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Chapter 1 - Running Away..

I ran away. I couldn't take it any longer. All those years of abuse and torture, I just had enough. I had no place to go. Nobody to stay with. But I didn't care. I didn't care where I was, as long as it was away from that house. I had never been in such a hurry. I pulled my clothes back on, blinking the tears out of my eyes and ran to my room. I quickly grabbed an overnight bag and filled it with clean clothes, my toothbrush, my blackberry and a blanket. I reached for the box on top of my closet and threw that into my bag as well. I creeped back downstairs to see my dad still on the floor in front of the front door. Shit, how was I supposed to get out of here now. I walked to the front door and kicked my dad in the stomach. His hands flying to his stomach, his face full of pain. I spit at him. Bastard.

I grabbed my keys of the hook and pulled the door open, banging into my fathers legs. I slammed the door shut and ran out of my house, I jumped into my old Chevy truck. I headed off. I didn't know where to go. I couldn't stay with Jake in La Push, his dad was best friends with my dad. No way could I do that. No way would they believe me either. I couldn't stay with anybody!

My dad, well, he isn't even a father to me anymore. Things never used to be this way. I wiped the tears from my eyes. Where do I go? Then I let the tears fall free, filling up my vision. Seattle. That's where I'll go. I just hope my truck would make it in one piece.

I glimpsed over at my bag that was on the passenger seat, the box I fetched poking out of the top. Mom. I ran my fingers over the top but quickly placed them back on the steering wheel. The box had been passed down in my mom's side of the family for years, always to the first daughter. Luckily, there has always been a daughter born. My grandma gave it my mom, as she was the first and only daughter. I was always admired by it from such a young age. It was a beautiful bronze plated antique. I would always be asking to get it out of my mom's closet. My mom knew how much I loved it that she promised me she would hand it down to me. She was planning to give it me on my 16th birthday like when it was handed down to her. When I was 6, I had a ballet performance at school, she gave it me that day, before the show. I remember her telling me it was a gift because she was proud of me, I, of course, believed her, never did I think that there was another reason. Another reason that prevented my mom giving it to me on my 16th birthday.

I sniffled and wiped my tears again. Sobs escaping from my throat.

We did have, what seemed like, the most perfect family that everybody envied. My dad Charlie, was the Chief of Police in my hometown Forks, a small town where it was always raining, but never not beautiful. My dad had a very obvious black moustache, which I remember my mom would always beg him to shave it off. My dad used to be quite handsome, but his wrinkles caught up with him as he grew older. He fell in love with my mom, Renee. They married not long after moving into the house that my dad still lives in today. My mom was beautiful. I've always thought of her as the most prettiest lady in Forks, sometimes the world. She had envious dimples and a face that was creased from smiles. After a few years of being married, my mom fell pregnant with me. They named me after the restaurant my father proposed in, Bella Italia. Leaving me with the name Bella, it felt right to be called Bella. It was different, just like me. Even though I was young, I remember so many things. I loved it, but I was always a little lonely, so I was very glad when I found out my mom was pregnant again. Me and my sister, Alice, were 2 years apart. We were inseparable from the beginning. Most kids get jealous when their moms has a new baby, but I never was, my dad always gave me the attention most. I looked just like my mom, while Alice looked just like my dad. I had my moms face and brown hair, but my dads dark chocolate brown eyes. My sister was the opposite, she had my dads face and jet black hair, but my moms blue eyes.

We were the perfect family, that was until I was 5½. I didn't know much at the time, of course. I never knew much of this until I was older, mom always thought me and Alice were too young and delicate to know. But my mom, was diagnosed with breast cancer. She lost her life exactly a month before my 7th birthday. She died August 13th 1998 while my birthday was September 13th. I hated thinking about my mom losing her life, mine and Alice's life after she died. I hated it all.

After my mom died, I noticed something very strange about my father. I never knew at the time, but, he went off the rails. He 'quit' his job, but really he turned to drugs and alcohol. His excuse for quitting was to look after me and Alice. My mom was his life. Everyone was noticing my dad's behaviour, so our aunt, (my dad's sister) Carmen, allowed us to stay at her place while my dad 'got better'. We stayed at hers in the week but stayed with our dad some weekends. But the worst part of it all was my 7th birthday.. Of course, my aunt Carmen made a deal out of it, a way to cheer us all up I guess. My 7th birthday was the most terrifying and tragic day of my life. My dad seemed happy again, like my mom never died. I thought he was back to normal again.. but he wasn't.

I remember being called to his room, he was making a fuss of me, always saying happy birthday and telling me he was going to give me a special present. But his 'present' was not so special. I didn't know what he was doing at the time, I was only 7. I just know it hurt, so much, emotionally, mentally and physically. He was pulling my hair out, the pain was excruciating. Bruises formed all over my arms, my stomach and my thighs. I had a swollen, cut lip. Nobody else was home that night, Alice was staying at our Aunt Carmen's because my dad insisted that he wanted to spend the night of my birthday with me. Out of all the people in the world I should trust, it should be my father. But I couldn't. I remember everything that night.

"Daddy, why are you doing this? Please stop, it hurts!" I cried, it hurt so much.

I could hear my dad's grunts and moan as he continued to abuse me. "YOU REMIND ME TOO MUCH OF YOUR MOTHER!"

"Daddy! Your really hurting me!" I gasped, the pain was getting worse.

"Shut up Isabella!" He whacked his hand straight across my face, more pain. It hurt that much that I could talk, I couldn't even cry. I was horrified.

I just lay there, hoping it would be over soon. I didn't like this. Where was my mom when I needed her? Where was aunt Carmen? Where was my dad? Not the dad on top of me, but my dad who would always look after me and read me bedtime stories. The one who would never let anything hurt me. That daddy was gone.

I shuddered as the memory replayed in my head. In fact, it was replayed in my head every night. He made me swear that I would never tell anyone, and if I did, I would be hurting my mom and he would hurt me even more than he already has. So I've never told anybody. Nobody would ever believe me. Anyway. Nobody would ever believe that the Chief of Police would rape anyone, let alone his own daughter. I, Bella Marie Swan, was a rape victim, by my father. That was the first time my dad had raped me, it wasn't the last either.

I remember every time we would be alone in his house or my sister was fast asleep, he would always sneak me up to his room and abuse me over and over again, repeatedly until I was bruised and scarred for the next 8 years.

Just before I turned 15 he stopped. He apologized to me for everything he did and everything he had said. He became my old dad again, the loving one. He would always drop me off at my cheerleading practise or drive me to the movies or shopping. He helped me find a job at Newton's Outfitters, which was one of my classmates father's business. He cared for me and Alice like he did when my mom was still alive, maybe even with more care. Our Aunt Carmen was no longer in Forks. She moved to New York when I was 13 with her new husband Eleazar. She would check in occasionally, but hardly ever as we got older as she became more orientated around her own family.

I wasn't earning much from my job, but it was enough to buy my truck which I've had for over a year. Even though its old, it runs great. It has its ups and downs but I always had Jake to help me out, free of charge of course. It was pretty obvious that Jake had a crush on me, but I also made sure I wasn't giving him the wrong idea. He was only 16, I was 18. His skin was a russet-colour, unlike everybody else who were pale-faces. I had known Jake since we were little, he was my best friend. I couldn't even text him saying goodbye. I would be able to tell Jake about Charlie's abuse and he would believe me, but he would do something about it, something that would hurt him and myself. I wouldn't let that happen. I would text him once things have settled down, maybe.

I was on the highway to Seattle, only about an hour left. I quickly glanced at the clock on my dashboard. 7:53. I had been on the road for about 20 minutes. I didn't know what I was going to do when I got to Seattle. I had money with me, money that my mom left me that I've never spent and I had some money I've been saving from my job. My job. I should of quit my job. Show Mike that I wasn't kidnapped or anything, that I wanted to go. If not, I knew Mike would end up trying to be my knight-in-shining-armour or something stupid. I took out my phone from my pocket and found Mike in my contacts and text him.

Mike,

I'm sorry but I quit. Please thank your dad for employing me, but I can't work there any longer. Sorry it's all of a sudden. I've got to leave Forks. Sorry again.

- Bella.

Ugh. What am I going to do. I have no where to stay. No job. No income. I don't know how much money I have with me. I must have around $400 from my job at Newton's. I don't know about the money my mom left me.. I've never known. I wouldn't waste it on a motel or anything silly when I could sleep in my truck. I had a blanket, that will do me fine until I sort my head out.

*Just over an hour later*

I only just got to Seattle, traffic was worst that I expected. I didn't know where I was going to stay still, but I know that I'm hungry. My stomach has been rumbling non stop for about a half hour. I decided to take a few dollars out of my job savings and buy an in-n-out burger. I knew my way around Seattle, I used to come here to get books I wanted because Forks doesn't have any decent bookstores with decent novels. I drove to in-n-out burger and went to the drive through. I pulled up next to the window and ordered a grilled cheese burger, fries and a strawberry milkshake. I opened up the antique box and dug out $10 from my savings. While I waited for my order, I lifted up the envelope my inheritance was in. My moms elegant script was wrote on the front. My dear Isabella.

"Urr, Miss" a young teenage spot-covered faced boy with a breaking voice was at the window, holding out my order.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" I quickly threw the envelope back into the box and took the order. "Thank you!" I drove out of the drive-thru and pulled up on the side of the road.

I put the lid back on my box and took my food out of its wrapping. I took a bite of my burger and hummed to myself. I was so hungry. I turned on my radio for background noise. It wasn't a good radio, but it will do. I noticed Debussy was playing. It wasn't the best sound quality, but it doesn't stop the song beautifully flow from my battered speakers. Most people my age listen to the music that you would dance to in a club, by I didn't, I prefer older music, like Debussy and classical rock. My mom loved Debussy, Clair De Lune was played at her funeral and it was the song my mom and dad danced to as Husband and Wife for the first time. Who knew my dad would turn into such a bastard.

My mom was an English Kindergarten teacher. I always loved English just like my mom did. I was going to apply for Seattle University and study English, so I could also become an English teacher, but in a high school. I knew it was pricy, but I didn't want to be stuck in Forks my whole life.

After I finished my food, I decided to look at what my mom left me. I took the envelope out of the box and stared at my moms font again. There was another envelope in the box that looked more formal. I decided to read my moms letter first.

My dear Isabella,

You will probably understand why I really gave you the box earlier than your 16th birthday now and why I filled it with photos of us all. I'm so sorry that I've had to leave you baby, I never wanted to leave you. I wanted to watch you and Alice grow into beautiful young women. I want to watch you go off to prom, to graduate, go to college and study English like you've always wanted. I want you to meet somebody who will treat you like a princess, someone who will treat you like your father treated me. Someone who loves you for your beauty, your personality and your flaws. I want you to be careful, but be free Isabella. I want you to do everything that you want to do. I want you to do what feels right.

I'm pretty sure you know why I had to leave you baby. But I've never left you. I'm always going to be watching you baby, every step. Think of me as your guardian angel, ok?

I don't know what age you'll be reading this Bella, but I never wanted to leave you empty handed. From an early age I always knew you were very stubborn and independent, but Bella, I wanted to leave you something that you couldn't waste. Your smart Isabella, this money I've left you is between you and me. Everybody knows you've been given the box Isabella, but the money.. nobody knows about it. Like I said Bella, your smart and I want you to go to college. This money is for college. If you have your own money for college, I'm proud of you. Just spend this money on something worthy. Rent an apartment, buy a car, spend it on something you need.. You know what to do darling.. Look after Alice while I'm gone. I trust you Bella.

I love you Isabella, never forget that.

- Mum x

I wiped the tears that were freely pouring from my eyes. My mom was the most amazing woman. I peeked back into the box, my eyes are drawn to a particular photo. Its of me and my mom in the hospitable just after I was born. The sparkle in my moms eyes stood out, she was always meant to be a mother. There was another photo in the box of mom, me and Alice when she was first born. Alice. I didn't want her to stay in the same house as my dad alone now I'm not there. I wouldn't let the same thing happen to her that happened to me. I wouldn't let my dad hurt her. Alice was on a camping weekend with school and won't come back until Monday night. My mind was being filled with different ideas to keep Alice safe. I could pick her up from school and bring her back to Seattle, but then I would be making her life hell. I didn't want to make her homeless, nor did I want to tell her why we had to go, as close as me and Alice are, she loves our dad, she might not even believe me. How much money did my mom leave me? My moms words from her letter replayed in my head, like she was saying them to me.

"Look after Alice while I'm gone. I trust you Bella"

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PS.. Don't worry, not long till we meet EDWARD.