To My Beloved, I Hope You Understand

Chapter 7

The next day at school, I noticed Alice wasn't there. I wondered why she would skip school and not let me know she wasn't going to be here today. I sat down and while the teacher was rambling about what she was doing this weekend, I sent Alice a quick text asking why she missed and I that I hoped she was ok. I also told her I wanted to talk to her about the kiss we shared and then my running off.

"Bella, are you paying attention or texting again? Your step-father told me that if I caught you texting in class again to call him. Do I need to call him?" my teacher asked with a stern voice. I looked up at her and slowly shook my head.

"No, ma'am." I responded politely. "I'm sorry." I hurried and put my phone away and sat up to listen for the rest of class. I waited for the vibration in my pocket to let me know she got my text. It never came.

At the end of lunch I still hadn't heard from her so I was really beginning to worry. Right before I got to my next class, I sent out another text to her. It wasn't like Alice to not answer at all. Again I sat through Biology without a response. When the bell rang I hurried to my locker and then out to the parking lot. I don't care if I get a detention. Alice is seriously freaking me out.

I jump into my truck and without even worrying about my seatbelt, I drive as fast as my beat up truck would go to Alice's house. When I pull up I notice her car is still here. I jump out of my truck and race up the porch to her front door. When I get up there, I begin knocking on the door. I wait for about five minutes and no one answers. Now I know something is wrong. Someone is always here and no matter how sick Alice has ever been, she always answers my text and her door.

I rush back to my truck and actually call her phone.

"Hello, you've reached me but I'm busy. Leave your digits and I will yell back at you." her voicemail beeped. I hung up, I can count on one hand with fingers left over, how many times her voicemail has ever picked up.

Just to see, I hit redial.

"Hello Bella." was all I heard. I hung up and put my truck in drive and floored it to my house. I know that voice.

I pull into my driveway and shut my truck off, I jump out of the cab and rush to the front door. It's open and I can hear a rustling noice toward the back of the house. I rush back and see my step-father fighting to restrain Alice. She is fighting with all she has to get away.

I look around and see my old bowling trophy (don't ask) and take a swing and catch him in the back of his head. He falls to the floor which loosens his grip on Alice and she runs past me and out the door. I turn to follow her but I feel his hand grab at my leg. I kick back and feel the contact of hitting his hand away. I turn and run out the front door to find Alice in my truck crying into her hands. I run to the driver's side and climb in. I put my truck in drive again and speed out of there.

I head towards the police station and turn to see what Alice is doing. She's just staring off ahead of us with her fists clinched at her sides. When we get to the station, I park and turn the motor off. I put the key in my pocket and turn to face Alice and debate on reaching for her clinched fist.

"I'm so sorry Alice. I thought you were sick, but you never answered so after lunch I went looking for you. I am so sorry I waiting that long even." I said softly as I again debated on taking her hand in mine.

Alice finally looked over to me with such anger and venom in her eyes that I actually backed away from her. My sweet Alice, I would never believe her to have such feelings.

"That monster told me what he wanted to do to me. He told me all the vile things he's done to you! I wanted to kill him! I still want to kill him, but not for me. For you." She said at first full of anger but by the last sentence she whispered. She reached towards me and pulled me into her arms.

I let her wrap her arms around me. If she wants to touch me after all the stuff James did to me then who was I to argue. I just couldn't look into her eyes and see the pity and disgust that I thought would be there. I just didn't want to lose the safety and comfort of her closeness.

We sat out there for what seemed like hours and she just held me. I finally looked up at her and was taken aback. Her eyes held no pity or disgust, they only held love and understanding.

I looked at her and now I started to cry.

"I wanted to tell you, I wanted to tell you everything but I was afraid you'd want nothing to do with me after. I was afraid of losing you, Alice. You're my best friend and I have fallen in love with you. That's what I wanted to tell you after we kissed. But then I remembered all the horrible things James had done and how disgusted you would find me." I said as I cried in front of the woman I love.

I didn't get to give her a chance to say anything. I backed away and climbed out of the truck. I turned towards the police station entrance and went through the doors. I needed to do this for Alice and I. Mostly for myself. I walked up to the officer in charge and told him I was there to press charges against my step-father.

He sat me down and for the next three hours, I explained the last five years of my life including today when James kidnapped my best friend. After I told him everything I turned to get up and standing not even ten feet away was Alice with tears streaming down her cheeks. She ran over to me and pulled me into her arms and held me tight. She stepped back long enough to move my hair out of my face and then she kissed me. She kissed me the way she had in the girl's restroom. She kissed me the way I had always wanted to be kissed by her.

"Bella Swan, I fell in love with you that day five years ago when I first met you. There is nothing that monster could have done to you to make me love you any less. I was always afraid you didn't love me the way I loved you. Now I know why you were afraid of being close. I will never doubt your love again." Alice said as she held my face in her hands. Then she drew my mouth to hers and when her lips touched mine this time, I knew she loved me and I knew I couldn't and wouldn't love any one the way I love her.

Alice is now and forever will be my beloved. And now she understands!

***Thank you all for sticking with me for this story. I know some will be disappointed in the length of this story overall, but I couldn't bring myself to write anymore about James. He reminds me of someone and I just couldn't continue with detail. I hope you enjoyed it.***