Chapter 6: The Victim

Bella re-read the email several times, her jaw hanging in disbelief. Someone else knew about vampires….but how? It felt like her brain was short-circuiting. She quickly looked up his name on a search engine. Nothing noteworthy came up until she came across a photograph that made her double take. It showed a boy with a thin, angular face, high cheekbones, full lips, and dark bronze hair. Her heart thumped as she stared at the image. He resembled Edward slightly. She shifted her focus to the news article under his photograph.

University of Washington student found dead on campus

October 29, 2005. University of Washington police are investigating after an 18-year-old student, Steven Marsala, was found dead on campus over the weekend. Marsala's roommate called police to report him missing just before 2:00 a.m., police say. The roommate said he had not seen Marsala for several hours and could not reach him via phone. Police said a university employee later found Marsala dead in the campus fountain around 3:00 a.m. Other witnesses have come forward and reported Marsala with a young woman with red hair hours before he was reported missing. Preliminary information suggests there is foul play involved. The university employee who found Marsala's body states that he observed "several bite marks on his neck, shoulders, and chest... his body was terribly broken." An autopsy is scheduled for Monday. Officials and Marsala's father, Anthony Marsala, ask anyone with information to contact the University of Washington Police Department.

What the hell is happening to my life? she thought bitterly. Why are only crazy people getting close to me?

She had heard about this case briefly when her own case was being reported while news articles were trying to label UW as "THE school to go to if you want to be attacked or killed."

So Steven Marsala had been murdered by a vampire almost three years ago. Woman with red hair. Bella had known a vampire with red hair once—Victoria, James's mate. But Edward had assured her a few months before Steven Marsala's murder, before the Cullens left Forks, that Victoria had been "taken care of," so it seemed unlikely she was the one who murdered this boy. Though the location of the murder being at her current school made her uneasy.

She watched the small video at the bottom of the article replaying a segment of the news in which Anthony Marsala interviewed for the local news about the death of his son. Marsala was a thin man with thinning, mousy brown hair and thick spectacles that magnified his eyes. Thinking back, Bella tried to recall where he could have seen her with Jasper. The library? The party? Unlikely. No, she thought suddenly, it was the Diner. He was in the back of the diner! She remembered the balding, lean man hunched over a newspaper with a cup of coffee in hand.

Bella was jolted out of her reverie when she heard the front door open., ushering in lively whispers, giggles, and the clatter of items being arranged on the kitchen counters.

"Bellllaaaa!" Stephanie's exuberant voice echoed through the apartment. "Come ouuuuutt!"

"Where's your wine?" Rupa's sharp tone cut through the noise in the kitchen. "Tina, pass me the corkscrew."

"Bellaaaa!" Stephanie burst into Bella's room. As soon as she saw Bella sitting at her desk, her eyes lit up, and she ran to her at full speed for a hug. "I literally haven't seen you for way too long."

Jen appeared at the doorway too, her lips curving into a half-smile.

They were all there. Bella began to breathe harder. She couldn't do this. Not now. Not ever. Not when she dragged Christine into the woods.

Stephanie seemed to sense something was wrong. She pulled back, her eyes trained on Bella's face.. "We missed you! Jen said you've been cooped up in here for days. What's going on, love?"
Bella sighed and grimaced. "Just…stuff. You know, end-of-semester stress." My eyes are shifting too much. Look at Steph. Smile.

"Girl, I get it," Tina chimed in from the kitchen, her soothing voice a balm. Bella felt the tension within her slip a little, her shoulders rolling back. Tina and Rupa flanked Jen, and they all walked into her bedroom, surrounding her. "But you can't lock yourself away. We brought snacks, games, and movies. Only the essentials."

Stephanie chimed in, "And wine, obviously. Rupa and I are on a mission to make this night amazing."

Rupa smirked, holding up the corkscrew triumphantly. "We've got this, ladies."

Jen stepped forward, her eyes softening. "Bella…I told them about Edward. We figured you needed to take a break. But we want you to know we're here for you. You're not alone in this."

For a moment, Bella felt a pang in her chest, cutting through the fog of anxiety in her brain. He's dead. She saw Jen's startled expression, her eyes darting to Rupa as if to ask whether she should not have said anything. Bella took a deep breath, her gaze dropping for a moment. "Thanks, guys. It means a lot."

Stephanie squeezed her shoulder. "We're here for you. For everything." She pulled Bella out of her seat and into the living room. The girls settled in with snacks and soda, Rupa with a large wine glass filled to the brim, and they chatted and watched movies until Bella finally succumbed to a restful slumber.

Someone was shushing.

Bella's eyelids fluttered slightly, but she kept her eyes closed, pretending to be asleep. Movement emanated from the small kitchen next to the living room.

"I think she's asleep," someone whispered.

"Is this a repeat of last year? Like, do you think she has a problem?" Bella's heart plummeted to her stomach. Her hand clenched the couch pillow under her head. It was Stephanie talking about her.

"You're being ridiculous," scoffed Jen.

"Jason Ventas told me he saw them argue in the library the day she disappeared. Called her a 'stalker bitch' before she left. Last thing she ever said."

"Steph..." Tina said, warily. "This is a bit..."

"Jason Ventas is a creep," Jen interjected. "He and Christine were hooking up. He's the number-one suspect right now. Not Bella."

An exasperated sigh. "Am I being unreasonable? This is weird, right? Almost exactly one year after someone else called her a stalker. Don't give me that look, Tina. I support her 100% about what happened last year. In fact, I would've done worse. But the fact that it's happening again ? You can't blame me for being a little suspicious."

"You can't say that these two things are even the same," argued Jen. "Last year was self-defense."

"I'm not saying that they're the same thing! Come on, fifty years from now, people are going to ask, 'How did you not know better?'"

"So, what's this for?" Jen asked coldly. "Are you saying we should report her? That she might have kill... kidnapped Christine? Tiny Bella Swan, who can't even carry a 5-gallon jug to her apartment?"

Stephanie was quick to respond, "She managed to push off a 200-pound guy off her and stab him like a hundred times. I don't think she's as weak as you think she is."

"Didn't you say that her ex-boyfriend's brother is in town?" Rupa's raspy voice chimed in.

"Exactly. That dude was staring at her at the party. And he's big . He could be involved."

"Y-you think he's involved? Why?" Jen sputtered. "Why would he…she... why would they even do this?"

"Tina, you're the psychology major. Psychologize this," Stephanie demanded.

"I... I don't know," Tina stammered. "She's a good person. You also saw how devastated she was after everything that happened. I don't think she would do something like this."

"Well, whether she did something or not, whatever black mark is on her, it's going to be the same one that's on us. Even if there's a tiny, minuscule chance that Bella is behind all this craziness that has been happening, we're going to be associated with that."

The room became deadly quiet.

Jen clucked her tongue. "You're being ridiculous. I can't listen to this anymore." There was some shuffling, as if Jen was busying herself by looking into the cabinet rather than looking at the other girls.

"I think she has a point, Jen," said Rupa. "I'm trying to get into med school. And if they look up my name and see the words 'murder' and 'kidnapping', my chances are shot."

"Are you guys being serious? Why did you even come over tonight if you're so ready to throw accusations around?" Jen seethed.

"To give her the benefit of the doubt? We're not monsters, Jen." Stephanie sighed. "She's been acting weird all night and not in a way you'd expect someone to act when their high school sweetheart has died." When Jen didn't respond, she continued, "We don't have to do anything. I just want to put it out there that this is a risk for us."

Jen was quiet for a long time. "I-I don't know what to say. Do you really think this will mess up our futures?"

The weight floated off her shoulders, but as Stephanie and Jen continued to argue, something within her shifted. It was as if her soul had fractured, as if one part of her yearned to melt into relaxation and the other to tense up into a tight ball. She wondered if Jasper was outside doing this to her. Or if this was all her: succumbing to a darkness that she no longer knew how to climb out of.

Bella didn't move until the girls left for the night and Jen disappeared into her own room, leaving behind an oppressive silence that seemed to stretch for hours. Finally, Bella sat up and stared blankly at the spot in the kitchen where her friends had gathered just an hour ago, discussing her guilt as if she were an object on trial.

Had they been wrong though? They were absolutely spot on that she and Jasper were involved in Christine's disappearance. She didn't have the right to be angry or upset that they had guessed correctly that she threw herself into danger and bad decisions for yet another year of her life.

Restless energy consumed her. Without much thought, she went to her room, grabbed her wallet and a jacket, and left the apartment. The emptying streets outside offered no solace, only the biting cold air that seared her skin through her jacket.

It was past midnight, and she had missed the deadline. The small note was crumpled, burning a hole in her pocket.

"Hey!"

Bella turned around and saw the boy from the Diner who had tried to kiss Christine, Jason Ventas. Determined to get as far away from him as possible, she turned and quickened her pace.

"Hey, I know you heard me!" His footsteps echoed, closing in behind her.

"What do you want?" Bella asked stiffly, maintaining her stride. She found herself walking through a dark, deserted street towards The Diner.

"You need to go talk to the detectives that have been hounding me instead of you and that freak that was with you . What the fuck did you two do to her? Where's Christine?" Jason grabbed Bella by her shoulder. "Couldn't get off when you didn't end Andrew, so you had to go after my girl?"

They were only a few feet away. Bella halted in her tracks, turned to him, and laughed derisively. "Your girl? Reality check, loser. You're a creep who couldn't get a girl to like you unless she was so wasted she wouldn't remember it the next day. Fucking despicable."

"You think you're so much better? I was friends with Andrew and -"

"Of course you were," Bella muttered under her breath.

"- you clearly have a fucking problem. Where the hell is she?" When she didn't answer, he jabbed a finger on her sternum. "You're a freak. A psychopathic -."

Bella narrowed her eyes, anger shimmering beneath the surface. "Look who's talking. The guy who can't get a date without resorting to drugging someone. A real charmer."

He clenched his fists, nostrils flaring. "You don't know shit about me. You think I haven't told the cops about you and that other guy? Once they realize I have nothing to do with her disappearance, they'll come after you next. Watch your back, 'cause you're not as untouchable as you think."

Bella scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. "'Untouchable?' I've been through worse than the likes of you," she said darkly. "You're a sad, pathetic excuse for a human being, and you're just upset that you didn't get to rape that poor girl -"

"Bitch -" he growled, suddenly grabbing her by the collar.

Time seemed to slow down. As the boy pulled her closer to him by her collar, she saw a tall, dark figure strolling behind him towards them. An amused smile played on his lips, fangs flashing under the lights. Bella watched his mouth form the words slowly and deliberately: "You did a GREAT job!" Two thumbs up.

She immediately looked up and saw the neon sign of The Diner above them.

Anger and resentment flushed through her veins. It felt as though he was waiting for her to say something, but the words were stuck like a lump in her throat. His approving and affectionate gaze made her stumble back against the wall of the diner as the boy vanished in front of her.

There was no trace of him or Jasper.

Bella stood alone on the dimly lit street, her heart pounding. She felt exposed and humiliated. Good girl, his smile seemed to say. A wave of horror crashed over her, overshadowing the smidge of satisfaction in seeing the obnoxious boy disappear before her eyes. But the realization hit her like a freight train—she had delivered a victim to Jasper.

The darkness that had engulfed her moments ago now morphed into a sickening pit in her stomach, and fresh tears sprang up in her eyes. Did I bring him here on purpose? Just to get rid of him? Jason Ventas, despite his repulsive nature, didn't deserve what was going to happen to him. Christine's decapitated head and limbs flashed through her mind. Last time, she had only hidden a body. This time, she was an active participant.

"I don't want to do this anymore," she whispered. She wanted to vomit.

The neon sign of the diner flickered, casting an inviting glow. Although Bella wanted nothing more than to curl up in her bed and forget that any part of the day happened, she found herself drawn in. Tomorrow, people would start asking where Jason was. The door creaked open as a patron left, and the scent of stale coffee and grease wafted through the air. This is as good an alibi as any. Even if anyone had seen Bella arguing with Jason outside, no one could suspect her involvement if there were witnesses spotting her in a diner while he was… missing.

The diner was nearly empty, except for a lone figure hunched over a cup of coffee at the counter. Bella approached cautiously, the worn-out linoleum floor squeaking under her steps. The waitress, a middle-aged woman with tired eyes, glanced up as the bell above the door jingled.

"Late night," the waitress remarked, a weary smile on her lips.

Bella nodded and slid into an empty booth, her mind still racing.

The waitress approached with a worn menu. "What can I get you, sweetheart?"

"Just a coffee, please."

As the waitress retreated, Bella sank into the booth, her thoughts swirling. The weight that had lifted off her shoulders earlier when her friends gathered around her settled back twice as heavily. She stared out of the window, watching the night unfold. The distant hum of a passing car and the soft glow of the streetlights. She wondered how long she could experience peace like this.

"Are we strangers?" asked a deep voice from behind her.

Bella jumped and spun around in her seat to see Jasper leaning on his elbows on the back of her booth. Her heart raced as she struggled to find her voice.

"Why did you ignore me earlier?" His tone was light and playful, but she could see the anger burning behind his scarlet irises. The buttons on his shirt were ripped open and there was a slight sheen of sweat on his throat. Her eyes locked on a single drop of sweat following a path down his throat and into the smooth, hard skin hidden behind his shirt. When her eyes swept up back to his, he was grinning.

Her mouth was agape, opening and closing like a fish out of water. Her eyes darted around the diner to see if anyone would help her. The man at the counter was already gone, and the waitress must have been somewhere back in the kitchen. She was trapped with him. As if they could have done anything to begin with.

He moved around the table and sat across from her. It was as if she was pulled back in time to a week ago. " Did you have fun earlier today? I didn't know you enjoyed volunteering with children," he remarked casually, as if they were friends.

"I-I don't -" she stammered.

"Or were you just trying to pull a prank on me?" he interrupted.

"Am I the one pranking people?" Bella shot back, her voice trembling. "You seemed to have done a great job tricking those people into thinking you're some kind of saint."

"I'm offended that you don't think I'm a saint," Jasper pouted mockingly.

"What are you planning on doing with that boy?" she whispered harshly. Her fear was dissipating slightly, the angrier she got. "Cutting him up into a thousand pieces? Arranging his limbs to say 'Bella did this'?"

They locked eyes, Jasper's demeanor eerily calm, while Bella breathed quickly and shallowly, her nerves threatening to unravel completely.

"You owe me $32.49 for all of the food from last Friday," she blurted.

The words had escaped her before she knew what she was saying. Jasper briefly looked surprised, but quickly composed himself. Then a slow, sinister smile tugged at his lips before he laughed, as if incredulous.

"Do I now?" His tone dripped with condescension. For an instant, she thought she saw the corner of his iris grow darker, but she was taken aback when the confused-looking waitress materialized in front of them. He gave the woman the order, "Get her anything she wants," and reached into his pocket and produced several crisp $100 bills, tossing them onto the table with a casual flick of his wrist.

Bella gaped at the money as the waitress shuffled away.

Jasper rose from his chair and leaned across the table, keeping her wrist in place with one hand. His touch sent a jolt of fear through her veins. Bella plastered herself against the vinyl seat and whispered, "You can't hurt me. I brought you someone."

He sneered, his lips curling back to reveal his canines. "You 'brought' me someone ," he repeated mockingly. He reached forward, brushing her hair away from her face and tucking it behind her ear, exposing her throat. His fingers trailed down from her ear to her neck, with his index finger pressing against her pulse point. "I will let you off this once," he murmured, his breath warm against her skin as he leaned in closer. "Never use me again." He pressed a new piece of paper into her open palm. Withdrawing from her, he ran his fingers through his tousled hair, pulling the blond strands off his face. "I will see you on Sunday...at church. You know where it is, right?" He smiled mischievously and walked out of the diner.

Bella sat there in stunned silence. Church?

The waitress, still confused, was shuffling back to the table with three pots of coffee. Bella snatched the cash from the table, left a $100 bill for the waitress, and rushed out of the diner.