SEPTEMBER 20 (STORY) **PART 1**

I do not own the characters of Twilight.

I woke up Friday morning. Thank god for Fridays. I pounced out of bed. My routine in the morning had slightly changed. I walked to my window and found it was closed but unlocked. This was getting weird.

I checked around the floor and found the piece of paper that was lying there. I had put it in the jam of the window last night. Someone was sneaking into my room at night and doing fuck knows what. This should be frightening to me but since that night I had the nightmare I hadn't been scared.

Dad and I talked about the bike. Well, he talked and I listened. Between his speech about how dangerous a bike can be and the consequences of what could happen to me, I listened. His reasons were invalid. He had been hiding something but I wasn't sure what.

It seemed like everyone was hiding secrets from me. Something was wrong with the people in this town. I could slowly feel the changes in me too. I was making friends, allowing myself to be watched or whatever at night, I was allowing haunting music and its creator slip into my dreams at night. I needed out. I needed to be me again.

I finished my morning routine and found dad in the kitchen being his typical self. Drinking what looked like his third cup of coffee. It was obvious from the lack of liquid in the pot. I smiled at dad who smiled right back.

"So what's the plan for the weekend?" I asked. I needed to know his plan so I could put one together for myself. I needed a break. I needed an escape and what I was going to be able to do would all depend on him.

"Well, I'll probably only get a couple more weekends of fishing before the cold sets in so......you don't mind me spending so much time at the res, do you?"

"Not at all. Everyone needs a best friend to do things with."

"Yea, speaking of which. Who are you spending the weekend with? Alice or Angela?" Dad raised an eyebrow. He wasn't to happy about me going to the Cullen's but knew that threatening me would never work.

"Not sure. Might spend the night at Alice's. Do you mind?" Two could play this game. The more he unspokenly told me not to, the more I would push the Cullen's on him.

"No." He said flatly. I won that round. "I'll be home late."

"If the bike's not here Alice's parents said yes." Like I was actually spending the night there. I had my freedom. Now I had to figure out what the rebel was going to do.

Dad finished his morning routine and put his belt on, kissed me on the top of my head and left. I had the house to myself for a bit. I looked out the window and saw a surprising sight.

How the hell did I miss that? I raced to the door and stepped outside. The sun felt so warm and inviting. It was a much missed friend. Sure, there were still lots of clouds but they weren't threatening to take control of the sky today.

I ran back upstairs excitedly. I grabbed a few items and threw them into my backpack. I gave myself a once over in the mirror. My locket was constantly hung around my neck now. It felt like a magical charm with special powers. There was something about the locket that made me feel invincible. I noticed there were times that it was cool against my skin and other times when it felt hot.

When it was cool as it was now I felt at ease and calm. It was like there was no danger around, that I could relax and let my guard down. When the locket was warm or hot, I always felt agitated and was easily upset. It made me feel trapped and I had an urge to protect myself. Most of the time that was at school.

I finished the once over in the mirror and headed downstairs. I walked out of my house and got that feeling again that I was being watched. I hadn't had this feeling in a few days and it was unnerving. I looked around towards the edge of the woods. I could swear I saw someone moving within the trees but then there was nothing.

I jumped on my bike and grabbed the helmet dad had brought. He surrendered to the bike with the deal that I wear the helmet and he would stop bitching. I had managed to baby talk him into a helmet that had built in headphones for my I-Pod.

I started the bike and turned on the music. Disturb's Down With The Sickness started to play as I raced down the road towards the general direction of the school.

Angela was sitting outside the school waiting for me. I looked around and noticed that the Cullen's vehicles were missing. Angela must have noticed the look. She walked over as I took off the helmet, shaking my hair loose.

"They're not here."

"What? Who?"

Angela chuckled. "Don't play dumb with me. Alice and her brother. They never come to school on sunny days."

"Why?" I wondered why she added Edward into the answer. Like I was interested in seeing him.

"Their parents take them hiking and camping. I've never seen them come to school on nice days. Saved you though." Angela said politely.

"What do you mean?" I truly didn't know what she was talking about.

"Your meeting with Mrs. Cullen." Angela said softly, looking down.

Angela never brought up anything about my therapy sessions. She wasn't being mean about them. She just understood that I wasn't interested in discussing them with anyone.

"That's fine, Angela. It's true. The sun earned me a freebie." I said as I put my hand on her shoulder. She looked up and found I wasn't angry with her.

How could I be? Angela was slowly becoming my best friend. She was like me in a lot of ways. She didn't care what anyone at school thought of her. She was an outcast like me. There were definitely more differences than similarities though. That was probably why we were becoming such good friends. She kept me nailed to the earth with her simple honest outlook on life. I was her inner rebel that she couldn't let out.

We headed into the school and off to Math. Today was the day we would find out how the surprise test worked out for each of us.

Lunch came quickly. Angela and I sat in our corner in the cafeteria. We were both pleased with ourselves. We had gotten the two highest marks in the class. The teacher hadn't mentioned whose mark was higher and never of us divulged the information to each other. We didn't want bad blood between us for any reason.

As we ate in silence, I looked around the room. I wasn't looking for anything specific but I found something that made my skin crawl. Mike Newton. I hadn't had any interaction with him in a couple of weeks but once in a while I would still find him staring at me. It was very unsettling.

"Where is Jess these days?" I asked between bites of my salad.

"She's around somewhere. She's been very quiet lately except for the bike rumor. Why?" Angela looked at me.

I put my hand in front of my mouth. "Cause if Mike continues to stare either she's going to hit him or I am."

Angela knew how to be cautious, which I was grateful for. She finally looked back at me. "He's being really creepy but you should know something. I wasn't sure about the rumor but now I'm sure it's a fact."

"What rumor?" I was suddenly getting nervous.

"Bella, Jess and Mike broke up. He's so obsessed with you that she couldn't take it anymore." Angela stated very quietly.

"Great, just what I need. Her pissed at me over this and him stalking me."

"Do you care?" Angela asked. That was very out of character for her.

"Honestly, no. I just don't need round two with my father. At least not this weekend."

"Why? What's going on this weekend?" Angela asked curiously.

"Better if you don't know. You can't get in trouble if you don't know anything. I'm not letting you lie for me. You have a clean conscious and should keep it that way."

"You're evil, did anyone ever tell you that?" She giggled.

I was about to jump at her but I realized she knows nothing about my past. She wasn't meaning anything cruel by the comment. She didn't know that only one person had ever called me evil. My mother. Just after the cops had come and questioned Phil. Another reason I came to live with dad.

"Once." Was all I said.

Angela must have noticed the agitation in my voice. She ducked her head. "Sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. You didn't know."

"Someday, Bella, maybe we can talk." She wasn't asking. She was demanding. She was just hoping that we would be best enough of friends for me to open up completely to her and let her in.

"Maybe, Ang, maybe. Let me deal with it first. Okay?"

"Still friends."

"Definitely." I replied as I continued to watch Mike out of the corner of my eye.

After school, I said my goodbyes to Angela and headed out of town. I had begun to form a plan and there was no way I would buy my supplies in Forks. Dad would find out really quick and I wasn't willing to have that shit.

I headed north out of the town and once outside the town limits I sped up the bike. Normally it would be an hour to Port Angeles but I wanted to get there and back as quickly as possible.

I could feel the strain and heaviness of the town fade as I drove. Both my brain and the air were refreshing and clear. I focused on the road. I felt free. I loved the feeling of being in control of my own destiny. I held the power of the bike. I could decide whether to hold the bike on its path or not.

I knew I wasn't suicidal just pleased that I had the choice. No one could take that choice away from me the way Phil had. I mentally shook my head. No, no thinking about that piece of shit. I stayed clear headed and found my way to the city.

I pulled over to the side of the street and took my helmet off. I expected people to be as self-centered as in Phoenix but I needed to find the hardware store.

"Excuse me." I said to a nice looking woman who was walking casually down the sidewalk.

"Yes."

"Where can I find a hardware store?"

"Let me think. Oh yeah, go three blocks down and turn left. It'll be on the right about four blocks or so down." She said politely.

"Thank you." I played the niceness back. No sense in being nasty to someone who was being helpful.

I put the helmet back on and found my way to the hardware store. I went inside and found my way to the paint section. Spray paints to be exact. I looked over all the colors and decided to go with black. My favorite color and hard to cover up.

I thought about it for a minute and went searching for some rubber gloves. My fingerprints were on file so I couldn't take the chance of that too. I went to the front and paid for my purchases.

The older man at the cash looked at me with a knowing look. Who wouldn't? A Gothic dressed girl purchasing one can of spray paint and rubber gloves. I was surprised he wasn't taking ID. Some of the bigger city were nowadays. Tagging buildings was costing cities hundreds of thousands of dollars in cleanup every year.

Trust me, no tagging a building, I thought to myself. I left the store and headed straight back out of the city. I wanted to get back to Forks before anyone decided I was missing. Not that anyone would be looking for me but I wasn't taking chances. I didn't want to miss this action for anything.

I had been a good girl for the most part since arriving in Forks. One fight at school and a couple of arguments with dad was nothing compared to the shit I could do in one day in Phoenix. No the old Bella wasn't coming back but I did need my release and now I had my target.

I slipped around Forks so I entered from the south end. I was thankful for the on and off road options my bike gave me. The woods couldn't stop me and neither could the road. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do until dark so I decided just to go home.

I got to the house and parked the bike. I went inside and found the message light blinking on the machine. I hit play on the old-style machine expecting it to be dad. It wasn't.

"Bella, it's Alice. I don't know where you are but I have a favor to ask. I want you to stay near your house tonight. I know I sound strange asking but I have a good reason. Please, Bella, stay home."

I hit replay on the machine and listened to the message again. Alice seemed concerned, scared even. I erased the message and shrugged it off. No one knew what I was up to so I ignored her plea.

I went up to my room and dumped the contents of my backpack onto the bed. I put my school books away. Homework could wait till Sunday. I threw the spray can and gloves back in my bag and walked over to my computer.

I hadn't checked my e-mail in a few days and wasn't really expecting anything. I was surprised at the fact I had two messages. One was from mom and the other was anonymous. I cringed as I brought up the message from mom.

Hello.

How's Forks? Have you started any shit yet? Told any bullshit lies? Probably. Knowing you, your father has probably kicked you out by now. Serves you right. You've never been a decent kid anyways. Lying, stealing and shit. Oh well, you're your father's problem now.

Mom.

I was about to hit erase but thought better of it. The bitch would someday get hers. I saved the message in an secret folder and hit open on the second message.

Bella,

I'm glad you like your presents.

Hoping to keep you safe.

A friend.

I read the note over and over. Even if I should be worried about a possible stalker I wasn't. My mother's message was scarier than this. I felt safe just as I did about the fact that someone had been in my room. I didn't think whoever this person was that they were out to harm me.

I made an another hidden folder and but the message in it. I wasn't really worried about anyone reading them but didn't want someone accidentally finding them.

I opened up my computerized diary and entered my password. I wrote in it and then shut the computer down. I went back downstairs and grabbed something to eat. After finishing and cleaning up, I looked at the clock. It was shortly after ten and I decided it was late enough to put my plan in action.

I went back outdoors and grabbed my bike. I revved the engine to life and took off through the woods. I wasn't taking any of the main roads to my destination. I wasn't about to get myself caught at this point.

I arrived and left my bike in the woods. I walked carefully, watching the houses for any signs of anyone watching me. I walked by the house that I was interested in and saw Mike's car sitting alone the side of the house. I walked around the block and found myself back in the woods.

I snuck up to the house from the back and shimmied my way between his car and the house. Staying down so no one could see me I put on the rubber gloves and then pulled the spray can out of the pocket of my jacket. I shook the can and then started writing on the car.

About five minutes later I tucked the can back in my pocket and admired my handiwork. I have used my non-writing hand to write the word "Dick" on the vehicle. I wasn't stupid. Dad would have recognized my handwritten immediately. The word was surrounding by a picture of a dick. Now, that, I had had done with my good hand. No one would recognize the written for the picture.

I raced back to the woods and waited. I watched to make sure no one had seen me. I could feel my heart pounding and pulse racing. I was on a natural high and loved it. I felt myself surging and knew what I needed to do next. I ran quickly back to my bike and pushed it into the woods. I didn't want anyone hearing it from this close to the scene of the crime.

"Take that you little prick." I said softly as I brought my bike to life.

I raced my way through the woods. I was going to take the long way home. The rest of my plan was to leave the bike in the woods near my house and sneak in. I would get up early and leave before dad got up. Pick up my bike and come home a few hours later. No one would be the wiser.

I came through a section of trees and into a clearing. I slammed on the brakes and stared in terror at the sight in front of me. No sooner did my bike come to a stop than I had the bike in full throttle and was racing as fast as I could away from the clearing.

I could feel the locket around my neck. It felt like it was burning my skin. My mind was racing like a movie on replay of the images I had seen in the meadow. My body was screaming in terror but I couldn't form the vocal scream to allow my mind to stop the replay.