I'm not even going to apologise. I don't deserve your forgiveness! Here's the next chapter.

Chapter 20

"Miss Swan if I could have a word…Miss Swan? Bel- Miss Swan, wait!"

I kept my head down and didn't stop walking, ignoring the voice calling my name, the voice I was terrified I would succumb to.

I couldn't. Not this time.

I kept my eyes on my feet, watching as one stepped in front of the other, not looking around at the kids making their way out of various classes, moving to their lockers and towards the cafeteria for lunch.

My stomach clenched painfully at the thought of food and I quickly changed my course of direction, hugging my books to my chest, not wanting to draw attention to myself.

The shiny grey floors under my feet transformed to concrete and then to gravel as I moved quickly and quietly to my old spot at the back of the gym. My refuge.

My books dropped the ground, followed by my bag and then me as I scrabbled with shaking hands to find the pack of cigarettes and the lighter I had purchased on the way to school.

I had dismissed Seth's questioning look with a shake of my head as I had left the store, the smokes and lighter hidden safely away on my bag.

He didn't push me. He had been asking a lot of questions lately and he knew by now that he wasn't going to get an answer for any of them.

I couldn't tell him why I had been so distant from him – from everyone – he probably already suspected it had something to do with Edward. But I couldn't explain why I wasn't talking to Edward without explaining that Edward somehow knew him, and he was definitely something I was not willing to talk about. Ever. To anyone.

I clenched my eyes shut tightly against the sting of tears and quickly sucked in a trembling breath, letting the smoke fill my lungs, my body, ignoring the trembling of my hand as I brought to cigarette away from my lips.

James.

James was here.

Victoria was here.

I sucked in another lungful of smoke, enjoying the bitter taste on my tongue. It took the taste of James out of my mouth.

I shuddered trying to force the memories of the past few days from my mind but the harder I tried the faster they stuck and consumed me completely.

I clenched my shaking hands into fists, my nails biting into my palms, my heart thumping in my ears as I slowly descended the stairs.

Charlie had demanded I greet my sister and him.

They were all sat in the kitchen, Charlie and Sue sat side by side, Seth leaning against the counter. Leah at the head of the table, her eyes glued on him.

And there he was, sat with his arm around Victoria, smiling pleasantly.

"Vicky has agreed to put the past behind her, do you think you can do the same Bella?" Charlie asked, softly.

Victoria looked up from her hand clasping James's and gave me a tight lipped smile that didn't reach her eyes.

And then my eyes locked with his and I couldn't look away, I was a deer caught in headlights, frozen with fear, unable to move to even fucking blink. Because what everybody else saw and what I saw were two completely different things.

They saw a charming man, smiling encouragingly, trying to make peace, gazing at me with forgiveness rolling off him in waves.

I saw a predator, with a warning behind the smile and a threat in his eyes, coaxing me to play along.

A jerky, tense nod was all the answer I gave and James leapt to his feet and planted a kiss on my sister's lips. Sue gave a sigh as though this were the most adorable sight she had ever witnessed, Charlie rolled his eyes but smiled all the same.

They saw a doting boyfriend, showering his girlfriend with joyful affection. They didn't see his eyes on me whilst his lips were on my sister's.

They didn't see the hunter, presenting his prize, dangling his catch in front of my face.

He had my entire family wrapped around his little finger, and there was nothing I could do about it. I had no way out. And he knew it.

He broke away from Victoria and headed for me.

I jolted back but wasn't quick enough as he bound his arms around me in a tight, uncomfortable embrace. I thought I was going to be sick.

My arms were stiff by my sides and I couldn't fucking move.

"It's so good to see you again, Bella boo. We've missed you." James purred into my ear.

All I could do was close my eyes and fight against the tears that threatened to fall when his hand slipped to my ass and squeezed. Right under the nose of my entire fucking family, all too fucking blind to see him for what he really was.

"I'm so happy we can put this all behind us." He kissed my cheek and I felt the slimy wetness of a quick flick of his tongue against my skin, before he pulled away with a grinning smile.

Victoria was watching me with narrowed eyes and I knew what she was thinking. That I had better be grateful, for I was the disgusting little slut who her charming boyfriend was so handsomely generous to forgive.

Charlie's eyes were on me also, and I could see the desperation behind them. He was praying to fucking god that I wouldn't fuck this up like I'd fucked up everything else. He was desperately praying that I would be gracious and move forward and not say something that would have my sister packing her bags and out the door in five seconds – because he had so desperately missed his daughter and was hoping the fuck-up daughter of his wasn't going to ruin this for him.

I swallowed against the sharp, painful lump in my throat and gave a small, tight smile and murmured quietly through my clenched teeth, "Me too."

Charlie's face relaxed into a beaming smile and Victoria's into a smug grin.

I exhaled a puff of smoke, shakily, before quickly inhaling more, trying and failing to fight off the sobs.

I sat at my desk staring into nothing. Dinner was being made downstairs and everyone was having a jolly old time.

My life was being crushed before my very eyes.

I buried my face in my hands and just let the tears fall.

Edward. He was spinning around and around in my head, everything he had said, everything I had told him, every word, every touch, every kiss. Had he known? Had he known the whole fucking time?

Please, god, tell me he didn't know. I couldn't…I couldn't take that.

Too fucking wrapped up in this fucking crisis I didn't hear the turn of the handle or the soft thud of the door closing before it was too late.

A tongue was on my neck, hands gripping my breasts tightly and I gasped in absolute terror. Scratching and pulling at the hand that was slowly travelling down my body.

"Get. Off. Me." My sobs were quieter than a whisper.

"Now, now, Bella boo, that's no way to treat your brother." He whispered into my ear, the heat of his breath washing over my neck making me shudder.

His fingers pinched roughly at my breast.

"You're not my fucking brother." I growled through my tears, so helpless. Feeling so fucking helpless trapped in this fucking chair, his hands all over me.

"I will be soon, Bella boo, Tori and I are getting married."

I froze.

He chuckled.

"Yeah, didn't know that, did you? And Tori got a job, right here in Forks, so you're gonna be seeing a lot me of me, Isabella."

I was shaking my head. Please, no, fuck, no.

I gasped when the travelling hand cupped between my legs. "Get off me." I sobbed, "I swear to god, James, I will scream this fucking house down."

Suddenly his hands were gone as he span the chair around to face him. He was leant over me, glaring viciously, as he gripped my chin tightly in his hand.

"You will do no such thing, Isabella. I know you won't. Because who would believe you, hmm?"

I could do nothing about the tears rolling down my cheeks but I refused to let out another sob as he hit the nail on the head. I wouldn't give him the fucking satisfaction of hearing me cry.

"There is fuck all you can do, Isabella, because even dear old daddy doesn't believe a little slut like you." He pressed his mouth to mine and I clenched my lips shut. He pinched me hard through my bra and forced his tongue in my mouth when I gasped in pain before he pulled back, chuckling softly. "Oh, Bella boo," he sighed with a smile, his face inches from mine as he brushed my hair back behind my ear and wiped away at my tears, "it's gonna be just like old times."

With another brutal peck at my lips he pulled away, heading out the door calling, "Come on, Bella boo, dinner's ready."

I dropped the cigarette butt to the ground and lit another, scrubbing furiously at my tears.

This was what Charlie had wanted to talk about. This was why he had started questioning about college. He wanted me fucking gone so he could play host to his favourite daughter and her sicko boyfriend.

This was why Sue was talking shit about accommodation and the house being too small. No doubt Victoria was expecting to stay with Charlie until they found a place of their own.

Still didn't explain how the fuck James knew Edward.

I sniffed, willing myself not to start crying again. But the harder I tried the more the tears flowed.

A crunch of feet on gravel caught my attention but before I could stub out the cigarette and get the hell out of there and shadow crossed over my face and blocked the weak sunshine peeking through the clouds.

"Oh," a rough voice muttered. "Sorry, I didn't know anyone was here."

I squinted up at the retreating figure.

"Emmett?"

He spun round, "Bella? Didn't know it was you."

He sat down beside me. I offered him the cigarette.

"Thanks," he muttered, taking a good, long inhale before handing it back to me, his forearms resting on his knees, his head hanging as he glared at the ground.

"I'm sorry about Rose." I murmured thickly.

Emmett shook his head, "It's my fault."

I frowned, "No it's not."

"It is." He protested. "I shouldn't have let her think that fucking text Riley sent was real, not for a second. That's the reason she believes this now."

"That's not true." I knew why Rose believed Riley, I was just too fucking ashamed to admit it. "Have you spoken to her?"

Emmett nodded, "She stopped ignoring me long enough to tell me that it was over, she'd had enough and that we were done."

Great. On top of everything else I'd broken up my best friend and her boyfriend and both were miserably unhappy.

I sniffed, "I'm so sorry."

Emmett looked up quickly, startled to see me in tears. "Shit, Bella, it's not your fault!" He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and hugged me to his side. I fucking bawled like a baby on his shoulder.

"Bella, really…what's wrong?"

I couldn't stop crying long enough to tell him even if I really wanted to.

"Bella…Bella, shit, calm down!"

I was gasping frantically through my sobs trying to breathe. "I'm sorry," I gasped.

"Bella, what-"

"It's my fault"

"Bella-"

"I told Riley we slept together."

"…What?" Emmett's arm tensed around me and I shrugged away from him.

"I told Riley that I fucked you a little while after I moved to Forks, not long before you and Rose got together."

Emmett's confused gaze turned accusing and cold. "Why would you do that?"

"It was before I was really friends with you guys-"

"Why did you do that?" His interruption wasn't loud, he didn't even sound angry. He was detached and cold. And it was ten times worse than if he had screamed at me.

"Riley was the only person I was really talking to at the time. He tried it on with me. And I just…I was so mad at him." I rubbed my hands over my face, feeling so tired. Tired of everything. "He was supposed to be my friend but all he saw when he looked at me was some whore, the new girl who was rumoured to give it up to anybody and everybody." I swallowed thickly, keeping my gaze away from Emmett, afraid of what I would find in his eyes as he looked at me. "I knew you were both friends, I thought if I told him we had slept together he'd back off."

I was met with silence so I hesitantly continued.

"If I had known something like this was going to happen…" I shook my head. "I had no idea Rose and I would become so close and I didn't ever imagine the two of you would ever end up together." I stubbed out the second cigarette, crushing it into the ground, watching it shrink and shrivel imagining that this was what my life had come to. What it looked like now. "Rose probably now knows I told Riley we slept together before you guys started dating, it's why she's adamant that we've been seeing each other behind her back."

Emmett still hadn't said anything so I slowly turned to look at him. He was frowning at the cigarette butt I had stubbed into the ground, his expression revealing nothing.

"I'm so sorry, Emmett. I know it doesn't change anything, I know nothing I say is ever gonna make this just all go away." I swiped away at another tear. "If it's any consolation, I'm leaving, you'll never have to see me again.

"I'm…I'm so sorry."

I stood, gathering my books and my bag, ignoring the fresh wave of tears that fell, nothing was going to stop them now.

"I'm sorry, Emmett." I murmured once more before turning and walking away without a glance back.

I headed for the parking lot, rummaging around in my bag for my keys, cursing when they dropped into a puddle at my feet.

A perfectly manicured hand reached out and grasped them before I could.

"What do you mean you're leaving?"

I stared into Rosalie's hard blue gaze.

"…Just that." I murmured. "I'm leaving."

"Because of me?" She asked, fiddling with my "Chicago" key chain Edward had bought me because he was a dork.

I avoided her question, "How much did you hear?"

"Most of it." She murmured.

"Spying? I always had you pegged as more of a Bond girl as opposed to 007."

"No way, you know I wore the trousers in this relationship."

I returned her small smile, weakly.

"So you never slept with my boyfriend?" Rose asked quietly.

"You know I'd turn lesbian for you before I ever slept with that goofball."

She snorted. Then frowned. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you."

I shook my head, "We'd be here all day if I listed all the reasons why I'm sorry too."

"Reckon we're too 007 for a hug?"

I sighed heavily giving Rose a watery smile, "I think my reputation can handle it."

Rosalie grinned and threw her arms around me, I returned the embrace.

"God, Bella, I'm so damn sorry."

"Me too."

"I'll never listen to what anyone tells me ever again unless it comes directly from the horses mouth."

I nodded, "Good to know."

Rose pulled back with a frown, "There's just one thing I don't understand."

I looked at her questioningly.

"The note in your locker."

I shook my head, "It wasn't from Emmett."

"So who was it from?"

My eyes darted away from hers as I bit my lip, grabbing for my keys, but she snatched them away.

"Oh my god, you have to tell me."

"Rose, I can't."

"Oh come on, why not?"

"Because he could get into a lot of trouble. Besides, we're not together anymore."

"Well if you're not together what's the harm in telling me?"

I sighed heavily. I knew Rose. She wasn't going to give this up. And I guess it couldn't hurt, Rose wouldn't tell anyone and fuck I needed to tell her. I needed to tell her about Edward, this whole thing was fucking killing me.

She must have seen the pure agony in my eyes as they welled with tears.

"Shit, Bella, what happened? Who is he? Did he hurt you, cheat on you? What did the asshole do?"

I snorted through my tears, fuck I had missed this girl.

"Bella, who is he?"

"Edward Cullen."

"…"

I watched her warily, waiting for her reaction.

"Fuck."

I nodded.

"Shit."

"Yeah."

"Fucking shit."

"I know."

"You lucky bitch!"

"I…wait, what?"

"Sorry, reflex, the guys delicious." She dismissed her own explanation with a wave of her hand. "What happened? How did this happen?"

"I met him before he came to Forks, after my dad's wedding, we spent the night together, I snuck out, end of story."

"And then first day of school, here he is posing as your English teacher."

"Exactly."

"Fuck me." I watched as her eyes flickered over my face, my hair, my clothes. "…What happened?"

"I…" I ran my hand through my hair, blowing out a rush of air and inhaling deeply, for the thousandth time trying to will the tears away. "I fell in love with him."

"Oh, Bella," Rose breathed, sitting us both down, our backs against my truck.

I sniffed, wiping my face, leaning against Rose as she rubbed her hand comfortingly up and down my arm.

"I was stupid and I let my guard down and now it's all turned to shit."

She didn't question anything, she didn't push me into telling her what happened, she didn't berate me for falling in love with our English teacher and lecture me on how fucking stupid I was and it just made me want to spill my guts and tell Rose everything. But I couldn't do that. I was a coward and had no guts to spill.

I wanted to tell her about James. I so desperately wanted her to know, wanted anyone to know. I wanted her to know about my mother and Victoria, about how Edward knew James.

The thought made me sick to my stomach and I bit my knuckles hard, squeezing my eyes tight to keep my lurching insides where they were.

The thought that Edward knew James, that he may have known everything that had happened, it made me physically ill, made my hands tremble and my heart break into even smaller pieces.

And yet…I still loved him. And I couldn't let this get out I couldn't let this hurt him.

"Rose, promise me you won't tell." I pleaded, pulling away from her embrace to face her.

My heart stopped at her hesitant expression.

"Rose! Please, you can't. Promise me you won't. He could get into so much trouble-"

"Maybe he should."

"What?"

"Bella, none of this is your fault, okay? He took advantage of you and-"

"No! No, no, no it wasn't like that. Please Rose, he didn't even know, he thought I was older when we first met, it was my fault, I didn't tell him otherwise, he had no idea."

"Yet he still pursued you when, not only did he find out you were a high school student but you were his student."

"ROSE! Stop, please just…" I sucked in gasping breaths of air, my hands, wrapped around Rose's so tight, were turning white. "Just promise me, okay. Just give me your word that you will never say anything about this to anyone ever again. I need your word Rose."

Rosalie's eyes were flickering between both of mine, I could see the conflict in there cool, blue depths.

"I know you're just trying to protect me." I told her, "I know that. But Edward isn't what I need to be protected from."

She frowned, confused, but before she could open her mouth to question what I meant a crack of an object falling to the concrete had our horrified attention.

I spun around, staring at the phone, face up, on the ground, resting inches in front of the truck's front wheel.

I glimpsed enough of the big red button and the flickering timer on the screen to understand what I was seeing, before a hand reached down and grabbed the phone.

I jumped up, Rose following, to see Riley running across the lot and jumping into his car.

"Shit, do you think he heard?" Rose stared after him as he started his car and screeched out of the gates.

"He recorded the whole thing."

"What?"

"On his phone, Rose." I shouted, angry, desperate, fucking terrified. "He recorded the whole fucking thing on his phone."

*FT*

I pulled my phone from my pocket, flicking through my contacts to Edward's name. He had sent message after message, call after call and yet I couldn't bring myself to press that green button. His job, his entire career was on the line because of me and I couldn't bring myself to call him and warn him.

Rose and I had ditched school and spent the entire afternoon searching Forks for Riley. I needed to talk to him, I needed to stop him before he did something incredibly stupid.

The idiot refused to answer his phone and he was nowhere to be found.

So I found myself sitting in my truck outside Charlie's, eleven o'clock at night, staring at Edward's name on my cell phone, trying to talk myself into calling him.

His life very may well have been about to blow up in his face and all I could think about was the fact that he somehow knew James.

Did it really matter that he knew James? I mean, sure, the guy had ruined my life and Edward was in some way acquainted with him, but that didn't mean Edward knew what James had done.

James manipulated people, he had my entire family wrapped around his little finger, there was the high possibility that he had Edward fooled as well.

And yet I couldn't press the button. I couldn't call Edward because there was a chance, no matter how slim, that Edward knew everything, that he had known all along and if that were the case…

James may have ruined my life but if Edward had known…that would break me.

I dropped my phone down next to me with a sigh, reaching for the packet of cigarettes and lighter when a rap on my window jolted me around with a restrained scream.

I placed my hand on my chest to still my racing heart but it only pounded harder at the sight of James standing outside my window with a grin on his face.

I wasn't quick enough when I reached over to lock the door.

It swung open and James grabbed a hold of my hand, pulling me from the truck.

"Someone's been a naughty girl." He sing-songed.

I tried to yank my hand free.

"Ah, ah, ah, ah, don't want to get into anymore trouble now, do we?"

"What are you talking about?" I muttered as he slammed the door of the truck shut behind me before wrapping his arm around my shoulders and leading me to the house.

"Someone's been a little slut and fucked her teacher. Ringing any bells, Bells?" James chuckled. "Mr Daddy Chief of Police isn't a very happy bunny."

"Oh god," I roughly pulled myself out of James's grip and ran up the path to the front door. Riley hadn't gone to a teacher with the recording like we assumed he would – Rose and I couldn't understand why he had left school instead of heading for the Principle's office – he had gone to the police, gone to my father.

I barged into the house and through the living room door. Charlie sat with his head in his hands on the armchair, looking like he had aged ten years, but it was the pure fury in his eyes that scared me.

Sue stood by his side, her hand resting on his shoulder, she refused to look at me but Victoria's cold gaze bored into me, the lack of shock on her face told me all I needed to know about how she felt about the situation.

Hell, she didn't even need to be here for me to know exactly what she thought about the whole thing.

"…Dad…" My voice was raspy and desperate.

I flinched when James brushed past me, his hand sliding across my ass, as he slipped into the room to sit beside my sister on the couch.

"Is it true?" Charlie's voice was gruff and shaking with restrained anger.

"I don't-"

"It's a yes or no question, Bella." Charlie looked up at me for the first time since I had entered and the accusation in his eyes had me grasping at straws for words that just slipped away into nothing.

"…it wasn't his fault."

Charlie scoffed, rising to his feet, rubbing a hand over his face. "He took advantage of you, Bella."

"No, dad, it wasn't like that-"

"He took advantage of you, and you let him."

"Please, listen to me-"

"Was it for attention? Was this another one of your ridiculous stunts to drive me over the edge?"

"No-"

"Did he force himself on you?"

"NO!"

"Of course he didn't." We both looked round when Victoria spoke. "Dad, this guy didn't take advantage of her, if anything it was the other way around." Her voice was light and carefree, her glare was anything but. "This is just typical Bella, wanting something that she can't have." She took James's had in hers. "This wouldn't be the first time, would it?"

I shook my head, biting my lip to stop it trembling, "You don't know what you're talking about." I turned back to Charlie, willing him to understand. "Dad, I met him after your-"

"I don't want to hear it." He held up his hand.

"But-"

"NO BELLA! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT." He took a deep breath as though willing himself to calm down. "You are to go to your room and you are to stay there."

I followed him as he headed out into the hallway, searching in his pockets.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to pay Cullen a visit."

"No! Dad, no, please, you don't understand-"

"Dad, there's no point, she's brought this on herself."

"Charlie, I think we should just all calm down."

"ENOUGH!" Sue's screech broke through my desperate sobs and the other's input. "Charlie, you are Chief of Police, if you do anything to this man you will be held accountable, he hasn't done anything illegal. The best thing to do is report this to the Principle and have him fired. He'd never teach again."

Charlie sighed heavily.

"Dad-"

"Bella, I don't want to hear another word out of you."

"Dad, please."

He looked up at me, as though having to do so was causing him pain. When he spoke again his voice was soft and quiet. "I have never been so ashamed…we will talk about this tomorrow. Just…go to your room."

I tore myself away from his gaze and ran upstairs, fighting against sobs.

*FT*

I was frozen and soaked to the bone by the time I reached Esme and Carlisle's house.

I didn't have it in me to go to Edward's but I had to warn him somehow, Esme and Carlisle were my only option. So I had snuck out of my window once I was sure everyone in the house was asleep. It had gone two in the morning when I had left – James had tried and failed to get into my room what with the locked door and my desk chair wedged under the handle – and it had been a long walk from my house to theirs.

Yet despite the early hours of the morning a light was shining from inside the house. It was then that I noticed, through the rain, a Mercedes parked on the drive.

"Bella?"

I looked up to see Alice stood on the porch.

"What the hell are you doing here? Oh my god, you're soaked!" Alice whisper yelled as she rushed out to meet me, holding me at arms length, "Did you walk here?"

I sniffled and nodded.

"Shit, you're freezing! Come on, come with me."

She took hold of my hand and pulled me round the back of the house.

"Where are we going?" I whispered.

"Inside."

"And we can't use the front door?"

Alice just shook her head and pulled me into the dark kitchen, quietly closing the back door behind her, wincing as the lock clicked.

"I'm sorry, are Esme and Carlisle asleep?"

The pixie shook her head, "No, so we need to be quiet."

"But I need to talk to them."

"Not right now, you can't."

"Why?"

"I'll tell you in a minute, just keep quiet and follow me."

I tiptoed after her as she slipped out to the hallway and into the downstairs bathroom.

She locked the door behind us before sitting me down on the closed lid of the toilet and grabbing a towel and handing it to me.

"Take off your sweater," she murmured.

I did as I was told, patting myself dry before she handed me a bathrobe that had been hanging on the back of the door.

I slipped it on without question, cold enough not to worry about whose it was or if they'd be angry.

I looked up from towel drying my hair, so it was no longer dripping, to see Alice with her ear pressed to the door.

"Alice-"

"Shhh!" She hissed, "They'll hear you."

I frowned, "Who?"

But an odd look crossed her face, as though she had only just realised that I was really here. "Bella…it's three o'clock in the morning. What the hell are you doing here?"

"Alice," I breathed and everything suddenly hit me. Sitting here, hiding in Esme's bathroom with Alice, his sister, I just wanted to curl up and die. "I've ruined everything."

"Bella? Hey, what's wrong?" Alice pulled me in for a tight hug and I hugged her back, fiercely.

"Charlie knows," I cried into her shoulder, "he knows about Edward and me and he's gonna tell the Principle and Edward's gonna lose his job and he's gonna hate me forever and…Alice what do I do?"

Alice pulled back, wiping my tears, "Charlie knows?"

I nodded.

"How did he find out?"

I took and deep breath and explained how I had broken down with Rose today, how I was telling her Edward and I were over, how we met, about Riley recording the conversation.

"So not only does Charlie know but he had proof?"

I sniffed, "I don't know if Charlie has the recording, I don't even know if Riley showed him the recording, but whether he did or didn't is beside the point."

Alice was frowning in thoughtful silence for a moment, she didn't seem as panicked as what I thought she should be. She opened her mouth to speak but a shout from the other side of the door made us jump.

She leaped from her crouched spot in front of me to press her ear to the door again.

"Alice! Your brother is in serious trouble and you're eavesdropping on your parents arguing?"

"It's not mom and dad," she whispered. "Come here."

She gestured for me to listen, too.

I frowned and pressed my ear to the door, facing Alice. My eyes widened in horror when I began to understand what I was hearing. Alice simply nodded to confirm my comprehension.

"…don't know what is going on here but I understand it to be your doing." A shrill voice was stating.

"My doing?! Edward is a grown man he can make his own decisions." Came Esme's usually sweet and calm voice.

"If you hadn't latched onto my son and dragged him here to this godforsaken place he wouldn't be in this situation right now."

I was listening to the voice of Elizabeth Masen.

"No, he would be sitting in some office, doing something he hates, completely and totally miserable with his life, wouldn't he? Because that's exactly how you want it."

"Miserable he may be but involved with a teenager he would not!"

"Don't you dare bring Bella into this, she is the reason your son is as happy as he is now."

"Bella?" Elizabeth spat with a harsh, humourless laugh. "Well of course you've gone and befriended the slut. You've only helped her dig her claws in deeper. The girl is only after one thing. His money."

"She knew nothing of his relation to you until after they started seeing each other."

"Please, I know girls like her, she did her research."

"You don't even know her."

"Yes, yes, I do. I know plenty about her. I know her own mother threw her out after the girl tried to slip her way into her brother-in-law's bed!"

My hands clasped over my mouth in horror. Alice's eyes widened as she stared at me, mouth agape.

"What are you talking about?" Esme snapped.

"She was kicked out and sent to live here, in this tiny little town from which she is dying to escape. In walks Edward, the son of multi-millionaires and she finds her ticket out of here."

"You know nothing-"

"On the contrary, Esme, I know everything about her. James told me."

James? James told her? I gasped in air, trying to get oxygen to my lungs but choked rasps were escaping me as I opened and closed my mouth, willing Alice to explain.

"Bella?" She asked softly, grasping my upper arms and leading me to sit back down.

"J-James," I gasped, "How…who-"

"James Hunter?"

I nodded, jerkily.

"He's the Masen's Godson. He's just moved to Forks with his fiancée, and apparently, though God knows why, Edward told him about the two of you and James told the Masen's. That's why they're here. Got the first flight they could to come and blame my parents face to face."

"Oh god," I ran a trembling hand through my hair. "Alice, Edward and James…are they…do they…"

"They aren't close, although James likes to think they are. The guy is really creepy – Edward can't stand him."

"J-James…my sister…"

"James and your sister?" Alice asked.

I nodded.

Alice watched me carefully as I grasped at the sink, turning on the tap and tipping my head to take a drink. I wiped my mouth with a shaking hand. I took deep, trembling breaths in hope that I wouldn't throw up.

"Oh my god," she breathed.

I looked up sharply to see her reflection in the mirror staring at me, eyes wide.

"Bella, I…I know Edward joked with you about me being psychic," Alice moved to stand beside me, "and he was joking, sort of, I'm not psychic. But I get…feelings sometimes." Her eyes flittered between my own in the mirror. "I had a feeling a little while ago, about you. Remember when you came to Edward's, the night I was there?"

I nodded slowly.

"I had gone to see Edward because…well, because I had a feeling that something bad was going to happen to you."

I swallowed thickly.

"James. He's…he's the something bad. Isn't he?"

I slowly nodded.

"He's your big secret. He's the thing you're hiding from Edward, the one thing you won't talk about."

I watched as she put all the pieces together.

"He's the reason you don't talk to your mom or your sister – the reason you and your sister fell out."

She wasn't asking, Alice was stating facts.

"He hurt you." She whispered.

I took a shuddering breath, tears escaping as I exhaled.

She turned me to face her, "Bella, what did he do?"

I shook my head, "I…I can't…"

"Then tell Edward."

"I can't."

"Why can't you?" She demanded.

"What if he doesn't believe me?"

That threw her. "What do you mean? Why wouldn't he believe you?"

"Alice, nobody, not one person, not a single person in my family believed me when I told them, not my sister, I mean, my mom kicked me out. Charlie took me in out of fucking pity but he doesn't believe me, no matter what he says, if he believed me he wouldn't…" I shook my head, losing my words. "There's no point in fighting. People believe what they want to believe and convict the people they want to because it's easier. It's easier to be manipulated and played by a charming young man and believe him over a fourteen year old slut."

I was on the floor, sobbing into my hands with no idea how the hell I got there.

Alice's arms were around me, rocking me gently from side to side.

I was just sick. I was sick of crying, of hiding away, of being scared. I was just sick of it all. I wanted it all to stop.

"Bella, listen to me. Edward loves you more than anything. You know that. Or at least you did know that before James came and fucked it all up and you started doubting everything." Alice stroked my hair before pulling back a little and taking my face in her hands. "Edward loves you more than anything, than anyone, he would kill for you if it came to it. But he can only do so much. You need to trust him. And I know it's difficult and I know it's terrifying and I know it goes against every instinct that you have. But if you aren't willing to trust him not to leave you, then you aren't willing to face your fears and there is nothing he can do to help you.
"I don't think you realise how much he worries about you. He knows that you're scared to talk about it, and he doesn't even know what 'it' is. But all he wants to do is kick 'it's' ass for hurting you."

I choked a sobbed laugh and Alice smiled with me.

"Edward will always be there for you and he will fight your fears with you. But you just have to trust him."

I nodded slowly.

Alice was right. If I wanted it all to stop I needed to make it stop. I needed to fight, not run away from it or just sit and take it. I needed to face my fears.

I needed to tell Edward.

So...I hate it. I don't like this chapter at all, but I spent a long time rewriting it over and over and I knew I needed to give you guys something.

Hopefully you like it more than I do.

I guess now most people are getting the gist of what happened to Bella, if not already knowing the whole ordeal. However, she still has yet to have the big talk and actually tell someone and speak the words herself. This will happen in the next chapter - which will hopefully be put up quicker than this one...I'll try my best!

I know I don't deserve it but please review! and thank you for being - however reluctantly - patient!