Down the Rabbit Hole
Chapter One
I have recently been released from the California State Asylum after completing my rehabilitation program. Mom is making me move away to live with Dad. She says the Washington air will do good things for me, but I think she's just trying to get rid of me. She doesn't want me around messing things up for husband number three and their toddler twins. I'm unstable, she still believes, though the doctors swear I'm better now.
I had tried to kill myself. That's what got me sent away to CSA, and I almost completed it if Mom hadn't walked in. She wasn't supposed to be home for another two hours, but her last appointment was canceled, and she got back early. Everyone has to ask: now what would drive an honors student with a 4.0 GPA and high SAT score to do something so horrific as trying to off herself? Simple. Daniel.
I'm not one of those psychos who do crazy things because a boy broke her heart. Not at all. But I am one of those psychos who can't live with herself after what she suffered for three, grueling years. It was stupid that I didn't get out of the relationship when it first started going South. Daniel had too much influence and control over me. Lucky, Daniel got off scott free, though. He wasn't charged with anything, even when I told the police my story. No one believed a suicidal teenage girl over a popular, lawyer's son because hey, if abuse really was happening, wouldn't I have come out with it sooner rather than three years later when I was in some deep trouble? Daniel got to play the victim in this scenario after I almost crashed a car with him in it. He told people he was trying to break up with me, and in a panic of losing him, I tried to crash the car. That my story of abuse was bogus, and I was just trying not to get charged with attempted murder. Want to know the truth? It was raining. I was driving Daniel home after one of his baseball games, and he was yelling at me, mad about something. Then he hit me, hard. I could hear the bones in my nose cracking when his fist collided with my flesh. It was excruciating, and I swerved off the highway, attempting to pull to a stop. The car skidded off the wet pavement, and I accidentally hit the gas instead of the break. This is going to sound sick, I know, but for the briefest second I imagined Daniel flying through the windshield, crashing through the glass, out on the road, and under my tires. It's crazy, I know, but it's what I imagined instead of having the whole life-flashing-before-your-eyes experience.
Don't ask why I put up with his abuse for three years, because I really don't know myself. It's something I've been trying to figure out my past year at CSA, and it wasn't really something I could talk about with my psychiatrist. She still believed I was delusional with my story of Daniel's abuse. It's sick how much power a well-known lawyer and his son can have. I mean, Daniel's dad was the one who paid for my stay at CSA.
"Isabella? Bella! They're calling your flight." My mother shakes my shoulder hard and pulls me from my reverie. She hands me my small carry-on, and we stand. "I love you, Bella," she says, hugging me. "Try to have a nice time in Forks with your father." It's as if I'm being sent off on vacation, not being exiled to the middle of nowhere.
"I'll try," I mumble, tucking a stray hair behind my ear.
"I'll see you soon," Mom calls as I walk to the terminal. I turn to wave, and she blows a kiss. I'll see you soon. It's as if I'll be back in a week or two.
Once the plane's lift from the ground and the seat belt sign goes off, I plug in my headphones and close my eyes, attempting to sleep for the flight. I'm going to need my rest; it's going to be an interesting reunion with my dad after so many years and under this condition. But at least, maybe, I'll get to start fresh. Start my senior year, get into college, and not have to worry about Daniel's presence or any boy for that matter. Maybe the nightmares will even go away, too. It'll be good, hopefully, with no one looking at me like I'm some kind of delusional, circus freak. Just as long as Dad hasn't told anyone the truth about why I'm being forced to move with him. Then everything will be okay.
"You're a bitch! No one can ever love someone like you, Bella!" Daniel slaps me across the face, and my cheek burns red. My head hurts, and I can't make a sound. "What's your problem? You know I don't want you going off anywhere! You're only allowed to go out with me!"
"But she's my friend," I whisper, and instantly regret it. I receive another blow to my face.
Daniel grabs a fistful of my hair. "You. Are. Mine." His breath smells like smoke and beer, and spittle lands on my face.
Tears start to slip from the corner of my eyes from the throbbing in my head. Everything is spinning and black spots dance across my vision.
Daniel's hand softens in my hair, and he pulls me to his chest. I flinch as he wraps his arms around my waist and kisses the top of my head. "I'm so sorry, Bella, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. I love you."
I soak his shirt with my tears.
"It's great to see you, Bella!" Dad reaches out to give me a hug, and I flinch away. Worry clouds his eyes.
"It's good to see you, too." I awkwardly pull at my shirt. I don't like to be touched by men. But he's your dad, my subconscious chastises.
"I'm so glad you've decided to come stay with me." It's as if I had a choice. "Ashley and I have been preparing your room this past week, and she really wanted to be here with me to come get you. But she got called into work earlier." Ashley is Dad's wife; I only met her once at their wedding six years ago. From what I remember she's a really nice lady, and they wanted to have a baby, but they're unable to conceive.
"Oh, that's okay. You didn't really have to prepare anything for me," I say, pulling my luggage from the carousel.
"That's it?" Dad asks, and I nod. He takes the duffel bag from me and directs me out the doors and towards the car. "It's not trouble," he says. "Ashley went all out for this. She's really excited that you're staying with us."
I nod. We remain in a respectable silence the rest of the way to Dad's house.
** Please review and let me know if I should continue with this story! I'm just toying around with a few ideas in my head right now, and I need to know if this is worth continuing. (Keep in mind I haven't gotten to the good stuff yet!) If I get enough positive reviews, I'll try to have another chapter posted up soon! **