(Hey everyone! I just wanted to tell you ahead of time that if there is a name Joy instead of Bella I'm sorry. I'm writing two stories and it confuses me sometimes, but I hope you like it.)
Bella stood outside her classroom door debating on whether she should go in or not. She was scratched, bruised, and bleeding from her latest encounter with her fellow classmates, her dark brown hair was pulled back into a quick ponytail, making it a little more presentable then the tangled mess it was. She tried to smooth out her ruffled and torn skirt, but it only ripped a little more. Her left cheek was red and swollen and a small cut above her eye peaked through her bangs. Some more cuts and bruises were covered with her baggy black jacket, but the bruises on her legs and scraps on her knees couldn't be covered.
Bella took a deep breath and opened the door. Even as she walked in looking at the ground she could feel every ones eyes on her. She got about halfway to her desk before her teacher finished writing and turned to see she had been the one that walked though the door. Many gasps sounded through the room as they took in her appearance. Ignoring them, and the comments the followed she sat down. She opened her bag and took out the things she needed. Everything was messed up and ripped from her bag being tipped upside down and poured all over the ground. Sighing she closed her bag and put it on the floor next to her and leaned it against the wall.
Without a word her teacher walked over to her desk, and stood in front of her until she looked up. For a long moment they didn't say anything and just stared at each other. Finally Bella broke the silence. She plastered a fake, sweet smile on and looked at him like nothing in the world was wrong, and that she hadn't been late because she was, only minutes ago, getting into a friendly chat with her friends that ended up beating the crap out of her. The smile seemed to confuse him, like every one else.
"Did you need something?" she asked just as sweetly and carefree as her smile. She hoped dearly her didn't look into her eyes and see the pain that was only just below the surface of her friendly mask. Her teacher continued to look down at her with the emotionless expression of a teacher who didn't care about their students, but she could see the worry in his eyes that both mad her mad, that he was the only one that cared, and sad that he was the only on that cared. She looked away from him, and glanced out the window. It was cloudy and raining hard. The weather seemed to show her mood.
"Miss Swan." He said causing her attention to turn back to him. She smiled at him again ignoring, once again, the other students in the classroom that had suddenly gotten quiet, and were listening to them.
"Yes Mr. Cullen?" She said not quite able to look him in the eye. He frowned slightly when the bell rang. Bella, however, smiled and jumped up, out of her seat, but as she reached for her things Mr. Cullen's hand shot out and grabbed it before she could. "Hey!" she yelled at him causing some of the retreating students to run and look at them.
"Sit back down, Miss Swan." He said in a tone that made her plop her butt right back onto her seat. "I'll be right back, and you stay right there until I do." He told her as he took her bag with him out the door.
Bella sat there for a minute debating on whither she wanted to just get up and go, or just stay there.
'Maybe the rain will slow by the time it's done.' She thought to herself as she laid her head down onto the cool desk. 'Plus my phone is in there.' She listened to as the students walked by the room talking, and shutting lockers. She heard cars starting, and leaving. Soon the people got fewer and fewer. Suddenly the rain was all she could hear. The heavy patter of rain on the school roof, and the steady beat of it hitting the window beside her. She just then realized how tired she really was. Bella hadn't known she had fallen asleep until in the back of her mind she heard footsteps, and then a soft hand shaking her shoulder. Her eyes fluttered open, and she lifted her, suddenly, heavy head.
Rubbing her eyes she looked up to see her teacher holding a case similar to the 'First Aid Kit' case. She stood up and rolled her eyes. It was the 'First Aid Kit' case. Bella laughed and walked over to him.
"Sir, this is what I waited for?" she said pointing to the thing in his hand. "If I would have known that I wouldn't have stayed. I could have done that at home." She grabbed her bag that he had put on his desk and turned from him, but she stopped as she saw who was standing outside in the hall smiling at her, the one who had done this to her. She froze as she saw his smile widen. His dirty blond hair was slightly wet from being outside, and his overly ironed, tucked in school uniform dripped slightly onto the floor. The beautiful dark green eyes struck so much fear and hatred in her that she couldn't breath, she couldn't, move, he seemed to hold her in his gaze. He knew he had this power over her, and that made him laugh. Still laughing he turned and walked away breaking Bella from the daze she was in.
"Miss Swan, are you okay?" her teacher asked sounding worried as he looked out the door at where she was staring. Taking another deep breath she smiled and turned around to face him.
"I think I've changed my mind." She said grabbing a stool, and sitting on it. After a couple of seconds she frowned and looked over at him. He was looking at her with confusion, his teacher façade gone. "Well get cracking. I want to get home before dark." She said with a laugh that she hoped didn't sound as fake as it felt.
Her teacher didn't say anything as he opened the case and took out everything he would need. He kneeled down in front of her, and took one of her legs in his hand and sighed.
"This is from those boys again." He said. Bella knew it was a statement but she nodded anyways. He took the peroxide and pored a little onto a cotton ball. "Why won't you just tell me who they are? I could expel them, and that would be that. It would be over."
Bella didn't say anything right away, and watched as he cleaned her scratched knees. When he looked up she looked away and looked out the window again.
"It wouldn't stop them. They know where I live. They'll find me outside…" she trailed off not wanting to tell him anymore. They dropped back into silence as he finished bandaging the cuts. Smiling, Bella stood up, but her teacher stopped her.
"Take off your jacket." He said standing in front of her blocking her way to the door. Bella looked at him in fake surprise, but really it didn't surprise him that he knew. He always knew.
"Why?" she asked looking past him toward the door. When he didn't say anything she sighed and tugged off her jacket. There were more bruises and many small cuts up and down her arms. One cut in particular seemed to catch his attention. She looked down and saw her shirt was ripped, and a small amount of blood was slowly seeping through her shirt, staining it. She gasped and lifted her shirt to see a big, but not deep cut just about her belly button. Mr. Cullen grabbed a gauze and pressed in to the cut.
"Hold that there for a second." He said and stood up. Bella's hands replaced the spot were. She watched as he walked over to that case and opened in. After a few moments he walked back over with thicker gauze and some white tape. He kneeled back down and opened the gauze. "Hold your shirt up." He told her. She quickly did as she was told and pulled it up a little more. She watched as he replaced the gauze and taped it tightly in place.
Bella let her ruined shirt fall back into place, and pulled her jacket on. Coach Wood gathered the things and put it in the storage closet, and locked it. She gave him a curious look when he smiled at her and walked to his desk.
"I'm only guessing this won't be the last time this happens." He said gesturing to her. Bella shook her head. He laughed once without a hint of humor. "I bought that a few days ago figuring this would happen again soon. The nurse was beginning to consider calling you parents." He shook his head and looked outside into the hallway, and then at the phone, and back to her. "You're lucky I haven't called your parents yet, but if this keeps up I might have to call, especially if it's getting this bad.
"They don't care, Mr. Cullen." She said. He opened his mouth to say something but she continued quickly. "I know your probably going to say 'they do care' or 'you probably just think they don't' but you know what?" she practically yelled at him. "They don't care! Everyday I come home like this, and they don't even give me a second glance. I'd be happy if they even gave me a first one.' Bella glared at the floor, instantly embarrassed at her small outburst. When he didn't say anything she looked up. "I've got to go." She said and grabbed her bag, and walked out the door. He didn't try to stop her.
Bella stopped by her locker to put her bag in. It was still raining hard and her books wouldn't make it home without getting soaked. She sighed and closed the locker door. When she turned she ran smack into someone, and fell back against the lockers. "Oh sor-" he apology was stopped short when she saw who it was. In an instant her whole body was, again consumed in fear and rage as she looked at the guy in front of her. She saw in the corner of her eye that the others were surrounding her too.
"What are you doing here?" she asked failing to sound unafraid. Everyone laughed but that was only in the small part of her mind. The only one she was focused on was standing right in front of her. He walked closer until there bodies were almost touching. He smiled mockingly, and his eyes showed the rage that she felt, but they also held something else in them. She couldn't tell. "Mike, Leave me alone. I don't have time to put up with you. I have to get home" She tried to scoot over to where she wasn't so close but he put his arm out to stop her.
"Why are you rushing to get home to a family who doesn't love you?" he asked with a laugh. Bella looked at the ground. She didn't see as he lifted his hand and slapped her across her face. "Answer me when I talk to you." He yelled. Suddenly she wondered where all the teachers were. 'It can't be all that late.' She thought trying to take her mind off the sting on her cheek. When she didn't say anything he grabbed her shoulders and pushed her against the locker. Then he kneed her in the stomach causing her to fall over onto the ground coughing and gasping for breath. "Come on Bella." He sneered. "Get up." He said as he kicked her in the side. She winched, but didn't make a sound. After kicking her around for a few moments others joined in. She covered her face in her arms to keep from getting kicked in the face.
Finally they stopped. Bella looked up to see them walk away laughing. Mike stayed behind. He glared at her then laughed and stepped right on her ankle. She finally let out a scream. Some of the kids turned back and laughed, but Mike just smiled and walked off down the hall, leaving her there clenching her ankle.
Bella stayed leaning against the lockers long after they left. She couldn't walk without her foot throbbing.
"Ow…ow…ow…" she said getting to her feet, and leaning heavily on the lockers. Every step she took shot pain up her leg. When she finally made it to the door she looked out and sighed. "This is going to be a long walk home." She mumbled looking out at the heavily raining weather. She stepped out into the rain, and walked down the school steps. By the time she reached the bottom step she was soaking wet from head to toe, and almost blind with the cold rain.
Walking around the school building toward the wooded park that separated her from her nice warm house, Bella looked up toward the sky. It was only almost five, but it seemed to be darker then it should be…even with the clouds. As Bella crossed the nearly empty parking lot, and got nearer to the trees the darker it seemed to get. Confused she took out her phone.
"What?!" she screamed rubbing the water from the screen of her phone as she walked into the cover of the trees. Now that the rain was not pouring on the wind started to blow. She sighed. Looking at the phone again she silently wished she could run the rest of the way home. The screen showed 6:43.
"I should have been home over an hour ago." She said to herself and stepped onto the cemented path that leads to her house. After about five minutes of the pain filled walking she had a feeling she was being watched. She paused, for a second to see if she could hear anyone, or anything, but the only thing that could be heard was the rain hitting the leaves as it found its way to the ground. She shrugged and continued to walk.
About halfway there she stopped at a rain soaked wooden bench. She didn't think she could go any farther. Lying down across the hard cold surface a few drops of rain made there way through the thick canopy above her and dripped on her cheeks. They, however, were warm. Right now she was wet, cold, and hardly able to move.
On the verge of crying, Bella closed her eyes and silently prayed for strength to move. She hadn't cried in years, and she didn't want to start now. She told herself to calm down and relax. Bella hadn't heard there approach until a gasp shot through the silence in the woods. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up quickly. It was so dark out she couldn't see very far. She blinked a few times to let her eyes adjust, and the looked at them again. Very faintly, she saw an outline of a person not far from where she sat.
"Who are you?" she asked placing a hand over the cut on her stomach. The person didn't answer for a while, but stepped closer. Bella stood up.
"You're hurt." A soft male voice said. Finally he stepped close enough for her to see him. It was her turn to gasp. He was beautiful. His black hair hung a little past his ear dripping water onto his shoulder, and wet hair stuck to his face. He wore a pair of dark blue jeans, and a tight black sweater with a thin jacket on that he wore unzipped. He was taller then her be a half a foot, and he looked slim, but he had muscles that made him look strong, but gentle. His face was kind, and his bright blue eyes held worry, and surprise. She guessed because she's out here in the rain looking like crap.
Slowly he held his hands out as if she was a cornered animal, and he was trying to calm her. Just then she noticed as he stepped closer she stepped back.
Why am I scared? she thought to herself as once again she stepped back. Besides the fact that it was dark, and she was alone in a heavily wooded park with a stranger, there was no reason to be scared. She noticed, however, that her body seemed to do it on its own, like an instinct. Suddenly Bella laughed and that seemed to surprise him. He paused for a moment probably thinking she was crazy, that just made her laugh more. Had Mike and the others hit me one to many times so now I'm afraid of people? she thought.
She continued to laugh, but she noticed that she was crying. Tears were running down her cheeks faster then the rain was falling from the sky. She couldn't hold it any longer. All the pain physically shot through her, and the emotional pain broke though its barrier that she so skillfully built when it all started. All this pain and sadness, and emotion passed though her, making her knees buckle from under her. She felt the stranger's cold, strong hands grab her arm but slip away as both him and her fell to the ground. She landed hard on her knees, and he landed in front of her.
In the back of her mind she heard him swear, and then felt his arms around her, careful as not to touch any unseen cuts or bruises. He pulled her close, which surprised her, and rocked her as she continued to cry all her pain out. He comforted her with soothing words, and rubbed her back in small calming circles. Finally she quieted enough for her to here what he was saying. She realized then he was humming something. He seemed to notice her getting quiet because he stopped mid sentence and smiled.
"Feel better?" he asked. His voice was filled with so much concern for her, and so much relief that she had finally stopped crying that it made her laugh again. He looked at her till she calmed again, and then chuckled himself. "You're weird." He said shaking his head at her. He stood up and helped her to her feet.
"Yes." She said after she sat down on the wooden bench again. She wiped her eyes on her damp coat and looked up at him. He was smiling. He seemed to know what she was talking about.
"Well, that's good." He said still standing. Then suddenly his smile left his face as he looked at her. He seemed to be in pain. "What happened to you today? How did you get hurt?" He asked taking off his jacket and holding it out to her. She smiled, and took it, replacing it with hers. She was surprised to see that it was dry on the inside. The jacket was thinner then hers, but hers was soaked through in an instant. She shrugged and pulled it tighter to her.
"Well…" she looked at him. "It's a long story." She said smiling at him. He laughed and nodded at her as her sat down beside her. He turned to her and crossed his legs up on the bench and smiled.
"I've got time." He said and his smile widened making her heart stop for a few moments. Bella quickly looked away into the woods. She felt a blush warm her cheeks. When she looked back his expression changed. He was now looking at her with sad, angry eyes that promised he would hurt the person who did this to her. "Please tell me." He all but whispered to her.
"Why do you care?" she asked in the same soft tone as he had used. They looked at each other for a long moment. When he didn't answer she stood up to walk away, but his fingers wrapped around her wrist stopping her. She turned back to him with tears in her eyes. Where did all this crying come from?
"I don't know." He looked at her, his blue eyes swimming with so much emotion that she felt the tears flow again. I'm becoming a big baby. She thought angrily. "But there has to be a reason why I found you tonight. Something told me to come out here tonight. I've never been here. I just moved here like, what, three days ago? But something in me said to so I did, and found you.
It scared me to see you lying on this bench so still and pale. I thought you might be dead or at least near it." He looked away from her and ran his hand back though his hair. "When I got close enough to see the cuts and bruises and the wild look in your eyes my heart stopped. Then you laughed, and all of a sudden tears are running and you falling to the ground, and then you were in my arms. It felt as if you were meant to be there." He looked back up at her. She couldn't say anything for a long while. So long that he sighed and let go. "You can go." He said in a defeated voice.
Hearing the sadness in his voice made her heart squeeze painfully. She sat back down, and looked at the ground. "It started in the 9th grade…two years ago. I had just moved here, and I didn't know anyone. I mostly kept to myself, and did my work. No one talked to me directly, but I listened in the halls, and at lunch to the basic school gossip. Well…" she trailed off as she heard foot steps. They sat in silence as the person came into view. Wow Bella thought as she looked at the guy standing not far away.
He was tall and muscular. His hair was long enough to has small spikes in it, and his eyes glowed as blue as the ones next to her. He wore a tight dark blue shirt with a long black jacket, and some cute looking black jeans. They must be brothers. Joy thought, but unlike this one sitting next to her, the guy didn't look happy or kind at this time and to prove her theory he glared at the two of them, first her and then him. She felt her body tense, but the brother stood, and stepped in front of her blocking her view of him.
"What are you doing here?" he asked in his quiet voice. Her body relaxed slightly until she heard the brother's voice.
"I was about to ask you the same thing, Edward" his booming voice made her jump. Ah that's his name. She thought with a smile. Joy stood up and stepped beside Ace meeting his brother's glare with a smile. His glare faltered a little, but not for very long. "And you." He said taking in her appearance, and then her smile He frowned. "What are you doing out here in your…condition?" he asked. Bella looked away from him.
"My dad…he hits me…a lot. I didn't want to be in the house when he finds out about my grades. She said, her smile disappearing and tears were suddenly in her eyes. Edward turned to her in surprise. Bella turned to where the brother couldn't see her and then smiled and winked. Edward smiled back and hugged her. She laughed silently making her shoulders shake so he would think she was crying.
Finally she pulled back, and wiped her eyes, then looked at him. He suddenly looked uncomfortable. She turned away and looked down the path toward her house, and then back to him with a sad expression. She barely hid the smile.
"You're going to make me go back?" she asked. He didn't say anything for a while, but then he sighed.
"Uh…I can't make you do anything but you'll get sick if you stay out here in the cold." He said
"Ah, okay. I see your point." She said and dug in her purse for a piece of paper and pen. When she finally found them she wrote her number on it and handed it to Edward. "Call me ay time." She said and smiled. "Maybe we can meet again." He smiled and nodded putting the paper in his pocket.
Bella smiled and hugged him and then walked to the path.
"Bye." She said and looked at his brother. "It was nice…meeting you." She said with a smile to him and headed down the dark path to her house.
Just as she was out of hearing and seeing distance she took out her phone. It was almost 8. She sighed and shook her head. When she reached her street she noticed she was still wearing Edward's jacket. Smiling, Bella walked through the front door.
Her mom was the first to see her. She didn't seem to mind that her daughter was soaking wet, but that she was getting it on the floor
"Bella!" her mom yelled getting up off the couch, and walking over to her. "Get off the carpet. You're cleaning this up, young lady." Her mom said continuing to raise her voice. He mom was wearing really baggy purple sweatpants, and a sweater that was two sizes too big.
With all the yelling her mom was doing she wasn't surprised to see her dad come down the hall in his short running man shorts he always wore even when he wasn't running, and that tight shirt that made him look like a naked chicken. He was tall and skinny, mostly skin and bones. She sighed as he stood beside his wife and looked down at her. Bella resisted rolling her eyes till she turned down the hall and walked into her room.
She shut and locked it and then stripped off all her wet clothes and put it by her bathroom door. She turned on the hot water and waited for the tub to fill up. Bella looked in the mirror at her abused body, and flinched when she saw how horrible she looked. The gauze on her stomach was falling off so she pulled it off, and looked to see it had stopped bleeding, but it had an ugly red color surrounding it. She'd have to ask her teacher about that.
She turned back to the tub, and smiled when she saw it was almost full. She put some bubble bath in it and stepped it. The water burned her skin when she lowered into the tub, but instantly she began to relax.
All too soon the water got cold, and the bubbles disappeared. She struggled to her feet, and dried off. After cleaning some of the cuts, and rewrapping the cuts on her stomach she put on her knee length white robe, and opened her bathroom door.
Sitting down on her bed, Bella grabbed her alarm clock and set it. Then she put it down, and quickly got dressed into her black sweat pants, and light blue tank top. She barely made it to the bed and under her covers before she all but passed out. Somewhere in the back of her mind she heard the phone ring. She didn't remember reaching for it, but suddenly she heard his voice.
"Why did you smile when my brother first say you today. He was looking at you and when he saw you smiling...the look on his face…did I have that same look on my face when I saw you smiling when you clearly were not supposed to be happy." She heard his voice say. She smiled.
"Smile…it confuses people." She mumbled not even sure if he heard it. She didn't even know she had hung up on him until she saw it on the bed turned off. She was too tired to care. Within second she was out.
(I hope you liked it. I just thought you might want to know some things first. Mr. Cullen is Carlisle and her teacher. He is also a doctor. Edward just moved back to Forks from Alaska because they have to switch every once in a while. So yeah…and I'm not sure if I want to make the person who found then Emmett or Jasper. What do you think? Well please review. Thanks!)