A/N: Yay, I finally finished this chapter! I'm so proud of myself; this was really hard for me to write for some reason.

This is a bit shorter than I would've liked, but oh well. I guess it's understandable since nothing too special happens in this chapter. But I'll stop talking for now and let you read. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, or Disney movies, which I mentioned in this chapter. But I do own this story, a new Twitter account for fans of my writing, and I wish I could own Robert Pattinson.

Chapter 3: Clean Slates

For the past few days, literally everything has been pissing me off.

The week before my period, I was always more easily agitated than normal, but it has never been quite this bad before. My parents were staying clear of me whenever possible, and I honestly couldn't blame them. I just couldn't control myself when I started yelling at them; I knew I was acting like a child, yet couldn't stop.

I would like to just be able to blame my time of the month for my behavior, but Edward played a part in this, whether I liked it or not. The extra emotional stress wasn't a good thing for my hormones, or anyone around me for that matter.

It's a good thing that I'm due to start in a couple more days.

"Hey, Bells, are you ready yet?"

My dad's voice startled me; he had been interrogating my mom for the past hour, not me. "Yeah, Dad, I'll be right down!" It was New Year's Eve today, and my parents were going to some fancy party with Carlisle and Esme. They were going to drop me off at the Cullen's for the night so I wouldn't have to spend the New Year alone. After Emmett found out, he called me to let me know that Edward was going to be at his own party by the time I got there, so I was much more willing to go.

Alice actually did a decent job picking out clothes for me that I liked during her shopping trip. There wasn't anything too exuberant; just simple colors, patterns, and cuts, and I was quite proud of her. For this evening I picked out a pair of jeans that hugged my thighs and loosened gradually as they traveled down and a royal blue top that cinched my waist and flowed out below that. I tied my black Converse sneakers on my feet, cursing when I accidentally pulled the lace too far, then I went to meet my father.

Charlie was wearing a black suit – something he hasn't worn since Jake's mom's funeral. He looked incredibly stiff and uncomfortable, messing with his tie and collar. He also kept checking his watch, probably wondering where Renee was.

"Dad, you look great," I complimented awkwardly. Honestly, he looked out of place being so dressed up, and he knew that too, but he loved my mom enough to do this for her every once in a while.

"Thanks Bells," he replied, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Charlie was never very good at small talk, even with his own daughter. "Is your mom still getting ready?"

I let out a small, frustrated sigh. I was getting sick of his whining, even though a part of me knew that it was completely reasonable. "Yeah, I think so." I forced myself to hold my tongue, and boy, that was hard.

My dad was getting frustrated at this point too, raking his hands through his dark brown hair, the same color as mine. He checked his watch again, grimacing at the time. "We have to leave in five minutes if we're going to make it in time …" His eyes, a mirror of my own, connected with mine. "Do you mind going to let her know?"

How this simple question pissed me off I'll never know. If it was any other week I wouldn't mind at at all, but right now, I felt like punching a hole in the wall I was standing by. "No, I'll be right back," I mumbled between clenched teeth.

Renee was somehow still getting ready in the bathroom when I got up the stairs. "Mom, are you ready yet? Dad's getting antsy."

"Yeah, almost Bella," she called from behind the door. "Actually, can you come in and help me really fast?" I sighed at her request and walked in the bathroom to see my mom trying to pull up the zipper on her dress. "I've always had trouble with these ..." she mumbled.

A little bit of my anger melted away when I saw my beautiful mother. It was times like these when I wished that I looked more like her. She looked so gorgeous in her flowing lilac dress. I zipped it up for her and fixed a bobby pin in her hair that was loose. It was half up and the loose pieces were lightly curled. Her eye shadow matched her dress and nicely complimented her cerulean eyes.

"You look beautiful, Mom." I bit my lip after my comment as I fussed with her hair. Finally satisfied, I used a little hairspray to keep it in place and looked at our reflections in the mirror. I looked more like Charlie than her, especially since I had his hair and eyes, but we did share the same smile.

"Thank you, Bella," she replied warmly. She took my hand and led me down the stairs where Charlie was waiting. I heard his breath hitch in his throat as he saw Mom, and his previous frustration melted away. His whole face lit up, which caused Renee to blush slightly.

"Renee," he began, his own blush coating his cheeks, "You look amazing," he said, his voice soft. He took one of her hands in his while they gazed into the other's eyes. Talk about revolting.

"Guys, I can feel my lunch coming back up, can you at least drop me off before you become all lovey-dovey?" I requesting, tapping my foot impatiently.

They blushed simultaneously, I wonder where I get it from, and nodded. We took the police cruiser over to the Cullen's like we did nearly two weeks ago, and I was still banned from sitting in the back. The scenery was relatively the same, aside from some people that already decided to remove their Christmas lights.

Snowflakes were falling delicately from the sky, enough to coat the ground but not enough to cause anyone a problem. The people of Forks generally had some idea of how to drive in the snow, even if there was nearly a foot of it. I guess that's why Emmett believed that he was capable of taking a little trip last Saturday and ignored the fact that the roads were closed for once.

Apparently, Esme sent a text message to Renee during the ride, and she and Carlisle had to leave before they could arrive. My parents dropped me off at the house, barely saying goodbye before they were on their way. There was a good chance that I would have to talk Emmett into giving me a ride home tonight. Oh well.

The door was unlocked, like always when the Cullens knew my family was coming over, so I let myself inside. Every light in the house seemed to be turned on, with only the television from the family room illuminating the halls. I followed it, even though I mostly knew my way around, and I was met with the sight of Emmett and Alice fighting over which Disney movie to watch first. Watching movies was something we always did together on New Year's Eve.

"Alice, come on! Rose is coming over and she isn't the type to want to watch some boring princess movie!"

"Boring? Beauty and the Beast is anything but boring!" Alice growled, "Don't you think so Bella?"

They both turned to face me as I flinched involuntarily at the attention being drawn to me. "Yeah, Alice is right, plus it is one of my favorites," I agreed, trying not to giggle at Emmett's pouting, "I'm sure Rosalie would be fine with anything as long as she got to spend the night with you," I added with a wink in Emmett's direction.

He blushed and crossed his arms, refusing to admit that Alice and I were right. Alice smiled triumphantly and went to insert the disc. Emmett and I sat ourselves down on the comfy leather couch which left Alice the matching chair. He pulled out his phone every few seconds, glancing at the time on the screen, biting down anxiously on his lower lip. This was new to me; Emmett was never nervous.

"Em, are you okay?" I asked, deciding to skip a snide remark about his actions. He didn't really need that now.

He shrugged, turning his face towards me. "I really like her, Bells, I just want tonight to go perfectly."

I smiled at him; his nerves were so sweet. "I'm sure that it will. You're worrying over nothing."

"Yeah ..." he replied, his tone not matching his response, "I guess I am overreacting, huh?"

"Just a little bit," I said with a wink. He finally started to relax into the couch, when there was a knock on the door. The three of us all jumped at the sound, Emmett especially. I could see his previous attitude returning, especially as he got up to go answer the door. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Alice roll her eyes at her brother's behavior.

"I hope Emmett knows that this girl wouldn't be coming over tonight if she didn't like him back ..." she mumbled, skipping through the previews on the DVD.

I nodded in agreement, my eyes wandering over to the doorway. I heard hushed tones, not words, and footsteps, so I knew they were approaching. I forced my gaze back to the television to take a little bit of pressure off of Emmett. Of course I couldn't stay focused for long, because Em cleared his throat for me and Alice to face him.

The blond girl standing next to Emmett was almost too pretty for him. She had big, bright blue eyes and almost angelic facial features. She was tall, too, just a few inches shorter than Emmett in her two-inch heels. She had the hourglass figure that every girl wishes she had, and it was accented by her black baby-doll top and hip-hugging jeans.

But underneath the perfection, she appeared just as tense as Emmett had earlier. She kept messing with her clothes, or biting her lip, but her eyes gave everything away. They screamed fear, like if she messed up tonight, she was going to regret it for the rest of her life.

"Rosalie, these are the girls that are like my little sisters. The midget over there is my cousin Alice," she gave him an evil look for being referred to as a midget, "And that's Bella, my unrelated family member. Guys, this is Rosalie Hale," he introduced, obviously still a bit afraid.

Even though I didn't want to think about Edward right now, I remembered that his best friend is Jasper Hale. We still talked occasionally, mostly about schoolwork or something, but he seemed like a nice enough guy. "Rosalie, I hope you don't mind me asking, but do you have a younger brother named Jasper?"

"Yeah, I do actually," she gave me a small smile, "I'm assuming you know him if you asked?"

"Yeah, he's a pretty nice guy," I replied, smiling back. I stole a glance at Alice; she has a huge crush on Jasper and she was bright red from just hearing him mentioned. Of course the three-year age gap would mean nothing to her.

Rosalie nodded in agreement. "He's a good kid," she added. She and Emmett then decided to join me on the couch, while Alice tried to regain her composure.

"Uh, so, Rosalie, did you and Emmett know each other in high school then?" she asked, her blush fading.

"No, actually, we never had any classes together," Rosalie explained, "We were pretty surprised when we learned that we both lived in Forks, since it's such a small town." She smiled at Emmett and grabbed his big hand in her delicate one. The look of affection he gave her was more than enough to make me look away. It was far too adorable, but Emmett really deserved it.

At last Alice decided to play the movie, and we became set in a comfortable routine of small talk and Disney movies. Rosalie was simply amazing; she was Emmett's perfect match. Words couldn't express how happy I was for him, yet at the same time, I wish that I could have that with Edward –

Maybe that should be my New Year's Resolution: to not think about him.

A few movies later, it was 11:45, and it was decided that we were going to watch the ball drop, even though technically that happened three hours ago in New York.

Alice and Rosalie were getting along great, like they were long lost sisters. That obviously made Emmett happy; he was all but exploding from happiness. He turned to grin at me, but I guess something was off in my expression as the corners of his mouth turned down.

"Hey Bells, you alright?" he asked, concern coating his tone.

I sighed, instantly feeling upset that I ruined his night. "I've been better. I just can't stop thinking about what happened two weeks ago with Edward," I whispered, ignoring the pain that I felt saying his name out loud.

He gave me a look, and I knew what that look meant. "Are you sure you don't want me to – "

"Emmett, no," I interrupted, rage beginning to flow, "That isn't going to make things better."

"You're right," he sighed, "I think you need to start over, though. Don't let yourself remember that night, do everything in your power to forget it. I know that it's going to be hard, but it would be best for you, for both of you," he lectured, "And you can call me or text me or visit me whenever you feel like you have to." He punched me lightly in the shoulder, flashing his trademark smile, "Don't beat yourself up over a stupid guy."

Emmett then got up to join Rosalie, as there were only moments left until the New Year. I let his words digest, and he was completely right: I had to stop thinking about it, and actually mean it. All of these slip-ups weren't as accidental as I would like to think they are. Sure, I was only human, but I have much better self-control than this.

From now on, I wasn't going to think of him until I could be sure that I'm ready.

My train of thoughts was interrupted by Alice, who threw herself on my lap to hug me. "Happy New Year Bella!" she exclaimed, kissing my cheek.

I giggled at her enthusiasm. "Happy New Year to you too, Alice," I replied, hugging her back.

"I'd better head home now," I heard Rosalie say, "I promised my parents that I would be home after midnight. Bella, do you have any way to get home?" she asked, looking in my direction.

I blushed, shaking my head. "No, actually. Do you mind … ?" I let my question trail off as she gestured at me to come with her.

"Not at all, Bella, it's the least I can do."

We both said our goodbyes, and headed out the door. There was a light snowfall, coating the driveway in a gentle sheet of white. Rosalie took her keys out of her purse and led me to a very nice looking red sports car sitting in front of the garage. My jaw threatened to drop, but I kept it clamped shut so I wouldn't seem rude.

"You have a really nice car," I remarked as she unlocked the doors.

She looked slightly embarrassed, "Thanks, it was a graduation present from my family," she replied, climbing into the driver's seat. I carefully let myself inside, not wanting to get snow all over the interior of her car.

I gave her directions to my house, even though it was hard to get lost in Forks, and a fog of discomfort settled in between us. I racked my brain for conversation topics, something that was always hard for me, but as I began to open my mouth Rosalie beat me to the punch.

"So Emmett has another cousin he lives with, right?" she asked, and I winced involuntarily.

"Yeah, Edward," I said, my voice breaking. There goes that resolution.

Rosalie stole a quick glance my way before replying, "I'm guessing that you have some kind of nasty history with this Edward?"

I nodded, my eyes filling up with tears. "He broke my heart," I whispered, looking down at my legs.

She let out a soft sigh. "I know how you feel, Bella," she said in a similar soft tone, "And I know how hard it is. You just have to occupy yourself with something that has nothing to do with him, and eventually, you'll be able to think of him without the heartache."

Somehow her motherly tone made me feel a little better, and I gave her a soft smile. "I guess I know that," I responded, "It's just … hard."

"You'll get through this," she encouraged, "You seem like a strong girl."

Rosalie pulled into my driveway then. "Thanks for the ride, Rosalie," I said, "And thank you for everything else, too. I'm so glad that you're with Emmett."

She smiled, looking in my direction. "You're more than welcome. And I'm glad too," she replied softly.

I got out of the car and waved her goodbye as she drove away. I could see now why Emmett was so crazy about her; she was really fantastic. I would have to remember to congratulate him later.

I unlocked the house, using the hidden key from in the bushes, and went straight up to bed. Emmett and Rosalie were both right: I had to get over him. He was consuming my life, my heart, everything. As I crawled underneath my covers and stared up at the ceiling, I made an agreement with myself.

This was going to be the year that I finally start over and get over Edward Cullen.

A/N: Well, that's that. I'm sorry to all of you that want Edward and Bella together right now, but that's not how this story is going to work. All I can tell you is that ... well, actually, I don't really want to spoil anything. I'll let you guess.

Also, just as a side note, I made a Twitter account recently, just in case you wanted more frequent updates on why I haven't been writing.

Well, please review or favorite or whatever you like to do, and be on the lookout for Chapter 4! It'll probably be another short one, and don't expect it up for a few weeks just so you don't get your hopes up.