Hello everyone! Firstly, I'm so sorry for not updating any of my other stories in ages but my laptop broke and I only got it back later.
Secondly, yes, this story focuses on child abuse and teenaged depression and who it effects the 'victim' 's life.
I couldn't have wrote this story without the amazing help of my Beta; BringAttentionToTheMatter. Please check out her stories, they are amazing.
Bella and Alice are very OOC and Rosalie is a little too. Lauren, Tyler, Jessica, Mike and the gang are massive bitches, Ben and Angela don't hang out with them much, however everyone else is themselves.
I hope you love this story as much I love writing it.
Disclamer: I don't own Twilight.
Without further ado, here is: A Girl Like You...
If life doesn't kill you, emptiness will
You Don't Know Me
Ring, Ring. Ring, Ring.
The annoying noise shrills through the cold air, making me shiver and waking me instantly.
I check my clock -3:49- only Alice would call me this late and for only one reason; this time must have been bad.
"Bella." Alice asks through the phone, fear and pain evident in her voice.
"Hey Ali, how bad?" I ask.
"Bad. I think I have a broken arm."
"Okay." I tell her, not really surprised anymore. "Need help with a cover story for the doctors?"
"Yeah, I'll have to go tomorrow." She tells me. I know the pain is eating away at her but she's strong, unlike me- I'm weak.
"Okay how about you tell them you were taking a short cut through the woods to get to school when you tripped and landed on your arm. They'll believe that, they have no reason not too." I suggest.
"Yeah, that'll work. Do...do you think I'll have to get a cast?" She asks fearfully.
"Let's hope not." I tell her, shivering when I remember what happened last time.
"Thanks Bella, for being here."
"No problem Alice, anytime." And as I say the words, I know they're true.
Going to school is a constant. As is the pain and Alice being hurt by her pathetic excuses for parents. As soon as I stop my car in the school parking lot, I know something is different.
I quickly scan the scene in front of me and notice a shiny silver Volvo that most definitely not belong to anyone I knew at this school. Which means that for the first time since I arrived in this small and rainy town four years ago, there was at least one new student gracing the halls of Forks High, poor person.
When I was new here no one seemed to get that I wanted to be alone and for the first few months I was bombarded by stupid, hormonal teenage boys and snotty, annoying teenage girls wanting to share my lime light. Only Alice saw the real me, the broken mess I truly was and after those first few terrifying months I found sanctuary with the lonely little pixie. We had become fast friends, telling each other everything and helping each other as best we could.
I was pulled out of my little lonely bubble when I walked into a cold, hard wall. Odd, I usually could walk between classes without paying attention. People naturally avoided me, waiting until later on to pick on me.
"Oh, sorry." A velvet voice said as two cold hands shot out to help me balance.
"I wasn't looking where I was going." Was my short reply. I don't look up, just mutter 'sorry' and walk away, not having the strength to deal with whoever it was.
I got to my first period, English and sat at the back as I usually do and just sit there, waiting to go to the next lesson and barely paying attention.
When the bell rings I gather up my things and head out of the door to my next class. The morning passed quickly and soon I was walking down to Alice and my usual lunch place- the woods.
As I was walking towards the forest I heard some footsteps behind me but I knew they weren't Alice's, her footfalls are very soft and these were quite heavy.
"Hey, where are you going?" I hear a velvety voice ask behind me and I warily turn around only to do a double take. There in front of me stood a boy who could quite easily be a man. He had bronze hair, golden eyes and the palest skin I had ever seen; even paler then mine.
"Hello? Where are you going?" He asked again, breaking me out of my trance.
"The woods." I said in my usual monotone, no matter how gorgeous he may be I knew better then to let someone in.
"Why?" He asked, trying to sound surprised, but he would have heard all about me by now.
"Alice and I always sit here for lunch." Then, so he'd get the message. "We like to be alone."
"Oh, okay then, just don't go too far, see you later." He said, turning around and walking towards the cafeteria just as Alice reached me, limping and a cast on her left arm.
"Oh no! Ali! I'm so sorry, come on, lets get that thing off before anyone notices." I say, knowing how much trouble she'd be in if her father knew she had been to the hospital.
"Yeah, come on, and while we're doing that you can tell me who the hottie you were talking to was." She said.
Now, I know we are depressed and dead to the world but Ali really was my best friend and we supported each other. She was the only one I could talk to without being scared someone would think somethings wrong. We could be normal with each other, or at least try to be.
My grades were the highest in the school so the teachers rarely bothered me, wanting my good grades on their file and others our age avoided us like the plague- ether that or bullied us.
When I was around Charlie I kept up a pretense of happiness and four years after the accident he was none the wiser to my... condition. But Ali knew, she could just tell. I remember that fiery day as if it was yesterday.
I had escaped to the forest at lunch because I just hated all the attention and promises of false friendship and just wanted some peace.
I'd just settled myself down in a small meadow when I heard a skittering in the trees and then an 'Omph'.
I'd ran in the direction of the sound, only to find a girl lying on the ground wearing a long sleeved, oversized, tatty jumper and tight, old denim jeans that barely fit her. I offered her my hand but when she saw me she just got scared, scrambled up and ran.
We didn't speak for a few months but I had been watching her and realized what she had been going through. Little did I know she had been watching me too so when we finally spoke to each other, we were both equally surprised.
We've been friends for around three and a half years now and we lean on each other. I take pictures of her injuries and have a diary all about her and how she acts on a day to day basis. She has one on my depression and takes pictures of my cuts. We keep them on USB sticks, hidden in various places for fear of someone finding them.
I don't think I'll ever get over my depression but I'm sure that one day I may need my depression dairy but it's just too hard to write about it, so Alice does.
I made Alice's diary and take the photos because, even though she scared to tell people what's happening, I know one day it'll come out and she'll need the evidence to put her destructive parents away for good.
They never hit or hurt Alice's younger sister because in their eyes she's normal and Alice isn't. You see, Alice can sort of sense when something will happen and sometimes has visions of the future. Now, I know I sound crazy, but it's true. She predicts when the sun comes out and when her family will leave her alone, both are few and far between.
She even predicted these new comers, only it was a weird vision as she told me she saw us free and happy with two of the Cullen boys. I know it can't be true, we'll never be free or happy but Alice has never been wrong, then again, there's always a first time for everything.
We had been sitting in silence while I was thinking but Alice broke the silence.
"He's the boy you were with." She says suddenly.
I look at her confused, waiting for her to explain.
"In my vision. In my vision he held you, you looked different, you looked..." She hesitates.
"Alice, what is it? What did I look like?" I was getting worried, was I afraid? Scared? In Pain?
"In Love." Alice says, barely a whisper.
"What?" I ask, shocked. That couldn't be true, could it? I can't fall in love, let alone find someone who loves me, other then Charlie and Alice, right?
So was that a good first chapter? Please leave your comments in the review section and please follow and fave. I'll try to get a new chapter out each week.
Check out my other stories!
See you soon,
Brookie.
