The summer holidays passed in a rush.
I was racing against time itself, hiding myself in La Push to avoid running into Edward, who I knew had stayed.
I spent my days at the beach with Jacob, walking on the rocks, or in his garage, drinking warm cans of soda and laughing together. Yet a part of me yearned for Edward: the way his skin sparkled in the weak sunlight, the way he would hold me, as if I were the most special, delicate thing in the world.
Jacob was more upfront, more intense. If I fell and bled, he'd stick on a Band-Aid on. His kisses were hard and urgent, rather than soft and careful.
Days, weeks, months passed, and soon school was looming on the horizon.
Ever since Edward left, I had shunned my small group of friends, preferring to sit alone at a table in my catatonic zombie state. I was frightened and slightly embarrassed about my behavior, and was dreading my 'return'.
I sat in my truck in the parking lot on the first day back, reveling in the dry warmth of the cabin, glaring out at the light drizzle that would inevitably soak my hair and face the second I stepped out. Students were milling around, girls squealing at seeing friends again, boys already slapping each other on the back tripping each other over.
I opened the door to the truck, and a cold gust of wind greeted me. Grimacing, I jumped out and slammed it behind me. Rust particles fell off the door and the deafening BANG it made as it was slammed made several students turn around in shock.
I smirked into my scarf and pulled my hood over my head.
"Bella!", came a voice from somewhere nearby, and I whirled around impatiently, expecting to see mike waving at me and leaping up and down excitement.
Instead, it was Angela who sidled up to me, with her shy smile firmly in place.
"How were your holidays?", she asked timidly.
I thought.
"They were good", I said, returning her smile widely.
"How were yours?"
She told me about her break, who she spent it with, and how her family was.
I found myself actually interested in her news, a new thing for me.
We walked in companionable silence into the first building as the bell rang.
I swore I saw a shiny silver car out of the corner of my eye.
English was first up, and I found myself pondering the most recent book we'd been given, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. My thoughts went out to Dr. Frankenstein's monster. It had never really meant to be a monster, had it? It was just the way it was created. It hurt people, but only because it was so full of rage and misery, guilt over its existence. Above all, it was alone, a state that left it feeling empty and detestable, without anyone who loved it.
Can you really love a monster?, I thought. Ha! Whispered my conscience. Been there, done that. I smiled wistfully, and turned the page.
The bell rang, shaking me out of my reverie. I gathered my books, shoved them in my bag, avoided tripping over my own shoelace and left the classroom.
I met with Angela in the lunch line, and grabbed a bottle of soda before heading to a table with Angela and Mike. As I sat down, everyone stared at me. I forced a smile to my face. A few of them smiled back.
"Oh, Isabella!", came a nasal voice from halfway down the table.
I turned to see Lauren, as cold and self-important as always, eyeing me with an air of cold triumph. I raised an eyebrow.
"Yes?"
She smiled, her sharp, oddly yellow teeth showing between her thin lips.
"Did you hear the Cullen's are back?"
I glanced across the cafeteria, not wanting to believe it.
I though that Edward came back? He didn't say he bought his whole damn family with him!
But there they were, pale and glorious, at their old table. Trays of untouched food in front of them.
I made small talk for the rest of lunch, willing my eyes to stay away from the table were they sat.
But as I got up to go to my next class, a musical voice trilled next to me.
"Bella? Can we speak to you?"
It was Alice, short and thin as ever. Rosalie stood, tall, blonde and haughty beside her.
"Uhh..well, I have to get to class.."
"Calm down Bella, it'll only take a second", said Rosalie, looking characteristically bored.