AN: Thank you to Jasperbells and Pastiche Lethe for beta-ing this so quickly, and to esther, danielle72679, and kittycat1980 for reviewing the last chapter.

IMPORTANT!- Please read this with caution. There is a sensitive scene towards the end of the chapter. I hope it doesn't upset you, but I thought the warning was necessary.

Twilight belongs to Stephanie Meyer, of course.

Enjoy, I'm kind of proud of this chapter :)

Bella

Waking up, I see a sliver of light appear through the gaps in my curtains. This motivates me to get out of bed and investigate the source. I quickly peel back the material that hides the outside world from me. The morning greets me with the sun. I haven't seen it in so long that it almost hurts my eyes.

Today might be an alright day, I think.

As I've woken up before my alarm, I take my time to get ready for school. Usually I would hate that I have extra time on my hands. That's when my thoughts return to my mom. But I don't want to feel sad today, so I try hard not to think of her. She would love a day like today, though...

I'm a little surprised when I realise that a small part of me is excited to go to school. I didn't think I'd feel like that for a while yet. I put it down to the fact that it provides me with a routine. Also, I hope that I made a friend in Alice yesterday. I should probably apologise for rushing off like I did at lunch. Maybe I can write her a note during English class.

I would also like to spend more time practicing the piano. I stayed there for the remainder of my lunch hour yesterday. No one disturbed me, and I was able to get reacquainted with some old songs I used to be able to play. I also surprised myself by singing to some of them. The sound of my voice was strange to my ears after all this time. I've never been a great singer, but I guess it just felt right at the time. It put a temporary smile on my face at least.

"Bella, let's get going!" I hear my father call from down the stairs.

The drive to school is silent. Not even Charlie's police radio makes a sound.

"I won't be able to pick you up straight after school, Bells. You can wait here for me for an hour, or you can walk home. I don't mind what you choose to do. I'll, uh, swing by after work and if you aren't here then I'll see you at home, okay?"

Great… I wonder if the music room will be open after sixth period. I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult to find my way home alone, but I don't know if I'll have the energy to walk all that way after a full day of school. I nod in Charlie's direction so he knows that I've heard him.

As soon as Charlie pulls up, I grab my bag and exit the car. I think I hear him say goodbye as I close the door behind me.

I head towards my first class of the day. Alice will be there.

"Hey, Arizona!" I hear someone shout as I walk down the hallway towards English.

I'm not completely sure if they're referring to me so I keep walking. As I reach he door, the guy the voice belongs to catches up to me.

"Hey, didn't you hear me?"

So he was trying to get my attention.

I should probably apologise to him, but I don't know who he is, and it's kind of rude to be shouting out for me down a hallway, especially as Arizona isn't my name. So I just look at him, hoping he'll say something or leave me alone.

He pulls a face when I don't answer his question. Maybe he thinks I'm the rude one.

"Alright then… I was just wondering what all the fuss was about and apparently it was over nothing."

I gasp quietly. What does he mean by that? How can someone I don't even know say something so mean?

I turn away from him and enter the class room just as the first bell rings. He follows me and takes a seat at a couple of tables behind me.

I take my things from my bag and wait for Alice to appear. I keep my eye on the door for her.

The second bell rings as the class fills up. Still no Alice. Where could she be? I hope she isn't ill.

I can feel people's eyes on me as they wait for the teacher to enter the room. She also appears to be late.

I begin to feel anxious as a different adult enters the room a minute later.

"Students," he begins as he addresses the class, "your usual teacher is off sick today so you have me as a replacement."

He writes his name on the board behind him, Mr. Williams.

The class starts off in much the same way as it did yesterday. After the substitute, Mr. Williams, explains that we will be watching Romeo and Juliet, he rolls the television to the front of the class and turns it on.

Five minutes into the film, I can feel something being thrown at the back of my head. Do I ignore it or turn around?

I decide to turn around. The table behind me is empty. The guy who tried to talk to me earlier is sitting at the one behind that. He smiles at me but I can tell it's fake. I turn back around to face the television.

What's his problem?

Another couple of minutes later, I can feel something being thrown at me again. Seriously, how old is this guy? There's no need to act like a child. I decide to ignore him this time, in the hopes that he'll get bored.

Once the class ends, I pack up my things and stand to leave. I notice several wads of paper on the floor. I guess that's what I was being hit with. It doesn't bother me though. It's only paper. He'll lose interest in me soon enough and then decide to pick on someone else.

I leave the room and head to my next class. I notice it's still sunny outside. This improves my mood slightly.

I feel someone tap my shoulder. I turn to see who it is.

"Isabella, remember me? I'm Angela, we met yesterday."

I think I do. I don't really remember names though. I nod to answer her question anyway.

"Um, I think you should follow me to the bathroom."

I must look as confused as I feel by her request because she just asks me to trust her.

I follow her to the closest toilets. I hope this doesn't take long because I don't want to be late to my next class.

"Look," she tells me as we stand in front of the mirrors, "someone put gum in your hair." Angela adds as she picks up the strand of hair at the back of my head.

Oh… It doesn't take a genius to figure out how that got there. My second day of school and I already want to give up and go home.

Angela looks at me through the mirror sympathetically. I take the strand of hair from her, grab a paper towel from the dispenser and try to take out as much of the gum as possible. I manage to get most of it out; the rest will have to stay there until I can cut it out.

When I'm done, Angela offers me her spare hair elastic. I smile at her with gratitude and put my hair up. When it's like this, you can't see the left over gum.

"What class do you have now?" Angela asks.

I take out my class schedule from my pocket and show her that I have Calculus.

"Me too. Come on, we'd better get there quickly."

She hands me back my schedule as we both leave and head in the direction of our class. The hallway is practically empty as we walk through it.

We make it there just after the second bell has rung. Damn, I've made Angela late. I hope she isn't upset with me.

"Girls, so glad you could join us," says the teacher. I think his name is Mr. Varner.

He gives both of us lunch time detention for not getting to class on time. I feel guilty for making Angela late when all she did was help me. I bet she's never had detention before. Neither have I, actually.

What a great day this is turning out to be, I think sarcastically.

I get stuck on the math problems in Calculus but I can't bring myself to ask for help. I struggle through on my own while everyone else seems to get the hang of it.

I feel like a failure.

Arizona guy is in my next class, Government. Fantastic… He laughs at me when he sees that my hair is tied up. I choose to ignore him. He doesn't like that. So whenever the teacher is busy and turns her back, he tries to make conversation. I continue to ignore him. The topic he chooses to discuss isn't something that I want any part of. He's not deterred though, and decides to start steeling things from my table, namely my stationary.

I've had about enough of this guy.

I pack up what's left of my things and leave the room quickly. I hear the teacher calling after me, but I don't pay any attention to her.

I can't stay here. I'm going home. The walk back can't be that bad.

I regret my choice of words about half way to Charlie's. The sun decides to disappear and it begins to rain. I didn't bring a jacket with me today so I begin to walk at a faster pace. The longer it rains, the colder I get. I estimate that I'm about five minutes from home when I begin to shiver from the sudden drop in temperature.

Because I am me and I'm not looking at where I'm walking, I trip over a rock by the side of the road and fall into a newly formed puddle. I try not to get upset because I'm already wet from the rain, but I can feel tears threatening to escape from my eyes.

I end up hobbling the rest of the way because I hurt my ankle on that stupid rock.

When I do reach the front door of the house, I realise that I don't have my own set of house keys yet so I can't get in.

I rest my forehead against the door while I take some deep, calming breaths.

I take a seat on the porch and wait for the rain to stop. I would text Charlie but he isn't great with technology, and I don't want him to ask questions about why I'm not at school.

I don't know anyone else.

I'm alone… again.

I should be used to feeling like this by now, but I can't shake it off this time. The loneliness stays with me, increasing the amount of pain I feel.

I can't sit here all day. I'll freeze to death or something.

That's not a bad idea actually- death.

It would put an end to all of my problems, wouldn't it? It's not like anyone would miss me. Charlie would get over it. He hasn't known me for that long. He would be able to get back to the way his life used to be before I became a burden to him.

I sound like I'm talking myself into this, when really it would be the most selfish thing I could ever do.

But who would actually miss me?

I can be with my mom again.

Edward

"No!" I hear Alice shout in distress from downstairs.

Since my return, I've tried hard to block out the thoughts of my family, so on this occasion I don't know what she's referring to.

I decide to go to her in order to investigate.

Before I can ask, she runs out of the door with her keys in her hand.

"Alice, stop!" I start as I run after her.

I can't let her do this, I have to stop her, I hear Alice think desperately.

Who is she thinking about?

"Alice, you thought it yourself that the sun will reappear in less than ten minutes. What if someone saw you?" I ask to try and get her to see some sense.

She stops in her tracks.

"You're right… You'll have to do it, you're the fastest," she concludes.

"What are you talking about?"

Jasper joins us after sensing the distress that's being emitted by his mate.

"Edward- I need you to go to the Swan's house. You remember the Chief of Police? His daughter needs help. Please, you have to stop her!"

Before I ask what she could possibly mean, I see her premonition play again in her mind.

The Swan girl… she's not what I expected. She's pretty for a human, but she looks so sad. I see her breaking into her own house, going through some cabinets, and taking what she finds. They look like… pills, I think. Her future abruptly ends.

"Edward, please," Alice begs.

"Of course."

I run as fast as my legs will take me, before the sun comes back out to ruin my day.

Bella

I didn't think it would be possible to break into the Chief of Police's house, but what do you know? I use a large stone to partially break the window on the door and unlock it from the inside.

Once I'm in, I dump my things and head upstairs into the bathroom. I raid the medicine cabinet for anything that will take the pain away.

After looking around, I come across a prescription meant for me. My anti-depressants. I thought I got rid of those in Dr Cullen's office…

I can't bring myself to be angry about Charlie going behind my back. These pills will do the job, I think.

I take them downstairs to the kitchen. I grab a clean glass from a nearby cabinet and fill it with water.

I'm really going to do this…

I open my prescription bottle and pour the contents onto the side for easy access. Picking up a couple of the pills, I place them into my mouth and bring the glass to my lips.

I blink away the tears that continue to form in my eyes and part my lips in order to drink from the glass.

I look out of the window over the sink as I do so. I notice that the rain has stopped.

Just as I begin to tilt the glass to drink the water, I notice a figure appear through the trees.

Am I seeing things?

Who is that?

I squint and notice that he's just standing there, watching me.

…What am I doing?

I slam the glass of water back onto the side and spit the anti-depressants into the sink in front of me.

I look up at the figure, but he's gone.

Did I imagine him?

I must have done… My subconscious must have conjured him up to distract me, to make me think about what I was about to do. That's the only explanation.

Oh God, what have I done? I can't believe I came so close.

Mom would be so disappointed in me…

I feel the dam break and release the build-up of tears from my eyes. My body collapses to the floor. I hear and feel loud and painful sobs coming from my chest.

I stay there, crying, until I notice someone crouching down in front of me.

"What happened?" I hear him ask.

I'm too ashamed to tell you.

AN: Review worthy? They make me write faster :)