Chapter 6

Hell Pt. 3: Confession

I was fully aware that all the Cullens were staring at me as I hung my head in sadness. I could feel the tears weld up in my eyes, though I didn't dare cry. The last thing I wanted was their pity.

I drew in a shaky breath, and with my head down, started to speak, "One week later was the burial of Jimmy Kerschner, born April 16th 1988, died July 13th 2004. To the rest of us, it was noted as what may have been the worst day in history. It was after that night I didn't have any will to sing again, but I couldn't. It was like my voice had no depth, no meaning." I sighed, running a hand through my mahogany locks.

"We didn't sign up for the school play again that year, it didn't seem... right without Jimmy. The next few months were filled with grief, and very few moments of happiness. And on Christmas things only got worse because that night I agreed with Renee to come here to live with Charlie. The others were furious. I can't remember the exact argument but I do recall someone saying 'First Jimmy, now you? Bella, do you even care about us or do are you just so busy trying to appease everyone else that you forget that we're your only friends!' and after that I stormed out. I never forgave them before I left, and haven't spoken to any of them since."

"But why did you stop singing?" Alice asked in her bell-like voice, I could hear the sorrow in it. I finally looked up, staring straight at her. Then I sighed again, and stood up, walking over to the box and taking out a photo album. I opened to one specific page and shoved it towards her.

"That's why."

It was a picture of Anna, Maddie, Maxx, Christian, Jimmy, Dominik and Me all standing on the stage, smiling towards the camera. The happiness was inevitable in our eyes.

"You have to understand," I told her as she took the book out of my hand, marking the page with her finger as she flipped to the front, running her finger across the embroidery. It read, 'Forget regret, or life is yours to miss.' Alice looked as if she was about to cry.

"Jimmy was what completed us, he was the spirit in our group. Just as Dominik was the soul, Maddie the dream, Anna the pride, Christian the hope, and Maxx the courage. Without one, we feel apart. And losing Jimmy was probably the worst to happen, he was the one who always kept us in line. Without him, we were nothing, and look where that got us."

All the Cullens put there heads down, and then there was silence. No sound was heard as we all just stood there, I wiped the tears in my eyes. After about a minute of silence, Emmett spoke.

"What part did you play?" The question caught me off guard, I gazed over at him, his topaz eyes were sympathetic.

"W-what?" I stuttered, staring at him strangely.

"You said that each of you played a part with one another, what was your part? You never said."

I sighed, once again, and gazed mindlessly out the window. "I was the passion. No one, and I mean no one, had a greater passion for singing than I did. It was like when I was singing, the world belonged to me. And from my first role as Cinderella, to my last role of Mimi, I never forgot that passion. It was always there. They said if they didn't have me, the lyrics wouldn't have meaning to them. I always knew the meaning behind the words, I could see that. I am proud of that, too," I answered.

"How many roles did you play?" Rosalie questioned.

"Eight. Every time I was the lead girls role," I saw the Cullens eyes widened and decided to into full detail. "4th grade I played Cinderella in Cinderella, 5th grade I was Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, 6th grade I was Aurdrey in Little Shop of Horrors, 7th grade I was Marian in The Music Man, 8th grade I was Maria in The Sound of Music, 9th grade I was Sandy in Grease, 10th grade I was Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins, and then in the summer after 10th grade I was Mimi in Rent."

The look on their faces was priceless as they each exchanged a glance. I couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, I know, it is surprising."

I sat back down again as they started looking at pictures in my album. Some of them made me laugh as I saw them again, telling the story behind each picture to the Cullens. All of a sudden, Alice got a blank look on her face and we all watched her. When she came out of her vision, she had a smile on her face.

"Bella," she said to me, gazing deeply into my eyes, "when the phone rings, pick it up." I watched her as if she was crazy, but then the phone rang. She quickly nodded her head and I went over to the phone.

I stared at it for a second before I clicked it on, and slowly I brought it to my ear.

"Hello?"