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There's an undercurrent of hysteria in classes today as everyone whispers about Jessica's Facebook offer. Every class has been full of giggling and whispers. Jessica is wandering around with a slightly superior smile and replacing her lip gloss every five minutes. The teachers are noticing everyone's lack of attention and are becoming snappy and my own irritation levels are going through the roof.

As the day goes on I realize that Jessica must have chosen today specifically because we have a free period before lunch, so it would be easier for her to make it to the 1pm assignation. She and an ever-growing group of supporters are apparently planning to hang around in the classroom so I determinedly make for the library. On the way I bump into Eric Yorkie, editor of the school rag and all round dork extraordinaire. "Bella!" he exclaims in my face "You're coming at lunchtime to help me with the layouts, right?"

Shit. If my day weren't bad enough already now I have to spend an hour listening to Yorkie crap on about shit he's seen on the internet and smiling at his crap jokes while fending off any attempts to ask me on a date. Internally groaning I pull a tight smile and nod as enthusiastically as I can manage. "I'll see you there" I say pleasantly and take off before I can watch Mike Newton nudge him suggestively and make some innuendo about layouts as he does regularly every fortnight when Eric asks me that same question. I step briskly away to the library where I find the most isolated cubicle and throw myself down in the chair, stubbing the same toe from this morning painfully against the metal desk leg in the process. I'm about to scream in pain and frustration as I ask the Chandler question, "Could this day get any worse?"

Almost an hour later, it becomes apparent that the answer to that question is in fact, yes. I'm still sitting at the desk, with my earbuds in, listening to music to try to take my mind off the fact that I was unable to concentrate enough even to read a simple novel. I'm absent mindedly twirling my hair and rolling my neck when I feel a slithering sensation and I discover that my necklace with it's white crystal that my Mom gave me for power or balance or luck or something has come undone. The crystal ball charm has dropped down my top and managed to bypass my insubstantial cleavage. I trap it against my stomach and pull at the necklace. A quick examination shows me that its not broken, the catch simply popped open, which has happened before. I try to put it back on but no matter how I strain my chin against my chest I just can't see enough. I'm sick of trying to distract myself anyway, so I decide that I'll go back to my locker and pick up the stuff for the afternoon and then head to the classroom.

I stash my bag in my locker and then head to the girls' bathroom along the corridor outside our classroom, clutching my necklace in one hand. I'm still putting my keys away in my jeans pocket when I reach the bathroom so partly out of convenience and partly to release some tension I kick the heavy door open. Hard.

It swings back with a violence that surprises me. The other thing that surprises me is the high pitched scream from inside, the brief glimpse of a figure clutching its face and the continuing cries of "Owwwwww… fuck!" I stop fumbling with my keys and gently push the door open. There is Jessica, with her hands up to her face screaming.

Oooops.

I'm just starting to apologise when she takes her hand away from her nose briefly and we both realize that it is covered in blood. There is a collective horrified gasp in the background and then I become aware that four or five of Jessica's closest friends are standing around the room, frozen in horror.

I'm still just beginning on a long and sincere apology when Jessica stops screaming "Oww" and starts screaming "You fugging idiot! You've brogen my node!" Her words break the immobility spell which seems to have fallen over everyone and we all rush her to the sink. Lauren starts wetting paper towels and passing them to Jessica, which even in my state of shock impresses me as a very practical thing to do and Tanya wads them up and hands them to Jessica to press over her face. Jessica tips her head back but then straightens up immediately complaining of blood choking her and everything turns into a chaos of people lamenting, asking to see the damage, offering suggestions to fix the damage or offering opinions on the extent of the injury while I continue to stand at the edge of the group muttering futile apologies and trying not to see any of the blood welling out through the towels and over her fingers into the sink because I've never really been able to stand the sight of blood.

No amount of paper towels soaked in cold water seem able to stop Jessica's nose from bleeding but they certainly do a number on her carefully applied makeup, especially the liquid eyeliner. The other girls do their best but after a few minutes Lauren suggests that she needs to go to the nurse.

"Doh!" howls Jessica from behind the towels which is not in fact a reference to Homer Simpson but is actually a negative response signaling refusal. She tries some more classic maneuvers such as tipping her head backwards but the blood continues to flow. She finally notices my apologetic noises and snaps "You idiod, Bella. Ged oudda here!"

I'm a little hurt by this. It was purely an accident on my part. I try offering one more apology with a little explanation and just a touch of self-justification but she rebuffs me again and Lauren gives me a scowl and a whispered "You've done enough damage Bella. Why don't you just fuck off?"

Right.

I put on my necklace which was the original reason for my visit to the bathroom. I'm standing and looking at myself in the mirror when Jessica removes her bloody wad of wet paper after applying pressure to her nose for a few minutes and desperately watches her reflection just a little further along from mine, along with everyone else in the room. Truthfully, that's not going to cheer her up much as she looks like hell. To add to her woes a trickle of blood appears at her right nostril and she gives a despairing cry. Lauren, very sensibly again suggests that she needs to go to the school nurse and Jessica just wails "But I'm supposed to be meeting Edward in the cupboard in 5 minutes time!"

A silence falls over the bathroom. The girls all exchange meaningful glances and I debate trying an encouraging lie such as "You might be out in a few minutes, as soon as you stop bleeding" or "You look fine, really" but Lauren's bitchy comment comes back to me and I think that I have done enough already.

After a few more minutes of staring at the little rivulets of blood splashing off her face and into the sink, Jessica finally gives in and agrees to be taken off to the school nurse. The last thing I hear as she and the others bustle out the door is "Edward's going to be waiting for me!"

And then, left alone in the girls' bathroom, I have a light bulb moment which reminds me of the Grinch Who Stole Christmas. You know, that bit in the book when the Grinch gets a wonderful, awful idea. Well, that's what happens to me. A shiver, a frisson, if you like, passes over me as it suddenly occurs to me that I have a three minute window of opportunity to get to the appointed cupboard and take Jessica's place. If I get there before he does, I can turn out the light and pretend I am her. I can steal a kiss from the gorgeous Edward Cullen and then run away, like a child knick knocking. No one need ever know. I can go on being invisible Bella but I will have a bright secret to sustain me through the rest of this dreary year in Forks.

I must be out of my nut.