Title: Exclusion Zone

Author:

Fandom(s): Twilight

Rating: PG-13

Word Count: 1,235

Inspiration: New Moon Chapter 7: Repetition (where Bella returns to sit with Mike, Angela and Jessica after being adrift in an Edward-less fog for so long)

Warnings: A few swears, sexual references.

Summary: Bella gets a reality check when she returns to her friends after months pining after Edward…

Author's Note: It's another drama fic from me, inspired after wondering why the hell Bella's so-called friends welcomed her back after pining for her tru wuv like nothing ever happened (well, except from Jessica, of course).

Bella cautiously stepped into the cafeteria, looking around the crowded room as her eyes quickly deviated from the table the Cullens once sat away from their human student counterparts to the table over in the corner with the people she had met on her very first day of school. She felt as if she were returning to harsh reality as she walked over to meet them , returning from a world she had once considered her escape from the mundane, a world she had once hoped to join now gone forever, like a velvet rope placed between her and those more beautiful and powerful.

As soon as they saw Bella walk over, the whole table went silent. Angela was wide-eyed, while Mike narrowed his brows. Jessica pursed her lips. Lauren and a couple of the others next to her murmured a few words to one another.

Bella came to stand next to Mike, her mind a blank as she tried to think of the best words to say first. "Hi… um, can I sit down here?" she spoke quietly, straining a smile.

No one made the effort to make room, so Bella awkwardly took the place next to Mike on the corner of the bench. Bella was stiff and her heart raced as all eyes remained on her.

She tried her best to break the tension a little more. "So… it's been a while, huh?" she asked, making a quiet yet unenthusiastic chuckle.

No one else was sharing in the laughter.

"Wow, Lauren," Bella continued, her voice cracking a little, "did you cut your hair?"

Lauren huffed, rolling her eyes as she turned away from her, her patience already worn thin.

Bella ground her teeth together. Great, this was going to be difficult. She tried to change tact. "What about you, Jess," she turned to her down the end of the table. "Maybe we could go out again sometime or whatever in Port Angeles."

Jessica was dumbfounded. "Really?" she deadpanned. "You're serious?"

Bella was wide-eyed. "Yeah, of course, I mean, since last time…"

"Are you kidding me?" Jessica suddenly exploded, her eyes fiery. "After you tried to get us both killed last time with those bikers? My mum shit a brick when I told her that! She doesn't even want me anywhere near you anymore!"

"Bu-but…" Bella stuttered. "I didn't mean to, I was just…."

"You were what, Bella, you were what?" Jessica goaded. "You were sad 'cos your 'twu wuv' Edward fucking Cullen left you? C'mon, Bella, you're not the only person whose ever been dumped by someone! Can't you just go cry and listen to some Linkin Park like any other person would after breaking up with someone, not try and get yourself raped and murdered by wandering into the dark with some guys you don't know?"

"You have no idea, Jessica!" Bella spat back. "You have no idea what Edward and I had!"

"Oh, please!" Jessica snapped. "What, was your first love just the grandest love of all or something? C'mon, all you two ever did together was make goo-goo eyes and him follow you everywhere you go!"

"You're just bitter 'cos Edward didn't think you were good enough for him!" Bella exclaimed, now hitting below the belt. "Why would he even like you anyway?"

"Don't you speak to Jess like that!" Angela cut in, standing from her seat a little and staring Bella down. "At least she doesn't curl up and die when her boyfriend dumps her!"

"That's because you're a slut anyway, Jess!" Bella cried. "You only thought was hot anyway, that's the only reason you liked him!"

The whole table fell silent once more, appalled at Bella's outburst.

"Really, I'm the slut?" Jessica laughed, not in the slightest bit offended. "Says the girls who practically creamed herself over the Cullens when she first saw them and mooched off their splendour."

"That's not true!" Bella whined. "You said Edward was hot, that's all you liked about him!"

"C'mon, all the girls thought Edward was hot when he first arrived," Jessica replied, not in the slightest bit frazzled. "That was until we realised how much of a pompous ass and a creep arsehole he was."

"Stop being so mean!" Bella shireked. "He is not! I love Edward, we were meant to be!"

"Oh, really?" Angela smirked. "What was Edward's favourite colour, then?"

Bella almost answered, but cut herself off. "Wh-what's that got to do with anything?" she sniped.

""Just answer the question, it's pretty simple," Angela simply said.

"But…"

"What's Edward's stance on politics?" Jessica asked, revelling in the fun.

"What about Edward's favourite band?" Mike guffawed.

Bella still didn't have any answers for them, to the most simple of questions. "This is bullshit, I don't need this!" she barked at them. "I come back here and this is how I get treated?"

"Excuse me?" Mike laughed once more. "How we treated you?"

Bella was alarmed. Mike had never spoken to her like this before.

"I mean, you used us as so-called 'friends' when you first came here and quickly ditched us when a better offer came along," Mike continued casually. "And now that your ticket to power and beauty have upped and left you, you crawl back thinking we're just gonna welcome you back with open arms and let you treat us like shit under your shoes once more."

Bella tried to choke out the words, but nothing came out.

"Did you really think Jessica was just gonna forgive you for what you did in Port Angeles?" Mike spoke bitterly. "Did you just think Angela was gonna let you talk down to her again or think I'd just wait patiently for you to pay attention to me again while I pined away from you?"

Bella clenched her fists. "You're just pissed off 'cos I never went out with you!" she replied, rising from her seat a little. "And you still are bitter!"

"Really, you think that?" Mike laughed. "Yeah, because I was so gonna remain celibate until Edward was out of the picture and wait for you to return to me!" Everyone else joined in his laughter before he continued on. "I have a girlfriend now anyway. Like I was just gonna wait until you had your little freakout over Edward and cry myself to sleep over you. Sorry, but I've moved on."

Bella was confused. "But I thought you and Jess were dating?" she questioned, annoyed that she hadn't got the memo.

"And now we're just friends," answered Jess, "we went on a couple of dates and we felt we made better friends, it happens."

Bella still felt irritated. "So, why do I care?" she retorted.

"Well, of course you wouldn't understand," Angela spoke casually. "Only the most romantic and truest of loves will do for you, nothing less. It helps if he's loaded and a pompous twat as well…"

Bella was at the end of her tether. "I don't need this!" she growled, getting up from her seat. "I hate you all anyway!"

Everyone simply laughed at her as she began to storm off out of the cafeteria. But just to dig the knife in a little further…

"Oh, Bella…" Mike called out after her. "Don't bother coming into work this afternoon: my Mum's fired you for underperforming at work."

They all laughed once more as they heard Bella snarl to herself as she walked down the hall.