Bella POV

4 days, 5 hours, 28 minutes since I sped off away room Edward. I was in my room, and lying on my bed, my arms behind my head, my knees up giving me support, I was staring at the ceiling and studiously ignoring my phone.

37 missed calls, 96 texts. My friends clearly had something to say, but I just didn't want to hear it. They would talk about Edward, and the other night and all I want to do is forget about that. So far, it's not working out real well. Make that 38 missed calls.

I sighed heavily. I heard a strange noise coming from my bedroom window and I ignored it. I heard a rustling then a thud. Then a sharp rap on the glass. I gasped and sprung up facing the window, grabbing the baseball bat under my bed as I did so, and dropped it in relief putting a hand over my heart breathing heavily, calming down, when I saw Rosalie and Alice grinning at me.

I reluctantly opened it then turned back to my bed and sat down crossing my legs. "Well?" I asked expectantly.

"Well what?" Alice asked confused.

"Was there a reason you climbed the tree and climbed through my window?" I asked raising an eyebrow. "Or was it for fun?" I added sarcastically.

"You were ignoring everyone. We wanted to make sure you're okay, but we knew you wouldn't answer the door." Rosalie said reasonably.

"I have my reasons." I muttered.

"Bella, we know, and we're sorry, but can't you just get over it? I know you lose him and have done for years, hell we knew before you did! But still you didn't tell him, you never dated, and you can't mope around like this. I know it's hard but you have to try, show Edward that you don't care, act normal, be Bella. Stop being this anti-social, rude person who has an annoying don't care attitude which bugs the hell out of everyone and makes us worried sick!" Rosalie said firmly.

"Here's some advice for you; get out or shut up. I don't need this from you, you could at least try to cheer me up, that's what best friends do, I have enough going on without you on my case as well. Have you ever thought maybe Edward wasn't my biggest problem? Maybe you should stop acting like you know everything, because you clearly don't!" I replied tears in my eyes. She bit her lip; she looked a little hurt, a little mad, but mostly concerned and guilty.

"I'm sorry Bella, I just want to help, I don't know how." She said in a small voice. I gave her a hug.

"It's okay, I just need to think a little. So much is going on, my parents are acting like different people, I don't know how much longer their marriage will last, I know I am one of the main things keeping it together, and yet I'm still ripping it apart. I don't know how much more of their crap I can take before I break, and I really don't know how much more of Edward's blindness I can handle, I'm already tearing to little pieces. There's no other way to explain it." I whispered. "If it comes to it, I might leave Forks with my mom when my parents split up. We all know it'll happen sooner or later, and we know Renee won't be the one to stick around. She hates Forks, and with Edward acting like this; I'm getting there."

They both gasped. Alice started crying, Rose had tears sparkling in her eyes. They both threw their arms around me. "Please don't leave, we won't let you!" Alice sobbed. Rosalie swung her bag up on her shoulder and climbed out the window slamming it shut. I bit my lip feeling guilty.

"She's gone to yell at someone, she's pissed at Edward not you. I'm going to go help, just try to ignore Edward at the moment, okay?" Alice sniffed, I nodded.

She climbed out the window too and I laid back on my bed again, listening to my iPod.

Night

Charlie came home and Renee came in few minutes earlier, looking frazzled and her hair in a disarray. Sex hair. Ew. Charlie on the other hand was looking casual, in his police uniform with no wrinkles, and grabbed a beer, looking the same as always, but one look at Renee and he was furious. Even I could smell the sex on her. She hassled about setting her hair straight but it was too late. Both me and Charlie stared at her with accusing eyes. I was in the kitchen when all this went down.

"I knew it! I knew you were sleeping around bitch!" Charlie roared.

"Well maybe if you made more time for me, I wouldn't have to!" she screamed back.

"I work hard because I enjoy it, and because my job supports this family! You don't even have a job! If I didn't get a promotion and spend a lot of time doing my important job, we would be far worse off! You ungrateful cow!" he bellowed going red.

"I hate this stupid fucking tiny town! If it was bigger it might have more officers, and you wouldn't need to be there so long!" she screeched.

"I hate you! You never appreciate anything! All I do is work for my girls and you never stop whining, and now you cheat on me! You don't understand anything about this place, you barely talk to anyone without sneering or whinging, everything anyone says to you goes in one ear and out the other! You stupid little hoar, I can't take this anymore!" he yelled hoarsely.

They screamed some more and I started going to my room to wait it out. "That's it! I want a divorce!" I heard Renee scream. I froze on the stairs.

"Right back at you!" Charlie shouted.

"Me and Bella are going to Florida! Where the sun isn't a myth!" she screeched. Um excuse me?

"Bella will stay with me! She needs a stable parent and a roof over her head! She can't just up and leave everything, everyone now! She has to finish high school!" Charlie cried.

"She needs a life! She has to stop hanging around these low lifers, they have no aspirations and the ones that do are kidding themselves, they'll never get out of this stupid little town, and she has to before she's trapped too!" Renee screamed.

"Maybe she should decide that, seeing as those low lifers as you call them are her friends!" Charlie bellowed.

I ran up to my room and climbed out the window, already running. I ran into the Cullens property half an hour later sweating and in tears. It was late, 11.49, but I knew they would understand, it's where I always hid, and I never hesitated, I thought about going somewhere else, but I was too scared. I had nowhere else to go, no one else who would understand. Rosalie's uncle, Jasper's father would be unimpressed with me turning up and might start yelling too.

I ran through the porch, tearing through their unlocked door and into the kitchen and stood there for a moment teary eyed.

"Bella!" Esme said shocked and worried. She took one look at me before sweeping me up in a huge hug. I broke down in sobs. She held my shaking, sobbing form to her and soothed me like only a mother could.

"Who's that?" I heard Edward ask a few minutes later. I looked up at him slowly taking deep breaths. "Bella." He breathed. He grabbed me up in a tight hug and spun me around.

"What's wrong? Did someone hurt you?" he demanded as I cried in his arms.

"Charlie and Renee are getting a divorce, they're fighting over me, they want me to choose. I can't do that." I cried.

They both gasped. "Oh Bella, honey." Esme sighed.

"I won't let you leave." Edward said like a petulant child holding me tightly. I hugged him back and suddenly everything was forgotten and forgiven.

I sobbed on his shoulder, and I could feel him crying a little too. "I'm sorry Bells, I didn't mean any of it, please don't leave." He said his voice thick.

"I won't. I won't leave you, I'm leaving them. I can't stay with mom, but I don't know if I can even stay with dad." I said in a small voice. "I'm leaving their house, I'll rent a place, they can't make me choose, I want to stay in Forks, but I can't pick between my parents, it'll make it worse."

"You can't be on your own." He protested moving away slightly. "You can stay with us." He said.

"You know you're always welcome here Bella." Esme said warmly. I sniffed and looked at them lovingly through watery eyes.

"Thank you, both of you, but I'll have to wait and see what happens, I don't know anything for sure." I replied.

Esme gave me a hug and sat me back down on the kitchen chair. "I'll make you some cocoa." She said kindly.

Edward dried the last of my tears and he brushed one off with his finger that rolled down my cheek and we looked up and caught each other's eyes and we were millimetres apart. We both leaned in a little bit and our lips brushed, our eyes closing and suddenly I heard several gasps. He jumped up and I sat back shakily and we saw the Cullens and Hales staring at us shocked and a little happy and slightly impressed. Edward ran upstairs and I sipped my cocoa that Esme put on the table with my eyes closed after murmuring my thanks.

I looked down at the table and I still felt their stares, I also felt the tears on the way. I stood up slowly and walked upstairs and sat on the bathroom floor. I pulled myself together enough for a few moments, then peed, washed my hands, rinsed out my mouth and walked into Alice's room which had Rose's stuff on a blow up bed, so I got into Alice's double bed, knowing she wouldn't mind sharing. I wriggled uncomfortably in my clothes and got out of bed again. Alice walked in with Rosalie. I knew my eyes were red from crying. "Hey honey." Alice said softly. She and Rosalie sat down crossed legged on the bed.

"Are you okay?" Rosalie asked quietly. I nodded and gave them a fake smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine thanks. Can I borrow some pyjamas Alice?" I changed the subject. She nodded and threw me a tank top and boxer shorts, it was surprisingly casual for Alice to give me.

"Comfort clothes." She said with a shrug.

I stripped down and put on the boxers and tank. I climbed into Alice's giant bed and hid under the cover except for my head. I didn't want to answer any questions. I could sense Alice and Rosalie exchange glances. I shut my eyes tightly and tried to ignore them.

"Bella?" Alice said.

"Hmm?"

"Can you tell us what happened? Rosalie asked.

"I'm tired, I just want to sleep." I muttered trying not to let any emotion leak through.

"Okay sweetie, you can tell us tomorrow." Alice said stroking my hair.

"Uh huh." I murmured. I curled up smaller and managed to sleep after a few hours, I went into a very deep sleep, so I woke up at 3pm the next day.

I couldn't hear anyone moving around so I got up yawning and stretching and wondered along the halls of the Cullen house, unable to find anyone. I heard a shift in Edward's room so I went inside.

I saw Edward and Tanya making out heavily and I froze. "Oh, sorry, I'll just, get out your way." I said shocked and I ran out tears in my eyes. I grabbed my stuff from Alice's room and ran downstairs and out the door. I ran right into the Cullens at the door. Rosalie and Jasper were with them as usual. We were all close friends.

"Bella where are you going?" Alice said grabbing my shoulders.

"I'm sorry, I can't, I just can't, not anymore." I sobbed and I sprinted to my house, again leaving them all behind staring after me, and calling out worriedly.

One voice stood out and nearly brought me to the ground in pain. "Bella! Please, wait! Stop!" Edward begged.

But I didn't turn.