Gifted

Chapter 18: Routine

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. Please review if you can. Reviews make me happy. You want me to be happy, don't you?

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Throughout the remainder of that day, Bella repeatedly thanked her lucky stars that she shared most of her classes with at least one of the Cullens. It would seem that her little outburst in defense of her friends yesterday had earned her a place on the school's blacklist. Lauren, and by extension the group of kids at yesterday's lunch table, was among the most popular in school. She was also not someone who took a rebuking lying down, and was now determined to make Bella's high school stay in Forks as miserable as possible.

Bella wasn't enormously concerned with this. It would've been nice to be someone with lots of friends and who exchanged smiles and friendly chit-chat on a daily basis...but it's not like Bella knew what she'd be missing. Besides, if she had to be perfectly honest with herself, she knew it was better this way. More friends and chatter would mean more questions that she couldn't answer. It would mean more opportunities for Bella to lose control and hurt someone. Her dance with the Cullens was difficult enough.

In any case she didn't have to worry about anything while in the company of her friends. Emmett, Jasper and Rosalie could summon pretty intense glares against anyone who dared look at Bella the wrong way. Alice's glares achieved the intended effect on her targets, but they also made Bella crack up in hysteria-which made Alice huff in annoyance every time.

"Really, Bella," she said after Bella snickered for the third time. "They won't take me seriously if you don't too. How am I supposed to strike fear in the hearts of our enemies?"

Bella rolled her eyes as they walked together through the hall, though she turned serious again soon enough.

"Alice, they're not 'our' enemies." Bella thought back to what Lauren had said yesterday-she didn't have anything negative to say about Alice then. "You don't have to make yourself a target for my sake. It's not worth it."

"Yes, you are," said Alice, in a manner that suggested the case was closed.

Bella sighed. She'd drop it for now, but the thought of Alice's life-or any of the Cullens' lives-becoming more difficult because of their intolerance of Bella's bullying...well, that was intolerable.

As far as Bella could see, she had to concentrate on two-well, three things to get herself through each day in school. She needed to be a stellar student so when it came time for college applications she'd have a chance, but she also needed to be extremely careful not to outperform Einstein or do something that would draw suspicion. Finally, she needed to avoid situations like the one in which she found herself yesterday, when she almost blew up the building. And Bella thought she had a pretty good idea on how to do that.

Luckily, Bella had study hall and lunch (the two times in the day she was Cullen-less) back-to-back, otherwise her plan wouldn't work as well as she believed it would. When the bell rang for 4th period study hall, Bella quickly veered up a rarely used staircase. When she reached her destination, a set of heavy doors locked in place, Bella furtively cast a glance around her. Finding the area deserted, she looked down at the lock. Seconds later, she heard the click of the lock coming undone. With a smile, Bella opened the door that led to the school's rooftop and closed it behind her. Problem solved, she thought.

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Emmett and Rosalie were worried. It was 15 minutes into lunch period and there was no sign of Bella. They glared darkly in the direction of Lauren's table every few seconds, both wondering if the vengeful girl had done something to their friend. Of course, they knew she hadn't. They could hear Lauren and her friend, Jessica, talking about Bella and wondering where she was. They had a few new jibes they wanted to throw at her. Emmett and Rosalie growled loud enough to almost attract their neighbors' attention.