Chapter Seventeen

Avoidance

Bella Pov

I could feel my heartbeat racing. I could feel Edward's heartbeat racing.

He kissed me. Edward Cullen just kissed me. The boy who used to trip me up for fun. The boy who hates my very existence. The boy who has mutual hatred for me. He kissed me.

My thoughts weren't entirely true. I didn't hate Edward. I had grew to like him somehow, or at least be fond of him. I could feel my cheeks getting hotter and hotter. The tears that had leaked from my eyes were no longer there. All I could picture in my mind was green. Those green eyes that looked so deep into mine before that wonderful kiss.

I didn't like Edward in that way of course, and he had no right to kiss me. I had never been kissed before, well except for James, I didn't know it could be so nice. I had never even had a boyfriend.

"I'll get Alice to get you some clothes." was all he said after getting dressed himself.

Did I do it wrong? Was I not a good kisser? Of course you aren't, that was the first time you've ever really kissed someone. Edward kisses people like his life depends on it. Why would you think that you could compare to that?

Once I was dressed I made my way to the kitchen for breakfast. Alice was laughing with her friend Kaycee, or Kay as I was to call her and Edward was sitting eating toast texting with his phone. I poured myself a glass of milk and sat down at the table.

I wonder what will happen when Charlie gets home. Life wont be so easy. I'm not free, this is just a taster of what freedom is. I'll never be free.

Carlisle Pov

I stared out the hospital windows. I noticed the smudges and grime that had appeared there but couldn't bring myself to clean them. I rarely got a moment for my thoughts when I was at the hospital. I was constantly busy lately, there were so many patients in and out. So many accidents.

I was thinking about home. I was going to have to buy a bigger house if I kept inviting the wounded to stay, but I couldn't bring myself to leave things alone. I didn't work that way, I stood up for the things I believed in, no matter what the consequences were. I had been taught that as a child and I would carry it to the grave. It was something I tried to instill in my own children. It seemed to have worked in it's own way.

I thought about Isabella and her situation. It was going to be sticky to get her out of it, I had been trying for years but I never really knew how to tackle the situation. Things were different now, she was living under my roof for the time being.

I heard a noise ring out from my pocket. My phone. I always had it switched off when I was in work.

I must have forgotten.

"Hello." I answered.

"Carlisle Cullen?"

"Um yes, and with whom am I speaking with?"

"Charlie, Charlie Swan here."

The voice had no emotion. It was a call I had expected since the first night Isabella had stayed at our home. It surprised me it took this long. Charlie Swan may not care about his daughter, but she was his 'possesion'.

"What can I do for you Mr Swan?" I asked giving him more courtesy than which he deserved.

"Charlie, call me Charlie, I got a phone call from my brother regarding my daughter, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about or do I need to explain?"

"No, no I'm fully aware of what you are talking about Charlie, if you are checking the well being of Isabella, then she is fine, well as fine as she can be now that she is out of harms way."

"Harms way? What in hells name does harms way mean?"

"I am sure you were not aware that your brother sexually assaulted your daughter, and that is why your daughter is currently vacating my house, but that Charlie, is the case."

"He.. He.. He.. Are you.. Are you sure?"

"I assure you I am 100% positive on that matter."

The line went dead.

Edward Pov

I had drove Bella to school that morning, neither of us speaking a word to the other. What do you say to the girl you used to enjoy kicking for fun, that gets abused by her dad, has been raped by her uncle, and you've just kissed her while she cried on your shoulder? Nothing.

I spent the day avoiding her. I would stand at the opposite end of rooms, I wouldn't even glance in her direction. Surely she wouldn't tell people that I kissed her. I'm sure I'd get away with pleading insanity. She was Bella fucking Swan. The fucking outcast. Except she wasn't such an outcast anymore, she had a date with Newton, fuck even Tyler fancied his chances with the new Alice barbie doll version of Bella. They didn't see the girl I saw that morning. The girl with no mask. The broken girl.

I knew I could only avoid her so much, fuck she slept in the same room as me now, but I didn't know what to say to her. I didn't know what she was thinking, what she was feeling, what was going through her mind. I didn't really want to know. It was a mistake, kissing her was a very big mistake. I had to say though she was a great kisser. It wasn't even that much of a kiss but her lips had been soft, there was something gentle about the kiss, but it was raw at the same time. I couldn't describe it, even to myself.

It wasn't till I reached the car I realized I was going to have to see her. I couldn't leave her here, I wasn't that much of an asshole. I tapped my fingers impatiently against the steering wheel as I watched her make her way to the car through the rear view mirror. She looked nervous.

"Good day?" I asked her, as she entered the car, trying to be pleasant.

"Um yeah." She said.

We were having a great conversation. The tension was beginning to feel unbearable and I hadn't even started the car. Bella surprised me then, she burst into laughter. It sounded so light, so carefree and I couldn't help but laugh as well. We smiled at each other before I started the car and drove us home.

"So partner." She said as we entered the house. "Shall we start cooking?" I laughed, I had honestly forgotten all about the project. The constant reminders at school were no help, I didn't really pay much attention.

"How about later?" I asked her. She looked as if she was going to argue so I asked her a different question.

"How about we just chill and watch a DVD or some shit?"

She looked as if she was thinking about it before nodding and smiling. It didn't pass me by that her eyes lit up and I wondered if she ever actually just chilled.

I put on some mushy shit. P.S I love you. All the girls seemed to be into it, and Alice it seemed was no different. I went down to the kitchen to get munchies for us and lifted a bottle of Coke as well. I pondered for a moment before lifting two glassed and made my way back upstairs. I pushed open the door and Bella was lying on my bed in the fetal position, her eyes were red and puffy and her cheeks were stained with tears. Her eyes were glued to the T.V.

This is going to be a long night.