Okay, I'll try to update everyday. No promises though.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the rights to Twilight. I do, however, own a hardcover boxed set of the books, though…………..

Bella POV

I learned a lot in those three weeks at the orphanage. First is the proper way to address Ms. Shelly. M'am, when it's only her, and Aunt Shelly when she has company. However if you annoy her when she has company, you will pay for it later with cuts and bruises. Second, don't backtalk. Lastly, don't mess with Leah's brother.

"Stay away from him, little girl!" Leah shouted at a girl with messy orange-tinted hair, named Victoria. Victoria had tried to hit on Leah's little brother, Seth, but little did she know that she would invoke the wrath that is Leah.

Seth's voice rang out above Leah's, a near impossible feat. "Lee-lee, calm down! She's not an issue. I'll take care of it myself." It took Angela, Jessica, Lauren, and myself to pull her back into the building. She gave her brother a fleeting glance and screamed, "No funny business, Seth!"

I looked at Angela, who just rolled her eyes. Then she mouthed 'this happens every month.'

"Why are you screaming so loudly, Clearwater?" Ms. Shelly asked very cruelly.

I quickly answered for her. "Leah got hurt, M'am. We were heading back to our room to take care of her."

"Is that so?" she asked mockingly. She grabbed and twisted my arm so that I was on my knees in front f her. "Girls, leave. Isabella will stay here." Angela and Leah shared a worried glance, but that went unnoticed by Ms. Shelly. Jessica and Lauren smugly smiled. "Isabella, there was word that you were mean to dear Lauren. This was confirmed by Jessica." I stayed silently. I knew what was coming, and I knew that speaking would make it worse.

"So, you will be punished" She took out her nail file and started filing as she pressed her heel into my palm. After that, she took her newly sharpened nails and dug them into my shoulder blade, hard enough to draw my blood. She kicked my ribs and scratched my forearms. She always beat me the most, and hardest, because I had the excuse of being a klutz. She grabbed my wrist and threw me into my room, leaving deep gashes in my palm.

I stumbled into my room and collapsed onto my cot. "Are you ok?" Angela asked while shooting daggers at Lauren. "We heard the whole thing." I shook my head no and felt tears trickle down my cheek. They burned as they ran across my cuts. Angela grabbed a rag that we kept for when Ms. Shelly did this. She pressed it against my wounds while Leah got me some clean clothes.

"I need to talk to you. Alone." Leah said, enunciating the last word while looking at Jessica and Lauren.

"Oh, of course, Leah." Jessica smiled with false sweetness.

After they left, Angela included, Leah turned to me. "Bella, you need to leave." I stared at her, uncomprehending. "Run away. This place is so much worse for you than for anybody else. I'll help you pack. You have to go tonight. Tomorrow's he 'indulgence' night. Once a month she gets drunk and high, then beats us all." I shivered, imagining the consequences. "Exactly. That's precisely why. It'll be so much worse than tonight." she finished, looking at my arms, which were still bleeding. "Here are your things. Leave now. She's in bed.I'll tell the others that your in the shower." She hugged me tightly. "I'll miss you, Bella, but it's hazardous to stay."

I hugged her back. Tears were flowing as I said, "I'll miss you, too, Leah. So much. And Angela, too. Goodbye." I climbed through the open window. When I felt the grass below me, I ran as hard as I could. I ran for a couple hours when I saw light. I sprinted towards it and fell on a rock. Go figure. I curled into a ball. Now that I've stopped, I couldn't move. The last thing I saw was a blur of white and bronze.

So, was it good? I think you can guess what's gonna happen next. *Nudge, Nudge* *wink, wink* Ha, well I've got the next chapter written and need to get it typed up. So, I'll type it up ASAP