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The girl still seemed to be in shock. She looked from me to the ground and back again.

When she finally spoke, it was with a quiet voice. "You have really cute shoes."

Chapter 3: New Beginnings (Fer realz this tyme)

Edward (that sexy man, remember?) helped the quiet, kind girl to her feet. I had only heard her say five words, I could tell. She had that look in her eyes. Shy, but loyal. She could be a good friend.

"I, um," she said, looking at the ground, "think I might be, er, bleeding." She held her finger up. A thin piece of glass was stuck there.

Edward immediately looked panicked. "What, you don't like blood?" I smirked, looking at him. I had to know how to deal with things like that back home or I wouldn't have survived.

He shook his head, even paler than before.

"It's easy," I said. "Look." He did. I pulled out the glass slowly, wincing as it cut my finger as well. "Ouch."

He sucked in a breath. "I have to go, sorry!" He began to walk away.

"But wait!" Bella and I cried, almost in unicorn.

"I'mreallyreallysorryseeyouwhenIgetback!" He said allinarush, which was kind of sexy and mysterious. I could tell that Bella thought so too. We watched him go with a kind of resolute quietness.

"I'm Bella, by the way," she told me.

"I know," I said.

"What?" she said. "How?"

"I just do." I said.

"…How?"

"I can't tell you that."

"But…"

"No."

"But, but, but…" she was about to break out in tears, which annoyed me and endeared me to her at the same time.

"Can you just… listen, I'll explain later," I told her, noticing the paramedics drawing nearer. We would never be able to talk with each other in the hospital, even though it would be perfectly quiet there would probably be some kind of perverted doctor that liked to spy on young, defenseless girls, because males in our culture are primed to be sexual creatures, and also really violent, probably due to the blood-satured media and pro-gun laws.

"Sure," she said. "We can have a sleepover."

I smiled at her but on the inside I grimaced. I hated sleepovers and all that girly stuff. I mean, I liked painting my nails, and shopping, and talking about boys. But I wasn't girly. Like at all. I was an outsider. I was different. All I ever wanted to do was blend in. But I couldn't. Because I was an outsider. I was different– even though all I ever wanted to do was blend in.

The lady loading me onto a stretcher disturbed my thoughts. She was touching me kind of low. Another thought crept into my head: what if SHE was a molester too?

I tried to keep from screaming. I could confide in Bella later. She was my friend.

--

Approximately three hours and seventy-two band-aids later, I headed home. My van was pretty banged up, but I couldn't really afford a new van. I would live.

My grandmother asked me how my first day went, and of course I smiled and said it was fine. Confiding in family members was for NERDS. Ew. Also, I didn't want to hurt her.

I got back in the van after grabbing some clothes. It was seven o'clock already somehow, which was a little odd. I drove to Bella's house.

She opened the door with surprise. "Scarlet! I was just about to call you."

I smiled with my pretty white teeth. She looked at me expectantly.

"Um… how did you know where I lived?"

Ah, shit. I had forgotten she hadn't told me the address. Now I couldn't live here in secret anymore. Then again, I had promised to tell her about the name thing… "It's kind of a long story," I said, looking seriously serious.

"You'd better come inside," she said.

I did.

--

"So… you have like ESP?" she asked, after I had finished telling my story.

"Kind of. Only with some people."

"Like with me?" she asked hopefully.

"Well, kinda. I mean, I could tell where and who you were, but I can't read your mind," I explained, chowing down on some popcorn a policeman-looking guy had brought up. "I feel connected with certain people. But you, only a little."

"Oh," she said, looking a little disappointed. "So, is it just random? Can you read other people's minds?"

"Sometimes," I said, suddenly pissy and angry. "I- I don't want to talk about it. It just- It's complicated. You wouldn't understand." I brooded into the corner. "Good night."

She looked at the clock and laughed. "Scar (it's okay if I call you that right?) it's only eight o clock!"

I laughed. "You're right. What else do you want to talk about?"

So we talked about movies, and boys, and music, and our families (but not too much of that). I found she was a lot like me, only more naive.

Finally the conversation felt too what had has have happened earlier in that day afternoon morning.

"I'm really, really sorry," I gushed. "I know you're finger must be a hurtin right abouts now."

"It- it's not that," she sighed. "I mean, what'll happen to Edward?"

Try to deflate the tension. "I'm sure we'll see him at school tomorrow." And then I groaned. "Oh, shit! First day of school!"

"Don't worry," she told me. "I'll help you. They're not all bad."

"Good!" I said, relieved I had turned the topic of conversation away from the other victim of my car. It was so great to have such a close and personal friend like Bella.

"But… Edward…" she said. I didn't really want to hear this, I was pretty sure she would moan on and on about him, I mean even if he was sexy I didn't want to hear this girl I barely knew talking about him. But I said, "GO ON," anyway because I'm a good freidn and very loyal and kind.

"I… I have this connection with him." She didn't need to say any more, I felt it too.

I smiled, though I felt like punching her. I wanted Edward. But I could just put him out of my mind for now.

"Goodnight, Bella."

"Goodnight, Scarlet."

(A/N: See that's a nice long chapter to make up for the lack of updates! Sorry guys!)