It had been three months since the Cullen family had left Forks and it had been three months since Haven had a real conversation with Bella.
It was like the Swan girl just completely shut down. She only talked when it was necessary and apart from school, Haven was sure that Bella never left her room.
It wasn't like Haven hadn't tried—she most definitely had—but it seemed that Bella didn't want help. Haven could see that all she wanted was for Edward to be back, but it didn't seem like that was going to happen any time soon.
Haven didn't know what it was like to be in love, she had no idea how much it affected a person so she couldn't connect with how Bella was feeling. All Haven could do was try and talk to the girl, to let her know that she was there when she was ready to talk.
Everything else in Haven's life hadn't been out of the ordinary, she continued to shiver at the dropping temperatures and attend her boring classes. The only thing that was missing was Bella's presence in her days. She had only known the girl for a short while before the Cullen situation happened but Haven had a pretty good idea on how Bella was. She missed her and she just wanted her friend back.
Haven hoped that whenever she fell in love with someone that they didn't have this big of an affect on her, she didn't need her life to revolve around a boy.
Over the three months, Haven had come to accept that this was her home now. She barely had any contact with her friends from San Francisco anymore—if anything she texted Cassie once every few weeks. Forks was where she was living and that wasn't going to change anytime soon.
When Haven heard her phone vibrate on her desk she was doing her biology homework at, it was a major surprise to see that it was Bella calling. It was even more surprising when she asked if Haven would hang out with her and Jessica.
"So will you come? We can make a girls day out of it and to be honest I need you there. I don't think I can stand that long with Jessica alone."
"That depends, are you just going to mope all night or are we actually going to have fun?" Haven replied—she really did try not to snap at Bella but it came out unintentionally. She wasn't mad at Bella, she was just sick of her icing everybody out even if they were trying to help her.
"I'm sorry, Haven. I really am," Bella pleaded through the phone. She was trying to make a start at getting better and she needed help from her friends—especially Haven "I'm trying to get better but I need your help."
Haven sighed into the phone before she agreed to meet Bella and Jessica downtown later. Bella was at least leaving the house for once, that was an improvement in itself.
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"I can't believe you want to sit through a movie with all those zombies eating people and no hot guys anywhere. It's gross. Why are there so many zombie movies anyway? If it is trying to dramatize the whole thing with leprosy—my cousin once had leprosy and it's not funny," Jessica babbled on oblivious to fact that neither Haven nor Bella were comprehending a word she said.
"It's just a movie about zombies, Jess. I don't think its supposed to mean anything," Haven replied back to the girl beside her as all three of them walked down a street in Port Angeles. They had just got out of a zombie movie and Haven wished they could go back in—that way Jessica would have to shut up.
"I've heard that is a metaphor for consumerism, Haven. Maybe they are really trying to tell us something."
"Or maybe they just wanted to suit it towards people who like guts and gore," Haven deadpanned. Bella let out a light laugh at the humorous exchange. It had been a while since Haven had heard her laugh and she believed that more progress might have been made tonight.
They continued to walk and Jessica still talked about what she thought zombie movies symbolized. Haven noticed that Bella had fallen silent again beside her and she looked to see the brunette was gazing toward a group of bikers who crowded around an alley way. Bella suddenly let out a massive gasp and stopped in her tracks.
Haven turned to the girl and grabbed her shoulder lightly. "Bella, are you okay?"
She didn't even acknowledge Haven's question and she continued to look towards the men who were decked out in leather and jeans. "I think I know those guys."
Haven furrowed her brows. She hoped that Bella was trying to make a joke. "Where did you meet them? Prison? They look like they would pounce on any girl who walked past."
"Yeah, can we go?" Jessica piped up, her face showed a look of fear as she looked towards the men who lurked in the side street.
Bella didn't utter another word before she was moved towards the men. "Are you serious? Bella, this is so stupid," Haven stated as the girl continued to walk away from her and Jessica.
They began to cat call slurs to Bella as she approached them. Without even a second thought Haven told Jessica to stay back before she proceeded to run and catch up with the brunette. She wasn't going to let Bella go near them by herself—despite it being one of the stupidest things Haven had seen.
Haven caught the brunette's arm but her grip didn't hold long as Bella pulled her wrist free.
"Right alright, we've got a taker," An almost bald man commented.
"Bella, stop!" Haven ran to catch up to the girl again. If she was going to go through with whatever plan she had in her head then she wasn't letting her do it alone.
"Maybe two takers."
"Don't even think about it," Haven almost growled out in reply. Her grip had found itself onto Bella's forearm to make sure they wouldn't be separated.
The plaid shirt wearing man raised his eyebrows at the two girls that stood in front of him, one looked way more eager than the other.
"Sorry, I thought you were somebody else," Bella mumbled to the man, her eyes wide with regret. Her feet slowly started to step backwards away from the men. Haven found her feet followed the same path.
"That's okay, I can be whoever you want me to be," The man slyly said. He hopped onto his bike swiftly. "So, what do you two say?" He gestured towards his bike, asking them if they wanted to take a ride.
"We're good, thanks for the offer." Haven found her mouth moved to make sure that Bella didn't pipe in first—she had no idea what ridiculous thoughts swirled through the girl's mind but it was clearly obvious how dangerous the situation was. "Bella, we have to get back to Jessica. Let's go."
Haven pulled on the girl's arm but Bella jerked out of her strong grip and stalked towards the man. He creepily licked his lips in anticipation.
"Are you being serious right now? What do you think you're doing?" Haven looked towards her friend in utter confusion, she pleaded at this point. How on earth did Bella think this was a good idea?
She didn't get a reply as Bella easily slid on to the bike behind the man. She rested her hands around his abdomen. The two quickly sped off around the corner.
"Bella! Stop!" Haven shouted after them but they were already long gone. The rest of the men around Haven all eyed her curiously—she realized that she was now alone with them.
A major part of her wanted to stay and wait until Bella got back—at least she hoped the man would return her in one piece—but the other part of her brain told her to back away from the situation and go back over to Jessica. Back to the somewhat safe spot.
Her brain lucked out and she walked briskly back to Jessica, who awkwardly stood with her hands inside her jacket pockets. "Is she insane?"
Haven grabbed her phone out of her coat pocket and was ready to dial 911 if Bella wasn't back in five minutes. She agreed with Jessica for what the brunette was sure was the first time. "I'm beginning to think so."
Not even two minutes later, Bella ambled her way towards the two girls with no real expression of emotion on her face.
"Um, hello. How stupid are you?" Jessica immediately questioned to which Bella only shrugged in response.
Haven shook her head at her friend. "Why would you think that was a good idea? You had no clue what those people were capable of. Did you not ever get told not to trust random strangers?" Her tone was clipped and tense as she tried to comprehend how someone could do something so reckless.
"Let's drop it okay. I was just curious," Bella said as the three girls continued on their walk. Haven only shook her head at the girl beside her, she had no idea what else to say.
"I was ready to call in the FBI, Bella," Jessica dramatically stated, her hands flew around in fluid motions like they always did when she talked.
"That was such a rush," Bella mumbled.
Haven scoffed angrily at the girl beside her. "It also would have been a rush if he stabbed you, right?"
"So you're an adrenaline junkie now? Cool, you can go bungee jumping or something. You don't have to get on the back of some random losers motorcycle," Jessica stated, which Haven couldn't have said better. She understood that adrenaline felt good but there were plenty of other ways to get that rush which didn't involve random, creepy strangers.
Bella noticed the scowl planted on Haven's face. She didn't mean to upset her by doing what she just did, she only did it because she saw glimpses of her boyfriend whom had left. Seeing Edward made her happy for a split second in time but she didn't like hearing Haven use such a clipped tone with her.
The three walked to their cars in silence. The once happy girls night had been ruined by Bella's judgement.
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The car ride home was long and awkward.
Haven had driven Bella downtown at Charlie's request—he was worried that his daughter would somehow crash considering her current emotional state—and now she had to take her home after the reckless encounter that had just happened.
"I'm sorry, Haven," Bella repeated for what felt like the millionth time. Haven simply rolled her eyes at the girl's same apology.
"I just don't get what would have made you want to do that. If you wanted to ride a motorbike so badly then there are other alternatives." Haven clenched her fingers on the steering wheel of her car. She had pretty much gotten over her initial anger at Bella and now she was mainly confused at why she did it in the first place.
"I don't know, I guess I liked the rush."
The maroon BMW pulled smoothly into the Swan driveway but before Bella hopped out she turned towards the brunette on the drivers side.
"I have never said thank you."
"What are you thanking me for?" Haven asked curiously to the Swan girl. She was happy that Bella was finally talking to her properly again, it had been a while since they had a decent conversation and Haven really hated to talk to Bella when she got no response.
"For not giving up on me over these past few months. You are about the only person who has continually talked to me, even when I didn't talk back," Bella explained to Haven, she really was grateful for the support the girl had given her. It may not have been Haven telling her that she was there for her everyday, but Bella knew just by Haven continuing to talk to her that it was her way of saying that she was there for her.
Haven reached over to grab Bella's hand in hers, "I'm not going to pretend to know what you are going through but I am always here, Bella. Whatever you need, whenever you need it."
Bella smiled thankfully towards the teenager. She needed someone to be a constant in her life after the people who she cared for most had dropped off the face of the earth—Haven had been Bella's constant and it was going to help her through this difficult time.
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