Alright so here's a really long chapter for you. And there's a surprise ending so READ AND REVIEW!

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Chapter 13

First day back

Bella's Point of View

That horrible night was still playing in my mind. How could Charlie have been there? And how could no one have noticed the knife he'd been wielding in his hand? God… people can really be oblivious. Edward had tried to make me feel better but it was quite unsuccessful. The worry was painted on my face during the rest of the night and I went to bed with horrible nightmares.

I just finished singing Wakin' up to love. Walking down the stage, my eyes spotted Charlie. He'd had that same sickening grin on his face as I froze in place, looking at him enter the restaurant. Looking around me, there was no one else, just me and him. Where had everyone gone to? "Edward? Edward, where are you?" I asked to no one. Charlie approached me still, dangling the knife in the air and snickered at me.

"You really should watch where you're going, Isabella," Charlie mocked as he stood in front of me, grabbing my neck and lifting me in the air. I gasped for air as he laughed. "I can't wait to laugh on your grave. Goodbye," He said before lifting the dagger and going to stab it in my heart. NO!

I woke up gasping for air as sweat ran down my face. Looking around, my eyes adjusted to my position and saw that I was in my room in the Cullen household once more. But no one else was in my room. Thank god I didn't wake anyone else. Placing a hand on my sweaty face, I closed my eyes, took deep breaths and tried to think. How could I get rid of Charlie once and for all? Obviously, the police can't find him. He's trying to hide from everyone but what are his real plans? It's not like he wants to actually let me live, more like he wants me officially dead. So… what was I going to do?

Well, there was no way that I could sleep now. Looking at the clock, it read four thirty-seven. Great… another three hours before I had to officially get up. Maybe I could write something. Or maybe just practice. Getting up, I went over to the small closet and grabbed my electric guitar. Luckily, my amp could connect to a pair of headsets so, I plugged my headphones in the amp and started playing.

Maybe the music would get Charlie out of my mind for the night.

"Bella, you need to get out of your car." Edward's voice rang through my head, bringing me out of my reverie. I was in my truck, in the parking lot of Forks High School. My knuckles were turning white because I was clutching the steering wheel so hard. Edward had opened the door to my truck—which I was able to drive without any trouble because of my leg—and tried to get me to look at him. Turning my head towards his perfect face, his green eyes looked so worried. "Are you alright Hun?" He asked, always using that cute little nickname he'd used the first time Edward saw me battered and unconscious. Alice and Rosalie were walking right behind him and looked at me.

"I…" The words wouldn't come out of my mouth. Could I do this? Tanya and the other students would probably poke my eyes out because of everything going on. Edward had told me all the rumours that were spreading around that it was no surprise my life would be in turmoil entering that place.

"We'll be right by your side, every step of the way," Alice said with a smile, glad that I was back at school with her.

Edward placed his hands on mine and tried to relax them. It helped me and I was able to wrench them from the steering wheel. I looked into his emerald green eyes and found only support. "You can do it," were his encouraging words. I smiled at him and got out of my truck slowly.

"That's the spirit!" Emmett boomed as he and Jasper came towards us and going towards their girlfriends—yeah, that's right. Both couples are official now. And Rosalie and Alice couldn't be any happier—with smiles plastered on their faces.

"We're glad that you decided to come back to school, Bella." Jasper's voice was full of happiness and support as he wrapped an arm around Alice's waist and we entered the school slowly.

"You look exhausted Bella," Edward noticed while we were walking into the school.

"I didn't get much sleep last night," I answered honestly, exhaustion pouring over me.

"Mind explaining to me what happened?"

"Just had a bad dream," I said but looked around the hallway. Everyone was looking at me, their eyes piercing with hatred and confusion as the Cullens and I passed them by. All of their eyes were around me and Edward. "They're all staring at me," I whispered into Edward's ear. He looked around and saw that it was true.

"Don't think about them. They're jealous."

"Jealous of what?"

"The fact that we're talking to you instead of them," Rosalie whispered in my other ear. She'd been listening the whole time. What did she know? "Everyone's been trying to impress us for some reason. As if we'd be friends with snobs."

"It would be better for your—"

"Don't finish that sentence Bella." Rosalie's tone was final but kind. She gave me a sympathetic smile as we went to our lockers. Getting our books out, someone shouted my name, which made me turn my head around and found a girl with stylish glasses and a sweet face running up to me.

"Bella!" She screamed, running into my arms.

"Angela?" I asked, hoping that my vision wasn't failing me. Edward had told me that she was starting to care a lot for me and wanted to be my friend but I needed to see it for myself.

"I'm so glad that you're at school! How have you been?" She asked, separating from the hug and looked me in the eyes. Angela seemed really concerned for my health. She knew what had happened to me. Must have been rumours or Edward could have spilled his guts to her.

"Um… fine, I guess," was my simple answer.

"I'm glad to hear that." The bell rang as she finished speaking. We both looked at the ceiling and, seconds later, looked back at each other. "I'll see you at lunch?"

"Yeah, sure," I said before she ran off to her class and I was standing there with Edward and Alice.

"See? She really does care for you," Edward said from behind me. I glared at him and rolled my eyes moments after.

"Shut up…" I muttered with a smile as we went to our English class. When entering, the kids immediately turned their attention to me. Well, staring isn't the right word. It's more like glaring, like I'd done something absolutely devastating and they were all against me.

"So nice of you to join us, Miss Swan," Mr. Berty said emotionlessly. Looking towards him, I saw that he wore a sympathetic smile on his face. Well, it was official, the entire town knew about Charlie's abuse. Great… We took our seats without another word as Mr. Berty kept speaking to the class. "Alright, since our class is running a little behind, you're going to be presenting a piece of Romeo and Juliet in front of the class and I need to know what piece everyone is doing. So, come up here and write your name and the piece you'll be presenting so we can start this as early as possible. And Miss Swan," Mr. Berty said and the class started to chatter about the pieces they were going to present, "I'd like you to come up here for a moment please."

I hesitantly got up and went to the front of the class. Mr. Berty dragged us outside of the classroom and had a small—and I do mean small—smile on his face. "What's this all about, Mr. Berty?" I asked, hoping I wasn't in trouble for missing so much school.

"The school play of Romeo and Juliet is coming. Mrs. Goss wanted me to tell you that you can audition for the part of Juliet. She hasn't found her Juliet and her Romeo yet. Do you know anyone who would want to perform?" Mr. Berty asked with a sincere smile on his face.

I closed my eyes and tried to reason with him. "Mr. Berty, there are much better people who could—"

"Mrs. Goss wants you to audition for her Juliet. Never in her twelve years of working here has she ever been persistent like she is now. Please Miss Swan, you would be a great Juliet." Mr. Berty persisted that I tried for the play. I'd probably be rejected anyway. People were much better suited for the part of Juliet than I was. Maybe Edward could… Oh never mind. He'd never want to do something like this. "Please take it into consideration. The auditions would be Wednesday right after school," He explained with the same smile still on his face.

I sighed and said: "I'll think about it." We went back in the classroom and, when taking my seat, Alice bombarded me with the piece we were doing. She said that Edward and I were doing the balcony scene—Alice was going to work with Tyler Crowley. She was trying to give us some privacy—and said that it was the perfect scene for us. I looked at Edward and he shrugged, indifferent at Alice's choice.

Great… he'd have to put up with me in this horrible play. Would I really want to ask him to be my Romeo in the play? Better question is if he'd want to do it at all.

After English came Math and that went on a drag. Edward and Alice met me at the entrance of the class after the bell rang for Lunch and we all went together. I'd taken a glance around and met Tanya's glare. She was staring straight at me and seemed to shoot daggers. Oh, if looks could kill.

I turned my attention back to my food and tried to ignore her. Thankfully, she didn't try and push her luck at me. Everyone was staring and I was extremely close to the Cullens. Would she try anything around them? I really didn't want to stick around to find out.

The rest of the day was a drag. Angela was in most of my classes and tried to catch up on old times. She was truly a wonderful person and I didn't want to drag her down. But Angela didn't really seem to care about the fact that my past was horrible and gruesome. Edward was my partner in Biology and he was really smart. I was really impressed by him. He really tried to make biology fun for us and it was working.

The end of the day though… that was another story.

I was heading to my truck slowly when I heard a high pitched voice say: "Hey, Ugly Swan. I need a word with you."

I stopped and closed my eyes, hoping that this wasn't happening. Tanya was finally going to get her revenge. Turning around, Tanya and the plastic witches were walking up to me with each a smoothie in their hands. Oh god… No Cullen was around to witness this since they were still inside the school, waiting for Emmett and Jasper.

"You have the guts to come back here? Figures you were just pretending to be hurt and all that crap," Lauren said as she stared at me. Tanya started sneering and her plastic witches followed her actions.

"Now, listen up." Tanya approached me until we were inches away from one another. "You've been hanging around Edward Cullen too long and now, you better step off. He's mine. He will be my man and I'd rather not have an ugly speed bump on the way," She said in the most venomous voice ever. Obviously, I was a problem in her get-Edward-to-be-mine plan. The moment I didn't answer, her nails ran along my face, leaving four long scratches on my cheek. But I didn't say anything. Tanya wouldn't get the satisfaction. But that really did hurt. "You got it Ugly Swan? Stay away from Edward Cullen!"

"Yes Tanya," I said lifelessly. Suddenly, a grin appeared on her face and she backed up at least a foot away from me.

"Just to make sure that you get the message," She started saying as she lifted the hand with her smoothie in it and lifted it above her head. Oh no… She was going to pour all of that on me. Jessica and Lauren looked at one another before lifting their hands as well. Great... Chucking my bag aside so it wouldn't get wet and closing my eyes, the plastic witches dumped their smoothies on me, the liquid entering my hair and seeping into my clothes. There were a few shocked gasps from aside, knowing that there were still kids in the parking lot and they were all witnessing the freak show. Once Tanya was finished pouring her smoothie on my head, they all started laughing at me.

"Bella?" Alice's high pitched voice rang in my head while the girls laughed. I opened my eyes slowly, trying not to get any smoothie in my eyes, and saw Alice approach me from the side. "What is going on?" She asked as she glared at Tanya and her plastic followers.

"Just teaching her a lesson," Tanya retorted with a snort. Alice's hands balled into tiny little fists. She was angry. It was obvious in her features.

"Alice, it's fine. Let's just—" I tried to say but she wouldn't listen.

"You have absolutely no right to—"

"Alice, what the hell's going on?" Rosalie shouted from aside. She was walking towards us with the angriest look on her face I've ever seen. Emmett had stayed behind, afraid to go up against her at a time like this. Good man… When she arrived in front of me, she looked me straight in the eyes and asked: "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, let's just—"

"You bitch! What the hell did you do that for? Has Bella ever done anything to you?" Rosalie practically screamed at Tanya. Tanya and her plastic witches didn't back down. They just laughed at Rosalie. "What's so damn funny?"

"The fact that you're standing up to Ugly Swan is hilarious! She's trash, nothing but wasted air." Tanya started laughing and I bowed my head in shame. Why did Rosalie and Alice have to be here to witness this?

"Don't call her that!" Alice shouted as I whipped the smoothie from my face. There was nothing that she could do anyways. Even with all of this shouting at one another, the damage was already done.

"Alice, it's nothing." My voice finally got through to her.

"Nothing? Bella, you call this nothing?" She asked as she pointed to my smoothie stained clothes, face and hair.

Tanya started laughing and said between laughs: "See? She's so pathetic she can't even stand up for herself! How lame is that?" The plastic witches joined into the laughter. I had enough of this. Walking away from them, I went towards my truck as the rest of the school population joined in the laughter, pointing at me and insulting me. Why did everyone have to be against me? Now it was official. I wouldn't go out for the Romeo and Juliet production at school; I'd stay away from anyone during school hours and… well basically I'd be a machine. No emotions, not a word spoken aloud, I'd be silent.

Driving away and towards the Cullen house, I let no tears fall down. I was sticky enough because of those smoothies that tears would only worsen things. How could I be so stupid to think that my first day back at school would be fine? God was I stupid… My clothes were sticking to my seat, just proving that the smoothie was drying. Once I drove into the Cullen driveway, Esme had seen me enter and seemed to have waited for us to come home from school. Stepping out, her expression changed once she saw me completely covered in smoothie.

"Dear, what happened?" She asked while approaching me and hovering her hands in front of me, trying to see where I wasn't covered in smoothie remains.

"I got juiced. Would it be alright if I went for a shower? This is really getting sticky," I asked while eyeing my stained clothes. Esme nodded and placed an arm around me, dragging me inside the house.

"You may take as long as you like dear," She said as I walked towards my room. Grabbing a few clothes, and walking to the bathroom, I closed the door and heard the rest of the kids arrive. Great… this wouldn't be good. I opened the faucet, took off my clothes, let the water run for a few seconds before stepping in. The water was refreshing, it washed away all of the pain Tanya had inflicted on me today. How could my life ever return to normal? Would it ever step away from all of this pain and humility? A single tear ran down my face while I let the water wash away the humility on my skin.

Alice's Point of View

"Ugh! How could that… that bitch do that? I mean, what did Bella ever do to deserve this?" I asked once we arrived at the house. Mom entered the kitchen with a question mark on her face.

"What's the matter?" Mom asked as we all joined her in the kitchen, fuming after what happened in the parking lot. Rosalie sat down and huffed angrily. She had been so pissed when she saw Tanya, Bella and I arguing. Edward was just shocked. He couldn't believe that Tanya would do such a thing to anyone, especially Bella. Emmett and Jasper didn't want to speak. They were as shocked as everyone but didn't want to upset further.

"What's the matter is that stupid—"

"Watch your mouth Rosalie," Mom warned.

"Sorry Mom. But stupid Tanya just humiliated Bella in front of the whole school! She just poured all of her smoothie onto Bella and trashed her!" Rosalie exclaimed angrily. Mom gasped and placed her finger on her chin, thinking strongly.

"That must be why she said she got 'juiced' at school. Bella looked horrible when coming home." Mom explained sadly.

"Wait, she was here?" Edward asked worriedly, speaking for the first time since we came into the car. He'd arrived a little too late to shout at Tanya but, knowing my big brother, he'd talk to her sooner or later.

"She's in the shower at the moment, washing up. She arrived a few minutes before you did. Bella looked so sad," Mom said, remembering Bella's look when arriving home. It wouldn't be surprising that Bella was upset. Tanya had just humiliated her and she hadn't said a word to defend herself.

"Wait 'til I get my hands on that girl… She's in for a world of hurt." Rosalie was mumbling to herself.

"Rosalie, you know that if you fight fire with fire, you'll just get burned. Nothing will be accomplished if you go up against that girl. Sure, it wasn't right what she did to Bella but we can't change what happened," Mom said. We all bowed our heads and suddenly, the water stopped running in the bathroom. Bella must be finished with her shower. We could talk to her and try to help her feel better. I mean, that's what best friends do.

We all waited impatiently for Bella to step into to kitchen and a few minutes later, she did with her hair all wet and clean, completely free of smoothie remnants. She had changed clothes—maybe hadn't chosen the right stuff to wear but I wouldn't tell her that now—and was now looking at all of us with the slightest of a smile. Unfortunately, our attention went to her cheek. It was scratched. Four long red lines covered her face and it was eminent that it hurt. Bella covered her hand on her cheek, looked at Mom and asked: "Esme, do you by any chance have anything to watch car seats? My sticky clothes kind of seeped into the seats and now, I need to clean them."

"Sure honey, let me get that for you," Mom said before exiting the room sadly. We all turned our attention back to Bella but she tried to avoid our glances by opening her new mp3—which she had bought with the rest of her music equipment—and tried to pick the right song. How could one person have so much misery in one lifetime?

"Bella, we're—"

"It's not your fault. You couldn't have stopped it," Bella said while placing one earplug in her ear. Her expression wasn't sad or happy or devastated. It was emotionless. She was blocking everything out. Not good. Just as I was about to say something, Mom came back with cleaning supplies and handed them to Bella with a sympathetic smile. "Thanks Esme," Bella said before walking out of the house.

"She's upset," Rosalie said lifelessly.

"No Rose, she's not upset. She's blocking everything and everyone out. Didn't you see her face?" I said, and everyone nodded at my statement. Bella wasn't letting us in. She wanted to deal with the pain alone.

Unfortunately, Edward wouldn't stand still. He stood up and walked out of the house, walked towards Bella and her truck. Hopefully he'd help her.

Edward's Point of View

I couldn't stand it any longer. Seeing Bella's face had practically killed me. How could she just stand there and do nothing? Tanya had humiliated her in the worst way possible and she just… blocked everything out. And as I went outside, I saw her. She had her back to me but she was working on her truck obviously oblivious to my presence. "Bella?" I asked but she didn't respond. Bella must have her earplugs in. I remember the day that she had just received her mp3. Bella had asked me to help her and we placed as much good music as possible on it together. It was a good afternoon. We debated on all sorts of music: pop, rock, R & B, etc… "Bella?" I asked once again but a little louder. Luckily, she turned around and spotted me. She immediately took out her earplugs but kept her face expressionless.

"Sorry Edward, I didn't hear you before. What's up?" She asked nonetheless. Her voice bothered me, and so did that scratch of hers on her cheek.

"Bella, what happened to your cheek?" I asked, approaching her slowly.

Bella placed a hand on her cheek, chuckled but still kept her face expressionless and said: "Tanya had quite sharp nails," before continuing to work on the seats of her car. Bella was still listening to me, only not looking at me.

"Why did she do that to you?"

"Because of you," was her only answer.

"Me? Why me?" I asked sadly and quite shocked. Tanya would hurt Bella to get to me? Oh that bitch was going to pay!

"Because I'm too close to you. She wants you and I'm not going to intrude on that." Bella still didn't look at me but her voice became sad. "I'll stay away at school. She won't believe that I'm close to anyone at all…" Bella mumbled and that made me stop.

"You'd isolate yourself just so that others would be happy?" My question was more rhetorical than an actual question but Bella still shrugged her shoulders. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I sighed and said: "You're the most selfless person I've ever met."

"Is that a bad thing?" She asked while looking at me. "What's wrong with wanting others to be happy before yourself?" She hopped off the truck and came to stand right in front of me. "Edward, if Tanya wants you, what am I to go against her? She can do whatever she wants."

"Do you want me?" I asked her, the question popping out of nowhere. Bella just looked at me, confused and slightly shocked at the question.

"I… I just…" She stumbled but couldn't find the words to say.

"Frankly Bella, you need to start living for yourself, not for others. I know you've had a lot of hurt in your life but it's time that you think about yourself. Maybe…"

Alright so you probably all hate me at the moment but hey, I'm going back to my little cave and you'll get a new chapter soon. REVIEW PLEASE!

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