A/N: So here is chapter 3. To anyone who was waiting for it sorry it took so long, I suck, I know. I hope you enjoy it. By the way I am still really looking for a beta, if anyone would like to or knows of someone who might that would be great.

Disclaimer: I do not own these lovely characters. sigh.

Please enjoy and Review.

Two days had passed since she had her blow up with Rosalie. She also had not been able yet to talk to her cousin, which had her exceedingly worried. If it weren't for her Dad's assurance that Alice was perfectly fine, Isabella would have already been on a plane to check on her. As things were she was about ready to kick her ass for ignoring her and making her worry.

She decided to try her once more before her show. Once again it went to voicemail after one ring.

"Alice, hey I haven't heard from you in a couple of days now," she started in a sweet voice, but started getting more frantic as the thoughts and emotions from the last few days began overwhelming her. "I am sure you are busy and everything, but I swear to god if you don't at least send me a text to let me know that you are ok I am going to come out there and kick your pixie ass. I say that with all the love and thoughtfulness in my heart. CALL ME."

After hanging up she felt bad for screaming at her cousin like that, even if it was only on voicemail. However, she didn't have time to worry about that now since her stylist was telling her it was almost time to take the stage.

As she met with her band before going on stage she tried to push the thoughts about Alice to the back of her head. Right now she needed to focus on the task at hand, getting through this show. Though she tried to hide it, the whole band could see she was more than a little distracted.

Sitting working on the English project they had been assigned to complete together, Alice and Edward were interrupted by music coming from Alice's phone. When she simply reached over and hit ignore Edward was intrigued. While it was just a small thing, it was the look on Alice's. Like she desperately wanted to answer but would not allow herself to.

After they were finished for the day Edward finally decided to ask about the phone call.

"It was nothing, just a wrong number" Alice said avoiding his eyes as she packed up.

Edward could tell there was more to it but didn't really care enough to ask.

Just as she is about to leave Esme comes into the living room.

"Hello, Alice. I haven't seen you around in a while. How are you and Charlie?" Esme asked her face warm and open as it always was.

"We're good. Sorry I couldn't help with that last food drive, school was a little crazy." Alice said.

"Oh don't worry about it. I was just finishing dinner would you like to join us?" Esme asked while Edward held back a groan. Just because Alice was one of the few people in town he could stand to be around for more than a minute without wanting to cut himself, didn't mean he wanted her around more than necessary.

"That's very kind, but I really should be getting home. I told Charlie I would make pasta." Alice knew that Edward didn't want her there and she really just wanted to get home and curl up in bed.

"Well maybe next time. Be sure to say hi to Charlie." Esme said while wrapping Alice in a hug.

"I will" replied Alice trying to get used to being hugged like a daughter by a mother.

After she left Edward followed Esme into the kitchen at her insistence. "Alice is so sweet. You should spend more time with her."

"Esme you know we were just working on a school project." Edward protested.

"I know that but would it really kill you to make a few friends?"

"Probably."

"Edward." Esme sighed exasperated, making Edward feel horrible even though he would never admit it, even to himself.

"Did you need help or can I go to my room? I'm not really hungry."

"No, I don't need help, you can go."

Watching Edward walk away from her that way was always one of the hardest things she had to deal with. She knew that he still had a hard time dealing with everything from the past. She just wished he would open up to someone.

The next day at lunch Edward goes out to his normal spot behind the gym only to find it already occupied.

"Dammit Brandon, what the hell are you doing back here. My. Spot. What about that is so damn hard for you to understand?" Edward asks, running his hands through his hair, frustrated Alice has once again invaded his space.

"Well since your name is not on a plaque and there is no documentation that I have seen stating it as your property, I believe I am free to come here as often as I please. Besides, I was here first today." She replies in a monotone voice.

Edward stares at her incredulously, at a loss for words. As he is about to reply her phone begins to vibrate on the ground next to her. Looking at it she sees that it is her cousin, again. The calls have been getting more persistent but she still can't bring herself to answer them. Rejecting the call she turns her face up into the light mist, wondering what to do and forgetting she has company until he interrupts her.

"So what are you hiding from?"

She turns to him sharply and replies "I'm not hiding from anything."

"Alright, then who are you hiding from?" he asks.

"Nobody" but she can't look at him as she answers.

"Right" he says, sarcasm lacing his voice. "That look on your face says differently."

"Whatever, you don't know what the hell you're talking about."

"Really? I think you want to answer the phone, but you won't because you're scared." He says as she glares at him. "Scared they are going to say what you hear every day here at school. Scared they are going to tell you how great their life is away from you. Scared they are going to give you some excuse of why they can't talk to you anymore, even though you know that if that were the case they would've stopped calling already. How am I doing so far?"

"You're wrong" she mumbles.

"Please, Brandon. It's what you do. You go around for a little bit then when things get tough you run away and hide, until you decide that you are ready to take a few more punches. Then you start the cycle all over again."

She stands and brushes herself off preparing to walk away before he speaks again.

"Just like I said, things get tough and you run."

She spins on him, needing to take her frustrations out somewhere and he is once again the closest target. "You know what, screw you Cullen. Even if I was running or hiding, which I'm not by the way, at least I could say I tried first. What can you say? That you ran and hid, so fast and so well, that even the people closest to you are so far out of reach they may as well be on a whole other fucking planet. Yeah, cause that's something to brag about."

Alice storms off leaving Edward in stunned silence. Edward doesn't go back to class for the rest of the day. He knows there will be hell to pay for it later, but he is simple unable to move, Alice's words weighing him down. Finally after the parking lot is mostly clear he heads home, not wanting to get in too late and cause more problems for his aunt.

Sitting on her bed that night Alice came to the conclusion that Edward was in fact right, she was running and hiding. Damn him.

Hearing people at school tell her day in and day out how pathetic she is really began to get to her. She knew that didn't mean her cousin thought that. She knew for a fact Bella was nothing like the kids at school. But that didn't stop the fears and doubts from creeping up and plaguing her mind.

When her phone rang again that night she almost sent it to voicemail again, but decided she was tired of letting the kids at school control her actions even when they weren't around.

"Hello" she answered tentatively.

"Alice. Jesus, finally you answer. What is going on, I have been trying to reach you for days." Bella says exasperated but relieved to finally hear her cousin's voice.

"Yeah, sorry. I just… um… I had stuff going on with school and such."

"So much you couldn't even send me a text letting me know you were ok. I have been worried sick. I almost jumped on a damn plane to come check on you. Hell I would have if Charlie hadn't told me you were fine." After Bella's rant, Alice felt horrible. She never meant to worry her cousin; she really thought that she would simply be going about her days, with only a passing thought about her, if that at all.

"I'm sorry" she sniffled. The weight of everything hitting her all at once. "I didn't mean to worry you. I just … I thought that you wouldn't care or you would forget or … I don't know" getting more emotional the more she talked.

Hearing her normally up beat cousin sounding so upset and hearing she believed that she would be forgotten broke Bella's heart and had her softening her tone.

"Hey, Allie what is going on, why in the world would you think I would forget about you. You know I could never forget about you Tink."

"Don't call me that" Alice grumbled but still let out a slight chuckle, causing Bella to smile.

"Come on, talk to me. We always tell each other everything."

"It's a long story"

"I've got time" Bella said as she got comfortable on her hotel room bed.

So Alice started telling her about how kids at school picked on her calling her names like freak and loser. How they would constantly make remarks about her parents not wanting her and that no one would. How the girls would hit her with their backpacks or trip her or dump her lunch tray. As she continued Bella grew more appalled at the cruelty of the kids at her school. She knew Alice didn't really have many friends at school but she never thought it was that bad.

"Then the other day when you couldn't call me, it just felt like they were right. Like I was a burden and unwanted. And I know I shouldn't let them get to me but I just can't help it sometimes."

"Shit Alice, I'm sorry. That was never the case. Believe I wanted nothing more than to talk to you that night, if I could have gotten out of that interview I would have. God. I sooo want come out there and kick the ass of everyone at your school. Assholes." Bella ranted earning a giggle from Alice, Who was feeling much better after talking. "So out of curiosity, why did you answer your phone tonight? I mean I am really glad you did but what changed? Or did you just get tired of me yelling at you on your voicemail. Sorry about that by the way."

"While the colorful messages you left me were getting a little old"

"Sorry again"

"I actually answered because of Edward."

"Edward? Who's Edward?" Bella asked the confusion clear in her voice.

"He's one of the guys at school. About the only one I can stand most of the time. Anyway I was hanging out behind the gym today, which he sees as 'his spot' and we got into a little … debate. Anyway he basically said I was running and hiding because I was scared and I realized he was right" Alice explained.

"Wow, okay. I am not sure whether I want to thank him for getting you to answer or come kick his ass along with the rest of your school for upsetting you."

"Thank him. I said some not so nice stuff to him too. I probably need to apologize for that. God he is so not going to let me live it down if I apologize. Ugh."

Bella laughed at her cousins frustrations till a yawn took over.

"I will let you go. You need to rest."

"Yeah sorry. But I will call you soon. Answer or call me back next time please."

"Yeah. I will. Have a good show tomorrow and be careful out there on the road."

"I will. Love you, sis."

"Love you too, sis" Alice replied, feeling better than she had in days.

Meanwhile Edward sat awake in his room, feeling more guilty than ever before, knowing Alice was right about him but knowing not only was it for the best but also that there was nothing he could do to fix it.

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I am working on chap 4 now so hopefully it wont take too long. I have changed the rating from T to M. For anyone wondering why there are a few reasons. I have a tendency to curse and it seems these characters like to follow that example more than I thought they would. Another in later chapters there will be a few things that I am not sure really fall under the T rating so I am being safe. That being said I have an outline for the whole story, it should be about 25 to 30 chapters. I am hoping to write more and faster now that school is almost out for the semester.

Sorry for rambling. I hope you enjoyed it. Now I would really like someone to review. I hate when people demand reviews before they post, that is not why I am doing this but I would like to know someone is enjoying it or at least has some thoughts. Even if the review just says 'next' that would be great. If you don't like something feel free to let me know but be specific. Thanks again and I will shut up now.

AlantaMire