Mute girl

Chapter five

Disclaimer - I own nothing of the twilight franchise and am just a slightly deranged fangirl hiding in her room making up stories. X

Bella's PoV:

Nothing went wrong until lunch. None of the Cullen's said a word; even in English Edward didn't speak at all as we watched the next part of Romeo and Juliet. But by lunchtime I knew that Alice had told at least one of them judging by the harsh glares I was getting from the entire table. What with Edward's mind reading powers and Jasper's mood sensing gift they must both have told the rest of their siblings. I gulped hard and walked straight out of the room; not even bothering to give my excuse for not eating anything to the rest of my friends.

I found my way to the library and sat huddled up in the far corner where no one could see me. I was sitting next to a very low window and as I gazed out at the grey sky I felt all my built up tears fall silently down my face onto my lap.

Traitor, traitor, traitor - I shouted in my head - traitor tears, traitor Alice, traitor me.

I couldn't think at all - just pain.

I knew that I deserved all of this, every single bit of it. I knew that I deserved every bit of crippling agony I got from what I was doing to protect me and the Cullen's and especially Edward. Always Edward.

And Edward was sitting next to me.

I jumped in shock and slid into the corner furthest away from him. I couldn't say anything, just cringe away from him and try to rub those traitor tears from my face. Too late, he'd seen them - Oh well, he knew anyway.

"Bella," he said very gently as he reached out his hand towards and I cringed away even further. "I know what's going on. Alice couldn't help thinking about it - I am a mind reader you know." I let out a shaky breath and counted to ten in my head as I tried to calm down.

"I know that Charlie has been abusing you."
Why did he have to say it out loud?
"I know that he's yelled at you."
Does he have to go into detail?
"I know that he's hit you so hard you've had to wear makeup to hide the bruises."
Don't say it! Don't say it! Don't make it real!
"And I know that he's raped you."
No! I don't want to think about that! Please no!

"Bella, it's alright you don't have to be afraid anymore." His voice was so soothing that it practically forced me to look up at him; I shook my head sadly and handed him the note I'd been writing. One question, that's all I had - but I didn't want to hear the answer.

Aren't you disgusted with me?

Edward's face shifted in an instant from kindness to anger as he tore up the little scrap of paper. "I can't believe what he's done to you! This isn't you're fault! I would never be disgusted with you for what he's done!" His face was so filled with hatred that I couldn't help but cower like the coward I was as he ranted; flinching as he lifted his hand up to my face and I thought he was going to -

But no, he was just stroking the side of my face; all anger gone as he realised that he'd frightened me. "It's okay, I'm sorry that I scared you. I'm also sorry that I couldn't protect you from that monster - but I will protect you from him now. He will never touch you again." He promised me and for the first time in months I felt a tiny flicker of hope.

He scooted closer to me and this time I didn't cringe away; I leant back against his shoulder instead and sobbed out all the tears I'd held in since the abuse started, only now I had Edward to help me through it.