Bella

I stared at my plate of food with disgust. Mom had served chicken fettuccini, my favorite, and I had yet to touch it. “Bella, honey, it’s almost seven o’clock and you haven’t touched your food. Would you like me to warm it up for you?” I shook my head. As a family, we ate dinner at the same time every day: six fifteen in the afternoon. “Honey, you need to eat something.”

“I’m not hungry,” I said, softly. I didn’t have the desire to eat. Quite frankly, I didn’t have the desire to do anything. The only reason that I had been coming down for dinner these past few days was because my parents forced me to. My mother eyed me uncomfortable, silently urging me to eat. “I’m not hungry,” I repeated. “I think I’ll excuse myself now.”

I scooted my chair back from the table, ignoring my grumbling stomach and ignoring the way the wooden chair screeched against the linoleum. Mom had started to say something, but Dad stopped her. “As long as you eat later on, Bell.”

I nodded and let a simple lie roll off of my tongue. “I will,” I told him. I stood up from the table with a slight nod, leaving my full plate of untouched food. I was halfway through the living room when I said, “If you need me, I’ll be outside.”

I slipped out the door and contemplated all of my thoughts. I had the urge to go where I shouldn’t. I was feeling nothing on the inside and all I wanted was a bit of comfort. And yet there was only one person who I wanted it from—not Ranger, not my parents, but Acel. My body halted to a stop and I used one of my mildly sweaty hands to knock on the door.

Two and a half knocks in the, the front door opened. “Hello, there. Can I help you? You look like you’re lost.” It was the brunette I saw with Acel when he’d first arrived here in Ramsay. She was barely taller than I, roughly five feet three inches. She had green eyes that were almost identical to Acel’s.

I stuffed my hands in my back pocket and nodded slightly. “I was hoping to find Acel, actually.”

“Are you talking about Acel Sykes? Well, this damn sure doesn’t happen often.” I smiled softly. “Well, hello. I’m his sister, Emory. It’s nice to meet you,” she said, smiling brightly, pearly whites showing. “I just have one question. Who exactly are you?”

I licked my lips before speaking. “My name is Bella Davis. I’m your neighbor; I live across the street from you. I just—I just needed to talk to him a bit.”

Emory turned around midway. “Acel, you have a visitor! Come and get her before I send her to your room!” She turned back around and smiled quickly. A few seconds went by. “Hold on, Bella.” Emory closed the door, leaving me standing awkwardly on their porch.

I chewed on my lip anxiously. I had been partially paranoid ever since I lost my purity. I wrapped my arms around myself, shifting my weight to my other leg while I waited. The door opened up again and Acel stepped out on the porch.

“Hello, Bella? This is unexpected.” I didn’t say anything back. Instead, I just looked up at him and blinked. “You look like complete shit, if you don’t mind me saying. Bella, you look dead.” I pressed my lips together and nodded, wordlessly agreeing.

I swallowed the lump in my throat that had begun to form. I dropped my arms to my side. I looked down at the concrete, not wanting to explain myself. I felt Acel’s hand grab mine, pulling me forward. I stumbled into the house and then into his chest. “I—I’m sorry.”

Acel wrapped an arm around my waist and held me there. “It’s fine. You look like you needed a hug anyway,” he noted. I closed my eyes and inhaled his scent: cologne. “Why do you continue to talk to me when I tell you not to? I’ve already told you that it’s better if we di—”

“Because I don’t care,” I said, softly. “And for the record, this is the first time that I have actually talked to you without you talking to me first. And we’ve only talked three times. Therefore, my fondness of you isn’t my fault.”

He sighed. “I know. You hair smells good. It reminds me of lemon cake; my favorite. I’m sensing you came here for something other than me smelling your hair and you clinging onto me, though. Is there something you’d like to say?”

I wriggled out of his arms and nodded, taking in my surroundings. We were standing in the entrance of their home, next to the front door. Emory was in the living room, her nose in a novel. “As a matter of fact, I do have some things I’d like to say to you. They’re quite personal, though. So, can we go somewhere where Emory is not?”

“Follow me.” Acel turned his back to me and began up the staircase. I walked after him silently. He turned the corner swiftly and entered a room. He stood by the door, waiting for me to catch up. When I got into the room, I sat on the carpet, crossing my legs. Acel closed the door and sat across from me, folding his legs the same way. “Spill it.”

I took a deep breath, running my fingers through my hair. “You said I look dead, didn’t you? In all honestly, I found that humorous. I feel dead. I haven’t eaten in almost a week.” I stopped him before he could comment. “I’ve had roughly six hours of sleep out of the whole week. And I’m torn. I’m so torn.”

“You didn’t look this pale the last time I saw you. You looked livelier than you do today, even if you thought you were dead then. What happened? Something had to happen to steal every bit of life from you. Even your eyes look empty. Where’s the life in your beautiful blue eyes, Bella?” Acel inquired. My cheeks heated slightly. “Oh, look, there’s some color in your cheeks. Now, tell me, what happened?”

I frowned and looked down at my hands. “It happened the last time you saw me. I thought that perhaps I’d take a shortcut down memory lane on my home, after I pushed you away. I didn’t protest; I knew I’d only make it worse and cause havoc, and I wasn’t in the mood for it. I just took, I guess. And I lost my purity. I mean, I already lost my best friend, why not just take my virginity, too? Hah. Life is just the greatest, wouldn’t you agree?” I asked, looking up at Acel.

Acel placed his hand on my jaw and the other on my waist, gently pushing me closer to him. He pressed his lips to mine softly, as if he was afraid that I’d break with a single touch. I couldn’t help, but kiss back. I sat up on my knees and climbed into his lap, kissing him harder. I closed my eyes and felt a tear fall. I hadn’t realized how much I yearned for him, how much I trusted him.

He placed his hands on my wrist and pushed me back down on the carpet, letting go. He looked stunned. “You’re crying, Bella.” I nodded and wiped my face with the back of my hand. “This isn’t safe, you know? It would be in your best interest to not get involved with me.”

I laughed lightly, mostly at myself. “Remember that this isn’t my fault. You kissed me first.”

“I know, and I loved it. I also talked to you first, didn’t I? Yet, I continue to warn you that you shouldn’t get yourself involved with me. I’m sorry,” he apologized. “I’ve wanted to do that ever since I saw you, though. You puzzle me, Bella. Give me a second to get a hold of myself. I’ll walk you to the door.”