Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, all of that wonderful creativity belongs to Stephanie Meyers.

A/N Thank you for the reviews and follows, so I thought I would post the first chapter with a preview of the second. I hope you like it!(: Oh, and by the way, the little *000* things are my break things. I couldn't figure out how to get double spaces, so I just use those!

Chapter one, Goodbyes lead to better Hellos

Rain drips down my window, eerily running off the car. My mom sings cheerily beside me. By the tone of her voice you wouldn't know that she was driving her daughter to her death; the death of my part of their family. I'm being taken to a distant cousin of my fathers.

I'm only eight years old, but I do know things, no matter what my family or my mother wants to believe. I saw the man killing my mom, I saw her screaming. But no, that apparently makes me sound crazy according to my mother. My father convinced her that I have an over active imagination, but that was enough for them to want to give up their rights as my parents.

I think my mom is crazy, sometimes I think she has no emotions, or maybe the wrong emotions. She looks and sounds so happy right now. Humming tunelessly, smile on her face. She is happy to be getting rid of me. That thought almost brought me to tears, but I wouldn't let her kill everything inside of me.

Goodbye Biloxi, Mississippi, hello Columbus, Ohio.

We pulled up to a giant house. It was ugly with dark dirty reddish brown bricks. We weren't even out of the car and I could feel the cold. But there was a tiny bit of hope shinning in the air.

*Running, I trip over something, and turn around to see a man with a gun!*

My eyes snapped open, and I prayed my mother didn't notice I had zoned out. She was grabbing my suitcases from the trunk. That little glimmer of hope died, and suddenly I feared for my life.

My mother and I grabbed all of my suit cases and walked up to the front door. She rang the doorbell impatiently. The door opened up to a young woman. She was beautiful, with shoulder length caramel hair. She was petite, in a long sleeved floral dress with brown tights. Maybe living here wouldn't be so terrible, but what about what I saw when we pulled up?

She smiled brightly at me. "Hello Alice, my name is Esme." She spoke softly as if there was a sleeping baby in her arms. That's how my mom would talk when Cynthia, my little sister, was a baby; she is three now.

Esme turned to my mother, "Come in." My mother walked in and dropped bags at the bottom of the stairs. "Okay, well Esme, please tell Charles I'm so grateful you are taking this little handful. And I am glad that you finally came around to this." My mother said kind of rudely. So Esme didn't want me either? I saddened even more at the thought. Nobody wants me, what's wrong with me?

Esme frowned, "Okay. I will tell him." My mother turned around and walked out the door. I had a strong feeling that I was never going to see her again.

"Esme!" A harsh man's voice came from upstairs. I saw Esme cringe and walk upstairs. She stopped and turned back towards me, "your room is the third on the left." She said in her soft voice. She took a few more steps and turned back towards me again, "I'm so sorry you were brought here." The sadness in her eyes was burning. She smiled softly and went upstairs.

*000*

That was nine years ago. Esme was only nineteen when I was brought to her and Charles. She and Charles married straight out of high school. See at first I didn't understand what Esme meant by she was sorry I was there. Both of them seemed like great people.

Well that was until the next day. I learned the reason why she wears long sleeves all of the time; Charles is abusive. Esme takes all of the abusive and somehow has managed to keep him from getting to me.

Esme has become my mother, she knows about my visions, and she doesn't think I'm weird or crazy. Esme has this amazing ability to love people unconditionally. I never understood why she is with Charles, until I got older. She tried escaping a few times. Which lead to broken bones. We lived out in the middle of nowhere it seems in Columbus, Ohio. So nobody, except for us, heard her screams.

The crazy thing about Esme is she would always comfort after Charles would be done with her. She promises that I'll get out of here, but she isn't so sure about herself. I can see it in her eyes.

Esme was humming as she packed me a lunch, she insisted on making me one, and I let her because it made her happy. Honestly, it was more likely because she was an amazing cook. It was raining slightly outside, and Esme sighed, "I'm sad to see April passing so quickly." I chuckled, "But soon it will be summer, and you won't be all alone in this place. I for one cannot wait until then, so I am glad that April is passing so quickly." Esme frowned, "I would much rather stay in April." Then she smiled, "But I guess seeing you all day is worth it." I smiled back at her, "Why do you love April so much?" Esme looked thoughtful, "It rains, and I feel like it cleans away the dirtiness of this house. And everything outside is blooming and growing. All the flowers shining cheerily, withstanding all the rain, because they know that it will only help them grow." She said happily. It was rare that either of us were happy here.

"Alice, the bus will be here any minute. Hurry up with your breakfast!" She said as she put my lunch in my bag and smiled at me. Although it must hurt, because of the swelling bruise on her right cheek bone. I smiled back at her. Neither of us is allowed to drive, so I am forced to ride the bus because the school is too far away to walk to.

On the bus I put my headphones in, put my iPod on shuffle and close my eyes. Lazy Gun by Jet, comes flowing from the headphones.

"Lazy gun messed up my television fun

Shoot the shotgun but the war is never won

Who's the enemy, who's sucking on my sun?

I'm the only one left now you've taken all my fun

Lazy gun messed up my television fun

Shoot the shotgun but the war is never won

Who's the enemy, who's sucking on my sun?

I'm the only one left now you've taken all my fun"

I sang along quietly, until

*The front door is open, and headlights are blinding me*

It seemed familiar. It felt wrong, but right at the same time. I didn't have any time to think about what I just saw, because a nauseating stench sat beside me. "Go away James." I said curtly. I didn't even need to look to see what the smell was.

"Hey babe." He said snidely. I fought the urge to look at him and glare. "What do you want?" I just wanted him to leave me alone. "Babe, don't get all snappy with me." He said pulling my headphones out as he grabbed my hand, "You made a mistake breaking up with me." He said rudely. I laughed and ripped my hand away from his. "Leave me alone." I said determinedly. James and I dated for a month, and in that time frame he managed to violate every boundary I had. He was pushy, violent, possessive, and jealous. Not to mention his terrible fashion sense. The guy may have been attractive at first, but now he is revolting.

He glared at me, "You'll regret this Evenson." He said as he changed seats. I put my headphones back in. Another person plopped down on the seat beside me. This time I smiled and turned to my best friend. She is the only other person besides Esme that I trust. She knows what Charles does, her mother beats her, and we somehow bonded over the tragedies of our lives. I found her crying in the bathroom stall trying to cover a bruise with make-up. She claimed I was magic with covering things up and I explained to her about Esme. Charlotte was very pretty and didn't usually wear make-up, and she didn't really care for fashion. She was only an inch or so taller than my 4'10 frame. She has pale blonde hair and green eyes. Her eyes seemed so friendly, and I have also associated green with our friendship ever since.

"Charlotte!" I squealed, and she laughed. "Ali. Did I just see James jump from this seat?" She asked skeptically. I grimaced. "Yes." I sighed. "He told me I made a mistake in dumping him." And Charlotte burst into giggles. "He is such a creep." I couldn't help but laugh too. "What was going through your mind when you agreed to go out with him?" She asked for the hundredth time.

I rolled my eyes, "I don't know. Maybe the fact that I thought he was kind of cute, and my very best friend thought I should go out with him too." I said sadly, but smiled at her. She stopped laughing, but smiled too. "Okay, fair enough."

*000*

School passed quickly, as it usually does. It's the rest of the day that feels like it would never end. I was walking home, I didn't feel like running into James again, and Charlotte's mother picked her up from school today. I had my headphones in, but I wasn't paying attention to the music. I had a strange feeling of anxiety growing in the pit of my stomach. It was just rooting itself in every step I took towards the house. I noticed Charles's car was in the drive way, huh that's strange. He isn't supposed to be home so soon.

*Someone tugging my arm, "Alice! Alice hunny, we need to move!"*

I opened my eyes; I was at the front door of the house. I had an odd feeling that I needed to either walk away or go inside, but either way, it could change my life. I shook my head and dismissed those thoughts. Even though deep down, I believed them to be true. But whatever it is, I know Esme is in here. But my decision was made indefinitely when I heard a scream.

I rushed inside but tripped over something in the middle of the hallway; it caused me to land onto the floor and my back pack to slide down the hallway, all with a surprisingly quiet thud. I wonder why those are there? Other than a slight ache oozing from my body, I stood up and began quietly searching the house. I knew better than to sneak up on Charles, but this time I just wanted to find Esme and get here out of this hell. One day when I was about twelve I walked into the kitchen where he was drinking, apparently he didn't see me, so when I opened the refrigerator door he jumped up, throwing the glass bottle up, smashing it into the ceiling. Esme somehow managed to only get a bloody nose.

I walked through the kitchen and stopped outside the living room entrance, there were sliding wooden doors, but they were cracked open slightly so I could see inside of them. There were two guys inside, and Esme sitting on the couch. She looked to be nursing a broken wrist. She has a very high pain tolerance; she looked to be holding it as only to not cause any further damage. "How many times do I have to tell you?" Charles snapped, and Esme just looked down at her hand. The other man in the room spoke up, "Why haven't you just gotten rid of her? I don't understand the point of keeping her. She is useless." Charles laughed, almost greedily. "I need something to come home too." He shrugged.

I heard someone knocking on the front door and quickly turned around into the kitchen. My eyes wandered through the room searching for a place to hide. Charles was walking down the hallway to the door, and I frantically prayed he wouldn't turn around. The pantry door was open slight. Hope swelled in my chest, and it died when I remembered this door always squeaks. Charles was about to open the door, and the other person would see me when he did. I took my chance and decided quickly opened the pantry. Holding my breath, I opened the door at the same exact second Charles opened the front door; it covered the sound of my hiding. I almost cried with relief. Neither said hello, Charles spoke so quietly I only caught a few words, but it was something about delivery being off schedule because he found this, something, when he got home.

They walked back into the living room, and I didn't dare to move. I could hear them talking, occasionally someone would yell. Apparently Charles was into laundering money, or something. It didn't surprise me. I believe him to be evil through and through. I laughed quietly, because I could already hear Esme scolding my thoughts, "Alice, no matter how evil someone seems we have to believe there is a little bit of good in everyone. Some glimmer of hope for them." Esme is far too loving for her own good sometimes. But she too agrees that Charles is a terrible man. We have been trying to escape for years. She told me that I became the greatest motivation for her to leave. Saying she wouldn't forgive herself if Charles laid a hand on me.

I am actually surprised she has held him off so long. Esme needs someone to take care of her like she does for everyone else, someone to love her with unconditional love like she gives. I doubt that there is someone worthy of her, but there definitely is someone better than Charles. But of course, this is all a moot point if we don't escape this place.

I felt like I have been sitting here for hours. I glanced at my IPod classic, my friend that traveled from Mississippi with me; it said it was 6:45pm. Geesh! I have been sitting here for hours. That anxious feeling I had when I had gotten home had been growing so fast I thought it could burst out of me any second. They just sat in the living room talking or yelling. Having some sort of wacked out illegal business thing that someone had blew. They were just waiting for him to get here now. "The moment he steps through that door, you take care of him Jenks!" Charles roared, "I am tired of his lack of respect and ability." He said even louder, "OH! I bet he is some undercover agent!" He managed to scream even louder. There was a knock on the door; it was rather noisy and impatient.

"Esme, upstairs." Charles ordered. I heard light footsteps making its way through the hall and up the stairs. Someone opened the front door, "About time. Charles is pissed." Spoke a voice with no emotion. They walked about, and I heard the living room doors shut. This is my chance! I have to go find Esme and get out of here. I waited a few seconds, just long enough to build my courage, but not long enough to lose it all.

There was some screaming and I thought this was the time to open the door, maybe it would drown out the noise. I opened it quickly and closed it quietly. Sighing with relief I started to make my way out of the kitchen, trying desperately to not make a sound. The screaming in the living room got louder, and Charles yelled out, "This is the last time you'll cross me!"

BANG! I heard something hit the ground and I couldn't help but scream when sound rang through the house. The doors to the living room opened up and I ran down the hallway, "YOU!" Charles screamed. I looked behind me and he was holding a gun, I tripped on my book bag that I dropped when I fell, and somewhere inside of me wondered how Charles hadn't seen it when he was opening the door for his friends. Charles was laughing, "FREEZE!" Several voices shouted, kicking the door down, cutting Charles's laughter short. He bolted into the other room, and I could see the anger and fear mixed in his eyes.

There were headlights blinding me from behind the men at the door. They all rushed past me, and someone bent down and grabbed my arm. "Alice! Alice hunny, we need to move!" A soft voice spoke, and I realized it was Esme. The police were in the house, Charles must have been right, that guy was an undercover cop. I was suddenly very thankful for the man who might possibly be dead in the living room.

*000*

That night was the longest night of my entire life. I had to answer a million questions, and retell everything I had heard over and over again. Esme and I were sent to the hospital and I found out she had a lot more broken than her wrist. Three ribs were bruised, one was broken, her left cheek bone was bruised (I couldn't see it from the angle I was peeking in through the doors of the living room), and a couple fingers her left hand, right hand with the broken wrist. Apparently Charles threw her down the stairs. He was angry about his business deal going south. But the worst part of the whole night was not knowing how badly Esme was hurt, although it was second on the list, it was that Charles got away; and he could come back and hurt her again.

It was a couple weeks before Esme was allowed to leave the hospital. We were put into Witness Protection, and suddenly my name was Mary Brandon, and Esme was Anne Brandon. Since Esme was still pretty young to be my mother, we were to be sisters. It took a couple weeks for Esme to recover enough that she wouldn't look so battered when we moved. We're going to some small town, across state. In a couple months I would be starting my senior year as a new person, in new town, and in a new life. By June 23rd we were driving towards Washington.

Goodbye Columbus, Ohio, hello Forks, Washington.

A/N I hope you enjoyed the chapter! (: Please give me some feedback, this is my first story that I have ever shared with people, sooo I hope to receive some review or follows or something to know someone is reading and is enjoying this. I don't have a beta or anything, so hopefully I didn't mess up too much. (:

I wanted the time in Ohio to feel short, to be just filled of terrible memories, but to feel rushed and short. Because personally when I look back at the worst times of my life I can only remember short memories, but times when life was happy I remember things in full, bright, and colorful. Sooo anyway, I just wanted to explain that I kinda rushed the time with Charles for now.

Preview of Chapter two. I really enjoyed writing this chapter! Hehehe(:

Chapter two, Love at first Sight?

"Mary. Are you just going to stand there? It's lunch hour, get your tiny self out there and get to work." Rosalie snapped. Esme told me to kill her with kindness, so I smiled brightly at her, "Okay!" and spoke cheerily. She rolled her eyes and stalked off. It was kind of refreshing to be cheerful and happy again. I didn't realize how much I had missed it. I contemplated this as I walked over to my first table.

*000*

"Oh really! You weren't looking at Lauren? Don't you dare think that I didn't see you talking to her!" A girl screamed waving her arms around, which knocks her drink and it comes splashing towards me!

*000*

"Did you lose your parents?" Someone asked me and I twirled around, "Huh?" confused, why would he ask that? "AAAH!" He bellowed! "WHAT ARE YOU!?" I jumped back from his screaming, causing me to scream myself, why is he screaming at me!?