Bella's Hunt

THIRTEEN

Next time? Next time!? There's going to be a next time??? Jesus Christ.

About half an hour after Hunter left, my mom came home. "Bella!"

I run downstairs to find her setting her purse down on the counter. "Hi, Mom." I smile at her.

"Hi, baby." She grins in return.

"How was work?" I sit down next to her at the counter.

"Well, I found out that there is a ball coming up in December to celebrate the holidays." She states with a small smile.

"Gross. Balls are stupid." I say and she laughs.

"Balls are not gross. They are fun."

"This ball is for the hospital?" I raise a brow.

"No, it's for the entire town. It's the Ascendant Ball."

"Oh, yeah. That happens every few years, right?" She nods. "Well, it sounds stupid."

"You've never been to one." She deadpans.

"Yeah! Because you always said I was too young and I would cause trouble." I state defensively.

"Only because if you went, then Hunter would've gone, Lydia, Vanessa, and Jade too. And all of Hunter's little friends would have gone as well." She pokes my cheek. "You probably would've ended up in the chocolate fountain."

I laugh while shaking my head.

"But you're older now." She announces and I raise a brow at her. "So you can go to this year's ball."

"No, I'm fine." I shake my head again.

"Bella, you're going to go. Marissa is making Lydia go, Adrianna is making Jade go, and-"

"Mom." I swat her arm. "Just because all of my ex-best friends are going, doesn't mean I will."

"All of your ex-best friends?" She repeats me with wide eyes. "What happened with Lydia?"

Damn it.

"We just got into a fight. We'll make up soon." I sigh.

"What did you fight about?"

"Hunter." The word flies out of my mouth and her eyes widen even more.

"What? What about Hunter?"

"Oh, my god." I shake my head while standing up. "I can't talk about this right now."

"Bella-"

"Goodnight mom." I wave to her as I walk towards the stairs. When I get back up to my room, my eyes are instantly drawn to my window.

It's open.

Oh, no. Please don't tell me he got inside again. This would be next time and he said he wouldn't leave next time.

I run over to my bed and grab my baseball bat. I will most definitely hit him over the head if he broke in again. I'll give that bastard a concussion! That sounds fun.

"Bella?"

I turn around so quick that I give myself whip lash. I sigh heavily and drop the bat on the ground.

"Hi." Lydia smiles at me.

Instead of responding I walk over to her and hug her. "Hi." I smile into her hair and she hugs me back.

"I'm so sorry for being a bitch." She apologizes.

"I'm sorry too. The other day was just a bad one and I lashed out on you. I'm sorry-"