A/N: This chapter is dedicated to all those who are still reading this story. I know I don't update regularly, (you know it too). I'm an engineering undergrad and my husband is a law student. We are ridiculously busy and I really do appreciate your patience.

The Twilight Saga & characters is owned by S. Meyer.

Bella

I had spent most of the day in the company of Alice. She was in most of my classes, all of which came before lunch. She didn't seem to mind that she did most of the talking with my occasional nod now and again. Were briefly accompanied by her boyfriend Jasper during the last passing period. He bent and whispered in her ear it made her look sort of dazed. I couldn't blame her, he was impossibly handsome just like the rest of them. I thought maybe he had picked up some real dirt on me and was trying to warn her, because right after he spoke to her she gave me an uneasy smile and told me she would meet me later. Right. I knew it was the end of my temporary friendship.

Which is how I found myself sitting alone at my usual table in the cafeteria.

Just like every other day.

I had pulled my legs up against my chest rested my head on my knees so I could watch the rain falling outside and to avoid eye contact from anyone else. For a moment I could almost forget that I was an unwanted social outcast. I closed my eyes to imagine what my life could be like if it were normal….if I were normal.

Then something hit me square in the back of the head and my small bubble of peace was shattered into a million pieces yet again.

The cafeteria immediately erupted with laughter. I turned to see Mike Newton with a smirk on his face standing in the "I just threw something at your head" position and a very smug looking Jessica Stanley right behind him. He would do anything for that bitch. There were a few teachers trying in vain to keep the upheaval at bay, and one even began walking toward me.

All of this suddenly went unnoticed as my eyes slid past the scene in front of me and onto the fifth child of the Cullen family who was now standing just inside the cafeteria doors.

He was beautiful, more so than the others. From his strange colored hair in messy disarray to the designer clothing hugging his perfectly toned pale body. He even had the same piercing golden eyes.

Eyes that were now looking at me with what I could only describe as disgust and anger. And though I had been the recipient of these emotions all my life, this time was different. I felt so…hurt.

"Are you alright Isabella?" Mr. Banner asked as he finally reached me.

Shaken from my reverie, I had nothing intelligible to say to the teacher, so I said nothing. Grabbing my book from the table, I ran to the closest exit and into the rain without bothering to look back.

So much for Alice's gift of dry clothing.

I kept running until I reached the edge of the woods. Despite it being a short distance, I was spent by the time I reached the tree line. My body barely produced enough energy to live much less be active. Under the protection of a large tree and out of sight from my classmates, I closed my eyes and rested. Maybe I would just leave school now and try to get to the store….

"Isabella?"

The beautiful velvet voice that I had never before heard could only belong to one person.

I was so fucked.