A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed/favorited/followed! All mistakes are mine. I hope ya'll like this chapter! This chapter isn't as long as the last, but I had to stop it where I did! Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

"I don't want to be left behind. Distance was a friend of mine. Catching breath in a web of lies, I've spent most of my life…" – Kelly Clarkson

Chapter 11

BPOV

December 2008

I wake up and immediately feel Edward's strong arms around me. I slowly turn around to face him. He's so beautiful when he sleeps. He looks so peaceful. I can't help but think about how my feelings keep getting stronger for him. He is all that I think about now. He consumes my every thought, every action.

I stare at his lips and all I can think about is how his lips felt against mine. It had been months ago, but every time I think about it, I can perfectly recall the feeling of his lips on mine. I want to reach out and touch them, so I do. I softly press my thumb to his bottom lip and drag it down. I keep doing this until he wakes up. I can feel his stare on me as I continue to run my fingers across his lips.

"You're staring." I whisper.

"I'm gazing."

I roll my eyes. "It's creepy."

He chuckles at my statement. "It's romantic."

It's my turn to chuckle. I love the way I feel when I am with him. He makes me feel so free and cherished, two things I have never had the privilege of feeling before. I sigh and bury my head into his chest. He smells really good.

"As much as I would rather stay here for the rest of the day, I have practice I need to get to and you need to get home."

Shit. I had forgotten about home. I tense, unintentionally and I know Edward noticed.

"You can tell me anything, you know."

I wish he wouldn't say that to me. He's lying. No one really wants to know about other people's problems. They only say that to may you think they care. He doesn't really want to know, but I desperately need to tell someone. I can't keep living in fear of Phil. I can't even sleep at night anymore because I am so fucking terrified that something is going to happen to me if I do fall asleep. For the past three weeks I have been fighting tooth and nail with the pain pills on sleep. I have barely slept an hour a day since the accident. Neither Phil nor Renee have said anything about it, but I just know that something is going to happen. They don't let "accidents" go unpunished. I am literally living in hell at home. School has been my only reprieve. My thoughts turn back to Edward when I see him staring at me intently.

I don't say anything after that. I merely shake my head. I stand up and grab his hand. We walk back down the trail in silence. His hand stays firmly in mine. I miraculously make it down the woods without any incident. We get in Edward's Volvo and he drives in silence to my house. When we get there, I don't immediately get out. I don't want to leave him.

This has been almost perfect. I only wished I hadn't hit Tanya. I was, and still am, mortified that I am capable of hitting someone. I hurt someone they way that Phil hurts me. I felt like such a monster after it happened, but somehow Edward managed to calm me down. I still don't fully believe him when he says that she deserved it. No one, not even Tanya Denali, deserves to be hit. I would know.

"So, there is this party at Emmett's house Friday night after the game. I was wondering, well more like hoping, if you would want to go, you know, with me." He looks sheepish.

I blush and shake my head no.

"You've been talking to me this entire day, Bella. Don't stop now."

I sigh and realize that he is right. I have been speaking to him all the time. He just makes me feel so comfortable and wanted. It's hard not to talk to him. "It's not that I don't want to, Edward. I just can't."

"Because of your foster parents?"

I nod my head.

"If I ask them and they say yes, would you go with me then?" He asks with a mischievous smile on his face.

"Well, yeah, but they won't say –"

"Shhhhh." He presses his finger to my lips. "You let me worry about them, alright? I'll take care of everything."

I nod my head and slowly get out of the car. I start to take off the jacket he gave me before we went to the meadow, but he stops me. "Keep it. It looks better on you anyway." He smiles when I blush.

I wave at him from the door to my house and go inside. I walk upstairs to my bedroom and take some pain medicine. I would never tell Edward or his doctor of a father this, but my head is still pounding just as bad as it did when I first hit it. I don't know what is wrong with me. The medicine doesn't seem to do anything but make me want to sleep even though I fight that back.

I don't have long before Renee gets home. As soon as I hear her car pull up, I rush downstairs and start cooking dinner. Renee made it very clear that once my elbow was out of that sling, I had to resume all my work around the house. I get to work on dinner and Renee completely ignores me when she walks in. I exhale in relief. I did not want her to ruin my near perfect day.

I quickly finish cooking and set everything out on the table and I scurry back into my room.

**TCWT**

The rest of the school week goes by really fast. Everyone I pass by in the hallway says something about the Tanya incident. Most people say something like, "Way to go Freak! You got rid of the wicked bitch of the west!" While others just merely say, "good job." They don't want to talk to the Freak any more than they have to.

While I am glad that people are treating me a little nicer, I still wish hitting Tanya was the reason behind it. But with each passing comment, I can always feel Edward's hand of reassurance on the small of my back. I know as long as he is with me, I can face anything.

Edward has still made no attempt to talk to Phil or Renee about Emmett's party. It's happening tonight after the game and I am slightly worried that Edward forgot about me. He hasn't mentioned it since he asked me. He probably just realized that he could take any girl in this school. I knew he was just settling by taking me. There's no way that he actually likes me like that, is there?

I am so caught up in my thoughts that I don't even realize that Edward and I have stopped walking. He's staring at me like I am something precious, so I can't help but blush and break his gaze. He smirks at me and I playfully shove his arm.

"Come on, let's go to lunch." He says.

When we get to our usual lunch table, I am surprised to see Rosalie already sitting there with Emmett. I look to Edward in confusion, but he just smiles reassuringly and pulls me over to the table.

"So you two are both coming to my party tonight right? It's going to be lit, man!"

I chuckle to myself about Emmett's choice of words and look to Edward for his answer. Are we both going? Does he still want to take me? Worry starts to build up in my stomach until Edward finally says, "Don't worry, Em, we'll be there. It's still right after the game right?"

"Right, but only if we win. No way in hell, I am going to throw a party after a loss."

Edward rolls his eyes. "We're not going to lose, man. Have I taught you anything this year? Edward Cullen does not lose."

"That's a lot of cockiness for someone who is only a sophomore." Rosalie pipes in. "I mean seriously. Forks High School football has always sucked ass. Just because you guys have won a few games, doesn't mean that you're going to win every game."

"I don't lose, Rosalie. What can I say? I never have, and I never fucking will." I can tell Edward is annoyed at Rosalie's comment. He looks pissed off. I squeeze his hand and immediately his face softens. He squeezes back and he looks to me.

"I was thinking I could take you home after school and I could talk to your parents about the party then? Is that okay?"

I nod my head. Part of me knows that, logically, Phil and Renee won't let me go, but the other part of me is daring to hope that they'll let me. I want to be with Edward outside of school for once.

The rest of the days flies by and before I know it, the final bell rings. I walk outside my class to find Edward leaning up against the wall waiting for me. I walk over to him and he wraps his arm around me and pulls me to him. I sigh and hug him back. My body fits perfectly in line with his. My head comes up right below his chin and my body molds in with his. I don't know how long we stay close like that but eventually he says, "Come on, let's go get you permission to go to a party."

We walk to his car and head off towards my house. When we pull in, I am thankful that the cruiser isn't in the driveway. There is only Renee's Honda Civic parked there. We walk up to the porch steps until I feel Edward tug on my elbow. "Just play along with me, okay?"

I look at him suspiciously, but nod anyway. What is he planning?

We walk in to find Renee in the living room on the couch watching TV. She doesn't even look up when we close the door behind us.

"It's about damn time you got home! I want you to make chicken stir fry for dinner and the laundry basket is overflowing again."

I don't say anything. I am too embarrassed that Edward just heard her talk to me like that. Edward grabs my hand and starts stroking his thumb across my hand reassuringly. Eventually, he answers Renee for me.

"Hello Renee, how are you today?"

I see Renee's head whip around when she hears Edward's voice.

"What are you doing here, boy? Come to accuse me of hurting my daughter again?"

"Actually, I came to ask a favor of you."

She glares at him.

"Tonight is a really big game for football tonight, but we also have a biology test next Monday. I am afraid to say that I do not understand what is going on in class and I need more of Bella's help."

"Get on with the favor, boy. I am losing interest."

Edward dials up the charm. "I was hoping that with you being the wonderful parent you are, you would let Bella accompany me to the game tonight. We can study before my game and afterwards. I am sure you, being as beautiful and kind as you are, can let your daughter help me out, right?

"I don't think –"

"Of course you remember that if we win this game we are another game closer to getting your beautiful face on television, right? A face like yours belongs on television and the only way I can help with that is if I win my football games. I can't win my football games unless I pass my classes. If I can't have Bella's help with school, then I can't pass my classes. Do you see my predicament here? If I don't get your daughter's help, then your gorgeous face won't get on TV! We both know that we would be depriving the entire world of your stunning face, if this doesn't happen." He has on his best please – let – me – do – this – look.

Renee seems to be at a loss for words. She is quiet for a moment until she finally says, "Alright, she can go, but you have to do your chores first." She looks at me pointedly.

I look up to Renee in amazement. I frantically nod my head and rush to the laundry room. I can faintly here Edward talking to Renee some more. I hurry through my chores and cooking dinner. I finish in record time and I walk over to where Edward and Renee are talking to signal Edward that I am ready.

"I'll have her home by 11:30 like we agreed. I hope you have a night as wonderful as you are, Renee." And with that, we leave.

When we get to Edward's car, I wrap my arms around him.

"Thank you so much, Edward. I can't tell you what this means to me." I whisper.

He kisses my forehead and wraps his arms around me before answering. "I told you I would do anything for you, didn't I?" He looks at me pointedly.

I nod my head and release my grip on him and get inside his car. We drive to the school in silence. His game is about to start. He leaves me by the almost full bleachers to go change into his uniform.

His game goes by fairly quickly and they win, just like Edward said they would. I can't help the excitement that builds up in me when he finds me after the game. I can't help but notice how good he looks in his dark wash jeans and light blue shirt. He runs up to me and picks me up in a giant hug.

"I am so happy you don't have to go home right now. Let's go before we're late."

We drive in silence to Emmett's party. We finally park at a huge house that has all the lights turned on and over one hundred people outside. I suddenly feel nervous. Maybe going to a school party wasn't my best idea.

When we get out of Edward's car, I tense up at all the noise. The music is so loud and there are people everywhere and we haven't even gotten inside yet. I grab onto Edward's arm tighter and he chuckles at me. "Don't worry, baby, I've got you."

He pulls me over to the front door and he takes me inside. It is even louder inside than it is outside, if that's even possible.

There are bodies dancing and grinding everywhere. I see Mike Newton grab onto Jessica Stanley's ass while she grinds her front into him. I start to feel extremely uncomfortable. Does Edward expect that out of me? I don't think I even know how to dance, let alone grind. And just the thought of anyone touching me anywhere other than normal makes me want to cringe.

I am pulled out of my thoughts when Edward says, "That's sick, isn't it?" He gestures to where Mike and Jessica are dancing. "The way they are all over each other in the middle of a bunch of people, it makes me sick. Come on, let's get a drink. Do you want a beer or a shot?"

The look on my face must have answered him for me. "Okay, no alcohol. I'm going to go see if Emmett has a water bottle in the kitchen. Do you think you'll be okay over here by yourself for a few minutes?"

I really didn't want him to leave me, but I feel the need to show him that I am just as strong and independent as everyone else. I nod my head and he lets go of my hand. I watch him walk off into the crowd of people.

I look around for anyone I might be able to be with while Edward is gone. I don't see Jacob or Emmett or Seth anywhere. I start to wonder around, hoping to find someone.

Ten minutes pass by and I begin to worry. Edward said he'd only be a few minutes, so where is he? I am so lost in my thoughts about Edward that I don't even realize that I am walking into the middle of a giant crowd of people until I bump into someone. Tanya. A small portion of her drink spills on me and she looks up to see that is me who bumped into her.

"You."

I gulp. I haven't seen Tanya sense I slapped her at school on Monday. I was hoping that the next time I saw her, Edward would be with me. So much for wishful thinking.

"You little bitch! First you get me suspended from school and the football game, you slap me, and now you bump into me and make me spill my fucking drink!"

By now almost the entire room is quiet. Someone turned off the music and now everyone is staring at the confrontation between Tanya and me.

"What? Cat got your tongue? Oh wait, the cat would have to come near you and we all know that nothing is desperate enough to touch your tongue!"

I don't say anything. I try to turn around and go back the way I came, but Tanya grabs me by my arm and yanks me back. "Leaving so soon? The fun was just getting started. Who the hell even invited the Freak to this party anyway? No one wants to be around the smelly, ugly – ass creature that we already have to share our school with and now it gets invited to the after parties! What a fucking joke!" The entire room bursts out in laughter and my face becomes as red as a cherry. I lower my head in shame. I can't help if I smell. I only get to shower when Renee lets me – which is not very often. I don't exactly have a lot of clothes that I can wear every day either. I have one pair of jeans and three shirts, not even a bra. It is all I have ever had. "Make sure you don't get to close to it either. You'll catch it's Freak disease!"

I need to get out of here. Where the hell is Edward? I just want him to take me home. I can't deal with this on my own. I try once more to escape the crowd of people that has surrounded me and Tanya. Once again, she yanks me back, this time by my hair. I yelp in pain. My head still hurts from my concussion, so yanking my hair does not help the pain factor.

"Where do you think you're going, you little shithead? I'm not finished with you. I think your outfit is missing something and I know exactly what it is." I glance down at my jacket at the exact moment that Tanya says, "This." I feel something wet and stick coat my face and my jacket. She threw her fucking beer on me. I am so embarrassed. I don't even look up at her as I run outside. No one tries to stop me this time. I hear their laughter as I run as fast as I can to the road.

I have no idea where Edward is, but I can't stay there anymore. I knew better than to come to this stupid party in the first place. I can feel tears burning the back of my eyes but I don't let them fall.

I haven't cried over anything since I was six years old. Renee told me that crying was a sign of weakness and if anyone ever saw me cry, they would think I was weak. I haven't cried since. I am not weak. I refuse to be. If this is the only thing I can choose in the world, then I choose to be strong.

I keep walking away from Emmett's house. I have no idea where I am going. I have only ever been to Forks High School, my house, the hospital, and the single grocery store in Forks the entire time I have lived in this tiny town. I am getting myself hopelessly lost. This is exactly where I want to be. Away from everyone and everything in this world.

I have been walking for about ten minutes when I start to realize how cold it is outside. The wind is blowing harshly and it's starting to rain. I am probably going to get sick from being out here. Another 20 minutes pass by and I hear a car pull up behind me. I don't stop to look back and see who it is. I keep on walking and eventually whoever is in the car, shuts their car down and gets out.

"Damn it, Bella. Will you stop walking away from me?" It is not the voice I expected to hear. It's Emmett. I slowly turn around and face him.

"Come on and get in the car, it's fucking freezing out here."

I snort at him, but I don't move from where I am standing.

"Come on, Bella. Don't make me drag your ass into my car."

I glared at him. He wouldn't. I raise my eyebrow at him, challenging him.

It's as if he read my mind. "Oh, yes I fucking would. I'm not fucking playing, Bella. Get in the damn car. I've already had one hell of a night and I really don't want to make it any worse."

I roll my eyes. His night couldn't have been any worse than mine.

"Are we going to do this the easy way or the hard way? Cause I can do both, it doesn't matter to me. Either way, you are getting in my car and we are going back to my house."

I huff and turn around, walking away from where Emmett is standing. I know he won't do anything, so I call his bluff.

Not five seconds later, I hear Emmett come up right behind me. "Don't say I didn't give you a fair warning." With that, he puts one arm under my legs and one arm around my back. He is carrying me back to his car. I can't help but scream at his sudden actions and I am immediately transported back to my first week living with Phil and Renee.

It was my first few days in Phil and Renee's house. They had been really sweet to me while the social worker was here, so I thought that's how they acted all the time. Renee even gave me ice cream for dinner the first night I stayed with them! I thought they were the coolest parents ever. Boy, was my four – year – old self ever wrong.

The day after the social worker had turned in all the papers that Phil and Renee had to sign to get the money for taking care of me, I saw who they really were. I hadn't spoken a word to anyone since the fire happened with my real parents. I was still too traumatized to do so. So, when Phil had asked what was for dinner one night when he got off work, I didn't answer. He was so angry. My little four – year – old brain was too small to realize that Phil came home drunk off his ass. I don't know why he was so angry at me for not answering his question, but I didn't have much time to react before he grabbed me by the hand and yanked me across the room.

"I asked you a fucking question!"

I didn't say anything. I just crawled into the corner and tried to make myself disappear. This only made him angrier. He walked over to me and grabbed me by my hair.

"When I ask you a question, you better fucking answer it!"

I finally get the picture and nod my head at him.

"Good little bitch. I think it's time you get out of my hair and go up to your fucking room!"

Phil bent down and yanked me up by legs. He put his arm around my back and cradled me a little too tightly to his chest. He carried me all the way upstairs like this. I can hardly breathe. He throws me up against the wall by my bed and I cry out on the impact.

"I hope you learned your fucking lesson, girl."

I don't even realize that Emmett put me back down until I feel the freezing cold ground on my ass. I hear a loud screeching noise, but I can't figure out where it is coming from.

"Bella, hey, calm down. I'm not going to hurt you."

Oh shit. The screeching noise is me. I immediately close my mouth.

"Good girl. I didn't mean to scare you, Bella. I am so sorry. Are you okay? I didn't hurt you when I picked you up, did I?"

I shake my head no. I still don't understand why he is here, out in the middle of nowhere, looking for me.

"Come on, we're going back to my house. Edward has been freaking out looking for you."

I look up at him when he said Edward's name. Where did he go? Why wasn't he there when Tanya poured her beer on me? Where has he been the whole fucking party? He just left me there, right when I needed him the most. Just like everyone else.

Oh no. He's already done with me. I feel my throat tighten and my insides squeeze at the thought of it. My only friend is already sick and tired of me. I didn't think it would happen this soon. I can't go back to living in hell. Edward was the only thing I had worth living for.

I can't breathe I can feel my whole world get dizzy. I feel nauseous. I feel like I am going to pass out. My breathing gets heavier.

"Whoa, hey, calm down. I don't need you having a panic attack on my watch. Edward's already ready to kick my ass not finding you at the party."

What?

"Come on, Bella. You're going to get hypothermia or some shit if we don't get you out of the cold right now."

He offers me his hand. I stare at it for a moment. I can do this. Just take his hand. Emmett is not Phil. He won't hurt me. I slowly bring my hand up to his, but as I reach his hand, I can't help the flinch that comes out of me when our hands touch.

I hope he doesn't notice, but he does. His face scrunches up as if he is in pain. Then, his face softens. "I'm not going to hurt you, okay? I just want to get you somewhere safe and out of the rain, alright?"

I nod my head. I am freezing out here and I can't afford to get sick.

Emmett doesn't offer me his hand when I get up. He doesn't try to touch me and for that, I am grateful. I don't want any kind of physical interaction right now. Not with Phil on my mind, and not with the whole thing with Tanya that just went down.

He leads me to the passenger side door and shuts it behind me after I get in. We drive in silence back to Emmett's house. I can vaguely here Emmett talking on his phone to somebody. I shut him out.

I don't want to go back there and have to face everyone, but I don't have much of a choice. Edward brought me here and he promised he'd take me back. I hope he'll stay true to that even if he's done with me.

"Come on. We can get in through the back." I am so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't even notice that we had arrived back at the party. Emmett comes to my door and looks at me. "I'll get you a towel when we get inside, I just need to get you to Edward right now, alright Bella?"

I gulp and nod. I don't want to face Edward. I don't want to see the look in his eyes when he tells me that he is done with me. I won't be able to bear it.

I hop down from the jeep and Emmett tries to take my hand once more. I automatically flinch at his touch. His face drops and he looks so dejected, but I can't help it. He doesn't say anything as he leads me back through the house. People do stare at us as we walk inside the house. A few people even bumped in to me and said "Watch it, bitch! I don't want to catch your fucking Freak disease!" I just keep my head lowered in shame and embarrassment. Why the hell did I come back with Emmett again?

We finally stop and go inside what I assume to be his room. Inside, I find Rosalie and Edward almost nose to nose with each other. I can't help the gasp that escapes me as I realize what we just walked in on. They were about to kiss. He said he wanted me. He said he would wait for me. He said that we wanted to kiss me and not even a week later, I walk in to find him so close to another girl. I can't believe I let myself hope for anything with him. I can't believe that I was naïve enough to believe that he gave a shit about me.

I am about to walk right back out the door and walk home when Emmett grabs me once more. I didn't expect it, so when he touches me, I screech and jump away from him. I didn't see where I was going, but I managed to jump right in to a wall and smack my head against it. The last thing I remember is Edward yelling my name before my whole world goes black. And for once, I welcome the darkness.

A/N: Thoughts? Anyone catch the Vampire Diaries quote at the beginning of the chapter? What do you think happened to Edward at the party? Why do you think Rosalie and Edward were in Emmett's room together? Tell me what you think! Reviews make me write faster!