A/N: Hi again everyone. As you obviously see, I am updating even though I have been badly disappointed in the review amounts. Obviously you all have no idea how much reviews mean to me but I don't want to abandon this story because there actually ARE people who are kind enough or who care enough to leave me a review and I would like to thank all those who reviewed my last chapter even though it was very short and definitely not my best. Thanks to all who support this story right now and I've decided to do chapter dedications to my reviewers as they followed and reviewed my story FROM THE VERY FIRST CHAPTER. Thank you all very much. Love you lots. Now here is chapter 11. I hope you enjoy it! Oh and please don't forget my poll!
This chapter is dedicated to my dear friends Ravita15, AshCR, RandomChickOliviaxx, Daredevil Diva and Hollywing. Thank you all so much. It's for you all that I make myself continue writing out of fear of murder at your hands by aloo pies, the library ghost and kiss cakes. Hugs and Kisses and HAGS guys!
Previously:
"Bella, do you have a place to stay?"
"No I don't actually I was planning on figuring something out once we arrived."
"I would be honored if you stayed with Eliza, Elizabeth and I."
I blushed. For a stranger she was awfully kind, "I don't want to burden you Ellie."
"You won't be a burden!"
"Then I would be honored to stay with you Ellie thank you very much."
With a squeal of joy, and not another word, she grabbed my bags and we were off. Together. Me and my new best friend. To the new and awaiting adventures. I was grateful. Things may not be so bad after all.
The sun was just setting over here and to me it was beautiful.
The first priceless image I had in Australia.
Chapter 11
A wild cab ride later and I stood outside Ellie's towering home. I stood staring mouth agape at the place. Even though Ellie said she didn't have such a perfect place, to me it was everything a home could be.
"Ta da!" Ellie said with a flourish, "Welcome to your new home Bella!"
"Oh my..." I drifted off as the front doors were flung open to reveal the stunning interior. A magnificent chandelier hung proudly over the main living area. A plush cream sofa sat framing a giant television set. There was an adjoining staircase leading to a platform big enough for a band to perform I swear. The stairs then branched off into two leading to the upper landing of the house. The walls were painted traditional white and against ancient maroon curtains, the atmosphere was very warm and welcoming. Dropping my bags just inside the doorway, I drifted around the house. I discovered a rather dainty kitchen. With mild brown cupboards beautifully tiled counters and sparkling cutlery and appliances, I could feel my inner chef rearing up. Oh how I would love to get my hands busy doing something productive again after so long. I drifted up the spotless staircase up to the upper landing. Their were five stark white doors in a straight line. Opening the first, I discovered a bedroom so I figured the rest would also be bedrooms. Against the end wall, there was a smaller door. Opening it curiously, I discovered a broom and cleaning supply closet. I giggled at my findings and then spinning around to go find Ellie, I almost crashed into someone else.
"Oh my!" I said jumping back and clutching my frantically racing heart.
The other girl stretched her hands out in placation, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you! I'm Elizabeth you must be , it's a pleasure to meet you." She extended her arms for a hug and I stepped into her embrace a bit awkwardly. She chuckled at my obvious discomfort and obviously trying to make me feel more comfortable she said, "That was quite some fascination you had with our cleaning closet there !"
I grinned, "Please drop the Ms. Call me Bella," I chuckled looking at the closet, "It has been quite a while since I saw a supply closet and it brought back the memory of when I was just a mere slipper of a girl and slipped some cranberry juice all over the kitchen floor. I knew my dad wouldn't be pleased so I went into our little alcove in search of the mop. That was before the door slammed shut and I sat down and sulked all day stuck in the cupboard. When my dad came home, he was frantic thinking I was missing until he saw the spilled juice and on a hunch checked the storage closet and found me. He laughed for days and so did all his best friends who were privy to the story." I laughed.
Elizabeth obviously seemed confused, "But pardon me, why was it so funny?"
I giggled realizing I had forgotten the most important part of the tale, "Because I had spent the day in the closet thinking the door had automatically locked me inside when all that time it had been open! Meanwhile I had been getting covered in dust bunnies the lock was open and I just never realized it." I blushed slightly after admitting my stupid act of childhood to Elizabeth but she was obviously entertained and she laughed delicately, "That happened to me once, when my parents were alive and well, it was their anniversary and I was preparing them the best meal a young child could...some lovely bread and cheese sandwiches when I broke the ketchup bottle so I went to fetch the mop and towels to clean up. I spent all night in our little storage space crying quietly thinking that an unseen force had tricked me into the closet and was going to torture me for ever and make me their prisoner. Then when my parents found me, I bolt up to my room and it took my mom the entire night to convince me that those things happened often and I was fine and not in any danger. I was a wreck I swear. My dad even took a picture to remember that night. I'll show it to you sometime." Elizabeth smiled.
"Absolutely I would really love to see the picture someday Elizabeth!" I declared.
She smiled, "Oh and Bella..."
"Yes?"
"You can call me Lizzie if you wish...I know Elizabeth can be a mouthful!"
"Thanks...Lizzie," I added the name rolling off my tongue nicely. She grinned and we struck up and instant friendship as we bantered while walking to the living room to find Ellie and Eliza.
True to our suspicions, both Ellie and little Eliza were in the living room their attentions trained on the television. I took a seat next to Ellie and with a teasing shoulder bump said, "I thought you told me your house wasn't 'all that' ?" I made finger quotes in the air to stress my words. She grinned apologetically and said, "I know I did but I knew if you thought we have a grand place you would have been more reluctant to stay with us!"
"And how were you so sure?" I teased.
"I figured it from the moment we began chatting actually...you're such a gentle person who hates to impose I know but I really wanted your company here! I hope you don't mind." She seemed slightly awkward at the end and her head dipped slowly in shame.
"It's ok as long as you let me help with the house, I could get a job and pitch in my part!" I declared enthusiastically but Ellie looked horrified at that proposition.
"No Bella! You are my guest and I cannot have my guest working! Absolutely not!" she seemed a bit put off and offended and I immediately felt bad.
"Ok then no job but I really would like to help out in some way or another," I told her.
She crinkled her brow deep in concentration and finally snapping her fingers spoke excitedly, "I got it! Since it is vacation time and I have to work, I hire a babysitter to look after my sisters and since you rather you do something...how would you like to take care of Eliza and Elizabeth for me while I'm at work? It would give you something to do and make it lighter on my pocket to not have to pay a 'sitter every week." She sat quietly while I contemplated it.
"Absolutely, I would love to take care of Eliza and Lizzie that is if they don't mind."
Lizzie and Eliza exchanged a grin and Lizzie said, "We would love that! It would be so much more fun to have you than our other 'sitter! Absolutely Bella! Pleassse say yes!" Lizzie bubbled off and little Eliza clung to my leg looking up at me with angel eyes. Looking at Ellie, I sealed the deal, "I would be honored to take care of Eliza and Lizzie thank you very much."
I was not incapable with kids this should be a drop back into a normal routine something that would be very much welcome in my terribly hectic life. This could be something for the better for not only me but the adorable kids I was to take care of.
Ellie clapped her hands together and said, "Thank you Bella! Thanks so much!" Then together, we traipsed to the kitchen to get started on surprisingly, dinner, and I couldn't help but ponder on how quickly the day had flown by.
#*Stalker Alert*#
Dinner had been a quiet affair with slight bantering on both sides but it was immediately seen that everyone was exhausted which explained why at only eight o' clock everyone lay snuggled under their sheets. Everyone except me.
I lay curled up on the couch and sat staring out into space my eyes undoubtedly taking on a 'haunted' look. Even though Ellie had shown me my room I couldn't make myself go to sleep. No matter how exhausted I was my brain could not forget the importance of this day that would be over come midnight. Unwillingly, a sob was wrenched from my chest and I stuffed my hand into my mouth to muffle the crying that followed. I could feel that I was drawing blood and it lay tangy and metallic on my tongue but I feared if I removed my hand from my mouth, I would disturb the peace of the night.
"Bella..." a voice murmured softly and I whirled around tears still streaming down my face to see Ellie approaching. Even though it was apparent that she was sleepy from the dark circles under her eyes, she sat down beside me and for the first time, I confided in a friend.
"Bella what's wrong?" she asked.
I shook my head.
"Are you ok? Are you hurt?" she prodded.
I shook my head again.
"What's the matter then? You know you can trust me right? I promise to never divulge anything you don't want me to tell but Bells please talk to me!" she pleaded and as she called me Bells, I couldn't help but break down into harder heart-wrenching sobs. Then looking up into her eyes, I didn't doubt the honesty there and the openess she was allowing to show through. Someone was actually concerned about me.
"Promise you won't tell anyone about this! NO one even if you think it's best for me," I said.
Without any hesitation she said, "I promise Bella." Nodding slowly I took a deep breath and began to speak.
"Today is my dad's birthday and he used to call me Bells as well. But I haven't spoken to him in...ages. And he thinks I'm dead!" I sobbed. Ellie sat patiently and asked, "Why does he?" With that one question, everything came spilling out.
"When I was a little kid, I had a best friend named Alice but then she had to migrate and she left me all alone. However, her mum gave my dad a contact number for me to continue talking to her but I went along of my childhood years thinking she would forget about me...it would be like I never existed but then one day using the contact number, I got a reply. It wasn't from Alice but someone named Edward. He became my best friend. He knew me inside out and I thought someday we would get married and have a beautiful family. My dad thought so too even though he wouldn't say that out loud. Edward helped me through everything. Even those things that my dad were too awkward to handle. Then everything went wrong because suddenly he...he...he started blackmailing me. Telling me what to do...when to do it and if I didn't he would hurt my dad. One night, he attacked my dad and I knew I had to leave...run away because I didn't want him to hurt my dad. So I left Forks, my home, I left everything. I went everywhere but it always seemed like he found me. I came to Australia because one night he came. I think he intended to scare me again and he did more than that! He killed Ellie he killed!" I was growing hysterical now and kept plunging through the memories, "He murdered the little family! Murdered them! And he dragged their bodies out into the lobby where I was staying. He left a note. He left me a note in one of their pockets and it promised the same thing he always did...that eventually he would get me...and that I would be sorry for running away. He kept following me but this time I felt as though he wouldn't come here to find me. Something just told me that. Call it intuition but I just feel it...he won't come here...no he can't come here," I amended.
Ellie payed attention all this time. As I looked at her, I realized she had tears in her eyes. "Oh Bella I'm so sorry! You must have had a tough time!" her tears spilled over and she hugged me. I immediately felt my arms go around and hug her tightly back and I reveled in the fact that I had close human contact. Someone who cared for me and about me. I had a true friend. I let my tears flow freely and Ellie comforted me. As my tears ran dry, I glanced at the clock and saw it read ten o' clock.
"Bella...you said it's your dad's birthday right?"
I nodded.
"Call him."
I shook my head.
"What would be a better birthday gift than to have him know his baby girl was ok? To relieve his mind of the fact that his child was dead? Bella...call him! Tell him what happened. Make him promise not to tell anyone about this but please Bella for your good and his...please call him."
I looked at her and thought about what she had said. I ached to hear my daddy's voice. Almost as though she could see the consent in my eyes, Ellie handed me her cordless phone. "Thanks Ellie...you remind me of a friend who once said, "People put up walls not to keep other people out but to see who care enough to tear them down." Without another word, she got up and left the room. No doubt to give me some privacy. Hesitantly, I dialed my dad's number and held the phone to my ear half hoping he would be asleep and the other half hoping he would pick up. Just as well I didn't notice or pretended not to notice the guilty expression on Ellie's face before she left. She wouldn't be guilty about anything...she was too nice.
*ring*
*ring*
*ring*
*ring*
*ring*
*ring*
As I was about to cancel the call, someone said,
"Hello Swan residence how may I help you?"
Charlie.
My dad!
Charlie.
My dad!
It seemed all my brain could comprehend and I cradled the phone to my ear marveling at his voice. It had not changed but his few words felt as though it had healed my soul.
"Hello?" his voice asked again.
Remembering how to speak, I said, "Hi d...dad," my voice cracked and tears etched new tracks down my cheeks.
"Bella?" he asked unbelieving.
"Yeah dad...it's me," I broke down then and he waited patiently until I was able to compose myself to speak all the while saying soothing things like 'It's ok Bells," "Everything is going to be ok Bells," "Calm down hun," and when I was able to pull myself together he said, "That's my girl!" Just to make tears flow down my cheeks again this time silently.
"Hi dad," I said properly this time.
"Bella is this really you? I'm not hallucinating?" he asked sceptically.
"Dad it's me Bells...and if you were hallucinating it's not like your hallucination would tell you now would it?"
He chuckled, "Oh you're Bella alright...Bells what happened? I woke up one morning and you were gone!" he asked.
"Dad it's not a very pleasant story but I had to do it! For your safety and my life," I commented.
Sensing something serious, "Bella tell me what happened please. Everyone tried to convince me that you eloped but I knew that wasn't it...I knew something was wrong! Bella tell me!"
I paused. This was a tough decision, "Dad...I can't!"
"Bella! You left me thinking you were dead by now...you owe me this much! Please tell me," he pleaded. And it was the first time I heard my dad so vulnerable and close to tears since my 'mom incident' that I made myself say,
"Ok but promise to not tell anyone or do anything about it...no one ok...unless something happened to me for the worst...the absolute worst?"
"I promise Bells."
And so for the second time that night, I revealed about Edward all the while hoping my revelation wouldn't return and bite me in the butt, " Remember Edward dad?" I began.
"Of course he's been sick with worry over you!"
I glared at the phone...Edward...sick with worry...just give me a break, "No dad...he's been stalking me that's why I left home. The night someone broke our window with a rock that injured you...that was Edward dad...he's been texting me and blackmailing me threatening to hurt you and kill me! So I ran away...threw away my phone but he kept finding me. He's tracking me but now I'm in Australia right now lying low and I've made a new friend who is allowing me to stay with her," I smiled into the phone thinking of Ellie, "She's really amazing dad...and Edward is lying to you...stay away from him...he can hurt you and it'll ruin everything I've ran for over all this time please dad be careful!" I asked.
Charlie was silent on the other end before bursting out, "That bastard! How dare he...I won't let him live I won't I swear I won't!" Charlie ranted and raved.
"Dad! Calm down! You promised you won't do anything or tell anyone please dad don't!" I begged.
Sighed he acceded to my wishes, "Ok Bells...for you I won't just remember I'm a cop and if you need my help call me ok?"
"Ok dad."
"Promise?"
"I promise dad," I said.
"One more thing...do call more often."
I smiled, "I promise I will!"
"Thanks Bella...now be safe! It's rather late so I should go...take care Bells!"
"You too dad...oh and dad..."
"Yeah Bells?"
"Happy Birthday," I said right before the clock in Ellie's house chimed midnight...I was just on time.
"Thanks Bells...you've given me the best gift yet love you."
"Love you too dad."
I hung up and with my cheeks sticky from all the dried tears, I took a bath and went to bed. I would rest peacefully tonight my heart was considerably lighter and my mind was at ease.
A/N: This chapter was considerably longer...PLEASE REVIEW.
Don't forget my poll please.
Love,
#*AllyAlwayz*#