9
The Hermit
After she empties the contents of her stomach and chokes down a little white pill, Bella begins debating. It's late. Should she call Zafrina's emergency number? How pissed would her sister be if she called her? She contemplates and finally picks up her phone.
"Bella? Is everything okay?" Alice asks.
"Um. I don't know. I'm sorry for calling so late."
"It's no big deal. I'm up late finishing some work I brought home, and Jasper went to bed ages ago. What's going on?"
Bella takes a deep breath, her eyes water, and she sniffs.
"I just really need my sister right now. Can you please come over? I wouldn't ask you if I wasn't desperate."
"I'll be there in ten. I'll let myself in."
Bella is curled up in the middle of her bed when her sister arrives.
Alice wraps her tiny body around her and waits for the sobs to subside before asking for an explanation.
Bella blows her nose and points to her phone.
She watches her sister read the messages. Her confusion is replaced with a big smile.
"Who's Edward?"
"My new neighbor," she croaks.
"He seems sweet, Bells. What's wrong?"
"I can't stop thinking that he's lying. That he's just like James, and that he's out to make my life more miserable than it already is. I can't handle going through that again," Bella wails.
"Bells, come on. Not everyone is like James. This guy seems like he's genuine."
Bella's phone goes off but shakes her head when Alice tries to hand it to her.
She just can't. Not right now.
She watches her sister read the text message with bated breath.
"Bella. For real. I think he really likes you." Alice pats her head. "You've gotta open your heart up again. You can't keep living like this. It's slowly killing you, and it's killing me to watch you struggle."
Bella wipes her eyes.
"Jasper and I have been waiting for you to have a breakthrough to get married."
Alice's words do nothing to ease the guilt Bella already feels when it comes to their family. Because when her parents gave up on her, Alice gave up on them.
She's given up a lot for Bella, and it hurts to know that her sister has put yet another part of her life on hold because she can't get her shit together.
"I'm not telling you that to make you feel bad. I'm just saying that we're supporting you. You will overcome this. You have to have faith." She holds up Bella's cell phone. "And Edward might be the push you need."
Bella nods.
She knows Edward has stirred up a lot of feelings she thought died a long time ago.
He makes her stomach clench when he smiles, and when they shook hands for the first time tonight, she felt comfortable. Most of all, she felt safe.
And that's what terrifies her. But not as much as the texts he sent her.
It's so hard for her to believe that someone has good intentions. It took her a long time to trust Zafrina, and she pays the woman to spend time with her.
Bella's been hurt. So hurt she thought she would never survive. But she did ... in a way. It's hard to come back from what she's gone through in her life, but she's trying. She knows she could work harder, but something's always holding her back.
She can admit that she's made more progress in the short time since Edward moved in next door than she's made in a year.
That has to mean something.
She doesn't have to ask Alice to stay for a little while. Her little sister kicks off her shoes, pulls a blanket over both of them, and holds her until she falls asleep.
