Characters belong to Stefanie Myers

cheese12345 I am glad you are enjoying the story. What's going on will eventually be revealed, but not for a little while.

Chapter 7

Wednesday night, Angela was helping her mother put the boys to bed when Bella decided to go get a glass of water. She was passing the Pastors office when she heard a familiar voice.

"I'm not the one who needs to talk." Charlie's tone was annoyed.

"Look Chief, I know you. You're beating yourself up. The truth is you did everything you could do for the kid. You went above and beyond to help him, and you didn't do anything wrong."

"Yeah," Her father said, sounding defeated.

Pastor Webber Sighed "Why don't you leave Bella here for the night, go home, straighten yourself out and pick her up tomorrow."

Bella went down the stairs before she was caught eavesdropping. She waited in the living room for Charlie to come out of the office.

"Dad!"

Bella didn't have to fake the surprise in her voice. Charlie was in a suit. It was so disheveled it looked like he'd been wearing it for days, his hair was sticking in all directions and there was very thick stubble on his face. When he came closer to her she could smell stale beer and vomit on him. She wrinkled her nose.

"Are you okay? Should you be driving?" she asked worriedly

Her father gave her a shaky smile. "Yeah sweetheart, I'm okay. That smells not me, it's on my clothes."

"Oh, okay. Can I come home now?"

"Yeah kid, let's go home."

Charlie rolled down the windows to help subdue the smell. The ride home was quiet. Bella could feel the weariness and sadness wafting off of her father. He looked disheveled but even more, he looked defeated.

When they pulled into the driveway Charlie turned off the engine and just sat there. He was staring at the steering wheel as if it could somehow fix everything but was refusing to do so.

"Dad,"

Charlie jumped. Had he forgotten she was there?

"What is it Bell?" His voice was soft.

"I'm sorry someone died."

"Yeah, me too." His tone of voice expressed there was so much more to those words.

She needed to break through this sadness. She said the first thing that came to mind.

"Tyler asked me to hang out on saturday."

She had his full attention now. "That Crawley kid?"

"I think that's his last name, yes."

"Like on a date?" Charlie's voice went a little high with this question.

"I don't know, Angela invited herself so it would be a group thing."

"Oh, I really like that girl," He said with relief.

"Yeah, me too." she smiled.

"Look Bell, I know you're fifteen now, but do you think you could give your old man a little more time before you start dating. Please."

"No worries dad. I'm not interested in any of the boys at my school."

"Okay, Phew" He made a show of wiping his brow.

After they went inside Bella went straight to her room. Charlie went straight for a shower.

Thursday, the rumors about the murder were still circulating, but not nearly as much. The new topic of conversation was all about the new students. At lunch, talk turned to the weekend.

"Bella, I know Ange said you would let me know tomorrow but maybe we could discuss some of the options." Tyler smiled.

"What needs to be discussed?" Bella asked cautiously.

"You know, how we are getting to where we are going, who you want there, who you don't want there."

He folded his arms in front of him and pointed a finger in Laurens direction while making a yikes face. Bella snorted a laugh then looked over at the girl. It looked like she was hugging Mike's arm and whispering into his ear.

Looking over at Jessica Bella lost all her humor. Her arms were over her chest and she was turning red. She didn't know if smoke was going to come out of her ears or if the poor girl was going to burst out into tears.

Bella didn't care what they did this weekend. It made no difference in her life, but Jessica, she needed… something.

"Jess, What do you think?" That pulled her out of her potential breakdown.

"What?"

"What do you think we should do this weekend?"

"We?"

"Yes, you, me, Angela, Tyler and Mike."

"Excuse Me!" Lauren blazed. "Who the hell do you think you are."

Out of character for Bella, she felt the urge to snap back at the girl. Instead she bawled her fist under the table and smiled sweetly. Feeling brave and not wanting to see Jessica hurting, she decided to speak up.

Bella used her most sincere voice "Oh, Lauren I'm so sorry. Do you want to come celebrate me too?"

"No." The blond girl sneered.

Bella turned to Jessica. "Okay then. Like I said, me, Angela, Tyler, Mike and you."

Bella hoped Jessica caught her hint by putting her and Mike right next to each other in her sentence. The smile on Jessica's face showed she did.

"No," Lauren protested. "Mikes hanging out with me." She smiled up at him.

"Oh, I can't. I already told Bella I would go with them." Mike asserted.

Bella bit her lips trying to hide her smile.

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