I really do not mean to make you guys wait so long. Three days in a row of updating is the easiest thing for me to do. I will however, post whenever I get the chance. This probably won't happen often.
Thank you for the love and encouragement. It makes continuing much easier. x
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Out of all the places I could've picked to stop I had stopped here. Was it fate? Destiny? I could feel tears welling up in my eyes as I looked on, awestruck.
Her copper hair shimmered brighter than I had remembered. She was almost glowing through my vison. That may have just been the fact that my eyesight was clouded by tears. Traitors. I wiped at my eyes to remove the wetness though none had fallen. I was at least grateful for that.
She was standing there in what looked like a baseball uniform, her hands on her hips. But her face didn't fit her posture. I thought maybe she was angry. What I saw was her smiling ear to ear at the others. I didn't know what to think. Other than that maybe she was as good as had thought she was.
She must have had enough of it though because she tugged on one of the men's arms. He instantly withdrew himself from the miniature storm and began to speak with her. He was wearing a uniform with the same colors but they were flip flopped. They were on opposing sides but something told me that didn't matter.
She had her hands on his sides and was talking up to him, a loving look on her face.
He looked good. His blond hair was slicked back and his uniform clung to his toned form. Good for Esme. He seemed like a good guy. Of course anyone could seem good. My mind went back to that day I had been running away from Esme. The corners of her card had been digging into the palm of my hand when Alec had grabbed hold of me.
He must have seemed like the most loving person to any onlookers. Such a great actor, Alec. I scowled.
However, Esme seemed to trust this man. Just then she lifted herself onto her tiptoes and gave him a peck on the lips before walking away from him and going over to a line of bags. Lucky, hot bastard turn back to the group that was still bickering wildly. I wished I could make out what was being said, it really did look interesting. At least to me.
Blondie gave a shout and the group suddenly dispersed into two groups, all of them had their head ducked down as they made their way towards Esme and ruffled through belongings. I felt a tang of anxiety as they all began to walk away, the man leading followed by the big, brawny one and another stalky one. I hadn't noticed him before, his hair was the color of honey and the ends were kissing his shoulders as he walked. He had his hand on Blondie's shoulder. Following them was the smaller man with coppery hair, a pixie clinging to his arm. And next to them was a model with long, almost white hair. Her eyes were on the playground. She was smiling.
I wonder if she had a kid somewhere or maybe she just wanted one.
I didn't give the idea anymore thought as I saw Esme alone packing up a duffel bag. When would I ever get another chance to talk to her face to face? I didn't have to call her if she was right in front of me.
Right in front of me.
She was staring in my direction. She was staring at my face. She probably thought I was some creep watching her from under a tree. She could probably barely see me right now. Esme stood and she squinted her eyes. I near bolted as she took a few steps toward me. But again, this could be my only shot.
I put my big girl panties on and stood up, brushing my now sweaty hands on my jeans. Damn, what if she forgot about me? She probably doesn't even remember me.
Despite the doubts in my head I walked towards her slowly, my hands glued to my sides. I couldn't stare at her directly, afraid I would chicken out and run, and I didn't look up until I saw her shoes in my vision. She was wearing real cleets. Badass.
I was 6 feet away from her now and recognition was written all over her face. I couldn't tell if that was good or bad.
"Hello." I nearly lost it as the words came out of her mouth. She sounded the same as she did the day she had stepped up to offer me help in that damn coffee shop, concerned and kind and caring. All in one word. I refused to fall apart here and now. That could always wait.
'Hi' was the lame reply I came up with and spouted without much thought. It came out scratchier than I wanted it to. My throat was raw, I sounded sick. Looking up at her now, she had her head cocked to the side with the same look of pain marking her beautiful features.
That would be my fault.
She lifted up a hand and maybe thought better of it as she lowered it back down. I decided to continue to talk, to try and ask for help. But in the back of my mind I was waiting for Jane. She would pull up at any minute and take me away.
"I'm Bella…Swan." I swallowed. "You gave me your card and I didn't get a chance to tell you that." I trained my eyes on her face, afraid that if I looked away my eyes would meet someone else's. Someone not so nice.
"It's nice to see you again Bella." She smiled and stepped closer to me, holding out a hand as if I was a skittish animal. Which made sense, I did run away from her like hell was on my heels the first time and all she had done was say hi and give me some paper. Damn paper kind of saved my life. "Bella. Are you alright?"
I swallowed again. Damn cotton in my throat. I guess it took me too long to reply because she stepped closer and reached out to touch my arm. "Are you hurt?"
"I'm… no. Yes. Just this." I pointed to my face where it was still an ugly shade of yellow-ish green. That was a lie, it hurt everywhere. I continued. "But it's just that I can't go back again… They'll kill me if I go back. They will kill me" Maybe that had been too harsh. I don't want Esme to get hurt because of me. I was shaking my head and then remembered my surroundings. My head whipped around, checking every face I could in desperation. Now would be the time that they would show up but it was all clear.
Esme had removed her hand from my arm and I felt a pang in my chest. She didn't want to get pulled into this. I should've known. But in a split send, my hand was in hers. I couldn't speak.
"Bella will you come with me?" All I could do was nod my head, and hope and pray as I followed her. I checked every face half a dozen times as Esme and I made our way to the parking lot with her bag. It still looked clear.
The people who had been bickering in the outfield before, were watching us closely as we came towards the. I could feel their eyes on me, looking over me and I nestled into Esme's side. I'm glad she didn't seem to mind.
"Do they know that you're gone, Bella?" Her voice had startled me, as calm as it had been. She gave me an apologetic look. I shook my head.
"When I left him, he was asleep. I took this from him. The clothes are from a locker." I showed her the bills and she nodded at them, I couldn't understand the meaning of the look she had on her face. Was she disapproving of my actions?
When we got to the asphalt of the parking lot she slowed down and turned to me, speaking softly. "Bella, I want to take you somewhere. We'll talk. I want you safe."
I felt tears springing into my eyes. Fuck me. I wiped at them viciously and inhaled deeply to calm myself. Better. I nodded because I knew if I spoke all of it would have been blubbery bullshit. She didn't need to see that.
She pointed to the group she had been playing ball with. "That's my family. For protection I'm going to ask some of them to come along."
I felt uneasy now. Despite the Esme I thought she was, she could be just like Alec and Jane. But what choice did I really have? She could help me. If I ran again, Jane would find me.
She would find me, and she would kill me.
It was Esme, Blondie, and me sitting at a table in a nice little burger joint. All of us had coffee between our hands, sitting silently with the weight of the situation on our shoulders. Blondie had turned out to be in fact, Dr. Carlisle Cullen, Esme's husband. The rest of the group I had seen before were her kids, which I found odd. Esme couldn't be that old. I didn't know who any of the 'kids' were. It was only Dr. Cullen who Esme had introduced to me in the silent car ride here.
She said it was better to talk in public, but for safety she had her sons sitting outside on a bench. At least the thought of them protecting them, maybe us, was nice. Except that Felix could easily take her sons down. Her son-in-law could probably last longer than the other two, but Felix was heartless and the bastard sitting outside never stopped grinning. Like life was a big joke.
It actually kind of is, if you're a sadist or something.
While I was in my head I heard a dainty throat clear. My eyes flickered to Esme's face. She was staring at me, measuring me.
After I had told her and her husband about the first time I ran and the severe beating for doing it, Esme had made it clear that if they wanted to find me they would. I believed her. After all, Jane could walk into a shelter at anytime and I knew that they would check the hospitals. It all stung but it was the reality of the situation, of my situation and anyone else's that walked this road.
Esme had immediately tried to take back her words and her husband also tried to soothe the hurt but I understood. Why would they risk their good lives, and their children's lives for someone like me? I was just sitting here in shock, waiting for them to tell me to leave. I knew that they would be polite about it. That wouldn't make it hurt any more than it already would, right? I felt doomed. My vision became blurrier and I felt a hand shadow my own as I clung to the coffee mug in my hand.
I had to remember that they didn't owe me anything. I was nothing to them and I would only put them in danger.
"Bella?" I shut my eyes tight and I waited for her to tell me to leave. I waited for what felt like a lifetime. "Bella, will you come home with us? You will be safe there. We will protect you."
I blinked. And I blinked again. I didn't hear her right. I heard what I wanted to hear. Or was it what I wanted to hear? I looked up at her, tears were falling down my face and I felt like such a child. I'm allowed to show feeling now and again though right? I am human after all. I tried to talk to her, to ask why but I couldn't even get out the one word. I couldn't see their faces anymore.
Were they regretting asking such a question after seeing me fall apart in public? I was sure that every eye was trained on the girl having a break down over her coffee. They were probably going to make a break for it before I noticed. Just as the thought occurred, I felt a pair of arms around me. They were strong but they didn't hurt and it gave me relief. I cried some more and then I started bobbing my head up and down.
I didn't even tell myself to do it and again I thought, this could be a trap and I could end up in hell all over again. But the look I was getting from Esme, her face next to mine told a different story. One of love and understanding.
I believed she could help me. I mean who knew, maybe she really could.
I don't know what Dr. Cullen had been doing while Esme was holding me but when my vision cleared up, I saw him just returning to the table. I narrowed my eyes at him and he seemed to notice my suspicion and laid a stub of paper on the table. It was a receipt. I immediately felt terrible for doubting him.
If Esme trusted him then he had to be good.
Esme helped me up onto my feet and kept an arm wrapped around me as we made our way out, the doctor trailing behind. I tried not to let that bother me too much as we exited the building but I nearly jumped out of my skin when a large hummer came to a screeching halt only three feet away from us.
I couldn't quite catch my breath and Esme ushered me reassuringly into the car, scowling at the driver in what I think I pegged correctly as disapproval.
"Emmett, be easy on the tires and be easy on the nerves." She gave him another look through the rearview mirror. Instead of replying he looked at me through the mirror and offered a huge grin. What was making this fucker so happy? The question brought on unwanted thoughts. And a car door shutting brought me back to the present. I buckled myself in, as did Esme beside me.
She tried to keep her hands off me I could tell, which I was grateful for, partially. Too many hands had touched me without permission and plenty of those hands had belonged to women. However I knew, or thought I knew that Esme truly meant well and she wanted me to know I was safe.
I slumped in my seat and felt like a shitty person as Esme gave her hands a look I was beginning to know well, one of pain and frustration. I hoped I could stop giving her reason to feel such a way. Her face was made for smiles and laughter. I leaned towards her a bit and let my temple rest against her shoulder. Would that help?
Glancing up, I figured it had because Esme had a new found smile on her face, and she was staring down at me.
Was that love I thought I saw?
Was it clear that I gave the lovely nickname of Blondie to dear Carlisle?
Not too bad, right?