Cimorelli Saved Me (Book 1)

Chapter 13

Bella's POV

I'm in my room but the door is locked and I can't seem to unlock it.

My mom walks out from the corner and starts hitting me. She's not stopping. My heart is racing and I don't know what to do. She keeps hitting me. Then she pulls out a knife from her back pocket.

"Bella wake up!" someone frantically whispers and shakes me. I abruptly sit up and my eyes open wide. I look all around me. Then I see Katherine looking back at me.

"Sh-she was hitting me and she wouldn't stop. Then she pulled out a knife," I tell her, starting to cry.

"Shh, it was just a nightmare, it wasn't real," Katherine tells me. I lay back down and she smooths my hair. I usually hate feeling vulnerable like this but Katherine's so gentle, so motherly. I feel safe in this bed.

I must've fallen back asleep because next thing I know I smell pancakes. The room is empty, I get up and see that so is the other girls' room. Everyone must be downstairs.

I throw on a hoodie over top of my shirt and walk downstairs, still half asleep. I'm not in the mood to care about what I look like right now.

"Hey sleepyhead."

Lisa notices me first and everyone else's gaze turns to me as she saya that.

"Hey," I mumble, grabbing a plate and putting 2 pancakes on it. All I want to do is get this day done and over with.

Katherine stands behind me and gives my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. It helps some. I can tell she's worried about me, I gotta talk to her about that later.

I finish my pancakes quietly and go upstairs. I then realize I don't have my stuff and so have nothing to wear.

"Lauren," I call out. She walks to Christina, Katherine, and Amy's room.

"Yeah?"

"Can I borrow some clothes 'cause I've got nothing."

"Of course," she says and we walk to her room. She opens her closet.

"Borrow whatever you like." She smiles at me and I smile back.

I choose denim shorts and a lace shirt with a long heart necklace. I go to the bathroom and put it on. Perfect. I grab her straightener and tame a few strands of my hair and then go to where Lauren is sitting.

"Thanks. But listen, you don't have to come today. It's probably not going to be pretty and I really don't want you to get hurt," I say.

"It's fine, Belle, I want to go. I'm here for you always," she tells me and gives me a hug. This family sure loves to hug but I don't have any complaints about that. After years without one, it's really nice.

Plus, looks like I have a nickname now. I like it.

Christina and Lisa walk in. They sit down on Lisa's bed across from us.

"Are you ready to go?" Christina asks me.

"I'll never be ready. But I guess so," I say truthfully.

She nods, understanding what I mean. The 4 of us get up and walk to the car. Christina driving, I called shotgun (plus I had to give her directions to my house... well, old house), and Lisa and Lauren are in the back.

We pull into my old driveway and we all walk up the steps. I take a really deep breath and then ring the doorbell. Lisa and Lauren are on either side of me, Christina is behind. I can tell they're trying to protect me but they have no idea what it's like.