Author's Note:Slight edit in Chapter 5. I realize that I have kinda made Edward not so likeable. But please, don't hate him! It wasn't my intention for the readers to hate him lol. Just remember, he left for "Bella's own good." :-)

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, settings, etc. of the book Twilight/New Moon. The

original characters and plot are the property of the brilliant Stephenie Meyer.

"Where you used to be, there is a hole in the world, which I find myself constantly walking around in the daytime, and falling in at night. I miss you like hell." -Edna St.Vincent Millay

January.

The sound of the wind beating mercilessly against the window pane made Bella open her eyes.

8:52 AM.

She never slept in on the weekends anymore. She got out of bed and made her way to the bathroom. Flicking on the light, she stared at her reflection. Her eyes were red and swollen. Her face held absolutely no emotion. That was nothing new. What had she become? A sad, pathetic excuse for a human being.

She heard Charlie's heavy footsteps shuffling around in the kitchen downstairs and she knew it was time to put up the facade once again. The first month after Edward left her was grueling. She couldn't eat. She couldn't sleep without dreaming of him. She walked around like the living dead. It wasn't until Charlie threatened to send her to Jacksonville that she decided she needed to snap out of it, for Charlie's sake. She no longer cried during the day. Instead, she waited until nighttime.

One hundred-twenty-nine nights of endless crying for Edward.

Bella started her day the same way every morning. She washed away the pain from the previous night and greeted Charlie as cheerfully as she used to. He never questioned her sudden mood change. She figured that he didn't want to have to question it. She dressed quickly and went downstairs to eat breakfast.

"Morning, dad," she said while heading for the refrigerator.

"Hey, Bells," Charlie replied between mouthfuls of food.

"How are you?" He asked.

He always asked her this in the same leery tone, as if he was waiting for her to breakdown once again.

"I'm good." She smiled. Inside, her heart ached.

"I actually was wondering if you could give me directions to Billy's house. I haven't seen Jacob in ages," she told him.

Charlie grinned from ear to ear. "That's a great idea, Bella," he said.

The drive to the Black's house was surprisingly soothing to Bella, even with the gusting winds and threatening rain clouds. When she arrived at the house, she saw the garage was open. She got out of her car and made her way up to the garage where she found Jacob sitting in the driver's seat of a car, mimicking the sounds of a speeding car. Bella almost laughed out loud. The first time she'd done so in months, she realized.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" she said, startling Jacob.

"Bella!" He blurted out in both surprise and embarrassment.

He hopped out of the car and embraced Bella in a hug. She blushed at his enthusiasm but smiled and hugged him back, nonetheless.

"What are you doing here? Not that I'm complaining." He flashed her a wide grin.

"Well, I came looking for a very good friend of mine, but he can't possibly be you. You're too grown up," Bella said, playfully punching his arm.

Jacob's eyes sparkled with self-satisfaction.

Bella felt like she was laughing and smiling for the first time ever in her life. It wasn't even a charade. It was real. She had forgotten how much she truly enjoyed being around Jacob.

"So what have you been up to?" She asked.

He took her by the hand and led her to his latest project.

"It's an old Rabbit. A classic," he emphasized.

"It's a beauty," Bella said, running her hand over the hood of the Volkswagen.

"I'm almost done with it," Jacob said, with admiration in his voice.

"Well, when you finish it, you better give me a ride," Bella winked.

"Yes, ma'am," Jacob said.

Later that night, as Bella climbed under the covers in her bed, she smiled faintly to herself. It had really been an enjoyable day. She sighed and closed her eyes, preparing herself for the usual torrential downpour of torture and heartbreak she was forced to succumb to every night.

It really motivates me to put up chapters more quickly when I get those lovely reviews! ;-)