Chapter 2: Trying to Help

I found myself sitting in the front of English again the next day, while Bella sat in the back with her hood up and ear buds in.

I wanted to help so badly.

The bell had yet to ring, so I walked to the back and sat next to her.

"Hi."

She just ignored me.

Wait. No she didn't. Her music was up too loud.

I wrote her a note.

Hi, Bella.

She picked up her pen and scribbled something.

FUCK OFF.

For some reason, it offended me.

I've done nothing to you.

She scoffed.

You're sitting there, aren't you?

I looked at the iPod on the table.

Evanescence's "Sweet Sacrifice"? That's a good song.

A tear rolled down her cheek, and Mr. Moore walked in. About twenty minutes into class, she stood up, grabbed her things, and began to walk out.

"Have a seat, Miss Swan," he said.

She just kept walking.

"Sit down, Miss Swan." His voice was getting louder.

She stopped at the doorway and turned around. "No, thanks. I'm good. Have a nice fucking day, Mr. Moore." Then, she left and slammed the door shut.

He called the office and informed them of what happened. They radioed back and said they'd take care of it. I sighed and sank into my seat, knowing that I caused her more pain.

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Jasper's POV

I was called to the office, though I had no idea why.

I soon figured it out when I saw Bella curled up in a chair, crying.

"Oh, Bella. What happened?" I asked, running over to her and holding her tightly.

"Th-this k-k-kid named E-Emmett w-wouldn't leave me al-lone…I'm s-sorry. I h-had to l-leave."

"You left just like that?" I asked incredulously.

She nodded. "I might've told the teacher to have a nice fucking day and slammed the door to his class."

"That's what I thought," I said, smiling slightly.

I heard her little laugh, and she said, "Can you take me home?"

"Yeah. Let's go. I'll stay with you." I stood up and picked Bella up, cradling her to my chest. She was light, and I was strong from working out regularly, but I was also lean.

She laid her head on my shoulder. "You don't have to do that…"

"I want to, though. Bella…I only got to see you every other summer. You're my sister. I should've been with you. I could've protected you from him." I felt the water begin to well up in the corners of my eyes.

"Don't blame yourself, Jazz. It was my fault. I could've left him. I should've. But I was scared. You know, mom and Phil never treated me the same after that. It was like they were afraid to break me. They never talked to me, either. You're the only one I've had a real conversation with in four months."

We were in the car, now, but she stopped talking due to her tears. I held mine back so that I could keep a focus on the road. It took us about ten minutes to get home, and I was thankful Charlie was the police chief and always at work. I carried Bella upstairs to her room and laid her down on her bed. I went back out to my Audi - a birthday present from Alice - and retrieved her things. I ran upstairs and knocked before I strolled into her room.

I set down her stuff by her desk and said, "Do you like the room? I know you said black walls, but Charlie forbade it, so I went with gray. I painted it all by myself and picked out the carpet. The white, fluffy kind like you asked for. It just got here last week."

"Thanks…" she whispered.

I sighed and laid down next to her, holding her in a brotherly way.

"I never got to say goodbye to them, Jasper. I was asleep when they left…"

"I didn't either, Bells, but it'll be okay. We'll be okay, I promise."

She nodded, and I turned on the wall-mounted LCD television that Alice gave to me for Christmas. I decided to give it to Bella. I turned it onto MTV and TRL was on. I could tell she was getting sleepy.

"Do you want me to stay or leave?" I asked.

"Stay, please. I need my big brother right now. I love you, Jazz…" her voice trailed off as sleep claimed my little sister by only a year.

I laid there in her bed, but rolled over and fell asleep.

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Emmett's POV

I felt terrible. I couldn't believe I made Bella cry and leave.

I decided to apologize.

I headed towards their house and parked on the curb when I got there.

I knocked on the door, and Jasper answered looking like he just woke up.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked.

"Can I explain what happened this morning?" He was like my brother, and I knew he could refuse.

He let me in, and I sat down at the table in the kitchen while he poured himself some coffee. He offered some to me, but I simply told him "thanks, but I don't drink that shit." He laughed and sat down.

"So what did you do to make my sister cry?" he asked, sipping from his mug.

I sighed, "I wrote her a note that said hi, but she wrote back and said fuck off. I just told her I didn't do anything, and she got pissed. I'm sorry, man. I was just trying to be her friend. For some reason, I want to make her happy. I knew that when I first saw her, and I didn't even know that she was your sister. I shouldn't have said anything."

"The way she seemed, I guessed that it was worse. It's okay, though. I know you meant no harm, but she's been really sensitive since the incident, and it just got worse with mom's and Phil's deaths." He cared so much about her, and I wondered if he would let me see her.

"Can I please talk to Bella? Please just let me apologize," I begged.

He nodded and took me up to her room.

"Bella? Someone wants to talk to you."

He opened the door, and she buried her head into a pillow, hiding from the light as Jasper turned it on.

"If it's a shrink, tell him to fuck off," she groaned. It seemed like that was her favorite word.

I let out a chuckle, and she looked at me before laying her head back down.

"Ugh…worse…"

"Can I please just talk to you?" I asked.

"There's nothing to say."

"Please?"

She sighed. "Fine. Jasper, give us a minute?"

He nodded and shut the door.

I stood there, looking around her room. It was really cool.

"I like your room. It's awesome," I stated.

"I know you didn't come here to compliment Jasper's decorations, so cut to the chase. Preferably before I fall back asleep."

I grinned slightly. "I wanted to apologize for this morning. I don't know exactly what I did, but I really didn't mean to make you cry. I want to be your friend…"

A tear rolled down her fair-skinned cheek. "Why? So you can take advantage of me while I'm vulnerable? I don't think so."

"Bella, no. Of course, not. I'm not that guy. I don't sleep around. Please believe me."

"Save it, Emmett Hale. I've heard enough. You might as well leave." The tears were coming faster.

I walked over and took a tissue from the box. I went to wipe the water off of her face, but she flinched away from my touch. I set the tissue down.

"Can I tell you something? It's something I've kept bottled up. Can I sit here?" She nodded. "I told everyone my parents died in a crash when I was eleven. The truth is…my dad beat my mom until she was almost dead, and…" It was so painful to talk about this. I was now crying, too.

"What happened, Emmett?" she asked, sounding genuinely interested.

"And he told her he loved her, as he slid a dagger straight into her heart. Then, he pulled it out and shoved it into his. He died in a matter of minutes. He…he made me watch. I called 911, and with his last breaths, he said, 'You see what you've caused, Emmett? This is all your fault.' And I believed him. I still do. But Carlisle and Esme adopted Rosalie and me right away. Rose at the time was with her friends, and when she came home, she saw the mess. The ambulance arrived right after her. We haven't told anyone that, except for Carlisle and Esme."

"Oh, my god. I'm so sorry. Emmett, I had no idea."

"I know. It's fine. Promise me you won't tell anyone."

"I promise."

We were both sobbing uncontrollably. She calmed down slightly and grabbed a tissue. She began to wipe my tears away, and I smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry."

"Me, too. But I still want to be alone tomorrow in English. It's the only time I have for myself and my music. In Biology, I have to put up with you and do shitty lab work." She smiled, showing she was playing.

"Thanks, Bella. I really needed that."

"Anytime." I began to leave. "I don't actually mean that, you know?"

"I know," I said, grinning. I looked back at her, and she had a small smile planted on her lips as well.