I don't own Steph's characters, only Thomas:) Thanks for favoriting, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 3

Bella wakes up to buzzing. She groggily got up and snatched the blinking phone. There were a few texts from Thomas.

First one: 'Get up! Embrace the day!'

Second: 'Don't forget to put on the outfit that I conveniently laid out for you yesterday.'

Third: 'Btw I'll be over at 7:15 to pick you up!'

Bella thought, this is going to be a LONG week. Oh NO! The clock read 6:50. Gosh, I guess I'll just skip breakfast, showering is more important, she decided.

Bella stared at the clothes. They were bright colors. At least the red scarf was definitely out of her comfort zone, but the faded jeans and sweater seemed doable. She begrudgingly slipped into the outfit, it was more of a convenience to jump into the clothes rather than go through her closet when she was already running late.

As the sweater fit snuggly around her neck and she pulled her hair out, the doorbell rang. About to yell 'just a minute', she was beat by Charlie. She heard his booming voice, "Well, hello Thomas, it's nice to see you again, so soon."

"Nice to see you too Chief. Is it alright that I call you that?" Thomas replied.

Charlie returned Thomas' response with an awkward smile and closed the front door, inviting him in. "That's fine!" Charlie said. "Bells, Thomas is here!"

Bella quickened her pace, not wanting the intrusive boy to linger in the same room with her father any longer. She hastily swiped a brush through her hair and bounded down the stairs.

Charlie takes a good look at his daughter and struggles to find the right words to describe her appearance. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable or have her revert to those drabby clothes she's been living in since that ungrateful twit left her. "Wow you look different today!"

Thomas added, "Yeah, if by different you mean brand-spanking good, courtesy of moi." He gestured at himself, grinning brilliantly, feeling satisfied.

Bella rolled her eyes at his arrogance. "Thanks dad. Come on Thomas, let's go!" Bella walked toward him pushing him towards the door.

Soon enough the duo was in the car filled with silence.

Thomas broke the ice, "So Bella, what does your dad think about your behavior these last few months?"

"Well Charlie and I argued about it before and he was all like oh I'm going to send you back to your mom because you're obviously not doing well here. So I broke down and went to hang out with Jessica. We went to Port Angeles and well I thought I knew this one guy on a motorcycle, so I kinda of just jumped on and sped off. Shortly I returned. Jessica I think is now scared of me. So that's why the hanging out with friends hasn't been part of my agenda as of late."

Thomas just looked at the girl beside of him. Oh man she deludes herself into precarious situations when she's sober, now I'm slightly terrified to see what happens when I take her to a party, Thomas thought. "Wait….. what?"

Bella stared out the window, embarrassed. "That's one of the reasons I've kept to myself lately."

"Really, what are the other reasons besides Edward?"

"Uhhhh…." Bella started, "I think it's just mostly him and maybe the others look at me weird. I think Jessica told them about our misadventure."

"Oh, well that's understandable hun, you have kind of went off the deep end. But we're going to change that. Today you shall have conversations with them."

"Hold on, whoa there Thomas. I don't know about that."

"Bella, how do you expect to have a fantastic senior year if you don't talk to anyone but me?"

"I was doing fine."

Thomas looks at Bella, "Really? You think you were doing fine. You were sitting at lunch waiting for your ex-boyfriend to return when I met you. Didn't he leave a few MONTHS ago? Come on who are you kidding?"

Bella took a deep breath, man this guy is really getting to me, she thought. Well I guess the fact that I'm completely lost without Edward is pretty obvious to everyone, but still don't they understand. I loved him.

Her response wasn't needed as they had just rolled into the parking lot of the school and Bella had already unbuckled. As soon as the car stopped she bolted. Bella didn't calm down until she was sitting in her English classroom.

Mike saw the dressed up Bella and he oogled and oggled at the newly reformed woman sitting across from him. It took a minute of adjustment before he braved a conversation, "You look nice today Bella!"

Bella looked up at the golden retriever before her. Oh, I guess he expects a response, she thought, man why doesn't the bell ring when you want it to? "Thanks Mike." She looked at the clock, willing it to move faster.

"I saw you talking to the new kid yesterday. What do you think of him?"

"He's….uhhhh…. nice."

"Yeah. Well, he's definitely something. Just don't get too attached, I don't think he's your type."

Bella whipped her head around and glared at Mike. He reminded her of a berated puppy. "I know that, thanks for the heads up. It's funny that you said that because I thought you were more his type."

Bella turned back her focus to her school books. Mike's mouth remained opened as he sat bewildered at her comment. The bell saved her from a backlash. She spent the rest of the morning lost in her thoughts and avoiding conversations. There seemed like there were more today, especially directed at her new outfit. It must really be something, she thought, I guess I'll have to thank Thomas later, though I don't really enjoy the attention.

Thomas scoured the cafeteria. That girl wasn't going to get away from him that quickly, he wasn't giving up. Amazingly enough she was heading directly towards him, standing up slightly straighter, he noticed.

"Hello there," Thomas addressed the nervously fidgeting Bella.

"Hi, so where do you want to sit?" Bella asked though she knew she wasn't going to like his choice because it wasn't going to be the Cullen's table. Bella just let out a sigh as he motioned to the table with Jessica, Mike, and Angela.

The duo approached the gang. Bella started off, "Hi guys."

Angela smiled, "Hey Bella, how are you?"

"Good, and you?"

"Pretty good. Why don't you two grab a chair, there's plenty of room!" They took two chairs between Angela and Mike. Thomas sat between Mike and Bella. This will be interesting, she thought.

The rest of the group already situated at the table just stare at Bella, confused by her sudden interest in talking to them.

Mike decided to take an interest in the new guy seated next to him. Addressing Thomas, he asked, "So what's your name?"

"Thomas. What's yours?"

"Mike." They both nod their heads in unison and smile awkwardly. "So…."

Angela spoke up, "Thomas how are you liking Forks so far?"

Thomas replied, "It's okay."

"Yeah, you'll get used to this weather after a while."

"The overcast is permanent," Eric added.

Bella pipes in, "I've noticed. It was a big difference from where I used to live."

Thomas glanced at the teens at the lunch table. He couldn't believe how awkward they all were. All they talk about is the weather. Conversation booster is majorly needed, so he jumped in, "So what do ya'll do for fun around here?"

Jessica speaks up, "Well, I prefer to go to the mall. But that's in Port Angeles."

"Yeah, that's where there is actually stuff to do. Forks doesn't have very many exciting attractions," said Tyler.

"We go to La Push when the weather's good," Mike added.

"What's La Push?" Thomas asked.

"It's the beach on the Reservation, not too far away."

"That sounds pretty cool."

"It's over by where my friend Jake lives," Bella told him. Conversation stopped. No one knew what to say after that. I give her props for trying, Thomas thought, though she is a conversation killer.

"So," Lauren joined the conversation after giving many envious glances at Bella's newly acquired scarf. "Bella, how's Edward? Have you heard from him lately?"

Thomas glanced at Bella who looked like a deer in headlights. Thomas faced the smirking Lauren, "Does it look like she has? She's trying to forget him, nice job."

Lauren was stunned, had he just said that to her? OMG! What a jerk! She responded, "Whatever," and waved it off.

Angela decided to brave another less confrontational topic of conversation, "So, Jessica, when's the party you were talking about earlier?"

Excited to talk, Jessica quickly replied, "Well, It's going to be Friday at my place. By the way you are all invited." She looked at Thomas and Bella and smiled, "Even you two can come! It'll be fun!"

Bella glanced at Thomas who was grinning. Oh god, I can see the wheels clicking in his brain. This is going to be an interesting week.

Thomas accepted the invite, "Bella and I would love to go!" He murmured to her, "Don't we!"

"Great!" Jessica exclaimed. From then till the bell rang she continued to talk about her preparations and other party stuff.

Departing was even more uncomfortable with awkward handshakes and hugs among the teens. Everyone trickled out of the cafeteria, but Thomas and Bella were slow.

He said, "That wasn't so bad now, was it?"

Bella shrugged her shoulders and responded begrudgingly with a "no, I guess not."

"You did fine and we even got invited to a party!"

"Yeah, like Charlie would let me go to a party," Bella stated.

"Hun, he wants you to enjoy yourself. I think he'll be fine with you going."

They were now outside the classrooms. Thomas turned before walking in, "Meet me by the car after school I HAVE to meet this infamous Jake."

Bella agreed and went to class. Well, I hope Jake's not too busy this afternoon, she thought as she faced another class with Mike staring at her uncomfortably.

A/N: Please Review! Interaction with Jake next chapter!:)