Hi everyone, it has come to my attention (via my lovely readers) that someone has recently published a story using my idea of a sister, apparently a lot of my ideas have been stolen and incorporated in this story. I have not yet read the story in question but I will definitely be doing so as soon as I have a free moment, I would just like to remind people that although I may not be the first person to think about a sister for the Braxton's I was the first (to my knowledge) to publish a story with this format I have also in the first chapter placed a disclaimer/copyright on the idea, character and storylines made in this story. So please be aware of that. Anyway…. here is the next chapter…. I hope you like it, but first I just wanted to clear something up… Bella wasn't actually raped she was just beaten and cut, that was the profile of the attacker. I didn't want to bring in another rape because it just seemed like such a used storyline. Remember to review, Dannielle xxx
[DISCLAIMER/COPYRIGHT: I do not own any of the existing characters or storylines in Home and Away but any characters, storylines or ideas used in this story are strictly copyrighted and are not to be used by any other person/s without written permission of the author of this story. Thank-you.]
CHAPTER 10
1 week after Bella's revelation. 2 days before the wedding.
CHARLIE POV
I was lying in bed with Brax beside me; I glanced at the clock beside me 9:00am. Brax was lying on his back and I was propped up on the pillow beside him, his hand was gently resting on my growing bump and I was making light circles on his chest. I felt Brax begin to stir "morning honey and baby" he said kissing my tummy "I'm so sorry" I said suddenly causing Brax to look at me confused "ah, what for?" he said, "that you had to keep that secret all to yourself, I mean knowing what happened to your sister and not being able to talk about it… I'm just so sorry" I said running my hand through his hair "hey, hey, hey I learnt to deal with it… I mean yeah I wish I could have spoken to you about it, but I knew that I would be betraying Bella's trust if I told you without her permission" he said looking at me sadly "I know what it is like to have to hide secrets, I know how hard it can be" I said "well, now you know and maybe you can talk to Bella, help her deal with it a little better" "mm, maybe but I have to get ready the girls and I are going to have lunch in the city before my bachelorette party tonight." I said groaning at the thought. "Yeah, I have to head into the restaurant too, then see Heath about what he is planning for the bucks tonight" We both lay there for another ten minutes just enjoying each other's company before Ruby burst through the doors with her hand over her eyes, "everybody decent?" she quizzed, Brax and I laughed "yeah Rubes it's safe" Ruby removed her hand and jumped on the end of the bed "mum! Why aren't you dressed we have to go! Bella and I have been ready for half an hour" she spoke loudly. I laughed "is someone a little bit excited?" I asked as Bella walked into the room "Are you kidding me! We can't wait!" Ruby exclaimed bouncing up and down on the bed, Bella laughed "Well, Ruby is a little over excited but I think that may be because she woke me up at 6:30 this morning and has since had 5 cups of coffee…. But you know I don't really know…" she said smiling at us. "Well, I suppose if you are both ready then I should get myself together…. Will you guys help me choose what to wear?" I asked the two girls. "Sure!" Ruby and Bella both exclaimed at the same time. Bella and Ruby helped me pick out a green ombre maxi dress with a pair of brown sandals. As the girls left the room I continued to put on my make-up and comb my hair before making my way downstairs only to be greeted by Bianca, Darcy and Leah sitting at the table sipping coffee with Bella and Ruby. I envied them all so much at the moment they were all so slim and glamorous they each had their own individual style which I realised made us look like a pretty mixed bunch of people. Bianca is the posh high end one wearing her orange dress with black slip on shoes with her blonde hair out and around her shoulders as usual, Leah is the girly girl wearing a pair of blue skinny jeans with a purple tank top and black cardigan with a pair of black high heels, Darcy who was the cutie pie was wearing a pair of black short shorts and a dark blue racer back tank with her hair in plaited pigtails, Bella who although she was new but we could all tell that she was the unknowingly stylish one was wearing a pair of white skinny jeans which complimented her skin perfectly, matched with a hot pink, emerald green, royal blue and white striped shirt, on her feet she wore black ballet flats and her hair was straight and flowing past her shoulders and then there was Ruby who was the beachy boho was wearing a blue summer dress with silver sandals with her frizzy hair out with a headband plaited headband around her head. I smiled as I watched on before I was snapped out of my trance by Leah "Hi Charlie, why don't you just look beautiful" she said smiling at me "ye…ah, yeah she, she d-does doesn't sh-she" Ruby said all jittery we all laughed "Okay, I think that is enough coffee for you Rubes" Bella said gently prying the cup out of Ruby's hands, as she tipped it down the sink everyone stood from the table and grabbed their bags "You all ready?" Bianca asked "yep!" we all chorused before making out way out the cars parked in the driveway. We each separated into groups Ruby, Bella and I in my car. Bianca, Darcy and Leah in hers. I sat in the passenger seat as Bella drove to the city Ruby was bouncing around in the back to the song on the radio completely oblivious to anything and anyone around her. Soon enough we had arrived at the restaurant and Ruby had managed to calm down from her coffee buzz, we took our seats and ordered.
2 hours until Charlie's bachelorette party and Brax's bachelor party
RUBY POV
I was sitting in the lounge room with Bella watching a programme on TV, well I wasn't really I was too busy thinking. I looked over at Bella who was sitting on the opposite couch reading a book, I studied her carefully, and I'll admit I am a little bit jealous of her I mean look at her she is a picture of perfection. With her perfectly straight light brown hair and her sparkling green/hazel eyes, not to mention her impeccable style it was like she looked good in everything and I get that she works out to look that good… I've seen her go out running early in the morning but how can anyone look so perfect? And what was worse is that she didn't even realise it! I on the other hand along with everyone else that had laid eyes on her had noticed it. I was nothing like Bella, I had brown frizzy hair that was almost completely uncontrollable I had nowhere near as good a body as her and I ate right and excised regularly… sort of. 'Stop being so stupid Ruby!' I thought to myself. I knew it was silly being jealous of her but I couldn't help it. "Hey Bella…" I asked quietly "yeah?" she said looking up from her book "um, would you maybe be able to straighten my hair and help me choose something to wear for tonight… if that's not too much trouble?" I asked nervously "Of course I will help you, come on lets go and get started" she said smiling warmly at me as she got off the couch and headed up the stairs, I followed behind her excited about my makeover. As I walked into Bella's room I gasped quietly to myself like I did every time I came in here it was just so beautiful, we had cleared all the stuff out of the spare room a week ago and spent the entire Saturday painting the walls a luscious cream colour, Brax had bought a paint that when it was dry it had a pearl sheen to it so that in the light the walls sparkled. Bella had borrowed Brax's ute and gone shopping to buy some new furniture, when she came back we saw that she had bought a beautiful old dresser that needed a bit of TLC and a bunch of other antique looking items. She had spent the entire day Sunday sanding, varnishing and sealing the dressing table to restore it back to its beautiful mahogany youth before moving it in to sit right next to her walk in robe. I loved Bella's room it was modern yet so classy and elegant, she had a large king size bed with a beautiful carved mahogany head board with a lovely mahogany desk. She had complemented the pearly cream colour with lots of mahogany and lovely soft blues and pale purples. I was now sitting on the window seat next to Bella which was decorated with a long soft flat purple cushion and a few cream, blue and purple throw cushion scattered at the top and bottom, she had pushed the silky white sheen curtains back and opened the window to let in some light as we flicked through a stack of her old fashion magazines looking for a hairstyle we liked. "Oh what about this one?" Bella asked showing me a picture of a model who had her hair straight and braided in a waterfall braid one of the hottest new hairstyle trends that I had never been able to do myself. "Oh, yeah! But can you do that?" I asked looking at Bella curiously "Yeah! Of course I can come and sit down over here" she said standing and walking over to her dressing table. I followed and sat down in front of her as she began to brush and part my crazy mass of hair into smaller sections so they were easier to straighten. After about half an hour of straightening Bella had finally completed flattening my hair "Ah, Belle, we only have an hour and a half left maybe I'll just leave it like this so I can give you enough time to get ready… I don't mind really!" I said looking at her through the mirror. "Nonsense this is the easy part!" she said as her fingers began to quickly braid my hair and within ten minute I had beautiful sleek straight hair and an amazing waterfall braid that anyone would be proud of, as I examined it in the mirror Bella looked at me anxiously "Well… do you like it?" she asked "Are you kidding! I LOVE IT! Thank you!" I replied jumping up and hugging her tightly. "Oh that's great!" she replied "Now, come on we have to organise what you're going to wear!" she said pulling me out of her beautiful room and towards my own. "But what about you!" I asked as she tugged me down the hall "oh, don't worry about me I will be fine besides I promised Darcy that I would go and help her out after I'm done here." She said "but wait that leaves you with even less time to get ready!" I said as she began to root through my closet "yes, but I'm a Braxton I know how to make things fit!" she said sticking her head out from my closet. I just laughed before making my way into the robe. In ten minutes flat Bella had managed to find me the perfect dress, it was a black mini which had an empire waist with a bright yellow ribbon, it was tight until the bust and then flowed freely to just above my knees, she pulled out a pair of golden yellow high heeled pumps and a matching yellow clutch before racing back to her room and returning with a packet of golden yellow diamante stud hair pins, which she stuck in my hair. Then she started on my make-up and was done in all of five minutes. I looked in the mirror and was shocked at how quickly she worked she had done a smokey eye with bronze shadow instead of black and had carefully applied a light layer of soft rose lipstick before I finished it off with a coat of clear gloss. Soon enough Bella was out the front door to Heath and Bianca's before returning with 45 minutes to spare. I heard her bedroom door slam and I chuckled as I sat on my bed watching a DVD with my dress hanging from its hanger on the back of my door.
BRAX POV
"CHARLIE, RUBY, BELLA! THE GIRLS ARE HERE TO PICK YOU UP!" I called from the bottom of the stairs "I'm COMING!" I heard Bella call "Yeah me too!" said Ruby followed by "coming" from Charlie. Suprisingly Charlie was the first down the stairs and my jaw dropped as she made her way down the stairs in a soft pale blue silk maxi dress, her brown hair was wavy and pulled to the side she wore silver small heeled shoes and carried a silver clutch, she wore the diamond drop earrings I had given her for her birthday and had her usual soft smokey eye make-up on. As she reached the bottom of the stairs I gave her kiss and whispered "You look beautiful babe" in her ear as she came to stand next to me. Next to come down was Ruby who looked amazing in her black and yellow mini with her golden, yellow accessories. I really like her hair straight I had never seen it before "Wow, Rubes you look amazing" Charlie said as Ruby smiled while moving next to Casey. Suddenly Bella came flying around the corner and down the stairs "I'm coming… whoa!" she said as she pulled to a stop at the bottom realising that everyone was waiting for her, when she realised everyone was staring at her she looked at us and spoke "what?" I shook my head before Heath uttered "uh… nothing it's just you look so…. Um… beautiful" she smiled "oh…. Uh thanks" I turned back to my little sister and actually looked at her she was wearing a floor length rich purple silk strapless gown with a sweetheart neckline, there was a sparkly diamante ribbon tied just under the bust and her hair was pulled into a soft wavy loose bun, with a few stray curls falling down beside her bangs, she was wearing a necklace with a diamond 'B' pendant that Heath had given her for her 16th birthday around her neck with a simple tennis bracelet on her wrist, I recognised it as the one grandma gave her before she died. I saw that she was wearing black stilettos and was carrying a silver clutch purse. I could not believe that this was my baby sister that I had held in my arms all those years ago. She looked so beautiful and grown up but I knew that she was really quite fragile and scared behind that tough exterior. As we all parted ways the girls going off to Angelo's and us boys going…. Well I had no idea.
AUTHOR NOTE: Now, how did you all like that chapter? Please feel free to give ideas and you never know I might just use them, of course I will give credit where credit is due Now I do have a little task for you all if you could give me some ideas for the baby's name now I am looking for unique and creative but not weird and wacky like cute, and funky. So remember to review and let me know what you think and what your ideas are… also I would love to know what you think will happen in coming chapters! Anyway the next chapter will be up soon! Review, review, review. Dannielle xx
NEXT ON PICTURE PERFECT:
It's the day before the wedding, how will Brax be after his bachelor party.
Charlie and Brax spend some time together before the wedding, discussing names.
Something is bothering Ruby… will she open up to Bella? What is bothering her?
[DISCLAIMER/COPYRIGHT: I do not own any of the existing characters or storylines in Home and Away but any characters, storylines or ideas used in this story are strictly copyrighted and are not to be used by any other person/s without written permission of the author of this story. Thank-you.]