A New Dawn

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. No copyright infringement intended.

The rest is mine.

Chapter Eight

BPOV

Things remained pretty much the same at school. Cullen and I didn't speak except during tutoring. When I saw him in pottery, I did not look his way. It was easier this way. There didn't have to be any awkward moments and we didn't have to go through the unnecessary small talk.

He'd kept to his word, only talking about the essay.

On the third day of tutoring, I'd finished helping him.

"Thanks for helping me with this, Bella. I really appreciate it," he told me.

I scanned his face and he looked sincere enough, so I just nodded as he began putting his things away.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" I wondered aloud.

He stopped and glanced at me in curiosity. "Um, sure. What is it?"

"Whatever happened to Tanya and Jessica?" I asked casually, avoiding his eyes as I began gathering my own things.

He frowned slightly, but answered my question anyway. "Tanya moved to Alaska with her dad and Jessica…I think she moved to Michigan after."

"Oh," I mumbled.

I knew what he was referring to when he said after. After that day in the cafeteria.

His frown deepened, and he looked as if he wanted to tell me something else, but whatever it was, he kept it to himself.

"So, is that how you guys broke up? After she moved?" I asked, keeping myself busy by flipping through my textbook as I waited for a response.

I don't know why I was asking him these things. Maybe it was because I wanted answers or because I wanted some sort of closure. Maybe I was simply that curious as to what had happened to them that possessed me, but whatever the reason, I wanted to know.

He was silent for a long moment.

So long I had to look up to make sure he'd heard me. His eyebrows were knitted together in deep thought as he seemed conflicted, struggling with something. Maybe struggling to find the right words or a careful explanation.

"No," he answered hesitantly. "I—we broke up not long after…you left. We, um, well, I broke up with her."

"Oh," I mumbled lamely again, still unsure as to why I'd wanted to know.

He studied me for a moment then sighed.

"I—I'm not saying it's an excuse, but I was a terrible, stupid kid who was too busy worrying about my popularity status to realize what I was doing to myself and to others…like you. I was high and drunk half the time when I came to school, and it wasn't until my parents forced me to sober up that I realized how truly awful I'd been to you," he finished, sounding ashamed.

I avoided his eyes, looking anywhere but him.

I didn't know what to say or exactly how to respond. How did one respond to something as such? I'd be lying to him and myself if I told him that I forgave him, but his words still meant a small something.

I think he wanted to say something more, but he didn't. He finally stood and slung his book bag over his shoulder.

"I have to go, but I'll see you tomorrow? Same time?" he asked.

My head snapped up and my eyes shot to his.

What?

"You'll be at tutoring again tomorrow?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, if that's alright," he said slowly, unsure.

"Um, I guess," I mumbled, unsure. "You need help with something else?"

"Yes, if you don't mind. It a paper on the Elizabethan Era," he told me, surprisingly me with a real answer.

"Oh, okay. Yeah, I'll help," I agreed, shrugging.

He smiled. "Thanks."

I sighed. "It's my job."

EPOV

I could have finished the essay on my own and the Elizabethan Era paper, but I couldn't contain this growing urge to see Bella every day after school. I looked forward to it, in fact.

It was selfish of me, I know, but I was a selfish creature, I suppose.

When Bella asked me about Tanya and Jessica, I was a little surprised that she'd asked me. I wasn't surprised she'd wanted to know, but I was surprised she'd brought up the topic.

Tanya never felt remorse for what she'd done to Bella. My always being drunk or high wasn't a good excuse, but Tanya was always fully aware of what she was doing, and I actually bought Tanya's lies. She was a marvelous actress.

After I finally got my act together, I realized what I'd been doing, how awful I'd been acting, how awful I treated Bella. I'd allowed Tanya and her vicious lies to lure me in. After my head was clear I was disgusted with myself and what I'd allowed Tanya to do to Bella.

~*AND*~

BPOV

"Bella, can I talk to you for a second?" Alice asked me in first block.

She'd been extremely careful not to look at me since the Emmett incident, and I wondered what on earth she'd want to talk about now. She'd already tried to have her boyfriend and Rosalie's try to intimidate me.

I looked at her with annoyance, wondering if she was going to try to do what Whitlock and McCarthy couldn't.

"Depends. What's it about?" I demanded.

"I just feel terrible about what Jazz and Em did. I'm so sorry. You have to know that Rose and I never meant for it to happen. I mean, we told them we tried to approach you, but we would never put them up to something like that," she rushed, her mouth moving a mile a minute.

Internally, I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, thanks," I said shortly, flatly, turning away.

I figured it'd be a lot easier to just say that rather than give her another fuck you speech.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her frown, concern in her eyes.

"I really am sorry," she continued. "I don't know why they would do that, honest. They aren't the same people; none of us are."

I sighed tiredly."Okay."

You're pushing it, Brandon.

"I don't know what came over them. Jazz is just really protective. I'm not sure why Emmett did it though; he and Rose have been over for a while now, but I think he still has a burning candle for her."

I rubbed my temples as she continued her chatter.

"Alice," I interrupted.

She looked at me, finally ceasing her nonstop talking.

"I'm not trying to be a bitch or anything, but I—I just don't care if Emmett and Rosalie are together or if Jasper is your boyfriend or if you're sorry for what they did," I said calmly, turning to the front of the class again.

She blinked a few times, clearly a little taken back. Obviously, no one had ever respectfully told her to shut up.

I was tired of receiving their apologies. They meant nothing, and they changed nothing.

A/N: Hope you guys liked the update. Thanks for reading.

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