Chapter 9: The Perfect Family

Nessie's POV

I cried and cried and cried some more. I wasn't used to being cared for this way. I wasn't used to people caring about me at all. I had always thought that I was just doomed to have a life without love or someone caring about me. I used to think that somehow I did something to deserve not having a family that cared for me at all. Maybe, just maybe I was wrong after all.

"Nessie I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you" Esme said, looking upset herself. How could she even think that she upset me? She was such a sweet, kind woman.

"No Esme, you didn't upset me" I told her. "You just made me happy. Happier then I have been in a really long time. You don't know what any of this means to me" I said to her. "Really you don't"

Now Esme looked like she was the one about to cry. But then she didn't. She was nice enough to help me finish with the baking and then help me clean up the mess that I had made with all of my baking.

I started to not feel so well afterward so I went back to the room and just laid on the bed and watched TV. I really hoped that I would get past the withdrawal part of my recovery soon. I hated all this. I mean really hated it. As much as I hated to admit I still craved the meth. My body and my mind wanted it and wanted it badly. I was stupid to even try the drug in the first place. But how could I resist after that first time I used it? The drug not only gave me the affect that I wanted, which was to be able to stay up all night studying for finals, but it also made me feel happy. It erased the pain that I felt. So I decided to take it again to get that same affect. Then my body became addicted to it as well as my mind.

I never thought about how the drug could ruin me. Ruin my body. Ruin my mind. Ruin my life. In the short time that the Cullens have been here they have helped me so much. Not only by helping me realize that I needed to stop doing drugs, but they have shown me care, and love. I didn't think it was possible to have gotten attached to strangers but I did, and they appear to have done so as well. They were the perfect family.

Soon I heard several voices entering the house. I couldn't understand what they were saying but I instantly knew who they were. I sprang to my feet as fast as I could and walked out to greet them as fast as I could.

"Nessie?" Bella said in complete shock, apparently she had been completely unaware of the fact that I was here. "What are you doing here? I mean no that your not welcomed here it's just that we weren't expecting you to be here"

"Carlisle invited me to stay here for a few days. He thinks that it will help me deal with the withdrawal symptoms and help me stay away from drugs. I hope that my staying here doesn't bother or inconvenience you in any way"

"No Nessie! Of course it doesn't!" Bella shouted a bit loudly. "You are always welcomed here and don't you forget it. I'm actually glad that you're here"

"Really? Why?" I asked. I still couldn't understand how this family was so accepting of me.

This time it was Edward that answered. "Because we want to help you. We really do. We want you to get better. I think that you staying here for the next couple of days is definitely a good thing" he said with a smile on his face.

"What is that smell?" Bella suddenly asked.

I took a sniff and all I could smell was the stuff that I had baked.

"Oh just stuff that I baked. I baked cookies, brownies, and cupcakes for all of you" I explained. "It's just a sign of my appreciation"

"Nessie you really didn't have to do that" Edward said. "Really you didn't" He kind of looked scared for some reason. Which was kind of weird.

"But I wanted to" I told him. "Don't worry I didn't poison the food or anything" I laughed.

"and you have to eat it" Esme said, appearing out of nowhere. "Nessie did all of this work for all of you out of the kindness of her heart so you must eat it whether you want to or not"

Then Jacob also appeared with his mouth full of brownie. "Don't worry I'll help you eat it. This stuff is delicious" Jacob said.

"Why thank you Jacob. Baking is a big hobby of mine. I'm glad you like it"

"Like it?" he said in disbelief. "Nessie I love it"

The rest of the Cullen family got home a few minutes later as well. They seemed to be just as surprised that I was there as Bella and Edward had been. Esme also told them that they had to eat the food that I had baked for them. I don't know why but they all seemed very reluctant to eat what I baked. In a way, I was a little hurt by it. Did they think that my food wouldn't be any good?

For some reason Alice wanted to play dress up with me. Bella and Rosalie were also quick to join her. Well Bella was mainly there as emotional support for me since I really didn't want to play dress up but Alice was making me do it anyway. Bella claimed to know exactly how I felt as she was not exactly fond of dress up either.

After a while I began to enjoy myself with them. Just us girls. I also had to admit that Alice knew what she was doing. I had never felt so pretty before.

After I had put on what felt like the millionth shirt I felt all eyes on my back. I didn't understand why they were staring at my back so intensely until I realized it. The shirt I was wearing was see through. They could see the whip lashes, the cigarette burns, the marks left by belt buckles, and the scars that had been left by tree branches. My back was made up of nothing but scars. Much like Carlisle they stared it at in absolute horror. Okay, I knew my back was a horrific sight but did they have to keep staring? It made me feel really self conscious.

"Nessie what happened to your-" I stopped Bella before she could finish her question.

"I don't want to talk about it right now" I told her. "Maybe some other time"

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