Haunted

Chapter 1

Bella

The fear of falling in love gripped me so hard that I was too afraid to let go. The will I had of restraining from love was stronger than falling in love. I was just petrified of ending up like my mother. She fell in love and look where it’s gotten her; broken, sad and kind of pathetic. When my father left my mother after I was born she was never fit enough to care for me. I had the luck of not being able to remember him. But he was all she could think about. I do not want to end up like her.

From a young age men that mistreat woman repulsed me. One of those ‘men’ included, Wesley Tucker, my neighbour, star quarterback and teenage heartthrob and let me not forget pain in the ass. I hate him. He was incorrigible and rude. He thinks the world revolves around him and that everything should go the Wes way.

“Bella,” my mother says sternly pulling me out of my train of thoughts. She stands in front of me with tired gray eyes. I don’t know why she still bothers waking up in the morning. “You have to go over there and apologize,” she repeats in monotone.

I look up at her. I punched Wes for a good reason and going over there to apologize is not something I’m willing to do. He called me stupid and intolerant. How dare he? I still couldn’t believe it. Now, my mother wants me to apologize? He is the one who should apologize.

“No,” I say.

“Why are you so stubborn?” she asks and leans against my door frame. “That boy has a busted lip.”

“Now, he can’t use it to make out with those sluts he calls girl friends.” I huffed.

“Isabella!” my mother exclaimed and raked her fingers through her light brown hair. “Just please.”

“Okay. Okay.” I give in.

“Do it now or you’re grounded and I’ll take away your cell phone.” She says and leaves my room, leaving my door open.

Do I really?

I shrug into a warm jacket and pull on my boots, and go outside into the cold unwillingly. Felling the familiar slosh under my boots, instead of the crunch of the gravel is unnerving. I remember the warm days in Phoenix with my mother’s mother, my grandmother and the thought makes me warm inside. I missed her so much it hurt. It’s been four years since she died and the death of my grandmother added to my mother’s depression. I don’t know why my mother never moved out of this small town. It only brings back bad memories of my nonexistent father. The man who destroyed my mother left trails all over the house. He’s big rain coat still hangs on the coat hanger in the foyer. And his old, rusted Cadillac is still in the garage. My mother refuses to sell it. And that just adds to her depression. But who would listen to a smallish seventeen year old girl? Certainly not her, she hates being told what’s right and what’s wrong. I hate her for it. But I guess that’s what makes her who she is, Isa Ortega.

I walk up their porch and I involuntarily scowl at the door. I hate him. Now, I’m here. The place he calls home. Come on, Bella. I push myself to walk up the front steps. Forcing my hand to knock on the door, and then ring the doorbell.

I hear footsteps nearing towards the door and my heart beats hard and fast against my ribcage.

Wes opens the door with a smirk playing on his busted lips.

I roll my eyes. “I am forced to apologize.” I say. “So, I’m sorry.”

“How nice of you, Isabella,” he smiles.

“Bella,” I correct him.

“So, Isabella…”

“I did not come here for small talk, Wes. Bye.” I turn around and begin to descend the porch steps but a cool hand grips my wrist. I pull away and turn to him. “What do you want, Tucker?”