Sometimes a Girl Just Needs Her Daddy
Stupid Lauren and her brainlessness. I parked up and walked into ER, all alone. The Cullen's (minus Carlisle) had gone hunting and since I was injured because of that ditz Lauren I had ended up having to drive myself to get Carlisle to see if anything was seriously wrong. I strode up to the desk and addressed the receptionist.
"Maria, can I see Dr Cullen." I sighed; because of my frequent visits here I knew most off the staffs names if not their formal titles.
"Sure Bella, I'll page him." Maria smiled at me
"No need Maria, I'm here. Bella, come on through to my office." Carlisle smiled his movie star smile and gestured me to enter his office as he glanced up from signing some release papers. A moment later he followed and sat opposite me in his chair.
"It's my wrist."
"What happened this time?" Carlisle came and knelt beside me and examined my wrist gently with his cool hands, I winced in pain and accepted his silent apology of a sympathetic glance.
"Lauren Mallory happened."
"What did she do?" Carlisle used his vaguely interested voice that he uses on the others to get the information he wants, I may as well tell him, he'd hear soon enough.
"She slammed my desk lid down and put a heavy dictionary on top when I was looking for a spare pencil."
"Has this happened before?" Again with the voice.
"Not that exact thing, the odd comment five or six times a day, a few shoves, the usual." I sighed and leant back.
"It's broken Bella, I'm sorry. Does anyone else know that this is going on?"
"Nope, it's not so bad." I watched as Carlisle put the cast on my wrist
"Bella, this is bullying, severe bullying. People should know."
"Carlisle, the others would overreact and you know. It's really no big deal." Carlisle sighed in defeat; he always knew when I had won a debate.
"Alright, I'm done you may go but Bella, if this continues come and see me again and I'll sort it." I smiled at Carlisle's paternal worry for me and nodded. That night when Edward questioned me about the cast the lie came surprisingly easily; good for me because of my awful lying skills. It was quiet for a couple of days, no threats or physical harm; I thought she had given me a bit of a break after my wrist. I thought wrong. That Thursday I had English and at the end we were walking out and I broke from the fray to head to meet Angela on the way to Biology when Lauren grabbed my forearm and tugged me into the powder room.
"So Bella; how's your wrist?" Lauren had the most annoying, nasal voice.
"A little stiff thanks to you, what do you want?"
"Feisty aren't we, well I'll soon change that. You know what the whole school is thinking don't you?"
"Enlighten me." I sighed
"Well they're saying that you're only with Edward for the money and he's only in it for the sex, we all know that you're no virgin no matter how you act."
"That's not true and you know it."
"Oh come of it, you're just stuck up because you're dating the only guy in school who thinks we are all lower than him because he has looks and money. You're nothing but a slut Bella Swan and the sooner everyone realises that the better."
"Have you looked in the mirror lately Lauren?" I raised my eyebrows a fraction
"Yes I'm gorgeous aren't I? Especially compared to you, sallow complexion, no fashion sense at all, hide behind your dark hair, sunken dark eyes, you're practically the walking dead, what he sees in you I'll never know. You're sickly and ugly and I wish you'd never moved here then I could be with Edward. No one will ever love you. You ruined everything." Lauren spat the vile insults at me and as she went on I began to believe them. I had always said that I was nothing special and now it seemed like the while school had come to the same conclusion.
"Don't worry, if you off yourself I'll be sure to comfort Edward very well, he'll soon forget you." Lauren left, slamming the door behind her. It was only then that I realised that tears were silently running down my face. I threw cold water at my face from the sink, it was too late to go to class now and Edward would be worried so I'd be in for it either way, show up and be tardy or skip altogether. I made the decision to call Carlisle in a minute; if he couldn't come to me then I could at least get some minor psychoanalysis over the phone. He picked up on the second ring.
"Bella, are you alright? Is it your wrist?" Carlisle sounded worried
"It's not my wrist, its Lauren again. I don't expect you to-" I began to explain
"I'm picking you up Bella, I'll be there in two minutes, wait at the front desk for me. Tell Ms. Cope that I'm on my way to pick you up; I'll give her an excuse. I'm getting into the Mercedes, see you soon." Carlisle clicked off the other side of the phone. I froze for a minute before walking out of the powder room and to the office.
"Ms Cope? Carlisle is coming to pick me up." I told the receptionist
"Alright then, just sit and wait then." Ms Cope smiled at me
"No need, Bella, I'm here. Would you be as kind as to sign Bella out?" Carlisle touched my arm gently and I unwillingly flinched, I knew he felt it but ignored it for the moment. Ms Cope nodded mutely and Carlisle steered me outside to the car.
"Why did you flinch Bella?" Carlisle asked me as I did up my seatbelt. I passed him my left arm and he rolled up the sleeve sensitively. We both gazed at the bruise that was rapidly forming on my pale arm.
"Does it hurt?" Carlisle looked up and caught my eye
"Yes, just a bit."
"Oh my poor piccolo ragazza." Carlisle pressed his cool lips to my bruise like my dad used to when I had fallen over, a kiss to make it better they used to say. While I was pondering this my arm had been released and Carlisle had begun the drive to the house.
"Can I tell you what happened when we get inside?" I asked quietly
"That was the idea, does Edward still not know?"
"No, it's best to keep it to someone who won't fly off the handle. He's kill her in a second."
"She taunts, humiliates and hurts you physically and yet you still try to protect her, you're mind works differently to anyone else Bella, they would be going for revenge but you. It doesn't even cross your mind."
"I care too much, it has been said before, you don't need to sweeten it." I laughed
"I'm not sweetening it, I'm explaining my point of view on your actions, come inside. We can talk then." Carlisle parked and got out of the car to head inside; waiting for me to follow so that he could lock the car. I got out and entered the house with Carlisle. We made our way up to his office and sat in the armchairs by the fake fire.
"I guess I'd better start." I sighed and got comfortable
"Take your time." Carlisle looked at me kindly with an edge of concern, ready to jump in and comfort me in less than a second.
"Well, since Tuesday things have been quiet, I thought that maybe she had realised she had gone too far but today she grabbed me after class literally and tugged me into the powder room. She began nice enough, asking how my wrist was but then she turned nasty. She t-told me that the wh-whole school th-thought that I was a-a slut and I w-was ugly, I ruined e-everything and that n-no one would ever l-love me. Oh C-carlisle it was so aw-awful." I dissolved into sobs wracking my body. Carlisle came and wrapped his arms around me like a protective shield from the world, his cooing was intensely comforting for me, the soft brushes of his lips to my hair in the way only a father could do were like a sedative, calming me down quickly.
"Il mio povero bel bambino." Carlisle murmured "I know you don't want it but I'm going to have to tell the family and the school, this cannot carry on."
"Thank you for this, Carlisle, it means a lot to me." I whispered into his shoulder
"But I don't understand; why didn't you tell Esme or Edward instead of me, you seem closer to them." Carlisle sounded slightly perplexed; I let out a giggle under my breath.
"Because sometimes all a girl needs is her daddy to protect her from the world, I love you Dad."