A/N: So this is pretty much the chapter I was dying to write. I had this idea when I first started writing. So I hope you all enjoy.
B.P.O.V
"And I'll leave you with this thought..." The prof droned on. "Think about what Williams is trying to say about society. What is the symbolism of the great gold figure?"
Did she seriously think that anyone was going to consider that question at all?
"Have a good evening, see you all next week." Thank god! I was really antsy and anxious to go on my date with Edward. It sounded promising. Sitting with him in a dark theatre eating salty popcorn and slurping over-priced coke. Maybe if he picked a scary movie I could pretend to be scared and cower into his arms so he could comfort me.
I grabbed my bag and took off towards the back door; it looked like I was the only one. Nobody went this way. I stepped out of the building into the very ill-illuminated section of concrete before my feet touched the wet grass. I was wearing flats so the water was dangerously creeping around the edge of my feet. It was all squishy and wet. I heard a raucous laughter coming from in front of me and hugged the wall. I forgot to call Edward. I pulled out my phone, and the laughter got closer. I looked up to find two frat guys, clearly intoxicated beyond what they should be on a school night. I shuffled along a little, nervously, trying to dial Edward's number. I moved to pass one of them and he said something to me.
"Hey there!" He said, slurring his words.
"Hello," I mumbled unthinkingly, it was a reflexive action. I kept walking.
"Wait," he said, moving closer to me. I didn't slow. "I said wait! What's your name beautiful?" He asked me. I rolled my eyes and kept walking, these guys were obviously hammered, and I had places to be. He kept following me though. I stopped hugging the wall of the building and started trudging along the grass, still feeling the moron behind me. When I looked up, I saw two more guys standing in front of me, about fifty yards away. I stopped. I looked behind me. The other two were approaching me from behind while I was being approached from the front. I realized then that I wasn't being followed.
I was being herded.
I gulped and started to panic.
One of the men from behind me was starting to get closer, and I just stared at him, wondering what he was possibly going to do. He was drunk that was for sure.
"Stay away from me," I tried to use my strongest voice. I had my phone in my hand, Edward's number half dialled. My hand started to shake as the thick heavy-set frat guy got closer to me, stumbling his way along.
"Don't be like that sugar," he told me. His breath reeked of vodka and if I wasn't so afraid and numb I would have snorted at him. I just stood there, shaking. I made to walk away but he grabbed my wrist. It was extremely dark in the middle of the field, and I was barely halfway across it. I tried to yank myself free but he wasn't letting me go. I heard an uproar of laughter come from behind me. I dialled the rest of Edward's number into the phone and tried to hit send, but the frat guy took the phone out of my hand and tossed it to the ground before I could. He then took my book bag off my shoulder and flung it to the ground as well. I whimpered.
"Leave me alo – alone," I told him, yanking my wrist back again. It most definitely was not going to work. I again heard the laughter coming from behind me. My eyes were stinging with the tears that were coming.
"Oh I'm not about to be doing that there baby," he told me, moving closer. I flinched, and kicked him in the shin. He let go of my wrist and I made a run for it. I dashed to my phone and hit send, putting it to my ear. Before Edward answered, the phone was knocked out of my hand and I was falling to the ground face first. I felt a sharp pain course through my side when he landed right on top of me. The frat guy hovered over top of me, flipping me over. I punched and kicked at him but he wouldn't budge. "I think we need to teach you a bit of a lesson," he told me, rubbing his greasy hand along my face. Then the tears came. They were flowing from me stinging my cheeks and rolling off my face. He rubbed his hand down my arms and hooked them onto my hips. I squirmed beneath him. "How do you work this thing?" He asked, leaning up off of me a bit. I squirmed relentlessly now, thrashing and yelling and crying. My voice couldn't go very high because it was too shaky. I remembered that Edward had probably picked up.
"Edward!" I yelled at the phone that was somewhere on the ground. I desperately hoped that he heard me. It was then that the frat guy slapped me hard on the cheek. The tears came faster and my cheek stung in pain. I sobbed unceasingly while he continued to fumble with my skirt. I heard one of the other frat guys drunkenly laughing from somewhere around us and it made me cry even more.
"How in the fuckinghelldoyou work this thing?" The frat guy asked me, slurring heavily. He was talking about my skirt; I clenched my eyes shut as more tears came. I shook my head. All I could think about was Edward. "No worries. Igotit," he said, pulling something from his pocket. He pulled a small silver contraption from his pocket and flipped it open; it was a pocket knife. My stomach fell and the tears wouldn't stop. Why did no one ever fucking come this way?
"Whoa man, what are you doing?" One of the frat guys with a deep booming voice asked the guy on top of me.
"Trying to get this fuckingthingoff," he replied, slurring his words yet again. I writhed relentlessly beneath him.
"Plea – please, let me go," I cried, begging him. He shook his head violently and put the knife to the bottom of my skirt. I squirmed and writhed. In his drunkenness he cut a deep gash into my leg while he tore the skirt right up to my hips. I emitted the loudest scream I had ever let escape my mouth in my life. I was bleeding like mad. I could feel it and I could smell it. I kept the tears flowing and tried to squirm on the dark, wet grass. I felt the frat guy feel all up my leg and his hand rested on the top of my skirt. He yanked it off and threw it aside, putting his hand back down and right onto my crotch.
"Edward! Edward! Hel – help!" I yelled again, hoping that he would hear me. This was my worst nightmare being realized. The frat guy dug his fingers into my panties and started twisting them into me. I emitted another loud scream as he jabbed and poked at me.
"Whoa man seriously, not cool. Don't rape the girl," one of the frat guys said, getting closer to us. He slowly kept getting closer, and I could hardly see him through the tears.
"Please...help me," I yelled to him, trying to extend my arm. The one on top of me growled and the others backed away. He seemed to be the irrational one. "Please!" I begged them. I was still crying and I couldn't see a fucking thing. All the while the frat guy had his whole fist in my panties and was feeling every part of me that I didn't even want him to see. I clenched my eyes shut tight and pushed against his shoulders. But he was too stocky. He was thick and heavy and there was no way that little old me would get him off. It was hopeless.
But then I heard him groan and he rolled off me, I saw that one of the other frat guys had kicked him. I tried to clear the tears from my eyes and began to run away, forgetting that my leg was wounded. I started to limp. I grabbed my phone off the ground but the call had been lost. I searched in panic for my book bag and saw it lying close to my phone. I didn't look back to see where the frat guys were, so I just kept limping my way across the lawn. I tried to dial Edward's number again to call him but I was too shaky and slippery and crying that I couldn't get the right numbers out. I limped toward the student center, my leg and my face throbbing in pain. Out of my blurriness I could see the lights of the student center and I could see a figure standing in front of it. I didn't even think.
"Edward!" I yelled, my voice raspy. "Edward!" I called again crying intensely and limping along. His eyes froze on me and within seconds he was sprinting. I tried to go faster too, willing myself to be in his arms, when I tripped over a rock, and was sent face first to the wet, hard grass. I sobbed into the dirt and I felt the electricity.
"Bella!" Edward yelled, flipping me over. I was crying so hard that I couldn't see his face. I could see him cover his mouth in shock though. "Bella..." he said, his voice sounding pained.
"Edward..."I cried, grasping for his shirt. I sobbed violently. He bent down and lifted my head.
"Oh my god..." he said, touching my leg. I winced in pain and cried even harder.
"It hurts –" I managed to sputter. I sobbed again.
"I'm sorry," he replied, taking his hand away. He put it to my good cheek. His warm hand against my cold cheek stung but it felt good. My crying was subsiding a little, and I took my hand and wiped the tears away from my eyes so I could look at him. He had tears running down his face too. I tried to reach my hand out and comfort him but I felt a tightening in my ribs. They must have been bruised from my fall. I pulled my hand back.
"Bella, what happened?" He asked, propping my head up on his lap. He stroked my hair gently and pulled his phone out. I just cried when he asked me what had happened. He dialled a number and put the phone to his ear.
"Alice call and ambulance, and come to the field between BHE and the student center. NOW!" He yelled into the phone, slamming it shut. "I'm so sorry Bella. I should have come get you." He rocked me back and forth slowly. I stopped crying. This was not his fault one bit.
"Edward...it's not yo – your fault...don't be rid – ridiculous." He slipped his arms underneath my waist and made to pull me up. He stood with me cradled in his arms and rocked me back and forth for a minute. I could hear him sobbing into my hair and I sobbed with him into his shoulder. I started to feel dizzy and nauseas as I began replaying the events in my head. I could also smell the nauseating aroma of my blood.
"Edward!" I heard Alice's frantic voice yell. She came running at us with full speed and told him she had called an ambulance.
"Alice," I cried softly, tears streaming down my face again.
At the sight of me she instantly started bawling.
"Bella!" She sputtered, running to my side. She touched my leg and covered her mouth. She mouthed the words 'oh my god' and the tears were still rolling. Seeing her cry and Edward cry was making me cry more. I heard the sirens of an ambulance a second later and my head snapped up. Edward made his way to the street which was a five minute walk the other direction and he carried me the entire way there. I didn't even remember getting into the ambulance, I had passed out already.
Beaten. Broken. Crying. Dirty. And Violated.
E.P.O.V
I paced around the hospital room; watching Bella like a hawk. I saw her chest rise and fall every few seconds and I was thankful that her beautiful little chest had movement. I didn't even think of the possibility of what would have happened to her had we not found each other. I shuddered. She stirred in the bed, her face tensing. I stopped my pacing and went to her side. Her face contorted and she started to whimper.
"No," she started to whine. A single tear fell from her eyes. I felt my heart rate speed up; she was reliving the whole fucking thing. I sat on the side of her bed and put my hand to her face. It relaxed almost immediately. I rubbed her cheek with my hand and studied the sizable bruise forming on her left cheek. I clenched my jaw and willed myself not to cry. I just stared at the girl I loved and I couldn't picture my life without her. If something had happened to her...If something bad...I didn't even want to think about it. I sighed, trying to stay calm, and kept rubbing her cheek. Alice came back in the room then.
"Hey," she whispered, handing me a coffee. We had been here for hours while Bella slept. It was almost morning by now. How motherfucking horrible. She's in the hospital for her birthday.
"Thanks," I told Alice, taking a sip. I swished the hot liquid around in my mouth and it woke me up. I downed the entire cup before Alice even drank half of hers, and I never took my eyes off Bella; not once. About a half hour later I saw her stir and her swollen, red eyes fluttered open. I jumped up and immediately went to her side.
"Hey," I said, stroking the top of her head. She gave me the weakest smile I had seen her ever give me. My heart wrenched.
"Hey," she replied glumly. She looked like she was in pain.
"How are you feeling? Are you hurting anywhere?" She nodded and another tear fell from her eyes. I couldn't stand this. Seeing her like this was my own personal form of torture.
"Where does it hurt love?" I asked, kneeling by her side, putting my face closer. She moved her head slightly closer to mine and she sniffled.
"All over," she replied in a small voice. I gently brushed my thumb along the unbruised part of her bad cheek and she winced a little.
"Want me to get a nurse?" I asked. Maybe she could get some more painkillers and sleep it off. She shook her head. She was so stubborn. One of the many reasons why I was madly in love with her. Last night had showed me just how much I really truly loved Bella. When I saw her limping towards me wearing nothing but her panties my stomach was literally laying on the pavement. I dashed to her without even thinking. In that moment I knew that I couldn't bear to live without her. I just could never exist again in a world where Bella wasn't mine.
"No. I want to stay awake," she told me, reaching her hand out from under the blanket. I took her hand in mine and gripped it tightly. I never wanted to let go. "Where's Alice?" Bella asked, swerving her head a little. She found her.
"Hey Bells," Alice said softly, sitting on the other side of the bed. Alice brushed Bella's hair away from her face and lovingly rubbed her hand on the back of Bella's head. "I called Charlie," she told her. Bella tensed, and then started to cry. My heart was going through so many emotions that I thought it would start to cry soon too. "He's on his way here," Alice then told her, rubbing her head gently. I was gripping Bella's hand firmly and she gripped back just as hard despite her fragile state. When Bella had stopped crying she just lay there, motionless.
"When will he be here?" Bella asked Alice.
"As soon as he can. Might be a while, he's driving from Forks." That was a far drive. I had done that drive with Emmett on the way here. It was a few days trek to New Hampshire. Bella nodded her head at Alice.
"Do you mind if I talk to Edward in private Al?" She asked her sweetly. Alice shook her head.
"Not a problem, I'll be outside." Alice swiftly and elegantly got off the bed and silently left the room.
Bella turned to me and I just took in every single feature of her beautiful, bruised face.
"I don't..." she started. "Edward –" She was stuttering now. "I can't even begin to tell you how thankful I am that you found me..." She was sobbing a little. I turned her face and kissed her lightly on her good cheek.
"I can't imagine if I hadn't," I told her truthfully. She shuddered. "Will you tell me what happened?" She was crying a little more now and I tried to calm her down. I sat up on the bed and pulled her up with me and put her head to my chest; trying to be as careful as possible. She sniffled.
"I was leaving the building when I heard some drunken guys laughing." I immediately tensed. I didn't fucking like the sounds of that. "When I was walking they were talking to me and trying to get my attention. The one guy eventually grabbed my hand and threw my phone to the ground," she sniffed again. "I dialled your number and hit send before he jumped me and started..." She trailed off, sobbing into my chest. "When he couldn't figure out how to...how to get my skirt off..." She continued. I was fucking like a marble statue I was so unmoving. "He pulled out a pocket knife and decided to cut it off of me. His hands faltered because he was drunk and he dug the knife into my leg." She wasn't crying as much now, but I was so fucking mad and angry and upset and furious that I felt like crying. But I was staying composed for my girl's sake. "After that he pulled it off and threw it aside." I heard her gulp. Oh no...I tensed even more...if that was even fucking possible. "And he..." she started crying now, gripping my shirt. "He stuck his hand...down there," she motioned to her crotch. "And it was painful," she cried into my shirt. I couldn't help it now. Tears welled over my eyes and flew down my face at a rapid rate. I kissed the top of her head. "Edward it was awful," she said, sobbing. "One of the other frat guys kicked him off..." she paused to sniffle. "And I made a run for it." I silently cried into her hair. A motherfucking drunken asshole frat guy tried to...no not tried to...he did violate my girlfriend. I cried into Bella's hair and it smelled like soggy grass. I didn't care though; I just needed to hold her in my arms. She cried with me and stroked my arm.
"I'm so glad I found you," I choked out. Rocking her back and forth a little. "I know that it might not be worth much right now," I started, through the tears. She pulled away and looked up at me with bloodshot eyes. "But happy birthday," I told her, giving her a tight smile. It was the most I could muster, but it worked. I got a cute little smile from my girl and I kissed her very, very gently on the mouth. She kissed back for a moment but pulled away; I assumed it was because her whole body must have been aching. "And I don't have a gift for you...so there's something else for you to be happy about," I told her. I was going to go out this morning because I had known what I was going to get her.
I quickly got an idea into my head. I could give her a gift.
But if I said those three little words to her...would it change things?
"Thanks," she told me, smiling wider now. There's my Bella. "It's okay; you don't have to get me a present. I like it better this way anyways." I kissed her on the forehead and decided that now was the time.
"Actually..." I started, nervous as fucking hell. What if she didn't say it back? I gulped. "I do have a small gift." She looked at me puzzled.
"What is it?" She asked, trying to roll her eyes. If only she knew what I was about to say to her.
"Okay. Here goes." She stared deep into my eyes with her gorgeous penetrating brown ones. You can do this Edward. Don't be a pussy. "Bella, the past week of my life has been...well amazing to say the least." She started blushing on her good cheek. Her bad cheek was too bruised for me to tell. I rubbed my thumb along it. "And I hope it has been for you too." She nodded her little head and nuzzled her face into my hand. I love when she does that. "Good. And while we have been spending time together I've...well...Bella I don't really know how else to say this. And you don't have to say anything back. But...I thought that you should know." She stared deep into my eyes. The blush from her cheeks gone in seriousness.
"I love you."
B.P.O.V
We just sat crying in each other's arms for a while once I had told him what happened. I was crying because I was reliving the pain and agony, and also because it hurt Edward so much. I was so relieved that he had found me...I was also thankful to which ever frat guy that kicked the other one off of me. Edward stroked my hair and I squeezed his arm gently and we both sat there silently crying and gripping each other like the other would disappear if we let go. After he'd apologized for not getting me a present I was relieved even more. I was happy that he hadn't gotten me a present, and so when he told me that he had gotten me a small gift I frowned a little, but listened to him.
"What is it?" I asked, rolling my eyes as best I could.
"Okay. Here goes," he started, staring at me. It seemed like he was telling me some deep dark secret, not my birthday present. I just listened intently. "Bella, the past week of my life has been...well amazing to say the least." I blushed when he said this. In all honesty it had been for me too. Edward was fantastic and sweet and sexy and kind and good looking and smart and funny. He rubbed his thumb along my cheek and continued. "And I hope it has been for you too." Of course it had been! Was he crazy? I nodded my head as fervently as I could and nudged my face into his hand affectionately. "Good. And while we have been spending time together I've...well...Bella I don't really know how else to say this. And you don't have to say anything back. But...I thought that you should know." I almost stopped breathing, and I certainly wasn't blushing anymore. Nothing was embarrassing or funny. I just stared at him, and anticipated what he was going to say.
"I love you."
The words shot out of his lips and pierced my heart like an arrow. My heartbeat became irregular and my breathing heavy. He loved me. He loved me and I was staring at him like a moron. I thought about our last week. I loved being with Edward, I loved talking to Edward, I loved when Edward touched me...anywhere. I hated being away from Edward...even for a little while. My heart jumped at my conclusion. I loved him too. I mean I was in love with him. When I had seen him last night I just needed to be in his warm, comforting arms. I was in love with him. And somehow it seemed that this beautiful god loved me back. I smiled at him after a minute of silence. He relaxed. I leant up and kissed his sexy, smooth lips; but only for a moment. I pulled away and put my good cheek against his chin.
"I love you too," I replied, now looking up into his eyes. He gently cupped my good cheek and kissed me again. I felt the love and warmth surge through him and into me. I reciprocated as best I could in the state that I was in. Despite what had happened the night before I was floating on some fucked up cloud nine right now. From the first moment I saw Edward I was hooked. His eyes drew me in. And then when I spent the day with him I was done for. We had such a spark and such a connection that I felt like the only person in the world when I was with him. Of course I was in love with him. He was everything I ever even dreamed of having. Dreamed being the operative word. I never thought that my dream man would come to life. And the fact that he was not only incredibly smart and kind and funny and amazing, but also sexy and good-looking was the biggest plus. I parted my mouth slightly because I wanted to deepen our soft kiss, and he did the same. He slipped his warm tongue in my mouth and he tasted like coffee. Mmm, coffee. That sounded good right about now. I kept pressing my tongue against his and he was hesitant but he kept going along with me; until we heard the knock on the door. I pulled away from him very reluctantly, but told him not to move. I wanted to keep him close.
"Come in," I said in a small voice. I sounded like I had been yelling at a concert the night before. I wish that had been the case. The door opened and my jaw almost hit the floor. It was a tall, broad-shouldered frat guy. His dark hair was cut short and his face was almost babyish but very good looking. I recognized him immediately. He was the one who had kicked the other one off of me last night. He was the one I was forever in debt to for saving my helpless self. Edward's face contorted into a funny expression and I couldn't make out what it was. I would tell him soon.
"Hey," the frat guy's voice boomed into the small room.
"Hey," Edward replied, that look still on his face. I felt like they knew each other. I shrugged it off.
"You're the one from last night right?" I asked the tall, burly frat guy. He nodded his head and Edward stood up in a defensive position. Now a look of pure hatred and disgust coming over his face.
"WHAT!" Edward yelled in the frat guy's face.
"No Edward, he was the one who helped me," I told him, grabbing his arm. He immediately relaxed and sat back down, still looking at the other guy. "I'm Bella," I told him, extending my little hand to reach his giant one. He took it and shook it for a second before releasing me. "I don't even know how to thank you," I told him, feeling a great amount of gratitude towards this person. He gave me a small half-smile that didn't touch his eyes. For some reason it seemed like he was usually a happy person and right now he wasn't.
"Bella there's no need to repay me. I shouldn't have even let it get that far. What he did was inexcusable." I nodded, thankful that he helped me at all. He then turned to Edward. "I kicked him out of the frat house and told the Dean what he'd done. He's being charged and expelled from the school." Edward then nodded his head. A small tear escaped Edward's eye and he stood up to embrace the big frat guy in a hug. I was very confused. They had to know each other.
"No worries," the frat guy said in Edward's ear.
"Em, I don't even...if you hadn't....I just don't know what I would have done," Edward said. Click. All the pieces of information fell together. This was Edward's brother; Emmett. They of course didn't look alike because that was impossible, which is why I wondered how they knew each other.
"Like I said. I should have stopped it earlier. I was drunk and I just didn't think...I mean he always takes things way too far – but that was going fucking overboard," Emmett said, his deep voice growling. Emmett pounded Edward on the back and they parted. Edward sat back down next to me and looked down to meet my eyes.
"I know you've probably figured it out by now, but this is my brother Emmett," Edward said to me. I nodded my head.
"Nice to meet you Bella," Emmett said, smiling a playful smile. He reminded me of a giant teddy bear...sans fluffy interior and soft exterior.
"Emmett this is the girl I was telling you about," Edward said. I blushed a deep red. He had been talking about me to his brother. Well duh, he loves you. I smiled inwardly.
"I'm glad my little bro finally found a chick that looks like she even has brains at all," Emmett joked. I laughed a little, and clutched my rib.
"Ouch," I said, wincing in pain. Edward looked concernedly at me. "My ribs," I informed him.
"You have a fractured rib love," he said to me sweetly, cupping my cheek. I frowned a little. "Just relax." I lay down on the pillow like Edward instructed and breathed in deep. It hurt to do that; I made a mental note to myself not to breathe in deep again.
"I'm glad you're alright Bella," Emmett said. I smiled at him in thanks.
"Thanks a lot Emmett," I told him with the deepest amount of gratitude. "Edward when can I go home?" I hated being in the hospital and since my clumsiness used to be my greatest downfall I had been a regular around hospital beds. And I wasn't a fan. They were hard and uncomfortable. I shifted on the bed.
"I'm not too sure. They've fixed the fracture but it will take some time to heal, you'll have to wear a tensor around your ribs for a while. And they stitched up your leg. You got twenty seven stitches there." I got twenty seven stitches! Oh god. I hadn't even looked at my leg since the incident. I lifted up the blanket and looked down to my left leg. My left side had gotten it pretty good yesterday. My leg was red and irritated. The stitches pulled the skin tightly back together and it hurt to move even a little. The gash was right along my mid-thigh. I set the blanket back over it and pouted my bottom lip. I wanted out of the bloody hospital. "And the only other thing is that there's a bruise on you cheek," Edward then said to me. I nodded, I could feel it. "And I'm not sure about...you know..." He said this trailing off. I knew what he meant. My own personal private place that I hadn't even let Edward close to touching yet. That sick, twisted fuck had stuck his fingers right up there. And I was sure that there was blood. But today it didn't hurt...and I was thankful. I shook my head at him.
"It doesn't hurt," I told him, rubbing his arm affectionately. He nodded into my hair and pulled away. "Will you ask the doctor for me when I can go home?"
"Sure. Anything for you," he whispered into my ear. "I'll go get Alice." Oh...right. Alice. I had forgotten all about her for the moment. And Charlie too. My heart fluttered. Charlie was on his way here right now to see me. And I missed my dad so much. And he would get to meet my boyfriend; who I loved very much. Everyone that I cared about – with the exception of my mom – would be with me. As long as I had that...I was going to be alright.
A/N: Yeah so I decided to throw a little bit of Emmett-y goodness in there for good measure! Everyone loves him. And let me know what you think!