tough | b.swan

14 - After: Part One

*the day she left*

Charlie closes the door and looks around; somethings off. "Blake?" He calls gently. He knows things have been weird, but since he found out Bella is unwell, he can't focus. It's her turn to have him worry over her 24/7. "Blake Helen? Are you here?"

He sets his keys on the side and looks around, frowning. He sees a note neatly folded on the kitchen table, 'Dad' simply written on the front. He sets his gun belt on the chair and sits on the other one, slowly opening the note.

Dad...
I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry for not being the daughter you deserve, the daughter you wanted. Bell's is that. She's married, she's going to college, she's perfect. She's got a handle on her life.
And then there's me... The let down. The screw up. The girl who just can't get it right.
Im spiralling, daddy, I'm really struggling. It's not good for me to be here and so I have to go. I have to. Because if I stay, I won't be alive. I won't be happy...
I promise I'll get help. I promise I'll be safe. Just promise me you won't look for me - I need to go. I have to go.
I love you, dad. So much.
Please give these letters to Embry and Alice.
All my love,
B

Charlie takes a shaky breath and runs upstairs to Blake's room. Only its empty. Everything's gone but the furniture. He can't help but burst into tears; another daughter gone...

-

It's a week later that Charlie gets a visit from Jake. And a chance to visit with Bella. Its weird - she isn't the same. Somethings off, but he can't figure out what. Just as he's heading out he takes a deep breath.

"I lied about Blake." He says, leaning on the cruiser.

Bella frowns deeply, Alice freezing inside the house to listen. She screwed up there too, but she couldn't do anything. With Bella and the baby, the uproar it caused with the wolves, being unable to leave the house - the whole situation is a mess. She didn't know how to explain it to her friend.

"What do you mean?" Bella asks, stepping towards her dad. "What's going on? Where is she?"

"I... I don't know." He admits.

"What do you mean you don't know!" Bella yells. "She's a drug addict, dad, it isn't hard to figure out! She could be dead right now!"

"She isn't dead, I know that much. A-About a week ago, I came home and found this." He holds up the note. "Says she's gone to get help. She can't be happy here... That reminds me, this is for Alice."

Bella takes both notes, reading the one addressed to him. "She's so-"

"Don't you dare call her selfish." Alice snaps, taking the note addressed to her and reading it in her head.

Alice.
You fucked me over. You, of all people, who I thought would always have my back, fucked me over. Thanks, pal.
Dont worry, I won't be in your way anymore. I won't be some chore you have to do, check in on. I'll find someone else to burden my problems on. Better yet, I'll find another addiction. Coz friends just fuck you over.
B

"This. This is on you." Alice growls at Bella, storming inside.

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