Chapter Four:

Stupidity and Cluelessness Never Cease to Amaze

Several days passed before Nature Boy came back to school. When he did, it took another week before Ali-Bitch would even look at me without sending me a glare, by which time the bruises from our last fight had faded.

I knew I had done well when she handed me a bottle of paint in art class without splashing me with it, and that gave me hope that maybe she would ally with me. The look that she had sent me nearly two weeks ago at lunch still haunted me, but I tried not to think about it too much.

To be honest, however, those eyes had been the subject of dreams every night, and I would find myself waking up in a cold sweat multiple times during the night, feeling hot and sweaty and all too needy. Needy for the equally hot, sweaty, squirming, and pale body that was above me and below me and all around me.

I awoke disturbed by these dreams, feeling sick at the aching feeling deep within me that no other person had ever caused. It was entirely too strange and terrifying.

I didn't tell anyone about these feelings, though I most certainly didn't look her in the eyes anymore, unless absolutely necessary. I didn't know what to make of what I was feeling, and I wasn't entirely too sure that I wanted to figure it out.

Aro called me most days, and although he had always been my closest confidant, the only person I had ever become close to, I didn't utter one word about Ali-Bitch. I didn't even bring up the topic. I was independent, I was self-assured, and I could take care of my own problems.

So why, then, did I feel so helpless?

My art had taken a turn as well.

Gone were the beautiful landscapes and Italian boulevards. They were replaced by swirling conundrums of color, abstract and so many things at once. They papered my bedroom walls, threatening to swallow me whole if I dared to look at them too long.

That was another thing. My room, once a place of solace for me, was no longer. The pictures bothered me, and I couldn't make myself pull them down from the walls. So, I had taken to sitting on the back porch and occasionally exploring the forest that backed up to the house. I didn't particularly like getting wet, but I was so bored and the need to escape thoughts of those haunting eyes was so persistent that I would do whatever possible to satisfy it.

At least now I didn't have to walk to and from school in the rain. Charlie had finally straightened out my driving problem, and after one lengthy stop at the nearest DMV, I was ready to drive. He even bought an old truck for me to drive off a friend who lived on the reservation to the west of us.

Though, it was more beast than truck. A rusty, metal beast that growled when you turned the ignition, as if it didn't want you to drive it anywhere, but would go anyway because it had nothing else better to do. I think it was red, but it was probably more rust than paint.

At least I could smoke in the cab without Charlie becoming suspicious. It smelled comfortingly of mint and tobacco, and the big seat inside was reupholstered. The radio was crap, but I didn't use it so that didn't matter much.

XXX

Driving to school a few days later was extremely slow. I seemed to hit every red light on the way, and it was almost as if there was something out there that really wanted me to be late for class.

Once I parked, I locked the door to the rust bucket, sideling over to the front of the red beast.

"Fuck," I muttered as I dropped my keys in a puddle. I bent down to pick them up, shuffling and mumbling as I reached for them.

Only, I never reached them, as before I could a small body pressed into my back and pulled my right arm up behind me.

"What the fuck—" I started to say before the side of my face slammed into the rusty hood of my truck, most definitely leaving a bruise.

"You know," she said, pressing her hips into me while continuing to twist my arm up behind my back, "my brother just can't seem to stop talking about you."

I scowled, wishing that I could pull myself free, but not really wanting to have to explain a broken arm to Charlie.

"I find it very interesting that not even a week after their argument, he is singing your praises."

I didn't bother asking whose argument it was. I had more important things to worry about right now, such as getting myself out of Ali-Bitch's grasp.

"So, listen real close you little bitch," she hissed. "I know what you're up to. I'm not stupid. You've finally realized that you don't have anyone to stop me from kicking your ass. So, my little Spanish bitch, what should we do about that?"

I didn't care what she wanted to do. All I knew was that my shoulder was really starting to burn and then the pressure from her hips and arm were gone.

I bolted up turning around to face Ali-bitch once and for all. Fuck getting her on my side.

I whirled around, ready to strike her until I saw her horrified face.

Screeching filled my ears, a sinking feeling in my heart as I turned to look at what was the cause of all the noise.

I didn't know who the van belonged to. To be honest, I had never really seen it before. Then again, I had never really been in the parking lot much before yesterday, when Charlie gave me the truck, making me promise not to do anything stupid.

Did this qualify as stupid? Just standing here with a girl I hardly knew and staring at death as it tried to come get me?

My eyes were wide as I watched the dark green behemoth come closer still. The driver, a blond boy, was screaming something I couldn't understand while his horn blared, though I got the feeling that it was along the lines of, "run, bitch, run."

I didn't run. I couldn't. My legs were filled with lead, unmovable. My heart was pounding in my ears and all I could think about was how I would never return to Italy.

I couldn't find it within myself to be sorry about that.

What I did feel sorry about was how pathetic my life had been so far.

I shut my eyes, waiting for the inevitable.

I heard crunching, the grinding of metal.

My eminent demise was here.

Suddenly, I was yanked down, my eyes flying open as the sky appeared before me and then the underside of my truck as I was rolled beneath it. It jostled as the van collided with it, the driver's side door crunching loudly and the window shattering. I felt the tire nudge my leg, and then everything settled.

It was quiet for one, long moment before the screaming started.

I'm sure that no one actually cared if we were okay, but the boy driving the death machine? That was probably a different story.

Us.

I turned my head to the side and met a pair of ghostly green eyes. I had forgotten she was with me.

XXX

Doctor Cullen was a nice doctor.

He didn't poke and prod me too much, and once he checked my head to make sure I didn't have a concussion and gave me pain meds for my aching shoulder, he said I could go.

He knew that something was up.

He bit his lip as he looked at the results from the machine he had put me through, and I knew that he was looking at all of the times Giorgio had decided it would be fun to try to bash my head in, but he didn't say a word.

Such a nice man.

However, as I left, he gave me both his card and the card of who I assumed to be his wife. He knew I was out of danger for now, but he suggested that if I decided Italy wasn't "quite my style," then I should give his wife a call. Esme Cullen was a "social worker."

I wasn't sure what that was, but by his pointed looks at my skull, I assumed that she worked with people like me.

I politely nodded before hightailing it out of there. No need to worry about me. I only had a few more years left to deal with my step-father, and even then I was only really at the house when I was getting more of my stuff to take over to Aro's apartment. Being nineteen, he had decided to get his own place away from his brother where I would be able to stay more frequently. I even had a key.

I walked out of the hospital room and into the hallway, looking for her. I knew she would be around here somewhere, and that just fueled my search.

I didn't have to look far. She was just down the hall and around the corner. Earphones were blaring loud music with heavy instruments and her eyes were shut, her head bobbing to the music. Waiting for something.

"What?"

Waiting for me.

"What is it you want?" she snapped, not even glancing my way.

"Well," I growled, "I was thinking about saying thank you for pushing me out of the way of a moving van, as common courtesy dictates, but I'm thinking better of that decision now."

"Fuck you."

I shook my head to stop myself from thinking about any hidden meanings behind that.

"No, thank you."

It was quiet for a moment, neither of us moving. I realized that from where she was standing, she could see the road leading to the front entrance of the hospital. She only had to go down the hall and she would be at the front doors.

I couldn't pry my eyes away from her face—it was curious and fascinating to me. Her eyeliner was thick and dark, making her ghostly eyes appear even paler, creepier. I had a feeling that she strove for that look, hoping to scare away anyone stupid enough to confront her.

Too bad I was stupid. Aro had always said that I had a knack for getting myself into situations without thinking about how to get out of them.

"I…" I couldn't find the words that I knew I should say. My pride would be damaged in the process of saying them and, quite frankly, I liked it when people stroked my ego. But I also knew that she wouldn't say them, and if I didn't, maybe next time she would just let me become blood splatter on the pavement.

"Look, I don't say this often, so listen close. Sorry." I spat the word like it was poison. "I was…"

"Bitchy? Stupid? Egotistical? I could go on if you like," she offered, still not looking at me.

I puffed up, not liking her tone. It was biting and bitter. "Hey, I don't need to say anything to you. I don't need to fucking justify myself to you, bitch—"

"I'll let you become fucking road kill next time, then. Thanks so much for the appreciation. Ya know, I only saved your fucking useless life."

As she said this, she wasn't looking at me, and that irritated the hell out of me. If you're going to insult me, say you'd let me become road kill—whatever the fuck that was—then at least look me in the eye.

I glared at the side of her head before turning to see what had caught her attention.

A car was driving up to the hospital drop-off zone. I had expected it to be Nature Boy's ridiculous, old silver family car, but it wasn't. It was older, more beat up, and deep red in color.

Nature Boy was in it, but he wasn't the one driving. It was hard to read his expression from here, but his face was paler than usual and he didn't look entirely at ease. My gaze flickered over to the driver.

I froze as a pair of icy green eyes met mine. They were nothing like Nature Boy's or Ali-Bitch's; there was nothing but pure rage and contempt in their depths.

The man held a striking resemblance to the siblings, and I could only conclude that it was their father. His reddish hair matched Nature Boy's unruly mess and the streak in Ali-Bitch's black hair.

When I finally tore my eyes away from his cold stare, I looked at Ali-Bitch. Her demeanor startled me. No longer was she strong and defiant, now she was but a little girl who seemed to cower under her father's harsh glare. As I took in her shaking form I noticed two things simultaneously.

First, she had turned quite pale and had wiped at her cheek.

And second, a dark, ugly yellow bruise lay where the makeup had been accidently smeared away.

I knew that was not new from this morning. When it was yellow, and that meant that it was old, healing.

She had been stuck.

Repeatedly.

More lay on her collarbone and shoulder, where her hoodie had slipped to the side and off her arm. All were different colors, some fresh, some so old that they were almost gone. Almost disappeared without a trace.

Neither of us said anything as Alice's eyes met mine fearfully before she whipped around, hiding her ruined face behind her hair and readjusting her sweatshirt. Keeping her head down, she started walking away quickly.

She was almost at the end of the hall when my throat unstuck itself and I whispered so quietly that I wasn't entirely sure she could hear me, "I understand."

Freezing as she was turning the corner, her eyes found mine. I reached up and pushed my shirtsleeve up, past my elbow, until it was bunched up just under my armpit. There, against my white skin, was a long, jagged line that was angry and red, puckered around the edges.

A parting gift from Giorgio.

She didn't say anything, turning away and disappearing around the corner.

Nothing needed to be said. Tit for tat, I suppose. Now we both knew one of each other's dirty little secrets, and they were safe.

I turned to look out the large hospital window again at the beat-up car. Edward's eyes were fearful, I realized, and I was willing to bet that Alice wasn't the only one on the receiving end.

As they turned down the road leading to the hospital, I met the abuser's eyes once again. Cold, heartless, terrifying eyes.

I had looked into the eyes of pure evil. I hadn't known that there were others like Giorgio in the world, and while I had escaped my tormentor, at least temporarily, they had not.

And I could do nothing for them.

XXX

I sighed, tossing over onto my other side as I stared at the wall. My bed was small, but that was okay. The better to ward him off.

Aro and I had just had sex, again. I wasn't sure I liked it, but I chalked it up to Giorgio's abuse.

A small part of me knew that sex was one of the reasons Aro kept me around and tolerated my bad temper. I just didn't give a damn.

I jumped as a crash from downstairs reached my ears. I wasn't sure where Renee was, and as much as I hated her, I wanted her to come back. At least when she was here, he couldn't really hurt me.

Glass shattered again and I knew that Giorgio was drunk. He only dropped the bottles when he was piss-ass drunk.

I curled up on my bed, hoping against hope that he wouldn't call for me to clean it up. It would start with me clearing the glass, and end with me bleeding on the floor. It always did.

"Beeeelllllllllaaaaaa," he wailed up the stairs, and I pushed myself off the bed. I groaned as my sore limbs stretched, gently rubbing my bruises. It was so hot, and even though the summer air was so humid I felt like I was drowning every time I breathed, I still kept on the long sleeved sleeping shirt and pants. Maybe if I was feeling reckless and my step-father passed out from the alcohol, then I would sleep nude on top of the sheets with my bedroom door locked. Maybe.

I shuffled down the stairs to my doom.

Giorgio was waiting for me, swaying lightly as his eyes strained to focus on me. He was really drunk this time. I wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing for me.

"Clean this mess up," he slurred, brandishing the liquor bottle in his hand at the far wall. Glass glittered in the dim light on the floor.

I quickly (or as quickly as anyone in my condition could) grabbed the broom and a towel, first mopping up the puddle of bitter liquid on the tile and then sweeping the pieces of glass into one pile, so it would be easier to pick up. I knelt once again to pick up the shards with the towel, wondering, not for the first time, what it would be like to just take one of the sharper pieces into my hand and watch myself bleed.

Giorgio probably wouldn't even notice.

I had dumped the glass into the trash and rung out the rag when he stopped me on the stairs. "Wait, Bella."

I froze hoping that he wouldn't do anything tonight. Hoping that he was too drunk to.

"Come here."

When I didn't move, he made me, grabbing me by my hair and dragging me into the living room. "I said come here, bitch."

I collapsed onto the floor when he let go of me, wrapping my arms around my burning scalp and curling into a ball, trying to make myself as small as possible. The smaller the target, the harder it was to hit.

He kicked me first, brutally in the ribs and then back. I whimpered, hoping it would be over soon. I was a fighter, but I had given up fighting him long ago. I was but a small thirteen year old girl, less than five feet, and he was twice my size. I was outmatched.

Eventually he stopped, but not before hitting me with his belt. I could feel myself bleeding, and I was shaking violently at his feet, both in fear and pain. This wasn't as bad as it could have been, I told myself as he sat down on the couch and turned on the television.

I sniffled, hoping that I could just get to my feet and leave before I had to clean up my own blood from the floor, too. My head pounded.

"Oh, my little Bella," he sighed. "Come on. Up," he commanded, pulling me up and into his lap before I could react. "You know that I don't like doing this to you, but it can't be helped. You just need to be a better girl." He took another swig from the bottle.

I just sat curled up in his lap, not daring to move. If he could just remain like this until he passed out, then I would be free for the night. Aro let me stay at his place sometimes. His parents didn't really care what their sons or their guests did, so long as they weren't disturbed. The apartment was small, much smaller than our house, but whenever I went over, Aro took care of me. He bandaged my wounds, stitched up the ones than needed to be stitched, and would just hold me in his arms as we lay on the bed, trying to sleep, but failing.

He was good to me like that.

I could feel Giorgio's erection pressing into my leg as he held me, but he was too far gone to move and before long his rocking ceased.

I was free.

XXX

Charlie picked me up in the cruiser-mobile a few minutes after Alice left. I felt a little sick, remembering some of the crap that Giorgio did. That was a good night compared to the others.

I didn't go back to school the next day, and I feigned having a pain in my shoulder so I wouldn't have to go back the day after that. I figured that I probably couldn't get away with a third day off from school, but I really didn't want to go back. I couldn't believe that I had slipped up like that, let someone here know what went on in Italy.

I just didn't think clearly around her. Those damn captivating eyes.

Would she have told anyone? I didn't think so, as she had her own secrets, but you could never know. She might decide to just screw me over as the ultimate punishment for getting in her way. Then Charlie would find out and I would never, ever go back to Europe again.

Fuck.

Why did I have to be so stupid?

XXX

The hot water stung as it hit against the skin of my thighs. More burns had been added since I first arrived, and the goodbye gift from Giorgio was still as sensitive as ever. It burned something fierce, and I gasped, almost pulling away from the stream of water.

It felt too good. It was something different than the usual and it felt good.

Once I was done in the shower (I may or may not have added a few new cuts to my collection), I dried off and toweled my hair. Aro had bought me a nice black dress with a lace overcoat a few years back. It was short, to my knees, but it was supposed to be warmer today and I hadn't done the laundry for awhile. I had no other choice.

Eyes lined with coal, I left the house in my converse, skipping breakfast and slipping into my leather jacket. Charlie was gone—if I had asked, he probably would have given me a ride. My rusty, old truck had been towed so it could be fixed, that van did a lot more damage to it than I thought it had.

It was probably for the best that I wouldn't be arriving at school in a car with flashing lights on top.

It was chilly, but not that cold. Tolerable and nothing like Italy. The cold felt numbing, and I could sense my emotions calming as my fingers started to freeze. My toes were cold, too. Wet.

That wasn't new.

I was about halfway to school when I heard a car come up behind me. I turned to look at who it was, and was met by the sight of a silver Volvo. It pulled up ahead of me before I got a good look at who was driving. There was only one person in the car.

I yanked the head phones out of my ears, pausing the blaring Italian rock band that was currently playing and stuffing my iPod into my backpack.

My breath caught in my throat when I saw the driver.

"Are you going to get in or not?" she questioned through the open window, reaching over to open the passenger door.

Well, I wasn't completely a moron. It was cold out here, and my biggest enemy in Forks had just given me a peace offering.

This was spectacular.

Alice pulled away from the side of the road, turning up the radio as she did so. Loud music filled the car, and I had to give her some credit for the heavy metal. She had good taste in music.

"Dressed a little cold there," she commented casually, not looking at me. I frowned, not understanding what she was trying to say. "Sorry, your English is good, but it's not that good, is it?"

"No," I answered shortly.

She sighed and simplified her statement for me, "Your dress—it's not quite made for Forks."

It was my turn to sigh. "No, but I haven't washed the clothes for awhile, so it was all I had."

"It's nice," she told me, staring at the road.

I wasn't sure how to respond to that. She was being really nice—it was kind of creepy. "Thanks, I guess. It was a gift from a…friend." That was what Aro was, right? That description of him didn't seem like it covered everything he was to me.

It was quiet for a long time, and I took this opportunity to really look at her.

She was extremely pretty, her pale eyes lined with dark makeup again, just like mine. Her hair was spiky, but it looked a little more disheveled than it usually did. Of course her skin looked flawless—she had plenty of time to perfect her makeup over the past years, most likely. But I knew from experience that the perfect façade hid disfiguring marks.

"Where is your brother?"

Alice startled at my question, jerking slightly into the other lane before gaining her composure. It was a good thing that she was the only driver on the road.

"He's not feeling too well today."

I knew what that meant, and I knew that she knew that I understood the hidden connotation in her statement. Their father had gotten to him. I didn't say anything until we arrived at the school parking lot.

"Thanks for the ride. I guess."

As I stepped out of the car, I could have sworn that everyone was staring at us. I wasn't that paranoid, and Alice noticed it too, judging by the look in her eyes, but she ignored them.

"You're welcome. I think our lockers are near each other. We can walk together."

As it turned out, our lockers were right next to each other. Fucking coincidences, right? Not that I was complaining. I was on her good side now.

It was amazing what a couple words could do.

Barbie passed us, sniffing as she saw that Alice and I were no longer at each other's throats. Granted, things were a bit awkward and tense between us, but we could now tolerate the other's presence.

I think we all knew that the entire school was terrified of us, more so now that we had joined forces. There was almost no chance now that one of us would eliminate the other.

Perhaps we could wreak havoc together. Put Barbie and her minions in their proper places. Maybe I was getting ahead of myself, just a little bit. We weren't exactly friends.

Then what were we?

Alice slammed her locker shut and turned around, leaving without even a parting glance.

What the fuck? I thought we had bonded. Fucking bi-polar pixie.

XXX

In Art, the teacher assigned us partners and told us to sketch them. Lucky for me, Alice and I were partnered. From glimpsing her art out of the corner of my eye whenever I passed her table, I could tell she was a very talented artist.

I didn't think anyone was very talented.

The drawing was due next Tuesday, and though most of the class groaned, I knew that was definitely enough time to make a portrait. A very nice portrait.

Alice gave me a half-grin when the teacher turned us over to free time to work on our project. "So, who should go first?"

Without waiting for my answer, she pulled out her drawing book, a pencil, and a hand-held sharpener. I turned my body to face her, somehow sensing that there was no use in arguing with her.

As she drew, I watched her carefully. She was very intent on her work, sticking her tongue out and biting it whenever she messed up, screwing up her face and erasing furiously whenever this happened.

It was kind of cute.

I shunned those thoughts as soon as they popped into my mind, but they just kept coming back. What was wrong with me? Girls weren't cute.

But as I observed her arched brows, high cheekbones, wide eyes, and red lips, I couldn't help but come to one conclusion.

Alice was fucking gorgeous.

Surely she would have a boyfriend? Girls like her just weren't single. Perhaps her and Jasper?

I didn't like that image for some reason.

The bell rang, jolting me out of my thoughts. Alice hadn't finished her sketch yet, though I hadn't seen it, so I didn't know how far she had gotten with it.

"Tomorrow," she said, while packing up. "Tomorrow we can continue. I have a feeling that Ms. Victoria will allow us to work again."

I turned away, stuffing my sketchbook into my bag. We walked out to her car slowly, the students avoiding us like the plague. I didn't blame them.

The drive to Charlie's house was silent except for the pounding beats coming from the radio. Pulling into the driveway, she parked the car and turned to me. "Would you like me to pick you up tomorrow morning?"

I nodded. "It would be appreciated."

I started to get out of the car, shivering as the wind blew against my bare legs.

"Oh, and Bella?"

I twisted around to face her and jumped a little when her face appeared before me much closer than I thought it would. "Yes?" I asked, my voice shaking.

Alice smiled then, a breath taking smile that showed off her white teeth. She was so close to me that I could feel her warm breath wash over my face as she spoke, "Smile." Her fingers pushed at the corners of my mouth until I complied. "There."

I stumbled out of the car, cursing under my breath as I stepped into a puddle. My sock became soaked instantly. I was almost to the front steps when her voice called after me again.

"And Bella?"

My eyes connected with hers, my breath hitching at the strange look in her eyes. "You look very nice in that dress. You should wear it more often."

Once inside, I kicked off my shoes, peeling my socks from my cold feet and collapsing against the door.

What the hell was that?

Thanks to a very persistent friend, you all have this chapter. A little confusing, right?

Well, review! If every person on my alerts list reviewed, I would have 100!

Plus, if you drop a review, I might just give you a preview of the next chapter.