Chapter V: Secrets and the Truth
A/N: Sorry this took so long! School started and that I got writer's block for this story. I am so sorry. And to answer one question: I friend I know is named Ashleigh and that is how she spells it. Once again sorry! ~*Mac*~ This chapter is told by Belle's friend Jade.
I stood in front of the door to Belle's new apartment. Things were starting to return to normal, but Belle was still quiet. Her father grew stricter with her than ever. She had to call him wherever she went. She had to be with either me or Joanne whenever she went outside, no matter what. She wasn't allowed to drive her car anymore, unless she begged her father's permission. He only granted his permission for only trips to the school and to church. Things were definitely different between Belle and Mr. Lagrange.
Belle opened the door and walked out swinging her car keys. We wouldn't be taking the bus today, I thought. We walked down to the lobby in silence before turning towards the garage. She walked ahead and started the car by the time I walked there. I got in to the car and we were off to the hell that was Helen Keller High School. From what Belle tells me, Enchanted Falls High was like 7th heaven, especially after Helen Keller High School. We were categorized as "outsiders" and therefore, even as seniors, we were outcasts and lower than even the Chess Club geeks! Hallway tormentors were horrible, and we normally used our pepper spray on them. We headed for the doors to school and were met by Joanne. We went to our lockers, where Joanne started to tell us an idea she had the night before. We were planning on spending the next day (Saturday) at her house. Joanne said we could go on-line, use the phone, drop some hints, etc.Belle looked like she was going to hug Joanne, but the bell rang and we had to do the three minute sprint from our lockers on the first floor to our homerooms on the third floor. Belle and I settled into our seats, amid the mean looks that our fellow classmates threw at us. We made it through the rest of the day without anything major happening, except for the fact that once again Belle and I had to help Joanne and some freshmen out of their lockers. Saturday found the three of us in Joanne's empty apartment, since her parents were away on business for the weekend and her older brothers were at college. Belle immediately went online to find anyone from Enchanted Falls there. Beauty12: Hey, is anyone out there? Polywog: Belle, is that you? Beauty12: Polly! Beauty12: I am so glad you are on! Polywog: Where are you? Beauty12: At my friend Joanne's house. Polywog: Why haven't you contacted us? Beauty12: My dad refuses to connect our phones and modems. He only uses his cell phone. Polywog: What about yours? Beauty12: Took it away. Said it was "too dangerous" whatever that means. Polywog: Is your dad hiding something? Beauty12: I don't know, Polly. I wish he would just tell me the truth. Polywog: Ask him. Beauty12: I will. How's your cuz? Polywog: Not doing so well. Listen, can you call me? Beauty12: YES! Belle signed off and immediately called Polly. She put the phone on speaker so we could all here it. "Hello?" "Hey, Polly!" Belle said. "Belle! Okay. To pick up, my cousin has gotten worse since you left." "Oh no!" "Yep," Polly continued. "He thinks you purposely left him, since you never got in touch with us." "I couldn't. I told you. Wait! Didn't Ross get my note?" Belle asked. "Note?" Polly responded, confused. "Yes. I wrote a note to him and left it under our doorstep." Belle looked worried now. "He never found a note. Lance and he looked all over your old house." Belle looked fierce now. "Listen, Polly, I will get back to you tonight. I promise. I have to talk with my father." An hour later, Belle and I were in her living room waiting for her father to get back. Mr. Lagrange walked in the door, frowning, which grew deeper when he saw his daughter's look. "Papa, we need to talk," Belle said, sternly. "Not now, Belle." "Yes, now!" Belle said, even more sternly. Mr. Lagrange sat down across from his daughter. "Now tell me the real reason why we left Enchanted Falls." "I told you, I got a promotion." "And this promotion really involved you being here in the city?" "Well." "Well what?" "No. I asked to be moved to the city." "Why?" Belle said, hurt. "Because of you," Mr. Lagrange said. "Because of me?" Belle said, confused. "I didn't want to worry you, but some weird man kept calling up saying he would hurt you if I didn't stop you from seeing Ross. I felt it was Ross' father, and assumed he didn't like you. When given my promotion, I asked to be moved to the city and the company arranged everything. Now you are safe," Mr. Lagrange said. "Safe? I was safer in Enchanted Falls then here! Within the past month I've been here, I've had to replenish my pepper spray, gotten stuffed into my locker nearly every Wednesday, been hassled by the cheerleaders, and insulted by the football team. I was better off there. And by the way, that guy wasn't Mr. Angel. Mr. Angel happened to like me. Said I was one of his son's better girlfriends." "Then who was he?" I asked, drawn into this drama. "Gaston Mark. He was always chasing after me in school and it would be something he would do. Now, do you know anything about the note I wrote to Ross?" "Yes. I ripped it up and burned it before we left. You were in the car, getting ready to start. I went inside to check everything and burned the note in the stove burner. I didn't want him to follow us to the city, nor his father. But I have good news. We are moving back to Enchanted Falls. The agency needs me there now. Everything is fixed again. You can spend your last two months in Enchanted Falls High." Mr. Lagrange stood up and went into his room. "I'm going to miss you," I said to Belle. "I'm going to miss you too. But I am also glad I'm going back." "And I'm glad that you're going back. You really liked it there." "Don't worry, I'll come back. Remember the pact Jo, you and I made in Freshmen year?" "The one where we promised to buy our prom dresses together?" "Yes, that one. See, I'll be back."
A/N: Sorry this took so long! School started and that I got writer's block for this story. I am so sorry. And to answer one question: I friend I know is named Ashleigh and that is how she spells it. Once again sorry! ~*Mac*~ This chapter is told by Belle's friend Jade.
I stood in front of the door to Belle's new apartment. Things were starting to return to normal, but Belle was still quiet. Her father grew stricter with her than ever. She had to call him wherever she went. She had to be with either me or Joanne whenever she went outside, no matter what. She wasn't allowed to drive her car anymore, unless she begged her father's permission. He only granted his permission for only trips to the school and to church. Things were definitely different between Belle and Mr. Lagrange.
Belle opened the door and walked out swinging her car keys. We wouldn't be taking the bus today, I thought. We walked down to the lobby in silence before turning towards the garage. She walked ahead and started the car by the time I walked there. I got in to the car and we were off to the hell that was Helen Keller High School. From what Belle tells me, Enchanted Falls High was like 7th heaven, especially after Helen Keller High School. We were categorized as "outsiders" and therefore, even as seniors, we were outcasts and lower than even the Chess Club geeks! Hallway tormentors were horrible, and we normally used our pepper spray on them. We headed for the doors to school and were met by Joanne. We went to our lockers, where Joanne started to tell us an idea she had the night before. We were planning on spending the next day (Saturday) at her house. Joanne said we could go on-line, use the phone, drop some hints, etc.Belle looked like she was going to hug Joanne, but the bell rang and we had to do the three minute sprint from our lockers on the first floor to our homerooms on the third floor. Belle and I settled into our seats, amid the mean looks that our fellow classmates threw at us. We made it through the rest of the day without anything major happening, except for the fact that once again Belle and I had to help Joanne and some freshmen out of their lockers. Saturday found the three of us in Joanne's empty apartment, since her parents were away on business for the weekend and her older brothers were at college. Belle immediately went online to find anyone from Enchanted Falls there. Beauty12: Hey, is anyone out there? Polywog: Belle, is that you? Beauty12: Polly! Beauty12: I am so glad you are on! Polywog: Where are you? Beauty12: At my friend Joanne's house. Polywog: Why haven't you contacted us? Beauty12: My dad refuses to connect our phones and modems. He only uses his cell phone. Polywog: What about yours? Beauty12: Took it away. Said it was "too dangerous" whatever that means. Polywog: Is your dad hiding something? Beauty12: I don't know, Polly. I wish he would just tell me the truth. Polywog: Ask him. Beauty12: I will. How's your cuz? Polywog: Not doing so well. Listen, can you call me? Beauty12: YES! Belle signed off and immediately called Polly. She put the phone on speaker so we could all here it. "Hello?" "Hey, Polly!" Belle said. "Belle! Okay. To pick up, my cousin has gotten worse since you left." "Oh no!" "Yep," Polly continued. "He thinks you purposely left him, since you never got in touch with us." "I couldn't. I told you. Wait! Didn't Ross get my note?" Belle asked. "Note?" Polly responded, confused. "Yes. I wrote a note to him and left it under our doorstep." Belle looked worried now. "He never found a note. Lance and he looked all over your old house." Belle looked fierce now. "Listen, Polly, I will get back to you tonight. I promise. I have to talk with my father." An hour later, Belle and I were in her living room waiting for her father to get back. Mr. Lagrange walked in the door, frowning, which grew deeper when he saw his daughter's look. "Papa, we need to talk," Belle said, sternly. "Not now, Belle." "Yes, now!" Belle said, even more sternly. Mr. Lagrange sat down across from his daughter. "Now tell me the real reason why we left Enchanted Falls." "I told you, I got a promotion." "And this promotion really involved you being here in the city?" "Well." "Well what?" "No. I asked to be moved to the city." "Why?" Belle said, hurt. "Because of you," Mr. Lagrange said. "Because of me?" Belle said, confused. "I didn't want to worry you, but some weird man kept calling up saying he would hurt you if I didn't stop you from seeing Ross. I felt it was Ross' father, and assumed he didn't like you. When given my promotion, I asked to be moved to the city and the company arranged everything. Now you are safe," Mr. Lagrange said. "Safe? I was safer in Enchanted Falls then here! Within the past month I've been here, I've had to replenish my pepper spray, gotten stuffed into my locker nearly every Wednesday, been hassled by the cheerleaders, and insulted by the football team. I was better off there. And by the way, that guy wasn't Mr. Angel. Mr. Angel happened to like me. Said I was one of his son's better girlfriends." "Then who was he?" I asked, drawn into this drama. "Gaston Mark. He was always chasing after me in school and it would be something he would do. Now, do you know anything about the note I wrote to Ross?" "Yes. I ripped it up and burned it before we left. You were in the car, getting ready to start. I went inside to check everything and burned the note in the stove burner. I didn't want him to follow us to the city, nor his father. But I have good news. We are moving back to Enchanted Falls. The agency needs me there now. Everything is fixed again. You can spend your last two months in Enchanted Falls High." Mr. Lagrange stood up and went into his room. "I'm going to miss you," I said to Belle. "I'm going to miss you too. But I am also glad I'm going back." "And I'm glad that you're going back. You really liked it there." "Don't worry, I'll come back. Remember the pact Jo, you and I made in Freshmen year?" "The one where we promised to buy our prom dresses together?" "Yes, that one. See, I'll be back."