Part 18: When did it get so complicated: Bella

I smiled as I watched Leah alternate between fighting her hair into shape and glaring at the animals around my mirror. She was so frantic since tonight was her and Jakey's first 'real-actually-official-going-out-in-public-together-in-a-romantic-fashion' as she was calling it.

I reached out and took the brush from her. "You're only making it worse, let me." She grumbled something but didn't argue. "So glad you decided to have your first dat- I mean RAOGPTRF at my party. I picked something for you to wear like I said I would." There was a fresh grimace at this.

"You went with something girly didn't you?" She glanced at my smile in the mirror. "Oh gods help me."

After about twenty minutes of this sort of thing the doorbell rang and I went to answer it. Stood outside was a girl with most of her face covered in bandages. "Wha? Who are you?" I stammered, backing away from her.

"Yeah I get that a lot." She sighed. "I'm looking for Leah Clearwater; I'm Emily, her cousin." She stepped inside and removed her hat before undoing the bandages, letting them fall down and hang loosely around her neck.

Her face was crisscrossed with scars. I quickly ran to the stairs and yelled. "Hey Leah you should get down here."

"Cant it wait?" She was obviously trying to avoid having to put the stuff I had picked out on for as long as possible.

"No it really can't." My voice was really high pitched, embarrassingly so. I hoped I wasn't upsetting Emily.

Leah came down stairs, she looked good; not as good as me but that was the point. She looked around till her eyes caught Emily and she ran forward enveloping her in a bear hug "What are you doing here? God it is you, you're real. I thought you were dead. I missed you Emily."

"OK what the hell is going on here?"

They separated from the hug and Leah looked at me. "5 years ago Emily went missing and we all assumed it was a kidnapping but the police found nothing and we eventually gave up on her. That's what I know anyway." I could see tears welling up in her eyes as she spoke. It was obviously a sore topic with her.

Emily started to explain but she was clearly nervous and kept pausing as if she was being careful what words she was using. "I was... working somewhere in London on a five year contract but something went wrong, I think. I woke up in hospital in china a few weeks ago with these scars. My... employers got in contact with me and I still got paid fully so I can afford to have them removed soon but as soon as I got out of hospital I wanted to track down my family first. You guys were the first ones I found." She smiled down at Leah and pulled her into another hug.

Leah hugged her back. "What were you doing in China? No never mind it's not important. Well mum should have your parent's addresses if you wait for her to get back home."

"Oh cool, where's Harry? At work?" Leah pulled away and gasped. She turned away to hide the tears that had spilled over.

I spoke up when Leah remained quiet. "Harry passed away."

Emily gasped and put her hand over her mouth "Oh my god. I'm so sorry." Oddly she seemed more upset about Leah's reaction than to the fact that her uncle had died, maybe they weren't very close.

"No it's OK." I smiled gently; this was a much healthier reaction than she would have had when she first came here.

"Are you two dressed up for something special?" Emily tried to quickly change the subject as she rubbed Leah's shoulders.

"Yeah it's my birthday" I gave a small twirl; guess when it comes down to it I really was a girl

"Well come on Leah let's get that makeup fixed for you. Where's your bathroom?" I pointed it out and watched the two go up stairs.

It was so weird that our lives were so full of drama and some girls have the perfect lives. Well at least I had ended up with Seth, I felt myself blush at the thought of him. Guess my life was kind of perfect in the end, Leah's would be too when she got Jake.

They came back down Leah looking good as new; she turned to her newly found cousin. "Hey you should come to the party."

"No. People would react badly to these scars of mine I know. Don't worry I will wait for Sue here."

"Oh no this is Bella's house, here's my key, three doors down."

I pulled Emily to the side. "Why don't you seem upset about Harry?"

"I am but for so many years I have been Leah's emotional safety net. Go on have fun with your friends Bella I'll be Ok." She was so good at hiding her emotions that even looking in her eyes I couldn't tell what she was really feeling.

eh can't be bothered to write anything here