Chapter 3: Wanting to Protect
Emmett sighed as he was tossing the football to Shawn. "That Bella, she's a pretty one," Shawn commented.
"Yeah she is," he answered.
"I wonder how long she's going to stay here," Shawn commented.
"Don and Anita don't give kids away bro," Emmett answered.
"You think she's going to stay here for good?" he asked.
Emmett rolled his eyes. "Why wouldn't she be able to?" he asked.
"Pretty girl like that, they don't stick around forever," Shawn answered.
Emmett tossed he ball back and forth between his hands. "What does that mean?" he asked.
"Dude, we still have couples who come through here looking to adopt. Whom do you think they'll favor? Stuck up, egotistical Tara or quiet, sweet Bella?" Shawn asked.
He sat down in the patio chair, letting out a sigh. "And out of the two, I wouldn't want to see Bella leave," he answered.
"Someone crushing?" Shawn teased.
"Shut up," Emmett answered throwing the ball at his head.
Shawn laughed, shaking his head.
The next day at school, Emmett was walking down the hall with his backpack slung over his shoulder. "I said leave me alone," he heard Bella say.
"Hey, no girl tells Jeff Gregory 'no'," he heard a boy snap.
"Get off me!" he heard Bella shriek.
Emmett turned the corner to see Jeff pinning Bella to the lockers. "HEY!" he shouted. He grabbed Jeff by the front of his shirt and slammed him into the brick wall.
"Get off McCarty," Jeff answered.
"You touch Bella again and they'll be looking for your teeth out on the football field," Emmett snapped.
"Is that a threat?" Jeff asked.
"Try a promise," Emmett answered.
Letting him go, Emmett watched as Jeff just glared before walking off. Bella rubbed her arms. "You okay?" Emmett asked.
"Yes, I'm fine," she replied.
Emmett reached down and picked up the book she had dropped. "Wuthering Heights," he commented. Blushing, she took the book from him.
"Yeah, it's one of my favorites," she answered.
"Interesting," he commented.
Bella pushed her hair from her eyes. "Um…thanks Emmet for getting him off my case," she commented.
"Jeff's just a pain who thinks he can get whatever girl he wants," he replied.
Bella sighed as she stared down at the floor. "Want me to walk you to class?" he asked.
"No that's ok," she replied smiling a little.
Emmett watched as she hurried down the hall. Letting out a sigh, he rubbed the back of his neck. This was going to be a very long day.
When Bella arrived home from school, she set her backpack down on the floor. She went to walk into the living room when she saw Emmett sitting there with his social worker and a couple. "Oh…I'm sorry," she told them before she hurried up the stairs.
Closing the door, she leaned against it with a deep breath. "Yeah, that was dumb," she muttered, her cheeks flushing red with embarrassment. Sitting down on her bed, she started tracing the designs on her covers. Sitting back against the headboard of her bed, staring out at her window.
After awhile, Bella was staring at a photograph when there was a knock on the door. "Yeah?" she answered. Emmett opened the door a little.
"Mind if I come in?" he asked.
"Sure," she replied.
He closed the door behind him. "Sorry for interrupting your meeting," she commented.
"Nah no worries, it was just about over," he answered.
"So that's why you missed school?" she asked.
"Just Phys Ed," he answered sitting down at the foot of her bed.
Bella bit her lower lip. "So…what's going on?" she asked. He shrugged.
"Carlisle and Esme want me to spend the summer with their family," he replied.
She sat up more on her bed. "Are you going to?" she asked. He shrugged a little.
"I dunno, thinking about it," he replied.
He looked at the photograph on her bed. "Is that your mom?" he asked.
"Yeah," she replied smiling a little.
He picked the picture up. "She was more of the best friend than a mom. She was cool," she commented. He saw the shadows in her eyes as she spoke about her mother.
"What happened? If you don't mind me asking," he murmured.
Bella sighed. "I was five…mom and I were driving home from the mall to pick up some new sneakers for me. It was late and the traffic was bad, some guy came out of nowhere and smashed into the side of the car," she explained.
"I'm sorry," he answered, resting his hand on her leg.
She smiled a little. "She was a great mom," she murmured.
"What about your dad?" he asked curiously.
Shrugging she stared out the window. "I never knew who he was. I don't think my mom even remembered or something like that. I don't know that part is blurry about my dad," she replied. They were silent for a while. Bella bit her lower lip with tears in her eyes. "I miss my mom," she told him suddenly.
Lowering her head, the pain of losing her mom hit her again. "I miss her so much," she added. Emmett moved closer and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Bella leaned forward resting her forehead against his chest.
"I'm sorry you lost her that way," he told her quietly.
She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. "I miss my mom too," he answered. He rubbed her back gently. "You can come to me for anything okay? Anything at all Bells," he told her.
"Thank you," she told him.
She let out a shaky sigh. "It means a lot that someone actually cares about me," she added.
"Well the people who don't care about you are complete morons," he answered.
Closing her eyes, more tears spilled down her cheeks as she started falling asleep in the safety of Emmett's arms. Emmett held her close to him, rubbing her back gently. "I promise, I won't let anything happen to you," he told her quietly. She bit her lower lip, closing her eyes. "Just rest Bells," he told her quietly, rubbing her arm.
After awhile, Anita walked upstairs to search for Emmett and Bella to call them for dinner. Opening the door to Bella's room, she found them asleep. Emmett was sitting up against the headboard, his cheek resting on the top of Bella's head. She had her arms wrapped around his waist with her head resting on his chest. Smiling softly, Anita walked over, stroking Bella's hair softly before kissing Emmett's forehead.
Walking downstairs, she saw the rest of the family at the dinner table. "Where are they?" Tara asked.
"Resting, Bella's had a hard couple of weeks adjust so everyone just cut her some slack," Anita answered.
"If anything she's just trying to suck the attention out of everyone," Tara muttered.
Suddenly she felt a tug on the barrette in her hair. "Hey!" she exclaimed.
"Tara why don't you just shut up for once? I think everyone would enjoy the silence," Emmett demanded angrily before sitting down at the table.
"Anita!" Tara exclaimed.
"Is Bella still asleep?" Anita asked, ignoring Tara.
Emmett nodded. "Yeah, just a rough day at school," he replied.
"Just keep a close eye on her," Don told her.
"Don't have to tell me twice," Emmett assured him.
He took a scoop of potatoes from the bowl in front of him. "And Tara, leave her alone. Because if you don't, you'll be on a scavenger hunt for your stupid makeup," he told his foster sister.
"You wouldn't dare!" Tara exclaimed.
Emmett gave her a glare. "Watch me, leave her alone," he told her, his tone low.
"I'll have you know…" Tara started.
"HELP ME! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" they heard Bella scream at the top of her lungs.
Emmett jumped up from the table and dashed upstairs.
They found Bella curled in the fetal position on her bed, still asleep. "Make them stop! Stop! Please!" Bella shrieked.
"Bella, Bella, wake up," Emmett called.
He shook her lightly, jumping a little when she woke up with a gasp. "Bella you're okay, what is it? What's wrong?" he asked. Bella grabbed a hold of his shirt with a sob.
"Make it stop, make the pain go away," she sobbed.
Emmett hushed her gently, stroking her hair while glaring at Tara. "See what I mean? Leave. Her. Alone," he told her. Tara was still standing there in stunned silence to see Bella crying into Emmett's shirt. "You're safe Bella, you're safe," he whispered. Closing his eyes, he let out a heavy sigh. Anita stroked the girl's hair also trying to sooth her sobs. After awhile, Bella's sobs were calm and they hugged Bella close, all reassuring her that she was safe.