Chapter 8:
Disclaimer: Prologue
I woke up the next morning with painfully throbbing head; the type you got after you cried yourself to sleep after already crying for a long time. The tears had dried and crinkly on my cheeks and damp on my pillows still.
I slowly blinked my eyes open, registering the light coming in from my window. I rolled onto my side, taking in a deep breath as I rubbed my eyes. I let it out slowly and stretched my muscles, getting out all of the kinks they had gotten through lying in the same position for so long.
I turned to the side and looked at my clock. It was just before seven in the morning. I must have slept ever since I had stopped crying or had cried so much that my body just gave up and let me go to sleep to get the rest back up again.
I shook my head and pushed myself off my bed. I rubbed my temples as they throbbed and stumbled to my bedroom door. I grabbed the doorknob and turned it, hearing the click of the lock coming undone to let the knob turn.
I ran my hand through my hair lazily and walked towards the bathroom. I clicked the door shut behind me as I turned on the sink, cupping my hands under the faucet. I leant forward to splash water in my face, taking out the rest of the drowsiness as I began to wake up.
I splashed my face twice before I shut off the water and dried my face, taking in a deep breath to look at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were slightly red and puffy from crying myself to sleep and my lips were cracked slightly. I took in a breath and pushed away from the mirror to start my routine.
As I walked down the stairs twenty minutes later, I felt a little better than I had when I woke up. I felt more refreshed, and it put just a little more of a skip into my step.
As I reached the last step, I rounded the corner to head for the kitchen when I found a hilarious sight. Charlie was standing in the kitchen in baggy jeans with tears and holes that drooped to show the top of his boxers. His plaid shirt was mostly unbuttoned with a long gold chain in front of his chest. He wore sandals with socks and a baseball cap turned backwards barely fit on his head. To top it all off-as if it weren't enough-his mustache and eyebrows were purple.
I stood there, trying to take in it.
He glanced over his shoulder and gave a small smile. "Morning."
"Uh, morning…"
He looked down at his outfit. "I, uh, wanted to apologize for what I did yesterday, and I thought looking like a hillbilly rapper was a good way to start," he explained. He fiddled with the hem of his shirt nervously. "Along with this…" He motioned to a breakfast already sitting on the counter for me.
I blinked as my eyes followed his hand that fell back to his side. Now, while I didn't look it, part of me was actually dying from laughter at the sight of my father dressed like a "hillbilly rapper" in our kitchen. It was a sight that anyone would find hilarious-or extremely odd-in my position, but, again, in my position I was also dealing with my father whom hurt me last night. The other half of me that was still under the stab of those events was just…unsure of what to do or how to react.
So, I just stood there; silent and unmoving.
Charlie sighed to my lack of reaction. "I'm sorry, Bella," he said. "I-I didn't mean what I said last night. I should never have said it, or let myself get out of control. It's just…I hate what they did to you. It hurt to watch you go through it; all of it. I felt helpless as I watched my baby girl break, and when Frank said that Tanya was interested…I…I don't know, I just panicked. I know it is unfair to judge the Denalis for just being related to the Cullens, but I can't help it…I don't want you to get hurt again."
I took in a deep breath, and let it out with a slow nod. "I know, Dad," I said calmly, and I did. I had known it last night and when I met Tanya. "I know it hurt you just as it hurt me, though, in a different way. And I know you don't want to see me hurt again, but you need to understand that the Denalis and I will be nothing more than friends-if we even become that close of friends. I'm able to make my own decisions in who I'm around and I can hold to those decisions."
He nodded in understanding. "You are," he agreed, "and I trust you, but I don't trust them. If they are like their cousins, they could do the same thing to you. They could…they could take everything like the Cullens did, and, frankly, if it happened again I wouldn't stop until I had hunted them all down."
I sighed, sitting at the counter where he set my food; feeling suddenly exhausted. "But you trust me," I pointed out. My fingers absently grabbed the V8 in front of me. "Can't you trust me to tell them when I am uncomfortable with the relationship?"
He paused for a moment, taking time to consider my words. The hat on his head rocked back and forth awkwardly with the angle of his head as his hair began to slowly peak out. Finally, he nodded with a sigh. "Yes, I can," he said after a moment's hesitation. "But," he continued, "I can't trust Tanya with you. If she comes after you, Bella…"
"I can resist her, Dad," I said with a scowl.
He narrowed his eyes at me, looking ready to argue when he closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. He clenched his jaw, and then relaxed it. He gave me a small nod. "I'll leave it up to you, Bella. You are an adult after all-at least a legal one," he said. "However, do not expect me to be all lovey-dovey with them when I meet them."
I nodded, giving him a smile. "I wouldn't expect you to, Dad."
He nodded, adjusting the cap on his head. "Good," he said. "Now, does this thing make my head look big?"
It had been four days since Charlie and I had come to our agreement in the kitchen. We hadn't spoken of our talk over that time as the days went by smoothly and without any further incident.
We stayed home the whole time, making up for the fight to each other with some quality father-daughter time. We watched the games on the television, played poker and blackjack as we ate whatever there was in the fridge and cabinets.
It was kind of nice, just spending our days together, but part of me knew that it wasn't just to assure Charlie. It was because I knew that if I went into town, I would most definitely see Tanya there. I was fairly certain that her coming to the coffee shop was no accident-in fact I was 100% certain-and I had a feeling that she was keeping an eye out for me.
I hadn't felt ready to face Tanya yet. I had needed to get my head clear, think up a game plan on how I could resist her charms if she did try to make a move on me. I thought of ways to make it clear that I wouldn't be interested in her if she did make the advances.
Step 1: Be observant. Try to watch her movements; for example if she laughs and touches my arm at something that wasn't incredibly funny.
Step 2: Keep space between us. Don't let her touch my thigh again or hold my hand since the two of us barely knew each other. It would send her strange signals that she did not need to receive.
Step 3: Be friendly, but just friends friendly. Make sure that the friendship shields are down and the relationship shields are up.
It was a small plan, sure, but it was all I had for now, because in all honest truth, I had no idea what the hell I was supposed to do. It was all I could think of and I hoped that it was enough to get me through a few times around her before I had to add more steps that involved verbal ways of telling her to back off.
I nodded to myself as I threw my shoulder bag over my shoulder, pulling my low ponytail out from under the strap to rest it on my shoulder. I zipped up my jacket as I walked towards the door. "I'm gonna go into town, Dad. I think I'm going to visit Max."
He looked up from the couch where he was watching the basketball game and raised a brow. "You sure?" he asked.
I nodded. "Yeah, I need to make sure my new gay friend is actually my new gay friend," I said, giving him a small smile.
He nodded. "Alright, then, call me if you need anything."
I nodded and walked out of the door and I headed towards town. Town wasn't too far from our house, and the walk wasn't terrible. In fact, it was probably good for me to go on the walk. It helped build up strength and endurance and added to my health.
I stuffed my hands into my pockets as I walked, letting my eyes look over the landscape around me. Alaska really was a beautiful place. The trees here were beautiful and lush and the vegetation was wonderful. It was kind of like Forks, how the woods were beautiful. It was different, sure, but it still reminded me of home. I smiled a little as I kept walking, getting closer to town.
When I arrived, I walked straight to Stella's Café. I planned on getting some coffee and biscuits there before I went to Jerry's store. I wanted to see if I could find some more books that would hold any interest to me.
The walk to Stella's seemed short, and when I pulled the door open Max jerked his head up to smile at me brightly. "Bella!" he called. He rushed around the desk and pulled me into a hug. "Where have you been, girl?"
I shrugged, hugging him back with a smile. "I was just spending some time with Charlie," I said.
He nodded, giving me a small and gentle squeeze before he let go with a smile. "I get it," he said. He gave my shoulder a small shove. "Now, tell me what you want to drink and eat and then we can lounge at your table."
I smiled as I followed him up to the register. "White mocha latte, Max, and I'll take some of those delicious biscuits," I said with a smile.
He smirked as he punched the order into the machine. "I told you they were amazing. You didn't believe me, did you?" he asked, raising a brow at me.
I shook my head. "No, I honestly didn't."
He grinned. "Eight-fifty."
I handed him a ten and he handed me a dollar fifty back. I stuffed the money into my wallet-okay, I stuffed it into my purse that I would later put in my wallet-and said, "I'll be waiting for you at my table."
He nodded as I turned on the ball of my foot and headed for the table. I effortlessly slid into the booth, taking off the strap of my bag and leaned against the back of the booth as I put the money into my wallet. After closing the purse, I folded my arms across my chest and let my body relax.
It wasn't a minute later that Max was sliding into the other side of the table with my coffee and a plate of biscuits in hand. I smiled at him as I sat up. "Thank you," I said, taking the coffee cup into my hands for warmth.
He nodded. "Sure thing, Bella," he said. He then popped a biscuit in his mouth. "Plus, these things are free for me since you paid for them."
I scoffed, smacking his hand away as he reached for another. "Excuse you, but I paid good money for those," I said with mock anger. I put a biscuit in my mouth as he shrugged.
"Whatever." He quickly snatched one up and put it in his mouth with a boyish grin after I scoffed again. He swallowed the biscuit and asked, "So, how have you been, Bella? I haven't seen you for the past few days to ask." He smirked. "I was getting curious if you had fallen under the Denali Spell like everyone else."
I arched a brow. "Huh?"
He shrugged. "It's what I call how the folks in town get around the Denali family. It's like as soon as they come into contact with them they fall in love with them just like that," he said, snapping his fingers. "It's a little hilarious, really."
I smiled, having seen it before. "I can imagine it would be." I took a small sip from my coffee, testing to see if it was still too hot. I lowered the cup. "However, I am not one of those people, so I'm safe."
"So I won't see you stumble, stammer or faint?"
"Sadly."
"Tanya will make sure you do," he said with a smirk. I raised my brow at him, asking him to elaborate what he meant. He snorted. "Come on, Bella, I saw how she touched your leg under the table. She wasn't very subtle about it, and I saw how she practically suffocated your hand afterwards."
I groaned. "Why is it everyone is saying that she has a thing for me? Can't she just be an affectionate person?" I asked. I mostly meant for it to be for myself, but it clearly wasn't.
Max sat forward as his brows rose in surprise. "Others have told you too?" he asked.
I sighed. "Yeah, my friend Frank said he thought she was 'hot for me' and the other day he said that she still is 'hot for me' after he saw her with me in public." I used my fingers around "hot for me".
He raised a brow at me-partially for my finger quotes-and also like I was dumb as a doornail. "And you still don't believe it?"
I shook my head. "I really don't think that she'd be coming after me, you know?" I asked. I motioned to myself. "I'm just the new girl from Washington. She's just getting to know me is all, and nothing more."
He frowned, grabbing another biscuit. I didn't care to scold him this time as he shook his head. "Do you realize how beautiful you are, Bella?" he asked. "If you look like this during chemo…I can't imagine what you must look like not going through it."
His compliment made me blush faintly. I knew he wasn't coming onto me-he was gay after all-but hearing someone say that to me was still enough to make me blush. I had gone to be a little self-conscious of my looks after the chemo started.
He leaned forward onto his elbows. "Tanya is probably both drawn and attracted to you. Do you know how many good looking, decent people there are around here when it comes to that family?" He held up a finger. "It's barely enough to fit on my fingertip-and that includes you, Jerry, Brigit, my family and me. There are good people here, yes, but when the Denalis come around it's like they draw out their bad side in them, or they just make complete fools of themselves."
I bit my lip. "I know," I said. I watched my fingertip drag across the side of the cup. "I dated her cousin. People were like that around them to."
His brows shot up. "Her cousin?"
I nodded. "Yes, it was a few years ago," I said.
He nodded, seeming to think of something before he asked, "It wouldn't happen to be the Cullens, would it?"
I jerked my head up. "Yes, it was," I said. "How did you know?" Had he seen them before? He had to have seen them before if he knew their name. Maybe Carlisle worked here when his sister was sick?
He shrugged. "I met them a few times in town a few years ago when they lived here. They stayed with the Denalis for a bit and then left to go live somewhere else. They're the only cousins I can think of that could be anything like the Denalis besides Carmen and Eleazer."
I nodded, slowly dragging my finger across the cup again. "I see," I said slowly as the thought rolled across my mind. A few years ago, the Cullens had been here just like I had. It was most likely before they knew me as their cover story was that they moved to Forks from Alaska.
Max caught my attention again, "Do the Denalis know? About you and whoever you were dating?"
I immediately shook my head, my eyes widening. "Oh god no-I haven't even told them my last name in case they heard about me from them," I said.
His brow furrowed in confusion. "Why?" he asked. "Did you do something to their cousins…?"
I shook my head. "No…no it's not that," I said. I let out a sigh and ran my hand through my hair. "My relationship with the guy I dated-Edward-ended, well…it wasn't a good separation."
He scowled. "How so?"
I sighed again. "I had found out about my cancer just a few days prior to the break-up. I was going to tell him and his family the truth-everything. I thought they would want to know why I would start acting odd soon." I took in a deep breath as he nodded in understanding. "However, before I could tell them he dumped me-out of the blue." I felt my face melt into a scowl as I thought of the incident. "He just pulled me into the woods, told me that it wasn't working and that it wasn't good for him and his family. Then, he had the audacity to tell me to stay safe and not be reckless before he just disappeared with his whole fucking family."
I gripped the cup tighter, feeling the warmth seep harder into my hands as the glass pressed firmly against my palms. I could feel the anger burning in the pit of my stomach. I hated how they did that, just left me there like I was nothing but a pathetic human they could just walk away from. It broke my heart, and it was like they didn't even care.
Max grabbed my hands, taking them off of the cup to hold them in his own. His hands were warm, and it definitely helped. "Hey, don't break the cup."
I gave a small smile. "Sorry."
He smiled back and then rubbed his thumb on the back of my hand. "What they did was wrong, Bella," he said. "I understand how that would make you hesitate to tell the Denalis your name, but I have to ask, are you also afraid to admit Tanya is attracted to you because of it?"
I looked down immediately. I knew that was part of the reason, deep down I knew that was part of why I didn't want to admit it. I knew Tanya was attracted to me, but I also didn't want to know, so I told myself she wasn't because of another Edward.
However, that was not the only reason.
I shook my head. "It isn't the only reason," I said. I looked up at Max as he waited. "But it is one of them, yes."
"You shouldn't be afraid to admit it that Tanya likes you, Bella. If anything, you should be proud that you caught the eye of a second irresistible person in your life. Most people would pray to have Tanya even look in their direction when you have her smiling, laughing and touching you already," he said.
I let out a humorless chuckle. "I know," I said. "But I just…I don't want to have it happen again. I was depressed after Edward left. He shattered my heart that day-they all did. I felt like I was really going to die for the second time after the cancer."
"Yes, they did," he agreed, "and it was an jackass move, but that doesn't mean Tanya will do the same. Believe it or not, Bella, she is actually a good person-an amazing person at that-and if you are on the good side with her family, they always have your back. I've seen it before, and I've experienced it." He gave a small smile at the end.
I smiled a little at that. I was, honestly, glad that the Denalis had Max's back. I had no idea what the issue was, but I was happy he had someone there for him when he needed it. Were the Denalis possibly people I needed in my life? Would I just have my heartbroken if I let them in; let her in?
I looked down at the thought, staring at our hands. He grabbed my attention by squeezing my hands gently in his. I looked up into his eyes and he gave me a small smile. "Just don't be afraid to let her in. You may find that it was the best decision you ever made."
I nodded, smiling a little to make him not press as hard. I wanted the subject to drop, really. I was tired of hearing about Tanya and a relationship with her for one day-for a whole year. I had had enough of the conversations already and they were starting to give me a headache.
Max smiled a little, rubbing his thumbs over the back of my hands before he pursed his lips. "Bella?" he asked.
I nodded. "Yeah?"
"What's your story?"
I raised my brow. "As in my cancer story?" I asked.
He nodded. "I just haven't known what you have exactly, or how long you've had it, though-based on what you said-it's been for about two years. I like to find out for sure."
I smiled a little, just grateful for the change in topic. I nodded. "Of course," I said. I took my hands from his to take a drink of my coffee and pop a biscuit into my mouth. I chewed it slowly, letting myself savor the taste before I swallowed and followed it down with a quick drink of my coffee.
I kept my fingers wrapped around the cup before I started my story, "I used to live with my mom in Arizona after my parents divorced. I was seven when I started to have some pains and she took me into the doctor. We had tests taken and I came back positive for stage two ovarian cancer.
"The doctors started the procedure as fast as they could. I went to go through chemo slowly, and the effects weren't great. I lost my hair and I lost weight. I was bullied by kids in school for it, and it honestly was part of the reason why I became so awkward around people and why I didn't date much.
"Anyway, after six rounds of chemo I was declared cancer free and I was taken off the treatment. I got healthy and I started to visit my dad Charlie up in Forks. Over the years, I finally got tired of being shipped around and put my foot down so I stayed with my mom in Arizona.
"Everything was fine-even with my mom's new husband-and I ended up moving in with Charlie when I was seventeen. I started dating Edward after I had found a small way around my awkwardness and fallen for him. I felt like I was finally having things work out for me-even though the Cullens didn't know anything about my past-that was until after my birthday.
"I had gone into the doctors for a regular check-up to make sure everything was still fine the day before. When the tests came back, they were positive for stage three ovarian cancer I would die from if I wasn't treated for it immediately." Max stiffened here, and his hand immediately shot out to hold mine on the table, giving it soothing strokes.
I smiled at him, grateful. "I was stunned, to say the least, and I had to process it with Charlie. We had decided I would stay in Forks for treatment and he would take care of me. I decided to tell the Cullens, of course, I loved them like family and I thought they loved me. I was going to tell them so they would know why everything had become so hectic in my life, but…but you already know the rest."
Max swallowed hard, taking in the new information. He blinked, staring down at our combined hands. His thumb gently rubbed the back of my hand as he took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he said, "What is your cancer like now?"
I shrugged. "Better," I said, "but not great. The tumor growth has shrunk a little now, and it's still in progress with the chemo. That's why we're here, you see. My step-dad Phil met Dr. Ford's brother and he is doing it for us as a favor. We hope he can find something the others didn't."
He nodded, taking it in before he smiled at me. "He will," he assured. "Dr. Ford is a godsend and he will do whatever he has to in order to keep your heart beating."
I smiled. "I know."
He smiled at me and then glanced down at the plate of biscuits. He stood up. "I'll get more biscuits…I kind of ate most of them."
