The time alone went by slowly for Belle. She tried to avoid Trevor at all times and spent most of her days with Lenny, Charlie and Lia (with whom she had been growing close with). She expected a call from her father any day, letting her know when to meet him at the airport so she could bring him home. She didn't hear from him at first, and thought he was just busy. But when Maurice didn't call after a whole week, Belle began to get worried.

"This isn't like him," Belle told Lia when she came over. The girls arranged a little sleepover so Belle wouldn't feel alone and on the plus side, she would have backup if Trevor ever came back. "I'm getting scared Lia."

"He's probably just busy, Belle. You shouldn't jump to conclusions, but I have to admit it is a little weird."

"A little?" Belle nearly yelled as she stood up to pace the room. "He practically called or texted me since the minute he arrived there but now I haven't heard from him at all! I just want to know what's going on!" At that minute the phone rang. Both girls stared at it for a moment before Lia nudged Belle to pick it up.

"H-Hello?"

"Hello? Is this Miss Annabelle Stock?"

"Yes, this is she. Can I ask whose calling?"

"This is Dr Milton. I'm just calling to inform you that your father was in an accident on his way back to his hotel from a meeting." Belle's breath caught in her throat.

"Is he...is he...Oh my god. Please tell me he's all right."

"He's doing better now, Miss Stock but he was in very bad shape earlier. I wanted to call you sooner, but he insisted that I didn't. He didn't want you to worry."

"I was worrying anyways! He should have known that!"

"Belle? Stop yelling at the doctor." A raspy voice said on the other end.

"Dad! Daddy, are you okay?"

"I'm fine sweetheart. Just a little banged up. I might stay in California longer than I expected." He chuckled, but started a fit of coughing. Belle had to bite on her finger to calm herself down.

"Dad, I'm coming there. I'll try and get a flight for tomorrow morning."

"No, no. I'm doing fine here and I'll be up and out in no time. You stay home and hold down the fort."

"Dad, don't argue with me, please? I'll be there as soon as I can. Just give me the information and I'll be on my way."

"Belle, you know I usually cave when you use your 'you can't stop me' voice, but I'm your father and I'm telling you to stay there. The doctors are good and they're doing the best they can to get me out of here healthy again. I don't want you missing any school. You have midterms coming up soon, don't you?"

"Yeah, next week. But I'm pretty sure they'll let me do them another day if I explain what happened..."

"No. You'll stay there and go to school. I'm halfway recovered anyways. Okay?"

"Are you sure you don't want me to come there?"

"Yes, I'm absolutely sure. I'll give you a call later on in the week. Be a good girl."

"I will Dad. Let me know if anything changes."

"Will do. Love you, princess."

"Love you too, Dad. Bye." Belle's hand shook as she put the receiver back into place. Lia looked at her with a mix of anxiousness and confusion.

"Well? What happened?"

"He...he was in an accident. He's in recovery right now, but he wants me to stay at home. I need to be there with him! Lia, what if he gets worse?" Belle collapsed onto the couch and Lia gathered her up into her arms.

"Belle, it's okay. Your Dad wouldn't tell you to stay home if it was anything serious, would he? The fact that he talked you is a really good sign. Don't worry. It'll be fine." Lia knew that the best thing for Belle to do was to cry it out, so she waited. But Belle was stronger than she looked; Lia was slowly finding that out and it didn't take long for her to pull herself together. She was laughing and joking around in no time.

"Why spend time worrying over something I can't control? He's in good hands and he promised to let me know if something happens. My father never breaks his promise."

"I can see you get a lot of your qualities from him, your hardheadedness for one." Lia laughed. Belle felt a little more at ease as the night moved along, but the thought of something bad happening to Maurice was still scratching at the back of her mind.

Midterms came and went, Belle going through each of them with little difficulty. Maurice called her at least every other day to give her an update on his condition, which made her feel much better about her not being with him. Also, he promised to be home by Christmas which made her nearly jump for joy. Even if he wasn't 100% healthy, at least she would have him home again.

Belle learned that Trevor and his family went away for the holidays (Lia told her they always left right after midterms) and she mentally breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't need Trevor breathing down her neck, especially when there was no school to preoccupy his time. She wouldn't hold her breath though; something in her mind told her that Trevor would never give up.

About a week before Christmas, Belle was asked by Mr Klein to come see him after school. She worried all day and told her friends her thoughts.

"Do you think I'm in trouble? I haven't done anything wrong. At least, I don't think I did."

"Don't worry Belle," Charlie told her, reassuringly patting her hand. "He probably wants to talk about what a good job you did on the history paper. You got an A on it...I've never heard of that before. Mr Klein is the hardest grader in the school."

"Maybe he wants you, period," Lenny said while watching a redhead at the vending machine as she reached down to grab her pop.

"Lenny!" Lia gasped. She punched him on the arm and he quickly averted his gaze to Lia's disgusted one.

"AH! What the hell was that for?" he said, rubbing the sore spot on his arm.

"You perv! Do you know what you just said?"

"Yeah, and I'd say it again. Look at her! She's a stunner! Don't you ever notice the younger guy teachers looking at her as she walks by?" Belle blushed and fidgeted in her seat.

"Lenny, cut it out. You're right, Charlie. I'm sure it's nothing bad," Belle said. But she still had that feeling in the pit of her stomach, like she was going to throw up. It was always like that for her; whenever she got really nervous or worried about something she would suddenly get very nauseous.

The final bell rang and as all the students rushed to their cars or the bus stop, Belle made her way to Mr Klein's classroom. The nausea heightened as she turned the doorknob and entered the class, almost convincing herself that she was going to be sick on the spot.

"Belle, thank you for coming. Have a seat in one of the desks." She chose the desk directly in front of his and clasped her hands together in her lap tightly. Whatever he had to say, she wished he would get it over with.

"I'm surprised with your work. It's quite exceptional."He glanced at his watch. "I can't remember the last time I had such a brilliant mind in my class."

"Th-thank you, sir. History is one of my favourite subjects."

"I can see that." Again, he glanced at his watch. "It's refreshing to teach someone who already has such passion for this course. Which is why I have a favour to ask of you."

"Okay?"

"There's a student who requires a tutor, badly. He has it in him to excel in this class but he has no drive. With your help and zeal for this subject, maybe he can do as well as I know he can." Glancing at his watch once more, Mr Klein muttered, "Where is he?" The door opened and Mr Klein rose from his seat.

"Ah, glad of you to finally join us. Meet your new tutor, young man." Belle's eyes widened as she saw Adam sulk in, with a look of shock on his face when he saw her.

"Tutor? What the hell for?"

"First of all, Mr Hawthorne, do not speak to me that way. Secondly, you know very well why; if you do not at least pass this course, you will not graduate." Adam looked at Belle and had a fleeting sheepish look on his face. She was the last person whom he wanted to know about that.

"Sir, I'm sorry but I don't think I can do this. I'm afraid Adam and I don't get along." She glanced back at him with a small annoyed look. There was no way Belle was going to help him.

"Belle, it would mean a lot if you did this. I don't like any of my students failing, especially when I know they are as gifted as he is," Belle's face still held uncertainty. "You'll get extra credit in this course as well." Belle looked up at her teacher, seeing a softer side of him that surprised her. Getting the extra credit would boost her chances of getting on the honour roll and possibly getting a scholarship to a good college. But she couldn't work with Adam. She was already feeling her anger grow just by being in the same room with him. But she also didn't want to disappoint Mr Klein. He seemed sincere in his concern for Adam; he could let him fail if he really wanted to, but for some reason he wished for him to succeed. Her hands were tied.

"O-okay..."

"Excellent!" Mr Klein said as he clapped his hands together. "The sooner you start the better. I'll let you two make the arrangements." And he waved them off, once again his cool, aloof self. Belle walked out of the room first, Adam moping not far behind her.

"I...I guess we can start tomorrow." Belle said, as if in a trance.

"Yeah, I guess." Adam repeated, drearily. "Where do you want to meet?"

"We can meet at the library after school."

"Okay."

"Okay." And they went their separate ways.

It took Belle a while for what just happened to sink in. The cold air helped her out of her daze, and she grew angrier with each step she took on the way home. She threw her bag on the floor when she walked through the door and felt like smashing everything in the house. How could this have happened? If she had gone to be with her father instead of sticking around here, she wouldn't be in this mess. She couldn't help it now. She had made a promise and she didn't intend to break it; it wasn't in her character. She would help him, but that didn't mean she had to be happy while she was doing it.