Pulling up at school my heart hammered in my chest, threatening to break free from the confines of my ribcage. I sat there not able to move, willing my muscles to move, to do anything really; I just couldn't bring myself to get out the car. I stared out of the window watching people pass by outside and the occasional person stop, stare obviously waiting to see what I was going to do, then they would quickly pass by obviously knowing how much of a creep they look.

I knew today I was going to get a lot of that anyway, it would be too much to ask that everyone minded their own business and butted out. Although, I may get a kick out of seeing what crap they managed to pull out the bag, about what's going on. Two sharp raps on the window pulled me back out of my head and back in to the school parking lot.

My head shot round to see Jasper, Rosalie and Emmet standing by the window. I rolled the window down and poked my head out.

"Hmm?"

"We need to go inside now Bells - the bell is about to go," Jasper murmured. I blew out a breath, grabbed my bag from the passenger seat, got out of the car and reluctantly trudged my way into school. I sat in my normal seat and buried my head in my hands, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I think this is the first time I've ever wanted algebra to be longer. Rather than the usual, kill me now drag the time has in algebra, the time flew by and all too soon it was time for English.

I made my way to first lesson, albeit slowly but I was going now matter how hard it was for me to walk through those doors and see him sitting there without a care in the world. However many dollars richer, with her draped all over him as if nothing is wrong, as if nothing ever happened, as if each and every time we spent together meant nothing. I suppose to him it probably did, but to me each touch, that kiss...

It meant too much.

But what I saw when I got into the question was almost the complete opposite of what I was imagining. Edward was sat there but Lauren wasn't with him. He was sat on his own at the back of the classroom his back to me, and I could just about make about a bruise on the back of his neck hidden by the collar of his black shirt.

Lauren, who sat at a desk at the front her talking to her "friends", giggling about nothing of consequence, turned her head to look up at me and smirked. It was the first time I had seen her since the incident. She looked down, contented with herself and carried on the conversation about: Nose jobs: a must have or a fashion don't (I don't need to tell you which side they were leaning on).

I would be lying if I told you it felt great to see Edward with a bandage across his nose that I had given him, but it's not - I don't like that he's hurt but at the same time I wish he was going through exactly what I was. That way he could see how it feels to be on the other side of his heartless decision. I would also be lying if I said he looked completely guilt free and as if he doesn't have a conscience, because he's not, he may not look incredibly guilty but he certainly didn't look happy or pleased with himself. He simply looked lost. No emotions showed on his face except flashes of random emotion when his eyes met mine.

I would also be lying if I told you my heart didn't ache when I looked at him and I didn't just want to go over there and kiss the cuts of his face, because I do. I hated myself for it, I hated felling so weak, so submissive over one person. Though one thing in my mind I was sure about was that no matter how much it hurt I would not fall apart. He may have been a big part of my world but he wasn't the centre, at least not now, anyways.

I went and sat by Alice, Emmett and everyone who actually cared about me were sat off to the side of the classroom, their eyes on me making sure I wasn't going to break down in front of the whole class. Right now, that was the last thing I felt like doing. What surprised me was Jacob was sitting with them, instead of sitting where he normally would. I stared at the front of the classroom as the teacher flounced in a smile plastered on her face, a smile that quite frankly scared me.

"Good morning class!" she chirped still grinning wildly "How are we all today! I have decided since we are all doing well in our after school rehearsals, especially our leads!" she said shooting me then Edward a look."That I think we should all have previews of some of the different scenes our leads have been rehearsing separately behind the scenes" she looked between us again as neither of us had made a move to stand."Shall we?"

I didn't look at Edward as I got up, I stood up and made my way to the front of the classroom and took a breath. Well, at least I wouldn't have to fake the pain. She grinned the whole time I walked to the front then clapped her hands together.

"Right! Let's have our Romeo and Juliet start with showing us the tragic death scene where the two lovers take their lives, ok? Good. Edward, start with the line "Ah dear Juliet""

I got into position on the classroom floor and closed my eyes as Edward knelt beside me and started his lines;

"Ah, dear Juliet,
Why art thou yet so fair? Shall I believe
That unsubstantial death is amorous,
And that the lean abhorred monster keeps
Thee here in dark to be his paramour?
For fear of that, I still will stay with thee;
And never from this palace of dim night
Depart again: here, here will I remain
With worms that are thy chamber-maids; O, here
Will I set up my everlasting rest,
And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars
From this world-wearied flesh. Eyes look your last!

The passion in his voice was unmistakeable - the pain meant in the words was shown fully in his voice, almost bringing me to tears.

Arms, take your last embrace! And, lips, O you
The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss
A dateless bargain to engrossing death!
Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavoury guide!
Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on
The dashing rocks thy sea-sick weary bark!
Here's to my love!

O true apothecary!
Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die."

His face was so close to mine. It reminded me of the sweet kiss just a couple of days ago, giving me the urge to meet his lips, and reach out to close that distance. I could feel his lips hover above mine for a second then move away, then his body gone from over me. I opened my eyes took a breath, sat, and slowly recited my lines;

"What's here? a cup, closed in my true love's hand?
Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end:
O churl! drunk all, and left no friendly drop
To help me after? I will kiss thy lips;
Haply some poison yet doth hang on them,
To make die with a restorative."

I went to lean down and kiss him, our lips a centimetre apart, my hair hiding our heads from the rest of the class so they wouldn't be able to tell difference. He opened his eyes behind the cover of my hair looking straight into my eyes

"Thy lips are warm.

Yea, noise? Then I'll be brief. O happy dagger!

This is thy sheath;

There rust, and let me die."

I fell on Edward shivering at the contact of our bodies; the class was silent for a few seconds then erupted into applause. Our chests were rising and falling and our hearts were beating perfectly in sync with each other. As the clapping subsided Edward quickly pushed himself off me, making me feel suddenly cold.

We carried on doing a couple of scenes, ones with less touching of our bodies, the teacher seeming pleased with us and didn't notice the mood change between us which although isn't entirely different, it is, to say the least kinda awkward, well for me anyway. She said we could have the rest of the period off to carry on practicing together whilst she works with everyone else.

I silently went to my seat, got my bags and walked out of the classroom. I contemplated waiting for Edward or just walking away - after all who would know if I just ditched the rest of this period? I would. I'd know and feel like such a coward for walking away, so I did what I felt was right. I plastered a fake smile on my face and waited dutifully outside the classroom for Edward.

He walked out with his head down and murmured "Shall we go to the auditorium to practice?" I just looked away and gave a curt nod, turned around and we walked to the auditorium in silence in an unacknowledged awkwardness.

I heard him take a deep breath next to me and let it gush out.

"Bella I ..." I spun round and stopped him before he could go any further.

"Don't! I don't need or want to hear it. We're just going to practice the scenes for the next twenty minutes then go our separate ways, then after the play is done we will go back to the way it was before, though I would appreciate it if you would just ignore me, rather than give me attitude like you did before." My voice was matter of fact and no nonsense, and I saw him flinch at the last comment from the corner of my eye.

"Bella please let me explain!" I just shook my head, not willing to waste anymore energy on the subject. "Please?" I stopped and he was stood right behind me, not saying anything, I didn't know what he was going to say or whether it would make a difference, or even how it possibly could make a difference, but I had a feeling that if I didn't stop and let him explain I would eventually regret it. "I backed out," he whispered, voice so low I wondered if I heard him right.

"What?"

"I backed out" he repeated louder this time.

"Bit late isn't it?"

"No, I mean yes I was stupid I ... don't know" he sighed; I could tell even though I wasn't looking at his face he was frowning and running his hand through his hair. I bit the inside of my cheek as I shook my head, did he really think that was a good enough explanation for what he did?

"Is that all you have to say?" I faced him "Because if it is I'm not going to even so much as acknowledge you when we're done with this. I'm giving you a chance. Now are you going to take it or are you going to throw it away?" He lifted his hand to run it across my cheek. I slapped it away.

"Don't." I spat.

"Bella I'm so sorry, I'm sorry I realised too late, I'm sorry I treated you that way. I'm sorry I treated anyone that way!" He threw his arms up in the air. I turned away one last time and the fake smile I had plastered on my face dropped and a tear ran down my face. I can't do this anymore. I wiped the tear from my cheek and kept any others at bay. I took a breath, squared my shoulders and made my way on to the stage.

"C'mon we need to get started." I called to him from the stage; he stood there and looked at me. I turned my head away; I couldn't look at him now. Not without the hurt taking over me and becoming too much to bear. The sound of footsteps on the stage told me he was up here. My eyes were becoming wet around the edges, the tears almost forcing themselves out of my eyes.

"Bella I told her I didn't want to carry on, I wanted to break the deal off. I was late, I have to admit that but you don't know how much that money meant Bella. It wasn't as if I did it for the hell of it!" His chest was heaving as he gulped down air; the money meant something! What could mister white-mansion-huge-grand-piano-playing-designer-clothes-wearing-dickhead need money for! "Yes I never thought of your feelings, yes it was wrong I know I never should have done it she practically forced me!"

"She has no power over you and you have no power over me so if we don't start soon I'm going to walk out those doors." My anger and frustration building my fists curling at my sides.

"But, Bella I lo –." I wheeled round, stopping his words in their tracks.

"Don't you dare! Don't you dare you asshole don't even bother saying that!" I spat the anger boiling over, losing control on my temper. "Those are the last words I ever want to hear coming from for mouth. Don't you dare! By saying those words you'll just make the hurt even harder to bear, because I know you don't mean it! You won't ever mean it" I shouted at him a mixture of silent angry, hysterical and heartbroken tears made tracks down my face. I hated having to know I was crying over someone who would never cry for me but most of all I hated knowing that I loved someone who will never love me. The thought my heart wrench.

"But, Bella please I do! I lov - " that was all it took for me to snap, I screeched and slapped him round the face, hard, the sound from the slap echoing off the tall auditorium walls. Edward winced and clutched his cheek; a red mark in the shape of my hand had formed on his cheek just above the bruise on his jaw.

"Stop it! Stop it, stop it, stop it!" I sobbed hard, my body physically shaking with hysterical sobs and anger. "Don't do this to me, stop doing this to me!" The pain is too much to bear. I ran from the auditorium leaving Edward shell shocked behind me still clutching his cheek. I couldn't stay to hear anymore. As much as I wished he would say those words, I want him to say them when he means them, not out of guilt, pity or just because he feels he needs to. When he says those words I want him to mean it, to show me his passion and love so I know that he is unconditionally, irrevocably and totally in love with me and there is no doubt in my mind that it is true and that I love him back.

I ran and ran till I couldn't breathe before running straight into someone warm and familiar. Strong arms wrapped around my waist and cradled me to them. I sobbed into his chest burying my face, soothing arms rubbing my back, slowly, rhythmically.

"Hey, hey, hey shh, calm down now." he soothed, murmuring soft words in my ear. I rubbed my nose against the wet patch on his shirt.

"Sorry." I looked up into the warm dark eyes I had come to know quite well over the past few days and a warm smile crossed his face. "It's fine, but are you okay?" I looked up at his warm open face and smiled.

"I am now." I moved my arms to round Jacobs waist and hugged him back. "Thank you." I whispered into his chest.

"What happened back there?" I frowned and he put two and two together." It was Cullen wasn't it? I swear to god," he growled. He started to walk towards the auditorium where I had left Edward. I grabbed his arm before he could get away.

"No, Jacob don't! I don't want any more trouble." He looked at me unsure what to do. "Please?"

"Don't want any trouble? Bella, if this guy is making you upset I want to do something about it." He said. His words final, frowning at something "Plus" he grinned "I don't think I can resist giving him a black eye to match the other"

"Jacob!" I shook my head. "C'mon lets just go to next class."

"Fine," he grumbled. "But if ever want me to give him matching eyes, I will. Just say the word!"

"Jacob." I warned. He muttered something unintelligible.

"Fine! I'm coming!" I laughed, it was a hollow sound, but a laugh none the less at least I was getting somewhere close to healing even if it was going to take a while.