I don't own Twilight. I do own a purple bathrobe that I sometimes pretend is a Hogwarts cloak. But, then I take my medicine and everything is better.

Chapter 22

Bella spent the rest of the weekend up to her elbows in fish guts and dream interpretation. She got much further with the fish than the dreams. Charlie came back late Saturday afternoon to find the house spotless with no evidence of the movie marathon save for a few boxes of candy. He fell on the candy like a wolf on a defenceless bunny.

A very nervous sounding Katie phoned Bella Sunday after dinner. She asked Bella to join in a study group she was thinking of organizing. Exams were coming up just after the winter break and college application worries were plaguing some of the seniors. Bella was happy to join the group if she could, while keeping her work schedule and other responsibilities in mind. They scheduled a few sessions and chatted a little about mundane things.

The phone rang just after she hung up with Katie. There was a lengthy pause after Bella said hello before the caller spoke.

"Bella? It's Mike. Mike Newton. From school." The pause was longer.

"I know who you are, Mike. Why are you calling me?" Bella was stunned.

"I need to apologize to you. My parents made me go to a therapist and he thinks that apologizing to you would be a good step. I don't want to go to a boot camp for bullies and I was really stupid and mean to you, and for no go reason and I thought maybe apologizing would help, like my therapist said. Your dad had been following me around in his cop car and I think he wants to arrest me for something. And the guys at school won't talk to me any more unless they really have to, I think I need your help Bella." The words came out so fast, Bella could barely understand what Mike was saying.

"Wait! Slow down, Mike. I don't know what you are trying to say."

"I need to apologize to you." His voice was shaky and he stuttered a little.

"Okay. Why? Because you feel bad for what you did or because your therapist told you too?"

"Both." Mike was still so nervous that his stutter would come back permanently.

"And your parents are threatening to send you to some sort of boot camp or something?" With each question both Bella and Mike felt the hole he had been digging himself into grow larger and larger.

"Yes, I really don't want to go, I looked it up on line and it's really mean." He had read about it, there were cold showers and forced marches, calisthenics and long lectures, uniforms, everything a soft coward could fear.

"So, what do you want from me? You want me to talk to your parents? Confront the kids at school? Find you a different therapist? What are you asking, Mike?"

"I don't know." He really had no clue.

"Why should I help you, Mike? Tell me one good reason." She wanted to tell him to go to hell. To tell him to fuck off and be done with him. To sit back and watch his life disintegrate while she ate her lunch at school. But she knew she wasn't that person and she hated herself for it.

"Because I really am sorry. It was a stupid thing to do. I didn't think it was fair that Tyler go so hurt and you didn't. I thought that you'd never gave me the time of day and I was scared to ask you out so it just seemed easier, in my mind to hate you. It just grew and grew until it took over. I'm sorry I was such an idiot." The past tense was wrong. What he was doing now was worse than anything he had done to her in the past.

"Not was, Mike, are. You are an idiot. And an asshole. If you ever call me again, I will have my dad on your case so fast your head will spin. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand. I'm sorry, Bella. I won't bother you any more. Good-bye." Mike had started to cry. Hearing his quiet sobs sealed the deal for Bella.

"Wait. I didn't say I wouldn't help you."

"What? Really?"

"Yes, really, you shit head. I'll help with the kids at school because no one helped me. I'll talk to my dad about following you but you have to deal with your own parents. If your therapist wants to talk to me, give him my number. But..." Mike was scared by this pause.

"If you put one toe out of line you'll regret it for the rest of your life, Mike. I don't like you. But I don't hate you, in fact I feel kind of sorry for you." Bella channelled her inner Mrs. Weasley.

"So if I asked you on a date now?" Mike let the question hang.

"So help me, I'll kill you. Good-bye, jerk. See you at school." Bella hung up before any more shit could come out of that boy's mouth.

Bella lay back on her bed and stared at the ceiling. What a weird day. What a weird month. What was next? She shuddered at the thought.

She went down stairs to start on helping Mike, as much as she really didn't want to. She walked into the living room and waited until whatever sports game her dad was watching to go to commercial. She walked over to his chair and kissed him on the top of the head.

"What was that for?" Charlie asked his daughter, surprised. They were not the most demonstrative family so this little display of affection was unusual.

"Leave Mike Newton alone." Bella looked him in the eye.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He turned back to the television, smirking. He would do what his daughter asked. He was glad he had gotten his point across to Newton. But he would still keep an eye on the miserable little shit, he just wouldn't get caught doing it.

Bella just laughed at him and went back upstairs to study.

AN: Thank you for reading.