[A/n: I'm so sorry that it has been a while since I have updated. Life has just gotten busy and I have not had the chance to update until today. Please Read and Review and let me know what you think.]

Nicky's looked just like any given bar in any small town in America. For that reason alone Bella would have been fine with going in there. She felt even safer knowing that Tyler and Reid had walked in just ahead of her. Reid even made a production of holding the door open for her to enter just behind Tyler. It was so incredibly normal that it set Bella's mind at ease in spite of her impending meeting with the eldest two sons of Ipswitch.

As they walked in Bella took the time to take in her surroundings and smiled at the sight of a pool table set to one corner area. Behind her was a juke box set up with a make shift dance floor where couples were already gathering. The sounds of you're So Vain filling the room for all who cared to listen. Bella smiled at the simplicity of the set up and made her way with Tyler and Reid to the other side of the room. She noticed that they approached a single table where four other people were already seated apparently saving seats for them.

The smell of smoke was present but that didn't bother Bella in the slightest since Renee had smoked for years before she finally beat the habit. Once they arrived Tyler pulled a chair out for Bella before taking the next seat over on her left. The other seat was quickly taken by Reid effectively closing off the table from anyone else who might want to join them.

At the table were two boys one with dark brown almost black hair and eyes to match. The other kept his sandy colored locks longer so that it fell just passed his jaw and had hazel colored eyes. Both boys were powerfully built and looked athletic. One wore a black button up shirt while the other had on a white tee-shirt and a black leather jacket while jeans seemed to be the order of the day.

The dark haired boy was the first to speak, "I'm Caleb Danvers and I assume that you're Bella. This is my girlfriend, Sarah." Caleb indicated a petite, blond haired blue eyed girl who looked like every girl that she had hated going to school in Phoenix. Bella noticed that the girl was wearing a soft, baby blue blouse and black mini skirt and smiled at her when she was introduced. Bella sighed in relief the girl had not taken an instant dislike to her as she feared.

Then her attention was drawn to the mocha skinned girl next to the other son that she was meeting for the first time. The boy smiled and placed a possessive arm around the girl and chuckled, "I'm Pogue Perry and this is my girl, Kate. Welcome to Ipswitch." The dark hair girl got up and wrapped her in a brief hug whispering, "Thank you for being there for Tyler. He's great and deserves someone special. I'm glad that he found you." Bella could not help but smile and return Kate's hug and knew that she at least one new friend in Ipswitch.

Bella was glad that the introductions were out of the way. It would only be able to get easier from here right? Feeling somewhat relieved she turned to Tyler, "Where can I order something to eat?" The blue eyed boy smiled glad that Bella was not as nervous around his friends as to lose her appetite.

Tyler could well remember when Kate started to become a part of their circle; the dark skinned girl had lost a good, 10 pounds. All of that had been from nerves. Kate, had found it impossible to eat without throwing up immediately afterwards from worrying about each of their opinions and the resulting gossip.

Chuckling at the memory he said, "Just go to the bar and place an order with Nicky. He'll take care of you. I recommend that you stick to a burger and fries though. Some of the other stuff gets interesting." Tyler had tried some of the other things on the menu and found that it did not sit well on his stomach. Since his sophomore year at Spencer he had stuck to fries and coke for the most part when he came to Nicky's.

Bella nodded and asked, "Do you want anything while I'm up there?" His eyes had the look of mischief in them as Tyler said, "No, I'll just mooch off of whatever you get for now." Kissing Tyler on the cheek Bella got up to go to the bar and get her food.

Tyler watched as Bella got up to go to the bar and place her order and could not help admiring the view from his seat. He would never get over the fact that she was his girl. It was one of those things that did not cease to amaze him. He had been so certain when he told her about their secret that she would want nothing to do with him. Yet, here she is still with him five years later.

All too soon Tyler found himself being elbowed in the ribs by his best friend. Reid quickly gestured to the pool table where Aaron and his friends where congregating. As usual Reid was in need of spending money and the quickest and surest way Reid knew to make money was to hustle the usual idiots at pool. Next to Reid, Tyler was the best pool player at Spencer so he was normally dragged along for the ride. Sighing in resignation Tyler joined his friend in walking over to the pool tables.

Bella was quietly waiting for her food and minding her own business when suddenly she was surrounded by a group of girls that she did not know. The one who finally spoke had had red, curly hair that seemed like it had permanent frizz ball issues or something. "So, you came here with Tyler Simms. That is interesting; I always thought that he was gay after all no one has ever seen him with a woman." This only brought on laughter from the other girls. Who seemed to think this was hilarious.

The overly bold statement made Bella blush and want to leave immediately. However, knowing that was not an option she decided to face the girl. Looking at her directly in the eyes Bella did her best to stand her ground and keep her voice calm. "No, he's definitely not gay. He's just been taken and not stupid enough to cheat. My name is Bella by the way and you are?"

The redhead smiled in a very vicious manner that reminded Bella of Victoria when they had crossed paths in Forks. "I'm Kyra and these are my friends: Amanda, Jessica, Jasmine and Vanessa. Understand this and quick you stay out of our way, you aren't good enough and never will be good enough no matter what the label on your clothes is. It takes more than nice clothes and a manicure to remove the tracing of a low rent life. Face it boys like that don't end up with girls like you."

The smell of vodka soda hit Bella like a semi truck heading straight at her on the wrong side of the road. It was not something that to be taken lightly that the other girl was obviously drunk it meant that she would need to be more cautious of how she handled herself here. After all from experience she knew that could make people meaner and more vicious and therefore more dangerous. Bella was also aware that people were far more honest when their lips had been loosened with Alcohol. This meant that this was what the girl honestly thought and what others likely did too.

Kyra had unwittingly hit on Bella's greatest fear that the society in Ipswitch would find her lacking and take Tyler away from her. Where as Mrs. Simms and Kate seemed to accept her readily enough she could not be sure of the opinions of the others. It was times like this when she wished that she had the ability to read peoples minds. That however was not a possibility.

Reid seemed to like and approve of her but she also knew that son was something of a flirt. Reid would have said something along the line of what he did even if he thought she wasn't good enough for his best friend. However, that son had seemed to trust Tyler and his judgment. For that reason she would have to trust that the Garwin heir would be on her side if something was to happen and people treated her poorly.

Frustrated with her own tendency for getting too comfortable too soon she grabbed her order which was ready and walk away to rejoin the others. She needed to remove herself from the situation and preferably as quickly as possible.

No sooner had Bella taken three steps away than an arm shot out and pulled her back with a sharp jerking motion causing her to dump her food on the floor. "We aren't done yet the girl's voice was soft and menacing to her ears. The last time that she had heard a voice like that was when James had been taunting her in the dance studio. This caused a fight or flight reflex in Bella to shift into high gear. Not having much time to think she threw her elbow back into the girl's stomach and ran away looking for Tyler.

Finding him by the pool table she felt safe as she took up a spot next to him and watched Reid take his shot. That son made a combo shot something that Bella and everyone else knew was hard. The next thing that she knew the accusation came flying from the boy who was obviously losing, "You cheated, Garwin I know that you cheated." That led to the entire group moving to a back alley where it looked like the curly haired boy would try and fight Reid.

That came to an end though when Caleb and Pogue came out followed quickly by the bar tender Nicky. Looking at the older man Bella understood that he meant business as he had brought out a bat. Nicky's eyes were narrowed as he said, "Take it somewhere else, ladies. Abbott collects your girlfriend and goes home. She's already had too many."

As the curly haired boy turned to go back into the bar and collect his things his eyes fell on Bella. He smirked as he realized that his evening maybe able to be salvaged after all. Aaron walked over to where Bella stood with her back to the wall of the building.