CrashIntoMe: ChapterOne

He took a slow drag on the cigarette that hung between his lips letting the rings of dark gray smoke encircle his head. Even the bright sun shining above couldn't erase how dark and oppressive his surroundings felt.

The brownstone building that stood towering behind him was his last chance yet he could have cared less. He had been on his own destructive path for such a long time now he didn't know how to get off of it, or if he even wanted to for that matter.

Absently he searched his mind for a time in his life when he hadn't felt like this. Sadly enough that time was so long ago he barely remembered it. The years since his parents' death and being bounced between one family member and another finally ending up with his uncle were nothing more than a blur clouded first by alcohol and then drugs.

His last run in with the law had landed him here, Hampton House. The idea of being there was absurd but then again it was better than a four by four cell. "Hey Masen," a voice from behind startled him. "Carlisle is ready to see you now."

Edward picked himself up from the cold stone stoop, snuffed out his cigarette under the sole of his heavy black boot. On went the hardened mask that he had been wearing for years now and made his way inside resolved to do just what he had to to get by.

Bella did her best to keep her thoughts centered on the lecture that was going on at the front of the classroom. The effort however was in vain. In the past months she had been anything but centered. She had always been on the reserved side quietly keeping to herself. Yet recently she had become more withdrawn and seemed to be jumping at her own shadow most days.

Looking down at the large yellow letters spelling PSYCHOLOGY across her text book, Bella recalled how at the start of the school year this class had meant the world to her. She fully intended to parlay this class into the career she knew she wanted, needed to have. But somewhere along the lines she had veered off course.

She had a goal ~ to be a social worker like her mother Renee. Bella wanted to make a difference stepping outside of the world of privilege she had been born into. She wanted to reach out to someone, anyone who really needed her.

Looking around the room at the people in what was be considered her social circle, Bella was hard pressed to find a single person who understand her true desire or better yet even attempted to try. They all were completely satisfied simply existing for their next shopping spree, their cool cars and of course daddy's money. That wasn't for Bella. She wanted more, always had. And until a few months ago she had been counting on social work to be that something. Yet how was she supposed to help others when she wasn't able to help herself?

"This project will determine your final grade." Ms Roberts' voice snapped Bella from her thoughts. "I would like to see this paper focus on the major social issues we have been discussing these nine weeks. Since this is a rather large project I am allowing you to partner up with a classmate. Please keep it two to a group. You can use the remainder of the class period to find your partner and begin discussing your assignment."

Rosalie caught Bella's attention from the front of the room motioning to her that of course they would be partners. Bella nodded an acknowledgment yet Rosalie hadn't even noticed she was too busy fawning all over Royce King, star forward of the Forks Basketball team.

Rosalie Hale and Isabella Swan had been best friends since before either of them could talk. For so many years they were like two peas in a pod, however recently Bella felt that they had just been going through the motions staying friends because it's what was to be expected ~ and expectations were everything to some.

At lunch Bella took a seat at their usual table and took to starring out the window lost in a sea of her own thoughts. "Bella, hello Bella," Rosalie said her name with a long whine in her tone as she waved her hand in front of her friend's face. "Bella Swan, have you even heard I word I've said?" Rose's voice had an annoyed quality to it.

"What?" Bella said turning to gaze at her friend.

"I was talking about this project Roberts assigned us. We have to come up with something. I can't believe that she has the nerve to think any of us will have time for this crap. Doesn't she realize the drama production is just around the corner?" Rosalie took a sip of her bottled water and shook her head in disgust.

Bella couldn't do a thing but smirk when she looked on at her friend. She certainly hadn't expected anything less from Rose. School and anything related to academia was a mere annoyance to her social calendar.

"Well?" Rosalie asked again.

"What?" Bella said once more lost in her own thoughts.

There was a huff out of Rose's mouth exasperated by the fact that her friend seemingly wasn't paying a bit of attention to her. "What have you come up with for this project? You're the genius when it comes to psychology."

Bella wasn't able to cover the smile those words brought to her lips. Even through all the turmoil she felt churning inside of her she loved psychology and admittedly had a knack for it. Renee had always taught her it was better listen with open ears and a shut mouth. She said 'You always get to the heart of the problem that way, baby'. Bella felt a shiver race through her it was as if her mother's voice was whispering in her ear.

She had taken her mother's advice seriously and from then on Bella found herself playing "Dear Abby" to most of her friends. She was the one they would seek out during times of relationship issues, family troubles or when they just plain needed to talk. Through each one of those times Bella's conviction to follow in her mother's footsteps grew stronger.

"So do you have any ides or what?" Rosalie was beyond impatient.

"I was tossing around something…"

"What?" Bella was cut off before she could continue.

"Abuse," she replied with a heavy sigh trying to remember that Rose was just being Rose. "I was thinking about centering it more around older youth from battered homes. We might be able to talk to some kids and get the personal angle from them."

Rosalie stared at her perfectly manicured nails completely uninterested just as Bella assumed she would be. "Well," she began mulling over her friend's idea. "With all that we discussed in class this term, I was hoping we might sink our teeth into something a little juicer you know. Drugs, gangs something like that."

Shocked Bella wasn't. Rosalie was attempting to live on the wild side, a little thrill seeking you might say. Good girls from Forks wouldn't dare dabble in the things Rose had just mentioned but man did they have fun fantasizing about them.

Bella searched for some way to appease her friend, "Well," she sighed. "I would think that could be worked into the paper. It's obvious some of the things you mentioned have to be the after effects of the abuse sustained." Yep Bella had Rosalie's full attention now. "In fact we could make that a separate section, your section, if you want." Bella crossed her fingers that Rose would accept her idea since that would leave the bulk of the paper in her lap just as she had wanted it in the first place.

"Sounds promising," Rosalie said "I like it."

Bella was relieved. She knew that the greater part of the work would fall on her shoulders but she didn't mind. In fact she hoped that would be exactly what she needed to get things back on track. The surge of new found energy was fleeting as Bella spied Riley Biers and Royce King heading in the direction of their table.

Rosalie quickly pulled out her compact giving her flawless face the once over. "Check out who's coming our way." Bella couldn't do more than roll her eyes at her friend yet the knot in her stomach tightened with each step closer the pair got to them.

Ignoring Riley became increasingly difficult as his banter and snide comments grew louder. "What do you want?" she finally spat.

"That project of Roberts, we were wondering if you two needed any assistance," Royce never once averting his gaze from Rosalie.

It didn't take a rocket scientist to see that Rosalie was melting under Royce's stare. Royce made no bones about how much he wanted Rose for his own. In fact he had been pursuing her the entire time Bella and Riley had been dating. The only thing that had stood in his way as the fact that Rose had been dating Sam Uley but since they had recently broken up apparently that had given Royce the clear shot he needed.

"So, you girls up for a bit of assistance?" he pressed edging his chair closer to Rosalie.

"We would love you…."

Bella waved her hand to stop her friend mid sentence. The last thing she wanted or needed was anything that had to do with Riley Biers. She couldn't help herself and found her eyes darting to where he sat across the table. It was the intensity with which he watched her that forced her eyes to meet his. She shuddered knowing behind those deep cobalt eyes lay a monster in wait.

On the surface Riley was a player. At Forks High he was the cream of the crop, a true catch for any girl and the female population was having a hard time coming to terms with the idea that mousy Bella Swan had dropped him like a stone. That was also a concept that Riley himself hadn't come to grips with either. Typically it was he who ended things with the girl and when his relationship with Bella terminated quite differently he didn't like being made a fool of. He was more than determined to get her to see the error of her ways.

"NO," Bella spoke up, "We can handle this," she said hoping to sound more confident than she felt. "Not to mention Ms. Roberts did say two to a group. You can count to two, right?" Bella laughed a bit as she said it.

There was no doubt that Bella's remark struck a nerve in Riley, more so than Royce who was too busy kissing up to Rose to notice much less care. She could see her ex's cheeks begin to flush as his anger was starting to build. She was well aware of the fire she was stoking but at this point all she wanted was for him to vanish from before her.

"Bella," he said leaning across the table so that his face was nearly touching hers. "Why don't you just give up this little act? You aren't fooling anyone least of all me. You know you want me back!" His voice was filled contempt that only Bella could hear. His icy tone was one that she had been far to acquainted with.

"In your dreams!" She felt rather brave in the cafeteria full of people. "I told you it's over! It's over! I am sure you are finding this hard to absorb Riley, but there is life after Riley Biers. Hell there was life before you too!" A surge of satisfaction coursed through Bella. It had been a long time since she felt strong enough to stand up to him.

The shitty grin that over took Royce's face wasn't lost on his friend. Riley may have been his best friend but he secretly loved watching the great playboy put in his place.

"What the hell are you smiling about? You find something funny?" Riley's voice boomed over the surrounding noise of the cafeteria.

"No…no not a thing. Just listening is all."

Bella wondered from Royce's lack of response if Riley's love life as of late left a little something to be desired. "Ah what's wrong? Are we having trouble in the relationship department are we? What happened to the big man on campus?" Bella was shocked at the giggle that escaped her lips. She knew all too well she had just tread on to even thinner ice with him.

"Well I could say the same for you. I haven't seen you out. Word around town is you are sitting at home pinning away for me." His arrogance had returned.

"Don't flatter yourself," Bella spat. "Let's not forget who dumped who here!"

"She got you there," Royce commented as Rosalie joined in on the round of laughter.

Riley glared in the direction of his friend. It was one thing to play his games of cat and mouse with Bella but he wasn't about to let Royce get the upper hand as well. She may have been the one to let him go but he wasn't about to let that stop him in getting what he wanted.

"Rose," Bella said gathering her books. "I'll see you in drama. We can finish discussing the paper then."

"Lunch isn't over. Why are you leaving?"

Bella fought the urge to roll her eyes again. Why was it that her friend couldn't see anything passed the nose on her perfectly made up face? "The company is making me nausea. See you later."

"Don't forget my sweet Bella that I'm in drama too." Riley announced. "Don't think you're getting away that easily."