What you read isn't what I write and what I write isn't what you read... hehehe :D

Chapter Twelve: Celebrations & Carlisle

The month of June flies by before I know it. I stay busy of course, doing lessons with Ms. Tanya and getting fittings for my pageant dresses. I spend most of my days with Rowdy and my nights dreaming of him. Sometimes he's gone, like when he had to care of Emmett when he caught a summertime cold, or when he and Esme left town to visit his grandma back in Rosedale. I'd miss him, but he always came back, strolling down my driveway, cigarette in hand.

On the Fourth of July, twenty-four hours before my competition, Ma tells me to go fetch the Masens for our annual barbecue. She always went all out, decorating the whole place in red, white, and blue. Practically the whole town would come, excited for the Swan Extravaganza. We'd have barbecue chicken, hot dogs, coleslaw, potato salad, and so many desserts Jessie would get a cavity every year.

AJ and Jessie decide to go with me down the road, skipping along the way.

"Cotton, you think the Webers will come?" AJ looks awfully worried and I feel bad that she's scared.

"You know they will. But if they come near you, just say the word. I ain't letting them hurt you, Alice Jo." They always show up, ready to bully us and claim it was an accident. Jacob will be there too, and I can only hope he'll be distracted by Rose Charlotte.

"I know, Cotton. Maybe I'll just stay close to Jasper," she muses. For once I agree with her. Those girls will be less likely to mess with her if a boy's nearby; especially a Masen, since they're so repulsed by them.

We reach the Masens' farmhouse and AJ and Jessie scamper right up the steps and open the door without even knocking. Esme doesn't mind though. I think she loves them like her own. I follow behind them, taking my time, when I hear a banging and moaning from behind the house. It's coming from the barn and I follow the noise until I'm tucked between two shrubs.

Rowdy comes out as I stay hidden, holding himself together with slumped shoulders. I could be wrong, but I swear he's crying because his eyes are bloodshot. He's limping some kind of bad, barely moving at a snail's pace.

Carlisle follows behind, hammer in hand, pounding it in his hand.

Is he…?

Did he…?

I cover my mouth in disbelief, assessing the multitude of bruises down Rowdy's arms.

My feet are at a standstill and though I want to move, I can't. I literally can't. It's not until Jessie shouts my name that I race back towards the front door.

I want to pretend that it never happened.

But I can't pretend that it didn't.

.

.

.

Esme tells the girls their family will come by later. I'm caught up in my own thoughts at the barbeque when Rose Charlotte helps me arrange the flags on the table.

"So anyways, Mary thinks she can steal the song from me, you know? She can't even hit the high notes. She stole the mic from me, right at choir practice. How dare she! Everybody knows she can't sing worth a lick!"

"Uh huh."

"And then I told her Jesus don't like ugly, and the Revered said I can sing the lead and she don't have no right trying to take my solo! I told her just like it was."

"Uh huh."

"Then she gets in my face and Riley had to break us up, 'cause Lord knows what I was going to do next. I mean, I wouldn't have hit her, but…"

Rose Charlotte finally notices how distracted I am and touches my elbow. "You all right, Cotton?"

I shake my head, not answering. I fear a flood of tears is going to come pouring out and I can't do this, not right now.

"You can tell me anything, you know that right?"

I nod, ducking my head and whispering. "What if … what if you saw something bad? I mean real bad. Would you tell?"

"Bad like what?"

Rose Charlotte is my best friend, but it still doesn't feel right to go blabbing the Masens' business. I need to be smart about this.

"Bad like … hurt bad. If you saw someone getting hurt, would you tell?"

"I would," Rose answers immediately. "You always have to do the right thing, even when it don't feel like it's the right thing. But, I would talk to the person getting hurt first. Then I would tell. Sometimes victims don't want help. You still have to make a decision, but I would let them know what you're doing."

"Okay."

Rose Charlotte assesses me carefully. "You're not…"

I dismiss her fears. "No no, not me, Rose. I'm fine. Just someone I used to know long ago."

She smiles. "Whew. I'm glad, 'cause if it was you or someone around here, Forks County would have a field day! Could you imagine?"

I chuckle without humor alongside her. "Yeah."

"C'mon," Rose urges me. "Let's go see if we can steal some of that whipped cream. Miss Sue made it from scratch, don't you know?"

.

.

.

By the afternoon, everybody who's anybody is laughing and carrying on in our yard. The deacons from the church have set up a horseshoe game. The small ones are blowing huge bubbles, screaming and giggling as they chase each other. Even the Weber girls are having fun and leaving AJ alone. Ma is in a deep conversation with the Reverend's wife, Maggie Weber, on our front stoop. I eavesdrop and act as if I'm fixing a plate of watermelon.

"My, my. What a shame. Those poor Masens. You'd think Carlisle would get help."

"Too proud," Maggie replies. "Says there ain't a problem and he's got it under control. I swear he's going to end up killing him!"

"We should do something," Ma says kindheartedly. "God knows Esme can't keep hiding a secret like that."

"I tried, Renee, but it ain't my place. The church can only do so much. But like you said, it's abuse through and through. Edward's blood will be on their hands."

I jump when two fingers tap me on the shoulder, interrupting my spying.

"Nosy much?"

Jacob grins down at me and steals a slice of watermelon from my plate. "Go away, Jacob. I'm not talking to you."

"Why? Because of our little spat?" He shrugs nonchalantly. "C'mon, Bella, you know me better than that. We can still be friends, right?"

"Not when you're acting all mean, we can't. I don't take threats kindly."

He dismisses me with a wave of his hand. "I was only kidding, Bella. You've got to learn when to take a joke. Seriously, let's hug it out."

Jacob wraps his arms around me before I know what's happening. In a split second, he half-spins me around until I see the Masens' truck roll into our driveway.

Rowdy is sitting in the back, as always, staring directly at me.

I push Jacob off of me as he laughs. That jerk! He knew what he was doing!

"All's fair in love and war, right Bella?" He kisses my cheek and struts away. I stand there, looking horrified as Rowdy gapes at me like I've kicked him in the gut.

Carlisle parks his Chevy. When he gets out, he tries to help Rowdy out, but Rowdy snatches his arm away. He says something to his father who, in return, just walks away.

Esme and Jasper and Emmett are left to help him. He tries to make it appear like nothing's wrong, but his limp is as bad as it was this morning. They sit him in the nearest lawn chair available, away from the rest of the guests. Esme kisses his forehead as the boys scatter to join in on the fun.

I make a beeline for Rowdy, but because my view is directly on him I don't notice Carlisle, who grabs my arm. The man has never spoken directly to me, but through his missing teeth, I can hear every word clearly.

"You mind yourself, Swany," he breathes into my ear. "I saw you hiding out on my property this morning. You mind yourself real good. My boy is my business, you understand me?"

I hold my breath, too fearful to speak. But I nod as he tightens his grip and twists my skin until my eyes start to water.

"I'd hate for a girl like you to get hurt. And you will, if you go poking your nose where it don't belong. Now get!"

Carlisle doesn't have to tell me twice. I run as fast as my legs will carry me, and it's not towards Rowdy, who's already gone from his chair.