"Bella!" a voice yelled to me. Warm hands grabbed mine and kneeled down in front of me.
"Bella." He said softly. The warmth of the person's hands broke the rolling film in my head. I looked down at my hands and found familiar ones eloping mine.
I looked down and found my one and only.
"Sam." I said with teary eyes.
"Bella." He said in relief and panic. He got up, keeping our hands together, kissing my head.
He took one his hands away from mine to bring up to my face. Our eyes met and all I wanted to do was cry. The pain in my heart throbbed and my mind was still numb. Sam kneeled back down in front of me.
"Are you ok? Did he hurt you?" He asked, his body shaking a little.
I brought up my free hand and covered it over his, which was on my cheek.
I gave it a small squeeze and let a tear fall. He immediately wiped it away and kissed my forehead again.
As I sat there, thinking about what happened a thought occurred to me. Sam wasn't there to arrest Ben. He wasn't even at the scene, or at least I didn't see him.
"Where were you?" I asked with a scratchy voice.
"I was on patrol this morning and then I had a case with the Seattle police. I'm so sorry I wasn't there."
I nodded and stared at nothing, letting the movie play in my head again.
"Bella." Sam said again, shaking my hands a little. I looked down at him and waited for what he had to say.
"I-…what happened?" he asked nervously.
Another tear fell and I looked away brushing it away myself. I shook my head, silently telling him I couldn't do it.
"Bella, I know it's hard but…"
I shook my head again. "You don't know." I whispered. "You have no idea."
His eyes fell and his back hunched. Suddenly I was hit with guilt. I didn't mean for it to sound mean, it was just…everything going on.
"I-…I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry." I told him as my voice cracked.
He looked up at me shocked and nodded.
"Can you tell me? It-..I just…we need to get your statement too and I thought…"
I bit my bottom lip and looked up to the ceiling, trying not to cry again.
Of course it would be for the case. Not me. He probably doesn't even care. I told myself harshly.
He imprinted on you. Of course he cares! Did you see the look on his face? The voice commented.
"Bella?" He asked.
"Uley." A cop said. "We need you for a sec."
Sam narrowed his eyes at the men and looked over at me. "I will be right back."
I watched Sam walk away with the cop with a file in his hand. Near Sam was Jared. He was drinking some coffee and looking at me.
As awkward as our stare was with each other I couldn't look away. When I finally did, I took one look back at Sam and found him busy. Then I glanced around the station. It was packed and chaotic. So I ran a hand through my hair and decided to leave. I got up without thinking and made my way out to the front and out the door without a shout.
Nobody noticed and nobody cared, which I was extremely glad for.
"Bella!" a voice called. I inwardly groaned. I spoke too soon.
I turned around and found Jared running up to me.
"You can't just leave you know. We have to take your statement. Did you get checked out by the paramedics before you left?" he asked, giving me a overlook like Sam did.
"I'm fine and I want to go home." I told him and went to go turn around.
"That didn't answer any of my questions." He pointed out.
I ignored him and walked away.
"Bella." He called again and grabbed my wrist.
Immediately I spun around and broke the grasp.
"Don't." I growled. Part of me was in fear and the other with anger. He couldn't tell me what to do. Especially him.
He backed off and looked at me sadly.
"Bella!" Sam's voice called.
I groaned and closed my eyes. He ran up to Jared and I, and gave us a curious look. I ran a hand through my hair and stared at the gun on Jared's belt.
It gave me shiver; the feeling of it pressing against my head.
"I have to go." I said shakily and turned away suddenly. My heart was racing and I felt nervous.
"Hey." Sam said grabbing me. I pulled away again, just like I did to Jared.
"Don't ok?" I said with a hand on my forehead.
"I just can't do what you want me to right now. I just…I need to go."
"Don't do this Bella." Sam shouted as I walked further away from him and the station.
"Don't run away. "He told me as I slowed my pace.
I stood there for a second, at the side of the road thinking of a response.
"It's what I'm good at." I told him feeling like indulging in self-pity.
The rest of the walk home I thought about how I could have fixed this whole situation. I didn't have to give him such a harsh grade. He did really do a great job. Maybe I wasn't cut out to be a teacher.
I walked inside of my house, locking the door and laying on the couch in a ball.
I felt numb. Everything inside of me was numb and cold.
My eyes closed and I fell into darkness. It was soon that I felt the cold metal press up against the side of my head and I shot up with a start.
No one was here and no gun was to be found. My heart raced and fear cursed through my veins.
A loud knock on my door sounded through the house and my heart accelerated even more.
Slowly, I got up from the couch and went to the door. I unlocked it, my hands sweating. When the door opened and i saw who was standing there, relief washed over me.
Paul immediately grabbed me into a hug, pretty much forcing himself into my house and hugging me for dear life.
"Don't ever do that to me again." He muttered, still hugging me. I didn't know what to do exactly. After getting over the shock of him holding me in his arms, I didn't know whether to hug him back or just wait for it to be over. I decided to wrap my arms around him too. We all know I needed the comfort.
"You ok?" he asked, pulling away slightly to look at my face.
I nodded and forced a small smile on my face.
"You look pale and frightened." Jake inputted.
I looked over to him and he gave me a small sad smile.
"Don't lie to your big brother." Paul growled.
I closed my eyes again and put some space in-between us. He was starting a whole new topic.
"I'm fine, thank you for the concern, but I survived. Ben and I both did."
"So Ben was the punk's name." Seth gritted.
I looked over to the voice and was surprised. I didn't even know he was standing there.
"He's not a punk. He's just a kid. And if that's all you wanted to hear, you can leave." I told him, leaving Paul's arms and making some hot chocolate.
"Bella…" Jake started, walking into the house and shutting the door.
I sighed as I stood by the sink.
"Look, I'm dealing with everything ok? I'm fine…or I will be. So please just…"
"Leave?" a voice asked.
I looked over my shoulder and found Sam and Jared now in my house.
"Great, a wolf pack affair." I said under my breath.
"Bella, we are just worried about you." Sam said, taking a step towards me.
"Well don't." I snapped harshly.
I groaned at how mean I was being as I put a hand on my forehead. I had a headache.
"I'm sorry. Again." I said looking at Sam.
He gave me an understanding nod, and watched me. I put some water in a tea pot and set it on the stove. Then I went and turned to the cabinet for the aspirin.
"Bella, just talk to us." Sam whispered gently in my ear as he stood behind me with a hand covering mine on the aspirin bottle.
"I don't want to talk to you guys Sam. I don't want to share my feelings or talk about my day. I want to just forget about this and go on. I want to continue to live my life the way it was." I told him. We stared at each other for the longest time both determined to have their way. It felt like we were almost having a private conversation.
"Bella!" a voice said relieved and out of breath.
"Are you ok?" Brady huffed with Collin.
I looked at the two new wolves in my house and let out a frustrating breath.
"Yes, I am fine. Thank you." I gritted out.
I took my water off the hot stove and poured it into my cup. Sam was in my space and I didn't like it.
I knew he was doing it on purpose. He was trying to get it out of me. All the emotions and pent up anger and sadness, but I wasn't going to let him win.
"Move Sam." I commanded. He looked at me, not moving.
"Move or I will make you move." I ground out.
"Everything ok here?" A female voice whispered.
I turned and saw Leah now joining us.
"Never mind." I whispered to Sam. I was too tired to fight with him and everyone else.
I made my hot cocoa and tried leaving the room.
"Where are you going?" Sam asked.
"To bed." I said as I walked up the stairs.
I could tell he was going to follow me up, but that's where I stopped him.
"No." I told him, turning around on the steps.
"You can invade my household and my personal space but this is where it ends. You will not come up with me." He opened his mouth to protest, but I spoke again. "I don't care how much you want answers or want to talk; you aren't going to get anything, especially by coming upstairs. So leave me alone." I said in a threatening voice.
With that, I walked up the stairs and shut my bedroom door a little harder than usual.
It was a few hours that I just sat in my bed thinking. The house phone ringed, which I picked up immediately.
"Hello?" I asked.
"Bella, hI!" Lila's voice rang.
"Hey Lila, what can I do for you?" I said a little more cheery than usual.
"Hi Belly!" a little girls voice yelled in the background.
"Bex?" I asked laughing a little.
"Yea!" she shouted and giggled.
"Ok Bex." Lila said to her. "Anyways Bella, I was hoping that since Bex here can't go to sleep you could send us those songs that she likes again? We put the CD somewhere but we have no idea where it is. And Carter and I have tried everything to put this silly girl to bed." Lila said, laughing a little as Bex laughed in the background..
I smiled through the phone. "Of course. Maybe next time I should make a spare CD. Just give me a few minutes and i will get them to you."
"Ok, thank you so much Bella. I'm sorry to bother you. Oh no. Were you sleeping?" She asked.
"No no, don't worry. I was up."
"Ok good. Sorry again."
"Yea, no problem."
"Alright, well Bex, say goodbye."
"Bye Belly!" the girl squeaked.
"Bye Bex. Bye Lila." I laughed.
"Bye Bella." She laughed back and hung up.
I made my way out of my bedroom and down the stairs. All the lights were on but I figured the guys would have left by now.
I peered into the kitchen and found it empty. I then looked into the family room and found it…full?
"What the hell?" I asked coming down the stairs.
"Don't you all have lives? Places to go?" I asked getting frustrated.
"They are all around you." Sam answered for the guys as he looked up and down my body. I rolled my eyes at the cheesy comment and went searching for my laptop.
"Who's Bex?" Paul asked as I entered the family room again.
I let out a huff and found the computer under the table.
"She's….wait. Were you listening to my phone conversation?" I asked appalled.
"Super hearing remember?" Seth said.
I rolled my eyes. "Somehow I think you can control that."
I opened up the laptop and immediately started up the music generator so I could send the music files.
"Those are your P.J.'s?" Brady asked with a smile.
I looked down at my clothes (which was a grey tank top and a pair of blue and white checkered boxers) and rolled my eyes.
"It's too late for this." I groaned as the boys snickered.
I sent the files and then shut down my computer again.
"So really, who is Bex?" Jake asked.
"No one of your concern. Now can you all please get out of my house?" I asked them.
"Not till we get answers." Sam said.
"Damn it Sam." I said to him.
He looked at me seriously. "Bella, you can't do this to us. I know you are afraid, and I know that running away is your defense mechanism, but you don't have to do that anymore."
Anger bubbled in my stomach.
"Why? Because I can trust you? Because I can pour out my heart and soul and everything will be ok because I'm with you?" I asked him with a bit of sarcasm.
"Yes, you can." He said without a hint of joking-ness in his voice.
I shook my head. "No, I can't. Trust isn't something you just have Sam. It's earned. And just because I'm some imprintee doesn't mean shit. I'm a human Sam. A stupid human being. I'm not some toy or prized possession you can fix and keep forever."
"Is that what you think imprinting is?" he asked getting up from his chair.
"I think it's a load of shit." I cussed at him.
"No you don't." Jake said not looking at Sam or me.
"Excuse me?" I asked him.
"Bella, I know you. And don't say I don't because I do. If you thought it was a load of shit you wouldn't have avoided us or run away when you found out the imprinting."
I shook my head, wanting so bad to ignore him.
"Bella, I know it's hard for you to let us in, but you can trust us, we are still your friends."
"No! I can't trust you guys. I can't trust any of you. And I don't want to. I don't want to let my guard down or run into the comfort of Sam's arms. I don't want have you all back in my life again and be fooled into thinking…" I bit my tongue and huffed.
"I shouldn't have-….I shouldn't have said that. Or anything for that matter. Lock up when you leave." I said to them as I shook my head and ran upstairs.