Chapter 9
Jake filled out the application and left for town to mail it. As she rode into town she passed the station and saw Bella yelling at someone.
Bella was filling up a tank of gas, when her mother and father-by blood drove up. Charley was in the garage doing an oil change, so he didn't notice them.
"Hello, Bella." As Bella looked up, her eyes widened.
"Dad!"
Charley came running at his daughter's cry. "What's wrong, Bel…" Charley stopped when he saw them. "I told you not to come back here."
"Charley, we want Bella back."
"What?!" Bella and Charley exclaimed.
Bella's mom handed Charley a manila envelope.
"What is it?" Bella asked as Charley pulled the documents out.
"It's a court date, for custody."
"No! I won't go. I refuse." Bella yelled. From far away she heard the roar of a very familiar motorcycle. 'Jake!' She thought.
"Bella, you have to it's a court order." Her mom said.
"A court ordered it, because of you! It's all your fault, you left." Bella began to cry.
"Bella, please."
"No, I'll fight, you can't do this to me." She saw Jake pulled up out of the corner of her eye. She glared at her mother as she turned and ran to the bike.
"Bella?" Her mother called.
Bella hopped on. "Get me out of here now." She whispered to Jake as the other girl handed her the extra helmet. Bella put it on as Jake revved the engine and pulled away. They three adults just stared as Bella disappeared with her mysterious savior. Charley walked into the building and slammed the door. He sighed heavily as he heard a car start after a few minutes.
"So where do you want to go?" Jake yelled.
"Anywhere, but here." Bella yelled back.
After ten minutes, they arrived at the lake. Jake slid off the bike first.
"It's so quiet." Bella said.
"I discovered it during the summer. It is pretty secluded, I haven't really seen anyone out here."
"It's great."
"So what was that all about?"
"My mom and father want custody."
"Oh, Bella. I'll help out in anyway I can."
Bella gave Jake a half smile, "thanks. So how is life with you and Ham?"
"Ugh, well, two more people have been added to the list of people who know about the real me." Jake told her about last night. "So I decided to transfer to Rawley Girls or go back to New York." She said as she held up her application.
"Wow, Ryder kissed you twice?"
"Icky, huh?"
"Creepy, but how was it?" Bella asked cautiously.
"Different, kind of forcefully. I love Hamilton, and being kissed by Ryder was actually kind of weird." Jake said. "Don't tell Ham."
"Oh, I promise, any response you give him will always lead to a bloody fight."
"Which I really don't want, especially since unwanted is well, unwanted."
"Understandable."
Later that night, Ham is in his room studying, when his computer beeped, "You have mail". He got up and opened it. It was from Jake, an apology.
Bella arrived home to find Charley waiting for her. "I know you were under pressure, but you can't run away from your problems. This isn't a trial, it's just a sit down with a judge to determine if your mother has a case or not. I called the judge; he wants Scout present due to the lies your mother told. Alright?"
Bella nodded her head. "Okay."
Charley looked up to see Grace mid-trying to sneak out. "Where do you think you are going?"
"Uh, out?" She said innocently.
"Not tonight."
"Why not?" She said sticking out her bottom lip, like a puppy dog.
"Because your friend, Joe was arrested last night and I heard from a very reliable source that you were there. So you're in tonight and this weekend."
"But…"
"No, that could have been you, if it weren't for a certain old babysitter of yours you let you off."
"But Bella…"
"I don't hang out with criminals, plus I'm not going anywhere." Bella said.
"Cause you choose not too." Grace stormed back to her room.
"She wasn't here when mom came, does she know?"
"No."
"We, you, I should tell her."
"I'll tell her." He stood to leave.
"Um, does mom want both of us or just me?"
"You; Grace is my daughter, by blood." He caught the frown beginning to grow on her face. "Bella, (he pulled her into a hug) you're my daughter, I raised you, and I love you."
"I love you, too. Blood doesn't matter."
"No, it doesn't." He said reassuring her. "I'll talk to Grace tomorrow and then we'll talk to Scout after school." He pulled away. "Okay?"
"Yeah."
"It's going to be alright." Charley said as he headed toward the stairs.
"I know, good night."
"Don't stay up too late, good night."
"I won't." She turned and saw the lights were still on across the street. She walked to the door and saw Will was cleaning up. She opened the door and walked over. She stood outside the diner door and watched Will wipe the table, until he looked up and saw her. He dropped the rag, walked over, unlocked, and opened the door.
"Hey."
"Hi."
"Are you okay?" He noticed the first tears beginning to spill.
"Can I come in?"
He stepped aside and let her enter, and then locked the door behind her.
"Will?"
He turned around. "Yeah?" She hugged him tightly, as her tears began to soak his shirt. "You want to talk about it?"
"Not yet," she whispered.
"Whenever you're ready."
The next day, Will told Scout about last night.
"Did she ever tell you what was wrong?" Scout asked.
"No, we stood there for about ten minutes and then I walked her back home."
Before Scout could ask more his cell phone rang. "Hello?" He paused and glanced at Will. "Uh, yeah, sure, my last class is over at three. I'll come by then, ok, sure. See you then, bye."
"Who was that?"
"Charley."
"Why would Charley call you?"
"No idea, maybe it has to do with Bella's problem."
"Maybe."
Ham knocked on Jake and Max's door and Max answered.
"Is Jake…" He stopped, when he saw Lena and Jake sitting by the desk. Max stepped aside so Ham could enter.
"Come on, Max." Lena said as she pulled Max out the door.
When they had left, Ham spoke. "Jake?"
She turned around to face him. "Ham, I want to apologize for yesterday. I was…I'm just sick of all this. I think I should leave, transfer to the girl's school or something." She said as she held up the application.
"Okay."
"Huh, I didn't think you would agree."
"Jake, I love you, but this is getting out of our hands." Her kissed her forehead.
She smiled and quietly whispered. "Thank you." She quickly hugged him. "In the way of lawyers, does your dad have a good one?"
Ham's eyes widened, "what happened? Did Ryder tell someone?"
"Sorry, I changed subjects too fast, not for me. You've been thinking about this a lot, huh?"
"Yeah, well, my dad is the dean, and I can't imagine him liking any of this."
"Sorry, Bella knew you would react this way, so I'm allowed to tell you and only you for now."
"Okay, I won't tell anyone, now what is going on?"
Jake explained.
"Oh, poor Bella. Well, I'll talk to my dad."
"Here's Charley's info." Jake handed him an index card.
Ham took it as he glanced at his watch. "We gotta go, we're going to be late for class." The two bolted out the door.
Bella and Sean are eating lunch at school. Sean noticed Bella's unusual silence. "Bella, what's wrong?"
"What? Nothing."
"Are you sure? Did the dean find out about Jake?"
"No."
"Then why are you so quiet?"
"I just don't want to talk about it." She paused and finally looked Sean in the eye. "Sean, if my mom were to do anything, well desperate you would back Charley, wouldn't you?"
"Of course, Bella, what is all this about?"
"I'll tell you later."
"Why later?" He asked as the bell rang.
"That's why." Bella smiled at Sean's groan. She grasped his hand. "Tonight at the diner, I'll explain all to all."
"What time?"
"Eight, Will and Scout are closing tonight."
"Okay, see ya." He replied as he headed toward his class leaving her at the doorway of hers.
"See ya."
Later that day, Scout walked up to the station. In front of the garage is a car with the front hood up and a pair of legs sticking out from under the side. Scout walked up to the car and leaned on it as he spoke. "You rang?"
Bella rolled out from under the car. "Yeah, dad wants to talk to you."
"O-kay." Scout said as he turned and headed toward the office. As he walked in he spotted Charley sitting behind the counter.
"Hi, Scout."
"Hi, Charley, what's up?"
"Sit down."
"Uh-oh, I don't like that look."
"If Bella were ever in trouble you'd help her wouldn't you?"
Of course, does this have anything to do with Bella's mom?"
"Yes, she wants custody."
"Oh, no."
Charley nodded his head. "That's why I called you over here, the judge wants you to come to the meeting to testify as to what you and Bella went through."
"I'll go. Whatever keeps Bella here, I'll do it."
"Thank you, Scout. It's in two weeks. I'll write you a note to excuse you from your classes."
"Sure, whatever I can do to help."
"We really appreciate it."
"Well, you're welcome. So I have to go to work, I'll talk to you later." Scout left. As he headed toward the diner, he turned around and smiled at Bella. She smiled back.
That night Bella explained the details to the whole gang.
"So this is why you were crying last night?" Will asked.
She nodded her head.
"Now I see why you wouldn't tell me in school." Sean said.
"Bella, I explained your case to my dad. He said that he would contact his lawyer."
"Thank you, Hamilton."
"So Ham has the lawyer part covered and Scout's testifying, what can the rest of us do?" Will asked.
"My dad said that everyone can go to the hearing, you know for support. Hopefully there won't be a trial, but if there is you are all welcome to that too."
"Don't worry, Bella, we'll get you through this." Jake reassured her.
"Thanks, guys."
Meanwhile Max and Kyle are sitting on Max's bed talking. Max was playing with three paper clips. He was melting the paper clips and reforming them.
"There's something really weird going on with Ryder." Kyle said.
"Yeah, after the dance Lena started acting funny."
"It probably has to do with Jake and Ham." Kyle said.
"I wouldn't be surprised."
"Max, I think they really are gay. I've heard things."
"I did, too. But…"
"But what?"
"I didn't tell you before, but I woke up early one morning and went to open the window, when I slipped and fell. I slipped on a small, black bra."
"Oh My God!"
"Yeah."
"Do you think he's…" Kyle couldn't finish that sentence.
"Could be."
"Man, and you have to she in the same room with him."
"Yeah." Max said as he added another paper clip to the puddle in his left hand.
Kyle picked up one of Jake's discarded sneakers off of the floor. Without warning he tossed it to Max. Max caught it as he dropped he paper clips. FLASH! Max saw Jake in a pink dress. Ham was watching her from behind. He watched as Ham gripped the pearl necklace around Jake's neck as they kissed.
"Eww!" Max said as he dropped the sneaker.
"What?"
"I had a flash and you won't believe what I saw."