So here is the third chapter! I am so thankful to all of you who are taking the time to review my story, and thankful to everyone who has been making my story a favorite! I hope I wont let you down with this story! Please R&R!

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Chapter 3: Numb

BPOV

I was beyond ready for a nap, even with the nightmares. I hadn't had had more than a couple 10 minute naps at school in about five days. I had a couple of hours until I had to be at Jasper's house. I was fairly sure it was safe now to go to sleep, since I had stayed up the last few hours last night, and also all throughout school, as nearly impossible as that was.

School was horrible today, made worse by the fact that Edward had gone back to ignoring me entirely. I had only really been talking to him for a few days, but this hot and cold shit was really starting to get on my nerves. One moment he was inviting me to parties, or rather, a party to hang out with him, then he was ignoring me, then he is concerned. Next he is yelling at me, and now he is back to giving me the cold shoulder. I don't know what the hell his problem is, but it's irritating as hell.

I knew the chances are, I would run into him again at Jasper's get together tonight. I wondered which person he would be tonight, or if he would be someone else entirely. I was dreading it, but at the same time, I was already becoming dependant on the idea of 'friends'. They gave me something to look forward to, and almost made me feel like I belonged. I knew it wouldn't last forever, but I wanted to enjoy it while I could.

I made it home, but stopped immediately. The cruiser was there, which meant that Charlie was home early. I guess I wasn't going to catch a nap after all.

I was about to start walking again when the door opened. "Isabella, get inside, Now!" he yelled. I groaned, and just flipped him off, and kept walking. I knew I would pay for it later when I eventually had to go home, but I could put it off.

Charlie looked pissed as he went back inside, slamming the door. I knew he couldn't touch me outside. People could see. As long as I was outside, I was safe from him.

I wandered around for the next few hours until it was time to head to Jasper's house. I was almost there when a shiny silver Volvo pulled over next to me. I curiously glanced through the window to see an irate looking Edward.

He rolled down the window, and looked at me a moment before sighing. "Get in." he said, running a hand through his hair.

I considered just blowing him off after how he treated me, but part of me was curious, and the other part also knew that chances are, we were going to have to get along at Jasper's anyway, so I didn't want to make matters worse.

I climbed into his car carefully. I waited a moment, and then looked at him when he didn't move the car.

"I don't think you should go to Jasper's tonight." He said, his hands clenched on the steering wheel.

"And why is that?

"Because you are obviously still injured, and you just had a concussion. We don't have time to deal with a stupid girl who is going to end up killing herself out of stupidity, or some rebellious stage against daddy." He said, staring straight ahead.

I could feel my cheeks heat in fury. "Who the hell do you think you are? Some rebellious stage? Just for your information, Jasper is the one who invited me, not you. So I am going either way." I said, crossing my arms, and trying my best not to childishly stick my tongue out at him.

"He may have invited you, but I am the one who introduced you to this group. If I say you can't go, then I say you can't go. I'll bring you home." He said, looking more pissed by the second.

"Fuck you Cullen, you have no say over what I can and can't do." I spat before getting out of his car, and slamming the door behind me. I continued right on to Jasper's house.

The nerve of him! To think that he really believes he can tell me what to do! I need this. I am going to start going fucking crazy if I keep on the way I have been. Now that I have tasted this, freedom outside my own mind, I had to have it.

When I got to Jasper's house, Edward was there in front of the door, blocking my path. I tried to move past him, but he just got back in my way.

"Move." I said, putting my hands on my hips, wincing a little from the fractured arm.

"No. Go home Bella, no one wants you here." He said.

I just stood there a moment, my mouth gaping. No one wanted me there? Was Jasper just being nice the day before? That explained it. I knew that people didn't like me, and I wondered why they had let me in. But since they had decided I wasn't good enough—there was no point.

I held together my emotions and pride as I glared at Edward. "Fuck you." I said, my voice coming out weaker than I intended, before I turned around.

"Wait! Bella!" I heard from behind me as I walked. I kept walking, not wanting to hear whatever else he had to say. I wouldn't allow him to see me crumble. No one had that right.

I went to the park, and curled up on the bench, forcing all emotions back, waiting for the numb state I had lived in to return. I needed to gather myself before going home. I knew Charlie would definitely wait up after the stunt I pulled earlier. I couldn't bring myself to care. He would hurt me, and I would survive, just like I always did. I don't need those guys, and I don't need friends.

Once I had myself straightened out, I headed home to face the music. Waiting around would just procrastinate him, and make him even more pissed, since I was sure he would wait up for me no matter how late I came in tonight.

As soon as I entered my house, I had to dodge as a beer bottle flew right by where my head had been a moment ago, and shattered against the wall next to me.

"You fucking bitch! How DARE you ignore me like that!" he said as he stomped up and grabbed me by the shoulders, shaking me.

"I didn't feel like dealing with you." I muttered, knowing damned well that it would make matters worse, but not really caring.

Next thing I knew, he picked me up and threw me at or glass coffee table. As my back collided with it, the glass shattered, sending sharp shards through my clothes and into my back. I bit back the scream, breathing hard to control myself.

He marched over, and picked me up before throwing me back onto the ground, sending the glass in my back in deeper. I didn't know how big they were, but one felt big.

"You need to learn to respect authority!" he said as he kicked me repeatedly in the gut, surely breaking the already cracked ribs.

Finally after what seemed like an eternity, he finished. He walked away, sending one more kick my way before going to his room for the night.

I laid there a moment, trying to breathe through the pain. I knew I needed to get the glass out of my back, and that I needed to bandage it. I knew I was losing a lot of blood, but was having trouble finding the strength to even get up.

Finally after about another ten minutes of just laying there, I summoned the strength to get up. Everything was excruciating. I could barely breathe through the searing pain in my ribs, and my clothes were drenched in my blood.

I slowly made my way to the bathroom, every step a struggle that left me wondering why I tried. I knew I was too much of a fighter to just give up though, and that no matter what, I would always survive, even if I didn't live.

I managed to get to the bathroom, and started patching myself up. I pulled out all of the glass that I could get. The big one was in there deep, but luckily just barely shallow enough to miss anything important. I knew I had lost a lot of blood, but as long as I could stop the bleeding, and was careful with my ribs, I would heal.

I wrapped my wounds, and ribs, trying to keep my ribs from getting more damaged, before I applied bruise ointment to the various bruises all over, and wrapped a few deep glass cuts on my arms and legs. I was a fucking mess.

When I finished putting myself together and changing my cothes, I stood up, avoiding the mirror, and headed downstairs slowly, just grabbing a few slices of bologna out of the fridge and eating that, before heading out. I couldn't afford to be around him at all until I healed a bit. If it meant sleeping outside for awhile, then so be it. I had a better chance of survival that way.

I had thought about running away in the past, but knew if enough time passed before I got home, he would just come grab me, and he would make sure I knew how pissed he was. I had tried once, and only once. I would never do that again unless I somehow knew I could get VERY fucking far away fast as hell.

I made my way back to the park for the third time today. I curled up on the bench, resting my head on my goodish arm. It was fucking freezing out, and pouring, but it was still better. I knew around morning I would have to move to cover so Charlie didn't come across me while he was driving to work. But the bench seemed more comfortable for now than behind the bushes.

I had almost fallen asleep when a pair of highbeams flooded me with light. Much to my chagrin, the car seemed to slow down instead of keep driving.

I opened my eyes, and sighed in defeat. This day couldn't get any fucking worse, could it?

A silver Volvo pulled up next to the sidewalk, and out walks fucking Edward Cullen. He walks over, and stares at me a moment. "What are you doing out here? You should be fucking home or something."

I sat up, trying to look as normal as possible.

"What the hell happened to you?" he asked, suddenly sounding shocked. I guess I wasn't able to fool him this time. I also know if he noticed, based off the injuries, I would not be able to claim an accident of sorts.

"Got jumped." I muttered. That was as close to the truth as he would get.

"What?" he asked, actually sounding shocked. "When?"

"A couple hours ago." I said, not even trying to get up. I could feel the sticky wet covering my back and knew that the glass wound had bled through my bandages.

"What are you doing out here?!" he demanded.

"Passing fucking time. Besides, I thought you wanted nothing to do with me? Leave me the hell alone." I said tiredly, before allowing myself to lay back down, trying to dismiss him.

"Fucking hell. Why must you always be so fucking difficult?!" he spat

"Because of my double X chromosomes. Its an innate trait. Now can you please leave? I am really tired, and just want to take a nap before school." I said quietly, feeling unbelievably tired.

"You are completely and utterly infuriating!" he hissed at me.

"If I am so infuriating, just leave me alone, okay? I don't feel like dealing with any more of your hot and cold bullshit. You made yourself perfectly fucking clear earlier. Now Keep up on your end, and leave me the hell alone." I said tiredly. I just wanted to sleep, this was just getting tedious. It was getting hard enough just to keep my eyes open. I knew I should be worried, but I couldn't find it in myself to care. This may have been one of the worst beating I had ever gotten, but I knew I would survive. That was just my luck.

He stared at me a moment, seemingly seething before he finally wheeled around and walked back to his car. He turns on his car, and starts to pull away from the curve before he slams on his breaks and parks again. He steps out of his car again and walks over to me.

"Can you stand?" He said, looking even more irritated, but oddly, there was something else, defeat maybe?

"Yeah." I said quietly, not sure why he was asking.

"Then let's go."

I sat up quickly, regretting it quickly from the pain. "What? Where?", I ask shocked into alertness.

"My house. You can't stay out here. I don't want to fucking be responsible for you freezing to death out here." He said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "So let's go."

I assess him a moment, trying to weigh my options. He was throwing me a bone, and honestly, staying out here was not a nice option, only barely better than staying at home. Even if he was going to be an asshole, I doubt he would physically harm me.

Slowly, I stood, feeling light headed the moment I am on my feet. He steadies me before sighing. "You have the worst luck I have ever fucking seen." He said quietly.

"Tell me about it." I said as we make our way to his car. He supports most of my weight since I suddenly feel weak enough that its hard to stay up.

He helps me into his car before he gets in himself and drives off.

He drives for awhile before pulling into a long driveway that you can barely see from the road. The driveway seems to go on forever until it finally opens up to a massive white colonial house that is traditional in the front, except one wall is made almost entirely of glass.

"Don't say a word. I don't want anyone to know I brought someone home. My parents are already asleep, and are usually gone before I have to leave for school in the morning."

"Right. Got it." I say before we both get out of the car. He comes over to the other side and helps me inside. When we get inside, he keeps all the lights off. I can barely see a thing, but he seems to know his way even without light. He brings us up a few flight of stairs before he finally opens a door and lets us both in. He closes the door before turning on the light.

I don't know what I expected Edward Cullen's bedroom to look like, but this wasn't it. I expected messy, with death metal posters or something, all dark and brooding. Instead I am met with a huge room that is impeccably neat with a gold carpet and shelves filled with CDs and books surrounding the room. In one corner is a computer desk, and in the center of the room is a king sized bed with a black bedspread accented with gold. Directly across from it against the wall near the door is a black leather sofa. The room is comfortable looking, masculine, yet very neat. Not what I expected at all from Fork's bad boy.

"You can take the bed, I will use the couch." He said, looking extremely uncomfortable, shifting from foot to foot, and running his hands through his hair. It was almost cute. Almost.

"That's not necessary, it's your room. I can take the couch." I said, not wanting to make him even more uncomfortable in his own room.

"Nah, its fine. Just take it before I change my mind." He said, giving me a strained grin.

"Alright." I said before making my way over, but not sitting down, just leaning against the night stand. I didn't want to get his bed all wet, and I was drenched.

"Erm… I don't want to get your bed wet… could I… um.." I could feel my face flush from the thought of borrowing clothes from him.

"Oh.. um.. right… " He went over to his borough and grabbed a T-shirt and some shorts. "there's a bathroom over there." He points to a door on the other side of the bed. I nod slowly, and take the clothes. When I get to his bathroom, I change into the clothes slowly, and pile my wet hair on top of my head into a messy bun. I look in the mirror, avoiding my face. I cringe when I see how covered in bruises and cuts I am. The shirt I had just been wearing was drenched in water, and also blood from the wound on my back bleeding through. I just hoped it would stop bleeding soon, so it wouldn't go through his shirt.

I was also suddenly very aware of how much weight I had lost in the last several months. I knew I always was losing weight, but I tended to avoid mirrors, and hadn't really noticed how my bones seemed to jut, and my usually ivory white skin was now almost grayish. Lovely.

I made my way out of the bathroom slowly. I just hoped he wouldn't notice that some of the bruises were lighter. There were so many though, that I doubted he would be able to tell that they were not all new. Hopefully the getting jumped would have been enough of an excuse, because without a dry hoodie, I couldn't hide all of this.

"Oh my god." He said quietly, staring at me with his mouth open. I felt myself flush in embarrassment as I look away.

"Yeah I know." I said.

"Who did it?" he said, his voice almost a growl.

"I don't really know, just a couple of guys I pissed off. I know, imagine that? Me, pissing someone off?" I say sarcastically.

He growls quietly, eyeing the injuries with what looks like pure anger.

I had to lean against the doorway to the bathroom, my head was starting to get light again, a buzzing in my ears. Some sleep I was sure would clear it up, since it was probably just a lack of sleep and blood loss.

He noticed, and immediately came over, and helped me to his bed. I lay down, curling up before he pulls the covers over me.

"Get some sleep. I'm.. " He glances away.

"You're…?" I question, wondering what he was going to say.

"Nothing, never mind. Just go to sleep. You'll need it."

"Right.. Um.. thanks." I said before closing my eyes, begging for a night without nightmares. I was hoping I would just be too exhausted to get them.

Reviews are even better than sleeping in a grouchy Edward's bed in his clothes! Please R&R! I will love you forever!