Twilight

New Moon

In the beginning of the book, Bella is upset because it's her birthday and it will make her older than the "forever" 17 year old Edward Cullen. Much to her dismay, the Cullen family throws her a birthday party. She, then, receives a present from Alice and Edward, a CD with Bella's lullaby on it. At the birthday party, Bella gets a paper cut when opening a present and then Jasper Hale tries to attack her which then leads to her being accidentally smashed into a mess of glass that cuts deeply into her arm, Carlisle ends up giving Bella stitches. Even though Jasper does not harm Bella because the rest of the Cullen's manage to restrain him, the encounter shakes Edward. This reminds Edward of the danger he puts Bella in because of their relationship.

After the party, Bella begins to sense that something is amiss. First Edward is being unresponsive and sulky, then Alice suddenly stops showing up for school. At last, when Bella plans to find out what is happening, Edward meets her after school and takes her into the woods by her house. There Edward tells her that his family has already left Forks, citing that people have noticed that Carlisle is not aging. This shocks Bella, as she realises that Alice is gone, but even worse is when Edward declares that he is leaving too and that she cannot follow. He does this by telling Bella he no longer loves her, leaving her heartbroken. As soon as he leaves, Bella enters a deep depression that lasts for months, becoming a kind of a zombie with no friends and no life. Bella likens the experience to having a hole in her chest, which flares and throbs at the slightest reminder of Edward. She is plagued by incessant nightmares, and becomes detached from the world altogether. She feels this way not only because she has lost her true love, but because his disappearance has triggered the irrational thought that he never existed in Bella's life.

As her condition gradually worsens, Charlie begins to worry. When her father threatens to send her to live with her mother, she seeks comfort with Jacob Black, an old family friend who helps Bella's pain. Bella soon discovers that rushes of adrenaline in her system yield hallucinations of Edward's voice. Desperate to hear him, she purposely places herself in dangerous situations. She rides a motorcycle and even approaches strange men in Port Angeles. It is through Jacob that she is taught how to ride a motorcycle, and the two bond overtime. Bella soon realises that Jacob has deep feelings for her, and while she feels she cannot return them, she does not stop him because she depends on his company.

As their relationship flourishes, word soon spreads of disappearances in the woods, with the blame placed on sightings of a large bear. Charlie is alerted to this, and warns Bella to stay clear of the forest. But Bella disregards his words when she attempts to find the meadow that Edward took her to once. Bella ventures deep into the woods and finds the meadow, but the reminder only upsets her. But she is suddenly encountered by Laurent, an old member of James' coven. He is surprised to find her alone, having visited the empty Cullen house recently. When Bella asks why he is around, Laurent reveals that he came on a errand for Victoria. It turns out that Victoria has decided to avenge her fallen mate by killing Bella; a mate for a mate, so that Edward will be grief stricken. Bella is horrified, but Laurent tells her that he is thirsty and plans to kill her himself, insisting that he shall make her death less painful compared the torture Victoria plans for her.

They are interrupted however by the arrival of the "bear", only it turns out to be a large wolf. Not just one wolf, but at least five of them. To Bella's surprise, not only does Laurent run from the sight of them, but the wolves completely ignore Bella and give chase. A shocked Bella quickly escapes the forest and returns home and tells her father what she saw. She becomes paranoid, fearing that Laurent will tell Victoria that the Cullens are not around to protect Bella, and that Victoria will eventually find her.

Aside from this, her condition improves seemingly, though she still feels the pain in her chest. When Jacob suddenly stops seeing her, Bella panicks and confronts him. Jacob has become part of a gang lead by Sam Uley, who rescued Bella the night she was lost in the woods. Jacob tells her that he cannot see her anymore, and seems aware that the Cullens are vampires. But later that night Jacob comes to Bella's house, apologises and tries to give her a hint about what has happened to him. After he leaves, Bella recalls an old story about the Quilette Werewolves, part of Jacob's tribal heritage.