The Spotlight is On!

47

A/N: Ok, not going to lie. I haven't been updating lately because I was afraid of this upcoming chapter coming up. It's not a rape scene, but it's something that could be difficult to read. I've never been through something as traumatic as that, but I saw a clip from the movie "Speak" with Kristen Stewart (my favorite actress) and I just felt like some themes in that movie could work for this chapter.

If at any point you want to stop reading, and wait for the next update, that's cool. I'm shaking as I write this right now, so I may know how you feel.

See you at the bottom. :')

- February, 2008 -

We were setting up for my and Edward's album release party at the Cullen's place, and everything was buzzing with excitement. Esme and Rose were cooking; Alice and I were setting up decorations; the boys were helping us move furniture around with Alice barking orders at them. We called the same deejay we had for senior prom, and he came over to set up his table.

At around eight or nine at night, guests started arriving, and there were more people who came in support of this than our New Year's Eve party, which was cool; but it overwhelmed me a bit. Good thing Edward stuck by my side or else I'd have fainted from it all. I wore a miniskirt with a red, lace blouse and my trademark Converse. Esme, Alice, and Rose dressed a bit fancier than I did, but I didn't mind. It was a party after all. Kate, Seth, and Sam showed up, of course. Surprisingly, Paul showed up, giving us a simple nod of acknowledgement before sitting alone in the back of the living room. He was a strange one, but we left him alone.

During the middle of the party, the deejay played my and Edward's album, and the crowd got so excited! Some slow-danced to the slow songs and rocked out to the uptempo and faster songs.

It was during our song "I Forgive You" while I was dancing with Alice that I felt a pinch on my bottom.

"Ow!" I yelped and turned around. I saw everyone else jumping up, looked around, and saw Jake smirk creepily at me. I frowned, pissed that he'd try that on me in front of my sister.

He smiled a wide, eerie smile and disappeared into the crowd, making his way up the stairs. A cold chill ran through my spine.

"Hey, are you okay?" Alice yelled in my ear. I turned around, dazed.

"Um, yeah, I'll be right back. Jake's here," I whispered back.

"What? What the hell? I'm getting Carlisle." Alice ran off, and I grabbed her arm.

"No! It'll be fine; I'll just tell him to leave, and he'll be gone."

"Bella, have you forgotten the last time you two were in the same room together? He almost —"

"But he didn't! He won't hurt me, not with Edward here."

Alice looked nervous as I let go of her and walked upstairs. I checked in almost every room, and he wasn't there. Finally, I found him in Edward's room, standing in the dark, looking out the window.

"Jake," I said, shutting the door behind me, "what are you doing here?"

"Why, I can't congratulate my best friend and his girlfriend on their album party?" he said and turned around, walking slowly towards me. Feeling like a scared deer as a lion stalks its prey, I backed away and around him.

"Because you weren't invited," I said shakily. "Who told you about this album release party?"

"My buds down at the reservation. Apparently, Sam and Seth have big mouths, and they let it slip to my buds; they told me, so here I am." He came closer, and I turned around to walk near one side of Edward's huge bed.

"Well, they're excited. But that invite wasn't spread out to you. So I suggest you leave before Edward finds out —"

"Oh about him," Jake interrupted, "I've been meaning to talk to you about him. You see, he has something I want, something I've been meaning to have, but he just reached over and took it!" With every sentence, he walked around the bed near me. Shaking, I bumped myself into the wall behind me.

"And what's that?" I whispered.

He grabbed my arm; I grimaced at the pain from his grip. "You."

I ran as fast as I could to the door, but he caught me and threw me on the floor. I heard a slight crack on my right wrist as I smacked the ground. I tried to hold in my tears; I tried to get up, but Jake held me down.

"No! No, get off of me! Stop! No!"

He covered my mouth, and my last "No!" got muffled in his hand. "Shh, shh, it'll be okay; I promise not to hurt you one bit. You won't feel a thing; I promise."

Was he going to...?

Like hell, he was! The only man I wanted was in the living room, probably worried sick about me.

Edward.

As soon as he uncovered my mouth, I spat in his face and kicked him in the balls as hard as I could. He yelled, and I shoved him, crawling to the door. I was almost out when he grabbed my ankle, pulling me back sharply. I screamed and thrashed in his arms as he tried to hold me still. Jake slapped me hard across the face.

"That's it, you crazy bitch! You are mine and mine alone!" Jake yelled as he aggressively pulled down my miniskirt, a wicked, nauseating smile stretching across his face. I reacted and punched his nose, blood dripping on my face. He turned his head and spat, blood dripping into his mouth. His stare fell back on me; he gripped my arms tighter, pinning me to the ground, and I opened my mouth to scream one last time when the room lights suddenly turned on.

A/N: You all still breathing? Review me your thoughts. And be honest, did I make you scream, cry, offend you, anything like that, just lay it all on me. I want to hear it all.

And if you or anyone you know has ever been through something like this: you're not alone. I'm here for you. I haven't been through anything like this, but I'll still be here.

Tweet me your thoughts: dani_pitter