Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/6564499.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Rape/Non-Con, Underage
  Category:
      F/M
  Fandom:
      Twilight_Series_-_All_Media_Types
  Relationship:
      Edward_Cullen/Bella_Swan, Alice_Cullen/Jasper_Hale, Emmett_Cullen/Rosalie
      Hale, Carlisle_Cullen/Esme_Cullen
  Stats:
      Published: 2016-04-15 Chapters: 4/? Words: 5108
****** Concrete Angel ******
by ginamc
Summary
     Since her parents were killed in a car crash, 11-year-old Bella is
     forced to endure an abusive adoptive family. It’s up to Edward to
     save her before it’s too late.
***** Chapter 1 *****
                              Seattle, Washington
                                     1997
The social worker’s hand on her arm was far from comforting. With her parents
gone and no other family that wanted her, she was alone in this world and no
amount of consoling would change that. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she
imagined the lonely road ahead of her. She wouldn’t ever hear her mommy’s laugh
or her daddy’s voice singing her to sleep again. And yet, the world was just
moving on around her, as though neither of them had existed.
“Come with me, sweetheart,” the social worker murmured. “We’ve found a place
for you to stay until we can find you a new home.”
Bella pouted. “I don’t want a new home. I want to go to my house with my mommy
and daddy.”
The social worker frowned, her eyes brimming with sympathy. “I know, dear, and
I wish more than anything that it was possible. But we need to make sure you’re
taken care of. It’s what your parents would have wanted.”
Bella snorted. Who was this complete stranger to say what her mommy and daddy
would have wanted? She didn’t know them and she certainly didn’t know her.
Sighing in defeat at the lady’s determined expression, Bella grasped her
offered hand and walked with her. Was this her life now? To be led around by
complete strangers from place to place as if she was some stray pet?
“Excuse me.”
The social worker turned toward the voice, as did Bella. For just a moment,
Bella could swear she was looking at her mom. The lady behind them looked so
much like her.
“She’s sad, Mama,” said the little boy holding the lady’s hand.
The lady smiled kindly, her gaze jumping from Bella to the social worker. “If I
might be so forward, I would like to adopt her.”
Bella saw the surprise on the social worker’s face. “Well, I—we would need to
interview you and start a profile to see if you would be a good candidate for—”
Before the social worker could finish, the lady was handing her a folder. “I’ve
been working with your agency for some time to find the right match for our
family. We just found out today that the man that we were working with before
was let go and we were told to go to your main office to discuss a replacement.
My son and I were on the way there when I saw this lovely little girl and hoped
that she still needed a home. We think that she’d be a perfect addition.”
The social worker nodded hesitantly. “Of course, but it’s our policy that both
prospective parents be present to interact with the child for the purposes of
full disclosure.”
“We understand,” the woman offered. “My husband just went out to the car to
grab something. He should be back in a moment.”
At that precise moment, a male voice called out, “Melanie!”
The group turned to find a man approaching with a toddler in one arm and a
stuffed toy in the other. “It was buried under the front seat.” He paused, his
gaze resting on Bella for a moment before a gentle smile formed on his lips and
he dropped to one knee. “Hello, little one. What’s your name?”
“Bella,” she offered shyly.
He glanced up at the woman. “She’s perfect,” he murmured.
Bella blushed. The man was so nice. He reminded her lots of her daddy. He even
looked a little like him. The little girl that he held in his arms stared at
her wide eyed for a moment before reaching out her hand and giggling.
“She’s pretty, Daddy.”
Bella’s gaze flew instantly to the social worker’s. “Are they my new family?”
The social worker hesitated a moment before smiling kindly. “Let’s review your
file and see if we can’t get things started for you.”
***** Chapter 2 *****
                             Trapper Creek, Alaska
                                     1998
Bella shivered slightly as the wind swirled around her. Today was a slightly
chilly day by Trapper Creek standards. Usually, it was at least in the mid-50s,
but it seemed that the unexpected rain storm had made it colder. Not to mention
she'd been caught in the middle of that little drizzle, leaving her wet and
freezing cold. She had at least another mile to go until she reached home and
she'd just have to hope she didn't get hypothermia before she got there.
She grimaced at the thought of the reception she'd receive when she arrived.
Her adoptive brother, Tommy, had made fun of her in front of their entire class
today so she'd punched him. Her adoptive father and mother wouldn't be happy.
More than likely, she'd be locked in the basement of their cabin for the next
week with a single blanket, bread and water. It was better than the usual
beating, though. She'd gladly suffer a week of freezing temperatures and meager
meals so long as her adoptive father didn't hurt her again.
She was so lost in her thoughts that she almost missed the sign. When she
glanced at it more closely, she realized that she'd been walking for longer
than she thought. The sign read ‘Anchorage 76 miles'. Panic settled in and she
knew that she was lost.
"Don't panic, Swan," she muttered to herself. "Just turn around and head back
the other way."
A half hour into her journey, she heard a low growl and jumped. Her eyes
scanned her surroundings and when she saw nothing, she concluded that it was
just her imagination. Shrugging, she kept walking. She heard the noise again,
though this time significantly closer. She didn't hesitate. She took off
running, occasionally stumbling over a rock. Turning back to look behind her,
she didn't notice the deep pocket in front of her and stepped right into it.
Her foot twisted painfully as she tried to brace herself for the fall and she
heard a loud crack. It took her a moment to recover from the shock of the fall
only to be hit with a wave of pain that left her gasping and clutching her
ankle. Looking down, she brushed the snow away with shaking hands and was
struck with a wave of dizziness when she saw her ankle caught in the jaws of an
animal trap. The salty rust smell of the blood caused another bout of dizziness
and her cheeks felt even more pinched than before.
Her mind raced as she struggled to think of what to do. The traps were
infamously hard to open. Even her adoptive father, Paul, had a tough time
getting them open to retrieve his catches. There was no way she'd be able to
get it off by herself. Her only hope was that someone would find her, hopefully
the person who'd set the trap. Until then, all she could do was stay awake and
stay alert.
It was at that moment that she saw him-her angel. Then again, anyone was an
angel to her at this moment. She only hoped that he didn't disappoint her by
leaving her to her fate. Of course, she knew that all men weren't bad, but her
experiences with Paul had made her wary. Suddenly, the man's gaze locked with
hers and she sucked in a breath. His eyes were a most fascinating shade of
honey gold and his skin was almost as pale as snow. Not a single blemish or
flaw marred his face and his figure was chiseled perfection. The man looked as
if he'd stepped straight out of GQ. Even at only 11, she recognized a hot man
when she saw one and he was it.
Before she knew it, he was kneeling at her side as he gazed between the trap
clamped around her foot and her face. His expression was unreadable as he
repeated this action twice more before smiling kindly up at her.
"Trappers fail to consider a human stumbling upon these devices when they hide
them," the man murmured. "Fortunately, these are fairly easy to open if you
know how they work. Once I have the trap open, pull your foot away as quickly
as you can."
"Okay."
Within moments, he'd depressed the levers on the trap and the jaws were open.
She jerked her foot free, fighting back a gasp of pain as the sudden movement
jarred her injury. As soon as he removed his hands from the levers, the trap
clanged shut with a thunderous snap.
He examined it for a moment before shaking his head and sighing. "These
particular traps were banned nearly 20 years ago. They caught too many
unintended targets and caused too much damage to the target's leg. If I find
out whose trap this is, I'm calling Fish and Game myself."
She struggled to focus on his words as her eyelids grew heavy. "I'm so tired."
Her eyes snapped open when she felt a hand on her shoulder, causing her to
shiver at its coolness.
"You must stay awake, love," he insisted. "It's the cold making you sleepy. If
you lose consciousness..."
She nodded. "My leg is hurting, too. I think the trap may have broken it."
His gaze drifted to her leg for the first time and his eyes widened, his jaw
clenching. "I'll take you to Carlisle. He'll be able to fix up your leg and
warm you up."
Before she could protest, he'd lifted her into his arms and started west. The
trees were a blur as he ran and she closed her eyes, fighting the continuous
waves of nausea. They couldn't be moving this fast. No one could run like this.
Maybe the man hadn't come. Maybe she was imagining all of this while she lay
unconscious in the snow inching closer to death. It was the only possible
explanation. No Human could run this fast.
"You must stay awake," came the angel's voice from far away. "Sing me your
favorite song or tell me about your favorite book. Anything that will keep you
awake."
Her eyes flickered open as she noticed for the first time that his skin was
like diamonds sparkling in the sun. "You're pretty," she murmured with a wane
smile. "You're an angel, aren't you? People don't sparkle."
When the man responded, it sounded as though he was a thousand miles away. Her
vision grew slowly darker as the blood rushed through her ears. Death had to be
close. At least her last vision of this life would be her angel's entrancing
golden eyes and musical voice. Not a moment later, the darkness consumed her.
 
                                    *  *  *
                                        
She opened her eyes slowly and warily to find herself in a room with glass
windows. Snow fell outside, covering the landscape. Despite being groggy, she
processed a feeling of warmth encompassing her body and looked down to find
herself wrapped in what appeared to be a bearskin blanket. At that precise
moment, a dark haired woman entered the room. She started at first before
realizing that the woman wasn't her adoptive mother. The woman carried a bowl
of what looked to be warm soup on a tray and a mug of hot liquid that she
recognized by the aroma to be hot chocolate.
"I heard you waking up," the woman offered, "and I thought you might be hungry.
I thought you might like something warm."
Bella stared wide-eyed as the woman sat the breakfast-in-bed style tray across
her lap and looked up at the kind lady. "Is this heaven?"
The woman's laugh had a musical quality. "No, dear. My son found you lost and
injured. He brought you here for Carlisle to heal you."
She frowned. "Carlise? My angel mentioned him. Who is he?"
"My husband," she offered matter-of-factly. "He's a doctor."
With a thoughtful expression, she asked. "So your son is my angel?" The woman
nodded. "Do you sparkle, too?"
Pausing a moment, the woman replied, "Yes. We all do."
"Why?"
"It's a genetic anomaly," the woman offered. "It's rare, but not all together
impossible."
Bella giggled. "I want to sparkle, too."
The woman frowned. "It has its disadvantages, darling."
At that moment, an older blonde man in a white coat entered the room wearing a
warm welcoming smile. "I see that you're wide awake and full of questions. I'm
glad that you're better. It was touch and go for awhile there, but given that
you made it through the night, I'd say you're out of the woods so to speak.
However, I'd like to run a couple more tests to be sure."
Bella's eyes widened. "The night? Oh God! Paul and Melanie are going to kill
me!"
Carlisle frowned. "Paul and Melanie?"
"My adoptive parents," she explained. "I'll be lucky to get a week in the
cellar with no bread or water for this." A grimace spread across her features
as she realized what she'd revealed. Could her luck get any worse?
The man's brow furrowed in concern. "What is your name, sweetheart?"
"Bella," she blurted.
He paused before continuing, "Bella, do your adoptive parents truly lock you
away without food and water?"
Scrambling to cover her unintended revelation, she added with a somewhat
unsteady smile, "I was exaggerating. I just meant they'll be super worried
about me and will be frustrated that I didn't walk home with my brother,
Tommy."
Carlisle looked uncertain for a moment before nodding. "Esme and I will leave
you to your soup. Oh, and Edward would like to see for himself that you're all
right." He smiled. "If that's all right with you, that is."
"Is Edward the one who saved me?" He nodded and Bella felt her heart rate pick
up slightly at the thought of being able to look into his honey eyes again.
"Yeah, I guess."
Edward stepped in as Carlisle and Esme left and Bella's gaze locked with his,
sucking in a breath at their depth. He was even more beautiful than she
remembered. His movements were so graceful and light as though he were walking
on a cloud.
"Are you feeling better, love?" he murmured, his perfect voice leaving her
scrambling for a coherent answer.
"Fine," she blurted.
His laugh was even more entrancing than his golden eyes and she wanted to drown
in the sound of it.
Is it possible that at only eleven years old, I've found my soul mate like in
Cinderella? She wondered.
The little that she knew about love told her that she was falling for this
strange man whose name she'd learned only scant moments ago. She mentally shook
the thought from her head.
Fairy tales are just that. Besides, no one finds their soul mate when they're
eleven years old.
"After you finish your lunch, I'm going to take you home," he offered. "I'm
certain your parents are very worried about you."
Trying to appear more happy at the prospect than she actually was, she offered
him what she hoped was an excited grin. "I would like a lot. I'm sure they'd
like to meet the man that saved me."
Edward paused. "I'm afraid that can't happen, darling."
She pouted. "Why not?"
"My family likes their privacy," he offered. "If people knew about us, they
would never leave us be. That's why you can't tell anyone about us."
"Not even my parents."
He shook his head. "Not even your parents. Promise me, Bella."
Sighing, she extended her pinky. "Pinky promise."
Chuckling, Edward hooked his pinky around hers. "Good enough. Now finish your
lunch. You'll need your strength for the trip back to your home village."
Reluctantly, she watched him leave before turning her attention to the now
lukewarm soup. She sighed, knowing once Edward had taken her home she'd never
see him again. A dull ache formed in her chest. She knew the emotion that
accompanied the sensation well. Heartbreak.
***** Chapter 3 *****
                            Trapper Creek, Alaska
                                     2000
Bella shuddered as she heard the front door slam closed. Great. Paul was home.
She only hoped he was in a better mood than last night. He’d come so close to
deflowering her that tears of fear rolled down her cheeks just thinking about
it.
Sure, he had Melanie. But on the nights they argued and she banished him to the
couch, he snuck down to Bella’s frigid room in the basement and slid his hands
under her clothes, warning her that if she screamed or fought him at all, he’d
slit her throat and leave her to the wolves. So afraid that he’d actually
follow through on his threat, she let him touch her how he wanted.
“Bella!” he yelled.
Grimacing, she slid out of bed and slunk cautiously up the steps. When she
opened the door, Paul grabbed her tightly around the waist, covering her mouth
with a foul hand. He nibbled on her ear and she had to fight the urge to throw
up.
“We’re alone at last, sweet girl,” he slurred. “Not a person or thing to
interrupt us tonight.”
Her heart missed a beat and her stomach twisted painfully. Oh, God. He meant to
have sex with her. She wanted to cry and scream both at once. Terror fogged her
mind and clouded her thoughts. Before she was consciously aware of having been
moved, Paul was laying her out on a bed that must have been his and Melanie’s.
“Shh,” he murmured. “The pain will be gone quickly. You’ll barely notice it.”
She sobbed silently, struggling as he held her down with one arm, tearing her
shirt with the other, baring her developing breasts to his hungry gaze.
“Beautiful.”
She kicked out violently when his hand covered her bare skin and squeezed way
too hard.
“No! Please, stop, please,” she sobbed.
But he ignored her pleas, his hand sliding down to unbutton her jeans. Within
moments, his fingers were inside and he was touching her moist heat.
Please, God, help me. Dear God, please, please, please, don’t let this be
happening.
She sobbed harder and tried with all of her strength to push him away, but he
held her hands easily over her head and continued touching her.
“Let her go!”
Bella gasped in relief. “Help me, please!” she sobbed.
Paul didn’t move. “Get out of my house!” he growled.
“Not until you let her go,” the stranger bit out. “She’s coming with me. I
should have trusted my instincts and not brought her back here in the first
place.”
Her eyes widened as she realized who her savior was. “Edward?”
Before Bella could blink, Paul’s weight was gone and Edward had his arm twisted
behind his back. Paul yelped in pain. “Fine!” he choked. “She never was worth
shit to me anyway. Just a good little fuck from time to time.”
Edward bared his teeth and snarled. “How dare you. You’re not fit to speak,
much less testify as to her value. She’s worth more than you ever will be, you
vile, disgusting excuse for a man. If it weren’t for her presence, I would tear
your cold dark heart from your chest while you still breathed.”
When Paul made to take a surprise swing, Edward twisted his arm until Bella
heard the crack of bones breaking. She covered her mouth to conceal the gasp of
fear. Paul screamed in agony and fell to the floor clutching his broken arm
when Edward released him.
Her gaze locked with Edward’s and he was immediately by her side, the back of
his hand brushing gently over her cheek. “Are you all right, love? He
didn’t—hurt you—did he?”
He was asking if Paul had successfully deflowered her. “I’m fine,” she croaked.
“You got here before he could—finish.”
Relief flooded his face. “Good. I’m glad I wasn’t too late. I should have known
by your reaction not to bring you back here. Can you ever forgive me?”
“There’s nothing to forgive, Edward,” she countered, laying a hand on top of
the one on her cheek. “Thank you for coming back for me, my angel. Thank you.”
Edward chuckled. “I’m no angel, Bella.”
“You are to me,” she whispered.
At that moment, the sound of a gun being cocked caught their attention and both
turned sharply to find Paul aiming a hunting rifle directly at Edward’s heart.
“I wouldn’t,” Paul warned as Edward made to lunge at him. “I never miss. Now
get the fuck out of my house or I’ll kill you where you stand.”
Edward scowled, stepping toward Paul until the gun touched his chest. “I’ve
told you. I’m leaving and Bella is coming with me. No mortal weapon is going to
stop that.”
The sound of gunfire rang throughout the room and Bella screamed, “No! Edward!”
The three glanced down to see a hole in Edward’s chest where the bullet had
gone in, but to Paul and Bella’s shock, there was no blood. Edward’s gaze
returned to Paul’s and his eyes darkened. Before Bella realized what Edward
meant to do, he had a hand around Paul’s throat as he hung him over the second
story balcony.
“No, Edward!” Bella pleaded. “This kind of death is too good for him. Let’s
just go. He knows he can’t kill you. Please. Just take me away from here.
Please.”
Edward’s gaze met Bella’s and his features softened. “For you, love, anything.”
In only a moment’s time, he’d flung Paul back into the bedroom and had taken
Bella onto his back, jumping from the balcony and landing on the ground with
ease before taking off toward his family’s home.
*  *  *
“You broke your own promise,” Bella teased, smiling wanly as Edward wrapped her
in the familiar bearskin blanket and began building a fire in the fireplace.
He grinned. “So I did. But it was for a good cause.” His smile faded. “Bella,
I’m so very sorry, love. I would have never forgiven myself if he’d deflowered
you before I could save you.”
Bella cupped his cheek and he froze. “But he didn’t. He didn’t, Edward.” Her
gaze fell to his lips. “I’m glad it was you today. I’ve missed you.” Her lips
brushed against his and he hesitated only a moment before returning the kiss,
closing his eyes and losing himself to the feeling of her soft, warm lips
underneath his.
“I’ve dreamed about you,” she murmured. “And whenever Paul touched me, I’d
pretend it was you.”
He bit back a groan. “Bella,” he warned. “I can’t—”
“I want you to,” she begged. “Kiss me.”
The last thing she’d expected was for him to give in to her pleas. His mouth
covered hers, his kiss more fervent than before as he held her face in his
hands. She sighed softly, her hand entangling in his messy bronze locks as she
lost herself to the sensations his lips stirred in her.
Suddenly, he jerked away and shook his head. “Bella, It’s too dangerous. I’m
too dangerous.”
“Would it mean anything if I told you I don’t care?” she murmured. “I know,
Edward.”
He froze. “How--?”
She smiled. "I did some research. It's amazing what you can find from a few key
phrases on Google."
Sucking in a sharp breath, he gazed at her intently. "Say it," he urged.
Her eyes locked with his and she didn't hesitate even a moment. "Vampire."
"Are you afraid?" he rasped.
She shook her head. "No. No one who would go to so much trouble to rescue a
little girl from a beartrap can be all that bad. Besides, you've given me no
reason to be. You've been nothing but gentle with me since the moment we met."
He grimaced. "What happened with your adoptive father--"
She scowled. "He got nothing less than what he deserved. You saved me."
He stared in amazement. “You, my Bella, are truly a most extraordinary
creature,” he murmured, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
Her cheeks reddened. "Thank you again for saving me."
"You're welcome, love."
She sighed, curling up against him, shivering slightly at the coldness of him. 
He frowned. "Cold? I can get you another blanket--"
"No," she yawned. "I'm fine."
Her breathing deepened and the earlier-frantic beat of her heart slowed as she
drifted off to sleep in his arms. He smiled, pressing a kiss to the top of her
head as he hummed a lullaby he remembered from his childhood.
***** Chapter 4 *****
                              Forks, Washington
                                      2003
I sighed as I tossed my backpack onto the couch and flopped down beside it,
studying the chipped black polish on my fingernails. The first day of my senior
year had ended the same way it had started--spectacularly shitty. I grimaced at
the thought of the lecture I was going to get from Carlisle. I hated
disappointing my unofficial adoptive father. What made it worse was how patient
and understanding he always was about my mistakes.
“Must be some kind of record, baby sis,” Emmett teased as he entered the house,
Rosalie close behind. “Sent to the principal’s office on the first day. Tsk,
tsk.”
I scowled. “Fuck off, Em.”
This only made him laugh. “Language, Bells. What would Eddie say?”
I grimaced, knowing it made Edward uncomfortable when I cursed. But at that
moment, I didn’t much care. Not surprisingly, it was Jasper who came to my
defense.
“Leave her be, Emmett,” he murmured. “She’s had a rough day.”
Emmett shrugged and grabbed Rosalie’s hand, practically dragging her upstairs,
the smirk on Rosalie’s face enough to stir the familiar green monster. I was
jealous of the intimacy they shared, given that Edward and I rarely did
anything more than kiss. Once, out of frustration, I’d taken his hand and
shoved it under my shirt, laying it on my bra-covered breast. He’d pulled away
instantly as though he’d been burned.
“Not until you’re my wife,” he’d murmured.
While the idea of staying pure until marriage was romantic in theory, it meant
that I was denied so many pleasures in practice. After months of this, I felt I
was on the verge of losing my mind. He’d always pull away whenever things got
too intense, leaving me worked up with no other choice but to take care of it
myself. I’d long since gotten used to Emmett’s smart ass comments about it.
Even if I was perfectly quiet, there was still the scent.
Shaking the irritating thoughts from my mind, I returned my attention to
Jasper.
“Thanks,” I offered.
He smiled. “No problem.” At that moment, my stomach growled loudly and he
laughed. “Hungry, huh? How about a slice of pecan pie? I just baked in last
night. I can warm it up if you want.”
I grinned, my mouth watering at the thought. “That would be great. Thanks,
Jazz.”
When I’d first moved in with the Cullens, I’d planned on making most of my
meals myself, given their special diet.Thus my surprise when Jasper offered me
my first homemade meal since my parents had died. I later learned from Alice
that he’d taught himself how to cook after I’d moved in. I was touched. That
was the beginning of a close relationship second only to the one I had with
Edward.
I slid into the chair, taking my place at the breakfast bar as the amazingly
sweet scent of warm pecan pie assailed my nostrils. Within moments, Jasper was
placing the plate in front of me. I took a bite and I could swear I was
glimpsing heaven. It was enough to make me momentarily forget about my upcoming
conversation with Carlisle. I licked my lips as the fork hit the empty plate
with a loud “clank!”. No sooner had I finished than Carlisle’s voice filled the
kitchen.
“Bella,” he called.
Deciding that it was better just to get it over with, I sighed and replied, “In
the kitchen.”
‘Good luck,’ Jasper mouthed before racing up the stairs just before Carlisle
entered.
I steeled myself for the upcoming lecture. As always, Carlisle approached me
with a neutral expression that hid the disappointment.
“Care to tell me what happened today?” he murmured, our gazes locking.
I sighed. “I’m sorry, Carlisle, really. But he was asking for it.”
“As proud as I am of you for standing up for yourself,” Carlisle murmured. “You
know that violence isn’t the answer.”
Rolling my eyes, I nodded. “Yes, I know. But he had me cornered. And if I
hadn’t, Edward probably would have.”
The implications of Edward losing his temper were so much greater given his
vampire strength. Of course, I’d enjoyed hitting the idiot jock in the
nads...just a little.
Carlisle frowned thoughtfully. “Again, while I understand your thought process-
-”
 
“I know, I know,” I muttered. “Violence doesn’t solve anything. I’ll apologize
to the idiot at school tomorrow.”
Carlisle shook his head. “No, no. That will only encourage further incidents.
Avoid him as much as possible and if he repeats the behavior, report it to an
adult.”
I eyed him cautiously. “So...don’t apologize?”
“He was in the wrong, Bella,” Carlisle explained. “You were only defending
yourself.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Carlisle the pacifist, letting me off
the hook for violence? Had hell frozen over?
“Run along,” Carlisle encouraged. “You need to get ready for your shopping trip
with Esme, Alice, and Rosalie.”
I groaned. I hated shopping, which Carlisle knew very well. I wasn’t the girly
girl that they were and I usually ended up slumped in a chair outside the
fitting room--unless it was one of the rare occasions where Alice insisted on
buying me a new wardrobe. Today happened to coincide with the same date last
year that Alice had coerced me into such a shopping trip.
A smile, almost a smirk, turned up the corners of his lips. “Don’t be that way,
Bella. You know your mother and sisters love pampering you.”
I snorted. “Torturing me more like.”
At that precise moment, Esme burst into the kitchen and enveloped me in a hug.
“It’s here!” she exclaimed in a sing-song voice. “Our annual mother-daughter
shopping day! Aren’t you just so excited?”
I smiled despite the fact that I felt like running screaming in the other
direction. “Yeah. I’ve been looking forward to it all day.”
My gaze darted to Carlisle and I briefly wondered if he was going to tell her
about what happened at school today. He shook his head and I scowled. It had
been my one opportunity to get out of this mess.
“Head upstairs and freshen up!” Esme encouraged. “Your sisters and I will wait
downstairs for you.”
I slid from the chair and made my way up the stairs to my room, all the while
ruminating on all the possible tortures that awaited me at the mall.
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