Isabella

"Why am I here again?" Edward groaned and pressed the icepack against his nose. We were sitting in his car at Liberty Park. I called him this morning- more like demanding that he came with me to meet Samantha and Seth. I didn't want to do this alone and since Emmett, Rosalie, and Alice had left and Jasper was packing for his flight back to Texas today, the only option left was Edward. I didn't want to tell him that he was my last choice though. I felt bad hurting his feelings.

"You promised that you would make it up to me."

"Yeah but-"

"Stop complaining!" I exclaim. "Your nose is fine!"

He rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breathe. Ever since he returned from Alaska, he's really taken on the whole… natural look. I'm not sure when the last was that he washed his hair but he hasn't shaved in several weeks. He's on the way to full on beard and trust me when I say… it was not a good look.

"I don't understand why you want to talk to this girl. She looked like she was about to kill you the last time." He stared at me like I had finally lost it.

Maybe I had.

"I told you why-"

"But why not go to Sue?" he argued. "How about you go to an adult that can actually make a difference-"

"And scare her away?" I scoff.

"No, so she can confide in someone she actually trusts. She hates your guts, Bella. What makes you think she is going to tell you anything?"

"Because I'm right." I say in a matter-of-fact voice. "If I catch her off guard then she'll be more likely to confide in me."

"That's the worst way to go about it!" he shouts incredulous.

"You're here for moral support, so keep quiet!" I snap. I was already stressed enough. I knew my plan was unorthodox, but this was the only way I could get her to talk to me. Seth was bringing her right now from the reservation. She didn't know that we were here.

Edward looked tired and worn down. I knew he was just looking out for me. I couldn't blame him for that. It's what I would for him.

"Look, I'm sorry." I finally say. He stares at me in uncertainty, knowing I had a habit of blowing up. "Thank you for coming, I don't take this for granted. Please know that I'm grateful you are here. You're my… you're my-" I struggled to come up with the right word. I didn't even know what to call us anymore.

"Friend?" he suggests. "Or is best friend overstepping it?"

"I think maybe more like close friend." I crack a smile. "Or perhaps, close confidant."

"Well then I'm proud to be your close confidant." he said amused. Edward playfully nudged my shoulder causing me to giggle. This was good. We were good as we were. I didn't want that to change.

A few minutes pass and then suddenly another car pulls into the park lot. Without looking, I know who it is.

"Do you need me to come with you?" said Edward in a serious manner. He was looking at Samantha in disdain, who could be seen arguing with Seth. Closing my eyes, I shake my head. I had to do this by myself. It had to be just the two of us or else she would never open up.

"I'll be fine." I gulped.

Before he could respond, I got out of the car and slammed the door shut. Samantha was glaring at me and Seth gave her a nudge forward.

Stay calm, Bella. She looked like she was about to murder me. Maybe this wasn't a good idea. We stood in front of each other, neither of us spoke. How was I even supposed to start this?

"What do you want?" she hissed. Her hands were clenched into fists and she hugged herself tighter.

"I wanted to talk." I square my shoulders back, trying to appear unafraid. She couldn't hurt me when we had two witnesses. That would just be plain stupid and this girl was anything but stupid.

"Fine." she shrugged. "You can tell me right here."

I slightly frown and see both Seth and Edward staring at us. "I was hoping we could have a bit more privacy. This is serious, Samantha."

She rolled her eyes but didn't argue any further. With reluctance she said, "we can go over there." she nodded her head at the swing set across the field. I follow behind, trying to keep up as she deliberately walked fast just to annoy me.

Stop complaining. At least she's giving you a chance.

We sit on the swing and our sight of Edward and Seth is obstructed by big slide in the middle of the field.

"I-" I pause, "I was talking to Seth yesterday… and we were talking about Jacob and you…"

Her face paled considerably and you could see the white of her knuckles as she grasped onto the swing so tightly. "What about us?" her voice remained neutral but I could tell she was startled. "Are you here to gloat?" She refused to meet my gaze.

"No." I frowned and shook my head. "I understand why you don't like me, Seth explained… everything. He was your best friend, I know what it's like to lose… everyone you care about. I know how you feel-"

"You don't know anything." she suddenly looked up at me. Her voice was slightly wobbly as she tried to keep herself together- to keep herself from falling apart.

"You're right." I'm quick to say. "I don't know anything about what you've gone through… but I do know what it's like to lose a parent… to lose your best friend. It hurts… a lot."

She humourlessly laughs, "we didn't come here to talk about our pathetic lives, did we?"

"No-"

"Then why are we here? Cut to the chase. What did Seth tell you, Jacob supposedly did to me?"

I'm taken aback as I try to figure out what to say without scaring her off. "I know…" I gulp, "I know that you believe me. I know that you know, Jacob raped me. I know that he did the same to you-"

"Are you a fucking idiot?!" she barks a laugh. There was no amusement in her eyes… she was angry. "You have no right to make those accusations! Jacob is the kindest-"

"-most selfless person there is." I finally snap. "How many times are you going to say that? How many times did you have to say that for you to trick yourself into believing it?"

She's silent. Her lips are pressed into a thin line and her eyes cloud over with angry tears. "He did the same to me, Samantha. He makes you feel special and wanted. You have no reason to be afraid of him because he's been nothing but a kind friend… then he attacks. You are to afraid say anything because he threatened you… and who would believe us? Who would believe that the kid that everyone loves, could commit a crime so awful?"

"Nobody." she weakly responded. "Nobody would believe us."

"They believed me, Samantha. The court believed me and now he's in jail-"

"But I'm not you! Jacob could do know wrong in the eyes of the tribe. Even if I were to come out and say now that Jacob abused me, they would never believe me." she cried. "Don't you understand? I don't have that privilege. Jacob's father is the chief and nobody would dare go against him! I would be immediately outcast."

"What about, Sue?" I whispered. "She would help you. Sue would believe you."

Samantha looks at me and says in a clear voice, "Sue would be the worst possible person to tell. She may believe me but what happens when she tells my mom and brother- what happens when they disown me for telling, lies?" her face was full of disgust.

"Sam-"

"You think you had it bad… " she shakes her head laughing. "You have no idea who he truly is… what he's actually capable of. I basically lived with him. I slept with him every night, went to school with him, spent every moment of every day with him. He was always right there… taunting me… he could do whatever he wanted and get away with it. He knows that no one will ever blame him."

ooOoo

We were in the kitchen eating dinner, just Seth and I. Sue and Charlie were out on their date night, is literally what my dad said. It was just the two of us and I didn't feel like cooking so Seth made Ramen Noodles- the only food he can successfully cook.

"I think you got through to Sammi." said Seth.

"Sammi?' I quirk my eyebrow.

"Samantha is a mouthful."

"Well at least, Sammi didn't murder me." I picked at the food with my fork, not really eating. I'm not sure if she even listened to anything I said, but I mean at least she didn't storm off like we expected her to. We were at the park for about another half an hour before it started to pour. I think I got through to her because she looked less murderous by the end. That had to mean something right?

"Shes not an easy person talk to. She actually stayed and listened and that says a lot. If she hated you as much as she claimed she did, she would not have stayed for that long."

"I just hope I did the right thing. Should I have told Sue? Samantha was totally against the idea but it feels like we need to do more." I stressed. "Jacob has been threatening her and that's why she still goes to see him at the prison. He's been saying that if she doesn't come that he'll hurt her once he gets out. He told her to spread those lies about me… she's terrified."

Seth rubs his temple with his middle and index finger, closes his eyes, and leans back in his chair. "Maybe…" he pauses. "Maybe we should tell my mom. Who knows what he can do. He has people at the reservation that will do literally whatever he says. I wouldn't put it past them to actually do something to Sammi."

A wave of cold fear washed over my body and my mind went numb. Jacob was still around and he'd always have power over us for as long as he was alive. None of us were truly free, it was all just an act.

"But if we told my mom, she would tell Sammi's mom-"

"-and she would be disowned, she told me. Her family feels that strongly that Jacob is innocent, they'd never believe her."

I don't know what I would have done if Charlie or Emmett or… Edward had not believed me. I don't know where I would be right now because literally… they are what have kept me alive all of this time.

But Samantha… she doesn't have anyone. Nobody would support her, not even her own family, and that made me furious. Nobody deserves to be treated like that… no one!

"She's in even more danger though because she keeps going back to him. Are you willing to take the risk of damaging her mental wellbeing, even further? He's gonna completely break her and then nobody will be able to do anything."

"She's screwed no matter what we do." he said

"But… but she shouldn't have to go through all of this alone. We should tell your mom." I argued, trying to make him see. He couldn't keep switching his mind.

"Sammi will hate me forever. I promised her that we wouldn't do this."

"Well, sometimes you've got to break promises. I know how she's feeling and it sucks." disgust fills my voice. "I still feel that way almost everyday and I'm just barely getting by. If nobody had spoken up for me and forced me to get help, I'd probably still be in a psychiatric hospital still or worse."

"You really think that this is the best thing to do?" he gulped.

"Yes, I do."

An hour later the front door opened. We were sitting in the living room, anxiously awaiting their arrival. It felt like it had been five hours, I was so anxious that my stomach hurt. I knew that we were doing the right thing but a small part- really small part- was screaming at me to stay silent, not to go through with this.

But I knew I had to. Samantha was fierce and determined and cunning but to see her so vulnerable and… broken, forced me to speak up. There's no way I could let this go.

"Hey kids!" Sue greeted us. A pair of black high heels dangled from her hands and she leaned against the doorway. "Did you guys have a good evening? Did you have dinner and everything-"

"Yes, mom we did." Seth cracked a smile at her overbearing attitude.

I heard the shower running from upstairs and let out a tiny breathe. I preferred to talk about this without Charlie. He always got all weird and uncomfortable, never knowing how to deal with emotions.

"We, um, we actually had something that we wanted to talk to you about." Seth said as we both shared a glance. I clutched my stomach, feeling it turn.

"What's wrong?" Sue's face became clouded with worry. She walked into the room, taking a seat in the chair across from us.

"Samantha Uley was, um, she was-" I stammered, unable to say the words.

"- Sammi was abused by Jacob." he placed his hand over my trembling one, silently comforting me. My body sagged back against the couch.

Sue's face turned chalk white and her mouth was frozen open, a look of surprise and disbelief flashed in her eyes. "Sammi?" was all she could say. "Tha-that's impossible. She and Jacob were in love… they were always together, they seemed so… happy."

"He raped her!" I spit. "That is not love. She was too afraid to leave him-he wouldn't let her."

"Did she specifically tell you this, that-that he raped her?" her voice was anxious as she looked between the two of us.

"Well… no, but she heavily implied it. I know what Jacob's like and I know what he can do. Sue, you have to believe to us, we wouldn't make this up." I pleaded with her to understand. "You have to help her."

ooOoo

Authors Note:

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, your support means so much to me! I hope to update again sometime by next week or sooner but until then stay safe!