A./N. Hello readers! Well, I'm feeling better. (I hate being sick. Ugh.) I'm also going to Florida on Friday, so from then, I probably won't update. If I do it'll be late at night. So yeah…well here's Chapter 7.

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of its characters…do I look like Stephenie Meyer to you?

Charlie's POV

I sent the Cullen boy into Bella's room. What was his name? Edwin? Something old fashioned like that. He had better not try anything. Now I need to arrest Jessica and Lauren.

I can't believe someone would do this to Bella. And it had been going on for over a year? She had never told me.

That explains the bruises though. She blamed it on her clumsiness, but I had always been suspicious of what really happened to her. I exited the hospital and got in my cruiser.

I drove to the Mallory's first. They weren't my favorite people, and their daughter wasn't any better.

I swiftly walked to the door and knocked, and heard scuffling from behind it.

The door opened to reveal Mrs. Mallory and her husband with their clothes messed up and their hair tangled. Well this is awkward.

"Where is Lauren?" Might as well get straight to the point.

"What do mean? What happened?" Mrs. Mallory's face was too innocent. So she knew what her daughter had been doing to Bella.

"Your daughter is being put under arrest for the physical harassment of Isabella Swan." I walked past them into the house. Giggling was coming from upstairs. I followed the sound, Mr. and Mrs. Mallory were following me protesting. The giggling was coming from a door at the end of the hallway. I opened it to reveal Lauren and Tyler Crowley in a very compromising position. What is up with this family and getting…busy?

Lauren looked up and screamed. "What the *censored* are you doing in my room?" Her face was red with embarrassment, and Tyler was looking guilty.

Her parents had looks of shock on their faces. "What is going on up here?" her father screamed.

"I…I uh…hi?" Okay, I'm not delaying this any longer.

"Lauren you're under arrest for the physical harassment of Isabella Swan." I cuffed her wrists together and led her out to the cruiser. I sat her in the back and locked the door in case someone tried to free her, and got in.

On the way to the Stanley's, Lauren tried to convince me that she had done nothing wrong, but I didn't have to listen. I trust my daughter.

I stopped at the Stanley's house and got out. I walked up to the door and knocked. Jessica herself opened the door.

"You're under arrest for the physical harassment of Isabella Swan." I cuffed her and sat her beside Lauren.

They would regret ever touching Bella.

Bella's POV

I had finally told Charlie. After over a year, I had finally told him. I would tell him the rest later.

Edward walked in and sat next to me. He took my warm hand into his cold one. I still felt a spark when he touched me.

"I'm glad you finally told your dad. He needed to know." Edward was smiling. I noticed his smile was slightly crooked, but I liked it.

"Me too. It was wrong to keep this hidden from him for so long." And it was. I should have told him what was going on the first time I was beaten.

Edward brought his hand up to stroke my cheek and my heart raced. The beeping from my heart monitor went crazy. That was embarrassing. I probably looked like a tomato I was blushing so hard.

Edward just smiled and laughed. "Nice to know I have that affect on you." Very embarrassing.

I needed to change the subject before I embarrass myself any further. "Who found me?" I was a touchy subject, but I was desperate and curious.

Edward's expression hardened slightly, but answered. "Alice and I did."

"How did you know where I was? They took me to a closet." How did they find me? It couldn't have been easy. Unless they can smell blood, see the future, or read minds or something like that. Yeah right, not possible.

"Well, Alice noticed you weren't in her class, and I didn't see you at lunch or anywhere else. So we went looking for you and found you in the closet." His expression was guarded…like what he was saying wasn't true.

"Why did you look for me in a closet? Surely if you were looking for a conscious person, you wouldn't look in a janitor's closet. Unless you thought that I was getting it on with someone. Which definitely wouldn't happen for two reasons: one, no guy likes me, they join in with the beating; two, I wouldn't do that." Okay, now I was just rambling. I have got to stop talking.

"Bella, please just believe me. I'll explain things to you later. Please." His voice was pleading. I almost agreed…almost.

"Edward I need to know." I wanted him to tell the truth. I've practically been lied to my whole life, I needed the truth for once.

"Fine…I can read minds. Happy?" He can read minds? So he could read mine right now? Nice, now I'm even more embarrassed.

"Wait, wait, wait…you can read minds? So you can read mine? Oh gosh, that's embarrassing! I guess I don't have to tell you how I feel about you now…okay this is awkward." I couldn't look him in the eye. It was too embarrassing.

"Actually, I can't read your mind…and how do you feel about me?" He looked at me with anxious eyes.

Okay, so I practically just told him I had feelings for him because I thought he already knew, because I also thought he could read my mind. Perfect…just perfect. Note sarcasm.

"Well…I uh…sort of…um…l-like you?" It's more like I'm in love with him. Whoa, back up! Love? Did I love him? I had only known him for a day…well 3 days. I forgot I was unconscious for 2 of those days. But he was nice to me. He was a gentleman, a definite charmer, trustworthy, beautiful, he seemed loyal, and a good person. Not to mention, he's been here for me even though I don't deserve it and he's not known me that long.

No, I wasn't in love…but I was falling for him.

Edward's POV

She likes me? Really?

I almost exploded with happiness. She doesn't love me, how could she? She'd only known me for 3 days. But liking me was a start. And I had told her that I can read minds. At first she was horrified at the thought that I could read her mind, but when she learned that I couldn't read her mind in particular, she relaxed.

There was a knock at the door and Alice walked in. Naturally, she was her usual pixie-like self. Excited and determined.

"Hi! I'm Alice! You must be Bella! I can tell my brother dear is very fond of you. He didn't leave your side will you were unconscious. Do you want to go shopping with me when you get out of here? We can have so much fun! You and I are going to be best friends! I can tell! I'm so excited!" Okay even for a vampire that was too much. How did she have that much air in her lungs?

I looked over to Bella. Her eyes were wide in shock. I have to say, mine were too. My sister can talk forever if she wanted to.

"Alice, I think that's enough. You're overwhelming her and me. I get enough of this at home. Bella this is Alice, my sister. Alice, this is Bella," I introduced them.

"It's nice to meet you Alice, Edward told me about you. So, shopping? Sure, that would be nice. I've never really been shopping with a friend before." She had never been shopping with friends? I thought that was a girl's hobby.

"What? Le gasp! We are definitely going shopping soon. And Eddie boy here is coming with us to carry our bags." Oh no she didn't. (A./N. Couldn't resist.)

"Alice, my name isn't Eddie…and don't drag me shopping with you. Please…it's pure torture! What with the "OOHH! Let's go in here!" or the "Eddie! Look! A sale at Victoria's Secret!" then you drag me in a store full of lingerie and women who are buying said lingerie to try and get lucky. Then they see me, and ask me if they look good in whatever they're trying on to try and get me in a changing room with them. It's torture I tell you!" I think I just cracked.

"Please! Please! Please! Please! Please!" She gave me a broken look, and I couldn't resist.

"Fine, I'll go. Don't expect me to enjoy it though!"

Bella had an amused expression. Most likely from Alice's and my sibling banter.

"So, girls try to get you into a changing room to get it on with you? Wow…that says so much. At least you don't just sleep around with random girls. And asking you if they look good in lingerie they just tried on, desperate much?" she giggled. It was a nice sound, her laughter. Sort of like wind chimes.

"Well, I guess we're going shopping tomorrow!" I checked into Alice's mind.

I really like her Edward. She would be perfect for you and a good friend for me.

Alice was right, Bella would be perfect for me. But would Bella want me? I am in love.

After only three days, I fell in love with Isabella Swan.

A./N. Okay, it's 2:55AM and I'm tired, but I finished the chapter anyways. Please review! Goodnight!

~Twilight Addict 3