Alright. So. Hi everybody! =) and welcome to my new story: Bella. This is my first time doing a fic about the sims so be gentle on facts and such and tell me if you think I'm doing something wrong. For the most part though I am taking literary licence with EA's characters and though I'll be following the plot lines from the Sims3 to the Sims2, I will be omitting the Sims4 storylines as its just easier for me that way. Sooo yea, happy reading and feel free to review and subscribe and visit my page! =)
-Your fellow fanfiction addict, skittles324

UPDATE: 1/1/2017 - Hello again! Well, gee, it's been awhile hasn't it? *blush nervously* I haven't updated this story for TWO WHOLE YEARS! I truly cannot believe that it has been this long. I am so incredibly sorry to those who were following this story, as it is truly inexcusable for me to abandon you all. I am truly determined to now go back to Bella Bachelor-Goth and do her story justice. I currently have 11 chapters in this fic, and I plan on 7-10 more. I am so committed to finishing this story, and potentially a sequel. I am currently going through all the chapters and making occasional changes, fixing typos, etc. and I plan to upload new content in one week's time. See you then!

DISCLAIMER: I, Katelyn, hereby state that I, in no way shape or form, own any of these characters or any plotlines they may be associated with besides my own. So there.

Let me take you, if you will allow me, to a small, peaceful town. A town rooted deep in the culture of family and tradition; a simple town. Some would call it a suburb; it had both beaches and a diverse cityscape. And, of course...

"BELLA!"

…Bella Bachelor.

"BEL-LA!"

"WHAT, MOM?"

"DINNER'S READY!"

"'KAY! BE RIGHT DOWN!"

"Must you shout?" Simis Bachelor asked his wife as she moved away from the staircase and into the dining room where he sat, typing up his latest column.

"Well, how else will that girl hear me?" Jocasta answered. "She's always up there in that playroom, daydreaming about and drawing. Now move that darn laptop and wash up. Michael will be here with his new girlfriend any minute and I want this place looking ship-shape. And that includes you."

Simis harrumphs, but otherwise does as his wife asks and collects his things from the table. Just as he heads up the stairs to put his things away and wash-up, Bella prances down.

"Anything I can do to help, Mother?" The young girl asks.

"No, darling, I have everything covered. Just keep a watch out for your brother."

Bella smiles excitedly and rushes to the large living room window, her wavy black hair flying behind her.

As she sets the table, Jocasta can't help but admire her daughter as she bounces lightly in her black sandals. She has gotten many comments on the beauty of her only daughter throughout the years, and none were exaggerated. Even at age nine, Bella had the power to make heads turn wherever she went; it was a wonder she wasn't a snob. And she really wasn't. Bella was the nicest child the world had ever seen, with a good, pure heart; a friend to everybody. If only I can get rid of that darn affiliation with the paranormal, Jocasta thought to herself.

"THEY'RE HERE!" Bella announces, running into the front hall, her hazel eyes wide.

"Finally," Simis adds, walking down the stairs to join his wife and youngest by the front door.

"Now I want you all on your best behavior," Jocasta says as they hear footsteps on the front porch steps.

They all put on their best, welcoming smiles as the door opens and in walks sports-loving, Michael Bachelor with a pretty, young girl holding his hand.

"Everybody," Michael begins, "this is Holly Alto. Holly, these are my parents, and my younger sister, Bella."

"Welcome to our home, Holly. May I get you something to drink?" Jocasta asks.

"Thank you, Mrs. Bachelor. And water sounds wonderful." The girl responds, getting a little uneasy under the open-mouthed stare of Simis.

Bella nudges her father and leads Holly into the living room, offering her a chair while chattering on about the bird she saw that morning on her way to school. Michael follows them, throwing his dad a look that says Don't say a thing.

Jocasta drags her husband into the living room, a glass of water in hand. "Here you are, Holly."

"Thank you, Mrs. Bachelor. You have a very beautiful home."

Jocasta blushes. "Thank you. I would be happy to give you a tour after dinner. If you think the house is beautiful, you should see my vegetable garden."

"Yes, Mike tells me you are an expert gardener."

"Oh, Michael, you flatter your old mother. Shall we continue this conversation over dinner?"

Everyone files into the dining room, Holly discussing her vegetarianism. As they all sit down around the table to plates of Jocasta's autumn salad (made with fresh lettuce from her garden), Simis blurts out: "ALTO!"

"Dad!"

"Sim!"

Holly blushes and looks down at her plate, her sentence on tofu dogs left unfinished. Michael and Jocasta glare over at Simis, who slips down in his chair sheepishly, and Bella glances between the four, confused.

"Please, excuse my husband. He can be a tad…inappropriate at times." Jocasta says, a slight pleading look in her eyes as she regards Holly.

"It's fine Mrs. Bachelor. I get this a lot."

"I suggest we get on with dinner," Michael says, with a hard look at his father. Jocasta and Holly agree and everyone continues eating, Simis holding his tongue throughout.

Afterward, while Bella and Jocasta give Holly a tour of the house and backyard, Michael approaches Simis. "What were you doing? Dad, I really like Holly. And she's nothing like her parents. Nothing. She doesn't even like them. Please, just please; don't screw this up for me."

"Michael, Michael, Michael…you think I care about her parents? I mean yea, they're both the most mean-spirited people on the face of the planet and I swear I saw that Vita Alto literally steal candy from a baby at the park that one time…but that's not what I'm focused on."

"Then what?"

"Money, Michael. Money. They have more than the Goth's could ever dream of! She is way too good for a small, working-class family like us. That girl will never have to work a day in her life!" Simis exclaims.

Michael stares at his father, dumbfounded. "M-money? That's what this is about? Just 'cause she has more money than us? Dad, this is ridiculous."

"I don't think you're understanding just how much money we're talking about here." Both Simis and Michael look out through the kitchen window at the two women talking over a tomato plant, Bella off to the side on the swing-set. "Nothing will ever be denied her. But if her parents don't approve, you're screwed. They'll easily buy her a new boy in a second. And we're much too poor for them to approve of you. Evil or not, they want the best for their daughter, and that means rich." Simis turns to stare his son in the eye. "I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"I won't, Dad. Holly really likes me, and I…I think I love her, Dad. She's amazing. I mean…just look at her," Michael turns back to the window, his puppy-dog eyes following the head of auburn hair as it bobs around the garden. "I want to spend the rest of my life with her."

Simis recognizes the look on his son's face as the look he had given his wife when they were first courting, and believes his confession of love. "Alright, if you're really sure of her, I'll support you in any way I can."

"Thanks, Dad."

BBBBBBBBBB

Bella laid on the cool, wood floor of her playroom, staring at the ceiling decorated with plastic black, orange and yellow butterflies. She thought about the altercation at dinner. "Alto"? What does that even mean? It's just her last name, what's so special about that? She yearned to talk to her best friend, Mortimer Goth. He was a year older than Bella and knew everything about anything, though they were in the same grade on account of Bella skipping the first grade. Bella yawned, it was way past her bedtime, and was about to get up and go to bed when she heard a creak. It was the stairs! But that was weird…everybody had gone to bed hours ago. Being the brave little girl that she was, Bella crept quietly out of the playroom, trying to make sure the door didn't creak as it was opened. It creaked anyway.

"Bella? Is that you?"

So much for being quiet, Bella thought. "Michael? Is that you?" Bella whispered up to the third floor.

"Who else would it be, silly?" Michael chuckled lightly under his breath. "Come on, let's go down to the kitchen," he suggested.

Bella nodded seriously up at her brother and waited patiently until he had walked down to the second floor landing before heading down the stairs to the first floor.

When they were both settled with a glass of milk each and in their pajamas (her in a pink, floral pattern top and bottom set, him in a western set complete with cacti and horses), Bella asked Michael why he and Jocasta had made such a big deal over Simis blurting "Alto" at the dinner table.

Michael looked out the dining room window, across the street to his neighbor's, the Clavell's, house. He took a deep breath and looked over at his sweet, little sister. Beautiful, innocent Bella. He thought of her dearest friend, Mortimer Goth, whose parents, though the founders of the town, were the creepiest pair around; always dressing in black, and with their creepy manor on the hill complete with its own graveyard. They were also one of the richest families in town.

"Bella, you've been to Goth Manor, right?"

"Sure, loads of times," she responds, her brown eyes going bright at the mention of her favorite residence in all of Sunset Valley.

"Well…it's a lot bigger than our house, right?"

"It's humongous!" Bella exclaims, about to launch into an elaborate description of the cryptic house before Michael stops her.

"So that would cost a lot of money, right?"

"Well…yea."

"Think of our house," Michael said, "compared to the Goth's. Seems like a shack, right?"

Bella nodded.

"Now, why do you think the Goth's have a huge manor on the outskirts of town, while you and I are stuck here at regular old 12 Sim Lane?"

"I don't know," the small girl replied.

"Money, Bella."

"Money?"

"Money," Michael said. "Gunther Goth makes a whole lot more money than Dad could dream of."

"But what does that have to do with Holly?" Bella asked.

"You see, Bella, these rich people aren't supposed to really…be friends with people like us. They need to be friends with other rich people."

"So…is Holly rich like Mortimer?"

"Mhmm. Even more rich than Mortimer, actually."

Bella's eyes went wide. She pictured the large expanse of Goth property. For somebody to have even more than that was inconceivable to the naïve child. "So is that why Daddy was so surprised to see Holly? Because you two aren't even supposed to be friends?"

"Exactly," Michael said, proud that he was able to introduce the ways of the world to his little sister.

"But wait…Mortimer and I are friends. How come people are okay with that?" Bella questioned.

This is where it got tricky. "Well…" Michael paused for a second, his sister's curious face burning a hole into his head. "That's a little different."

"But whyyy?"

"Well, Bella….you're pretty. Beautiful, actually. And beautiful people are pretty much treated the same as rich people. So it's okay for you to play with Mortimer, because he's rich and you're pretty."

Bella looked more confused than when they had started. "I still…don't really understand."

Michael looked at the clock: 3 am. "You will when you're older. Now, c'mon, it's late. Let's go to bed."

BBBBBBBBBB

Bella laid in between her grey sheets and mulled over what her brother had revealed to her. Riches? Beauty? What exactly were these things? And how could they possibly be related? She would apparently have to wait until she was older to see for herself.