Chapter 3

BPOV

Age 15

I was sitting on my bed in my room listening to music with my headphones in, while doing some homework, when my bedroom door flew open. I jumped and looked up at the door and saw Edward standing in the doorway.

Edward and I hadn't talked a lot lately, he'd started dating a girl at school, Jessica. I knew, of course, that Edward wasn't mine or something like that, but it did hurt me to see him with someone else. Alice says that he's only with Jessica because he's afraid to be with me. Something about ruining our friendship. Sounds like bullshit to me.

I pulled out my headphones and looked at Edward. "You scared the shit out of me," I said.

"Sorry," he said, "We were yelling for you, we couldn't find you."

I unplugged the headphones from my phone and laid them on the bed. "Well, you found me," I said, "What do you need?"

He smiled really wide, "We got our first gig," he said.

"… What?" I asked.

He laughed, "Emmett and I met this guy today that is opening a new bar in Port Angeles. He said he'd let us preform there even though we're under age. He said we're close enough to eighteen that he'll let it slide," he said, "We just got off the phone with Jazz, he's on his way over now to practice. Emmett's calling your mom to tell her."

"Oh my god!" I said, jumping up from my bed, "This is amazing!" I through my arms around his neck and he laughed. When I felt the shock run through me, I jumped back and looked at him.

He stared at me with a strange expression that made me want to kiss him. "Shouldn't you call your girlfriend?" I asked with an attitude.

He frowned, "I wanted to tell you first," he said, and there's that feeling again, "But I guess I should." I nodded, and he turned to leave, but stopped and looked back at me. "You'll always be first, Bella."

I sighed as he closed the door, sometimes Edward said things like that to me and it gave me a small bit of hope, but I knew he didn't mean it like that.

I head down stairs to try and find Emmett. "Bella!" he yelled, "Did Ed tell you!"

I laughed at my brother's excitement, "He did!" I said, giving him a hug, "I'm so proud of you guys!"

"Thanks, Bells," he said, "I just got off the phone with Rose, she said that her, and Jazz, are going over to the Cullen's soon." Rose and Emmett have been dating for about a year now, and Emmett was absolutely in love with her. Jasper and Alice have been together for about six months or so, but I knew that Alice was in love with him.

"Come on, let's go!" Emmett said, grabbing my arm. I laughed as he dragged me out the door.

An hour later Rose and Jazz showed up, but Rose was crying. I looked at Jasper and he shrugged at me but looked a little concerned.

Rose came up to Alice and I, "I-I need to talk to you guys," she said, "Like… now."

I looked at Alice before looking back at Rose and nodding, "Of course," I said.

We all walked upstairs to Rose's room and sat on her bed. "What's wrong, Rose?" Alice asked.

Rose began to sob even harder and I reached for her hand. "Rose, whatever it is, we're here for you," I said.

Alice grabbed her other hand, "Always," she said.

Rose took a deep breath, "You know how my mom is married to Royce?" she asked.

I nodded, "Yeah," I said, "They've been together for years."

She nodded, "Well, what you don't know is that-" she paused to take a deep breath, "He beats my mom every. Single. Day."

I gasped. No.

"Rose," Alice said softly, squeezing her hand, "Does Jazz know?"

Rose nodded, "That's why he's always so quiet when we first come here," she said.

"For how long?" I asked.

"Eight years," she said.

"Oh, Rose," Alice said softly.

Rose began sobbing, "That's not all," she said, "Every night he comes in my room and he-he-"

I looked at Alice and saw her eyes were wide like mine. "Rose," Alice said, "You can tell us, it'll be okay."

"He rapes me…" she whispered.

Alice threw her arms around our sobbing friend and pulled he close, while I rubbed her back. "How long, Rose?" I whispered.

"Since I was ten," she sobbed.

Rose just turned seventeen so that means it's been seven. Fucking. Years.

Alice pulled back and looked at her, "Rose," she said, "Why haven't you told Mom and Dad?"

"Because they're not my mom and dad, Alice. They shouldn't have to deal with that. They already do so much for us already. What if they get rid of me now that they know how broken I am, Ali?" Rose said.

"Hey!" Alice said, "Don't say that! Mom and Dad are just as much your mom and dad as they are mine! You're my sister, Rose, just as much as Edward's my brother. We're family, you can tell us anything. Mom and Dad would NEVER get rid of you, and you're not broken!"

"She's right you know," I said. Rose looked over to me. "You've been my big sister since I was six and you punched Mike Newton in the face for tripping me on the playground. You're my fucking hero, Rose." She rolled her eyes and laughed. "Now you're dating my brother, you might as well be my sister-in-law."

She frowned. "If he even wants me anymore," she said.

"Hey!" I said, taking her hand, "Emmett isn't like that, and he loves you, more than anything. The only thing we need to worry about is stopping him from killing Royce."

"You think so?" she asked, eyes full of hope.

"I know so," I said with a nod.

"Does Jazz know?" Alice asked.

Rose rolled her eyes, "Do you think Royce would still be living if he did?"

"What about your mom? Alice asked, "Does she know?

Rose looked a little hurt, yet mad. She nodded, "Yes," she whispered.

"What!" Alice said.

"Why hasn't she done anything?" I asked in shock.

"Even though he beats her, and hurts me, she still loves him," she said with a shrug, "She doesn't want to leave him."

My heart broke for Rose. "You've gone through this alone for seven years?" I asked.

Tears started to fall again as she nodded, and I leaned in to hug her.

"You need to tell Mom and Dad, Rose," Alice said, "They can help you."

Rose pulled away from me to look at the both us, "Will you guys come with me to tell everyone?" she asked.

I stood up and put my hand out for hers, "Always," I said.

Carlisle leaned in front of Rose as she sobbed, Esme, who was sobbing as well, was holding Rose in her arms. "Rose, Sweetheart, why didn't you tell us?" Carlisle asked.

"I was scared," she said, "And I didn't want to burden you guys. I know I'm not your real daughter and I-"

Esme pulled back and looked at Rose sternly, "Rosalie Lillian Hale!" she said, "I don't care if you're last name is Hale or Cullen! You're my damn daughter! Everyone in this room is my child! Especially you! And NO ONE hearts my baby!"

Carlisle took Rose's hand, "You're my daughter, Rose," he said, "And, I promise you, right now, that you are NEVER going back to that house. Do you understand me?"

She nodded, "Yes, Papa C," she said softly.

He smiled sweetly at her. "I promise you, we'll take care of everything," he said, "Okay?" Rose nodded, and Carlisle leaned in to hug her.

I jumped when I heard the back door slamming behind me and saw Emmett storming off into the backyard.

I looked back at Rose and saw the worried look on her face. "Don't worry," I said, "He's just upset, I'll talk to him."

I walked outside and ran down the steps of the deck, "Emmett!" I yelled after my brother, but he didn't stop. "Slow down, Em!" He finally stopped walking and began to pace back and forth between the trees.

I ran up and stopped beside him. He stopped pacing and yelled, "Fucking, Royce!" before turning and punching a tree. Yes, a tree.

"Emmett!" I yelled, stepping forward to look at his hand, "You need to calm down, Em."

His face filled with rage, "Calm down!" he yelled, yanking his hand from mine. "My girlfriend, your best friend, just said that she's been raped for the past seven years, SEVEN YEARS, Bella! And you want me to calm down!"

I took a deep breath, "Okay," I said softly, putting my hands up in a surrendering gesture, "I hear you, I'm sorry. That was a bad choice of words. I just mean you need to breathe, acting like this isn't going to help anyone, Emmett. It's not going to change anything."

"I could kill him, Bella," he said, "I want to. I don't think you quite understand what's going through my head right now." Then he went back to pacing.

"I get it, Emmett," I said, "We're all upset, it's not just you. We all want to kill Royce, but it wont change what he did. This isn't what Rose needs."

He stopped and stared straight ahead, into nothingness, for almost ten minutes. Finally, he turned to me and I saw my big brother look absolutely broken. "Why didn't she just tell me, Belly?" he said quietly, tears streaming down his face, "I could've helped her. I would've helped her."

"Emmy," I whispered, before stepping forward and hugging my brother as he started sobbing. "She was scared, Em. She felt like… she felt like we wouldn't love her anymore."

He pulled back and looked back down at my face. "Why would she think that?" he asked in shock.

"She feels broken," I said with a shrug, "She feels like no one could ever love her… like you would never love her."

His face fell. "Doesn't she know how much I love her?" he asked.

"Have you ever told her?" I asked.

He shook his head, "No, but I just thought she knew," he said.

"It's always nice to hear though," I said, "And, right now, I think she needs to hear that more than ever. She's been alone in this for seven years. She needs to know that she's not alone, and that there a whole family of people who love her."

He nodded, "You're right," he said, reaching up to wipe the tears room his face. "Let's go."

I followed him back, "Yeah, and you need to get Doctor C to check out your hand, it's definitely broken."

He turned to me, "Like you head?" he asked, seriously, but of course I knew he was joking.

"Ha. Ha," I said, rolling my eyes.

He kept walking, before he stopped and looked at me seriously, "Thanks, Belly," he said, "I love you."

I smiled, "I love you too, Emmy," I said.

We got back inside the house, Rose was still sitting on the couch, but now she was sandwiched between Esme and Jasper. Alice was sitting on the arm of the couch next to Jasper and Edward was sitting across the room in the love seat staring at his hands. I don't think Edward's said anything since Rose told everyone what happened to her.

Everyone looked up as we walked in. Rose looked at us with face of worry. Emmett crossed the room to her, kneeling down in front of her, taking her hand in his one good hand. "I'm sorry I left," he said.

She gave him a small smile, "It's okay," she said, "I understand."

He shook his head, "It's not okay," he said, "I should've comforted you, but instead I ran outside like a child and punched a tree."

"Oh my god!" Esme said, reaching for his hand, "You punched a tree! Are you okay!"

He waved her off, "I'm fine," he said.

"He broke it," I said, "Doctor C is gunna have to take a look at it."

Emmett looked back at me with a look that said 'shut the fuck up.' "What's not the point," he said. Then he turned back to Rose, "I love you, Rose. I should've told you before, I really don't know why I didn't, but I love you, Rosalie. There's nothing, or no one, on this earth that could ever change that."

She threw her arms around his neck, "I love you too, Emmett," she said, "Thank you."

AN:

Please let me know what you guys think so far!

Love,

Nykiddo