The Girl with the Broken Smile
Chapter 2
BPOV
I was a nervous wreck the entire flight to Forks, not to mention I was still in some pain and was trying to hide it all from my dad forgetting he was a police officer and good at reading people.
"Bells, are you hurting again?" he asked halfway through the flight.
"No, just slight discomfort from sitting too long." I grimaced.
"Here, take some ibuprofen, then when we get home you can take your pain medicine and sleep." He patted my leg.
"But I thought you wanted me to meet everyone." I sighed.
"Sweetie. You'll be living there, they can meet you whenever you're ready. Remember, everything is on your terms. OK?" he reminded me.
"OK." I smiled a little.
I took the ibuprofen and tried to relax a little, still feeling anxious.
They announced our flight would be landing and dad reminded me that Irina would be meeting us, but only Irina, so I wouldn't be overwhelmed and so that we could stop and get me a few more outfits to get through the weekend at least.
We grabbed my small carry on and dad's duffel bag, thankfully that's all we had and headed off in search of Irina.
"Charles!" I saw a slender, short lady waving a bright red scarf in the air and smiling.
"Rin!" he smiled and dropped his bag, taking her in hug and a quick kiss.
"Bells, this is Irina. Irina, this is my beautiful daughter Isabella." He beamed.
"Bella please." I blushed.
She took me into her arms and hugged me tightly. "You're safe here now." She pulled me away and looked me in the eyes smiling.
"Thank you." I whispered.
"Come on, I'm starving." My dad nodded his head towards the parking garage.
"Charles, slow down. Bella is having problems." Irina said concerned.
"I-I'm OK." I shook my head.
"Nonsense, after what you went through you should've been in bed for more than two days. When I was 19 I had a miscarriage and I was in bed for a week. I couldn't stop bleeding and the pain was unbearable. Of course I didn't have the health care you have here either." She shook her head. "I'm here if you need me." She pulled me into her side. "We'll wait for you right here, go get the car." She told my dad with a sweet smile.
We sat in silence for a few moments before she started talking again.
"Bella, I just want you to know that I'm here no matter what. Think of me as a friend, mom, and confidant, whatever, just know I'm here for you to talk to. I've been through something pretty similar to what you went through and I know it's difficult to trust. So just know I'm here." She said with her thick Russian accent and beautiful smile, reminding me of Elsa from Frozen. I giggled when I thought of that.
She quirked her eyebrow.
"You look like Else from Frozen." I smiled.
"I actually dressed like her this past Halloween and that's the theme for the Christmas parade too. Your dad is going to be Kristoff." She smiled, making me laugh for the first time in forever. "You should be Anna. You'd be perfect!" she clapped.
"I don't think so." I shook my head.
"You've got time. We'll work on it." She smiled softly as dad pulled up.
We got in the car and headed out.
We stopped at Chili's to eat and I was in Heaven. I hadn't eaten out in years.
I knew I'd be sick tonight.
"So when we get to the house, there will be no one there. I told Demetri to go to Edward's house for the weekend. I didn't want you to feel threatened in anyway your first few days getting readjusted to your home and I want you to get some real rest. I know your dad has to work nights when he goes back, but that will work out fine. I can work whenever I want too since I own the dance studio." She shrugged.
"I don't want to run your son out of his home." I shook my head.
"You're not dear. He goes to Edward's most weekends anyways because they're always out late for football or baseball games and Edward's mom feeds almost the entire team afterwards, plus they have a huge basement they turned into a game room and a heated pool." She smiled.
"Hey, my basement is my haven." My dad laughed.
"Yes we know. You play with your worms and guns." She shook her head.
"Your dad made half the basement into a workout area, so feel free to use that whenever you want, after you've healed, but the other half is his guns and fishing tackle." She rolled her eyes.
"Of course it is. I'd expect nothing less." I giggled.
"It's nice to hear that." My dad squeezed my hand.
We finished lunch and went to Old Navy to grab me a few more things to get me through the next week at least.
"Are you sure you'll be OK with these undergarments Bella? I can run into Victoria Secrets for you." Irina said.
"I'm positive." I blushed. "These are fine." And they were, cotton panties were more than fine, as were the bras.
I'd bought 3 pairs of sweat pants, 2 pairs of yoga pants, 2 jackets, 3 Henley's, 2 t shirts, a couple of sports bras and a pack of underwear and socks. I also got a couple pairs of pajamas and another pair of shoes.
"Bella, when you're better, I'm taking you shopping for some proper clothes. These won't be nearly warm enough or enough for you to wear for school." Irina smiled.
"Irina, Bella isn't going to school right away. She's going to finish out this semester via internet and then start Forks High, after Christmas when the new semester starts." My dad said.
"Oh, that's a smart idea." She smiled.
"We've got lots of time to shop then." She patted my hand.
Pulling up to my old house there was my dad's cruiser and it made me smile.
There was also a black Mustang with yellow racing stripes running down the sides, a silver VW Jetta in the drive way and a monster Jeep covered in mud.
"I'm going to skin him alive." Irina muttered.
"It's OK. Really I don't want to run him out of his home. It's not fair." I shook my head.
"OK. Just go straight to your room, we'll bring your bags and then they can come meet you whenever you're ready." She squeezed my shoulder.
No sooner had she said that than four guys walk out.
"Really, Jasper is here too." My dad mumbled.
"Is that bad?" my voice trembled.
"Jasper is the shortest there and Emmett the largest. Those two together are like a walking comedy store, gone X-Rated." My dad shook his head.
"Oh." My eyes got large.
"They're harmless. Especially Emmett, his girlfriend Rose would kick his butt." Irina laughed.
"Jasper is all talk. He's just a horndog." My dad chuckled.
"Demetri is the next tallest, that's your brother. Yes he's scowling, but he broods a lot. Don't let it bother you. He just broke up again with his girlfriend Heidi. That's a never ending circle there, so don't worry about it." Irina squeezed my hand.
"The tall slender, well built one with the crazy hair is the best quarterback Forks has had in forever. He's also on the fast track for Harvard Medical. That's Edward Cullen. His dad will actually be your doctor. Carlisle is wonderful, soft spoken and you'll love his wife Esme as well. She's our Mayor." My dad smiled.
"Wow. I guess Demetri hangs out with a mixture of people, huh?" I asked.
"Oh, just because the guys are goofy, doesn't mean the parents aren't strict. Jasper's dad travels a lot. He's an investment banker and puts a ton of pressure on Jasper to do well in everything. Jasper is a straight A student and the star pitcher for Forks High, he's being recruited by several colleges and a couple major leagues already and Emmett has a couple NFL teams wanting him, not to mention almost every college. It's just him and his mom, his dad was killed in a hotel fire while away on business in Chicago. They received a nice settlement from the hotel and his father's employment, not to mention life insurance, plus his mom is an elementary school teacher." My dad finished.
Demetri started to walk towards the car and Irina got out.
"I told you not to be here." Her voice was raised.
"We wanted to meet her, is that so bad?" he hissed glaring straight at me.
"Yes! We told you she was afraid and not feeling well. She just needs rest!" Irina snapped.
"We're not going to hurt her mom! I shouldn't have to leave my house!" he yelled.
I slowly opened my door and took a deep breath.
I guess I'd been sitting too long and as soon stood up everything started spinning.
I woke up to beeping and bright lights.
"Thank goodness." My dad sighed.
"Ahhh she's awake." A strange male voice said to my other side.
I panicked and started thrashing.
"It's OK Bells. This is Dr. Cullen, he's going to take good care of you." My dad smiled.
"You had a small blood clot. You're fine. I'm just keeping you overnight. I'm prescribing some anxiety medicine for you, your dad filled me in on what was left out of the records that were sent." He told me.
"OK. If it'll help." I nodded.
"It will help you not be so skittish around people, you'll be a little more relaxed." He assured.
"Carlisle, she's not going to school until next semester, so will she be able to cope by then?" my dad asked.
"It depends on her Charlie. Bella you have to want to step out of your comfort zone. It's too early to tell though." Carlisle warned. "The boys will make sure no one bothers her though." He nodded.
"I'm not so sure." Charlie shook his head. "They were all at the house waiting, not at your house where they should've been. Demetri was quite defiant about it all, Jasper and Emmett were their usual selves, but kept it inside and Edward was being rational as always, trying to reel Demetri in. Demetri was fired up about having to leave his home. Like he's ever home anyway." My dad chuckled.
"Teenagers." Carlisle sighed. "Do you need me to talk to him?" he asked.
"Not yet. If he gets disrespectful, I might. Thanks." They shook hands before Carlisle walked out.
"Sorry to cause trouble dad." I sighed.
"You're no trouble Bells." My dad reminded me. "Demetri just needs to remember he's not the only one anymore. He never was, but I had no access to you. Also, when you're comfortable we'll get you your driver's license and a car." He assured me.
"I don't even have my permit." I told him.
"What? They never got you a permit?" he asked.
I just shook my head.
"Well, we'll get your permit, but you have to have that for a year before you can get your driver's license." He informed me.
"That's OK. I don't mind walking. I walked a lot in Florida." I shrugged.
"It rains a lot here and your brother has a car, he can drive you or Irina or myself." He smiled.
"Thanks." I smiled.
"Get some rest. I'll be back later. OK." He looked at me seriously.
"OK." I laid down and promptly fell asleep.
I'd been home for two days and hadn't seen Demetri once.
Irina said he was staying with friends and she'd taken time off from the studio to make sure I was OK.
"Bella, Demetri will be home tonight. He's got school tomorrow. We always have a family dinner on Sunday nights. Your dad will be home for his dinner break, so I want to make sure you're rested, and you've taken your medication." She smiled at me.
"I took a mid-morning nap and I take my medicine again at 4pm, if I'm feeling agitated." I told her.
"OK. Do you feel like helping with dinner?" she asked.
"That's one thing I can do well. I was required to cook and bake." I took a deep breathe.
"Well, you're not required to do anything here except keep good grades and keep your room and bathroom clean and do your own laundry. Occasionally if I am out of town the boys might need you to cook, but usually Charlie will order pizza or sneak to the diner every night." She laughed.
"So you actually can cook?" I asked amazed.
"American, Russian, Spanish, European and American foods. If I'm given a recipe I can cook almost anything I've never attempted half way decently." She laughed.
We worked side by side preparing diner until the front slammed open.
"Mom, I'm home!" I heard Demetri yell and stiffened.
"Bella, it'll be OK." Irina smiled as we heard Demetri stomping into the kitchen.
"Hey baby!" she greeted him.
"Hey mom." He kissed her cheek.
"Demetri, this is Bella. Bella, this is Demetri. It's time for you two to officially meet." She smiled.
"H-Hi" I smiled at him.
"Hey, nice to meet you." He sighed. "Mom, I'm going to shower. I've been with Heidi." He smiled.
Irina rolled her eyes and waved him away.
Dinner was pretty quiet. My dad talked about his day, Irina was trying to talk me into coming to the studio with her to dance and once my dad and I convinced her I really was clumsy, she gave up.
"So is that why you're here? You mom get tired of picking you up every time you fall down." Demetri sneered as we cleaned the kitchen.
I stiffened for a second before I steeled myself, determined NOT to let him get to me.
"You don't know the first thing about the woman who claimed to be my mother. A person who could let horrible things happen to her own child has NO fucking rights to be called a mother." I screamed at him and ran up to my room.
Irina running in after me.
"Bella, are you OK?" she wrapped her arms around me.
"Demetri made fun of my clumsiness and asked if that's why I was here, because my mom got tired of me." I burst into tears.
I felt my bed dip and my dad wrap his arms around me. Irina cursing in Russian I guess and leaving the room, then yelling in the back yard.
My dad brought me my sleeping pills and I drifted off.
The next morning my dad and Irina along with a very pissed off looking Demetri were at the table.
"Bella, we think you need to share your story with Demetri, we don't want what happened last night to happen again and for it not to, you'll have to open up. I know it's going to be hard, but we really think you need to." My dad squeezed my hand.
"OK." I nodded.
Irina squeezed my hand and kept hold of it as I told my story. Some of the details even my dad and Irina hadn't heard from the earlier days when it all began, my dad had read all the medical reports, but didn't realize when it'd all actually started.
By the end Demetri was in tears.
"I'm sorry I was an asshole to you Bella." He said. "Mom, Charlie, sorry for being rude to Bella." He got up and left to school.
The next few weeks he didn't go out of his way to talk to me and he stayed away as much as possible.
I didn't take it personally, if he wanted to be like that and treat me like I had the plague, then so be it.
I went about my school work and helped Irina with the house work since I had nothing more to do.
I knew Christmas was fast approaching and I'd be starting school after Christmas break.
Irina also told me about a big Christmas party that we were going to and she and I were going shopping with Mrs. Cullen and he younger daughter Alice for dress.
"Irina, do I really need to go?" I asked.
"Yes, this will be a good way for you to meet some of the people you'll be going to school with and it'll help with your anxiety a little." She smiled.
I disagreed, but her and my dad insisted and seeing as they hadn't forced me to do anything as of yet, I could do this for them.
So here I am getting up way to early with Irina and putting on a pair of matching sweats, which she insisted on hers are pink and mine was black Victoria Secret's. She braided my hair, one of my new favorite things for her to do with my hair and we were ready to go.
"Have fun today ladies." My dad smiled.
"We're shopping with Esme and Alice." Irina cackled.
"Is that bad?" I asked by her laugh.
"Wait until you meet Alice. She's a 10 year old DIVA… She's going to INSIST on dressing you. She's already making her own clothing line. Esme is taking her to New York during Spring Break to pitch her idea. Seriously. Esme is going to love you. I know she's going to try and pair you up with her son immediately." Irina laughed.
"Oh no, no. I-I can't. No one is going to want me." I shook my head.
"Hey. Never say never. There are good men out there." She squeezed my hand as we drove down this long drive and pulled up at this exquisite house.
"Esme is the Mayor, but she loves to decorate as well. She took this house that was almost in disrepair and turned it into this. You must see the pictures some time. She's the one who redesigned your bedroom and bath too." She smiled.
Irina knocked on the door as I took in the beautiful surroundings.
I didn't even notice the door being opened.
"Oh, hi Mrs. Swan. Sorry for answering the door like this. Forgive me." I looked up and saw one of the guys who was at the house the day I came home standing there shirtless and sweaty. I blushed and looked down at my shoes.
"Nonsense. I know you guys have to work out and stay in shape. But can you let us in? It's freezing." She laughed.
"Oh, yes of course." He motioned us in and of course I'd trip walking in.
"I've got you." He caught me before I busted my face.
"T-Thank you." I yanked my arm away and wrapped myself next to Irina.
"Edward, this is Bella. Bella this is Edward. You two will probably be in every class together, he's in all AP classes too." Irina smiled at me.
"I can help you get to know the school if you'd like." Edward reached out and touched my hand, it sent butterflies to my stomach.
"It would be nice to have a friend." I looked into his eyes.
"You've got Demetri too." He smiled a crooked grin and before I could respond, his friends came bounding up the stairs and his mom and sister came down the stairs, causing him to drop my hand and me to drop my head.
"Irina, sorry to keep you waiting. I hope Edward was a good host." Esme smiled.
"Yes, he was very sweet as always." She smiled.
"Thanks for being a Neanderthal." He mom glanced at him and Alice rolled her eyes.
"We're working out mom!" he huffed.
"You still could've put on a shirt, you were waiting for like five minutes up here." She glanced at me and winked, causing me to blush again and two of the guys to make kissing noises and Demetri to go back down stairs.
Shopping with Esme and Alice was fun.
Alice was a little whirlwind, just like Irina had said.
I'd finally convinced them all that I didn't want to wear a dress, I just wasn't comfortable. So I found some nice dress pants a cute top with bows to make it festive and a little jacket and pulled it together with some kitten heels.
We shopped for some Christmas gifts as well and Irina told me we'd go shopping for back to school clothes over Christmas break. Alice squealed and asked if she could come too.
"Alice! You don't invite yourself along." Esme snapped.
"Oh, it's no problem." Irina assured her.
"I've enjoyed her today." I smiled.
"Can she watch me sometime mom?" Alice asked.
"We'll see." Esme smiled and we continued on with our day.
By the time we returned home it was dinner time.
"Why don't you two come in, we'll call Charlie and we can order pizza's for dinner. There's no need to go home and cook this late." Esme insisted.
"Alright sounds good, Bella? Do you have your medicine?" Irina asked.
"Yeah." I smiled.
Alice led me to the kitchen for some water, I knew I'd need to take some if I was going to be in a house full of people I didn't know.
My dad showed up a little while later, followed by Carlisle both giving me hugs.
"Why don't you go down to the basement with the kids Bells." My dad said.
I shook my head. "I can't." I'll stay here and keep Alice company.
Alice was bouncing on her heels.
"Sorry, Alice will be completing her project until dinner arrives." Carlisle smiled.
I just nodded and sat on the couch.
There was a knock on the door and Esme got up to answer it.
Walking in she was all smiles.
"Bella, you get to meet Rose!" she smiled.
I stood up to meet the beautiful blond.
"Hi Bella, I've heard so much about you. It's great to finally meet you." She pulled me into a hug.
"Hi. Uh, nice to meet you too." I smiled.
"Come on, let's go downstairs." She pulled on my hand.
I looked at Irina and my dad.
"Go!" my dad smiled.
I took a deep breath and followed Rose.
"Look, these guys are all big teddy bears, really. I get a lot of flak because I'm usually the only girl with them. I'm so happy that won't be the case anymore." She giggled.
We reached the bottom step and I stopped.
"Come on. It'll be fine. I promise." She tugged my hand.
"Hey guys. Look who I found upstairs." She smiled.
"Bella!" The huge guy said, making me jump.
"Damn it Emmett." Edward snapped. "Don't mind him, he's harmless, really." Edward smiled and led me to the couch to have a seat.
Rose was slapping him in the head.
"You want something to drink?" he asked.
"Um, Dr. Pepper?" I asked.
"Sure." He got up and got me one.
I noticed Demetri and the other guy were still playing video games in the corner, ignoring me.
Emmett and Rose were now making out, which left Edward and I.
"So, how was your shopping trip? I see you survived Alice." He laughed.
"I did. She is a bundle of energy. She wants me to babysit her some time." I smiled.
"She what?" Edward asked.
"Uh, babysit her?" I repeat myself.
"WOW! She never lets anyone watch her but me. She throws a fit." He laughed.
"I guess I should be flattered then." I shrugged.
"In Alice's case, honored." He chuckled.
We talked for a few more minutes before Esme brought down four pizzas.
"Bella, I'm sure there's one in here you'll like. If not there's more upstairs. You and Rose get yours first or you won't get any, these boys are pigs." Esme laughed.
"Thanks Mrs. Cullen." I smiled.
"I thought we covered that today shopping, I'm Esme." She came up and hugged me.
"Sorry Esme." I blushed.
"No need dear, just eat." She turned me towards the pizza and Edward pulled me along, I went willingly, I think I'd follow him and those green eyes anywhere.
AN:
OMG!
Sorry this took so long to get out…
First we didn't have any internet for 2 days…
Yes, I was in TOTAL withdraws, like a crackwhore… My family joked about admitting me to some type of addict's anonymous program… LOL
And then I've been trying to get Bella to be heard and WOW…
She's got A LOT to say…
At just over 4000 words, that's the most I've ever written!
Yes Demetri and she are going to have a VERY rocky start…
But it will get better… Eventually…
I hope you enjoy this…
Pictures of outfits are on the FB page…
Sneak peak of Edward's Christmas outfit too…
Reviews=Love