I own the last two bags of sidewalk salt in the city, but not Twilight. Would be willing to trade, though.

Chapter 10

Bella had become so accustomed to pretending that she didn't exist at school, she didn't notice the looks she was getting from Katie and her friends. After talking to Edward, the girls chatted late into the night about Bella and the law regarding talking to her. They had realized how stupid it had been to follow the popular crowd. They felt really bad for the part they had played in ostracizing Bella. They knew that they couldn't just jump in and make her their best friend but they could be nicer. They could smile hello and talk to her in class or in the halls. They also wanted to get as many students on Bella's side as they could.

Bella arrived at her locker to find another note. She was tempted to just throw it away but decided to read it instead. If the notes became threatening she'd tell her dad. This one was shorter than the last one. It simply said I'm sorry I was mean to you. Bella didn't know what to make of it. No one had been outright mean. Mean spirited and ignorant, but not outright mean.

Bella shrugged it off. So what if they were apologizing now. It didn't mean anything to leave an anonymous note. Actions were what was needed.

She closed her locker and went to class. She sat at her usual table at lunch, her head buried in a book. When she reached a chapter end she looked up to stretch her neck. As she looked around the cafeteria, she saw Tyler with his gang, Edward sitting at the end of the table. Her eyes swept over the rest of the students. She was shocked when her eyes met Katie's. Katie smiled at her and gave a little wave. Years of politeness made Bella wave back before she frowned and looked back at her book. She didn't know what to make of Katie's actions. They had never really been friends before. She shrugged to herself and waited until it was time to go to the library.

Edward felt like a complete and utter moron. If he weren't in a cafeteria full of high school students, he'd smack his own head. Dumbass.

He had tried to think of a plan, how to get someone outside to notice the treatment Bella endured before it escalated. He stayed up late in the small garage apartment at the Crowley's thinking about Bella, how she coped with her isolation with grace. She didn't complain or cry or whine about it like other girls would. She hadn't even told Alice, her best friend. He thought that girls told their best friends everything.

He guessed that she hadn't told Alice about her crush on him either. If she had, Alice was sure to rail Edward about it. Alice would have been relentless if she had known what Edward had done when Bella revealed her crush. Shit, Alice would have probably told their parents. Edward could just see the lecture he would have gotten from his father about the treatment of women. And the disapproving looks from his mother. She had always like Bella, she had mentioned many times how much she wished Alice would behave more sedately like Bella.

He thought back to when they lived in Forks and what Bella was like then. She was always quiet, calm not loud and bouncy like Alice. She was forever doing favours for Alice, helping her with little things, cleaning up after her. If she was over for dinner she was always the first one to volunteer to do the dishes or help with the cooking. He had never really noticed what a sweet girl she was then.

And now in the cafeteria, having realized what was the easiest way to get the right people to notice Bella plight and despite his feeling incredibly stupid, he smiled to himself. The solution was just so simple. All he needed to change the school's option of Bella was Tyler.

Tyler was Bella's biggest fan. He talked about her sometimes during the drive to and from school. But he never noticed her at lunchtime. Edward finally figured out why. Tyler had become a creature of habit. Routine was one of the ways that helped him cope with his injury. From the first day back to school Tyler had sat in the cafeteria with his back to Bella. He never saw Bella sitting by herself day after day.

All Edward had to do was convince Tyler to change his seat in the cafeteria, to turn around and see Bella at her solitary table. Tyler would take it from there, he hoped. As long as Tyler's temper didn't flare too much he didn't see a problem. Although maybe a good temper tantrum was needed to reach the idiotic students at this school.

Not that Edward was much better than them, he realized. He figured that Bella would be pissed if he went to the principal or a teacher. She wouldn't want the attention. But, maybe if one of her peers did something. Edward wasn't really supposed to get involved with the other students and his hands were tied but Tyler could get involved, and Edward really hoped that he would. God, he was thinking in circles.

This girl had him so confused and acting weird. He didn't like the feeling but he owed her. He wasn't sure what he owed her or if helping her this way would release his debt but it was the only thing he could think of, his only solution.

He'd work with Tyler tonight during OT, change up their routine a little to get Tyler used to some small changes. It would help Tyler learn to cope with uncertainty. After all, life was filled with uncertainty.

AN: I woke up this morning to a lovely email and an even more lovely write-up from the ficsisters. Now, normally when I wake up and want to cry, it makes for a bad day but today, even finding something dried, crusty, and ancient under my kid's bed made me giggle. Thank you for the warm, fuzzy feelings.