Liam's POV
Ok, I was jealous but I guess I was going to have to put it past me; if I wanted Bella to even be my friend I guess I was going to have to apologise and be a good friend for her.
She came back with Alexa and Sarah and I realised that she was bandaged all over; her hand was in a cast, her legs were covered in cuts and bruises and her face looked weak and battered.
How could I have ignored that?
When she came back I went straight over to her.
"Bella, I just wanted to say I'm sorry, I shouldn't have, I," I started. She smiled.
"It's ok, it doesn't matter, I over reacted." She apologised too and hugged me, I hugged her back.
"What bought that on?" I asked.
"A girl can hug someone without dating them." Bella said before walking off with her friends. I smiled to myself and went to find Frank.
Mike's POV
I was glad Bella was ok but I wasn't sure if we could look after her properly; she was almost completely bandaged up and apparently she was supposed to sit around all day doing nothing according to Sarah Jane, but I'm sure Bella will tell me otherwise. There was a knock on the office door and Bella poked her head round.
"Hello!" She said.
"Hello," I stood up and went over to hug her.
"How're doing?" I asked.
"Good thanks," She answered. I looked round the door and saw Sarah and Alexa there.
"You two ok?" I asked. They giggled and nodded.
"Sorry for causing so much trouble." Bella apologised.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Luke said you'd been in and out of the hospital every day, that must have been hard with everyone here, and we all know what Tracy's like." Bella smiled.
"Oi!" Tracy said from the door, one arm round each of Bella's friends. She smiled and moved forward to hug Bella.
"It's good to have you back." Tracy added.
"Well I can't say I've missed you. I was out of it for most of the time I was away." Bella said, we laughed.
"You're not going to let this bullying go on are you?" Tracy asked taking the hand Bella had in a cast in hers. Bella shook her head.
"She has her two ninja friends to fight for her." Sarah said, her and Alexa were back to back and put their index fingers up so it looked like they had guns. Tracy laughed.
"And Luke," Bella added.
"And Clyde," Sarah almost drooled over his name.
"Oh yeah there's something we need to tell you Bells," Alexa started.
"Go on!" Bella encouraged.
"In, um, private," Alexa admitted and Sarah laughed, Bella joined in and dragged her friends to her bedroom.
"Girls eh?" I said to Tracy.
"Yeah well girls are cooler than guys." Tracy smiled.
"Oh are they now?" I teased.
"I proved that when I ate a worm and Justine didn't." Tracy boasted.
"But Justine is a girl, doesn't that just prove you're braver than her?" I asked.
"Well yes but those side burns and massive eyebrows she had made her look like a man." Tracy muttered, flicking through paper work that I knew she didn't understand.
"Tracy, stop it," I warned.
"What? She's not here and, thank god, I've not seen her since I left this place." Tracy still hated Justine.
"Tracy, can you do something for me," I started.
"Depends." She muttered.
"I'm paying you," I added.
"Of course," She brightened up and listened eagerly to every word I said.
"I want you to keep an eye on Bella, don't stalk her or anything just make sure she's not wearing herself out, Sarah Jane said the Doctor said she'd get tired and shouldn't do too much." I explained.
"Sure." Tracy smiled, dumped the paperwork she'd been holding on my desk and went to make lunch.
I wasn't sure if that was a 'sure, I'll do it when I can be bothered', or 'sure, I'll make sure Bella is ok'. But I'm pretty sure it's the latter.
Bella's POV
I dragged my friends into my bedroom and sat them down on my bed and stood over them with my arms crossed.
"What!" I demanded.
"Well, Clyde may have, asked me out." Sarah started.
"Oh my god!" I said.
"And I said yes, he's taking me to see a movie tomorrow night, and you two are both coming over to help me decide what to wear!" Sarah demanded.
"What else would we do? Sit around twiddling our thumbs?" Alexa asked sarcastically. I flopped on my bed between them.
"God I missed you guys." I announced.
"Now if you don't mind, I want to go see my boyfriend." Sarah announced.
"Ok, I may copy you," I said.
"No way, you 2 are not ditching me!" Alexa demanded.
"Luke did stay awake for 4 days waiting for me, I think I need to go thank him," I backed away slowly.
"And Clyde will probably be with them too," Sarah added, backing away with me.
"Rani will probably be there as well, lets go!" Alexa smiled standing up.
"I should probably get wine or something for Sarah Jane as a thank you." I thought out loud.
"Yeah coz you look 18." Alexa said sarcastically.
"What do you think her favourite flowers are?" I asked quickly. We all laughed and stopped off at the shop quickly and was at Luke's house in 10 minutes. I knocked on the door.
Rani answered. I heard raised voices of Sarah Jane, Luke, Clyde and Mr Brown, the guy in the bow tie, from upstairs.
"Hello, Bella, I don't believe we've officially met, I'm Rani," She smiled and we shook hands.
"Hello, Rani, I just wanted to drop these off for Sarah Jane as a thank you, is she here?" I asked.
"Um, yeah, I'll just go get her, come in, the living room's just through there if you want to wait," Rani welcomed. I went to where Rani pointed, Sarah and Alexa followed. They both flopped on the sofa but I remained standing. I realised now how achy I was as all the injuries came back to me.
I heard more shouting from upstairs then awkward silence and loud footsteps on the stairs. My friends and I sat in silence.
"Bella, so nice to see you," Sarah Jane said, rushing into the living room.
"These are for you," I said walking towards her and handing her the flowers. She took them and admired them, she looked touched.
"Aaw, thank you Bella, but what for?" She asked.
"Everything. Saving me, bring me home, letting me date Luke," I started.
"Letting you?" Sarah Jane asked.
"Some people don't approve of me," I started. She nodded in understand and announced she was going to put the flowers in some water. I followed her through to the kitchen. Alexa and Sarah sat talking quietly.
"Sarah Jane, what's with the arguing upstairs?" I asked quietly; I had a weird feeling in my stomach that told me I was involved.
"Arguing? There's no arguing!" She said quickly.
"I could hear you before Rani opened the door," I started.
"It's nothing, really, I'm sorry Bella, but Luke's buried in homework right now, do you think you could come back another time?" She asked quickly.
"Sarah Jane, please, tell me what's going on." I pleaded.
"Ok, come back later and I'll tell you but I need you to get rid of your friends, I'm sorry but, they can't know," Sarah Jane whispered. There was obviously more to this than I thought...
"Ok, I'll come back in half an hour, is that alright?" I didn't want to invite myself.
"Sure, not a problem, stay for dinner, I know Mike has trouble looking after all you lot." Sarah Jane smiled and joked. I smiled a little but knew how much stress Mike went through to look after us and I did feel guilty but I knew I had no where else to go; in a way, none of us do; especially me, Liam, Saph and Frank; no one wants to adopt teenagers.
I nodded and said goodbye; I heard Luke shouting at someone upstairs and my stomach clenched; he sounded really angry and I was a little scared.
I went back through to the living room and heard Sarah Jane go back upstairs.
"Come on guys, lets go." I announced.
"What? We only just got here!" Alexa pointed out.
"I know but Luke, Rani and Clyde are doing homework and Sarah Jane doesn't want them distracted, they only just buckled down." I lied easily; why was it so easy lying to my best friends?
"Ok." Sarah announced. They walked out the living room and out the front door, starting to walk home. I took one last look at the large staircase and all the pictures of Luke and Sarah Jane; no baby pictures of Luke?
We walked back down my road and just as we walked past Elm Tree House I stopped suddenly.
"Bells, you ok?" Sarah asked.
"I've got a headache, and I'm really tired, the Doctor's told me to rest," I started.
"Maybe you've overdone it, why don't you go home?" Alexa suggested.
"Thanks guys," I hugged them both. "See you tomorrow." I waved goodbye as I walked back into my house.
Why was lying to my best friends so easy?
I walked back in and was confronted by Gina.
"Where'd you go?" She asked sternly.
"To give Luke and his Mum some flowers as a thank you." I admitted; I daren't lie to Gina.
"Aaw, that's good Bella, just tell us next time ok?" Gina's voice was softer and I knew I was forgiven. She hugged me and I realised I hadn't talked to her since I'd got back a few hours ago.
"Sarah Jane asked if I wanted to go over for dinner later, about 7?" That was half an hour away, at least I asked permission.
"Well I think it's nice that Luke is so eager for you to meet his parents," Gina smiled.
"Parent." I emphasised the 't' in parent.
"Oh, sorry," Gina apologised.
"No, it's fine. Do I have to be back by curfew?" I asked, not wanting to be limited on time.
"I'll extend it till 11, you may be ill sweetie but I can still ground you." Gina smiled again.
I sighed and rolled my eyes sarcastically. We both laughed and I went up to my room; I realised I was still wearing my school uniform from 4 days ago. :S
I shoved on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and a cardigan, told Mike I was leaving, reminded him I was taking my phone and was at Luke's in 15.
I knocked and Sarah Jane and Luke answered apprehensively.
"Hello, what's up?" I asked.
"Nothing, come in, come in," Sarah Jane put on a fake smile. Luke took my hand and led me through to his living room, he sat down on the sofa and I sat next to him, Sarah Jane sat opposite.
Mr Brown stood leaning on the door frame.
"Can I ask something?" I asked.
"Technically you just did by asking if you can ask something." Mr Brown pointed out. Sarah Jane glared at him.
"Ask away." She prompted, curious about my question. I turned and looked and Mr Brown.
"Who are you?" I asked.
"What did I say earlier, John Brown?" He asked, I nodded. "My names the Doctor, I'm not from round here." He finished.
"Doctor who?" I asked.
"Just the Doctor," He emphasised.
"Ok, what was the argument about earlier?" I asked.
"Basically, you," Luke said.
"Luke wanted to tell you about this, big, secret we hide, all of us, Luke, Clyde, Rani, the Doctor and I, but other than Luke the rest of us didn't think it was safe," Sarah Jane paused. "To tell you." She finished her explanation. Luke squeezed my hand; at first I thought they didn't trust me but I presumed there was more to this story.
"Luke persuaded us that you could keep a secret, after a lot of shouting and language I don't think any of us are proud of, Luke persuaded us. So we'd like to show you something." Sarah Jane finished. Luke for up and followed the Doctor and Sarah Jane up several flights of stairs to the top of the house, their attic...
