm down. Angela sits beside me and pulls out my lunch from my bag. We sit and eat in silence. Angela is the first to speak. "Are you okay?", she asks. Thats a tricky question, right now I'm not so sure. I'm used to them saying I'm lazy and I know that I'm skinnier then most, but that's the first time they've ever mentioned it. It's wounded me more than I was prepared for.

"I will be. Did the Cullens say anything about what happened? I'm sure they're confused." I ask, sniffling. I'd rather not focus on me right now.

"Yes. They asked what the hell happened. They seemed upset and angry. Emmett was sending daggers in Rose's direction. I'm telling you, if looks could kill!" she chuckles. I try to force a smile onto my face but I'm sure it's more of a grimace.

"You didn't... say anything about... me, did you? About my illness?" I stutter. I don't want to tell them. Not yet at least. They're new here, and I want them to get to know me, the real me, before they meet the girl that everyone avoids. It might be difficult, but I'll try my hardest to dodge any talk of my illness for as long as I possibly can. Angela vigorously shakes her head, assuring me that she didn't say a word about it. This makes me feel somewhat better.

Students start filling the room, bit by bit. Everyone looks at me, smirking, whispering to the person next to them as they enter. Lauren enters the room with a smug look on her face. She strolls past my desk, knocking my arm with her bag in the process. I close my eyes as the pain shoots through my arm, into my collarbone and up the right side of my face. Angela seems oblivious to my discomfort as she rushes out a goodbye before escaping to her place.

A pulsing throb paralyses me momentarily. I'm afraid to move, worried it will spread to the rest of my body. With my left hand I reach for my bag that is on the table, and slowly drag it towards me. I rummage through it, finally pulling out my emergency pain medication, all the while managing to keep my right side immobile. With a trembling hand, I bring the pills to my mouth and swallow them down with a gulp of water. There's no affect at first and I remain frozen.

I keep my eyes on the door, waiting for Mr. Banner to enter so I can inform him of my situation. My dad has told me that whenever a major problem arises, like this, I MUST warn my teacher. The door opens and Edward saunters into the room. I hastily turn my attention to the wooden desk in front of me. I start picking at the chips that are carved into it, with my left hand.

"You can sit here if you want Eddie?" I hear Lauren say in what I think is meant to be a seductive voice. Eddie? Really? I can imagine her sat at her desk behind me, slowly caressing the empty bench beside her, trying to coax him. I guess it makes sense, he's handsome and she's beautiful. They'd make a very attractive couple.

A shadow appears on my desk so I shift my eyes upwards, seeing who it could be. Edward stands with one hand in his pocket and the other nervously gripping the strap of his bag that is currently swung over one shoulder. He has a small smile on his face that curves up slightly more on one side. He's looking at me and I realise that he never accepted Lauren's request. "Nah, it's okay Lauren. I'd prefer to sit here, if that's okay with you Bella?" he asks, pointing to the vacant stool next to me. The whole time he keeps his eyes locked on mine.

I'm tongue-tied at first, unsure of what to say. He wants to sit next to me? He's choosing skinny Bella over curvy Lauren? I can't believe it! I hear her gasp of surprise at his words. All I can do is nod my head wordlessly, forgetting about my pain momentarily. Bad move! I can't mask my pain as my neck throbs and goes stiff. I briefly close my eyes and take some deep breaths.

The affects of the pills starts to creep up on me. There's a reason they're emergency pain meds; they cause extreme fatigue but take the edge off the pain. I start to move my right arm slightly; wiggling my fingers and rotating my wrist.

"Are you okay?" Edward whispers to me from my left. He's taken his seat and got all his books out. I hadn't even noticed. I was in my own little world for a moment. "Bella? Are you okay? You know... from earlier on in the cafeteria?" he asks again, a little louder, when I don't reply the first time. I'm so tired that I can't seem to get my mouth to work, so I just nod again, the pain not as bad this time. I feel so stupid!

Finally, Mr. Banner enters the room. He has his back to me and I'm too tired to call out his name. Eventually he turns around and spots Edward sat next to me. Mr. Banner quickly walks over to us and in a hushed voice, asks me, "Are you alright with someone sat next to you Isabella?". I manage a nod which is quickly followed by a shake of my head as I try to clear it of the fog that's suddenly overcome me.

When someone with ME feels more fatigued than usual, we get what's called brain fog. Brain fog is an episode of mental confusion that can strike without warning. It can cause lack of focus, poor memory recall and reduced mental acuity.

There's nothing I can do to clear it; I just have to wait it out. The issue is, brain fog is unpredictable. I never know how long it will last each time I experience it; seconds, minutes, hours, days. There's no telling.

Luckily my mind clears minutes later. I glance between Edward and Mr. Banner, who both look slightly concerned. "Bella, do you need me to call your father?" Mr. Banner asks. I nod my approval and he moves away to do just that. I'm left with Edward, doubtful of what to say.

Just as Edward is about to speak, Mr. Banner comes back over. He tells me that my father is on his way. Knowing my dad, he was probably walking around with his phone glued to his hand all day, ready for a call. It's not the first time something like this has happened, and it won't be the last. "Do you need any help?" asks Mr. Banner. Unfortunately, I need to consider that question.

"I don't know... maybe?". He just nods and is about to approach Angela, when Edward speaks up, shocking us both.

"I'd be happy to assist Bella, Mr. Banner. I'm Edward by the way, Edward Cullen." He offers his hand, which Mr. Banner shakes readily. I guess he doesn't encounter many students that are so polite and forward.

He looks to me for permission. I nod my head, a little too enthusiasticly and Mr. Banner just smiles as he walks off. Edward helps me pack my bag before we both exit the room, leaving the curious whispers of everyone behind us.

He walks beside my chair as we make our way through the deserted corridors. I can see him glimpsing at me through the corner of his eyes every now and then.

Opening the door for me, he allows me to exit first, before stepping out himself. "Thank you for this. but you don't have to wait with me you know? I'll be fine on my own." I suggest, though I'm thinking please stay. He doesn't move, instead he leans against the wall by the entrance. I turn myself to the right so I can see him properly.

"She wasn't right by the way" Edward says. It's such a bizzare thing to say. I don't understand.

"She who?" I question.

"The blonde bitch, Rosalie, was wrong. Very wrong." He answers, the last two words quieter then the rest. Blonde bitch? I giggle at that. But I'm still confused. What was she wrong about?

"About what?" I pry.

"You... being too skinny. You're not. You're beautiful." He declares. I have no words. My cheeks tinge red but before I can answer, my dad pulls up and hops out of the car, drawing both of us out of our little bubble. "I'll hopefully see you tomorrow. Goodbye Isabella." He says with a smirk.

He disappears before I have a chance to return the sentiment. I sit for a few seconds, trying - and failing - to stop the smile that stretches across my face. I bite my bottom lip as I make my way over to my dad.

Charlie's looking at me suspiciously, his eyes keep flickering to the school doors. He helps me into the car and soon we're driving home. I can't get his words out of my mind, beautiful. I blush just thinking about it!

We go over a bump in the road and I'm reminded of the reason I've left school early. I cry out as a shock of pain races up my right arm, over my collarbone and into my face. My dad pulls over to the side of the road. "Bella? Bells? You have to tell me where it hurts baby girl. Where does it hurt?" he demands. My face hurts too much to speak so I use my left hand to gesture to my right. The tears flow freely down my face, I can't hold them back.

Charlie rushes us back home. Quicker than I can comprehend, he's carrying me into the house and to my bed. He leaves the room to only come back moments later with water and pills. I gently place my hand over my mouth. I can't take them because I had the emergency medication no more then an hour earlier; I don't want to overdose. We've been through this enough times for Charlie to understand my action.

He puts the items on my bedside table, drags the rocking chair over from the corner of the room, and sits next to me. He carefully takes my left hand in his, and that's when I notice he's shaking. I grip his hand with as much strength as I can. My eyes are beginning to droop and soon I'll be asleep. Just before the fatigue takes hold of me, I whisper "I love you daddy."

I don't know what the time is when I wake up. It's still light outside so it can't have been more than four hours. Charlie is stood by the window, looking out at the bare trees. At the frosted streets. At the world. I watch him for a few minutes, not wanting to break his peace and quiet.

I test the use of my mouth by slowly opening and closing it. Thankfully, the pain seems to have gone. I wiggle my fingers then carefully bend my arm towards myself. It's still a little achy, but nowhere near as bad as before. The rustling of the sheets catch Charlie's attention. He swiftly moves towards me and sits back down on the chair he'd vacated in the time I was asleep.

"How long have I been asleep?" I ask, my voice hoarse.

"About two hours. How are you feeling?" He answers. Two hours? I never sleep that much during the day, unless I'm crashing; my doctor told me to avoid sleeping more than an hour per day.

He must see the apprehension on my face, "Bells you needed the sleep. I know you hate it but I couldn't wake you. I'm sorry. Now can you please answer me, how are you feeling?"

"The pains not as bad anymore. It's gone from my face and collarbone. My arm is still a little achy but nothing that I can't handle." I admit. He nods silently.

He starts teasing the end of his mustache, thinking long and hard about something. "What's up Dad?" I ask. He's been silent for too long.

"What happened Bella? You were fine, well as fine as can be in your condition, when I left you and then Mr. Banner calls saying you're in a bad way. What caused it this time?" He finally asks. I feel like I'm being interrogated. Even though I hate telling him about the people at school, I have to. He'll find out one way or another.

"It was Lauren. I had a minor spat with her and Rosalie. I may or may not have indicated that she's a bitch. Things were said and I left to go to my class early. When she came in, her bag hit my shoulder; accident or not, I don't know. And well... you can guess the rest." I tell him.

The twitch of his mustache is the only reaction he gives me. I try really hard to figure out what he's thinking. Is he angry? Is he upset? I can't tell. Despite how much time I spend with my dad, he is still very hard to read.

Suddenly he explodes. "Those fucking girls! Thinking they can treat you like some shit on the end of their shoe. It makes me so mad! You're ill for fucks sake. Why is that an automatic green light for them to treat you like trash? What is wrong with them? And the guys can be just as bad. I mean c'mon, guys picking on a girl in a wheelchair. What is this world coming to?" he rages. I don't say a word, allowing him to let it all out. By the end of his rant, he's red in the face and is breathing harshly. I remain silent as he calms down. If I'm being honest, I'm shocked. Charlie hardly ever let's go like this, and he never swears. Well not in front of me anyway.

Finally coming back to present day, he looks at me, regret and shame in his eyes. Glancing down at his feet, he shuffles back and forth without saying a word. "I'm sorry." he whispers, almost so quiet I can't hear him. Why is he apologising? He's right after all. But I know what's wrong with him; he's afraid he has offended me somehow.

"Daddy it's okay. You're right. What they have done... what they DO is wrong. But there's no way we can change it. Yes her actions were out of line but at the end of the day, it's never going to stop. You've tried sorting it out numerous times already, and it just continues. I can deal with it, I PROMISE!" I tell him. At the end of my speech my breathing is a little heavier. I'm proud that I managed to get it all out without stopping... especially after today's episode.

"But Bells, you can't handle it. You've proved that today. You said you left to go to your class early. I know what that means. You got upset. You let it get to you." he argues. As much as he loves giving me chances to be a normal teenager, he hates me being at school. Only because of the people that I have to encounter when I'm there. I can't really blame him.

"I assure you daddy, I CAN handle it. I only got upset today because there's these new kids at school. They seem to really like me. And I'm talking about me, not the ill girl that people avoid. I didn't want them to see any of that, especially not on their first day. I guess it affected me more than usual. But I promise I'm strong enough to carry on facing those bitches. I can stand my own, you know that more than anyone." I say.

He comes back over to the bed and sits back down in the rocking chair. Grabbing my left hand, he looks me in the eyes, searching for anything that tells him I'm lying. He finds nothing. He inhales deeply.

"When did you become so mature? When did you grow up?" he asks me, bewildered. I'm unsure if he wants me to answer or not. I decide to tell him the truth, even if it's not what he's expecting to hear.

"When I became ill." I reply firmly. He stills and averts his eyes. Clearing his throat, he stands and slowly leaves the room. Once he's out of sight I let what just happened sink in.

Maybe sometimes, it's best to omit telling the truth. It can hurt the people closest to you, whether you intend it to or not.

A/N: Well that's Chapter 3. I'll post Chapter 4 in the morning. Thanks again for giving my story a chance. Please review. Night.

KS.reader

Image links:

Bella's outfit - https/ak1./cgi/img-set/cid/198083111/id/TFQThYsX5hG7vobTEs3bcg/size/y.jpg