BPVO

The next day I awoke to the smell of eggs floating up the steps. It was Tuesday, and I was driving to Seattle to rebuild some type of wardrobe. I liked shopping, so I had a feeling today would go well. I walked to the bathroom and took a quick shower then returned to my room. I managed to get to my closet without looking at my body I wrapped my hair in the towel and flipped it back so it was out of the way. Then I began getting dressed in a pair of skinny jeans and a black sweater. I grabbed a pair of black ballet-toed flats and went downstairs careful not to trip.

"Good morning, Dad."

"Morning, Bells. How'd you sleep?"

"Okay."

"I made eggs, if you'd like some."

I nodded and sat down with a plate of food. We ate in silence until he announce he'd have to get going to the station. I finished and went back upstairs. After brushing my teeth, I fixed my hair leaving it to hang down my back. I went back to my room and grabbed my rarely used shiny silver purse and dropped my phone, IPod, and wallet into it. I looked in the mirror. "As good as it's going to get." I murmured before walking downstairs. I located the keys to my father's truck, pulled on my very necessary black raincoat, and went outside. I nearly stumbled into a puddle as I approached the truck, but thankfully avoided it. I got into the truck and started it up instantly thankful for the heating system that was quickly heating up. I sat in the driveway until I found a good radio station then headed off down the road. I vaguely knew how to get to Seattle, but I had a map and road signs to follow, so I was confident I'd be okay.

Four hours later, I pulled into the mall parking lot. It wasn't raining nearly as hard here, but it was still drizzling. I parked and cautiously walked toward the mall entrance. I located a mall map not far from the entrance. I tried to remember where the stores I wanted were at then set off to find them. I went to many stores over the next five hours before I finally decided I was finished. I had ten bags of various sizes hanging on my arms as I left the mall for a final time. I had made a small dent in Phil's checking account, and I was slightly proud of myself for it. I added the ten bags to the six that already sat in the floor of the backseat and got in the driver's side.

I decided to drive around downtown Seattle to find a place to eat. I parked along a long strip of stores and decided to walk around some since it wasn't raining for once. I had been walking for a few minutes when something across the street caught my eye. Neon lights that advertised piercing and tattoo services. I stared at the signs for a few moments. I never really saw the appeal in tattoos. I wanted my ears pierced, but Phil prohibited any stepdaughter of his from having any body piercings, tattoos, or 'flashy' clothes. He didn't want a 'slut' living in the same house as he was.

I looked down at my clothes. No exposed skin. No piercings. No tattoos. I had the same thought I had yesterday. Why the hell was I abiding by his rules? Why was I giving him the satisfaction?

Before I could really have any coherent thought I was walking across the street to the store. I would start here and now. Phil could not control me now. The guy looked up as I walked in.

"Hi." He said with a smile.

"Hi."

"Can I help you?"

"I hope so. I want my ears pierced a few times and a tattoo."

"Then I can help you." He smiled. I smiled back as a feeling of liberation run through me. He plopped a book down in front of me. "Here are some samples. Unless you already have something in mind."

I shook my head and began looking through the book. On the fifth page, one caught my eye. I studied it for a second before smiling at the black and red rose. The red was very faint against the thick black lines.

"This one." I said determinedly.

"Okay." He nodded. "I can do that. Where do you want it? Or do you want your ears done first?"

"Whatever." I shrugged.

"Okay, well, let's go with the tattoo first." He said. "Here you have to sign this." He removed a form and I signed it. "Where do you want it?"

I thought for a second. "My left shoulder." I told him.

"Sure thing. You'll need to change into this." He held up a paper shirt with an open back like they give you at the doctors. I went to the bathroom and changed then returned. "Come lay down here on your stomach, I'll get ready." I nodded and did as I was told. He returned after a moment and removed a needle from the sterile packaging. He opened the back of my shirt. I was still wearing a bra. "What happened?" He asked after a few minutes.

"Huh?"

He sent me and 'you seriously don't know what I'm talking about?' look. I shivered at the memory. "Car accident." I lied.

"Okay, close your eyes, relax, and take a deep breath."

I did as I was told and repeated a couple of times until I was as calm as possible. I knew it would hurt. Then I felt the sting of the needle. I didn't concentrate on it. I had felt worse pain than that. After nearly forty-five minutes, he sighed contently. "Want to see it?" He asked.

"Yes, please." He helped me up. I winced at the stinging.

"Yeah, it'll hurt for a little while." He led me to a mirror and looked over my shoulder to look at it.

I smiled when I saw it. It was perfect. Not too big, tasteful, yet Phil would detest it. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He left for a second and got me a bandage. "Here you go." He carefully put it over my tattoo. "It'll be irritated for awhile, but it'll be okay in a few days. Keep the bandage on tonight. Tomorrow it should be okay."

"Okay."

"Have a seat again and we'll do your ears." I nodded and did as I instructed. "So what do you want?"

"Three here, on both sides of course." I squeezed my earlobe. "One here." I pointed to my upper cartilage. "And one here." I moved halfway down my ear.

"Going all out are we?" He chuckled. I smiled at him. "Who are you trying to piss off?"

"My stepdad." I answered. He chuckled.

"Why don't you pick out your earrings? You'll need to keep the lower ones in for six weeks, and the upper ones have to stay in for twelve weeks."

"Alright, it'll sting some but it'll pass quickly." I nodded. "Okay, deep breath."

I felt the sting of the needle going through my ear five times on one ear. Then he moved to the other side and put the needles in three times. I let out a deep breath then smiled.

"Thanks." I beamed at him and looked in the mirror. My ears were bright red and three different sized silver ball earrings were sticking out of my earlobes. In the two cartilage piercings had thin black hoops through them.

"No problem."

"How much do I owe you?"

"Um, two hundred."

I paid him, thanked him once again, and left. I felt a little happier even though my ears and tattoo were stinging like crazy. "Maybe this would help me get past this." I thought as I set out to find some food.

--

EmPOV

Another day, more gossip. Another night, more sex. Ugh, monotony was killing me! I rolled over to see the clock. It was almost six o'clock. We had to be leaving soon, and the noise was finally ending in the rooms below me. Sighing, I stood up and pulled my shirt off. I had already taken a shower, so I went to my closet. I pulled out a blue and white vertical stripped button down shirt and a pair of slightly baggy jeans. I kicked off the pair of sweats I had been wearing earlier in the night and changed into my new clothes without tucking my shirt in. It was more casual that way. I could hear Alice babbling on about something two floors downstairs as I put on my shoes. Throwing my book bag over one of my shoulders, I ran down the two flights of stairs at vampire speed.

"What's going on?" I asked as I entered the living room where Alice and Jasper was sitting.

"It's Wednesday!" Alice squealed.

"Okay…" I wasn't sure of the significance of this particular Wednesday.

"The new girl is coming." She bounced up and down in her seat. That's it? She's so excited because a new student was coming to school?

"I think the whole living in a small town thing is getting to your head, Alice." I rolled my eyes. "Are we going?"

"Right now." Rosalie announced as she and Edward ran down the stairs. I didn't wait for them to head outside and waited for Edward to get his car out. In an instant, the car was in front of me and Alice, Jasper, and Rosalie were getting in. I slid into the back since Rosalie always complained when I didn't let her sit up front. I rolled my eyes at the thought. Edward looked at me in the review mirror. I rolled my eyes mostly at my stupidity. How could I forget he could read minds?

Sighing, I began singing the alphabet in my head. He shot me another look as we pulled into the school parking lot. I stuck my tongue out at him before getting out of the car. Alice started talking at a million miles a minute about today being Wednesday. So what if the school got a new student? This isn't breaking news! Sure she's the first new student in awhile, but why would Alice even care? We don't even hang out with humans. I ignored her as much as possible and began walking in the opposite direction with Jasper. We both had physics as our first class.

"You okay, Emmett?" He asked me. I was hardly able to suppress a groan but rolled my eyes.

"Do you feel my annoyance?" I asked rhetorically. He laughed then straightened up and looked at me more seriously. Why did they decide to start bothering me about all this crap now? Sure, I've maybe been acting a little out of character lately, but can they blame me when they insist on screwing each other very loudly every night. I got lost in my thoughts and forgot about Jasper entirely until his voice came again.

"You haven't been yourself lately."

I chuckled despite the solemn thoughts going through my head even though it wouldn't fool him. "I'm perfectly fine." I promised and walked into class ignoring his unbelieving look.

--

BPVO

I stepped out of the shower and fought back a shiver. I really wanted to get back under the warm water, but I had to get ready for my first day of school. Sighing, I walked to the mirror and whipped the fog away with my forearm. I stared at the person who looked back at me. It was like I hardly knew her anymore. Her chocolate brown eyes filled with ghost she wasn't ready to unleash. Her scars were deeper than the cuts that created them. Scars that blemished her soul that had been perfect and innocent only years before. I shook my head to rid it of such thoughts. I turned and walked back into my bedroom and straight for my closet. I averted my eyes from the mirror that hung on my closet door and looked through my clothes. I grabbed a dark purple v-neck shirt that had sleeves that stopped just below my elbow, a black lacy camisole for underneath, and a pair of jeans. I changed quickly and put on my favorite black ballet-toed flats then returned to the bathroom. I blow-dried my hair dry leaving it wavy down my back and began applying makeup. I put on a little eyeliner, eye shadow, and mascara.

"I'm leaving, Bells." Charlie called from downstairs.

"Bye. Have a good day."

"Can you find the school alright?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

"Okay, see you tonight. Try to have some fun at school."

"Like that will happen." I mumbled under my breath as he left. Sighing, I went downstairs carefully so I wouldn't fall. It was time to leave so I grabbed a breakfast bar and my raincoat then went outside. My baby was sitting in the driveway. I wasn't one for flashy materialistic things. But this car was my baby even if it was a bribe from Phil. Charlie warned me that a dark blue 2007 Porsche Boxster convertible would stick out like a sore thumb in Forks, but I didn't care. I wasn't about to give up my car to adopt the ways of this small town. I managed to get to the car and get in the driver's side without falling on my face. It must be a good omen that I've only fallen once this morning. Maybe today will be a good day.

I back out of my spot in the driveway and headed off towards the highway. I only went ten over the speed limit this morning since I wasn't sure where the police were hidden. I like to drive fast. I had to; Phil always went off when I was late for anything, so I always tried to be early.

The student parking lot was just what I imagined in a town like this. It was filled with hand-me-down, old cars. Most of which were rusted and/or dented. There was only one car, other than mine, that did stick out: a silver Volvo. I pulled into one of the few empty spaces and turned off the car. There were quite a few people already gawking at my car. I expected the attention. I didn't like it though. Sighing, I opened the door and grabbed my bag. I shut and locked the door trying my best to ignore the stares. Unfortunately I felt a blush working up my cheek anyway that only intensified when I stumbled over the curb and almost fell flat on my face. Almost. I thankfully regained balance and didn't fall. I hurried to the office with my head low.

A burst of warmth came at me as I opened the door to the office. All the secretaries and students in the room looked up as cold air rushed in. I quickly shut the door and waited my turn. The student who was talking to the secretary finished, smiled at her then me, and walked out. I walked up to the counter and gave Mrs. Cope, as it said on her badge, the best smile I could muster up despite my nervousness.

"How can I help you, dear?" She asked with a kind-hearted smile.

"I'm Bella Swan." I didn't want people getting the idea that my name was Isabella. I hated when people called me that. She beamed at me when she heard my last name. Great.

"Oh, Chief Swan's daughter!" She cheered happily. "I am so glad you are here. We all are."

"Thanks." I smiled slightly feeling a blush on my face.

"Here is your schedule and a map just in case. And you have to get this slip signed by all your teachers and bring it back at the end of the day." She was still beaming at me. I nodded, thanked her, took my papers, and left. Glancing at my schedule I tried to remember the order of my classes. English. Algebra. Chemistry. History. Lunch. Spanish. Gym. I sighed and headed off to class. I tripped on the way and much to my dismay I heard a few chuckles. Maybe I spoke too soon when I said that today would be a good day. I scrambled to my feet and hurried towards the building.

The room was warm compared to the freezing air outside. Most of the students were already in their seats and some people were filing in behind me. I walked as quickly as I could without falling to the teacher's desk. He looked up at me and did a double take.

"Hello. Can I help you?"

"I'm Bella Swan. I'm new."

"Swan. Oh yes, Isabella…"

"Bella." I corrected quickly.

"Um, here's your book." I sighed at the thick book but took it anyway. "And have a seat wherever is open."

I nodded and turned. Most everyone was staring at me and whispering about me. I felt the blood run to my cheeks as I looked around for a seat. There was only one open seat beside a blonde spiky-haired dude.

"Hi. I'm Mike Newton." He chirped as soon as I sat down.

"Bella." I replied.

"How do you like Forks? Where are you from? Phoenix, right?" The teacher, thankfully, cut him off.