Eight

I lay there for hours, days even. I got up only to pee, and shower. I'd lost my appetite, and desire for anything but sleep. Rosalie and Alice came in daily to check on me, and bring my food. I never ate. I tried apologizing to Alice several times for what I'd said, but she refused to hear it. Kept telling me I had nothing to apologize for. Pft. Right.

Carlisle came in today. He told me if I didn't start eating, he'd hook an iv up to me and force nutrients into my body. I didn't care anymore. Why eat when I had no desire for it? I had nothing. No emotions, nothing. I was numb, catatonic if you will. For all I cared, I could die tomorrow. Secretly, that's what I was hoping for.

"Bella." Rose said.

"Go away." I muttered.

"It's six o'clock at night. You've slept all day!" She argued. "I'm still tired." I muttered dryly. "You should eat. Carlisle said he's going to call an ambulance, and admit you into the hospital." She stated confidently.

Crap.

I sighed heavily, and dramatically threw the covers back. I climbed out of bed, and stomped past Rosalie and her stupid victory smirk. I stomped all the way down the stairs, through the (carpeted) dining room, to the kitchen. I began slamming drawers, and cabinets like a two year old. I didn't care. As much as I didn't want to eat, I didn't want to go to the hospital even more. Stupid, nosey vampires. Alice, Rose, and Emmett were sitting at the table snickering at me. And two seconds later, Em was growling, staring at my neck.

Shit! I forgot I was wearing a tank top today. I dropped my bowl, and covered my neck, but to no avail. He'd already seen what was left of Jake's handy work. Suddenly, I was surrounded by three angry vampires. Jasper was hanging back, a little. When Emmett reached for me, I instinctively flinched, and backed away. I hadn't meant to, it just sort of happened before I could think about it. Stupid Bella!

"Bella, what happened?" Rose asked.

"Who did it? I'll kill them!" Emmett bellowed. "I did it." I lied. "My neck was hurting, and I squeezed it a little too hard." Please, please believe me. I pleaded silently. I couldn't tell the truth. They could not know. They could not know.

"Bella, please!" Alice scoffed. I sighed heavily, but didn't meet their eyes. I would not tell them the truth. I would lie. I had to lie. Lie Bella, lie!

"Bella, that handprint is twice the size of yours! There's no way you did that to yourself! What happened?" Rose asked, growing impatient. I had to get out of this situation before I said too much. I couldn't tell them the truth. I turned to leave, and ran into something cold and hard. I looked up, and all the breath I had left me. When I started to get dizzy, I remembered to breathe again.

"Edward." I breathed. He looked angry. He looked.. outraged, ready to kill. He was staring at my neck. This was not good. Not at all. If he stayed, he'd definitely get me to tell him what happened. Worse, if Jake came around, he'd read it from his mind. No, this was bad.

"Tell us again how that happened?" He demanded coolly. I swallowed hard, and replied, "I squeezed a little too hard." It sounded pathetic even to me. I knew he didn't believe it for a second, but I would not crack. Not this time Edward.

"You really are a terrible liar."

I glared at him as best I could. "You don't even know me anymore, Edward." I sneered. "I'm a totally different person now."

Alice snorted. "You definitely are Bella dear. Edward, you just don't know how much of a treat Bella has been lately." She said icily.

Ouch. Okay, I deserved that. I should leave, and go far far way. Somewhere I couldn't hurt the people I loved anymore. Edward would figure it out eventually, and then he'd really hate me. I needed a plan, and fast. "Bella! Don't even think about it!" Alice gasped at the same moment Edward growled. My face went hot. Of course, I forgot about the little pixie and the mind reader. Crud.

"Alice, really I should. I mean, I've lived here so long, I don't really know what it's like to be on my own. And obviously I've overstayed my welcome! Look at me! I'm pathetic right now! You don't need me here making everyone else depressed." I explained quickly. I only had minutes to try and convince them after all. If I could just get them to see reasoning behind my madness, maybe they'd go along with it.

"You are not leaving, Isabella! There are seven vampires in this house ready, and more than able to stop any fickle attempts you may have at leaving." Edward growled. Great. I was being held captive by my own best friends. Awesome.

"I'm going to bed." I stated dryly.

"You've been up for all of about an hour, and you're going back to bed?" Jasper questioned, stepping closer. Seriously? The ever quiet, stay out of everything that doesn't involve me or Alice, keep my distance from Bella, vampire known as Jasper is going to start on me now too? Excellent.

"I'm tired." I lied. This was getting easier by the minute.

"Funny, I'm getting a lot of emotions from you, but tired, isn't one of them." He stated, stepping closer. Every step closer he took, I stepped further back by two. This continued until my back was against the counter. Trapped.

"I've known you for a long time Bella, and you've never been afraid of us approaching you. Even when you didn't know we were vegetarians. You've never so much as felt a tremor of fear from any of us. What I find to be even weirder is that it doesn't bother you when Rosalie, or Alice approaches you. Just when Edward, Emmett or I are near you, or try to touch you. So, what did he do to you? I mean, it was a guy, right?" He probed.

I couldn't breathe. I was losing control. I was trapped. I knew I was crying, but I didn't care anymore. I just had to get away before he touched me. He could hurt me, and I could not let that happen again. Not again, never again. I was trembling, and I wanted to scream, but was trying to fight it. "Please don't." I whispered. "Please, please don't."

"Don't what?" Jasper asked. He was inches from my face. He just had to breathe, and he'd be touching me. I started gasping for breath, desperate for air to reach my lungs. I heard someone call my name, and then I was falling into that little black void yet again