Oh my gosh, I am on a roll! You guys soooooo owe me! I demand to get more reviews or I might just follow other authors and not write anymore until I get a certain number of reviews.

Disclaimer:

Me: Do we really have to go through this?

Bella: Just say it and we won't.

ME: Fiiiiinnneee. I don't own Twilight. Stephanie Meyer does. Now enjoy!

-8-8-8-

I spent the next few weeks learning how to control my temper and being introduced to border patrol. It wasn't really that exciting, except when you would spot the occasional blood sucker.

They were really flighty, just dancing around the edges of La Push. It was as if they were trying to test us, checking how far they could push us.

Now I could hear Emily knocking on my door, telling me to hurry up before I'm late for school. If you hadn't realised yet, I'm sort of reluctant to go to school.

Not only would I see that no good back stabbing bitch Kayla and my no good ex-boyfriend but I have to see Jake, Quil and Embry too.

I've been avoiding them for the past few weeks, following Sam's order. I'd be lying if I said I didn't resent Sam for giving that order but I know it's for the best. Still, I knew the guys were getting worried.

The phone was ringing non-stop a few days after I stopped coming to school. They finally stopped calling when Embry called and Sam picked up the phone. I wish I could have seen his face when Sammy picked up the phone.

Thinking about Embry made me lose my smile. What was I supposed to do? Just avoid all three of them as much as possible the whole day?

I sighed. Standing here forever wouldn't make the problem go away. I looked at the floor-length mirror that I had in my room, next to my dresser.

A girl with shoulder-length brown hair and chocolate brown eyes looked back at me. She had tan skin and was wearing jeans and a black t-shirt with the words 'Put PEOPLE First' on it.

I looked so different. I had to cut my hair because when I was in wolf form, my long fur would keep getting caught on anything and everything. I touched a lock of my now-short hair then sighed, grabbing my backpack and heading out of my room.

The sight below made me smile. Paul and Jared were sitting down at the dining table, eating and arguing about goodness knows what while Emily was in the kitchen frying some bacon. I couldn't see Sam anywhere. Maybe he was still on patrol.

"Hey, sleepyhead," Emily greeted when she saw me. "Ready to go to school?"

I smiled at her as I plopped into my seat. "If I'm not ready to go to school on a regular day, what makes you think I'd like to go today?"

"You'll be fine," she said as she placed my breakfast in front of me and kissed my forehead.

I sighed and dug in, preparing myself for a grueling day ahead.

/*\/*\/*\

"Ugh, he's out to kill me," I muttered to Paul as we walked out of biology. I was complaining about Mr Benson, our biology teacher. "I'm telling you, he hates me."

"Maybe it has something to do with the fact that you threw a salami sandwich at him during that food fight last year," Paul smirked.

"It was one time!"

"What about the time you hit him with the soccer ball?"

"Purely coincidental," I scoffed. "Plus, it was his fault. I didn't ask him to stand behind the goalpost. Everyone knows how bad my aim is."

"Don't forget the time you – "

"I get it!"

We walked into the cafeteria and everyone went silent. I didn't know if it was because I was walking in with Paul or because I wasn't walking in with Jake, Quil or Embry.

I looked at Paul and he shook his head.

Forget it, he was silently telling me.

We walked to the lunch line and got our food. I didn't get as much as Paul, who had a huge pile of food on his tray. I suddenly lost my appetite the moment we walked into the room. If I felt hungry, I could always eat at home.

I walked right past Jake, Quil and Embry, who were looking at me in disbelief, to sit at the table Paul and Jared usually sat. At least, that's what I could see from the corner of my eye. I just couldn't bear to look at any of them.

I sat down, my eyes fixed on my tray. I could hear people whispering to each other, gossiping about my hair, who I was sitting with and my self-isolation.

I tried to ignore them, but my sensitive ears were picking up every single thing they said. I was trying so hard to ignore them that I didn't notice Kayla approaching until it was too late.

She was wearing a skirt so short that it barely covered her and was wearing about a pound or two of make-up on her face.

I looked at her in disgust but she chose to ignore it.

"Look what the cat dragged in," she smirked at me and her stupid little cronies behind her laughed.

"I hope you're talking about you," I replied nonchalantly.

Jared's lips twitched and Paul and Kim stifled a laugh.

Kayla's face turned red, which clashed horribly with her tanned skin. "Better than sitting with the no good freaks," she spat.

The three of them stopped laughing. The cafeteria was silent, as if all of them were holding their breaths, waiting for my reaction.

I stood up slowly from my seat. The only sound that could be heard was the scraping of my chair against the floor. My face was a mask of calm, but I was trembling slightly, which was the only evidence of my anger.

"Don't talk about something you don't understand," I told her. There was a hard edge in my voice.

I could hear her heart beat faster. "What's to understand," she replied shrilly. "All of them will amount to nothing! They've got nothing going for them!"

I started shaking harder, and Jared and Paul stood up, ready to stop me and drag me out. "Oh, and you're any better? Last I checked, you could fail lunch if you tried hard enough!"

Her face turned purple. Next thing I knew, Kayla was right in front of me, her hand flying up to slap me.

Time slowed down. My hand reacted without me thinking about it. It shot up to stop her hand before it made contact with my face. I glared at her and she flinched back. I was shaking so hard that I made Kayla shake too and I knew I was going to phase soon.

Paul and Jared immediately dragged me away from her and quickly brought me out of the building and into the woods.

I felt my body burning and felt my bones break and rearrange. The moment I stopped phasing I just lay on the ground, cursing Kayla in my head.

I can't believe her! She was supposed to be my friend! First she makes out with my boyfriend, now she has the guts to slap me!

I continued ranting and felt a shimmering in my mind and I saw Paul and Jared in wolf form.

Bella, calm down, Jared told me calmly.

That no good bitch, I continued to rant, completely ignoring him. If I could get my hands on her…

Bella! Paul shouted.

What, I snarled back.

Ranting won't do anything. Now calm down so you can phase back. People might start getting suspicious.

I stopped and took a deep breath. Wow, talk about your unexpected voice of reason.

I heard that!

I rolled my eyes.

Okay, I'm calm. It's just… I can't believe she said that about you!

You sort of get used to it after a while, Jared replied.

Well, you shouldn't have to. Wait! I don't have any clothes to change into.

Don't worry; we kind of knew this would happen so Sam packed extra, Paul said. Go behind a tree and phase back. We'll bring you your clothes.

I nodded and went behind a thick bush to phase. I lied down and tried to think of being human and being able to hang out with Embry, Jake and Quil again.

I smiled when I felt myself phasing back. I heard Paul and Jared pushing through the woods and called out to them. My clothes were tossed over to me and I quickly changed.

The rest of the day went by relatively smoothly, except for the fact that people kept whispering and glancing at me whenever I was in a room.

I couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief when school was finally over. I walked back home alone, by a quiet route that I found years ago.

I didn't expect to find anybody else walking along the path so I was pretty surprised when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around and cringed. It was Embry.

"Bella," he called and I sped up. "Bells, wait!"

I was almost running by now but Embry managed to catch up with me. Stupid boys and their long legs!

He caught my arm and spun me around, so I was facing him. I studied my shoes, not able to look him in the eyes. Hmmm, my shoes really need a wash…

"Bella, what is wrong with you?" he asked.

"Let go of me, Embry," I said in the iciest voice I could muster.

"Look at me."

I continued looking down.

"Come on Bells, look at me."

When I continued looking down, I felt one of his hands let go of my arms and tilt my chin up. I closed my eyes.

"Bella," he whispered. "Please…"

I couldn't take it anymore. I ripped myself out of his arms. I wanted to tell him everything. I really did, but something was stopping me, and I knew exactly what it was.

"What's happening Bella? You're not the same. You've cut your hair, you're sitting with Paul and Jared now! I thought you told me you were never going to be one of them!" he shouted.

"Well, I am one of them now! Things have changed Embry. I'm not the same girl anymore!" I yelled back, channeling my anger and frustration out on him. "You wouldn't understand."

"Then make me understand, let me help you."

That statement made me bristle. He acted as if I was doing something bad – like drugs or something.

"You can't do anything! There's nothing to help!"

"I just want my best friend back! We miss you, okay! I want to be able to hang out like we used to."

My eyes welled up with tears, but I stopped them. I wanted to hang out like old times too, but it wasn't possible. Not anymore.

"We can't do that anymore. It's… it's complicated, but I can't hang out with you guys anymore."

He looked hurt. "Why not?"

"It's-I-I just can't. Just leave me alone, Embry. I-I'm sorry," I said before walking away.

Before walking off, I took off my friendship bracelet I had made and let it fall to the ground. I couldn't wear it anymore. I don't deserve to be his best friend.

I didn't hear any footsteps following me and didn't turn around. I knew that if I turned around, I might not be able to keep this a secret any longer.

Walking away from him – and Jake and Quil, hypothetically – was the hardest thing I had ever done.

/*\/*\/*\

The moment I reached home, I went straight to my room without greeting Emily or Sam.

Everything was blurry around me. My eyes were filled with tears that were threatening to fall but I held them in, not wanting to let anybody see my tears.

I dropped my backpack on the floor and ran onto my bed, pressing my face to my pillow as I let out a sob.

I didn't want to act so cold but I knew if I didn't, neither of them would leave me alone. It was just better if I kept my distance.

"Bella, lunch," I heard Emily shout as she knocked on the door.

"Not hungry!" I shouted back. "Just let me drown in my misery," I mumbled into my pillow.

I heard my door open, but didn't react.

"You, not hungry? What's wrong?" she asked, concerned.

I shook my head, reluctant to let her see my tears.

"Does it have something to do with one of the guys?"

Well, technically I'm not talking about it.

I nodded.

"Is it Embry?"

I nodded again.

I felt her seat on my bed and stroke my hair, and my tears fell harder. My mom used to do that when I was little.

"Sweetie, why aren't you wearing your bracelet?"

"I gave it back," I replied, my voice muffled by the pillow but Emily heard every word.

"Why would you do that?"

I told her everything about my confrontation with Embry while she held me in her arms and whispered soothing words into my ear. "I can't tell them anything and I can't exactly be friends with them, so we shouldn't be friends at all."

"Well, maybe it's for the best."

I looked at her then looked back down. "They're going to hate me."

"No, they won't."

"Yes, they will! I promised best friends forever, and right now, we're not even friends! I'm a promise breaker. Not only that, I'm a secret-keeper too, so that makes me a promise-breaking-secret-keeper!" I wailed.

I don't want my best friends to hate me, but they had to. It just made things easier for all of us.

I heard Sam knock on my door and I quickly wiped my face to make sure there weren't any tears left on my face. My eyes were probably red and puffy but that was okay. I could always say I was asleep and Emily woke me up.

"Yes," I called, my voice slightly hoarse.

"The two of you have been up there for awhile. Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine."

I looked at Emily, silently telling her to let everything that happened in my room stay in my room.

She nodded and I relaxed.

I heard his footsteps go down the stairs and turned to Emily. "Come on, Em. Let's go before Sam starts worrying. I'm hungry and I smell your blueberry muffins."

She smiled and I could tell that this wouldn't be the end of it.

That's okay. I knew I would need her to be my confessor – for now.

-8-8-8-

Wow, I'm fast! I hope you review and help me by answering my poll!

~Alex