Rosalie and Emmett were sitting in Spanish class when they saw a small brunette girl walk in. She was tiny; she looked barely big enough to be a sophomore. Their gold eyes followed her as she walked up to the teacher and gave him a slip of paper.
"Well, Isabella, take a seat next to Mr. Cullen, please," he said to her. Isabella- Bella she preferred- walked to the seat next to the big man. He scared her- he could hurt her. All men were like that.
She got out her notebook, taking notes on Wuthering Heights, one of her favorite books.
"Rosie," Emmett whispered, only low enough for a vampire to hear, "what do you think is wrong with her? She seems withdrawn."
Rose was surprised. Emmett had never been this insightful. "I don't know," she said back, just as quietly. "She does seem a little more withdrawn than most humans."
Bella was looking down at her book, just scribbling Izzy and Bella over again. When she was on her last scribble, the bell rang. Bella took her stuff and jammed it into her bag. While leaving, she didn't see Rosalie in the doorway, and she ran into her.
"Sorry," she apologized, looking down.
"It's alright," Rosalie reassured. "We'll see you tomorrow…?"
"Bella."
"Bella." Rose smiled. She gave Bella another warm smile before she and Emmett walked into the hallway.
Emmett put his arm around Rosalie's waist, walking to lunch. They went into the cafeteria and strutted to their table. Alice and Edward and Jasper came in a few moments later.
"Hey, ya guys check out the new brunette?" Emmett barked in a low tone as they sat down.
"Emmett!" Rosalie spat, slapping him on the back of the head where his hair line met the back of his neck.
"Yeah, she's kind of pretty," Edward muttered almost inaudibly under his breathe.
"You call dibs, little brother?" Emmett mocked, receiving another hit from Rosalie.
There is something odd about her, Jasper thought. She seems scared. Scared of people and especially men.
Jasper watched as Bella stood in the lunch line and grabbed a bottle of water. Jessica accidentally brushed shoulders with Bella, and she flinched.
"Sorry," Jessica said. Jasper sensed Bella's emotions change from calm, to scared, to relief. When she turned the sleeve of her sweater was up closer to her elbow than her wrist. The bump must have caused the sleeve to ride up, and it revealed the faint purple-blue mark of a bruise that only a vampire could see from across the room.
Jasper decided to see if his theory was correct. He got up, ignoring the calls from Alice behind him. He walked to where Bella was leaning up against the wall, reading her old beat up copy of Wuthering Heights. He brushed against her hand, and she flinched and looked at him with fear in her eyes. Eddie, her emotions are… I can't even explain it. She's so scared right now. I'll have to calm her down. Edward nodded from across the cafeteria.
Eddie, follow me, we need to talk. Jasper thought towards Edward.
Jasper walked out of the cafeteria towards the Gym doors. A few minutes later Edward came jogging down the corridor, with Emmett by his side.
"There is something going on with Bella Swan," Jasper stated to them. "I think she's being abused, by a boyfriend, a dad, step dad, brother. Something along those lines."
"Why not a mom, or sister?" Emmett asked confused.
"She reacts more sensitive to men, scared," Jasper explained. "Jessica bumped into her and she reacted normally, a bit more alert though. When I bumped into her, she flinched, and she…acted different. And before that I saw a big black bruise on her arm that was fairly old. So if it was that dark and it was old, there is no way a human woman could do that kind of damage."
Little did they know the little vulnerable girl was around the corner listening to every word they were saying. They were figuring out her secret, which wasn't good. She backed away from their talking forms, but she slipped and they heard a thump. The blood drained from her face when all three of them men came near her.
"No, get away," she cried.
"It's okay, little one," Edward told her. "We'll keep you safe." He stuck out his hand, but she didn't take it. Jasper could feel her emotions, and he sent a mental warning to Edward. Eddie, she's panicking. Leave her be. "I will. As soon as she tells us who gave her that bruise." Bella's eyes widened. She hadn't told anyone about the bruise, and if she did, Daniel would do more than just hit her. Not that he hadn't before. He'd done many things to her before. She was still hurt from the last time he'd raped her.
"I- I fell," she stammered. "It's no biggie." She got up on her own and walked away. The boys stared behind her lessening form.
"We have to find something on that girl. I know her dad is Charlie Swan. We know his address. We can go there tonight and see what's going on," Emmett suggested. Jasper and Edward nodded.
"I don't think it's her father hurting her, it may be someone with a closer bond…doesn't Charlie have a son from his short marriage that was before Bella was born?" Jasper questioned.
"Yeah, it would make sense…he's jealous maybe because Bella's getting more attention since she's youngest," Edward stated.
Later that evening, Jasper, Emmett, and Edward sat outside the Swan's house and listened. They were all crammed into Carlisle's black Mercedes. It was one of the only cars they owned that was dark enough not to be seen at night. They were playing poker when the yelling started. They heard Bella's small voice screaming.
"No, Daniel! Let go!" He was ripping off her clothes, and she was feebly trying to fight him off, but she was too tiny. He succeeded, and she was naked. She screamed while he raped her, the boys listening, disgust their main emotion. How could someone do that to their little sister?
"Shut up," Daniel hissed, kicking Bella's ribs. She whimpered in pain. "I said shut up, Bella." She did.
Meanwhile, in the car, Jasper was thinking, Edward, I can feel her pain. How can someone so tiny feel so much pain?
"I don't know," Edward whispered. "We should go help. He can't keep raping and hitting her. We can't let Daniel"- he snarled the name- "keep doing that to her. It's a wonder she isn't pregnant or dead yet." Emmett and Jasper nodded their heads. "I'm going. Come on, Em, help me. I'm getting her out." Emmett did as he was told, getting out of the car. They all- Jasper included- walked right up to the door and lifted it off its hinges. They found the monster over a small Bella, curled in a ball. Edward and Emmett took Daniel and were calling the police.
"Bella," Jasper said, bending down to her and putting his hand out, "it's okay, honey." He tried to grab her hand, but Bella's fear skyrocketed, and he pulled it back. Her eyes were dilated, and the bruises were already forming. He went up to Bella's room and found her a dress and a pair of underwear. They'd be easiest to put on her. "Bella, honey, you have to put these on. We'll take you to see our father. He's a doctor, he'll help." Bella shook her head. She didn't want to see a doctor. Especially one who was a man. "Sweetie, you have to. You're injured." Bella didn't feel the pain yet. She supposed it was shock.
"I don't want to go to a doctor. I want Charlie!" Charlie was the only man Bella trusted- with her life. He was the only one he could trust. And she wasn't going to trust these men, all of whom looked like they were much stronger than Daniel could ever be.
"Don't take me away! I'll be good, I promise! He needs my help!" Bella screamed. She was talking about Charlie.
"Bella, honey, we won't take you away from Charlie. We just want our dad to make sure you're all right, okay?" Jasper asked.
Bella shook her head again. "I don't want to go anywhere."
"It's not up to you," Emmett argued hotly. "You're not safe here, if he's been doing that to you. Do you even care about your own safety?" Bella shook her head again. "Oh, for the love of God!"
Edward then went over to her. "Come on, little one," Edward said gently. "Just put on your dress, and we'll go see Dad. He'll help you very much, and Daniel won't ever hurt you again."
This time, she nodded. She stood up and put on the dress. Her legs ached, but she didn't want to tell these boys who were helping her. Her ribs were throbbing, and she could hardly breathe.
And then, with her last ounce of strength, she fainted.