Howdy! THANK YOU for all the reviews. Some of them made me laugh. Sorry for the late update. I was pretty busy lately. The new school year is about to start so I went out to get my books and to get socks. Yeah, socks. My old ones mostly have holes in them. -shrugs- Hope you like this one! Edward won't be coming until chapter six, unfortunately.. Patience is a virtue! Oh, BTW, Bella is still 13! Just in case you forgot.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters here. Except for Susan and Ryan. Dang!
-Female announcer voice from 'Desperate Housewives' - Previously on 'You Had Me At Hello' :
"Ryan," I called, finally mustering up the courage to say something, "What is it?" I asked turning to him.
Without taking his eyes of the road, he replied, "Susan,"
With that one name, my world came crashing down.
Susan. The only family I had left. No no NO! This can't be happening.
We arrived at the station and were lead by two policemen into a small room with a table and four chairs. I tried my best to hold back the tears which were on the verge of streaming down my face. My body was shaking as I took a seat on one of the chairs beside Ryan. Please, god no! Please let it not be what I think it is.
"Officers, do you mind telling us were my wife is? Is she injured? What happened??" Ryan commanded and he slammed his fists on the table, not being able to take anymore of the suspense.
The officer on the right sighed. "Sir, I'm afraid I have some very bad new," He paused. No one spoke during this awkward silence, waiting for the bad news to be delivered. When he finally continued, I could no hear the words coming out of his mouth, only see the movement of his lips as he said, "Susan is dead,"
Ryan let out a scream of pain. I was still shaking violently from the news. Tears started streaming down my eyes and I was sobbing loudly. Why Susan? Why sweet, loving, caring, kind Susan? What did she do to deserve such a fate. Why couldn't you have taken me instead?
"She was rapped and killed last night," the other officer continued, avoiding eye contact, "Just outside the Forks High School grounds. I believe she was on her way to pick Isabella up from school,"
I turned my head to face the officer. My eyes widened. She was there that evening? While I was sitting down waiting, waiting safely for Susan to come, she was being killed! Then it hit me.
It was All. My. Fault
She had come to the school a little before dark to get me, and got.. raped. My fault. My fault.
The words kept repeating themselves in my head. I was oblivious to everyone around me. The words kept floating around in my thoughts.Susan had died because of me. Selfish, disobedient me who stupidly punched Lauren in the jaw not thinking about the later consequences which ultimately lead to Susan's.. death.
"I think we should bring her to the hospital. She's in shock," I heard a voice murmur in the background. I felt two people link their arms with mine as they lead me out of the room. I returned back to reality, realizing that they were escorting me to the hospital. I wanted to see her so I shook their hands off.
"No! Get off of me! I demand to see her," I said, fuming.
"Isabella, you are in no condition to see-"
Before he could finish, I cut him off, "I am notleaving Susan. Let me see her now!" I said in the most menacing voice I could, which I had to admit scared even me.
The officers shrugged. A tall man whom had slightly more badges pinned onto his uniform, stepped out from group of officers. He looked like he was somewhat in charge. I turned my head towards him. "Please.." I begged, my eyes starting collect water again.
The officer sighed. "Very well. But I must warn you, she doesn't look the same as you last remember her,"
I nodded and followed the man as he lead me to a room which had the word 'Morgue' imprinted on the surface of the door. The officer began discussing something with another man in a white coat.
I saw the man in the coat nod as he turned to me and said, "This way, Ms. Swan."
I followed behind the two men. Soon, we came to a halt in front of one of the containers, The embalmer reached out his hand to pull the handle container, (A/N: Sorry, I'm not sure what word to use. I have no idea what its called!) revealing a woman, lying on the cold metal, clothe-less but was covered with a thin, white colored piece of cloth. Susan's chocolate brown brown hair was spread out and her eyes were closed. Her mouth was slightly parted as she wore a calm expression on her face. Her skin was ghostly white and had dark purple bruises on each side of her arm. I winced, noticing this. Susan had suffered a lot before her death.Which was my fault, a little voice in my head continued.
"Thank you," I said in a soft voice as I left the room and took a seat near the entrance of the building. Susan, the woman who cared for me when my parents had died was gone. The woman who helped heal my wounds was dead. Now, I had no one. I recalled a night where I woke up from a bad dream, sobbing uncontrollably when Susan came in to comfort me,
"Susan!" I shouted from my room. By the time I blinked, Susan was beside me, pulling me into a tight hug.
"Another bad dream?" she asked, gently stroking my hair as I sobbed into her chest. I nodded.
"Shhh.. Its alright Bella. I'm here. Shh.." she cooed as she gently rocked me backwards and forwards.
I tilted my head up towards Susan and asked, looking into her deep blue eyes, "Susan, where have mommy and daddy gone?"
She gave a sad smile and answered, "They've gone up to heaven, Bella dear. To be with God. God will take care of them now,"
"But then who will take care of me?" I asked anxiously. I had only stayed over at Susan's house for a week until they got matters sorted out.
"Me, of course. Would you like that?" I nodded and hugged her.
"Would you like me to cuddle up with you tonight?" she asked, rubbing circles on my back to help stop the sobbing.
"Yes, please." I whispered.
With that, we got under the soft duvet and she cuddled close to me, putting her arms around me as we drifted off into sleep.
Ryan's voice broke me from my reverie. "Let's go," Ryan croaked.
He too, had the same puffy red eyes as I did. His usually shaggy hair was pointing in all sorts of directions. As we made our way to the car, no one spoke a word. When we got back home, Ryan closed the door behind me. I turned to him, wanting to comfort him.
"Ryan, I-"
"Shut up!" he shouted, interrupting me in mid sentence, "Just shut up! It was your fault Susan is now dead. It was all yours to blame. I should have known. First your own parents and now Susan," he screamed. His voice was unsteady, going in all different kinds of pitches as tears rolled down his eyes. His face was red with anger.
He gave me a good punch in the face. I fell back on the floor as he kicked my stomach.
"You disgust me," he said as he spat at me.
After I heard the door close as he entered his room, his sobs filled the whole house. I was too hurt to get up from my position on the floor. I cried silently, pained my the aching whole in my heart and of course, by Ryan's kicking as well. But I knew I deserved it. That fact was true. I was the cause of my parents death. And the reason Susan is dead as well. I was a monster. I cold, heartless monster. With that, I cried myself to sleep.
For the next two days, Ryan continued to beat me up, screaming and shouting, "Youare the reason Susan is dead. And for that, you'll suffer." I would only nod at this statement as he would hit, kick and throw things at me. I deserved every minute of the pain and more.
I woke up the next morning, limping towards the bathroom to get dressed. Today was Susan's funeral. I shuddered at the thought. Not being able to see Susan in the flesh anymore was something I couldn't imagine. I put on a black sleeveless top and a black frilly skirt which went below my knees. I put on my black sweater to hide the bruises Ryan gave me and put on the same colored hat in attempt to hide my face and tears from the other friends and family members which were going to be present there that day.
After a few words from the priest and Ryan, it was my turn to say something in remembrance of Susan. I went up to the stand and saw the grief in everyones eyes. Of course, I hardly knew any of them. Susan was my only friend. She meant the world to me. Now that she's gone, my will to live is lost.
I cleared my throat and fidgeted with the microphone, lowering it slightly so that it were to face my mouth. Then, I began.
"Susan West was a great woman. She was kind and gentle. Compassionate and understanding. She took me in when no one else would and showed me a brighter side to life. She was there in my darkest times as well as my brightest. She was like a second mother to me.I-" My voice broke. This was much harder than I thought, "loved her. I doubt you would be able to find someone as loving and kind as her. She is beyond comparison. She-"
Before I could continue, I broke out in sobs, which made a lot of other people cry as well. "I'm sorry," I said, trying my best to compose myself long enough to say one last thing, "Susan, I know you're up there watching over me. Over us. Please know that no matter what, you'll forever be with us. Thank you," I ended, descending from the platform and back to my seat. Everyone had someone to hug and cry with. Me? I sat away from everyone else and sobbed to myself.
After a few more speeches, Everyone went up the the casket to say their final goodbyes before Susan would be lost forever. When it was my turn, I looked into the black casket. Susan was dressed in a white dress which made her look like an angel. He face was so calm and serene and I could have sworn she was smiling.
Before I knew it, the casket was being lowered into the earth. Away from everyone forever. I would never be able to see her face again. To see her smile and laugh and the lamest jokes. To see her making a distorted face at me as she stuck out her tongue in hopes to cheer me up when I was down. No more happy memories with Susan. I would have to stick with the ones I already had.
After the funeral, I walked back. Not wanting to ride with Ryan. The days that followed her death were not easy. Students would often stare at me with a look of pity on their faces. I hated it. Ryan was no better either. He would come home from work late every night drunk, holding a bottle of beer in his hand. He would still hit me only it was worse when he was drunk. By a month, I had bruises covered in practically every inch of my body. If someone asked, I would tell them that I was too clumsy for my own good and that I had tripped or knocked over something. They bought it due to well disguised honesty in my voice.
Two years had passed since Susan was gone. I was now a fifteen year old girl. My lips had become more full and y long, brown hair had become slightly wavier in the middle. It was no doubt that I was becoming prettier. This was something that did not please me. The extra attention for the boys at school did not help. Ryan on the other hand, was becoming worse. He started drinking every night and would sometimes miss work the next day because of a hangover. He had gotten fired from multiple jobs and had switched numerous times that I lost count. He currently had no job for sometime now and spent all his remaining money on drinking every night.
I earned myself money by working at a shop in town during the weekend. The money I earned from there was enough to fend for myself. On weekdays I would study in hopes of getting a scholarship to a school far, far away from Seattle and during the weekends, I would work from the time the sun rises until the time it sets. Sometimes Ryan would hit me and later take the paycheck from my hands as I come home at night. This is why I usually sit out in the lawn until the lights in the house go off.
One day, after school hours had finished, I was about to walk home like I always do when a familiar car stopped beside me.
"Get in," Ryan's hoarse voice commanded. I obeyed and strapped myself into the passengers seat, clueless as to where he was taking me. He drove in silence to a very unfamiliar part of town. There was rubbish lying everywhere and there were a lot of graffiti and profanities spray painted onto the walls of different buildings. The roads were very dimly lit and alleyways were pitch black.
Ryan stopped the car in front of a bar. He got out of the car and commanded, "Hurry up, you disgusting thing,"
I nodded and fumbled to undo the seat belt. I got out and followed him into the bar.
He then sat at a counter and turned to a man beside him. The man was in his forties and was wearing a hat and a large coat. I had never seen him before.
"So? Will she do?" Ryan asked the mysterious man. I stood there, obviously listening to their conversation. They didn't seem to care.
The man looked at me. And observed me from head to toe and and his dirty eyes lingered at some unmentionable parts.
"How old is she?" he asked in a husky voice.
"Fifteen but she looks older than she is," Ryan answered glaring at me.
"Yes, I can see that. I'll take her. Three hundred dollars. Take it or leave it," he said, holding out his hand waiting for an agreement. I stood there, remaining clueless as to what was happening before my very eyes.
"Deal," Ryan said, taking the other mans hand and giving it a firm shake. The mysterious man handed Ryan his three hundred and stood up, looking at me.
He firmly grabbed my wrist and began pulling me out the bar. "You're coming home with me,"
So? How is it?? Reivew! Review! Review!! I won't be updating in the next two days but your reviews could change that. -hint-hint-
-Sabby
