Due to all my wonderful reviews, here is the second chapter! Review for a third at the end, please!

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Esme POV

Two shrill screams awoke me, my eyes popping open as Violet's cries echoed through the house. I instantly jumped out of bed, slipping on a robe and quickly opening the door to my bedroom so I could peek around the corner.

My hands shook as I called for my older sister, nervous sweat building on my brow. It was probably just a bad dream, it couldn't have been him. She promised that she would leave him; she told me she didn't want him now, not after what he did to her. Not after that long night in the hospital. Not after what he did to me.

"Violet? Are you ok?"

No reply, aside from a few muffled screams. Bile rose in my throat as I tried to desperately fight the fear that had begun to encompass me, surround me, and engulf me. No, I wouldn't let him take her. I have to do something, and fast.

I awkwardly shoved the door open and pulled my robe tighter, hiding my rather embarrassing lady bug covered tank top and pale green panties from wandering eyes. I tiptoed down the hallway, careful to step over the second floor board which squeaks loudly when encountering anything over Violet's petite 93 lbs.

A steady rain had begun to fall outside, the sound hypnotizing as well as frightening. The dark walls glistening with the occasional flash of lightning were the only assistance I had when it came to trying to see two feet ahead of me, but it would have to make do. I was much too scared to turn on a light, or light a match.

"Let go of me! Leave now or I'm calling the cops! I swear I will!" Violet screamed from the front door. The sound of rain became clearer as I neared the front of the house.

"To hell I will!" Charles. What has he done this time?

A bout of confidence had me racing toward the door, or maybe it was anger, anger over what Charles had done to my sister and I only a few years ago. I wouldn't let him do that again, not to her at least. I would take the attack, just like I did the last time, though as the horrifying image of my sister and her ex materialized in front of me I realized that I might be too late. Not again. Charles's boot connected with my sister's back, sliding her frail form to my waiting feet.

"Violet!" I cried, leaning down to pick up my crumbled sister, her head falling back as her eyes slipped shut. Blood, deep and red, flowed from my sister's nose and from a cut just above her right eyebrow. She moaned in pain as I pushed a few strands of sweaty hair from her face. Her small frame felt dead in my arms, her blonde hair flat and sticky. "What did you do to her?" I asked through bleary eyes. The monster in front of me laughed darkly, his grin widening to show two rows of sharp teeth.

"Lil' ole sis can't take a love tap? It's too bad, really. She's always been so much prettier, much thinner. But it looks like tonight you'll have to do," the monster said, grabbing me and throwing me against the wall, his hands fumbling with my robe.

My screams were deafening as he pulled off the fabric, his attention moving to my tank top which he promptly tore off, leaving me flushed with embarrassment.

His dull features turned in disgust as he threw me to the ground, throwing the shredded remains of my sleepwear into the corner. I shielded myself as he walked over, his footsteps heavy and loud on the wood floor.

"You make Violet look like first class, Esme Platt," he spat out my last name, causing a drop of saliva to drip down his chin. He wiped it away absentmindedly. "You are repulsive. I swear if you ever get a man you can come kill me yourself, and I'll let you, that's how impossible it is!" he bellowed.

"Esme!"

Another voice interrupted Charles's rant, a woman's voice.

"Come on, get out of bed! You're going to be late for school; you know how those kids can get! Plus I made breakfast, ham and cheese omelet, you're favorite!"

The words were odd, but didn't seem entirely out of place for some odd reason. Was that Violet talking? I glanced behind me and noticed that my sister's form was fading, and when I looked up I noticed Charles was too. I held my hands up to my face, their shimmering transparency ghostlike. What was going on?

"I swear Esme; sometimes you're like a child! Don't think I won't come in there!"

Violet's chirpy voice had become louder, the world around me becoming dimmer.

"Ah!" I gasped, my eyes opening to a steady stream of sunlight cascading through the window. I rubbed my head tentatively, trying to remember the vivid dream I had just experienced. It was another Charles one, probably along the same lines as all the other ones I had been having for the past three years. The monster's face appeared in my mind as I sat up, allowing my back to rest against the head board easily. It had been three years, two months and twenty-one days since 'the incident' and every night I still have a nightmare that mirrors it almost exactly, and everyday my sister wakes me and reminds me that it was all just a dream (well she used to, I can usually handle it on my own now), though it wasn't a dream. It really happened, or at least it kind-of sort-of happened that way.

Violet poked her head into my room, her blonde hair piled into a messy bun, her hands holding a pale pink mixing bowl and a metal whisk coated in egg. "Wakey wakey, sleepy-head! Remember to dress nicely, you have that parent conference today at school," she reminded me. "Do you need to borrow something of mine?"

I laughed mentally, eyeing my sister with a raised eyebrow, "Yea, I'll go to work in your clothes the day you go to work in my underwear!" I joked, slipping out from underneath the covers, my tank top very much intact, much to my relief.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Essie," she said, using my irritating childhood name that only she still uses. "At least you have something up top; A cup's aren't fun, especially when you're my age!"

I sighed but let a smile appear, for my sister's sake. Ever since I graduated from high school I've been steadily gaining weight, much to my ire, while my thirty year old sister has remained bone thin. Usually she doesn't mind her blessed physique, while I detest my own, trying desperately to shed the extra weight, though it rarely works.

I padded over to my closet, pushing my bedroom door shut on the way. Violet grumbled but didn't open it again; her footsteps near silent as she walked over to the stove to finish cooking.

I tossed my tank top into the pile of clothes at the foot of my bed, making a quick mental note to take care of that before Violet started pestering me about it. I grabbed a bright red bra from the drawer, clasping it quickly with one hand while the other whisked through a few racks of clothes.

"Perfect," I mumbled, grabbing a pale blue button up top that I slipped on quickly. The buttons felt a little tight over my bust, but due to time restraints I ignored it, my need to get to work on time much greater than a few snug buttons. I snatched up a black pencil skirt, pulling it over my thighs and tucking my shirt into its high waist line, sucking in as much as I could to get the snap done.

After a quick douse of makeup and a painful curling iron burn I was ready to go, looking refreshed as ever. I slid on a pair of heels, along with two band aids to keep the blistering to a minimum, and a pair of pearl earrings.

"Let's go Essie! I don't want to be late for work!" Violet called, tapping on the door loudly. I grabbed my purse and slipped out the door, a delicious scent greeting me.

"You better eat quickly; we're leaving in like five minutes. Dr. Harlow said he'd fire me if I came in late again. Plus there's this new Doctor that started working at the hospital a few weeks ago. Mega eye candy if you know what I mean," she said, nudging my arm as I sat down beside her. She slid me a plate, one of her famous omelets steaming invitingly. I noticed her dirty dish in the sink and nodded.

"Mhmm…what's his name?" I asked as she handed me a glass of orange juice.

"Carlisle, I think. No one knows much about him, though he seems fairly nice, and, as I already clarified, extremely hot! He just has these golden locks that fall so perfectly, and this gorgeous face and super pale skin, which sounds awful I know but it really works on him," she babbled, a goofy smile adorning her face.

"You're lucky, there's nothing at school, unless you have a thing for the underage," I sighed. "And the only male teachers there are total pervs, I mean I do have eyes!"

Violet laughed, "Of course you do, Essie! You deserve a man anyway, how long has it been since the last one?"

I thought about it for a moment, thinking back to my last fling, "Four months probably, and he left pretty quickly," I reminded her, remembering the guy who had promised me 'forever' but abandoned me on the second date after he got what he wanted on the first one. A shiver ran down my spine as she nodded, grimacing slightly.

"He was awful, Es. You could have done so much better," she assured me, tapping my hand lightly.

I shrugged, "You're supposed to say that, you're my sister."

Now it was her time to shrug, her eyes disapproving, "Why do you always underrate yourself, Esme? You are a beautiful young woman and you deserve to be with the man of your dreams, and trust me, you will find him." She hopped up, grabbing her nurses I.D from the counter. "Almost done?"

I polished off the orange juice and nodded, grabbing a jacket off the rack before heading out the door.

"Forgetting something, Essie?" Violet asked me as she sat down in the driver's seat, handing me my lesson plan I had written out the day before.

"Thanks sis. School just started a few days ago, guess I'm not in the routine yet," I confessed, tucking the paper into my bag as she started the engine.

"Uh-huh, sure," she said smiling. Ever since our parents died Violet's taken over the role of mom and dad, an impressive stance for a thirty year old girl.

I glanced out the window, my eyes falling over the familiar route I had seen so many times. I've been working at Hyannis Port High School for only two years, but I grew up in the area, my parents falling in love with the rolling sea and pristine beaches mere months before Violet was born. When they died neither of us wanted to leave, so we sold the house and bought a new one, scrapping together the money they left us to renovate and decorate.

"We're still meeting for lunch, right sis?" I asked, glancing over at the skinny blonde. She smiled and nodded, keeping her eyes on the road.

"As always," she reminded me. The hospital was only a few blocks from the school, making our lives much easier. We usually met down at the cove where we would eat and converse before heading back to work, our sisterly bond renewed once again.

I relaxed and watched the buildings and streets fly by, waiting for the accustomed stained brick building to come into view. "Your stop Madam," Violet said sarcastically as I opened the door. A few early students had already showed, their backs pressed together as they finished up some last minute homework. They smiled and waved as I passed, their faces registering in my mind as former students. I waved back and proceeded into the building, my feet almost involuntarily leading me to the familiar classroom at the end of the hall.

"Home sweet home," I muttered, setting my bag down and plopping down into my desk chair.

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Edward POV

"I just can't wait until tonight!" Alice squirmed in her seat, her petite body trembling slightly. Jasper placed a hand on his wife's knee and she calmed down, though only slightly, her balled up fists still shaking like a mad woman.

"What's tonight?" Bella asked from her seat beside me. We were on our way to school, Jasper driving the Volvo (much to my irritation) and Rosalie driving her convertible.

Alice turned around so she could stare at Bella, her jaw slight agape. "What is tonight?! Why it's the parent teacher conference at school!" she cried, clapping her hands excitedly.

Bella frowned and looked at me, her eyes questioning. "Is she always like this when we change schools?"

I shook my head, shooting my mate a half grin, "No, see tonight is the night Carlisle is going to meet his mate for the first time, Miss Esme Platt."

"Your history teacher?" Bella asked.

I nodded curtly and her eyes flashed with recognition. "Wow, I would have never paired those two together, I mean I knew she would have caramel hair, but they seem so different," Bella admitted, leaning into my shoulder.

I shrugged, "Opposites attract, right Alice?"

She bounced, "Of course! And Bella, they're more alike than you think! Did you know her sister's a nurse? A pretty good one at that," Alice pointed out, glancing at the hospital as we passed it.

Bella rolled her eyes, "Alice, that really doesn't matter, I meant more personality wise, you kn-"

"QUIET!" Alice commanded, throwing her arms out in the universal 'silence' motion. Bella sulked, upset at being interrupted.

"What's her problem?" my mate whispered, eyeing the pixie like girl suspiciously.

"Vision," I told her simply, my mind reaching out to read my sister's. My eyes closed as I centered on the same image Alice was seeing.

They were in a bright purple room, the walls a flashy contrast to the white carpet. A light wooden dresser faced the west side of the room, clothes erupting from its depths. A mirror hung above it, pictures and sequins lining its edges. A few paintings and posters clung to the walls, their colors all centering around the same scheme of pinks and purples. Garments littered the floor, the most accumulating on a small purple shag carpet, complete with bright red ladybugs and blue dragon flies. The two windows on the east side each carried a nice set of glitzy curtains, the bubblegum colored fabric covered in diamonds and rhinestones, casting a beautiful pattern on the walls. Butterflies and hearts seemed to cover every object, the room a true statement to a young girl's childhood, though something very noticeable put the thought that a girl lives there to rest. A large king sized bed faced the north side of the room, its head board decorated in shiny flowers and its comforter covered in pink hearts.

There sits my father, a young woman dressed only in lacy underwear straddling his boxer clad hips, their lips locked in a moment of fiery passion. No, this is definitely not a child's room, but it is Miss Platt's, a thought that had laughter building in my lungs, though it was silenced as I noticed how very human she was, her skin still rosy pink and noticeably soft.

Carlisle grabbed his mate's waist, pushing her down onto the bed so he could maneuver himself between her legs. He leaned forward, kissing her deeply, her mouth parting as she moaned into the kiss.

"I love you," Miss Platt groaned as Carlisle kissed down her neck.

"As do I, my lovely Esme," Carlisle said, signaling the end of Alice's rather short vision. My surroundings became clear as I opened my eyes, blinking a few times to allow the light to adjust.

"What did you see?" Bella asked, grabbing my arm and pulling herself closer.

I thought about the question for a moment. What did I see? Carlisle and Miss Platt about to do the deed in the middle of her very young and very purple bedroom? Things just get stranger every day.

"Did you see what I saw?" Alice asked, turning to look at me.

"Carlisle, Esme, purple walls, red panties, yep. Saw it all, though I really wished I hadn't," I admitted. I'm glad Carlisle is going to be so happy in the future, I mean that is the whole reason why we moved here in the first place, but I would really rather not see what he and his girlfriend do on his breaks.

"At least he's happy," Alice chimed, climbing out of the car as Jasper shut off the ignition. Bella and I followed, her hand clasping mine, her fingers enveloping my own perfectly. A matched set, just like Carlisle and Miss Platt.

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Esme POV

"Don't forget to read pages 512-522 tonight class, there might just be a quiz on it tomorrow," I warned my third block as they left, gathering their books and bags swiftly.

I noticed one boy, a senior by the name of Logan, dropped his notebook, its cover coated in footprints from the hurried students that had already left. I picked it up and walked over to the large boy who was leaning against the wall talking to one of the many mindless cheerleaders, his football jersey stretched across his wide chest. He shooed the girl away as I walked forward, his gaze shifting as I handed him his missing item.

"You might need this," I said as he took the notebook, shoving it into his backpack ungracefully.

He smiled, "Thanks Miss P, you know," he said, his voice dropping considerably as he leaned forward, his eyes going to my chest as I did the same. Oh high school boys, is that really all they think about? My mouth twisted a little and I pulled the collar on my shirt up, but didn't pull away, my curiosity getting the best of me. "I would give up every girl in this school, just to see what you look like under all those clothes."

What?!

I quickly backed away, bumping into a few desks as I tried to erase what the boy had just said. I'm sure if Charles had never come into my life I would have taken the young man's statement as nothing more than petty flirting, but after what he did to me…how he hurt me. I can handle twenty-something year olds telling me my ass is cute, but something about Logan's words just turned me away. Charles had always dropped comments like that, always wanting to see me under my clothes, and when he finally got me, against my will of course, he turned me down, saying I wasn't thin enough for him. The thought made my skin crawl and my blood boil.

"Get out, now."

"Look, I didn-"

"Now," I said steadily, pointing toward the door.

He nodded and left, lumbering out of the classroom and giving me a moment of wonderful peace. I walked over to my desk to get ready for the next block, my hands terribly shaky as they tried to sort and file a few things. Why on earth would he say that? And to a teacher? Students had flirted with me before, but never in such a drastically blunt way, and never with such suggestive language. I could report him for it, but I doubt they would do anything about it anyway; Logan has family all over Cape Cod that would get him out of trouble.

As the bell rung and students poured into the classroom I tucked Logan into the back of my mind, I could think about him later, but right now I need to focus on my class and their education. So I taught, the subject proving to be fairly easy for most of the class, especially for Edward Cullen, the brightest of all my students, and the quietest. I don't think I've heard him speak more than a few words, though when he does it's a beautiful sound, matching his angel-like face.

I am not crushing on a sixteen year old boy, I can promise you that, but he is charming, at least compared to the usual lot. I've seen his siblings around as well, all just as pale, beautiful, and thin as he is, much to my surprise. He usually has a brown-haired girl with him, her eyes the same golden color as his, her body the perfect size.

Why couldn't I be more like them?

The thought made me stop midsentence, interrupting my rant about early civilizations across Asia and puzzling the class. I quickly recovered and ordered the class to read a few pages and answer questions, allowing me to sit back and think, if only for a couple minutes.

They were all so beautiful, so perfect, what did they do to become that way? Lotions, moisturizers? Just a good gene pool?

Or maybe it's just because they're still young, I mean everybody looks good when they're still counting down the teen years. I had yet to face the fact that I am twenty-five years old and alone, something I had never imagined myself to be by this age. I thought I would be married and happy, with a cute little house and two kids and a white picket fence out front. I definitely didn't think I would be living with my sister in a one story house on the edge of town. What a failure.

"Miss Platt? I'm done, here you go."

Edward handed me his answers, his fingers icy cold as they brushed against my hand. I nodded my thanks as he turned to go back to his seat, but before he reached it he walked back over to my desk, placing a hand on its wooden surface. "My father will be coming tonight, are you planning to stay?" he asked, expectedly.

I smiled a bit, "Of course, Edward," I told him and he grinned.

"He's very excited to meet you, Miss Platt," Edward said as he went back to his seat.

I wondered what he meant by that, I'm not much to be excited about after all. I flipped through the papers Edward had given me, checking every answer and placing a '100' on the front page in purple pen.

I looked up at Edward who had taken out a sheet of paper, lying it face down on his desk. He picked it up and flipped it over, his eyes still locked with mine. He did it again, as if he were demonstrating.

I soon realized what he wanted me to do, my hands easily flipping over the last page Edward had given me, my eyes inspecting the careful script printed on the back in black ink.

You are beautiful the way you are, Miss Platt, and I mean that in the most student-like manner possible.

P.S- Nice nail polish, matches your bed spread (by what I've overheard at the hospital, my dad works alongside your sister).

I flipped the papers back over and shot the young man a smile. I wonder if his father is the one Violet was talking about this morning, the cute one that just moved. Then again someone who has a sixteen year old son probably isn't very hot to a thirty year old girl, and Violet would never fall for a married man, even she has boundaries.

I glanced at my nails, surprised that Violet had told anyone at the hospital about my bedspread. What an odd thing to talk about.

The bell rung and the class left, leaving me alone in a high school classroom, wishing for nothing more than someone to tell me what Edward had just told me every day. A companion, a lover, just someone to hold me when I needed it. I needed love.

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