A/N: Hey, everyone! This is your girl, TJ! And I want to thank you all for reviewing for the last chapter. Okay, the next couple of chapters I will be experimenting. Yes, so if you don't like it, don't hate me. Oh, this is not the end. NEVER. Let's make it fun. May I have 20 reviews? That's all I ask for.

The Friend Zone...

BELLA

"Just a day or two?" He had said.

I could do that.

At least, I thought I could.

Going back to school on Monday had to be one of the strangest days of my life. It started with me trying to fake sickness to avoid going. Maybe Charlie would believe me. I don't skip school, so if I did, it had to be something important.

Right on schedule, Charlie knocked on my bedroom door when he realized I haven't stepped out. "Bella?"

"Yes," I said weakly. I was trying to add as much moaning and groaning as I could muster.

"Are you feeling okay?"

"I don't know. I feel…horrible. My stomach hurts and my head is…" I grasped at my forehead and clutched my stomach as if I was having a cramp.

"Well, you just stay in bed and I'll go make you something," he explained before heading downstairs.

Charlie in the kitchen equaled one thing. Disaster was in the midst.

I jumped from my bed, throwing the covers precariously behind me. "Umm…Dad, I don't think that would be necessary. I don't think I am in the mood to eat anything," I reasoned, heading after him, still trying to pretend.

"Nonsense, hon, I'm going to get you something." He opened the refrigerator searching for some unrevealed ingredient. "Now where is that prune juice?" he muttered.

"Dad, it is fine. It's probably just a…girl thing." That was my only defense. I knew I couldn't use it on Renée (moms and their intuition). But it worked with my father because Charlie got beet red in the face. I thought I was in the clear until he narrowed his eyes at me. I broke out in a sweat.

"Bella, are you pretending?" he asked, not really wanting me to answer.

I crossed my arms. "No…" I whined.

He leaned back on the counter as he was figuring out what was going on. "Are you trying to skip school to avoid something that happened at that sleepover?"

I sighed.

Charlie held up his right palm. "You don't have to answer. Truthfully, I would rather you face your problems head on instead of hiding out at home. But it's your choice. I'm going to get ready for work. I'll pick something up, so don't bother fixing breakfast."

"Okay," I grumbled, turning around to go back to my room.

So I now I sat on my bed, staring at my pale walls. I hated it when Charlie tried to guilt me into doing the right thing. It was worse then him just flat out saying "Go to school." One time he did that when I was five and I had taken three chocolate chip cookies. After his little speech, I ended up with one.

After dressing and eating, I headed outside to see a familiar car in my driveway. "Alice? What are you doing here?"

She rolled down the passenger window of Edward's Volvo. He must have ridden with Emmett. "Making sure you go to school. Now, hop in!" I did as I was told. "Why didn't you come over, yesterday?"

"Edward told me not to," I said. Actually, I told Edward I would come over, but then he dismissed me so he could have some time.

She frowned and muttered "That baby. Why did you listen to him?"

"Aren't I supposed to?"

"Is he your father?" she questioned.

"No."

"Then, you could have come over. I thought we were going to have fun."

"Can't have fun knowing Edward is upset," I mumbled.

"Yeah, he has been a little jumpy and moody. He is all over the place with his emotions. He's miserable. As soon as you left on Saturday, he ran up to his room and slammed the door. Emmett and I, being as nosy as we are, tiptoed up, but there was no sound. No music, no crying, nothing. He didn't come down for dinner, though there wasn't any scheduled time since mom isn't home.

"On Sunday, I got up early to check up on him, but he wasn't in his room. He left when none one of us was up. You know what I found on his bed? That scrapbook I made him. Late last night, he came home. It had to be around nine o'clock. He just grabbed an apple and continued upstairs to his room. Emmett and I tried to talk to him about it, but he didn't answer. Early this morning for school, he told me to pick you go to school. He'll get over it, and so will you. Now, who you need to worry about is Tanya."

"Tanya?"

"Tanya," she confirmed, taking her eyes off the road for a split second. "Today is the day we find out what her real intentions are."

After pulling into the school parking lot (next to Emmett's jeep) Alice and I stepped out. She looked over at me and frowned. "You really need to do something with your wardrobe," she scolded.

"I like what I have on," I shot back, looking over my outfit. Okay, so I could have picked out something more decent, but it was just school. No one to impress here.

"Whatever," Alice muttered. We continued to walk through the halls, with people whispering about me as well.

She is the one that stole Edward.

I heard the girls fought over him. Apparently, Bella won.

Two girls, probably freshman, were giggling as I walked past them. I rolled my eyes; this was going to get real irritating. Then, I saw Tanya. "She doesn't look bitter," I whispered to Alice.

"It might be a front…" Alice started until we saw Mike walk over to Tanya. He grabbed a handful of her rump and left a big sloppy kiss on her lips. It was quite disturbing. "…or not."

"Yeah, it seems the girl moves fast," I mumbled to her, while walking up to Tanya.

"Hello, Bella!" she smiled while draping her body in Mike's arms.

"Hey," I responded softly, nervous of what to say. "Look, I am terribly sorry about what happened."

Tanya laughed. "Whatever," she giggled with Mike whispering in her ear. "Once Edward moved out of the way, Mike and I could see each other publicly."

"Publicly?" I repeated. "What are you saying?"

She laughed again. "Bella, you know what I am saying." She leaned into my ear and whispered. "Edward wasn't the only one living a double life."

I was furious at the point; ready to burst into flames. This was for Edward. All the pain that she inflicted Edward. All the second guessing she created. The controversy she generated. And Edward's pain was my pain. Since I knew a man should never hit a woman, Edward would never do anything about Tanya's sickening confession. I took matters into my own hands.

"You're despicable," I spat at her before I wheeled my right arm back and snapped it right into her nose.

"GIRL FIGHT!" Someone yelled.

I felt Tanya pull my hair, but it didn't matter because I had a hold on strawberry blond locks. It would be so sad to see Tanya lose all her precious hair. She deserved it. She deserved every bruise she received. I just kept hitting her, attacking her. The strikes didn't stop until I felt burly arms hooked under my elbows and constrained me from touching Tanya again.

I was seething with rage, anger. Breathing was as wild as my heart rate. Teeth bared as if I would pounce. I was like an animal. An angry mother defending her young like a lioness.

"Let go of me," I hissed, trying to wriggle out of the iron grasp. I wanted one more hit. The crowd encircled Tanya and I as she stumbled up, being held by Mike.

Emmett whispered to me, "Bella, you have to calm down."

I didn't want to calm down. I was done pretending to be alright with everything. I was done with Edward's sullen behavior. Tanya's controlling spirit. I needed to liberate myself. My anger.

"Please, take her to the office," a teacher called behind me.

I whipped out of Emmett's arm and straightened my clothes on my shoulders. "I know where the office is," I muttered to him.

"I told you Bella won," somebody whispered behind me.

Shut up, I yelled in my head.

I came into the front office. "Isabella?" Mrs. Cope worried. "Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine," I mumbled. "I need to see the principal."

"Right this way." She led me in to principal's small antechamber. I didn't want to wait. I wanted to go home. But I had no where to flee. I knew they would to call Charlie. He would furious with me. Sullying the Swan name.

I flopped into the first vinyl chair, still angry. I couldn't believe Tanya? How could she? She didn't ever love Edward. She was only playing Edward. He was going to be devastated when he found out.

"In my office, now!" the Mr. Greene barked. I rolled my eyes and sighed, going inside. "I will not have you disturbing the peace at my school," he said sternly.

"But you don't understand. Tanya is evil. I was defending Edward," I explained.

"Oh? Is that so, Miss Swan? If I remember correctly, Mr. Cullen was nowhere to be seen. Is that correct?"

"Yes, sir," I whispered.

"Then, you weren't doing it for him" – he started muttering – "though I highly doubt Mr. Cullen would hit a lady." Then, his voice rose in volume and authority. "But you will be suspended for three days, young lady, for fighting. The other party will be suspended as well. I will be calling your father, but you are dismissed for the rest of the day. You are free to go." Mr. Greene stood up to open his door, signaling to me that this discussion was over.

Did I do the right thing?

As the anger slowly abated from my body, I began to realize what I had done. I didn't retaliate for Edward. I was feeling as if I was threatened and I responded. I handled the situation all wrong. I sunk into the same vinyl chair and put my head between my knees as my vision became misty. I was just as bad as Damien. Maybe worse, because it wasn't my battle to fight; it was Edward's.

Where was he?

And as I thought it, a soft hand touched my back, rubbing soothing patterns over it. "Edward," I asked, voice breaking.

"I'm going to take you home," he said softly with no emotion in his voice.

"Okay." I sniffed as I gathered my school materials.

Edward led me out to the school parking lot, not taking his hand off my shoulders. I didn't want him to. I rested my head on his shoulders, loving his support.

Finally, we got to his car that Alice was driving was this morning. I climbed into the passenger seat, and immediately started fumbling with the radio until I settled on the CD already in session: Debussy.

We didn't speak. Edward already knew what was going through my mind just by my body language.

Damaged.

I was broken up. Everything with Damien came spewing out with Tanya as the receiver. She didn't deserve what I gave her (no matter how much I wanted to believe that sophistry). She was just a girl who was messing with guy's hearts. A man-eater.

But what I did was inexcusable. Forgivable, but not for awhile.

Edward was driving a little faster than necessary, but I didn't have the voice or the heart to tell him to slow down. Then, I realized where he was taking me to. The Diner.

The Volvo engine stopped purring. We were here. Everything was unusually noisy as I heard the click of the seatbelts we unbuckled. The locks on the door pop open. The handle on the door move out. The pull of the fabric as Edward and I moved off of the seats. Edward's heavy sighing. My sniffling.

Everything was loud.

How my feet were moving was a mystery because I knew for a fact my brain was not operating on a mental level at this point. It was difficult to remind myself that I needed oxygen. But the door was held open and I walked in and sat in the first vacant booth; the diner was never busy.

I noticed the disquieted expression on Betsy's face as she came over. "Kids, why the long faces? Did you kill someone?" We both looked at her with dismay. She smiled apologetically. "I see you, two, aren't ready for jokes. Well, at least let me take your orders. You guys are skipping school, right?" None of answered. She sighed at our silence. "I will just bring out two cups of Joe," she muttered before disappearing to her serving counter.

Before Edward and I spoke, Betsy was back with two mugs of coffee. Sensing this was probably the only thing my stomach could handle, I loaded up my mug with lots of cream and sugar. Meanwhile, Edward left his black.

"Are you going back to school?" I whispered to him, wondering where my voice came from.

"No," he said simply with a tone that suggested he wasn't going to say anymore.

Placing my hands on the table between us, I announced to him, "It's been two days."

He didn't respond. Instead, he twirled the spoon inside the steaming black coffee around. Not acknowledging my statement, he took a sip. He winced – probably at the taste – but I wasn't supposed to notice.

"Edward?" I whispered. I reached for his hands, but he retracted them – subtly, but enough to hurt my feelings. I pulled my hands back around my mug searching for its warmth after Edward's chilling action. "I'm sorry about what happened at school."

"Why did you act like that?"

I sat back in my seat, astonished that he didn't realize why I hit Tanya. "At first, I was doing it for you," I answered.

"You didn't have to do anything for me." He voice was cool.

"Tanya cheated on you, Edward!" I retorted, my voice rising.

He shrugged. "And I cheated on her. So what?"

"Cheat? Edward, we did no such thing. Tanya was bad news. I thought we were in the wrong at first, but she was…terrible. And you said you loved me."

"And I also said I loved Tanya," he pointed out.

That hurt. And he didn't look up to see the pain in my face. "Did you know?" I whispered to him. He didn't answer right away; instead, he took another sip of his coffee. I did the same. "Edward," I started again. "Did you know about Tanya and Mike?"

"I found out the same way everyone else did," he spoke, deadpanned.

I slapped my hands on the table. "Well, that's just great Edward. When were going to tell me? You know you could have called and said 'Bella, don't hit Tanya. I already know.' And where's Alice? She can guess well with everything else, but when it is important, her mind draws a blank. How can she have a career as a psychic?..." I was going into hysterics. Rambling on and on, until Edward took his hand and placed it over my mouth to mute me.

"Bella, I have been thinking about us lately," he started as he took his hand away.

"And…" I encouraged.

"I think it would be better if we stayed friends for awhile."

"Friends? After all that we been through and you're putting me in the friend zone."

"Bella, the timing is off. This isn't going to work."

"We aren't going to work? What are you talking about? We are going to work. We do work." My voice broke as I comprehended what was happened. "I love you," I whispered to him.

"I love you, too. But Bella, I just don't see how we can…"

"How we can what?" I snapped. "Date? It's easy; you ask me out, and I go. Edward, not everything has to be over analyzed – something you have a tendency of doing."

Then, he finally looked at me. Really looked at me. Not with his eyes, but with his soul. He was just as hurt as I was. Maybe worse, but he wouldn't let me know.

"Oh," I mouthed. I was immediately shut down in rage.

"Yeah."

"You know I am here as a friend if you need it."

"I know."

I sighed because the world wasn't over. It didn't stop spinning or snap off its axle because Edward and I weren't together. The moon was hurtling towards us, disrupting our weather patterns because Edward and I were friends again.

For a second, I thought this was funny. That was until I looked at Edward again. He looked so…used. Spent. Browbeaten.

"As a friend, you shouldn't be acting like this."

"Like what?" he asked, curiosity in his voice.

"Like 'The World has Turned Its Back On Me'. You should be more proactive about this. Stopped moping and get back in the field."

"What do you suggest I do?"

"You don't have to have a relationship, but maybe you should casually see someone. Not me, though. We are just…friends," I squeaked out. It was going to get tough to remember Edward didn't want me that way right now.

"I'm sorry for dragging you into this. I want to love you, Bella. I really do. But, I don't want to ruin something before we have our foundation stable – friendship."

"Friendship," I nodded. "I can do that. I'm going to lie to you, Edward. I couldn't stop thinking about you this weekend. I didn't know what you were going through until Alice told me."

He smiled. Really smiled as if the sun as coming out again. "That big mouth. I'm not going to lie either. I couldn't stop think about you. It was unfair for you to experience that."

I held up my hand. "Stop trying to protect me, Edward."

He looked baffled by my words. "Bella, that's nonsense. Protecting you is what I am supposed to do."

"No it isn't. If it was, you would have stopped me from pounding Tanya's face in."

He smiled crookedly. "I heard about that. Emmett said you were a beast. I wish I was there to stop you."

"And stop trying to take the blame for other people's action. I was the one who decided to throw the first punch. I was bound to get in trouble."

"Where did you learn to hit like that," Edward asked, interested.

I laughed. "Okay, okay. You're distracting me. What I am trying to say is that you can't keep me from living my life, Edward."

He crossed his arms on the table and leaned towards me with fascination twinkling in his emerald eyes. "So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know. Get out and see other people like you."

Edward smiled. "Maybe we should double date."

"Great," I sighed in relief. "We will both date like civilized teens do…but not each other," I corrected.

"Yes. But I will still have a spot for you in my heart, Bella. I love you."

I held up my hands to stop him. "Nope, that's rule number one: You can't say I love you or use quixotic language as if you are reading Hallmark cards."

Edward frowned while taking my hands into his. "You know that is going to be extremely difficult," he said with a low voice that made me tremble with pleasure.

"Rule number two: No physical contact," I explained as I pulled away from his touch.

"Any more rules?" he teased.

"Why? Two rules not enough for you?" I smiled.

"Well, I get to have one, too. Rule number three: I get to pick the guy for you," Edward said casually, leaning away from me.

"I don't like that rule." I crossed my arms.

"Well, how are we supposed to make this work unless I approve of him? Friends approve each other's 'lovers'." Edward had a point. I didn't approve of Tanya and she was gone. But then again, I was in love with Edward and Tanya was in the way.

"Okay," I grumbled. "Anything else?"

"Yes. What will happen when are little game ends? When does it end?"

"Easy. When you are ready to have me, then the game ends. But until then, we're supposed to have fun. Here, have this." I slid the emerald ring off of my finger, placing it in Edward's palm. "Give it to me when you're ready." My hand still felt heavy as if the ring was still on my finger.

"What if I am ready now?" he asked, grimacing at the ring in his hand.

"You would be lying. Now, come on, Edward. This can be fun. You wanted friendship, so I am giving you one. And this friendship comes equipped with a game." I did a little jig with my hands as encouragement.

"We sound like swingers," Edward pointed out disapprovingly.

I scrunched up my face and then relaxed. "So?" I shrugged. "No one has to know…except Betsy. She can help us. Betsy," I called out.

She came over, grinning. "Have you, two, kiss and made up?"

Edward looked over at me, while asking Betsy "Should we?"

I looked back at Betsy, still smiling. "Edward and I are best friends are we are going to be seeing other people as part of our game. Can you make sure our game stays on track?"

"I'll try," she perked up. "Though, I have a pretty good idea who will crack first."

"Who?" I asked eagerly.

"I'm not telling," I sung while avoiding eye contact.

Edward turned back to me. "I heard Tanya and Mike are going to be throwing a party."

"I don't think I will be invited," I revealed to him.

"You really do know how to ruin parties do you?" Edward joked. "I think Emmett is trying to throw a Study Jam though mom and dad said no parties."

"Ooo…Emmett is going to be in so much trouble," I whispered

"Only if he gets caught," Edward indicated. "But are you going to do it?"

"I don't know if Charlie will let me out. You know I am suspended for three days."

Edward scowled. "I can see how that can be tough. Well, there will be other times. Just give me the heads up, and we can escort each other."

"As friends," I clarified seriously.

Raising his mug, he repeated "As friends."

I raised mine and they clanked together. I knew I was up to it, but how long could Edward and I keep this up?

Nothing in this world could compare to wrath of Charlie. I could have sworn his face went through various shades beginning with stark white, getting ruddier by the seconds. His was as furious as I was earlier. I pleaded and pleaded that I was sorry.

And as I thought, he used the "sullying the Swan name." Then, he brought up the fact that I could have been arrested – just had to have a father who happen to be the police chief – and that we were thankful her family wasn't pressing charges.

Oh, and I was grounded.

That wasn't as big as a shocker as Charlie finally admitting, "Maybe you should have stayed home from school." And that was it. He left me in the living room as he went upstairs to change. I had already cooked dinner – to soften him up – but I didn't have an appetite.

I went up to my room, looking over at my computer. Could I email my mother? I didn't know, but I turned on the ancient machine anyways.

"Turn off that computer!" Charlie called from his room.

"I'm going to email Renée," I answered back.

He came into my room, pulling down a cotton shirt. "You email her and then you get straight off. You hear me?"

"Yes," I replied. "I understand. Thank you."

Finally, my computer came to life. I read the email from my mother:

Hey honey

I want to know what's up. You haven't emailed me since you left. What's going on? Meet any cute guys. Tell me everything.

I sighed. Though she was my mom, she was always concerned about my social life. I tapped out a message for her.

Everything is great. I met the Cullens again. Edward has grown up a lot. Funny how we picked up where we left off. I have been to a party and did karaoke. Oh, and I am now grounded because I punched a girl at school. But don't worry about me.

I sent off the message before I could think about changing it. I shut off my computer and went to relax on my bed. No need to pull out headphones since I was locked down. I mean it could be worse. I could have had scheduled breaks for bathroom, meal, and school. Glad I knew Charlie wasn't that strict.

But I needed to get that party of Emmett's. Edward couldn't do anything without me. And Emmett's party was the Friday before their parents came home. I had to get there…

Okay, so go and review. And then I will bring you into what I call "THE FRIEND ZONE!"