A/N: This chapter deals with sexual assault. If that is a triggering subject for you, please proceed with caution.

What should be over burrowed under my skin

In heart-stopping waves of hurt

I've come too far to watch some name-dropping sleaze

Tell me what are my words worth

~ Taylor Swift, the lakes

BPOV - AGE 17

"So," Colton sighed, casually leaning back in the plush armchair across from me. "What do you say, Bella?"

I sat on the couch, the extensive contract he had drawn up spread out on the coffee table before me. I read over it a few times, not that I knew half of what it was saying, but I still read it. Had my very expensive lawyer read it and explain it to me, too.

It was a standard management contract. Colton Shay was one of the most sought after talent managers in the city. It should have been a very easy decision for me to gratefully accept his help.

My days blurred together. I had no idea what I was doing most of the time. People constantly told me I should be planning for my future but it was all I could do to make it through the day. So, when Lawrence recommended Colton after my tentative manager admitted my career was moving too fast for her to deal with, I met with him the next day.

He's the best, I told myself. He was young, only a few years older than me, but already well known in his little corner of the industry. He got his clients phenomenal opportunities. If I wanted to be the best, he could get me there.

Colton had told me that every day for the last month.

Still, I hesitated. And I wasn't even sure why.

Colton stood from his chair, settling himself on the couch beside me. His hand settled on my bare knee, just below the hem of my sundress. "We'd work well together, Bella."

As casually as I could, I crossed my legs and made sure his hand fell off of my knee in the process. "It's a big decision."

"It is," he agreed with a nod. "But, I can make you a star, baby." His hand fell back to my knee. This time sliding slowly up my leg, past the hem of my dress. "Can make you see them, too, if you want."

For one terrifying moment, I froze. Even as every siren in my nervous system went off, I froze as I watched his hand creep along my skin. Because somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew I had to play this moment very carefully.

I grabbed the papers off of the table and stood, fighting against every urge to run out the door even though we were in my hotel room. "I think I should read it over again, just to be safe."

"From what I've heard, you've read it a dozen times."

I shrugged, walking over toward the door. I pulled it open, probably too eagerly. "I'll let you know tomorrow."

He sat there for a good thirty seconds. He scanned my body, his eyes lingering long enough to make a knot of nausea swirl around in my stomach. When he leaned back, arms spread along the back of the couch and a smirk that sent ice down my veins on his face, I knew not signing the contract in my hands had been one of the best decisions I had ever made.

Colton opened his mouth at the same moment a hotel employee wandered down the hall toward my door.

"Can I get you anything, Ms. Swan?" the man asked, a kind smile on his face.

"Yes," I gasped, hating the slight shakiness of my voice. "Could you please show Mr. Shay out?"

I saw it. The quick flash of rage in Colton's eyes before he got it under control.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Bella," Colton said as he brushed past me.

My fingers fumbled with the lock on the door as soon as I had it closed. I ripped every page of the contract up into unidentifiable pieces before taking a shower hot enough to burn any remnants of his touch off of my skin.

A/N: My plan had been to post each flashback/chapter together, but I wanted to thank everyone for voting for me in the TwiFicFanAwards with this little flashback I already had ready to go. Thank you again, and I hope you guys are enjoying this one. This Bella has always been so intense in my mind and I feel like the flashbacks I've written so far do a better picture at painting her and her psyche than the entirety of HK, so I hope you guys don't mind the flashbacks :)

I'm curious: what other moments do you think were formative for Bella and might pop up in a flashback?!