Chapter 4: Unavoidable Encounters

I felt my heart pounding hearing Edwards's words. How did find out my mom was sick? I mean it wasn't a secret, but they never asked before, and they never found out in the last four years so how?

I turned around to look at him, completely shocked. "Who told you that?"

He stared at me with so much pity in his eyes, and fear and something else. "No one told me, not on purpose anyway. I was visiting my dad at the hospital when I saw you walk in and I asked him who you were visiting and he said your mom. He thought I knew about it. When I told him I didn't he told me everything." He pinched the bridge of his nose, "Bella how could you not tell any of us that? Your mom has cancer?"

There was ringing in my ears hearing him say this stuff to me, but then rage came over me. Why hadn't I told them? "Why didn't I tell you guys? How about four days before my parents and I found this out you guys ditched me, bullied me, and made me an outcast in school?! I didn't have you guys as friends to be able to tell you! You wouldn't talk to me!" All the anger I had been holding inside all the pain from the last four years, all the stuff that could possibly go wrong that did, it just erupted inside me. "I needed you guys the most and you left me hanging, you left me broken wondering what the hell I had done wrong! So why the hell didn't I tell you guys? Well you all have no one but yourselves to blame for that one."

I was shaking now and Edward was just staring at me, not saying anything, "There is nothing you can say or do that will ever make up for what happened Edward. Nothing any of you guys can do, so I just suggest you leave me alone." I walked inside the dinner and Edward didn't stop me.

All during my shift I couldn't stop thinking about what just had happened. Edward knew. Now that means the whole school will know, and I will get nothing but pity tomorrow.

It was something I had wanted to avoid, I didn't want people's pity, and their apologizes for what was going on in my life. None of them had any business getting involved in what was going, but I knew, Tanya would be the first to say something to me. She would make an apology that came along with an insult hidden in her meaning. Alice and Rose will give me nothing but sad eyes and guilt and try to make up for what had happened and Emmett and Jasper would avoid me and act weird.

I didn't want any of it.

Everyone steered clear of me today at work, I don't know if they knew or they just could tell I wasn't in the mood, but either way I appreciated the alone time to think.

It was almost ten o'clock, my shift was about to end. I couldn't stop thinking, well I can finally start saving for college.

Esme had gotten here around 9:30, no doubt to make sure that I left from my shift on time. When it came to end, she came over and sat down next to me at the table. "So I hear your parents told you the news sweetie?" She was smiling at me.

I nodded with a small smile on my face, "Yes they did. I have to say Esme thank you so much for everything-"

"Now none of that Bella, please this is something we have wanted to do for your parents for a long time. We have to thank you all for letting us." She laughed softly, she looked at me long and hard her smile going away slightly, "Something tells me that you aren't upset about that though."

She was always so good at reading me. Then again everyone was, I am an open book most of the time. I fidgeted in my seat a little bit.

"Is this because Edward found out about your mom?" Esme looked at me sympathetically.

My eyes grew wide, "How do you know about that?"

Esme shook her head smiling sadly, "Oh sweetheart, I've always known about it. I figured when the kids didn't bring it up to us, you didn't mention it to them." She frowned, "Though I never understand why exactly, but I just didn't want to step where I wasn't welcome. Carlisle called earlier saying he think he might of done something bad." She laughed.

I laughed a little too, "No it's not Carlisle's fault, and they were bound to find out anyway though it doesn't surprise me if it was after high school."

Esme hesitated for a second, fidgeting herself a bit before she asked, and "Did something happen between you all, Bella? Now I don't mean to pry, but… I have just noticed evidently that you don't come around anymore to the house, which I just assumed was because you are always working but…but when I would ask Alice or Edward about you they would just brush me off and I…"

I sighed; I am surprised she didn't ask me sooner, "Yes, we had a bit of a fall out a couple years ago."

Esme's eyes blazed, "It was that Tanya girl wasn't it? Oh the second you stopped coming around that girl started showing up. Oh I could just knock her right out if I wasn't a parent." She looked angry beyond angry when she finally remembered I was there, and she looked heartbroken, because she knew everything that I had gone through these last few years and how badly I probably needed a friend during that time.

I felt myself start to shake. Thinking about then. I have held everything in for so long, I haven't even let myself catch up with everything that I have been through. So I wasn't really surprised when I ended up in Esme's arms when I started to cry.

When I got home, I was surprised and happy to see that my dad was there. This seemed like such a special thing having him home when I got home. It hasn't happened in so long.

He apparently had been baking for mom for tomorrow. He looked very, very lost. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Hey kiddo, um. Would you mind coming over here and helping your old man out?" I giggled and walked over to see what he was trying to make. It was chocolate chip cookies and from what it looked like he was trying to make it from scratch.

Turns out that this was the third batch he was trying to make. He failed on the first two tries one was burnt and the other tasted like garbage. He was using the wrong ingredients he was using bread flour instead of all purpose flower and he accidently used pepper instead of salt and was using this weird colored bottle instead of vanilla extract. I was going to be making a trip to the store for him.

I pulled into the grocery store laughing the whole way thinking of how long my dad must have been in the kitchen baking. He isn't used to having days off so this must have been an adventure for him. Mom usually is the one in the kitchen along with me; he strays from the kitchen unless it involves coffee and cereal.

I waved to Mrs. Mason as I walked in; she was one of the storeowners. She is always so sweet and kind to everyone. My mom absolutely loves her. She always visits my mom in the hospital to see how she is doing and always tries to give us a discount for groceries.

I walked down the aisles to find what I needed for the chocolate chip cookies. Sadly there was no designated baking section so I was all over the store.

"Bella?" I cringed as I heard my name said, I tried to pretend that I hadn't heard, but she just wouldn't quite. "Bella, wait!"

I huffed, and then slowly turned around to look at Alice Cullen. The second I looked at her, I knew that she had spoken to Edward. I knew that look far to well. It was nothing but guilt and pity written across it. "What do you want from Alice?"

She had her clutch purse in her hands, fidgeting with it as she looked down at her fancy ass heel shoes. "I just- I just wanted to apologize Bella. I know nothing can make up for everything, and I know I royally screwed up." She laughed with no humor, then looked at me, "But I just needed you to know how sorry I am." She hesitated then spoke, "I can imagine you already guessed that Edward told me about your mom, another thing I am so sorry for, but that isn't the reason I am apologizing Bella." She looked away and I saw a tears starting to come in her eyes, and I felt that urge to hug her like when we were little and she would get hurt. "This- this is something that I have been wanting to say to you for a while now. Hearing about your mom is the only thing that gave me courage to be able to finally say this to you."

I remained silent. I didn't know what to say. I wanted to forgive her, but I was so hurt by everything that they had done. It was going to take more than an apology to forgive everything that had happened.

She looked at me, like she was searching or waiting for something but she looked down almost like she was broken hearted and shrugged, "Anyway. Sorry I didn't mean to do this in a grocery store." She laughed, "I was planning to come to your house and talk to you but I saw you walk in and I was here with my mom so I thought why not." She smiled sadly, "So yeah, well that's all I had to say. Again I am sorry for everything and about your mom. I hope she's doing better." She turned to walk away then.

I finally found my voice, "Hey." She turned around surprised. I bite my lip, but finally said it, "Thank you."

Alice smiled, and nodded.

I felt my heart pounding a mile a minute as she walked away. Something just felt absolutely different and I don't know what it is, but it has to be good.

Right?

A/N: Sorry this took so long to get out guys! I have been so crazy busy I can't even explain it! I hoped you all liked it though, it's been a bit of a world wind for Bella here, but lots of things are about to change ;).

Love,
BellaLaila87