Okay, so don't kill me just yet! I know that was really, really mean to leave you like that but, track started and we have practice EVERY night. It rained today and my foot kills! So it was canceled and I wouldn't have gone any way. After I wrote this chapter I listened to my sister's iPod and heard the song 'Fifteen' by Taylor Swift. This was the first time I had ever heard it but it is like I based this chapter on this song go and listen to it. Now! Also ironically enough Taylor also has a song called 'Hey Stephen'. Creepy huh? ON WITH THE STORY!
"When I was fifteen years old a new boy transferred to my school. I was assigned to be his guide. His name was Stephen."
"The same Stephen?" Alice asked. I nodded.
"The same one. As soon as I saw him I had a crush on him. He obviously knew this and turned the charm on way high. I introduced him to everyone I knew and showed him to all of his classes. By the end of that first day he had told me I was pretty."
Edward mumbled something about an "understatement".
"At the beginning of the next day he asked me out. That Saturday we went to dinner. He was sixteen already so he had a car. That night I got my very first kiss. We went on a few more dates and he told me he loved me."
"But he didn't" Emmett said with no trace of question.
"No. But, I was stupid and believed him. I told him that I loved him too. It was true. I was head over heels in love. He was always a perfect gentleman. I swore we would get married someday. But it was just a fantasy."
"Bella, this isn't anything bad. I don't understand!" Edward said obviously agitated.
"Oh, it's getting bad. Believe me. After we had been dating for about five months he started pressuring me to sleep with him. I told him no. He kept trying. After a month of that he said if I didn't he would break up with me. I loved him so much, so I gave in. That April I had sex with Stephen."
"But everything's okay now, right? He just broke up with you like the jerk he is. Right?" Edward seemed on-edge. I let out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding.
"No, Edward that's not all. Just listen. A few day later I found him in a storage closet with me 'best friend' Stacy. A closet! I couldn't believe that that really happened. I thought it was just a book fantasy. I was heartbroken. Stacy had always been stick thin so I thought that if I was as skinny as her Stephen would love me again. So I didn't eat and exercised all the time. When anyone would ask me if I was eating I would get defensive and deny that I was hungry. The only person who didn't back off was Jacque. There was an event with an ice cream cake that really showed me that someone cared. A few days later I passed out in P.E. I was shipped off to the hospital and that's when all of my friend's and families worst fears were confirmed. That was also when I found out that I was…that I was…" I broke off. This was the hardest part of the story to tell.
"That you were what hon?" asked Esme.
"That I was pregnant." The Cullens exchanged looks of shock.
"Everyone was shocked at how fast I got back to eating. They thought that it was therapy. But really it was just that I had Stephen's baby inside of me. He would have to love me now. Even if I was fat. I went up to him the next week and told him how much I loved him. He knew something was up when I said that. I told him about the baby. All he said was 'Do something about it'. I asked him what he meant. I handed me one hundred and fifty dollars for an abortion. I told him I wanted to keep it he said he didn't want any part of its life."
"Jerk" Rosalie mumbled. I was mildly surprised she had any comment.
"I carried that baby for eight and a half months all by my self. On January 7th 2007 Emma Tabitha McEverson was born."
"McEverson? Who? What?" Edward was very confused.
"I found two great people, Sally and Roy McEverson. They were unable to have children but, wanted them badly. I knew I was unfit to be a parent so I gave them my daughter."
"Bella, I am so sorry." Alice said.
"Wait, it gets worse. When I got back from the hospital I found Stephen on my doorstep. He said he changed his mind and wanted to see his daughter. I told him that it was too late and that she had two loving parents to take care of her. Long story short he didn't like that. He harassed me everywhere I went. It got so bad that in November of my junior year I wrote a note saying I was sorry and swallowed some pills. Apparently not enough because I lived. My mom sent me here to get away from the memories." Silence.
"I'm done." I said quietly. More silence. We all sat there soaking up what I had just told them. It was surprisingly easy.
"I am so, so sorry for all the pain I have caused you. If I had known I wouldn't have acted the way I did." Rosalie was the first one to speak.
"Of course." I said. I knew there was a long conversation ahead of me but, I was okay with that. I was okay with them knowing. I surprised me.
