Stephanie's Pov
We were there for three whole hours and I was feeling a lot happier than I had in months, which was a very nice feeling. Carmen had told me that I was very talented in skating and I thanked her for it, as my skating was something I really was proud of. Renesmee had had a tiny bit of trouble to begin with, though not nearly enough because she was not completely human and had really good balance – I was jealous, I admit – but after three hours with me she was pulling off jumps. Not triple Lutz or Axels or anything like that, but she was easily on her way there.
"You know you should become a skater, a proper professional one, or better yet, a teacher." Renesmee said on our way back home.
"Renesmee, I haven't even finished high school yet." I laughed.
"I was just making a suggestion." Renesmee said innocently.
"Well thank you, but I don't know what I want to do when I leave school yet." I said to her, then my phone started to ring. "Darn, I'm gonna pull over." I said to her, then I pulled off to the side of the road.
"So, you're okay with speeding, but not talking while driving." She laughed. I froze as I went to answer my phone, but I saw the number so I answered immediately.
"Hello Sheriff Mercer" I said into the phone.
"Stephanie, how are you feeling?" He asked.
"I'm better, thank you. Um, what is this about?" I asked.
"Your uncles trial is tomorrow and we need you to come testify. I know it will be hard for you and that this is very sudden, but it will help us sentence him and get him locked away longer." Sheriff Mercer explained. I froze because I didn't really want to see him again, not that I was finally becoming happy, but I had to so that basted permanently went to prison.
"Okay, I'll talk to Carlisle and Esme. We'll be there." I said, then I hung up, not giving a shit if he was a cop or not. I didn't even say a word as I started the car and took off back down the road.
"Stephanie, did I do something wrong?" Renesmee asked. I didn't answer her, instead I just drove up the Cullen's drive way and into their garage. "Steph please, tell me what's wrong. Is it about what I said about talking and driving. If it is, I didn't mean to piss you off." She said.
"You didn't piss me off." I said, looking out the window.
"Then what's wrong?" She asked, her voice soft.
I sighed softly. "When I was eight years old I was hit by a guy who was talking on his phone while driving. I was in a coma for two weeks and when I woke up, I couldn't remember anything or anyone, not even my parents. The only person I could remember was Noah, and it took me two months to remember everything else. So, you didn't do anything wrong, just something you said brought up a bad memory." I said, turning to look at her at the last moment. She looked shocked at this and honestly, I didn't blame her.
"Why didn't you say anything?" She asked.
"Because when my parents and Noah died it brought it all back and dealing with that on top of everything else that had exploded in my life was just too much for me to deal with. I wasn't really handling things to begin with." I explained.
"I guess I can understand why you're feeling that way." Renesmee said.
"I don't think anyone other than Jasper can understand how I'm feeling." I said, causing her to smile. "Now come on, I need to talk to Carlisle and Esme." I said, climbing out of the car, then I went and opened the back door to grab my bag.
"Are you scared?" Renesmee asked me as we went to the door.
"What about?" I asked, staying in place.
"Tomorrow." Renesmee said. I should have figured she heard my conversation.
"I don't know what I feel to be honest." I said and I pushed open the door.
"How do you not know what you're feeling?" Renesmee asked in a tone that suggested that she couldn't understand.
"I just don't. Seriously Renesmee, maybe you should become one a Psychologist. You'd be great, I mean you've got the being pushy thing down packed." I snorted and now she looked offended as we walked through the house.
"I am not pushy." She protested.
"If you say so." I said.
"Mom, am I pushy?" She asked Bella.
"Do you really want me to answer that?" Bella replied, though that surprised me since Bella barely said that sort of stuff. Then again, Renesmee was being pushy right now.
"Thanks." It was obvious Renesmee didn't mean thanks.
"Of course, you're not pushy." Jacob said as Renesmee went over to him and all I could do was role my eyes.
"Whipped." I coughed, but it was obvious Jacob heard me.
"Stephanie, you wanted to talk to us about something?" Esme said and I stared at her and Carlisle.
"Do you people hear everything?" I demanded. Sheesh, privacy really didn't exist when you live with vampires.
"Yes, we do. Now, what is going to happen tomorrow?" Esme asked.
"It's my uncle's court date." I said and realization became clear on her face.
"Well we'll be with you, so you don't need to worry." Carlisle said, coming into the room with Eleazar behind him.
"I know." I said, though I hated to admit that I wasn't feeling all that positive about it.
"Um, so can I play my games now?" Emmett suddenly piped up and I had to stop myself from snickering.
"Go ahead Emmett." Esme replied. It was funny watching her tell him what to do, it really was, because I knew how old he really was.
This, right here, was going to be hilarious. The moment Emmett opened that cabinet he was going to crack it. I sat down in one of the armchairs and watched as Emmett opened it and the moment he saw that there was no memory card his face became angry.
"Okay, where the hell are the controllers?!" He yelled, then he noticed his game missing "And my game?"
"How should any of us know, it's your stuff." Renesmee said, keeping her expression smooth. Emmett glared at her, then his eyes pinpointed me.
"Okay, I know it was you. Give it back." He said, coming over to me and glaring down at me.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I said innocently, keeping my face honest.
"What do you want?" He asked, giving in after a moment.
"You can no longer call me a rich brat or call me a cheater when I win, just because you suck. Also, no more harassing me about anything and no annoying comments anymore." I said.
"I can't promise the last one." He said.
"Well then, I guess you won't be getting your stuff back." I said shrugging. Everyone else was laughing at this exchange and I knew the Denali's were enjoying themselves watching us fight.
"Fine, I promise. Now, give me my stuff." He said. He caved easy.
"Okay." I smiled. I jumped up and went into the kitchen, retrieving the game and the controllers. I walked back into the living room and passed it to him. "Remember our deal." I said.
"Whatever." He said, snatching the game and card out of my hand and heading over to the PS3. I slowly backed out of out of the room and saw everyone was looking between me and Emmett. I slowly picked up my bag and headed for the stairs. The moment I was out of the room I ran up the stairs as fast as I could.
"Stephanie" I heard Emmett yell.
I giggled as I ran into my bedroom and shut my door quietly behind me. I threw my bag on the ground and went into the closet to start looking for something to wear to court (I never thought I'd have to go to court, over anything – well, okay, maybe a speeding ticket). Thankfully my mom had taken me to an important event that I needed to wear a suit to, and even better is that I had brought it with me to Cleveland. I went over to my wardrobe and after about fifteen minutes I found my clothes, which consisted of slacks, a black jacket and a white blouse. I sat them down on the seat and went back into my room. I didn't know what I wanted to do now, though I was in a house full of vampires, so I had to think about my actions 'cause they could hear anything.
After a moment, I decided to call Rachel.
"Stephanie! Oh my god, it's so good to hear from you!" Rachel's voice cried over the phone once she answered, causing me to hold the phone away from my ear a bit so she didn't burst my eardrum.
"It's good to hear you too Rach." I said, smiling to myself.
"So, what's going on over in boring old Cleveland?" Rachel asked.
"Um, Rachel, I need to tell you some stuff and I don't think you'll like it." I said, sitting down on my bed. This was not going to go over well, but it was better I told her and not Amy.
"What do you mean?" Rachel asked.
"You know how I said that I was enjoying my life with my Uncle." I said.
"Yeah." She said and I could tell she was worried by her voice.
"The truth is that, since I got here, he had been beating me, and I lied about it to everyone." I said and I heard her breath hitch.
"Tell me everything?" She demanded.
"Okay, but I think it's best to start off from just over three weeks ago and go backwards." I said.
I launched into my explanation about what had happened to Justin (I told her it was an animal attack, as I couldn't tell her the truth of course) and how my uncle had shot me when I tried to leave. I explained that the Cullen's took me in and that I was actually enjoying living with them. Through the whole thing she stayed quiet, but the moment I finished, she was off.
"All those time's you called me; all those time's we talked, and I never once figured it out. None of us figured it out. God, I feel so fuckin' stupid!" She said and I wished I was there to tell her she wasn't, as I doubted she'd listen to me over the phone.
"I'm a good actress, so don't blame yourself okay. Even the people who saw me every day didn't know, that includes my friend turned boyfriend for one day. Not even he knew." I said, wincing to myself at that thought of Justin. We had barely been a couple for less than a day when he'd been killed, but we'd been friends longer than that.
"I guess so, and I am so sorry about your new boyfriend. It must have hurt, losing him right after you got together." She said.
"Um, thanks. Hey, I'll, um, talk to you next week when I get to Florida." I said casually, trying to keep it cool.
"Oh my god, you're coming back?!" She screamed through the phone, causing me to move my phone away again.
"Only for a visit. I need to settle everything of my parents." I said and another wave of pain went through me.
"Okay, well I'll see you then. I'll let everyone know." She said and she hung up.
I put the phone down and finally when it was too much for me I started to cry lightly, wrapping my arms around my legs and placing my head on my knees. I was so sick of crying.
