It's been about 2 weeks and I've been getting to know Alice. We get along pretty well, and she understands that it will take time for me to trust her. So, I've known her for about a month and a half. I had learned that Alice is really affectionate, but she knew that I didn't like that. So, she tried not to do that to much.

I had an exemption from gym, and could leave early. But, I had an English essay to do, so I decided to stay in the library and finish it. By the time school was finished, I had it done. I walked out, and saw Alice walking over to me.

"Can we talk?"

I nodded, and waited for her to continue.

"In private?"

I nodded, confused. Did someone say something to her? We went back to my house, and I threw my bag in the corner. I didn't exactly feel comfortable, but I'd rather talk about this here, than at the school.

"Did someone say something to you?"

She nodded, sitting on the couch.

"Yeah, something happened today."

I asked her if she wanted anything, and she shook her head. One thing I'd noticed about her, was that she never ate. Ever.

"What happened?"

"It happened in gym. Jessica said something about you..........."

Yeah, she told Alice. How am I going to deal with this?

"W........ What did she say?"

Alice looked at me, and smiled. She was going to tell me that she knew and that she didn't want to see me ever again. I knew she was.

"She ............. She told me that you were different and that I shouldn't be friends with you."

I ran my hand through my hair, I knew someone would do something like this.

"And now you don't want anything to do with me."

"Bella, I don't care. That's what I told her. I don't care if you're different. You're a nice person. I understand now, why you were so reluctant to get to know me. But, I would never say that I didn't want to be friends with you because of that."

She ................ She didn't care. Angela was right.

"You............. You don't care?"

"No, Bella. I don't care. You're still the same person. There's nothing wrong with being different."

She really didn't care............

"It all makes sense now. The abuse, the teasing. It's not right, Bella."

Wait ..........................

I looked at her, and she was watching me, concerned.

"Did she ................... Did she tell you how they found out?"

Alice looked away, not answering me. Yeah, they told her.

"They told you."

She nodded, looking at me. She started playing with my fingers, looking down at our hands.

"She told me something, but I didn't listen and walked away. I couldn't listen to what she was saying."

I took a deep breath, I was upset, but I needed to hold it together and talk to her.

"What ............. What she say?"

"Something about a party, I walked away, before she could finish telling me. I couldn't listen to what she was saying."

It looks like I'm going to have to tell her.

"OK. What did she tell you?"

"Something about you being at a party. Oh and she thought telling me that you're gay would make things worse. But, well, I really don't care. She said you were kissing some girl and when the girl realised you were different she freaked out."

Well ......................... That's one way to tell the story.

"Oh boy ................. Wait, she told you I'm gay?"

Alice nodded, looking at me.

"Yeah. Was she lying? I don't care either way."

"No, she wasn't. I'm ............... I'll tell you, it's complicated."

Alice nodded. I felt like I could tell her, I don't know why I felt this way, but I did. She didn't care that I was different and still wanted to be friends with me, so maybe that was part of it. And she didn't care that I'm gay.

"I was at a party, and got kinda drunk. It wasn't some girl who came onto me. It was Jessica. I tried to say no, but she wouldn't listen. She started kissing me, and well ................... She eventually figured out I'm different and decided to tell everyone at the party that Bella is different."

Alice shook her head, looking annoyed. Well, she looked cute, but I knew she was annoyed. Fine, fine, I think she's cute.

"She told me it was some random girl! She came onto you and now everyone thinks you're a freak................... Bella, you shouldn't have to live with that."

I shrugged, I was used to it by now.

"I'm used to it by now, it's been going on for a long time. The only people who are OK with it, are you, Angela and Seth. Seth doesn't go to our school though."

"Is Angela the girl I saw you with at lunch? Dark hair and glasses?"

I nodded, she was watching me?

"Yeah. That's her."

She left after we talked a bit more, and my dad came home a few minutes after she left. She grabbed her jacket and turned to me.

"You never have to worry about me telling anyone, Bella."

She smiled and left, and I just stood there, thinking about what had happened.

"How was school?"

I got him something and sat down next to him.

"Well, I was in the library, and when I left Alice came over to me. We've been getting along, and today something happened. I went to the library, instead of coming home, when gym started. She came up to me, when I was walking out, and told me that she needed to talk to me. So, I thought someone had told her. We came back here, I didn't want to talk about that in front of the whole school. So, we came back here. She told me that someone had told her, and that she............ She doesn't care, dad. She knows I'm gay and that I'm different. And she doesn't care."

My dad was annoyed that someone had told her, but he seemed happy that she didn't care.

"I'm glad she doesn't care, Bella. Did she say anything else?"

I shook my head, looking at him.

"No. She promised she wouldn't tell anyone, and left."

I went to bed, thinking about what had happened.

She really didn't care that I was different.

I got up the next day, and asked Angela if she wanted to come over. My dad was downstairs, watching something. Angela said she was on her way, and arrived about 10 minutes later.

We went up to my room, and we sat on my bed.

"So, I saw you leave with Alice, yesterday?"

I nodded, thinking.

"Yeah, she knows. Jessica told her yesterday. She doesn't care. She knows that I'm different. Oh, Jessica told her that I'm gay. She told her that I was kissing some random girl at a party, and that this girl told everyone that I'm different."

"She told ..................... That bitch! She was the one that came on to you. She spread that rumour, telling people that someone told her. Alice is OK with it?"

I nodded, thinking about what Alice had said.

"Yeah, she is. She said that there was nothing wrong with being different and that she still wanted to be friends. That was after I assumed that she didn't want to be friends with me, and got kinda annoyed."

I smiled, remembering the look on her face.

"Why are you smiling?"

"No reason."

Angela laughed, looking at me.

"Bella."

I shook my head, looking at her.

"What?"

"Why do I get the feeling, you like her?"

"She's cute, but I don't know her well enough to think like that. I seen you talking Bret earlier. What happened?"

Angela blushed and told me.

ANGELA'S POV

I walked into physics and the teacher said someone was joining the class. Bret walked in and sat next to me. She smiled at me, and we started talking. I'm pretty good at physics, so I knew what we were doing. It seemed Bret did to.

"So, you're Bret, right?"

She smiled, nodding.

"Yeah, you're Angela?"

"Yeah. Your sister is in my friends biology class."

Bret wrote something down, so the teacher would think she was paying attention.

"Bella? I met her, she's nice. A little shy, but she seems to get along with Alice."

She was right, I could see that she liked Alice, but she was afraid to do anything about it. I wasn't surprised, after what Jessica did. But, I had a feeling that Alice would be fine with it.

"She's a little nervous around new people. I'm pretty close to her."

"Yeah, I notice your the only one who will sit with her at lunch. Alice and I weren't sure if you would mind us joining you. It would just be the two of us, not the others."

I was fine with it, it meant I could get to know Bret better.

"I'm fine with it, but I'll need to ask Bella."

"That's fine. Just let me know."

I told her I would and started working on some work we'd been given.