"Badlands" by planetblue

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(banner made by Mina)

Bella Swan - nicknamed Bella Swine - has been an outcast in her Florida high school ever since her mother's downfall. She has been bullied and ridiculed by most students - until Edward Masen begins attending the school, that is. Though neither of them are social butterflies and both have had difficult pasts, they manage to form a friendship. As time goes on, Bella begins to feel more than just platonic feelings towards Edward yet remains quiet, unaware that Edward's feelings towards her are changing as well. One day, when one of her junky classmates attempts to rape Bella, the two of them find themselves pushed in a corner and panic. Murder - even in self defense - isn't something that is taken lightly by the law enforcement. So they run away... Together.

Edward Masen is used to refining his defense mechanism every time he meets someone new. Whether it's his foster family or total strangers, no one comes closer than he wants them to - until he meets the one person, who makes him feel again. He feels an unexplainable pull towards Bella Swan as well as a need to protect her - especially after she stabs a classmate in self-defense. Taking her under his wing, they go state to state, stealing cars and selling his late uncle's drugs to survive. As their emotional relationship blossoms so does their physical relationship. They refuse to let anything - or anyone - get in the way of their love. Even when they're forced to part...

Badlands is one of the few fanfictions I've read within the last months that allows the reader to go back in time, and once again experience high school. One cannot help but think just how traumatic those years can be for a teenager. I had waited to read Badlands until it was complete and even once it was, I pushed off reading it, too afraid of the emotional topics it deals with. Now however, I regret not having read it sooner. It was a slow burn, as it takes time for Edward and Bella to meet and form a relationship, but it's well worth the read. Badlands is a beautifully written story, mostly told from Bella's point of view, with the exception of two chapters told from Edward's.

Badlands consists of 24 chapters and 97,301 words. It's rated MA for adult situations, drug content, language, and sex.

COMPLETE

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