Bella

People stared as I ran down the hall. I looked a mess. My eyes were red and puffy and my hair stuck to my wet cheeks. I run into the bathroom prepared to hide the rest of lunch but I'm met by two girls. They're smoking cigarettes letting the smoke out the open window.

"Hey," the blonde girl smiles at me. She has straight long blonde hair and hazel eyes. The other girl has long brown hair and brown eyes. They are both beautiful. I timidly smiled back, wanting to leave. They seemed to be preoccupied.

"Don't worry. We don't bite," the other girl laughs. My lips twitch, trying to fight a smile.

"Want a smoke?" The blonde girl holds a cigarette out to me. My eyes widen and I take a few steps back. I didn't want to be caught with that thing in my hand.

"N-no, thank you," I stutter.

The two of them laugh and I suddenly feel like the biggest loser. I was in high school now and people smoked and did drugs and drank alcohol and I was too much of a chicken to try it. I was weak.

"You're such a freshman." the brown haired girl says. The other girl nods in agreement.

"How-how did you know?" My eyebrows furrow.

"Only a freshman would get freaked out by this. Trust me, by the time you're a senior you'll be doing much more than smoking."

I internally shivered. I didn't even want to think about what that meant. I wasn't like these girls. I was nerdy and quiet and damaged. I didn't do stuff like that.

"What's your name?" The blonde asks with curiosity.

"Bella Swan."

They raise their eyebrows looking me up and down. Not maliciously, like Tanya but as if they were interested in me.

"You're Emmett Swan's sister?"

Unfortunately.

"I'm Kate Denali," the blonde haired girl says.

"And I'm Bree Tanner."

Kate said her last name was Denali. Just like Tanya. They couldn't be sisters, could they?

"Is Tanya-" I start.

"Yes, Tanya is my younger sister." She rolls her eyes. "You don't have to hide your displeasure for her. I know she's a bitch."

"Oh, um, I wasn't, um, Tanya is, um-" what the hell was I trying to say? I'm just digging myself a bigger hole. Kate and Bree burst out laughing. My face is bright red as I stutter over the words. Apparently, they found my suffering funny.

"Don't worry about it. Feel free to trash her sister. That's what we do every day. As you can see, Tanya doesn't control us like she does the rest of the school."

I crack a smile and bite my lip. They were actually cool. They weren't anything like Tanya and her minions. They seemed to genuinely like me. I think I liked them.

Kate brushes her hair out of her face and her sleeve slides up. I see the beginning of something on her wrist.

"What is that on your wrist?" I ask.

She pulls up her sleeve, showing me a tattoo. It was really simple and small but it seemed to fit her personality. It seemed to define her.

"It's a Yin and Yang tattoo. I got sophomore year after I broke up with my boyfriend; I wasn't in a good place. The white symbolizes everything good that will come out of the dark. There is always something positive in times of darkness, you just need to find the light."

Her voice was nostalgic. It was as if she could see right through my soul. She could see how I was slowly falling apart. I wanted to believe her logic but I found it hard to.

"That's cool," I mumbled.

"Do you want to get one?" Bree questioned.

I immediately shook my head back and forth. "I don't like needles."

"Don't worry. I don't either. Kate's the daredevil here." Bree said.

She flashes a wide smile before tossing the cigarette out the window. I watched the smoke rise into the air. It was calming.

"I can hook you up with a guy for free if you ever want to. Age doesn't really matter with him."

"That's, um, alright." I awkwardly laugh.

I twirl my hair around my finger, realizing that I've gotten comfortable with them. Kate and Bree weren't that bad.

"Are you sure you don't want a smoke?" Bree asks. I stare at the cigarette in her hand. I know that I shouldn't. I know that if I start now, it'll become a habit that I won't be able to break and my parents would kill me. My dad's a cop and I was taught never to break the rules. But at the same time, they seemed so relaxed. They seemed so content and I wanted to feel that way. I wanted to be that way.

Without thinking, I take from her hand and she lights it. I suck in a deep breathe, immediately choking as it entered my throat. Oh god. What the hell was this?

"Don't worry, it feels weird the first time. Just try again."

I do as she says, taking in another, this time successful, breathe. The smoke comes out of my mouth and I lean against the wall and close my eyes. I didn't want to think about anything else right now.

I made two new friends. Two new senior friends and they thought that I was cool. They thought that I was cool enough to hang out with. They invited me to a bonfire with them on Friday night. I was going to ask Angela to come because no offense to them, but I didn't trust them to drive if they were going to be drinking.

After that, the rest day was a blur. All of my teachers gave the same lectures about what we would be doing in class this year and why it would be a great year. I couldn't care less. It was already awful for me Half of the time, I either had people wanting to sit next to me or avoiding me like the plague. I don't know what their problem was because I had never seen them let alone talk to them before. Everyone had already seemed to make up their minds about me. Why doesn't everyone just join the Hate Bella Swan Club? That is literally what my life felt like.

"Hey, Bella!" Angela showed up beside me. I was sitting on the ramp outside the front doors in the parking lot. Everyone was either driving away, meeting up with friends, or going to sports practice. It was chaotic. This was our rare sunny day in Forks and everyone wanted to make good use of it.

"How'd today go?" She asks excitedly.

I shrug my shoulders. It could have gone better. I'm already on Tanya Denali's hitlist and I've got half of our grade hating me for some unknown reason. I did make friends with a couple of girls but I wonder how long that'll last until they realize what a freak I am. Other than that, my day was fantastic. Not.

"It was fine." I sigh. "How was your day?"

Angela squeals. "Well, I joined the Art Club and Save the Planet Club. Omg, I also met this really cute guy! He's all into protecting the earth and stopping climate change and I get these really artsy and mysterious vibes from him."

"Angie, you're blushing," I laugh. "So that's why you joined those clubs. So you can be with this dream boy of yours."

Her cheeks turn even redder and twirls her ponytail around her finger. "He's amazing and so mature. He's not like all the other boys around here. He's different."

I quirk my eyebrow. In all of my years, I never would have guessed that Angela Webber would be fawning over a boy. This was so unlike her.

"What's his name?"

"Ben Cheney," she whispered. Her eyes wandered the parking lot, making sure she wasn't overheard by anyone.

I'd never heard of him before in my life. But if she was happy then I was happy for her. At least one of us had a good day.

"Enough about me!" She exclaims. "Tell me about your day. I heard you ate lunch at the popular table?" Her eyes were as wide as saucers. Did everyone know?

"Yeah, Jasper invited me over. It really wasn't a big deal." I try to change the subject.

"Bella this is a huge deal! You are already the hottest topic of the school. You should be hearing what the guys are saying about you," she whispers.

"I honestly don't want to know. I'm perfectly fine being alone the rest of my life," I hiss. With a huff, I sit down next to her.

"Oh my god, Bella. When are you ever going to learn to have fun?" Angela laughs. I roll my eyes, tired with this conversation. I have plenty of fun! "Please, if you consider going to book club meetings at the library fun then you are delusional."

"Hey! You were the one that suggested it! Where has this change come from all of a sudden? We were always happy just being together."

Angela looks at the ground, pressing her lips into a thin line. "We're older now and I want to try new things. I want to experience everything high school has to offer. It's not always going to just be us, Bella."

I know she is right. Things won't always stay the same. Things already aren't the same anymore. I just want everything to go back to the way it was. Before my life got completely screwed up.

"Well, actually, there is this party I was invited to Friday night. I'm going with Kate Denali and Bree Tanner. Do you want to come?"

"Yeah, it should be fun. I'll meet you at your house. Do you think that your brother could drive us?"

Shit! It didn't even occur to me that Emmett would probably be going with Jasper and Edward. Lord help us all when Emmett finds out. He's going to blow a casket.

I shake my head. "I think it would be better if we get a ride with Kate and Bree. You know Emmett."

Angela laughs in understanding. She picks up her backpack and throws it over her shoulder. "This should be fun, Bells," she says. I've got to go now, I promised my mom that I would babysit my brothers."

I nod my head and stay seated.

"Is everything alright with us now?" She asks. "I wasn't trying to hurt you before in any way."

"I'm fine," I attempt to smile. "Everything is fine."

"You know that you'll always be my best friend right? That won't change."

I nod my head, not believing her. It already feels like we're drifting apart.

Rosalie and Alice got me shortly after Angela left. I was quiet the entire ride, listening to their conversation. They were talking about the party this weekend. All I picked up from it was that there would be a keg and they would be getting drunk. I didn't want to hear anymore because I didn't want to have to rat them out to my father. Whenever there was drinking involved there were police. I didn't want to be known as the girl who broke up a party and got everyone arrested.

"I saw you talking to Kate earlier Bella," Alice suddenly says to me.

I raise my eyebrows. Why did it matter that I was talking to Kate?

"Kate Denali?" Rosalie questions.

Alice nods her head. Rosalie snickers and I give them confused looks. Did they have some vendetta against her? Why were they being so mysterious?

"She and Bree are my friends." I firmly state.

"Bella…" Alice sighs. "I'm not saying you couldn't be friends with them but they can be intense. They are both great people and extremely nice but they are older. They've got a lot of, um, experience in, um, stuff you haven't experienced before…"

Rosalie rolls her eyes, cutting to the chase. "Bella, what Alice is trying to say is that the two of them go through guys like Alice goes through clothes. They drink, smoke, and party. They've been arrested more than once. We're just saying be careful with them."

"It's not like you guys don't do the same!"

"Yeah but some of the people they hang out with are not good people. You don't want to get caught up in that crowd. It's easy for someone to take advantage of you." Alice tries to reason with me.

That's rich coming from them. Everyone knew that they never missed a party. If there was alcohol Alice and Rosalie were there. I don't know how they never got caught. Besides, my virginity has already been taken. What left is there to take?

"Well they invited me to that bonfire on Friday," I said. "I told them that I would go."

The two of them share a look. It was the type of look parents gave their children when they've just done something bad and they are worried about them. Or if a grandparent has died and they're trying to think of the best way possible to break the news, without upsetting their child. It was a look of concern.

"Does Emmett know that you are going?" Rosalie asks.

I shake my head. Why should I have to inform my brother of every single thing I do? He's not my father.

"You know how protective Emmett is of you. Do you think that he'll be fine with you going to this party?"

"I honestly don't care what he thinks. He just has to suck it up and deal with it. I'm older now and I can make my own decisions. If I want to go to this party than I am going!"

"Bella-"

"Save it! I don't want to hear any more about this. I'm going to this with my friend Angela whether you like it or not. Nothing is going to change that!"

Alice's yellow Porsche stops in front of my house. I get my bag and slam the door shut. Before I can leave, Rosalie grabs my wrist from the open window. I freeze. Let go. Let go. Let go.

She doesn't let go.

"I'm not going to start lecturing you again," she sighs. "But you should know that I wish that I had someone to tell me these things when I was your age. I wish someone had warned me of the dangers. We're just trying to help."

A sob catches in my throat and tears well up in my eyes. I rip my hand away from her and run into the unlocked house. It was too late for help. I was already damaged. Now, if only I could forget.