*A.N. – The explanation for my absense is at the end of the chapter ;)
For now guys, just enjoy :D*

I wasn't too surprised when my dad seemed fine about me going to the bonfire, he knew Billy would be there so he would watch out for me and he also knew Jacob and Leah were together, so I wouldn't be doing anything with Jacob and I guess he understood me, that I wouldn't be doing anything with guys while I was there, he did however hand me a new can of pepper spray though, "just in case".

I packed a small bag containing the essentials and also a wetsuit, I wasn't too keen on the idea of any late night swimming but Jacob had texted me asking me to bring it, I wasn't the type to keep a wetsuit but I had been to Forks before [obviously] and knew what to expect so I had bought a tight fitting one in Phoenix before I left. As I pushed it down to the bottom of my bag, hoping I wouldn't have to use it, I thought momentarily of how I would cringe when wearing something as tight as this, especially when going to meet a whole load of boys; I knew I had to push myself and stay confident, but it was hard to stay on track when ever natural instinct you have tells you to do the opposite.

I cooked Charlie his favourite, steak and chips, and left it in the freezer ready for him to stick the microwave when he returned home from work that night. I took with me a large bottle of water, it was an odd habit I had developed, I liked to take with me a bottle of water just in case all they had on offer was alcohol or a fizzy drink, because of my old eating habits I found that fizzy juice had to for my diet, although at some special occasions I would drink it, it certainly was not becoming a permanent feature once more, it had been a great attribute to my weight just a few years before and I was petrified its return would cause me problems.

I left the house aggravated and slightly dysfunctional due to text message I had received just seconds before from a certain Edward Cullen. I knew he must have asked for my number to apologize, which he did do, but I hated that he could bring me to this state by just popping his head in and out of my life at his pleasure, my head spun and I worried about my driving skills as my concentration, I knew, would not be perfect.

I slung my bag onto the passenger seat, flinging myself down on the drivers'. I turned the key in the ignition and watched as the arrow turned from low to high on the gas measure, the speed stayed at zero as I intended for it to stay for a little while. I turned the heating onto full blast and hit the radio on, twirling the dial until some decent music hit my ears, actually, I suppose it wasn't really that decent, but it fitted my mood; Fuck it – Seether. My head swung forward and backwards in time to the music, I took my phone out of my pocket just as the music turned into a near screamo rock out, I had left it with the text still open, I looked over the words of apology and smiled. It was bittersweet but it was true.

By texting me he had just made his life worse, I restrained my irate mind and sent back a text.
'I'm sorry for being horrible too,
Now that Iv thought about it all
you're right, it's time to start over.
- Bella'
It would be time to start over, and Edward Cullen would have the shock of his life waiting for him when I started my relationship over with him. I could see his life falling around him now, and I would make it worse. A hell of alot worse.

My truck roared in pain as I took it straight out of reverse and quickly up to 50 miles per hour. I didn't care for once if I was speeding, I was getting out of Forks and into La push where I could drop most of the act and feel at home.

I reached Jakes house in 20 minutes due to the speed I had pushed my truck to drive at; he was there to meet me on the steps with Leah and a few of his friends, Embry, Quil and Seth [Seth was Leah's little brother].

I stepped out, the cold, crisp air took its chance to fill my lungs, refreshing my mind; clearing my head. I walked towards them as they called their welcomes, I waved back, suddenly my mind felt overworked, like I had pretended to be happy one too many times, the smile on my face felt more wrong than usual, my face felt taught, stretched to its limits. Leah walked towards me and hugged me, steadying me as I became slightly out of breath; a small panic had been arousing in me. All of them standing there, waiting for me, welcoming me; it felt unreal, like a dream.

"Bella, what's wrong?" Leah asked, patting my back as I calmed myself down.

"Uhm," I thought fast, "I nearly ran over a dog," I giggled slightly to show I knew I was being silly for my 'over reaction'.

"Ohhh," she breathed a sigh of relief; "you had me all worried there!" she grasped my hand and turned to everyone, "Bella nearly hit a dog, scared her a little bit,"

They laughed good naturedly and I smiled back at them, Leah smiled directly at me and it reminded me of the sweet smile of Angela Webber, I felt momentary sadness, even though I had lived without her as a best friend for a long time, I missed her still when I thought of her.

I thought of one of the specific times we had been together, Angela and I, and life had refused to let our friendship stick together, to be interrupted...

Memory [7 years ago]

I bent over to tie my lace then back up to face the door, it was time to get Angela and go trick or treating. I was mildly excited but partially frightened as I knew it would only be a matter of time before we bumped into them, the chances were slim to none that we wouldn't see them the whole night.

I had two choices, I could have asked Angela's mom to come with us and got made fun of the next day in school or I could go alone and get it over with tonight. I chose the latter. This decision led to me now shaking as I threw the white shawl across my all but bare shoulders. I had chosen to be a fairy this year; my mom had time to make a costume as she had been off work due to a broken ankle.

She took me to the material shop in a taxi and together we had picked out the colours I wanted, I ended up with a baby pink, white and some thin lining of baby blue. I was proud of my mom as it was beautiful, my favourite thing she had ever given me; she had ever got the foil to make me wings, strips of pink, blue and silver were entwined around the sides of the wings.

I opened the door and shouted up my goodbye to my mother who was in the bath, I took the spare key from the side of the wall and locked the door behind me, just in case.

A couple of hours later and we (Angela and I) were lugging around heavy bags full of all sorts of candies, fruit, nuts, some families had even given us cheap cartons of sweet juice. I was shivering again as we turned into the next block of houses, we would be going home in half an hour's time and I didn't know if I could carry the heavy bag in the cold for that long. I badly wanted to ask to go home early but I didn't want to ruin Angela's time – she was in her element, Angela wasn't allowed many sweets in the house, and now that her twin brothers had been born she didn't get much time spent on her as she should in my opinion, but her mom had taken the time to create Angela's wondrous costume – she was a golden princess. Her face literally shone with happiness, the skin on her face was painted, made up to look as if she was some sort of Egyptian goddess and every time people opened the door they would seem to openly gawk at the wonders of Angela's costume – her gran, Angela had told me, had been a costume designer for the likes of the rolling stones in their early days. So it seemed like her mother had either gained her skill or her gran had taken charge, it didn't look like an amateur attempt, and I was sure that my costume next to it looked ridiculously babyish, even though I loved it and it was good.

I settled for asking how many more houses she wanted to go to still, "Uhh, how many more to go?"

"Maybe just this street, it should only take about 20 minutes, these bags are getting heavy," she spoke with a huge grin on her face and I resisted the urge to stomp my foot and demand we go home right that minute before my fingers became numb. Instead in nodded and we continued down the path to where the next house with their light turned on was.

It was huge, and covered in great, dark, gruesome decorations, the lights were dimmed but on and the pumpkins were lining the pathway, also some were visible on the inside windowsill, they obviously invited us in.

However, I did have a bad gut feeling, some houses had been even scarier than this one yet this was still the one I felt we should give a miss. I was about to tell Angela this when she skipped down the pathway, I followed her keeping my mouth closed, frightened.

Angela took the initiative and grabbed hold of the knocker, whacking it twice against the door, I felt my eyes widen in shock at her confidence. We heard some rustling, some people talking then through the thin curtains we saw the dark shape walking towards us.

I imagined a bald vile old man, unshaven with a putrid smell of alcohol lingering about him, the type with dirty fingernails which are discoloured to a yellow due to an overfed cigarette craving, so one can imagine my shock when one of the most beautiful woman I'm sure has ever lived opened the door.

I knew straight away exactly who it was, I had seen her many times watching our school plays and even at some of the school discos – this was Rosalie Hale's mother.

Every time I saw Rosalie's mother I always wondered how she could be so perfect yet so sad looking – her eyes seemed sunken into her face, her makeup was slightly overdone on such a beautiful face and I wondered if it was to cover up whatever pain she might be hiding. For being so young I was still quite intuitive.

Although I felt a distinct chilled fear creep down my back I continued to smile at her, marvelling at her perfect teeth when she smiled, even though it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Trick or treat," Angela whispered, breaking the moment. My eyes still searched her face in wonder, I wanted to understand, I couldn't help it, I hated to see people in this state and to see someone that was practically perfect have trouble like this... It made me see it wasn't only me with problems.

"Uhhh," she answered, tearing her glance from my face, "two seconds and I'll get the candy," I felt bad for causing her to take any type of interest in me, I had been staring too hard and it had obviously mad her uncomfortable which hadn't been my intention at all. She walked away, she had the same sass to her walk that Rosalie had but not quite as obvious, more graceful. I worried momentarily about Rosalie and the rest of them turning up but then decided that they would be out on Halloween having fun.

I turned to face Angela, "Do you know who that is?" I murmured.

Angela shook her head, confused.

"That's Rosalie Hales mother," I informed her, watching as her eyes widened with shock and she grabbed my hand.

"Should we run away?" she asked, pulling on my hand a little and turning to the side, looking about the desolate street.

I was surprised by her conclusion, "not at all, it's not Rosalie's mom who's a bitch," Angela raised an eyebrow at the use of the word 'bitch' her mom and dad were devout Christians and she had never been allowed to swear, she didn't like it when I did either and as swearing never particularly interested me I hardly ever used it, but when I did, I found that Angela always appeared to be disappointed in my word choice.

"Okay then, but can we go home after this, I don't feel like trick or treating anymore, "I was about to agree with her when I heard a voice I could never mistake.

"Rosalie," we both whispered, turning to each other in horror.

"...We're leaving to meet friends in ten minutes mom, I need to leave I don't have time to help!" She sounded extremely spoiled as she whined at her mother, they were both completely out of sight and I pleaded with whoever was listening to the voices in my head to protect me from the girl, hoping she wouldn't be told to come to the door with candy, but as always, life isn't so perfect.

Seconds later, my heart thumped as I someone shuffled to the door, swinging it open wide. I just managed to suppress a gasp, Angela wasn't quite so subtle; she gave some sort of quite squeal grabbing my hand tightly.

Rosalie Hale's eyes narrowed as she shouted to her mother, "Mom these are my friend from school, is it okay if I invite her in?" I shook my head violently and her eyebrows lifted in silent threat.

I bit my lip in fear, her mom shouted her consent and she grasped my hand, pulling me harshly into the house, breaking Angela's hand away from mine, and whispering in an angry growl at her, "get the hell away from here, don't tell anyone where Bella is, I'll have her home in less than an hour, don't worry about it," she smirked nastily.

I shook as I nodded at Angela; for a moment she seemed pretty torn, but then Rosalie, signalled for her to leave and she turned, begging my forgiveness in one look, but I had instructed her to leave me, I couldn't blame Angela for my misfortune.

"Get upstairs," Rosalie instructed me, "second door on the left," I bolted up the stairs as she pushed into my back anytime she came close behind me.

I walked quickly to the door she had instructed me to go to, trying very hard not to think about what fate possibly had in store for me. I turned the brass door knob, taking a quick glance at my surroundings before I entered: there was a huge bed, a king size I would guess, covered in baby pink silks and fluffy blankets, embroidered cushions and cuddly toys. On it sat the three people I had been dreading I would have to meet; Tanya, Emmett and Edward.

Their eyes widened with shock when they saw me, they were all munching away at snacks, pulling more candy out of the bulging bags. "Where did you find the stray?" Edward laughed, patting the cushion beside him, an invitation for me to take a seat next to him.

Rosalie pushed me hard in the back in his direction, I tripped slightly and caught myself before I sat down, as they all giggled. Edward swung his arm around my shoulders as he spoke, "what fun we'll have tonight," he murmured, before moving his snake like hand to the bag of my hair and standing up quickly, pulling me up squealing beside him.

He ripped my wings of my back, pulling at them with all his strength. I gasped as he threw down my mom's hard work on the floor. My mom had worked so long and hard on those and to see them ruined by some stupid boy angered me; for once I saw red, and I drew back my fist, smacking him squarely in the stomach – all of a sudden they were all on top of me, they had gotten to me so quickly that Edward was still finishing his first yell of pain by the time Fists were smacking into my own vast stomach.

I closed my eyes tightly, whimpering as Edward now stood away, cheering the four of them on as if they were his dogs.

It felt good to punch Edward Cullen; it was worth it for once.

END MEMORY

We all had dinner in Jakes sitting room, squished onto sitting on the floor, on the edges of the two oversized couches, everyone tapping their feet to the rhythm of the music coming from the cherry-wood record player which I was informed was in fact Leah's. Everyone was having their own discussions in groups of twos in three in different parts of the room – I watched as Billy kept his eyes on the lovesick pair, as Leah and Jacob rose from the floor giggling with their hands in each other's Billy made hast to wheel in front of the door; he must have guessed what would happen long before even the two of them knew what they were doing, "sit back down kids," he said in calm voice which contained only the slightest hint of a threat, but it was enough to wipe the smile from both of their faces. "You're friends are in so sit back down and socialise, where I can keep an eye on you both," he winked at Jake patronizingly and Jake scowled, turning with Leah and planking themselves down where they had just come from.

I watched the many couples around the room – there must have been about twenty teenagers cramped into the room – listening to some weird beat. I knew I didn't really belong here.

I was sitting alone, Embry and Quil had both vied for my attention just 10 minutes earlier, but I wasn't looking for someone to make out with – especially boys that I was looking forward to becoming good friends with.

Just then Embry shimmied his way through the crowds, calling my name, "Bellllla!"

"Yes?"I answered, hoping he wasn't coming to hint for a date again.

"Jacob wants to know if you're game for a swim now, only the five of us are going so...?" He trailed off waiting for my answer. I assumed he meant, him, Quil, Jacob, Leah and I when he spoke of the five of us.

I was mildly comfortable with them all so I nodded my head and he grinned. "This is gonna be hell of a night," he bellowed.

A.N. – Sorry sorry sorry, I know I've taken ages but I have exams coming up and to top it off I've broken my right elbow [the hand I write with so it now takes an absolute age to type something :/:(

I've missed you guys, I'm now stuck in the house and I can't even type right lol, I know this is a sneaky ask, but take pity on me and review lol... Please :)*

Love you guys ;)