Disclaimer: I don't own Bella, Emmett, or any other characters (kinda sad, isn't it?)

Chapter 5

I think Emmett put some kind of curse on me.

After he left, I climbed into my truck, but it wouldn't start. I ended up walking, and a few minutes after that it started raining. I got to school soaked and cold.

I was shivering when I walked into History. "Are you alright?" Eric asked me. He offered me his jacket and I took it without a second thought. I nodded a thank you, teeth chattering.

The curse continued. I tripped more than usual, falling every few stairs and tangling my feet up under me. And every time I hit the ground, Emmett was somehow always there, staring at me with those hurt eyes he showed me this morning. I would look up at him, pathetic and alone.

At lunch, Eric had saved me a spot. Apparently he saw my tripping and falling and how Emmett just stared on, and took the hint. I truly felt grateful.

"Thank you, Eric." I wanted to hug him. "Oh. I still have your jacket." I started to unzip it.

"No, no. You can give it back to me tomorrow." He felt my hand. "You're still freezing."

I smiled meekly.

Jessica joined Eric and I a few minutes later, joined by other people that looked familiar, but couldn't place the names of. Jessica saw the blank look on my face when they sat down and said, "Bella, this is Angela, Lauren, Mike and Trevor."

I waved at each, and they sat. They started talking about the school dance. I didn't contribute to the conversation much.

"Hey Bella? Will you come?"

I looked up from my lunch. "Sorry, what?"

"Port Angeles! Aren't you going to the dance?"

"Uh, sorry Jess. I don't think I'll be going. I don't have a date, I don't have a dress –"

"Well, that's why we're going to Port Angeles! And Bella, it's girl's choice for the dance. Just ask someone!"

I blushed. I barely knew anyone enough to ask them. It was my second day at the high school. I thought of Emmett, but tears just filled my eyes.

"Sure. I'll go. But I'm not bringing a date."

"Then what's the fun?" Jessica whined.

"You're lucky I'm going, okay?"

Jess sighed in defeat, and then bounced back. "So, Port Angeles after school? Lauren couldn't make it."

I decided not to ask who Lauren was. I was in distress. Dresses meant shoes. Shoes for dances. And shoes for dances meant high heels. High heels meant tripping. If I was tripping more than usual today, I would die from hitting the ground from the heels.

I kept quiet, thinking about everything that could go wrong.

Getting through school after that was pretty hard. I was panicking and tripping and feeling more and more pathetic by the second. But I did, and I called Charlie in my truck. He didn't answer, so I left him a message.

"Hey Dad, it's Bella. I'm going to Port Angeles with my friends, well, Jessica and some other people. You know Jessica, don't you? But anyways, I'm driving the truck home and Angela is picking me up. That's one of Jess' friends. So if you see the truck at home and don't know where I am, I'm safe. Love you Dad. Bye."

I drove home and Jessica followed. When I got home I parked the truck and jumped in the back of her car, Angela in the passenger seat.

We reached Port Angeles in about an hour. There was a little dress store that was on the outskirts of the town, and we decided to start shopping there.

There were racks and racks of dresses. I immediately took a seat on a chair while Jessica pulled Angela to look for a dress. I thought Jessica was looking for things for Angela, but she came over and plopped down five or six dresses.

"Try these on."

"Jess."

"Come on!"

After two hours of long shopping, I had a dress and shoes. I refused to try on any heels higher than one inch, which narrowed down the selection to four. One pair didn't fit and one pair didn't match, so choosing my shoes was simple. Jessica was also finished shopping, but Angela didn't have shoes.

We decided to walk to the shoe store around the corner. I didn't feel like watching Jessica pile up boxes of shoes for Angela to try on while crying, "How cute!" so I told them I was going to the bookstore a few blocks down. They nodded and walked off, leaving me to walk the other way.

I was taking the footwork carefully – left, right, left, right. A few times, I thought I heard feet shuffling behind me. Then I caught sight of him.

It was a man. I wasn't sure if he was following me or not, but I panicked. Forgetting all about the bookstore, I tried to weave my way to the center of Port Angeles. If this man was going to do something to me, I didn't want to be in the deserted outskirts of town.

My plan didn't work.

I ended up in an alleyway, with three other men. And then I realized – the man wasn't following me, he was herding me. (A/N – Recognize that? I couldn't resist using that from the book)

"Hey there."

One of the three men emerged, probably the leader. He smiled. My eyes widened. There were no cars on the street, no people walking. There was only a dark, windowless warehouse.

I saw headlights in the distance. When I saw the silver car, my eyes welled. The car pulled over to my side and a gruff voice told me to get in. I couldn't move.

Emmett got out of the car, came to my side, and threw me in. He turned to face the men, fists clenched. I thought I heard a growl emit from his throat.

He turned back and got into the car. I stared at him, barely breathing.

It was silent in the car. He drove to an Italian restaurant and parked.

"Get out."

I shook my head.



"Get out of the car, Bella."

"Not hungry."

"You need to eat. You'll go into shock."

He unbuckled my seatbelt, picked me up, and threw me over his shoulder. People on the streets turned to stare when I hit his back with my fists and started to screeched. I was surprised no one called the police.

I was sitting in the restaurant five minutes later. Emmett made me drink something, and one I had started sipping a coke, I realized how thirsty I was.

When I finished the drink, Emmett gave me his water. I downed about half of it, then stopped.

"Bella, what were you thinking?"

I was surprised by his tone. It was… disappointed and almost astounded.

"I wanted a book," I said pathetically.

Emmett sighed, noting my weak tone. "Just don't do it again. Never walk alone in Port Angeles, especially in a abandoned place like that."

I nodded.

"Would you like something to eat?"

"Nothing for me, but can she get a salad or something?" Emmett said before I could refuse the waitress' offer.

"Sure."

"I don't like salad."

I put my head on my hands.

"I don't care what you like. You will eat," Emmett said. I knew I couldn't win with him.

"Why don't you eat?"

"Not hungry."

"You know," I started, not sure if I should continue. "I've never actually seen you eat. Even at lunch. You just sit and talk."

Emmett's eyes narrowed, but not menacingly. He looked curious. "Tell me more."

"Well, none of your friends eat, either."

"Edward and Alice are my brother and sister."

"Oh."

I lost my train of thought. Luckily, my salad came. I looked at it. Just a pile of leaves.

"Ew."



"Bella, just eat a little."

I took a piece of lettuce in my fingers, making a disgusted face. I put it in my mouth and chewed. The rest of dinner went like that. Emmett watched me, eyes never leaving my face.

"What are Jessica and Angela going to think? I told them I –"

"I called them and told them I would be taking you to dinner."

"But you were never on the phone."

"Eat."

There was definitely something Emmett was hiding. I clenched my teeth, putting the last piece of lettuce in my mouth.

(A/N - I know the story is a little... slow. But it'll get better. Promise.)