Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and she is brilliant.

Chapter 3 – The Prayer

I sat at a large rectangular table settled close to the backdoor in the kitchen. There were eight seats and I was of course seated somewhere in the middle. I just where Esme told me to. No one else was there yet, except for Esme of course. She sat at one end of the table, the other I presumed was reserved for her husband.

The table was set with beautiful pristine white plates with a blue and gold floral design around the edges and matching cups filled with water. In the middle of the table was a stack of white bread slices, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, black and green olives, carrots and an assortment of condiments.

Everything was so put together. The simplicity of the lunch was balanced out by the care put into it. Usually, if I was not at school, my lunch consisted of a burger and fries from the old diner back in Forks. And then the same thing for dinner. Or something canned or bagged.

The backdoor swung open, pulling me from my lackluster memories of old meals, and efficiently scaring the ever living crap out of me.

"Hello, family!" A giant man – probably even bigger than that Felix – bounded through the door. He wore a broad smile that showed off his adorable dimples and his light green eyes were warm and friendly when he looked over at me. "This must be Isabella," he grinned, then dipped down next to Esme to place a kiss on her cheek.

"Yes, it is," Esme laughed. "But tone it down, Emmett, you don't want to frighten the girl."

"Oh," he whispered, his face contrite, but still beaming. He walked around the table, actually it was more of a skip, to my side and sat down next to me. He turned his body toward me with a kind smile, much like Esme's and he held out his hand.

"Pleased to meet you, Isabella. I'm Emmett Cullen, the eldest and coolest, handsomest child of my mother and father. You can ask literally anyone."

"Emmett," Esme admonished, hiding her smile behind her hand.

"Hi," I finally said taking his hand. His hands were huge. They enveloped mine to their entirety. He gave me a firm but gentle shake and let me go – thank god. If not for the sweet smile and comforting look in his eyes, I'd be peeing myself from the sheer magnitude of this man.

"Mom, I'm home!" A young girl walked into the kitchen. She was small, like, really small. She couldn't have been over five feet and that was being generous. Her hair was dark and pulled back into a long ponytail that fell to the top of her back. She was practically floating around as if gravity meant nothing, her energy and enthusiasm rivaled Emmett's. She went straight for Esme, giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

That was really starting to freak me out. Did Esme brainwash her children into being so Cleaver? Because they reminded me of every black and white TV show from the fifties and early sixties. You know, when kids respected their parents. That was just not normal these days. Not for me anyway. If I even went near my mom, she would leave the room and pour herself a drink.

Worlds apart, for sure.

"Alice, this is Isabella. She's our guest. Be polite and say hello."

"Oh..." she turned to me sheepishly, her bubbly persona all but forgotten. Her eyes cast downward. "Hello, Isabella. I'm Alice. It's very nice to meet you," she said in a small voice, tugging at the hem of her plaid shirt.

Either she didn't like me already – which would be smart on her part – or she was deceptively shy. It was a toss up between the two.

Alice went to the other side of the table and took a seat right next to Esme, even scooting her chair closer to her mother. Again, I am reminded of the colossal differences between my life and this new world I had entered.

Esme, Alice, and Emmett made small talk while we awaited the arrival of Esme's husband, Carlisle and their other son Edward. They tried to pull me in to the conversation, but I wasn't really in the mood to participate openly. I was polite, though. Answering when asked a question and nodding my head in the right places of a story. But mostly, I just listened.

I learned that Emmett is home for the summer from college. He flew in a few days ago from Arizona, where he met his girlfriend Rosalie who will be coming to meet the family before summer ends. They intend to fly back together.

I also learned that Alice is fifteen, a cheerleader, and class president. She's also on the debate team and a straight A student. Esme sure loved to gush about her blushing daughter. My mother usually told people I was 'a pretty good student' and 'kept my room halfway clean'.

"Uh oh," Emmett laughed. "Five minutes til twelve and still no sign of dad or Edward." He turned to Esme. "What are you going to do to them, mom? And can I watch?"

Esme rolled her eyes and checked the slim watch on her wrist. "Stop it, Emmett. They will be here." I could have sworn I heard her mumble something about cow manure if they were late.

It was 11:59 when the front door finally opened and two men hastily walked in. The older one gave his annoyed wife a chaste kiss and then took his place at the other head of the table. I would love to describe him, but I couldn't. Because... well... I was having trouble breathing let alone concentrating.

The most beautiful boy I had ever seen walked was standing just inches from me and yes I mean beautiful with a emphasis on 'ful'. Full pale pink lips, full head of messy reddish brown – I don't even think there's an actual color for it – hair, tight t-shirt full of lean muscle, tight pants full of...

Was I panting? Out loud? I looked around the table.

Everyone is staring at me. Why is everyone staring at me?

"Are you alright?" the beautiful boy asked and I swear it was the most heavenly sound I had ever heard in my entire life and I don't think I was being dramatic. I would bet my last nickle it was the most heavenly sound anyone had ever heard. It was smooth, soft, but held an edge of roughness, like he just woke up. That would explain the hair...

Oh... everyone is still staring. He asked me a question. I needed to answer it. "I'm fine. Are you alright?"

Did I really just say that? I resisted the urge to smack myself across the face. I was an idiot.

The boy who I was assuming was the aforementioned Edward smiled and it was breathtaking. It was bright, white pearls wrapped in soft pink and lifted up at the right corner.

"Yes, I'm well," he chuckled. Oh, god... "I was just asking because I was trying to introduce myself and you seemed to be in a daze."

You can say that again, beautiful.

"I'm just... jet lagged." From a four flight that led me to a place just an hour behind in the timezone, but whatever.

"I'm Edward." He held his hand out to me.

Oh. My. God. Does he want me to touch him? Like, skin to skin? I might pass out.

I reigned myself back in and lifted my hand to his.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. His hands were firm... but soft.

"I'm Bella," I finally managed to squeak out. Edward gave me a strange look and dropped my hand and went to take the seat just across from me.

I'm not going to be able to eat with him right there.

I need to get a grip.

I need to get a grip on him.

Dammit.

"Bella?" Esme called out. "You should have told me you preferred that name over Isabella."

"Oh, I-I didn't want to be rude." Though the truth was I hadn't really thought about it until I was looking into those dark green eyes of that tall tanned Adonis. He needed to know the name I preferred so he could scream it... gotta stop.

Esme laughed quietly. "It isn't rude to correct someone on the name you prefer to be called by, Miss Bella."

"Unless that name is Princess Consuela Banana Hammock," Emmett countered with a snort. He looked around at the blank stares of the people around him. "Rosie has got me watching Friends. Phoebe is life."

His face was so serious about that last part that I had to try to hold in my laugh. It didn't work. And soon the whole table joined in with me. Thankfully.

"Arizona has changed you, son," Carlisle laughed, wiping a tear from his eye when the laughter died down. "Now, let's eat before starve to death."

Lunch was quiet for the most part, little chit chat here and there but everyone seemed to be engrossed in their meal. I, however, was engrossed with the boy in front of me. Even when he ate, he looked good. Better than good. Better than best.

God, he's pretty. In a manly way. He's just so damn pretty.

Lunch passed without incident and everyone went their separate ways. Including Edward. I tried not to whimper when he walked out the back door with his brother and father. Esme left to do some 'afternoon' chores, whatever that is and left me with Alice to clean up.

Alice still wouldn't look at me even when she asked if I wanted to dry the dishes after she washes them.

"Do you not like me?" I blurted out, getting frustrated after a few minutes of awkward silence. Not that I didn't mind if people didn't like me. A lot of people didn't like me. I just preferred to know who didn't. And why.

Alice looked at me, her hands stilling on the plate she had been rinsing. Her green eyes widened and her cheeks pinked. "No... I mean, I don't know you... that is, I don't know you enough to make a judgment... uh... I don't not like you." She nodded, seemingly pleased with her own answer.

"O...kay?" That didn't really answer my question. At all. But she just looked so 'deer caught in the headlights, I'm about to piss my pants caught on the spot' that I decided to drop it. She seemed like a sweet girl, bubbly even. Just not around me.

I could live with that. She doesn't not like me. That's totally fine.

I didn't see Edward for the rest of the night, or really any of the other Cullen's. But most importantly, Edward. Esme told me I had the rest of the day to make myself comfortable with my new living situation and to get rested because the next day was going to be hard. Both physically and mentally. Her words. Not mine.

I could have walked around the house, sat in the living room, out on the porch, gone and taken a tour of the farm. But I chose to stay in the tiny guest bedroom. I only left it to use the bathroom. I had attempted to read one of my books I brought with me, lay on the bed and day dream, stare out the window, but I couldn't do anything but sit on the edge of the bed and think of all the things I screwed up.

Of course, Angela came to mind.

I had tried so hard not to think of her. Not because I didn't want to think of her or because I was hiding from my mistakes, but because I didn't deserve to think of her. But when I think about what I had screwed up, she's the biggest and most important fuck up of my life.

I ruined my best friend. I tainted her with my presence, brought her into my world, helped to put poison in her body and soul. Basically took great joy in corrupting her innocence. She may have been my best friend but I was never hers. I couldn't be. She was the good in this world and I was the bad. Us becoming friends set off the cosmic balance and pissed off the Gods and they were unfairly taking it out on her.

Once again for the people in the back; I am a piece of shit.

.

I never understood the term 'fitful sleep'. I had always loved sleep. I could close my eyes for one minute and then be sound asleep. Sleep was my thing. When I wasn't running around causing a mess of my life and screwing with everyone around me, I was sleeping. Soundly. I could sleep in class. I could sleep in gym class. All I needed was the bleachers. Hell, even the cold, hard floor was suitable enough. The point being, I loved sleep. Past tense.

After the accident, after I had found out the impact of my selfish actions, sleep did not come easily. Sometimes it didn't come at all. And if I did finally fall into that black hole of slumber, I would have nightmares. I still couldn't fully understand or even remember what had happened that fateful night. But my mind had no problem conjuring up the worst possible scenarios.

Every time was different. Every time was horrible. And every time it tore another little piece of my black soul from my body.

Angela.

She was always the main focus. Of course, she was. Sometimes we were in a car, sometimes it was just me and her sitting in my room. It didn't matter where we were or what we were doing, it always ended the same way. With me standing over her lifeless body all bloodied and beaten.

I didn't want to sleep. I guess that's the difference. Sleep came so easily to me before because I wanted it to. Now I was terrified of it. Loathed it.

I spent most of my first night at the Cullen home sitting on the edge of the bed and trying to think of anything other than that night. Push Angela from my mind. But everything seemed to lead back to it. To her. I couldn't escape it. I thought that maybe, perhaps, Sister Karma hadn't forgotten about me after all. Maybe I was getting mine. Finally.

That brought me minimal comfort because it just wasn't enough. It wasn't enough to satisfy Minister and Mrs. Weber. They wanted something physical. Something they could see. They wanted me to pay outwardly, not just on the inside. I could go insane, and that wouldn't be enough to satisfy them. Nothing would ever be enough. I knew that.

I owed them. I owed it to her. I would take all that this experience wanted to throw at me. I would work myself to death if I had to. They may not be able to see it, but I would know about it. And if I suffered, then maybe Sister Karma would restore the balance and give Angela back her chance at life.

I threw mine away long ago. I didn't deserve it now.

I laid down on the bed, exhaustion seeping in. It would take me whether I liked it or not. I had nothing to distract me. Sleep would come, nightmares would torture. Then I would awake into my new life and start paying for my sins in the harsh light of day.

I closed my heavy eyes, seeing nothing but Angela's face. Post-accident. And for the first time in my life I said a little prayer aimed at whoever was listening.

'God, Sister Karma; whoever is listening right now. Don't make her pay for my sins. It isn't fair. Give me all the bad juju you can and I will take it on without complaint. I will suffer for the rest of my days if you just send her a miracle. Amen... or whatever.'

A/n: This will be the last update for the week. I'm going to post a new chapter every Sunday. I hope you all liked the Cullen family. There will be more Edward in the next chapter. If you're enjoying the story then please leave me a review. See you all next Sunday!