CHAPTER 3

I walked into the lunch room and looked immediately toward the corner table that I had shared with the Cullen's since Edward and I had started dating. I was shocked to find that the bronze hair I'd come to look for, when he didn't walk me to class himself, wasn't there, though the other four were.

I went about getting my lunch in a hurry and sat down in the chair between Alice and Emmett. All four of them looked at me hesitantly, as if worried that I would burst into tears right there.

"How are you?" Alice asked immediately after seeing that I wouldn't be sobbing in the lunch hall.

"Um, I'm okay. Of course, I have been better but… I've decided not to let Edward Cullen ruin my life. I'm trying to forget him."

I saw Emmett and Jasper exchange a look that I was obviously not supposed to see. "What was that?" I asked.

"What was what?" Emmett replied.

"That look you just gave him! What aren't you telling me?" I demanded.

"Um, well it kind of goes along with what you were saying. You don't have to worry about Edward anymore Bella. He left and didn't tell us when he planned to be back. I personally have a feeling that it won't be any time soon. He knows that we are all very upset about what he did to you," Emmett replied.

I was only mildly surprised by this news. I knew that he wouldn't want to stick around if he thought I'd be around him all the time, begging him to come back to me. Not to mention he could hear the thoughts of his family and would know how disapproving they were in his actions toward me. I was actually immensely happy with this news. It meant that I had a greater potential of forgetting him sooner and moving on with my life. But I was also upset that I had driven the Cullen family apart.

"Well, I suppose it's for the best. Although I wish it didn't mess up things in you family…" I replied, earning myself shocked looks from Alice and Rosalie.

"Our family Bella. The minute Edward brought you home you were part of the family. And we would do the same if any one of us did what he did to you. It's not because you're a human," Emmett replied.

I spent the rest of the day trying to be more optimistic. I wasn't terribly surprised to find that it was harder to keep up my happy charade when I wasn't putting it on for the Cullen's. The last three hours past in a blur and before I knew it I was walking to my truck to go home.

"Bella, do you want to come over tonight? I know Esme would like to see you," Alice said, rushing up to me at human speed. "She…she'll want to see for herself that you're alright."

I considered for a moment and shook my head. "I think it's a bit early for that Alice. I might be trying to get over him but going back to the place that reminds me of him won't help with that."

"But maybe it will!" she urged. "Maybe it'll make it easier for you to move on if you see for yourself that he's moved on!"

I sighed, "Fine. I'll be there at five."

"No, I'll pick you up. Don't worry, I won't be late," she whispered as she hugged me. I hugged her back tightly.

"Thank you so much Alice, for everything."

"It's what you do for someone you love," she replied simply before kissing my cheek and dashing off to Rosalie's convertible. I felt a terrible wrench in my heart at her words. What would have made Edward stay for love? I thought dismally.

Charlie was already home when I pulled in, parked next to a car that I recognized only too well.

"Bella, look who dropped by!" Charlie said, coming out of the house pushing Billy Black. Behind them came Jacob looking a little uncomfortable and I remembered the last time we'd spoken, when we danced together at Prom. He'd warned me then, and now I was paying for not listening to him.

"Hey," I said, trying to sound cheerful.

"It's good to see you Bella. It's been so long, I was beginning to think you were down with some contagious disease," Billy teased. But I got his real meaning. According to Billy and the other elders, I'd been spending too much time with the Cullen family.

"Nope, I've just been busy. You know, at my age it's all about hanging out with friends and boy—" I broke off at that, unable to say it without thinking about Edward.

"You alright Bells?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah it just…it'll take some getting used to," I replied softly.

"What will take getting used to?" Billy asked pointedly.

"Her boyfriend broke up with her," Charlie explained.

I had never seen Billy Black look as happy as when my father told him that my boyfriend, my life, had left me. He smiled warmly before realizing that I must be in pain over what had happened. Then the twinkle left his eyes and he looked at me with scrutiny.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Did he hurt you?" he asked. Which translated to "I'm happy as hell and even if he did hurt you it's better than if you were still with him".

"I…I was quite attached to him and to find out… I've never really experienced someone telling me they don't want me. It was quite a blow, especially since I thought we were doing so well…"

Behind Charlie I saw Jacob's eyes narrow at my words. Then, before I could forget, I said to Charlie, "by the way, Alice is going to be here at five to pick me up. Carlisle and Esme want to have me over for dinner."

I could almost hear Billy suck in his breath. In his opinion the fact that I wasn't with Edward should have meant that I would have no reason to go near the Cullen family again. He didn't figure in the fact that I'd come to love them like family. "But Bella, I thought….well you and Edward just broke up. Do you think it's wise to be around him so soon?"

"I won't be around him. After it happened he called one of Carlisle's brothers and asked if he could stay with his uncle and his family for a while. He left this afternoon for Alaska. He won't be there."

"Oh, well then…I suppose it's alright then. You know I love Alice."

Billy glared at me, as if I had anything to do with the fact that Alice could win over almost anyone. Then he glared at Charlie, who didn't see it. I couldn't keep a small smile from my face at the look.

"Right, well, I'm going to go change. Do you want me to cook you dinner before I go?" I asked Charlie.

He smiled at me, "no Bells, I'll just go over to the diner. Maybe I'll take Billy and Jake out to dinner tonight."

"That'd be fun. Bella you just be careful. Some wounds…it's hard to hide them when you most need to," Billy said.

It was my turn to glare at him and I rushed past them into the house. All three of them were watching the game when I ran back downstairs to get the door when the bell rang. I pulled it open and said, "hey Ali—"

Emmett grinned down at me. "Nope, not Alice. She and Jasper got held up at the house so she asked me to come get you. I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not. Um dad, you know Emmett Cullen right? Emmett this is my dad, Billy Black and his son Jacob."

At that moment Emmett let out a hiss that was inaudible to everyone but me.