Chapter 03
They went to Bella’s place to pick up an overnight bag and then headed to the McCall house. Bella hadn’t been there yet, mostly because she had tried to avoid this kind of thing and now she was being forced.
As they entered the McCall house, Bella took in her surroundings. The atmosphere was welcoming, and she couldn’t help but feel slightly more at ease. That was until she entered the livingroom and found Lydia, Liam and Stiles sitting on the couch, laughing. “Hi! Welcome to the movies!” Stiles exclaimed. “We have popcorn!”
No, this wasn’t a good idea. Not only because of Bella’s current issue, but tonight was day two of the full moon cycle. Three wolves and four humans in one house sounded too dangerous. And Bella just wanted to catch up on what she’d missed at school, if she were completely honest. “Homework?”
“Girl, you just went through hell and back,” Lydia got up and pulled Bella down to the couch with her. “You deserve to relax. At least for today. Us humans need to look after each other.”
Bella hesitated, glancing between the inviting scene of camaraderie and her concerns. Seeing as Lydia had already pulled her down to the couch, Bella found it hard to relax, she felt as if she had no way to go and she could feel her heart beat faster.
Stiles, ever the enthusiastic host, handed her a bowl of popcorn. “It’s tradition to chill and repack after something happens. No exceptions, especially not for someone who’s been through what you have.”
Lydia chimed in, her tone reassuring as she caressed Bella’s hair. “Trust us, it might be just what you need.”
Isaac, sensing Bella’s imminent panic attack, helped Bella back up from the couch and helped her sit down in the comfortable armchair. “Baby steps, guys, Bella is an independent woman, she needs to warm up to affection,” he grinned as he squatted down in front of Bella and faced her. “Or, at least, that’s what she likes to think that she is.”
Bella wasn’t going to respond to that in the way that he was likely calling her out. “You’re a meanie,” she said before gripping the arm rest with her hands as she felt a stabbing pain in her side. “Oh, that’s not fair,” she groaned.
“Hey, I’m sorry,” Isaac apologised and quickly covered her hand with his to absorb some of her pain. “I didn’t know…”
“Well, we now know that even humor triggers it,” Bella let out a deep breath as she could feel Isaac’s touch work. “I told you it would have been better if I went to my own place with no contact with anyone…”
“No. Stay. You can stay in my room until you feel up for socialisation, okay?” He scooped her up and carried Bella upstairs, ensuring she was comfortable in his room. He laid her down on the bed, adjusting the pillows to provide support. “Just rest here for a bit. I’ll be right outside if you need anything.”
“You don’t have to be right outside,” Bella let out a small chuckle. “You can have fun and whatever you usually do.”
“I’ll be sitting in the hallway.” Isaac leaned against the doorway, his eyes fixed on Bella. “I want to make sure you’re okay. Plus, if anything happens, I’m right here.”
Bella sighed, feeling a mixture of gratitude and frustration. “Isaac, you don’t have to babysit me. I can handle myself.”
“I know you can,” he reassured her, a hint of determination in his eyes. “But that doesn’t mean you have to do it alone. We’re in this together now, remember?”
She nodded, acknowledging the truth in his words. “Yeah, I remember,” she wrapped his blankets around her. Now that she was comfortable and lying down, her bones felt cold and the blankets were nice and warm.
“Get some rest. I think we’re ordering Mexican food tonight.”
“I love Mexican food,” Bella replied. “Is there a chair outside the door?”
“No, I’ll be on the floor.”
“Sounds uncomfortable.”
Isaac shrugged. “Anything for you.”
“Don’t you want to take advantage of me being basically forced to not hide things from you?”
Isaac let out a breath as he pushed himself off of the doorframe and sat down on the edge of the bed, placing a hand on her leg. “That wouldn’t make me a good and trustworthy person, would it?” He asked her and shook his head. “I would become someone you would run away from. Now, I am not saying I’m a saint or anything, but for you, I really want to do things right. And that’s hearing your story when you’re ready, and not forced to do so.”
“I don’t mind…”
“Bella,” he laughed. “Does your mind ever turn off?”
“It’s the only thing that’s really mine,” Bella sighed as she squirmed a little and tugged the blankets closer. “He couldn’t read my mind.”
“Wait, those vampires have powers?”
Bella nodded and shivered a little. “Some of them, yeah. This coven in particular was very gifted. One has visions, they have the mind reader, and someone else can influence emotions…”
Isaac shifted on the bed and settled down beside her. “Mind if I warm you up a bit?”
Bella raised an eyebrow. “Warm me up?”
“Yeah, you’re cold. I’ve got a surplus of body heat. I’m just going to… snuggle in a bit for your comfort. Don’t worry, I’ll be outside once you’re asleep,” he explained cautiously. “I promise, I’ll be respectful.”
“I trust you.”
Isaac chuckled. “Still not sure why, but I appreciate it.” He gently snuggled against her, keeping a respectful distance, with only his chest touching her back. “I come with a ‘damaged goods’ label, you know.”
“You need to stop saying that,” Bella froze for a second, holding her breath as Isaac scooted closer – respectfully.
“Pot calling the kettle black,” Isaac teased, his tone light. “I promise you, one way or the other, we’ll make sure your problems will go away.”
Bella sighed as she closed her eyes, feeling Isaac’s warmth around her. “It’s a bit difficult to see the positive side of things when there’s two choices, and two choices only. Even after we fix the pain. Turn, or die.”
“I used to be like you,” Isaac mused, fascinated by how well Bella fit against his body as a little spoon.
“And then what happened?”
“Scott happened.”
Bella’s curiosity piqued. “Scott? How did he change things for you?”
Isaac tightened his grip slightly, offering a small, genuine smile. “Despite you know, our shared ex-girlfriend, Scott has never done anything to destroy my trust in him. He truly cares about people, even if they don’t deserve it or believe they don’t deserve it,” he shrugged slightly. “He showed me that not everything is black and white, there are always choices.”
“I don’t think…”
“Even when you only have two choices,” he interrupted her. “There must be a loophole somewhere.”
Bella yawned as she was feeling sleepy. “Hope is a powerful emotion.”
“Exactly. It’s not perfect science but… 95% of the time it works,” he said softly. “Don’t worry, Bella, we have enough hope to share with you.”
Mrs. McCall woke Bella a few hours later with a gentle nudge. “Lydia and Stiles have gone home and the boys are out with Liam to make sure that nothing crazy happens. Would you like to freshen up? You’ve got blood all over your clothes. I can wash them, you did bring a spare change of clothes, right?”
Bella nearly jumped out of the bed. “Oh my God, Mrs. McCall, I’m so sorry…”
“Relax,” Mrs. McCall replied with a smile and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. “You’re safe here. The shower is just the next door down the hall. I’m afraid they ate all the Mexican food so if you’re hungry, we can order some?”
“It’s dark out?”
“Yeah, the sun’s gone down, why?”
“We shouldn’t order anything, it’s not safe.”
“Okay, I will look in the fridge and whip us something up, okay?”
“Just like that?”
“Yes, no problem. Isaac just said you loved Mexican food and he felt guilty that they ate everything,” Mrs. McCall laughed and walked towards the door. “Again, shower is next door and I’ll be happy to wash your blooded clothes and try to see if they’re salvageable, okay? I’ll see you downstairs soon?”
“Uh, yes, thank you.” As Mrs. McCall disappeared to go downstairs, Bella took inventory of herself. She felt normal again, no pain, no bleeding, no cold. Maybe Dr. Deaton had managed to destroy the pendant already. Feeling a mix of relief and gratitude, she headed to the adjacent bathroom to freshen up.
The warm water of the shower helped wash away the remnants of discomfort, both physical and emotional. Bella couldn’t help but ponder the strange turn her life had taken. As she changed into a set of clean clothes, she inspected the gash on her arm, only to find it healed without a trace.
She checked her phone and saw several messages from Isaac, how he was sorry they ate all the Mexican but that he hoped that she had rested up. He was going to come by soon, but they were helping Dr. Deaton to do research on the pendant and try to get more information on the rules of the Volturi so they didn’t have to ask Bella and potentially hurt her.
Sighing, Bella debated what she was going to do. She scrolled through her phone and briefly, her finger lingered on Alice Cullen’s name. Bella just knew that she was still keeping an eye on her and likely working on the turn or die part from their side. Bella and Alice had been friends. But she wasn’t sure if she could trust Alice seeing as she was in the same house as Edward.
As she walked down the stairs, she texted Isaac back, asking him how the moon was treating him. She was actually very impressed by the werewolves of Beacon Hills; it took a lot of focus and energy to make sure that they wouldn’t turn and go crazy to attack people during the full moon.
She couldn’t believe she had a brief relapse and was thinking about contacting Alice because she was in trouble. The whole point of leaving Forks was to be clear of the Cullens to begin with. They couldn’t be trusted.
Bella couldn’t trust herself at the moment.
“Do you need help with anything, Mrs. McCall?” Bella asked as she walked into the kitchen and noticed the pile of dishes from Mexican food earlier. “Do you need me to do the dishes?”
“Oh, no, don’t worry about it.”
“I want to do something, please,” Bella let out a chuckle. “You’ve worked all day and you’re already gracious enough to make me some food because I’m a chicken.”
As Mrs. McCall relented and showed Bella where everything was, the two engaged in light conversation while Bella tackled the pile of dishes. The warm atmosphere in the kitchen, coupled with the comforting clatter of plates and utensils, made Bella feel surprisingly at ease.
After she was done, Mrs. McCall gave her a plate and a glass of juice to drink and while Bella was tucking into the food, which was delicious, she received a text from her father. “Oh, I can’t… He’s asking how I am.”
“Oh, that’s easy, you’re fine,” Mrs. McCall said dismissively.
“He’s going to want details, I’m not exactly in the position right now to lie about my life and you know, what’s going on,” Bella pushed her phone towards Mrs. McCall. “Please?”
Mrs. McCall sighed as she took her phone. “Hi dad,”
“Charlie.”
“Really?”
Bella shrugged.
“Dad,” Mrs. McCall continued. “I am doing great, I’m sorry I haven’t called in a while but school is quite demanding and I have a lot to catch up on. I hope you’re alright, I’m currently at a friend’s house having some nice food and we’re going to watch a movie.” Mrs. McCall took a picture of Bella and sent it along with the message. “See? Easy. No lies.”
“Wait for it…” Bella chuckled, shaking her head, knowing her father too well.
Mrs. McCall blinked when several messages came in at once. “Do you need more mace? Want me to reach out to the local Sheriff to provide you with mace? Are you safe? Do you feel safe right now? How are your grades? I’m thinking of coming over for spring break as you likely don’t want to be here. — Wow, Bella… he’s …”
“He’s the Chief of Police in a small town,” Bella laughed. “I’m surprised he hasn’t spoken to me yet about asking the Sheriff here to keep my self-defence classes up.”
“We have gyms for that.”
“Only the best for his little girl.”
Mrs. McCall typed back. “Dad, I’m fine, stop worrying about me. Life is boring, just how I like it right now. — Okay, that should shut him up.”
Bella just smiled and when Charlie texted again, Mrs. McCall just left the phone on the table.
“I guess not.”
“He’s not overbearing, but sometimes he gets these spurs of curiosity. That usually happens after he comes home from the rez or when he’s fishing.”
“Rez? As in reservation?”
Bella nodded. “Home to shifter-wolves as big as ponies, who aren’t slaves to the full moon and made for one purpose only; to protect humans from vampires.”
“The same vampires that got you…”
“Oh yeah, and they listen to delusional teenage girls to back off because she’s so in love with one of the vampires,” Bella let out a snort. “I’m not bitter,” she let out before feeling a sharp pain in her side and winched.
“Yeah you are.”
Bella nodded as she bit her lip, forcing herself not to cry out in pain. “I guess the pendant still works…”
“I guess so, are you okay?”
“No, but I will be,” Bella gave her a little smile and focused on the food. “I have to be.”
“You don’t have to be strong, you know,” Mrs. McCall said as she took a sip of her drink. “I mean, if I were you, I’d be absolutely terrified and angry.”
“Oh, I am,” Bella replied, putting her fork down. “I’ve done the freaking out and I know that someone who’s got more experience than any of us is working on trying to fix it. And yes, I am angry, but there’s no changing things. I’m breakable and both choices result in getting broken, one way or another.”
“Ohhh, you’re complacent!”
“And scared, for mostly others.”
“Bella, you’re not in this alone, I don’t know how many times you have to hear it but I don’t think we all mind reminding you every single time,” Mrs. McCall’s tone had turned serious. “And it’s a difficult situation you’re in but it’s nothing that Scott and his friends haven’t faced before. You’re really in the best place to get help, with both of your issues, alright?”
“They’ll get hurt, that’s the whole reason I wanted to… not make friends.”
“And you also need to stop saying that. Making friends is something you can’t stop, it’s a natural thing. Am I worried about my boys? Yes. But I also know that they can take care of themselves and that they will always find a way.”
Bella sighed as she shifted a little in her chair. “Do you know what happens when I allow myself to fall apart? I’ve been on the verge of it a few times now and it’s even more frightening than whatever is going on now because I won’t be able to try and fight back. I just sit there and stare at the wall all day long and it’s relatively difficult to pull myself out of that.”
“Previously, when that happened, did you have any friends you could talk to?”
“No.”
“What about hobbies?”
“Not really.”
“Extracurricular school activities to keep you busy? Sports?”
“No and I’m really uncoordinated so sports have always been a bad experience.”
Mrs. McCall had listened intently and processed Bella’s words, her brow furrowing with concern. “Bella, isolating yourself might have worked for a while, but it’s not a sustainable solution, especially in situations like these. It’s okay to lean on others, to share your burden. You don’t have to face everything alone. And maybe, just maybe, opening up to someone could help you find a way to navigate through these challenges.”
Bella shifted uncomfortably in her chair, her gaze fixed on her half-eaten dinner. “I don’t know how to open up. I’ve always been the one to deal with things by myself. It was hard enough to tell Dr. Deaton a little about what’s coming but… I only did that because I didn’t want anyone to get hurt.”
Mrs. McCall reached across the table, placing a comforting hand on Bella’s. “It’s never too late to learn, Bella. And trust me, it might feel daunting at first, but having people around you who care and understand can make a world of difference. You don’t have to be alone in this.”
“I’ll think about it,” she murmured, her thoughts clouded with uncertainty, but she also knew that she didn’t have a choice. For some reason, the people in Beacon Hills were more tenacious and trying their hardest to be her friend and helping out than her friends in Forks ever were.
“And you’re going to find yourself a hobby.”
“What’s the point of finding myself a hobby when I can potentially die?”
“That’s not the point of a hobby. We’re going to find you one, you’ll see,” Mrs. McCall replied, still very surprised by how small Bella’s world seemed to be, and yet so vast. As they continued their conversation, Melissa couldn’t help but notice the layers of struggle that seemed to shroud Bella. The challenge ahead was not just about supernatural threats; it was about unravelling the emotional barricades Bella had built over the years.
“Let’s take it one step at a time,” Mrs. McCall suggested gently. “Finding a hobby isn’t about avoiding potential danger. It’s about finding joy, passion, and a way to express yourself. It might be a small step, but it could make a big difference in how you perceive things.”
Bella sighed, thinking about it. “I used to draw a bit, but it’s been a while.”
“Drawing is a wonderful hobby! It allows you to create, express, and maybe even discover something new about yourself. We can get you some art supplies, and you can give it a try again. What do you think?”
Bella hesitated, her guarded expression softening slightly. “Yeah, maybe that’s worth a shot.”
Mrs. McCall smiled encouragingly. “Great! We’ll start there, and who knows, it might be a way for you to open up to new experiences and people. What else do you like?”
“Uhh… cooking.”
“Fantastic, it’s settled; you’re cooking tomorrow and you better make a lot, the boys are ravenous!”
Bella wasn’t sure what just happened, exactly, but she was feeling a lot better. Mrs. McCall reminded her a little of her own mother, but definitely a more stable version of it. Reneé always had Bella’s best interests at heart but she was too free-spirited and too free, often making decisions without thinking about the consequences. Reneé just rolled with the tides, and that was something Bella had never really been able to.
Bella smiled then. “Mrs. McCall, I think you and my mother would get along just great.”
“When’s the last time you spoke to her? Does she even know you moved away from Forks?”
“She doesn’t and it’s been a while…”
“Then you need to call her tomorrow, okay? Let her know that you’re here and having fun. That you’re safe.”
“But she might show up unannounced.”
“Sweetheart, just call your mother. If she does show up unannounced, it’ll be alright.”
Sure it would…
