And then Edward Cullen reappeared and Bella started smiling and sighing and talking and it happened. Lauren felt bad for her, unable to hide from the feelings that flowed between the pair. He had clearly devastated her. Is there anything worse than feeling pity for your one rival?

Yes, apparently, there was. Realizing that you have spent your entire existence competing with someone who didn’t care, realizing that you hate someone who never noticed, realizing that despite the devastation Bella inflicted on her life, she had hardly had the same effect. Bella had not suffered from Lauren’s indifference. In fact, she had had no effect. Her glares had gone unnoticed, and her hatred had swelled against nothingness. Whether or not she lived or died, whether or not she loved or hated, Bella Swan did not care. The final blow.

And so she tucked her jealousy in her pocket to carry around with her, to take out and slide between her fingers when no one else was looking.

It occurred to her, then, that if Bella Swan did not care, who did?

If she came home on time she snuck out later. If she finished her homework all the answers were wrong. If she ate with her parents she didn’t eat at all. If she was on time to school she skipped fifth period. Her grades suffered. She lost weight. No one said anything.

Except perfect Isabella, who said, “Hey.” Who said, “Are you okay?” Who said, “You look so tired these days.”

To stop herself from looking pleased, Lauren had nearly growled, fighting the urge to bare her teeth.

Lauren smelled like grass and pine when she spilled onto the bathroom floor. Her pillow smelled like rain against her cheek. The mirror reflected the light from passing cars across her wall. She pretended that there was someone there to hold her, cradle her, and maybe she would finally be okay to cry.

The arms that were there to hold her were green, not gentle but suffocating, and when the tears came to roll down her cheeks she felt anger and hate, and the sadness that had sat heavily on her chest for these past few weeks melted along her bones and sank into the marrow.

She closed her eyes.

The next day Lauren broke the mirror in the corner with her fist. It was very simple, really. She didn’t like what she saw. She didn’t want to see it anymore.