Chapter 1

Today was my 22nd birthday. Birthday's were supposed to be filled with happiness, and love, right?

That hardly ever happened around here. Whenever Jacob got back, he was sure to be in a bad mood.

Jacob had his own apartment, but tended to stay in mine. Jacob wasn't the same anymore, either. The one I had fallen in love with had left long ago. Now all I had left, was the empty shell that reminded me of him.

I was making dinner, because I didn't want to make him any more upset than usual. He stayed out with his friends all the time, and I was the only one making money.

I heard his car pull up in the front. He walked up the to door, and I was pulling dinner out of the oven.

I heard him struggling with the keys, and he dropped them. He grumbled, and finally got the key in.

He stumbled in the door, and I could tell he was drunk again. I hated it when he was like this. And it only meant one thing...

He slammed the door behind him, cussing it out. I mean, it was just a door.

"Bella!" He yelled. I winced.

"Bella, how dare you!" He said coming into the kitchen.

"Jacob, I didn't do anything." I said quietly, turning around.

"To hell with that!" He spit. "I know what you did."

"Jacob, I swear." I said, putting my hands up. He slapped me across the face.

"Don't ever do it again." He said. He pushed me down to the ground, and walked out.

I hadn't done anything, but he was usually like this. Even when he wasn't drunk.

I stood back up, breathing heavily. I went back to finishing dinner.

I put his on a plate, and walked into the other room. I set it on the table next to him.

"What do you think you're doing?!" He yelled. God, I hated it when he was like this.

"It's dinner." I mumbled.

"Why do you think I would want to eat your worthless crap? You can't cook worth shit." He said.

I knew that I cooked well. I had always been complemented. "Sorry." I said quietly, and tried to get away, but he had a grip on my arm.

"Look at me." He commanded. I looked up slowly, and he slapped me hard. That was going to leave a bruise for weeks.

I gasped, and he shoved me back towards the kitchen. I stumbled, and hit the tile floor with my face.

"That's for thinking your good enough for me. I don't even know why I hang around anymore. I feel sorry for you." He said, smug.

I started sobbing. I reached up to my face, and I felt that I had a large gash across my left cheek from where I had hit the tile.

I knew that what he said wasn't true. In highschool, I had almost all of the boys in the school ask me out, and the only one I had said yes to was Jacob. He was the lucky one. I was afraid to leave him. Afraid that he would hit my some more.

I walked into my room. I looked in the mirror. My cheek was bleeding badly. I sighed, and walked over to the window. I knew Jacob would never even know I was gone.

I climbed out of my window, and walked to my car.

I climbed in, and drove to the hospital. The lady at the desk glanced at me once, and rushed me into a room. A doctor I was all too familiar with came in.

"Hello, Doctor Cullen." I said. He smiled at me, and looked at my cheek.

"It looks like you are going to need stitches Bella." He said. He took my hand, and walked me to another room. He took out a needle, and thread. I closed my eyes tightly, while he sewed my gash back up.

He finished quickly, and helped wash my face off. He lent me a shirt to wear since mine was covered in blood.

The shirt fit well, and I was guessing it was one of his wife's.

I thanked him, and was about to leave, when he pulled me back.

"Bella, this weekend, we are having a birthday party for Alice, and also my son is coming for a few weeks. I was wondering if you would like to come." He said.

I smiled. I liked his family. I remembered that Jacob was going to another city with his friends that weekend, so he wouldn't be back until Sunday night.

"Sure, I'd love to. When is it?" I asked.

It's on Saturday at 7 in the afternoon." He said.

"Thank you Doctor Cullen!" I hugged him, and I heard him laughing quietly.

I"ve told you. Call me Carlisle." He said.

"Okay, well, I have to go. See you Saturday!" I said, walking out the door. I saw him smile back once more.

I drove back to my apartment, and climbed back in my window. I heard Jacob snoring, and I sighed. I changed my clothes, and laid down in the bed. I closed my eyes. What a wonderful birthday. I thought to myself sarcastically.

I sighed, and snuggled deeper into the bed. Sleep came to me quickly.

I woke up in the morning to banging around in the kitchen, I looked at the clock. It was past seven. Shoot!

I got up, and quickly changed my clothes.

I walked into the kitchen to see a very aggravated Jacob trying to make breakfast.

"Jacob, let me do it." I whispered.

"Thank God you're finally awake." He said, throwing his hands in the air.

"I'm sorry. What would you like for breakfast?" I asked.

"Just make some eggs or something." He grumbled, walking back towards the television. As soon as he was out of the room, I sighed, and leaned back against the counter top.

Thank goodness he was out of his violent mood.

I started making the eggs that he asked for, and then handed him the plate.

"Thanks." He said angrily, and I moved out of the way, so that he could see the television.

I made myself some eggs, too. I scarfed them down, and then took Jacob's plate from him.

I went to go clean his plate, but he pulled me down, and kissed me hard. I didn't like it, but reluctantly I kissed him back. I didn't want him getting mad at me. When he was finished doing that, he pushed me off of him.

I walked into the kitchen with a scowl on my face. Thankfully today was Friday so he was leaving tonight. I went to the bathroom, and caught sight of my cheek. I touched it softly, and groaned.

It hurt a lot. I went back out, and took some pain relievers.

I went into the living room with Jacob, and sat down on the couch. I wished he would leave sooner.

*****

Finally around six, he left. He gave me another kiss as he walked out the door. "I'll be back Sunday night." He said. I smiled at him, and watched him drive away.

Sense today was Alice's real birthday, and tomorrow was just her party, I decided to go over to her house.

I called her first to make sure I could, and she sounded happy I was coming over.

I grabbed my keys, and walked out of the house. Me and Alice had sometimes shared birthday parties when we were younger. Sense her birthday was the day after mine.

I climbed into my car, and drove off towards her house.