New Neighbors
The next morning I wake up and look out the window. There was a moving truck across the street with men unloading boxes and furniture. After taking a shower and getting dressed I go down to the living room. It really did look better after Alice had gotten a hold of it. I sigh heavily and walk into the kitchen where Charlie was sitting at the table eating his usual breakfast.
"Good morning Grandpa," I say as I walk over to the cupboard and pull out a box of pop-tarts.
"Good morning kiddo. Did you notice we have new neighbors? I want you to go over and see if you can help them out while I'm at work. Invite them over for dinner," says Charlie.
"Okay," I say. After breakfast Charlie leaves for work and I clean up the kitchen before walking across the street where the new neighbors were going to be living. The moving truck was gone now so now they would have to unpack all of their boxes. I walk up to the door and knock. When the door opens I gasp.
"Hello Elizabeth," says Jamie's mother. I wasn't so sure I could do this anymore.
"Hi Mrs. Nelson. My grandfather noticed you moving in and asked me to come over and ask if you needed any help. He also wanted me to invite you to dinner," I say nervously.
"Come in, Elizabeth. You can help Jamie unpack his stuff." Oh great, just what I needed. I take a deep breath and walk into the house. Jamie was standing in the middle of the living room looking at the labels on the boxes. "Jamie, Elizabeth is here to help you unpack."
Jamie looks up at me in surprise. I take an involuntary step back and look at him. He hadn't changed at all and he was happy to see me. This made me happy to see him.
"I'm just trying to find my stuff," says Jamie. I pick up a box with his name on it.
"Here's one," I say. Jamie picks up a different box and I follow him up the stairs to a bed room. We walk into the room and I look around.
"This is my room. Sit that box down on the bed and we'll start unpacking this one," says Jamie. I lay the box on the bed and walk over to Jamie. This was why I liked him. When I first met him he was a really nice guy, but then as time went on he got worse.
We worked in silence with the occasional question from me wondering where he wanted things put. After unpacking most of his stuff we take a break. We were both sitting on the floor surrounded by his things.
"This is a nice bedroom," I say. I was trying to have a nice conversation with him.
"I liked my house back in Alaska better," says Jamie indifferently. I look at him and then away before he notices.
"My mom lived in Forks for a couple of years. She says it's really boring," I say.
"Why'd you have to get me in trouble?" asks Jamie.
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"We had to leave because you got hurt and your dad beat me up," says Jamie.
"He only did that because you hurt me first," I say. Jamie glares at me and then looks away.
"I didn't touch you," insists Jamie.
"How can you say that? You beat the shit out of me. You even sexually abused me," I say. Jamie pins me down and glares at me. My eyes widen in surprise.
"I never hurt you," growls Jamie.
"Get off of me," I demand. There's a light tap on the door.
"Jamie, I have to run to the store. I'll be back in a few minutes," says Mrs. Nelson from the other side of the door.
"Okay mom," says Jamie. Then he turns his attention back to me and his grip on my wrists tightens painfully. I wince in pain and Jamie grins.
"You're hurting me," I say. Jamie slaps me.
"I am not," says Jamie angrily. Then he kisses me. I break the kiss and struggle to get free. For some reason I couldn't. My eyes widen in surprise as I realize I couldn't fight back. I was half vampire, why was this so difficult.
Soon I was curled up on the floor naked from the waist down.
"Get out of my sights. I'll see you at dinner. Make me something special," says Jamie as he tosses me my clothes. I grab them and quickly dress before running out the door. When I get to Charlie's the house was empty. I run up to my room and break down.
I wasn't sure how long I had lied on the cold wooden floor crying and in pain before I heard the sound of a car outside and then the sound of an ambulance. Suddenly I was being pulled into a set of ice cold arms.
"What happened?" demands Edward. I couldn't bring myself to speak. Soon I was in the hospital and Dr. Gerandy was treating me. I had fallen asleep half way through the treatment from the pain killers.
When I wake up I was in a hospital bed with two sets of eyes on me. Bella and Edward were sitting across the room watching me. When I look at them Bella crosses the room and hugs me.
"Are you okay?" asks Bella. I nod my head. I still couldn't find my voice and I didn't want to speak.
"What did he do to you?" demands Edward. I look away sadly. Edward walks over to me and grabs my shoulders shaking me gently.
"Edward, we know what happened," says Bella. Suddenly Charlie walks into the room. He looks at me with a worried expression.
"What's going on?" asks Charlie.
"Elizabeth was raped," says Edward. I begin to cry and pull the covers over my head.
"By who?" demands Charlie.
"Her ex-boyfriend," says Bella.
"He moved in across the street from you today," says Edward.
That was the last thing I heard of the conversation. The next thing I knew I was waking up screaming from a dream I couldn't remember. Suddenly the room seemed full of people all worried about me and why I was screaming. They asked questions, but I had no answers. I still couldn't speak.
A few days later I was on the plane going home. Jacob was sitting next to me looking out the window. The flight attendant walks by and smiles.
"Is there anything I can get you?" she asks.
"I'll have a coke," says Jacob.
"And you miss?" I shake my head and Jacob sighs heavily. The woman walks away.
"Lizzie, why can't you speak?" asks Jacob. I suddenly remembered the therapist's words to my parents out in the hallway yesterday before leaving the hospital.
"Elizabeth's inability to speak is not uncommon. I get a lot of clients who have suffered traumatic experiences just like Elizabeth's. She'll speak when she's ready. Just don't force her."
Those were her exact words to my parents. My inability to speak was frustrating to Edward who couldn't read my thoughts to know what I was thinking. It was probably better though. He didn't want to know what I was thinking.
I'm moved from my thoughts when the plane begins to land and I'm told to put my seatbelt on. I hadn't realized I'd been thinking for so long. When the plane lands we all get off and go home. Once home I go to my room. I wanted to be alone to think.
After I was done packing I lye down on my bed and stare at the wall. There's a light knock on my door followed by the sound of the door opening.
"Elizabeth, your dad and I got you a gift while you was away. Do you want to come see it?" asks Bella. I get up and follow Bella down the stairs. I didn't really want to see the gift, but it would make them happy. When we reach the living room Edward was holding a black puppy in his arms.
"We thought about how you always wanted a puppy. We thought you would like her. She's part wolf and part collie," says Bella. I walk over and pet the puppy. She wags her tail and begins to squirm as she tries to lick my face. She was a very cute puppy and as much as I wanted to say thank you I still couldn't speak. I opened my mouth to try, but no sound came out.
"It's okay. We know what you want to say," says Edward soothingly as he hands me the puppy. The puppy begins to lick my cheek eagerly.
"You should give her a name," suggests Bella. I look down sadly. Yeah, give her a name. How was I supposed to do that when I couldn't even speak my own? Suddenly the front door opens and Alice skips in carrying a gift bag. She takes the puppy and hands me the bag.
"This should help you speak. I feel terrible that I hadn't seen it coming," says Alice. Alice had spent the whole week apologizing for missing the rape. I wished I could tell her that it was so spur of the moment that Alice wouldn't have caught it. I open the bag and pull out a small dry erase board and a pack of markers that were every color I could think of for a dry erase marker.
I immediately open the pack of markers and pull out the purple one. I quickly scribble THANK YOU on the board and show Alice. Alice giggles and hugs me. I immediately tense and Alice notices because she lets me go and steps back with an apologetic look. IT ISN'T YOUR FAULT. I write. (okay, obviously anything in all caps is written on the board.)
"That was a very good idea, Alice," compliments Edward.
"I came up with it. Of course it's a good idea," says Alice.
"So what are you going to name the puppy?" asks Edward.
MIDNIGHT
"That's a cute name," says Bella. I look at Midnight and smile halfheartedly. She was a great gift, but I was still too upset to be happy. Suddenly my goth look suited me much better than it used to.
End Chapter
(A/N: I have to wonder, did anyone see this coming? I didn't at first but then I figured it might be fun and it also explains a little bit as to why Alice never saw Jamie abusing Lizzie. Basically he's fine for a little while but then he suddenly loses it. So Lizzie has gone mute…yeah…umm…tell me your thoughts on that. Thank you for reading and the reviews so far have been awesome. Sayonara!!)