A/N: I'm not really sure about this chapter! Please R&R! I'm still a little nervous about this whole story...

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. It belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

Chapter 2

Bella POV

It was easier to let the numb flow through my body. In fact, it was a privilege to have a break from the pain. I let it relieve me with little objection. It was this same feeling that had kept me going through the flight to Florida, through that first day after he...Enough! I thought.
The drive to school was easy enough. Renee didn't try too hard to make me speak, not that I would have anyway. The only real effort was making sure that Renee didn't try to turn on the music again. I couldn't let myself hear music. What if it made me think of…Stop! I commanded myself. I would not finish that sentence. Luckily, she made no attempt to reach for the radio like yesterday.
After only a few minutes of driving down the sunlit avenues of Jacksonville, with their towering Palm trees, so different to the moss-covered ferns of Forks, we arrived at Jacksonville High.
The next thing I knew, I was entering the Principals office. I couldn't remember how I got here. I looked around uneasily and saw a large staircase and a hallway full of people. Had I passed those people? Had I climbed that staircase? I couldn't remember. Even though I should have been frightened, I was glad that I had been able to forget myself for just a few minutes.
"Principal Sanders will see you now," the receptionist said. Renee gently took my hand and guided me through the doors to an office.
"Take a seat," a blond woman on the other side of the desk said. I let my eyes wander the room. There were books- lots and lots of books. It reminded me of Car…Stop! I thought again.
"Bella?" I heard Renee ask frantically. Had they been talking? Were they talking to me?
I looked at Renee, willing her to explain.
"Principal Sanders wants to know what you think of the school," she said quietly. She seemed worried or sad but I couldn't really tell.
"It's nice." That was the first polite thing that came to my head.
"I'm glad that you think so but you couldn't have seen very much. I'd be happy to take you on a tour, if that's alright with you, Miss Swan," the Principal offered. I nodded.
She showed us the classrooms, the gym, the cafeteria, the sickbay and the football field. It was a big school. Some of the girls I past were pretty, but not nearly as stunning as Rosa…No! I needed that numb again. I needed to forget who I was because I was frighteningly close to tears. I sighed and let Renee guide me back to the office while I tried very hard to think of nothing.

"What did you think of Jacksonville High?" Phil asked. I nodded unenthusiastically and twirled my spaghetti with my fork. "You didn't like it?" He looked confused, I think. Or was he excited? It was hard to tell these days.
"No, it was nice." Now leave me alone, I thought, but didn't say it out loud. It would offend him.
I heard Renee let out a sob and Phil threw her a look of sympathy and love. It made the whole in my chest ache.
"You'll be starting there tomorrow whether you like it or not, Bella, so there's no use sulking about it!" Renee burst out.
"Renee-!"Phil cautioned.
"I'm not sulking about school," I said quietly.
"But you're sulking! Bella, that's enough! Tomorrow, you'll go to school and you'll make friends and you'll get a boyfriend or something because I've had enough of this!" She was on her feet now, facing me and glaring with tears in her eyes. She must have been upset.
"A boyfriend?" It was barely a whisper.
"Renee, come on! Sit down!" Phil spoke a little louder.
"Boyfriend," I repeated. I could feel something hot running down my cheeks- tears.
"I will not sit down, Phil! I am sick and tired of this-!" Renee was crying so she couldn't finish her sentence.
"Boyfriend," I hissed, with tears flowing.
"Renee, sit down! Bella, you are excused," Phil sounded like a father. It was strange but it didn't really matter. He could be whoever he wanted and speak however he liked. It didn't matter to me.
I went to bed without speaking to them again that night, until I awoke for the second time in an unfamiliar bed, screaming and crying.
"Bella! Bella! What's wrong? What is it?" Renee screamed, shaking me. I just pulled away and lay down, hoping that Renee and Phil- who had crept in to see what the commotion was about- would disappear. The morning came too quickly and I was faced with school. The numb wouldn't appear. It was replaced by fear and agony.
Just get out of bed. That's not too hard. You can do that, I reminded myself. Baby steps.