A/N I'm still not sure about this chapter but I haven't posted in so long I figured I would just do it anyway. Oh and I added a prologue as well - I would go read it before reading this chapter (if you haven't read it already).

Chapter 9: Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it.

[BPOV]

That Sunday evening I walked into the house after a very eventful afternoon. Edward and Alice had just left in the Volvo and we'd barely even said goodbye. I kicked my shoes off near the door before heading up stairs to get changed. I got changed into a pair of flannel pants and a shirt, before I disappeared into the bathroom for a little while. After I had finishing attending to 'business' I headed down to the kitchen. I figured that Charlie would have questions for me tonight, and I couldn't avoid it any longer, and Renee was always a firm believe in having a 'good' meal to talk things over with (she attempted to make a stir-fry the night she told me that Phil and her were getting married).

I pulled open the cupboard doors and grabbed out a packet of pasta, and some sauce that I had bought earlier in the week. I threw a pot of water onto the stove to heat up, before opening the fridge and taking out capsicum, tomatoes, carrot, sun dried tomatoes, onion and some olives. I chopped everything up while the pasta cooked away, before sautéing the onions in a separate fry pan. When they had browned and the kitchen had filled with the delicious smell of cooked onion I drained the pasta and threw all the vegetables and the sauce into the pasta pot as well to leave them to heat up.

Just as I was serving up I heard Charlie come in the door and before he could ask I called out, "Yes I am here Dad, dinner's on the table."

"Oh hi Bells, I actually didn't expect you to be here, I mean I haven't seen you all week practically. It's like you've been avoiding me." He stared up at me, hands gripped nervously on the back of his chair. I could tell he wasn't used to this.

"Oh you know I've just been busy. I've had to establish myself in Forks all over again. Make an impression y'know?" I said flippantly, trying to brush it off. "And sure did I, did you see their faces on Saturday Night? Boy did I fool them." I added with confidence putting in the laugh at just the right place.

"You serious Bella? That wasn't real?" Charlie said in total utter surprise.

"Yeah Dad, it's amazing what make-up can do these days." I replied, totally not believing that he was buying this. But I knew I had to make him believe it. So I pulled down my flannel pants just a bit to show the top of my panty line where the 'supposed' scar had begun. This is what I had been attending to in the bathroom; this is why I had dimmed the lights. I had somehow managed to cover the thick jagged scar up with stage makeup. Although you couldn't see the colouring anymore, I still had to dim the lights so that you couldn't see the shit load of make up I had to put on it for this plan to succeed. "See, nothing huh?"

"Oh wow Bells, you sure have to show me how to fabricate a scar like that sometime. You sure fooled everyone at Billy's party, now I get to tell him what a genius my daughter is." Charlie said with a laugh.

I turned around and gave a slight sigh of relief; I was lucky that Charlie was a small town cop. I could not actually believe he believed it; it was such a lame excuse. But it was the best I could come up with… I mean something like, "I cut myself shaving or I dropped a knife" wouldn't work. I mean, what else was I meant to say? I sat down to dinner and kept my eyes carefully trained on my plate while I was slowly digesting my food.

I jumped in the shower after dinner and watched as the make up diluted into pale creamy water and left the jagged purple scar. It hadn't healed right; I couldn't get stitches so all I could try and do was stop the bleeding. This was how I had learned my first aid. I clinched my eyes to stop the memories returning as I ran my fingers of every bump and crevice of the scar. It still hurt now, if something hit it was a pain to rival the creation pain. The wound had run right alongside my femoral artery just so that I didn't die from it but the image would always be burned into my mind. I eventually turned the shower off and let myself stand there until I started shivering before I wrapped myself in a towel, redressed myself in my flannels and walked back into the bedroom. I fell asleep that night into a fitful sleep of memories and nightmares.

I woke in the morning to the sound of rain pounding down onto the roof. I curled myself up further into bed, wiping the sleep from my eyes. I glanced out the window to see the hazy fog that was creeping along the town of Forks. I pulled the covers back and went to stand by the window, confirming that Charlie had already left for work. I mindlessly walked over to my closet, sliding back the mirrored door and walking inside, flicking the lights on as I went.

What to wear today? That was the question… It was wet, cold, and slippery. A dress? No. A skirt? Double no. Any type of heels? God no. I sighed in defeat before I grabbed a pair of skinny dark denim jeans, pulling them on and zipping up. I shrugged off the Joy Division band tee I was wearing and pulled on a horizontal stripped navy shirt, tucking the front into the jeans slightly and leaving the back hanging out. I pulled on my grey Eskimo coat, cuddling myself into the faux fur that was lined on the inside. I looked at my shoe rack, thinking about what shoes I could wear. I finally grabbed the only pair of shoes I had that I actually liked to wear in the rain, my black Wellington boots. Having now been dressed I grabbed my black leather satchel, slipped on a silver ring and my juicy couture silver bracelet.

I headed downstairs to heat up some chicken soup. I opened the tin, poured it in the bowel and set it for 3 minutes in the microwave. Whilst I waited I mindlessly stared out the window, wondering what Aro was doing right at this moment. I couldn't describe my feelings for him, I loved him… but I hated him. I hated the control he had over my body, and the things he wanted me to do. But I loved him enough for me to actually do it.

I heard the microwave beep so I grabbed a metal thermos, poured the soup and some bits of bread inside before fastening the lid. I carried it to my car, as it wouldn't fit in my bag and sat it on the passenger seat. I hopped in the car, trying not to let too much of the sloshy water at my feet come with me.

I drove slowly to school, still not quite awake yet before parking the car, grabbing my chicken soup and bag and heading over to one of the picnic tables under the shelter. I poured some of the soup into the lid before grasping it in my hands and gently sipping from it, letting the warm liquid run down my throat.

I sat there for quite a while, just aimlessly staring into space. Letting my mind wonder into all different places… until a figure appeared in front of me. I let my eyes gaze up, following up the body until I reached a face with vibrant green eyes. "Edward." I whispered as a shiver ran down my back, causing me to hug into my warm coat even more.

"What you doing Bella?" He sat down next to me, hugging himself into his coat as well.

"Can't you see? I'm eating, duh." I replied stupidly.

"I know that Bella, I mean what are you thinking?"

"Everything, Phoenix, my childhood and I guess how I've changed." I turned to look at him now, "I've done some really stupid things Edward. I hope you can forgive me when judgment comes." He opened his mouth to say something, but I just put my finger onto his lips to silence him. "I don't want you to feel obligated once you've made a promise. Make your own decision and if you still want to me my friend after that, I'll be here. But for now, I cannot pretend to be what I used to be." I got up grabbing my bag and thermos and heading back towards my car to dump the thermos.

Before heading to class I pulled a packet of cigs out of the glove box, lighting one up and feeling the warmth spread from the flame on the lighter. I didn't care that everyone seemed to be staring at me, we were studying that one line in English today. Everyone's 'perfect' perceptions of Isabella Swan would be ruined soon anyway. I inhaled deeply letting the smoke swirl around my throat before releasing it in a sigh. I ran my hand through my hair, before just settling to let it fall in front of my eyes. It's not like I needed to look for a pathway down the hall, people made one for me.

I stopped outside my home group room, pushing my cigarette up against the wall to put it out before tucking it into my pocket, saving it for later. I chose a seat up the back, slouching back in my chair and rocking a little bit just watching as Mr Hanson stumbled into class carrying all his books. No one got up to help him, and I couldn't be fucked to move either so I just watched him struggle towards his desk. There was a loud clatter as he dropped his books and glared up at the class.

"Where the hell did that smell of cigarettes come from?" he yelled across the classroom. "None of you are old enough to be smoking!" he continued as he started his rant, I phased out… watching his diaphragm contract in and out as he took a breath. "Isabella Swan!" my head snapped at my name being called, no one would have possibly dared to have dobbed me in. I glanced around the classroom quickly, reading the expressions on people's faces, before I looked up at Mr. Hanson.

"Yes sir?" I inquired in an innocent voice; dropping my head a bit and rising too look at him from under my eyelashes. As he stared into my clear blue eyes I saw him falter a bit, I let a slight smirk flash onto my face as he dropped his head and looked away from my piercing stare. I heard him mumble, "Nothing…" before he dismissed the class to Lesson One.

I got up, gathering up my bag from the floor before heading to English, Fabulous. I headed into the classroom, throwing my Macbeth book down on the table before sliding into my chair. I watched as everyone gave me strange looks as they entered the classroom whereas Edward just nodded at me, acknowledging my presence. Mrs. Voss gave me a nervous look as she called the class to attention.

"Today we will be studying Act Three, Scene 2 and how Lady Macbeth becomes distanced, insecure and starts to lose the power over her husband that she once possessed as the guilt consumes her mind. Whereas, we will notice how Macbeth's increasing paranoia breaks down the relationship between the two and in how he begins to make decisions without consulting his wife. This in particularly is evident in line 52 and 53, "Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, till thou applaud the deed."

She made a pointed glance towards me, the rest of the class following. I just let out a sigh before adding on, "It also explores how Macbeth becomes desperate in order to cover his tracks with the planning of killing everyone around him. Not stopping at anything to eradicate the knowledge of his deed and in he's delusion state he is deluded into thinking that killing his best friend, Banquo, and his son, Fleance will cure the paranoia he feels." I let out a sigh, parting my lips and trying to continue, "We can relate to it today because it teaches us that no good comes out of sin, only guilt and regret."

I let my head droop, running my hands over my leg where my stitches were. I could feel everyone's eyes on me as I stood up, swung my bag over my shoulder, lit up a cigarette before heading out of the classroom. I walked through the desolate hallway and could already imagine the disruption I had caused to the school. I could practically hear phone's going off, teenagers speculating about what my 'sin' had been. I headed straight out to my car, turning the stereo on and turning to my mixed CD. I let the slightly popish song fill the car, ignoring the buzz of lesson interchange.

Well you got your reasons,

And you got your lies,

And you got your manipulations,

They cut me down to size,

Sayin' you love me but you don't.

I just leaned back, chain smoking for the next hour or so, before opening the glove box of my car and pulling out one of the mini vodka bottles that I had bought. I filled my mouth up with it and gulped it down, feeling the familiarly comforting burn scorch down my throat. I opened my purse, popping out one of my Valium's to calm me down just for the hell of it. I swallowed it down with another mouthful of Vodka. I stuffed my alcohol and cigarettes back into the glove box to stop myself drinking more and headed back to the cafeteria, seeing that it was lunch time and all. The sound of my rain boots splashing in the water made me feel slightly nostalgic, but I realized that this was far from what my childhood. I would never have dreamed of facing a room filled with hundreds of teenagers who had been gossiping about me all morning.

As the sound of my feet stopped at the entrance all the faces in the room turned to me. Those who were stupid enough not to understand, or just naïve to think that what I had meant must have just been something small just wondered what the huge commotion was and even chanced a smile of sympathy to me. Well, that of course was before their friends glared at them and told them that they were being stupid. I didn't dare look over at the Cullen's table whilst I got my food, I had sat next to Edward during English but I hadn't really noticed his reaction. Correction, I had forced myself NOT to notice his reaction.

I grabbed the bottle of water I had gotten and headed over to a corner table, there were people sitting at it. But they looked like freshman and they scattered as I walked towards the table. I sat there, my back towards the rest of the people in an attempt to ignore them but I could still feel their eyes on my back. So I changed sides of the table harshly glared and anyone that remained looking at me. I unscrewed the cap off of the bottle, pushing the bottle of water aside. I spun the lid on the table, listening to it as it slowed down and clunked back onto the table.

At the same time a much louder clunk could be heard outside of the school as car doors slammed and men in uniform ran through the hallways, their vests indicating that they were police. The commotion could be heard coming towards the cafeteria and all the students had looked up, all but one. The doors slammed open as a voice yelled, "Isabella Swan!" She looked up, stared into the mans eyes, reading the letters across his chest before the bottle of water she had been holding slipped from her hand, the bottle hitting the floor and the water sloshing out everywhere.

Her voice shook as she quietly replied, "Yes…"

A/N And so the tale unfolds. Hopefully I'll be able to update soon ~ Reviews would mean a hell of a lot to me at this stage. I need to know what you think.