Hero

"You don't develop courage by being happy in your relationships everyday. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity." - Epicurus

I walked through the halls of Forks High School, everyone ignored me, including my boyfriend, Dylan. He flirts with anything with a skirt, well, if I so happen to even look or speak to a guy it's the end of the world. I sighed and held the books closer to my chest.

"Like I was saying" I was cut off again.

"Not know, Madison" Dylan hissed in my ear.

I looked down the hall, everyone parted to allow the Cullens to pass through. All eyes were on them, there's Alice Cullen, Jasper Hale, Edward Cullen, and Emmett Cullen. They are all adopted, by Dr. Cullen and his wife. Alice and Jasper are together, Edward is with Isabella Swan, and Emmett, nobody really knows. He never seems to be with anyone, it's as if he doesn't like anyone here.

All the girls wanted to be with him, he would smile at them. Emmett usually keeps to himself. The Cullens, walked by, my eyes locked with the dark ones of Emmett. He smiled and winked at me. I felt the heat steal to my face, I looked to the marble tiles to hide the blush.

"Were you checking him out?" Dylan hissed in my ear. I shook my head, he gripped my elbow and dragged me out to the courtyard and into the woods. I clawed at his hand, and tried to break away from him. It was useless.

"Don't lie to me!" He snarled and pushed me to the ground. He climbed on top of me and slapped me repeatedly. His hand wrapped around my throat and he squeezed. I tried to scream, but he was cutting off my air flow. Suddenly, he was pulled off of me. I took in deep breaths of air, closing my eyes. My lungs burned for oxygen, it felt like I was standing in a room filled with flames.

I opened my eyes to see Emmett Cullen standing over top of me, concern written all over his perfectly chiseled face. He tilted my face to the side, looking at my cheek. "Emmett, how did you find me?" My throat was a bit raspy.

"It doesn't matter. Let's get you to the nurse." He said, he scooped me into his arms and cradled me to his chest. I leaned my head into his broad chest, it felt so right to be in his arms.

"Thank you" I said.

"It's fine." He said, he walked briskly to the nurse's office. He opened the door while holding me. The nurse looked up from her book.

"Set her on the bed." She said. Emmett set me down gently and walked out without a second glance. "Let's see, what happened?" the nurse asked.

I told her, and she called in the principal, I retold the story. The nurse said I had to go back to class. She signed my hall pass and then sent me on my way, I was muttering improper curses under my breath.

I walked to my locker and grabbed my books for Biology, I shut the grey metal door. Then, Nolan, Dylan's cousin popped out of no where. He wore an evil smirk on his face. My hand itched to slap in off his ugly face. "Dylan tells me that Cullen saved your scrawny ass."

"Nolan, get lost." I bit out, I was hold back from slapping him.

"Oh, c'mon. You know no one wants you. Dylan took pity on you." He said.

"Nolan-"

"I'm pretty sure she told you to get lost." I knew that voice, it was Emmett.

"Chill, we were only talking Cullen." Nolan said, he held up his hands in mock surrender. I pushed by him, wishing I slapped him. I trudged to Biology, not really liking this class. It was the only class that I had without anyone I hated.

I handed the pass to the teacher and took my seat, we were learning about the phases of cells in an onion. I inwardly groaned and leaned back in my chair crossing my arms. The class dragged on, then soon the final bell rang and I headed to my car.

I looked for my keys, finding them in my bookbag, I unlocked the small Chevy Impala. I climbed in and pulled out of the south parking lot. It took me thirty minutes to get home, Dad's car was in the driveway. He was home early, this meant something.

I walked through the front door and into the living room. "Madison?" Dad called, he was in the kitchen.

"It's me!" I called back. I took a deep breath and waited for him to walk in.

"Mind telling me why the school called?" He asked drying his hands on a towel as he came in. "Who did that to your face?"

"Dylan." I sighed, I looked in the mirror by the door. I had a bruise on my left cheek and two hand shaped bruises around my neck.

"I knew that boy was no good. I'm calling Chief Swan." Dad said. He picked up the landline phone and dialed 911. Dad sat me down and made me explain what happened.

A knock on the door signaled that Chief Swan was here. Dad answered the door.

"Hello, Chief Swan." Dad said. Chief Swan asked me about what caused this. I told him it was a huge misunderstanding, and what happened, and who came to my rescue. Chief Swan jotted down some notes.

"Alright, I'll need a statement after I speak with Mr. Cooper." He said, and left. Dad thanked him and shut the door.

We sat down and ate dinner, afterwards I went to take a shower. I washed away Dylan's touch and the dirt and grime from my hair and skin. I stayed in the shower until the water turned ice cold. I got out and dried off, then dressed in my read and black plaid boxers and an old band t-shirt. I wrapped my hair into the towel, and sat on the bay window to read my latest favorite book.

I woke in the middle of the night to the moon shining on me. I had tingles running up and down my arms and legs. I pulled out my phone and texted my old best friend, Paul Lahote.

'Do you feel it?' I sent him.

I found an old scrapbook I made, there were two. One for me and one for Paul. We haven't talked lately due to the fact I don't live right next door to him anymore.

'Yes.' My phone vibrated against my leg. I smiled, a some fond memories.

'Meet me by the woods' I got another text. I slipped my feet into some polka dotted rain boots and slipped on my parka. I grabbed a flashlight and tip toed out of the house.

Paul stood by the edge of the woods, he was leaning against a tree. I shined the flashlight in his eyes. He squinted and held his hand up. "Hello to you too, Dork." He said, a smile on his lips. I never knew why, but, he always reminded me of a wolf. I always pictured him as a wolf. He called me a cat, so I called him a puppy.

"Hello, Puppy." I smiled. I saw him roll his eyes.

"Really? The nickname is super old, Kitten." He only called me that because when I was mad I looked like a kitten. Wierd. I was pulled into his chest and forced into a bear hug.

"Can't breath." I gasped. He mumbled an apology and dropped me to the ground. We began walking through the woods, on the beat up path, I always used. The trail leads to this beautiful little pond. Paul and I sat on the larger rocks and talked about our lives.

"Can we do this again soon?" I asked hopefully.

Paul's face fell and he shook his head. "No."

"Why?" I asked, hurt that he didn't want to see me anymore.

"Things change. It's better this way, you won't get hurt." He said, glancing around the woods. The feeling of being watched crept up on me. I stood and started running home. I didn't want to be around him, right now. He yelled after me, soon his yelling faded away.

I ran through the screen door and to my room. I kicked off my shoes and coat, and threw myself on my bed. The salty tears fell down my face, I cried until I couldn't cry anymore.