Hello my lovely readers! I bet you were wondering when I was going to post another chapter right? Well here it is. Finally. I've been very busy lately so when this finally came to me, I sat down and just wrote! I hope you all enjoy it.
I do not own Twilight or any of its likeness'. They all belong to Stephenie Meyer. The character names, the way they fall in love, the family they come from…
However, I do own this really cool book case that says "I Apple Twilight" except that it's a real apple that looks like a heart! It's mega cute.
Thank you again to my awesome pre-reader lemonmartinis – I would be nowhere in this without you!
BPOV
It seemed as though I'd barely been asleep before I felt Hope jumping up and down on the bed. When I'd looked at the clock, I understood why it seemed that way. So here I was, half through my day, and I was as tired as ever.
I'd managed to calm Hope down enough to get her dressed, fed and in the car. When we'd gotten to school, she hid behind my leg on the way to the front door. I'd taken the time to sit on the front steps and talk to her since we'd shown up twenty minutes early.
After I'd gotten back up, I saw Kailey standing right next to us, hugging Hope. I knew they weren't in the same class since Mrs. Cullen, Rosalie, was Edward's sister and it would be unfair for Kailey to be in her classroom. However, knowing that Hope still already had a friend in her grade was reassuring that the day would go well.
It felt like I'd been looking into Rosalie's classroom for quite some time when I'd heard Edward. He'd interrupted my fussing over my own daughter, who I knew would be fine.
Being up at three had also caused a need for caffeine, and when I'd asked Edward to go out for coffee, I'd shocked even myself. When he'd offered to drive, it shocked me.
I never thought I'd be comfortable with someone again, but for whatever reason, Edward was very easy to talk to. In our short time together, I'd managed to tell him why I'd given Hope her name and a short part of my history with Jacob.
When he'd taken me back to the school, it was just nearing lunch. I went to the office to check in and was allowed to reacquaint myself with the school's layout. A few of the teachers had changed since the end of the prior year, and I needed to know where their classrooms were located for the children I would take back to the rooms.
When I'd reached the kindergarten wing, I stopped and looked into Rosalie's classroom. Hope looked to be adjusting well to the classroom setting, and was playing in a small group with three other girls. They seemed to be helping each other pick out clothes for their dolls they had in hand.
Smiling, I'd walked to the next classroom and saw that Rebecca was the teacher. When I'd met with her, Rachel and Sue, she'd mentioned she'd transferred schools for teaching, but hadn't said where she'd be. I was nothing short of relieved to see that she was there, and it looked as if Kailey was in her class.
When the bell had rung, I waited out in the hallway, out of the view of Hope. I didn't want her to see me mid-day and end up having a breakdown and want to go home. I did, however, end up seeing Rebecca as she walked her kids out of the classroom and she smiled at me and gave me a sign to wait a minute.
As I waited, I saw Rosalie's classroom leaving, and ducked into Rebecca's room. Since Hope had a couple of allergies, I'd packed her lunch earlier in the day, but it would be the first time she'd be eating with a group of other kids. Hopefully she'd remember all we'd gone over that morning about not trading any of her food.
As I waited for Rebecca to come back, I noticed Rosalie walking back to her own classroom. Even though she'd left last, she was first back to her classroom. I stopped her before she got a chance to go in.
"Mrs. Cullen…"
"Please, Bella, your daughter is in my class and you know my brother…call me Rosalie, or Rose."
"Alright, Rosalie. I was wondering if Hope is adjusting alright?"
Rosalie stifled her laugh, but it wasn't as though she was outright laughing at me.
"I've seen enough children come through my classroom in my five years of teaching on the first day to say this – your daughter is one of the well-adjusted children to ever walk through my door. She helped pass out crayons this morning, and has been very helpful all morning. Hope is fantastic."
I let out a sigh of relief and looked into Rosalie's eyes.
"Thank goodness. She was so scared when we were getting ready to leave this morning. I was afraid she might end up throwing a fit when you started today. I'm definitely happy that I'm here though three days out of the week. I did have a question though."
"Shoot."
"Well, Edward had mentioned something about an after school program that you'd be running to help out parents who couldn't get here on time to pick up their children. I was wondering if I could possibly have Hope be in that group since I'm at the office in Seattle on Thursdays and Fridays?"
Rosalie smiled brightly; seemingly happy that at least someone knew of her plans to have a sort of daycare after the school day was through.
"It would be great to have her there. I'm not technically set to start this week, but since you're the only parent at the moment who knows about this, I could probably swing taking Hope both days. If nothing else, Edward will be picking up Kailey both days, and I could just facilitate them having a place to play together for a little bit until you get here."
"Thank you Rose. I'd really appreciate it."
Rebecca had come up in that time and stood next to Rosalie, staring at me.
"Did you forget to mention to me that you transferred here little Miss Rebecca?"
Rosalie laughed and took it as her cue to leave, which left Rebecca and I looking at each other for a moment before she trapped me in a hug.
"I'm so sorry Bella. I didn't think about it when we were out together the other weekend. Hope's in Rosalie's classroom right?"
"She is. I can't believe you're teaching here."
"I can't believe I ended up moving down a grade. I love these kids already though! They're absolutely adorable and very willing to listen."
"Have any rough starts? I know they can happen. I was afraid it would with Hope."
"Just one, and it didn't last long, but she'll be seeing you every Monday. Kailey Cullen is her name, so I'm assuming you're familiar with her?"
"I am. I'll come down at one-thirty to get her for her appointment. She's very special and Hope's best friend now."
"No wonder she asked if I could bring her best friend to her. I told her she'd see her friend at lunch at that she could stick by me for the morning if she was scared. I know it's confidential and you can't share any information, but do you think it'll be like this for a while for her? I don't want other children thinking I'm favoring one child."
"All I can say is that she'll take a little time to adjust, but it should be no more than a week."
Rebecca bit her thumbnail, a habit she'd picked up while in college, and looked at me through her own dark lashes.
"I don't want to mess up Bells. It's already more of a challenge then first grade was. Crying kids, finger paints, helping them learn how to share for the first time…and it's only noon!"
"Relax, you'll be fine. When you did your student teaching it was in kindergarten first and you were the best they'd had in years. Don't think so much about it."
I gave Rebecca a friendly smile and it seemed to make her relax.
"Thank you. I think I'm just as nervous as the kids. How is my little snuggle bug doing next door?"
Yes, Rebecca called Hope snuggle bug. When Hope was first born and I wasn't holding her, Rebecca was. She ended up using the term snuggle bug because Hope always fell asleep in her arms, completely snuggled up.
"Rosalie said she's doing okay. She's actually become her little helper. Leave it to Hope, always worrying about everyone else, and making sure they're taken care of."
"She learned it from you."
I sighed, but I knew she was right. I was selfless at times, and truly had been when it came to helping tutor Rebecca and one of her best friends in their psychology courses, even though I had my own studying to do…and a baby to take care of.
"I know. I should probably go get set up. Maybe I can even get a quick nap in. Your little snuggle bug was up at three in the morning bouncing around on my bed."
"Let me know if you need anything Bella, please. I'm assuming since you didn't know I transferred here, Hope has no idea either. Since that's the case, I'll have to go over and see her once all the kids are gone."
"She'll love that. Really, I'm going to head to my office though. Like I said, I'll come get Kailey for her session."
Rebecca hugged me again and walked over to Rosalie's room. I walked to my office and took out my file on Kailey. I knew I needed to try a few new things with her soon, and today would be the start of it.
I had to set my alarm on my phone, in case I did fall asleep reading over a few new techniques. Low and behold, the shrilling sound came from my phone in what had felt like only five minutes. When I'd wiped some sleep from my eyes, and straightened my clothes, I headed back toward Rebecca's room.
Knocking on the door lightly seemed to be the way to go since all the kids were waking up from their own naptime. Rebecca had waved me in, and I waited as all the kids put their sleep mats away. When Kailey saw me, she smiled and ran over to me with a stuffed animal in tow.
I could only imagine what my own daughter would look like, waking up from a nap, after seeing all the kids in this classroom. Once Rebecca had caught my eye again, she just waved me off with Kailey.
"Ready for our time Kailey?"
"Yes. Will you hold my hand to your office? I'm scared."
"Nothing to be scared of, but yes, I will."
As we walked back to my office, I could feel Kailey's hand shaking very slightly. She still seemed a little nervous of being in school. Once there, Kailey seemed confused since it was a new setting, and there were no coloring books lying around.
"I can't color?"
"I didn't bring my coloring books with me today. I know it's not how we normally are together, but I wanted to ask you how your first day of kindergarten is going."
"I wish daddy was here. I wish I wasn't here. It's scary, but I like Miss Becca. She told us to call her Miss Becca because she doesn't like being called Miss Black because black is a color. She let me keep my Pascal out all day so I wouldn't get scared. There's this other girl in my class named Lucy, and she kept this stuffed fish named Flounder out all day too. She's the only girl in my class I like. Everyone else called us babies because we had our stuffed animals out."
I knew if Hope weren't helping Rosalie, she'd be the same exact way. I'd have to talk to Rebecca about it later.
"Is it still scary being in the room with all those other kids though?"
"Uh uh. As long as Lucy and I get to sit together it's okay. She thinks my cast is pretty too. Miss Becca had us sit in a circle today, and we had to stand up and tell everyone what our name was at the beginning, and she told us to tell everyone what our favorite color was. When I told everyone I got sad though."
"Why was it sad?"
Kailey stopped and looked at me. She waited for a few minutes then got off of her chair, and came over to mine. She didn't take the normal initiative of climbing up on my lap, but instead tugged on my shirt for me to lean down so she could whisper to me.
"Because it was mommy's favorite too."
When I saw the tears running down her face, I went ahead and pulled her up into my lap.
"You still miss your mommy very much, and that's okay. You're allowed to miss her sweetheart. What about after that? When you got sad, did you start to cry?"
"Uh huh. And all the other kids laughed, except for Lucy. Miss Becca told the other kids to settle down though, and that it wasn't funny that I was sad. When Miss Becca asked if they missed their mommy's and daddy's too, a couple of them started getting sad. So then they left me alone. But I missed my mommy a lot then. Miss Becca let us color for a little while then, so Lucy and I colored together. She told me she doesn't get to see her mommy a lot because her mommy and daddy don't live together."
"Did you tell her about your mommy too?"
"Yes. I told her mommy lives with the angels, and I miss her a lot. And she didn't make fun of me or call me a baby. Lucy said my mommy was a really good angel, she could tell. I don't know how she could tell, she never met my mommy. I believe Lucy though. I know mommy is a good angel. Mommy is the best angel there is. I know she still makes sure I'm okay. And she makes sure daddy is okay too."
This was the most talk I'd gotten out of Kailey since we'd started our sessions together, and it was actually good to hear her talking easily about everything. For the rest of our session, she ended up talking all about Rapunzel and why she though Pascal was a good stuffed animal for her to have.
It was great to see Kailey so much more at ease when we were done talking. She'd only cried for that very short time then ended up smiling from ear to ear when we were done and asking how it was already time for school to be done.
In escorting her back to her room, it felt as though someone was watching me. It was like some sixth sense in feeling that I had in that moment. I tried not to think about it as I stood inside of Rebecca's room, helping her with a few of the kids. She would normally have an aide with her, but the aides hadn't all been placed for end of the day duties yet so I stepped in.
When the last bell rang, I helped Rebecca even further by taking her bus kids outside. They'd all been very willing to follow me once Rebecca told them to behave. She had a very firm hand in letting the kids know who was in charge.
As I walked back in, it seemed as though the only child left was Kailey. Since Rosalie's room was just around the bend in the hall, I let Rebecca know I'd walk Kailey over since she was to wait there until Edward came in. What was waiting for me when I turned the corner was the last thing I'd expected to see that day.
Rosalie was shaking in fear, and all I could see was a massive figure standing in front of her, with his back turned to me. When my brain finally got over the shock of realizing it was Jacob, I wanted to pummel him.
He'd agreed that he would leave Hope and me alone. He'd agreed that I was the best person for Hope to always be with. He told his own lawyer that he would be focusing on his other impending trial.
Not wanting to scare Kailey, I simply gripped her hand a little tighter and walked right up to the door. By the time I'd gotten there, Edward was already standing right next to his sister and laying in to Jacob. I quickly ushered Kailey inside of the classroom and told her to play with Hope.
"Jacob Black how dare you! Everything was settled, everything…and here you are, trying yet again a new way to take Hope away from me. Did you actually think this would work? Did you really think you'd get past all of it? Did you really…"
And that was when I felt a very familiar stinging sensation on my cheek. Jacob had backhanded me so hard that I'd fallen to the floor and was reeling in anger at what he'd just done…and in front of MY little girl no less. Hope wasn't his, not by any means, not anymore.
What shocked me most in the next instant however was that Edward had Jacob on the ground in what looked like some very serious wrestling move, and Jacob's eyes were drooping to the point of being asleep.
Rosalie had already dashed back into the room, shutting the door and locking it from the inside, and I was on my feet running toward Rebecca's room.
"Bella what the hell happened?"
I guess the giant red mark across my face was as noticeable as it felt.
"Jacob. Call the cops. Now."
Rebecca didn't ask any questions after that. She locked me in her own room and called the police department from her cell phone. I'd already alerted the school before we'd started that I would be the only one allowed to pick up Hope, unless I called and told them the name of the person picking her up. They had no policy stating a parent had to come to the office to check in to pick up their child, but they would inform Rosalie.
Rosalie had even asked me that morning if I would be picking her up after school, so she knew it was me coming to get my daughter. Since I really didn't disclose too much, I figured Rosalie would be okay in that respect of making sure my daughter stayed with her.
When the police arrived, Edward must have still had Jacob in a hold because he hadn't somehow been able to escape. I had been keeping watch the entire time after Rebecca had called the cops, that I noticed when they were taking him out of the building in handcuffs.
As soon as Jacob was out of the building, I unlocked Rebecca's door and practically flew back down the hallway to Rosalie's room. I looked at Edward sitting down against the wall and noticed that he was quickly forming a black eye.
I wasn't sure what pulled me first to him, but I held out my hand for him and he eagerly accepted. I took the three steps back across the hall and fervently knocked on Rosalie's door. She still had it locked.
"You really didn't have to do anything Edward. You just suffered a black eye thanks to me and all that is a fucked up life. I can't believe he had the nerve to show up here."
Rosalie had managed to get to the door with two little girls attached to her legs. As soon as Kailey and Hope saw Edward and I, they both came to us, tears pouring down their little faces.
I held Hope as tightly as I could without hurting her, and it seemed Edward was doing the same with Kailey.
"Bella…it's nothing. What would he have done if I hadn't helped? He would have ended up leaving with Hope."
At that admission, Hope clung to me tighter and let out a tiny scream. She was truly afraid of all that was Jacob.
"Rosalie, thank you for not running away from the situation…and for taking care of Hope in the classroom and locking the door so Jacob wouldn't get in. I'm sorry that this happened on the first day of school. I'm so incredibly sorry."
Rosalie looked taken aback by what I said. Instead of just turning to go back into her room, she came over and hugged both Hope and I.
"Get a restraining order put on him immediately. I don't know your entire story Bella, and I don't think it's my place to know exactly what happened…but I can tell from the cruel look in his eyes that he's not a stable person. And I can tell he wants to make things as miserable as he can. I won't have any of my students, or their parents for that matter, put in any danger. So please, while you have the time, and the conviction to do so, get a restraining order put on him."
I was shocked at the words coming out of her mouth. The tears that sprang to my eyes quickly blurred my vision and sent Hope on an entirely new crying spurt of her own.
"Mommy…make him th-top. I don't like daddy. I hate him. I don't want him. Make him go away."
Rebecca had reached us by that point and had pulled Hope and me into a hug. I hadn't had my own break down in such a long time, at least not a full break down, that it was tearing at me. My own tears were coming faster…not just from the shock wearing off, but the pain in my cheek as well.
"Let's go inside. I'm sure the police want to talk to you Bella, and also to me for being the person he first spoke with. Rebecca, could you go get a couple of ice packs from the nurse's office for Bella and Edward?"
Rebecca nodded her head and left to go get a couple. Edward and I took our daughters into Rosalie's classroom and sat down with them. When Rebecca had come back with the ice packs, she gently lifted Hope from my arms. I didn't want to give her up, but at the same time I wouldn't be able to hold the ice pack and my little girl at the same time.
"Hey snuggle bug, do you want to play with Kailey and me? We can color, or play with the dolls Rosalie has…"
Rebecca was talking softly to Hope and Kailey got off of Edward's lap as soon as the word coloring came out of Rebecca's mouth. I watched as my daughter nodded slightly, but there was still a lot of fear in her eyes.
"Why did you step in?"
I turned myself toward Edward to ask that question. I knew he was protective of his own family, especially with what had happened…but I wasn't expecting the same for myself from anyone.
"Bella, I feel very protective of you. Rose was in danger, and I protect my family. In turn, I was also protecting you. It was natural, especially after Hope said that it was her father. You gave me a short version of what he did to you, and that was enough to ignite a fire within me. I didn't want anyone getting hurt…and I figured I could handle it. The black eye will go away eventually…but had I not done anything, who knows what would have happened."
I looked up at him in shock and pulled the ice away from my face. Why would he feel protective of me? To him, I wasn't really anyone. His daughter's therapist, yes…his friend…I didn't know yet. Before I could react further, he took the ice pack out of my hand and gently held it back against my face.
"It'll keep the swelling down. After you talk to the cops, I can call Carlisle and he can take a look…make sure nothing is broken…if you want that is."
"It would be very beneficial. I'm a bit of a klutz, and if anything was broken, it would happen to me."
"I'll give him a call, let him know we'll be over to the hospital in about an hour."
"Thank you Edward. Like I said, you really didn't have to help. And you still don't need to."
"I want to Bella. Let me?"
It wasn't just a statement of asking to help…because he actually wanted to. I couldn't really place it, but it was nice to feel wanted.
The police had come back in before I had the chance to answer Edward, and not only did they want to talk to Rosalie and I, but Edward as well. When I left the room to talk to them in the hallway, Edward watched over the girls…and when he was out there, I took over.
Hope was okay in staying with Rebecca, but Kailey seemed a little bit more leery of it all. I didn't mind that she was attached to me; I only hoped that it wasn't too much. She missed her mother, and it was starting to feel as though I was the person replacing that feeling for her in some sense of the word.
"Alright Bella, are you ready to go?"
Edward had broken my thoughts for me, which was nice since I was seething from Jacob. I looked up at him and simply nodded, staying silent.
"Do you two want to come with me, or would you feel better driving separately?"
"If you…if you wouldn't mind…we'll go with you. I just need to get Hope's car seat out of my car. I hope I'm not imposing."
"You're not, I asked. Let me help take care of you at least until my dad sees you and can give you better judgment on how to take care of your cheek."
When I stood up, Hope was clinging to my leg. She had already let me know that she didn't trust me going anywhere without her, for fear of Jacob coming back and taking her. I can't say that I blamed her either for feeling that way.
A/N So there you have it. In this, I also want to thank SQicedragon, jdbeaner and lemonmartinis for teaching me the art of a cliffhanger! They were all my inspiration last chapter to actually do that to you readers!
The school I've based this in IS in fact a real school in Shoreline – however no likeness/events from my story have ever occurred there – at least not that I'm aware of. The school does have a policy about picking children up, and that it must be someone on the approved list that a parent provides for the teacher – however with Bella, she just wanted to make sure the office knew of the situation at hand.
I know, 'why didn't you go into the doctor's office scene?' – honestly it's not as big as you'd think, but it will be played out in the next chapter, I promise.
Okay, that's it. Leave me love, hate, or other. I appreciate reviews!