AN: 'Into the Sun – Lifehouse.' Yay-ah (that was supposed to sound gangster…). Listen to second verse and you'll see why it fits. Only…Bella is not man, as we all know…

Well, thank you all for the ideas in your reviews! I love getting feedback like that :) Some of them were a little out there but funny and some I'm really considering. I really don't know what I'm doing with the story at this point and this chapter suffered because of it. Writers block much? The thoughts are kinda scatterbrained but that sort of shows how weird Bella is right now, I guess? I guess.

I hope you all are content that I'm using two T's in Emmett…because I'm not. It feels so awkward to type! / I'll deal, though, no worries.

BPOV

I remember in seventh grade my drama teacher, Miss Mackenzie, told me I would have no future in acting. And I believed her. My clumsy tendencies were reason enough. But it seems that all it took was for me to be thrown into the most awkward situation to let my natural acting ability shine through.

I had created the perfect façade of happiness. Everyone had it in their twisted heads that I was simply the happy, carefree girl from the sunny Arizona state and they actually liked me. What made the situation disturbing was the fact that everyone knew that I was a former druggie—I'm not sure how that piece of information spread but I had my guesses on a certain bushy-haired girl in my English class. I had not been expecting that type of reaction from the people of Forks, which is why I had decided upon the theory that I had excellent acting skills. That, or I had quickly mastered the art of lying. Or both.

Along with the overly friendly population of Forks warming up to me came the admirers. Or the 'desperate hormonal boys', as Rosalie liked to refer to them. Apparently ex-cocaine addicts were all the more attractive…

Having met Emmett! and Rosalie, I found that I wasn't minding Forks. I wouldn't say I was having an outright blast, but I wasn't wallowing in sorrow every second of the day. Just maybe every other second. This wasn't what I had planned to happen when I moved away. The people I had left behind in Phoenix were supposed to be the happy ones not me. I felt absolutely guilty whenever I caught myself laughing freely at Emmett's foolishness. But it was all right to be happy, wasn't it? They moved on and so could I.

Whoa, I was becoming such a good liar that I almost believed myself there.

I figured that I was bound to get into heaven with this selfless act. Maybe it would even overshadow the past drug addiction? Keep thinking that, Bella.

Even after the amount of time I had been away from him, my mind was constantly reeling with thoughts of Edward. I wonder what Edward is doing right now? Is he playing the piano? I wonder when he'll be let out of the Center. Is he thinking of me? Does he hate me?

"Hey Bella!" Emmett called from the other end of the school corridor. I was carefully walking as quickly as I was possibly able to without tripping away from him. I loved the bear to bits but I knew that tone of voice. He and Rosalie had another scheme to get me out of the house. I just wanted to get home, crawl under the covers of my bed and sleep through the weekend. It was one of those days where my head didn't even want to try and not think of him.

My attempt at fleeing Emmett failed, as, unlike me, he didn't have to move around people to get outside. He plowed his way through.

"Hey Bella," he said again as he caught up to me.

"Hey Emmett," I replied.

"How are you?" he asked politely. I couldn't help the giggle that escaped me. It was so obvious that he was up to something; and he really wasn't good at hiding it.

"I'm fine, thanks, how are you?" I asked, playing along.

"Excellent. What are you doing tonight?" he asked straightforwardly.

I sighed, "Homework, Emmett." And it was true. I was putting everything I had into schoolwork to keep busy and so far, for the month and a half I had been in Forks, it was working splendidly.

Emmett made a face showing that he was truly appalled. "What? You can't do homework on a Friday night, it's unethical," he said dramatically.

I rolled my eyes, "It's not unheard of. Please Emmett, I need to get home."

"Nu-uh. I insist you come out with us tonight. We're all going bowling, maybe a movie too," he said with a grin.

I acted shocked, "Forks has a bowling alley?"

Emmett glowered, "Ha ha." He said sarcastically. "No. We're driving to Port Angeles."

I let out a frustrated sigh. Who goes bowling anymore? my aggressive thoughts asked. Only in Forks.

"Please?" he whined. Damn. He knew I had a hard time resisting his pout.

As I was about to reply with my weak excuse, Rosalie caught up to us in the parking lot and I knew there would be no way of getting out of it now.

She greeted me before giving Emmett a sloppy, passionate kiss for the entire world to see. I turned away for too many reasons.

"So, you are coming with us tonight, right Bella?" Rosalie asked me sweetly; too sweetly. Emmett turned his gaze to me. Smugness was written all over his face. I could almost hear him thinking, Have fun saying no to Rose.

"Really guys, I'm not in the best of moods today."

"All the more reason to come with us tonight and have some fun!" Rosalie countered.

And out the window my resolve went.

"Fine," I sighed. "But only for an hour or two."

"Yeah yeah," Rosalie said, waving my statement off.

Rosalie and Emmett were nice enough to let me go home for an hour. Enough time for me to return my book bag and prepare a dinner for Charlie. I meant it when I told him I would be doing all of the cooking and as much as he pretended to be disgruntled about it I knew he liked the change in what he was eating.

The ride to Port Angeles was a fair way away but Emmett kept the drive amusing with his hysterical singing style as he tried to keep the tune to the songs playing on the radio, much to Rosalie's displeasure.

Port Angeles was bigger than Forks –then again, I couldn't think of many places that were smaller than Forks– and we met up with the others from school including Angela Weber. Along with Emmett and Rosalie, Angela was the closest friend I had made in Forks. She was very intelligent and was one of the three people at Forks High who did not feel the need to base our conversations around questions like 'Why aren't you tanned if you're from Arizona?' and 'What was cocaine like?'. Sadly, Eric was there as well but I made sure to stay far away from him. Before moving to Forks, I had never realized how well I was at holding grudges. So many new talents!

"I didn't take you for wearing bowling shoes, Rose," I laughed as we picked up our shoes from the counter and walked to our lane.

She scowled and looked at the pair of shoes in disgust. "I'm not." She then took out a spray can from her purse and bathed the shoes in the scented smell that made me choke out a cough.

"Jeeze, Rosalie, I think they're sterile now."

I bowled a couple of frames until I gave up. If I couldn't walk across a floor without tripping, how was I supposed to walk quickly and hold a heavy ball at the same time? I wasn't. Eric offered to show me the proper technique in bowling but one murderous glare from me and he was sent scurrying away. Oh, I was good.

Emmett was also beginning to frighten me. Never had I seen someone so competitive. He was making this friendly game of bowling seem like the Superbowl.

I found Rose seated in the plush bench and I plunked myself down beside her with a heavy sigh. "I can't believe you guys made me come."

"Oh, you know you're enjoying yourself just a little—"

"Take that, Yorkie!"

"Okay, I admit, seeing Emmett bowl is pretty entertaining," I laughed as I looked over to see Emmett pointing his finger tauntingly at Eric.

Rosalie snickered. "I don't even think he likes bowling. He just wanted a chance to show Eric up."

"Figures." We were quiet for a moment until I asked, "Did you even bowl yet?" She gave me look saying 'What do you think?'

Rosalie was thoughtful for a moment until her face brightened. "How about we go shopping for a while?"

"That's your great plan?" I asked incredulously. "Do you not know me by now?" I said with a laugh.

"Well sorry. Maybe I should meet your friend Alice. From what I hear, she'd be the perfect shopping partner," she sniffed.

I flinched away at the mention of the pixie.

Rosalie's eyes widened a miniscule in realization. "I'm sorry…"

"It's fine," I said, averting my eyes. After telling them my story the day I met them, I had tried to not talk about the people I left in Phoenix as least as possible. But that didn't mean I hadn't been constantly thinking about them, mainly a certain bronze haired God. If only not thinking about him was as easy as not talking about him.

That didn't stop Rosalie from bringing them up, however. It seemed she had made it her new goal to get me to 'come to my senses' about the situation.

"I really do think you should talk about it," Rosalie said quietly but firmly.

My eyes returned to her sharply but I couldn't say anything.

"You're obviously miserable."

"I'm fine!" I snapped. Rosalie leaned back with raised eyebrows but she wasn't at all phased by my small outburst at her.

She scoffed, "You can't just keep pushing your feelings down. It's not healthy—"

"Rose! Rosie, look! I got a strike!" Emmett's booming voice called to us excitedly.

"Yeah I see, Emmett. Good one," Rosalie said mechanically. She glanced at him for a second then turned back to me. She rolled her eyes but I could see the smile playing on her lips. I sighed inwardly like the desperate teenager I was for the boy that could make me smile like that.

"Anyways," Rosalie continued as if she hadn't been interrupted, "I know you miss them. Why can't you call them?"

"Because."

Rose shot me a look.

"Because…well one, they're not allowed cell phones in rehab and… two... wasn't that the whole point I left? So they could move on and stop worrying about me being there?"

"Was it?" Rosalie asked, raising a perfectly arched eyebrow.

"Yes…" I said weakly. "Yes. Yes, it was." I stated more firmly.

She 'mhm'ed and left it at that.

"I won!" Emmett jogged over to us with a bright smile on his face.

"Nice one, Emmett!" I couldn't hide the smugness I had as I watched Eric stormed off in humiliation. Rosalie went a different route in congratulating Emmett and pulled him into another one of their kisses. I routinely looked away; this was getting strenuous.

"Okay, where to now?" Emmett said with his arm slung over Rosalie's shoulder.

"Home."

"Let's go get something to eat, it's only six," Rosalie suggested, dismissing my suggestion.

Emmett's ears perked up at the mention of eating and he immediately led us to the nearest restaurant.

My newest observation of the people in Forks was that they must all be very patient. They had to for being able to put up with me and my annoyingly, depressing antics. As much as I was well aware of what I was doing, I couldn't stop. Maybe I had become a masochist?

We went to an Italian restaurant nearby and we were seated quickly. It was outings like this that made me slightly uncomfortable with them. I was the third wheel and there was no denying it. I was used to it by now, of course, and I had been used to it even before I came here when it had been just Alice, Jasper and I in rehab. That changed, though, when Edward came.

I stopped myself from following the path that my thoughts were leading to and turned back to my two friends.

The three of us enjoyed simple conversations until the food came and Emmett shifted his attention to the plates—yes, plates—in front of him.

"So, Bella," Rosalie began after daintily wiping her mouth with her napkin.

I groaned. It hadn't even been an hour. "Stop, Rose."

She gave me a cold glare. "No."

For a second I was actually scared of her but her face crumpled in frustration.

"God, Bella! I'm about to go up there myself and—" Rosalie stopped abruptly and her lips curled into a sly grin. "Why don't you go visit them, Bella?"

"What? Okay, out of all your suggestions, this has to be the most absurd. Why would I do that? I didn't leave just so I could run back almost two months later."

"Okay, Bella? There's something that you aren't understanding here. Just because you want them to move on for reasons that are stupid to me…that doesn't mean they are just going to automatically forget about you, especially Edward. If you two are as in love as I know you are, I bet one million dollars he's still depressed over losing you. Speaking of which, I'm starting to really want to meant this bloke and see if he's just as insane as you are."

I stared at Rosalie for a moment with my mouth hanging open. "So…?"

She rolled her eyes, "So you need to get your butt on a plane and go fix what you screwed up."

It was my turn to roll my eyes. "It's not that simple. Even if Charlie let me—which he wouldn't—I know where Alice lives but I have no idea where Edward is, if he's even out of rehab. But I'm not going."

"I fink 'ou shou'," Emmett spoke up with a mouth full of food. Rosalie smacked him on the arm for talking with his mouth full. "Ow."

"Bella, we love you like a sister and because of that we can't stand seeing you like this," Rosalie said seriously.

"There's nothing wrong with me. I just haven't gotten over them yet but I will."

"Honey, at this rate it's going to a lot more than 'trying to forget' to get over this. Hell, I'll buy you the plane ticket myself if it'll mean you leaving this state."

"Ouch," I smirked.

"You know what I mean."

"I do," I could feel my eyes start to water at the words Rosalie was saying. She was being such a good friend to me even though I was being stupid. Rosalie made a good point and I didn't understand why I hadn't listened to her before then. She was right; I was being an idiot. My selfless act turned out to be nothing but selfishness. "Thanks Rose…and Emmett," I giggled as I saw him still eating away across from me. "God, why didn't you smack some sense into me sooner?" I feigned anger, standing up.

Rosalie smirked and stood up, "Come on, we'll drive you back to Charlie's."

"Aw, you pick the time to listen to us when I'm eating," Emmett muttered as we left.

"Shit!" I swore suddenly when a thought caught up to me. "Seriously, how am I going to get Charlie to let me go to Phoenix?" I asked frantically to no one in particular.

"Damn, that is a problem…" Rosalie muttered.

"Just say you miss your mom," Emmett suggested coolly, leaning on his massive jeep.

Rosalie and I turned slowly towards Emmett.

"Well, I mean, play it up a little bit…"

"You know, that's so crazy it just might work," I said, astonished.

Entering my house after being dropped off by Emmett and Rosalie, I was a ball of nerves, sweating bullets as I thought of just how I was going to convince Charlie to let me fly back to Phoenix.

"Bells? Is that you?" Charlie's gruff voice could be heard from the living room and I followed it.

"Yeah, Dad," I said but then remembered that I was supposed to be upset. I couldn't believe I was about to do this to my father but I needed to go see Edward and I was desperate.

"How was bowling?" he asked pleasantly and it only made me feel guiltier.

"Fine," I sighed. Charlie looked at me for the first time since I came home—he had been staring fixedly at the TV screen where a football game was taking place—and his thick brow furrowed.

"Something wrong, Bella?"

"I…I…I miss mom," I whimpered. The shock was evident on Charlie's face and it was obvious he wasn't expecting this.

"You…you miss your mother?" he asked as if he needed to hear it a second time.

"Yes," I whispered.

"Oh. Uhm…er…" Charlie continued to stutter out nonsense. I could tell he didn't know what to do. I let out a sob and I prayed that it didn't sound us fake to him as it did to me.

"I miss mom so much, daddy." All right, maybe that was a bit over the top.

"W-well, what are you trying to say? Do you—"

"I want to go home," I wailed. God, I have lost respect for myself with this stunt.

My heart broke as I looked at Charlie's shocked and slightly hurt face.

"Erm…Bella, you have school—"

"Please. Just for a visit." I could see him having an internal battle with this until his face softened and I knew I had him. I'm such a horrible person.

"All right. I know it's been hard for you readjusting here. It's Friday, at least, so you could fly back Monday," he said in thought. "I'll call Renee and—"

"No!" Charlie looked at me, startled. "I mean…I'd like to call her and ask her myself, if that's okay."

"That's fine…" he said in a confused tone. I stood up and gave Charlie a tight hug, something that surprised the both of us. I wanted to convey all of my gratitude into that hug and, somehow, show how sorry I was to be lying to him like this. I rushed up to my room to pack a small bag; I didn't need much.

I couldn't call Renee. I couldn't stay with her when I went because, frankly, she knew me too well. Yes, I seemed to be excellent at fooling Charlie but I knew Renee would see right through to my alternative motive and she'd probably send me right back. I was still afraid to know her reaction of Edward but if she didn't approve of him because of his drug problem she would be s complete hypocrite.

My mind was racing and the voice in the back of my head was questioning why I was doing this. Sure I could go see them—if they were out of rehab, I hoped they were—and apologize profusely for my ridiculous actions but where would that leave us? Back to square one. I'd return back here and that would be that. Of course, if I found Edward and begged for him to take me back—that is, if he hadn't moved on. Again, I hoped he hadn't—we could try a long distance relationship. I don't know how well that would work but if it meant having Edward in the slightest I would give it all I had.

But I was getting ahead of myself. Who said they would even be there waiting for my miraculous return?

I decided to shut those doubting voices up and continued packing. I would just have to go there and let the chips fall where they may.

The only optimistic thought running through my head:

I get to see Edward again.

AN: I need to ask; do all you Americans have the big bowling balls with the holes in them?? Because here in Canada we have, like, baseball-sized bowling balls. Tragic. And i couldn't think of anything else that they could do so i was like, 'hey, why don't they go bowling?'. I didn't want to do a shopping scene again.

Okay anyway, so I had a new idea half way through this chapter so…I went with it. I hadn't been planning on Bella going back but…I rather like this idea because I'm pretty sure what is going to happen will not be what you expect. You'll see why next chapter when we go back to Edward. That just made it seem really dramatic and it's not really…but we'll pretend it is. And I know it probably wasn't believable at all but…I had to make Charlie a pushover. Just trust me in where I'm going with this, haha. I'm sure not a lot of this chapter made sense but I tried to write it as quickly as possible today because I need to write a frickin' math journal! Who assigns something like that, is my question. My insane math teacher is who. He's psycho.

ALSO: Can someone explain to me what a "frock" is?? I have a vague understanding but not really. For my final orchestra concert they expect us to BUY a frock, how rude.