I finally got off work and walked inside to see my dad and Charlie lounging on the couch with beers watching the game. I held about two coffees and three cappuccinos in my hand "hey dad hey Mr. swan "I yelled running by them into the kitchen setting them down on the table so they wouldn't fall out of my hands. I already spilled some on me on the drive home, burned the shit out of me. I walked to the sink grabbing a clean wash cloth and scrubbing my pants while walking into the living room. "Hey kid how was work" Charlie asked looking over at me, "um busy since its really cold out yeah knows" I said trying to sound interested. "Well its good you have a job" he said smiling, "yeah I guess so" I said shrugging a little. "Well Bella and Jake are out in the garage if your wondering." My dad said to me hinting I should go out there I rolled my eyes a little, "I figure, well ill go see what there doing" I said backing out of the living room heading outside.
Walking into the garage I saw Bella sitting there awkwardly on the bench. "Hey Jake, Bella? How's it going"
I asked both of them looking back and forth to them. Jake was working on his car as usually imp just helping him because he helped me on mine. I stood next to Jake with both of our heads under the hood "Embry I have to tell you something," he said to me. "Oh yeah like what?" I asked picking up a wrench and started twisting a bolt not even looking at him. "Well earlier when you weren't here Bella was leaning over picking up the wood carvings dad and I did and her shirt lifted up and..." he took a deep breath clenching the side of the car he had his hand on his knuckles started to turn white. I looked up at him furrowing my eyebrows together "and...What?" I asked telling him to go on. "And I saw a bunch of faded bruises on her body, I mean what the hell, like what happened to her" he asked question after another.
I put the wrench down and we both looked over at her you could def. tell she was uncomfortable; she was squeezing the crap out of the water bottle. "What are you serious" I whispered asking in shock. "Yeah like they were huge I really want to know what's happened to her" he said looking back at me. "It's not our business..." I stopped talking when we both saw her get up and leave.
I walked toward the door "Bella...Bella stay..." we both called out She just kept walking.
"Shit Dad and Charlie are going to flip on us cause they will probably think we said or did something to her" I said still looking out the door. "Come on, we have to go after her if she wants to be alone or not and ask her what happened to her" he told me grabbing my arm and pulling me all the way outside in the direction we saw her walking. "What are you serious? Jake it's none of our business, I mean it's not our place to ask" I said in a voice like are you serious. See that's the thing about my brother if he wanted to know something he would find out, especially if it's going to help someone out. "Just come on!" he said pulling me.
"BELLA! Come back Bella" Jake yelled.
I didn't say anything I just followed as the crazy wind was hitting our faces. We crossed the scary board that was laid over a ditch and finally walked up behind her. "Hey Bella come on, were sorry if we made you uncomfortable, I mean we can do something else we don't need to work on my car." He said glancing over at me to say something. My eyes got wide, I was awkward around Bella and nervous on top of that I always liked her since kids but I had no idea who she is now. I shoved my hands into my hoodie pocket and cleared my throat "um yeah its freezing out here lets go inside I brought cappuccinos home from work for all of us, there still hot so come on." I said trying to push a smile out at her.
She just turned around looking at us with a blank expression her face and her long hair whipping around. She nervously bit her lip with her arms wrapped around her body. She never spoke much and I wasn't expecting her to start now but at least Jake and I could try. Jake took off his hoodie putting it around Bella and gently pulled her forward towards the house. "Yeah I mean like Embry said its cold and we can chill in my room and play video games or watch a movie." he suggested. I just watched as she pulled back away from jakes touch. I winced a little when I saw the expression of pain worry and being scared.
JACOB
I stood next to Embry with both of our heads under the hood "Embry I have to tell you something," I said to him "oh yeah like what?" he asked picking up a wrench and started twisting a bolt not even looking at me. "Well earlier when you weren't here Bella was leaning over picking up the wood carvings dad and I did and her shirt lifted up and..." I took a deep breath clenching the side of my car I had my hand on it felt like my knuckles were going to burst. He stopped what he was doing and looked up at me furrowing his eyebrows together "and...What?" he asked waiting for me to continue. "And I saw a bunch of faded bruises on her body, I mean what the hell, like what happened to her" I asked question after another still knowing he wouldn't have the answers. He stood there for a second putting the wrench down and we both looked over at Bella who was being awkward and quiet as usual. Looking back at him "what are you serious" he whispered back to me. I kept talking and wondering about what happened to her, seeing her like this was def bothering me.
Embry looked up fast and I did the same watching Bella getting up and leave, Embry jogged to the door watching her leave. "BELLA! come back BELLA!" we both called out to her
"Come on imp going to find out what happened to her" I said serious pulling Embry's arm outside following her. "But... Jake it's not our business" he said to me I wasn't listening I just wanted to get to the point and get answers that's how I was, I wanted to help her I'm sure Embry did to but I was more forward about it. Finally letting go of Embry as he followed me we caught up with Bella. "Hey Bella come on...I'm sorry if we made you uncomfortable we don't have to work on my car we can go do something else." I said to her. She just stood there quietly with her arms around her. The wind was fierce making her hair fly around her face. I looked over at Embry to make him say something and so he suggested that all of us go get something to hot to drink. I just nodded and put my hoodie around her and pulled her forward to the house.
She back away from touch, and I saw Embry wince and I looked back over at her; her face expression was horrible she looked like I was trying to hurt her. "I...I'm...I'm sorry" I stuttered out. "Come on lets just go inside" Embry said walking back toward the house. I followed looking back at her, she slowly followed us. I was just thinking what was wrong with her; either I was going to ask her or Charlie. I never wanted to see bruises like that on anybody especially Bella even though I have no idea who she is now, but I always liked her. We reached the house and now in the kitchen. Embry looked nervous handing Bella and I the warm cappuccinos he brought home. "Thanks bro" I said taking a sip burning my tongue. "Ow damn it" I said trying not spitting it out. "Thanks Embry" she said quietly nodding at him. "Sooo... to the room" I suggested and started walking to it with them following behind. It was nice being inside a warm house instead of the freezing cold outside. My mind was racing with thousand thoughts about Bella and what secret she was hiding from everyone. I plopped down on my bed. "Take a seat any where you like Bella" I said to her forcing a smile out. She quietly walked to a bean bag chair and sat down without saying a word. Embry pulled the desk chair out in front of the flat screen starting up the Xbox throwing me a controller. He handed one to Bella who shook her head no "I don't really know how to play video games really." She said barely being able to hear her. "Really?" Embry and I both asked she just nodded staring at the screen. "Well...better start learning " Embry smiled messing with the menu."yeah like Em said get use to it since your going to be playing with us lot" I told her hinting that she was going to be hanging out with us a lot more.
She just sat the controller to there side and watched Embry and I play Call of duty 4, hearing him cuss every 2 minutes because he was dyeing which I was surprised because he was a game nerd, well a nerd in general out of all our guy friends. "Soooo Bella. I have a question for you." I said trying to be casual and calm about it still playing the game and looking down at her. She looked up at me playing with the hole that was on her jeans "hmmm" was all she said. "I wanted to know ..." I coughed a little trying to spit it out. Embry stopped playing and looked at me shaking his head no. I just rolled my eyes nervously and looked back at Bella he just sighed at me going back to the game. "I wanted to know where did you get those bruises from... if you don't mind me asking, i saw them when we were in the garage..." I said softly with worry." Jake... do you ever shut up.?"
BELLA
I just couldn't stay inside and my mind was beginning to wonder as I made my way outside and behind the garage and house. Ignoring their shouts just wanting to be alone and wasn't sure how to act around them it was like she was intruding on their guy time or something. Letting out a light breath she continued to walk, keeping her arms around her for now and still holding the water bottle, looking around the trees a moment before hearing the footsteps and sighed.
"Hey Bella come on...I'm sorry if we made you uncomfortable we don't have to work on my car we can go do something else."
Jake said to me while I just stood there quietly with her arms around myself. The wind was fierce making my hair fly around my face. And I just closed my eyes a moment. Before looking at him seeing him remove his hoodie and place it around my shoulders before they started back towards the garage. But just that single action made me suddenly feel like it was right before…
I backed away from the touch, and saw him look back over at me; not realizing my facial expression was showing such a horrible look but that was how I felt, like they were trying to hurt me. "I...I'm...I'm sorry" Jacob stuttered out but couldn't respond shaking some and holding the hoodie tightly around me. "Come on lets just go inside" Embry said walking back toward the house. Slowly hesitant at first but than decided I no longer wanted to stay outside and followed them back to the house instead of the garage. Keeping my head down and sighed as we moved inside. Glancing back slow to Charlie and Billy still watching the game, I sighed before leaning on the counter in the kitchen.
"Thanks Embry"
I said quietly nodding at him while I took the hot drink from him. "Sooo... to the room" Jacob suggested and started walking to it with Embry and me slowly following behind. Sipping the cappuccino letting my eyes look over his room a little hesitant about going inside, but than their father and mine were here. So I went in.. "Take a seat any where you like Bella" I heard Jacob say to me forcing a smile out it seemed. I quietly walked to a bean bag chair and sat down without saying a word trying to keep my balance. Embry pull out the desk chair in front of the flat screen starting up the Xbox throwing me a controller. He handed one to me but I just shook my head no keeping my eyes on the cup in my hands the warmth was nice and I wasn't as cold now as before.
"I don't really know how to play video games really." My voice barely able be to heard. "Really?" Embry and Jacob both asked. "Well...better start learning "Embry said with a smile. "Yeah like Em said get use to it since your going to be playing with us lot" Jacob told me hinting that I was going to be hanging out with them a lot more. But I let it go watching Embry and Jacob play Call of duty 4, hearing Embry cussing every 2 minutes because he was dyeing. Trying not to smile or laugh at either of them though had to shake my head a little still not quite understanding this game.
"So…Bella. I have a question for you."
Jacob said trying and looking down at me. Taking in a breath I looked up at him playing with the hole that was on my jeans "Hmmm" was all I said. "I wanted to know ..." He coughed a little trying to spit it out and I was suddenly becoming very nervous. Embry stopped playing and looked at him shaking his head no. This made me not want to know what was going on any longer shifting on the bean bag chair some looking down and waited. "I wanted to know where you got those bruises from... if you don't mind me asking, I saw them when we were in the garage..." He said his voice extremely soft with worry."
The cup just fell out of my hand hearing the question and I froze, not even reacting to the drink spilling out on the floor. My eyes were wide almost in mock horror since I had been trying to hide any marks that had not yet faded and here it was he saw them. Sure I could of just said I fell, but didn't think he would believe me and could even hear my heart racing. Jumping up and racing out of the room, down the hall before pushing open the screen door and rushing out.
"Bella? What's going on?" Charlie jumped up as I passed him but I didn't stop and took off away from the house, hoping I didn't stumble and fall on my face just wanting to hide. Not paying attention to where I was running though know the beach was not that far and figured I could just go there. Yet my nerves, my heart were all just so torn up right now wishing to just put this behind me once more. Finally having to slow down my chest was burning from how hard I had ran and I stopped leaning over some panting trying to catch my breath. Putting my hand up by my heart as I leaned back up and let my eyes close before feeling the warm of the tears that were cascading down my cheeks. It was so hard not seeing those events playing over in my head and I wrapped my arms tightly, protectively around myself and just collapsed to my knees crying.