Chapter 18: Missing 1

Bella POV

On Monday morning I was woken by my alarm, still feeling tired and restless. I got up reluctantly and went through my usual morning routine. I was so worried about the day that I felt really sick and didn't feel up to eating at all but still ate a tiny breakfast since I had promised Carlisle and I didn't want to break his trust. I cleaned the kitchen thoroughly and waited outside for one of the Cullens to pick me up.

I didn't want them to ring the bell when they arrived because this would surely wake Charlie and I didn't want to risk upsetting him even in the slightest.

It was freezing cold outside since it was the middle of November so I walked up and down restlessly until I saw Carlisles Mercedes coming down the street, but it wasn't Carlisle who was inside, it was Esme. She parked the car and got out to greet me and I ran straight into her arms forgetting about my worries for the moment.

"Hi sweetheart, how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, thank you, and you?" She smiled at me "I'm fine, too. Come on, let's get you in your seat and then to school, unless you've changed your mind?" She asked hopefully.

"No, I still want to go to school today, I've already missed two days and I've just arrived here around a week ago."

Esme put my backpack away and helped me into the seat. On the way to school I asked them what they were doing today. She said they'll go hunting since they couldn't do anything besides that or staying at home.

We got to the school parking lot and Esme helped me out of the car. She told me to try not fall over, to have fun and text or call if anything was wrong.

I thanked her and told her to have fun, too.

"I'll pick you up at 3pm, alright?" Esme asked and hugged me goodbye. I then went to my first lesson.

School was torture, it was no fun without the Cullens, and Lauren and Jessica made some really nasty comments. I really tried to ignore them but they still got to me. They said that finally the Cullens saw how much of a burden I was and left for their own good.They called me freak and nerd and threw little paper balls at me when the teachers weren't looking.

I had to fight really hard with myself to keep my emotions in check and not show them how much their words were hurting me.

In my Spanish class I met a girl named Angela, she told me she had been sick over the last week, so that's why I haven't seen her around before. She was really nice and offered me to come to her if I needed anything.

During lunch I hid away in the school library, not wanting to think about what Lauren and Jessica could do to me in the cafeteria and I really didn't want to eat anything anyway. Luckily I hadn't promised Esme or Carlisle that I would eat lunch today.

I just prayed that school would be over soon so that I could spend the rest of the day with the Cullens.

After my biology lesson, I went to go to the bathroom. All was well until I washed my hands at the sink and Lauren and Jessica came in.

I wanted to get out as fast as possible but Jessica blocked the door. "Well, well, who do we have here? If it isn't the little Cullen pet." Lauren spit at me , took my backpack from me and threw it in a corner and then grabbed my wrists tightly.

"Please… let me go, I didn't do anything to you." I whimpered. Lauren and Jessica just laughed.

"You took the Cullens from us, freak. We were going to become friends with them but you had to get in the way. And they just do this for show. There is no way someone like them could like someone like you, you filthy little worthless girl." She kicked me in the ribs then, hard. I screamed. Tears were streaming down my face.

"Please, stop…" I whimpered again.

"Everyone would be better off If you just went to off yourself, no one wants you here, and no one cares. You're just a waste of space. And don't even dare to tell anyone or we'll make you shut your stupid little mouth for you"

I nodded slowly and whimpered. Lauren kicked me in my ribs again, so hard it knocked the air out of my body and made me crash against the edge of the bathroom stalls. It was hurting so bad I screamed out again. I was sure some of my ribs were at least fractured and the wounds on my back from Renees belt that had been healing so nicely had opened up again.

Lauren and Jessica left the bathroom laughing loudly. My body was shaking and running on adrenaline. I didn't even think to call the Cullens I just wanted to get out of there.

I ran out of the bathroom and out of the school as fast as I could ignoring the pain as best as I could. I stumbled through the forest for a long time, falling down and getting up again, not paying attention to were I went, I was still crying and could barely see anything around me.

After what could be minutes or hours I stumbled over something on the ground and this time I hurt my leg, too. I didn't even try to get up anymore. My whole body was hurting, I was freezing and just wanted it all to stop. I crawled over to a tree, leaned against it and curled up in a tight ball, closed my eyes and kept crying, but I was in too much pain to fall asleep.

Some time later, I heard fast footsteps approaching.

"Bella" a female voice exclaimed and then someone was next to me, touching my cheek, I flinched back. "Bella?" The voice sounded hesitant but worried and really familiar. I opened my eyes anxiously and was met with Esme's worried eyes.

"Bella, whats wrong, are you hurt?" She asked frantically. I didn't react. I didn't want to talk. They would ask me what was wrong and what happened and they couldn't know the truth. "Sweetheart?"

I uncurled myself and held my arms out to Esme but winced at the motion. Esme picked me up carefully with my arms wrapped tightly around her neck and my feet around her waist. I winced and cried harder when my ribs came into contact with her body and then again when her arm came around my back to hold me.

I hid my face in the crook of her neck and just sobbed.

"Shh sweetheart, can you tell me where you're hurt?" I didn't react. Again.

She pulled her phone out and pulled it to her ear, speaking quietly.

"I've found her…In the forest…I think she's hurt really bad…She won't talk…She let me pick her up…Yes I'll bring her…See you soon, love."

"I'm gonna run, honey. Close your eyes." I did as she said and could feel the wind around me. I could tell that she tried to keep me from hurting more but I still whimpered now and then and tears kept streaming down my face.

Then the running stopped, I heard a door open, then we were inside. It was warmer there. I heard several gasps. Suddenly large, gentle hands were touching me, stroking my hair, then feeling for my pulse at my wrist.

"Do you know what happened yet, Esme?" I heard a concerned voice ask. Carlisle. "No, she didn't talk and she is so cold Carlisle. I think her ribs and her back are hurting, I heard her wince when I touched her there. "

I tensed. He would want to check and he would see. Carlisle would know then, he was smart. He would know exactly what had happened and who was the most likely suspect. But right now I didn't have it in me to fight. I would try and fight him off if he wanted to look under my shirts.

"Shh sweetheart. It's going to be okay." Esme whispered soothingly.

"Alice, get me blankets, Rosalie, a warm water bottle please, but not hot. Esme carry her to my office please." I felt us moving again.

"Esme, please sit down with her still in your arms, hopefully this will comfort her a little." I felt her sit down and she started stroking my hair. A blanket was pulled around me carefully and a warm water bottle was put between Esme and me, against my tummy.

Tears were still falling down my cheeks but I wasn't sobbing anymore.

"Bella sweetheart, can you look at me?" I opened my eyes and turned around to look at Carlisle brokenly. "Oh honey. Shh…It'll be okay. Can you tell me what happened?" He asked softly and wiped the tears from my face but new ones kept coming. I hid my face in the crook of Esme's neck again.

"All right then sweetheart, I'll take your temperature first, then we'll see about any injuries." I could feel him put the thermometer in my ear and heard his sigh when it beeped. I was scared of what would happen next.