Isabella

I was standing in the living room, looking out the window. I watched two cars drive by before a Jeep pulled into the driveway; It's Emmett, Edward, and Jasper.

Don't come inside. I prayed but my pleas fall on deaf ears. I watched them get out of the car and walk toward the front door. I was all alone with them. My mom went to the supermarket and my dad had extended his fishing trip.

My heart pound against my chest as I stepped away from the window. The door opened and immediately I heard their loud voices. The three of them headed to the kitchen not noticing me. I exhaled in relief, hoping I could make an escape to my room. I cautiously walked into the hallway, past the kitchen, and just as my foot raised, I heard my name.

"Bella?!" Emmett shouted with a mouth full of food. I froze, wanting to run to the furthest place possible. I forced myself to turn around, taking slow, deliberate steps to the kitchen. The three of them, wearing their varsity football jackets, sat around the table eating a bag of chips.

"Hi," I mumbled, looking away from Edward and Jasper.

My brother and them had been best friends for as long as I could remember. I basically grew up with them, always viewing them as older brothers, but as I got older, my feelings of Edward grew stronger. I started to notice his bronze tousled hair, the way his emerald eyes glimmered, and how his crooked grin made my heart flutter. A feeling of pure joy would flare up inside of me that I couldn't suppress. Jasper and Edward were part of the family.

"Bellaboo, why you so down?" Jasper laughed. I blushed at the ridiculous nickname he had come up with when I was five.

I shrugged in response, but I don't think he noticed. Edward looked down at his phone and barely glanced at me.

"I thought you were out with mom," said Emmett.

"I'm tired."

Emmett quirked his eyebrow in disbelief. It was an awkward silence in the room for a few moments before Edward broke the tension and asked, "What happened to your lip?"

My fingers flew up to my bottom lip only to feel a scab forming. I didn't think anyone noticed.

"I tripped," I mumbled. I was such a klutz and everyone knew. I managed to trip on air and my brother found great amusement in that.

"Jesus Bells, you're a danger magnet." He snorted.

My face flushed bright red. I didn't have to stand here and take this humiliation from my idiot brother. They were the popular jocks and if I wasn't Emmett's sister than they wouldn't have given me the time of day. I wanted them to see me as more than his sister; I wasn't the same little girl who used to follow them around like a little puppy.

I ran up the stairs and locked myself in the bathroom, feeling the anger course through my body. My eyes were closed tight as I ran my fingers through my hair. Don't cry. Don't cry. Nobody would believe me. Nobody has even noticed. They think that I'm some little kid and who would believe a kid?

Nobody would. I laughed at my pathetic attempt to hold back the tears. My eyes were blinded as hot water ran down my cheeks; I wiped them away but they fell like raindrops down my cheeks, pounding against the concrete ground. I was being torn apart over and over again. I screamed for help only for no one to hear because nobody was there. I was all alone with this monster who wouldn't stop tormenting me. It repeated over and over again in my mind, never giving me a break. There was nobody to save me.

"Bella, are you alright?" A velvety voice sounded from the other side of the door.

Shit. It's Edward.

I tried to clean up my face but it was all blotchy and red. My hair fell in front of my face, doing nothing to hide the fact that I'd been crying. It was pointless; I was a mess.

"Bella?"

"I-I'm, fi-fine," I stammered

With a shaky hand, I opened the door knowing he wouldn't go away until I came out. I tried to smile and act as usual. "I just needed a minute."

His eyes widened at my disheveled state as he took in my red puffy eyes to my long tangled hair. His face screamed, you-are-not-fine-whatsoever-I-don't-believe-you. "You're acting," he struggled to come up with the word, "...different."

I clenched my jaw and looked away. He noticed; Edward Cullen noticed and my own family didn't. I couldn't tell Edward what happened. I couldn't tell him what Jacob did to me.

But Edward would protect me; he would show Jacob that he couldn't hurt me. I would be safe.

However soon as the thought entered my mind, it was gone. I can't tell anyone. I can't risk it. Who knows what Jacob would do?

"Are you alright?" His voice is tentative

I nodded my head and forced a laugh. "Yeah. I'm just kinda tired."

"It's the middle of the day."

I muttered, "I had a rough night," and walked around him out of the bathroom. I could feel his eyes on my back and shivered involuntarily. I wanted to get out of this house.

"Bella!" Emmett called.

I ran downstairs and out of the front door, ignoring him in the process. My legs began to move on their own as I got faster, running down the sidewalk. Sweat dripped down my forehead but I had to keep running. I had to get out of that goddamn house.

I ended up at Liberty Park; swinging back and forth on the old rusty swing. The park was behind some old buildings that hadn't been used in years. There were swings, a seesaw, and a sandpit, that was littered with needles and god knows what else. This is where everyone comes to get high, drunk or deal.

Any sensible parent would keep their child away from here but I didn't need protecting. I've already been damaged. Needles littered the ground and trash sat on the grass. I knew that Emmett would have a fit if he knew I was here. He wanted to protect me from all the evil and bad I would experience in the world but he didn't realize that the evilest thing occurred right under our roof.

I don't know how long I stayed but I was pretty sure I was going to have a heat stroke soon. It was about 90 degrees and I had sweated through my sweater. I hopped off the swing, knowing that it was going to get dark soon. I started walking but stopped suddenly; out of instinct I turned around and looked around the park, making sure that I was alone.

My pulse increased in speed as I noticed a black car that hadn't been here before. I was frozen in fear when a man emerged with a cigarette in his hand. He looked my way and all I could do was stare at him. He raised his hand slightly in acknowledgment, and when I didn't respond, walked towards me.

It took about five minutes to reach me and my stupid mind told me to stay put. He was wearing a Linkin Park T-shirt with baggy shorts. His blonde hair was covered by a Seattle Seahawks hat and he threw his cigarette on the ground, putting it out. His eyes were almost grey and stared at me curiously.

"I haven't seen you around," he said in a gravelly voice. He cracked a smile showing off his perfectly white straight teeth. He seemed to clean to be a drug dealer. He seemed to normal. However, I wasn't one to judge. Look what happened the last time. My chest rose up and down, the nerves spreading throughout my body but I stayed where I was. I didn't want to be weak.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Bella," I whispered.

The park was empty except for the two of us. If he wanted to do something to me, he had every chance. There was no one here to stop him. I wouldn't even be able to fight him off.

"My name is Mike," he stuck out his hand. It happens so fast that I can't contain my body's response. Like an elastic band, I snap away from the fast-approaching man, not wanting to get hurt again. He slowly pulls his hand back, taking in my scared expression.

"Chill out," he sighs. "I'm not some rapist or serial killer."

I flinch out of habit, my mind wandering to Jacob.

"I'm in high school at Newtown Christian Academy."

Ahhh. The fancy private school on the other side of town. That's where the rich people lived. What was someone like him doing on this side of the town? We were considered to be ghetto, just because there were no high-end boutiques and we didn't live in mansions.

Don't get me wrong there were some wealthy families, like Edward's and Jasper's family who lived in luxurious houses on this side of town. Their parents wanted them to be more connected to the community so they chose to have them go to Forks High instead of that elite private school.

"I haven't seen you around. Where do you go?" He wondered.

"Forks High," I softly said.

He nodded his head thoughtfully. "I know it seems weird- a kid like me- over here," he says.

I nod my head.

"I just need to blow off steam, sometimes. My parents can be so fucking annoying with all of their rules and parties and those stupid charity events they host."

Yeah, like that happens all the time around here.

"I'm meeting some other guys in a few minutes if you wanna stay," he blushed. "We're heading to a party at Edward Cullen's. You can join us if you want."

What did he say?

"Ed-Edward Cullen, did you say?" My eyes widen. Shit. I've gotta get out of here. I can't let them know I was here. I don't want to know what Emmett would do.

"Yeah," he says slowly. "Do you know him?"

"Yeah," I snort. "I know him."

"Well, that's great! We can go to the party together!"

I shake my head back and forth, looking like a bobblehead. "No, I can't go. I can't go anywhere with you. I've gotta go."

Without another word, I take off running back to the house. The sun is already setting and I need to get home before my parents.

But it's too late. They're already home.

Several hours later, I came home. I entered the house quietly and slipped off my shoes. I was prepared to make a mad dash for my room but was confronted by the sight of my mom and dad. They stood at the doorway to the living room. I could feel the anger radiating off their bodies. They glared at me until I was cowering under their heated glares. I followed them to the kitchen and took a seat, prepared for the lecture.

"Where were you?" My dad demanded.

"I was out," was all I said.

"You didn't answer my question, Isabella."

I shuddered at his tone.

"Where the hell were you?" His voice raised an octave. "Your brother called us in a panic saying that you ran out of the house and he didn't know where you went!"

I looked down at my hands, feeling the tears sting in my eyes.

"You know that you're not supposed to leave the house without telling us where you are going. You can't just go and disappear for three hours and not answer your phone!"

"It died," I lied. They didn't believe me.

"I never expected this kind of behavior from you…" my mom's voice trailed off.

"I'm sorry," the words felt numb on my tongue. "I didn't mean to worry you."

I stood up, wanting to leave the room. I didn't want to hear about how much of a disappointment I was. I didn't need them to tell me. I already knew.

"This behavior needs to stop right now," my dad said angrily. "Billy and I were talking on the lake today and he told me what you did to Jacob."

I was taken aback. My voice was just above a whisper. "What are you talking about?"

"Jacob told his father that you bullied him and that you don't want to be friends anymore. He said that you constantly made fun of him and left him out."

"What?" I said in an airy whisper. Through a teary vision, I could see my dad's irate face. Jacob had gotten to my parents. He convinced them that I was the perpetrator. He turned my family against me, making sure that I had no one left on my side.

"Dad…" I whimpered.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and told me to go to my room. Both of them refused to listen to what I have to say. I walked away, feeling more alone than I'd ever felt before.