A/N NO ONE HAS TOLD ME IF THEY WANTED BELLA'S FIRST CHRISTMAS WITHOUT SHERLOCK OR A YEAR LATER. SO I'M GOING WITH A YEAR LATER.
Bella had been acting out over the last year, she would skip school and had started to have an atitude toward John. Her and John had moved out of Baker St. And John now had a girlfriend, Mary. Bella had started acting out when John met Mary, she was angry that he had moved on so easily. Yes she liked Mary, she was like a mum to her. When Bella couldn't sleep Mary would sing to her. Mary loved Bella like she was her own daughter. Bella had also been seeing a therapist, which is where we start today.
"Okay lets start from the beginning, Bella." The therapist said in a calm voice. This was Bella 's first day in therapy.
"Okay. My name is Bella Marie Holmes and my father Sherlock Holmes is" she gulped, "...dead." she finished.
"That's not the beginning. I can tell that there is more to it. Tell me about your mum." The therapist said with a small smile.
Bella gulped and looked down at her hands, "When I was three my mum was hit by a car and she didn't make it. My uncle was the one driving the car. I was supposed to live with him but he was abusive." She felt tears stream down her face as she explained the terrible memory, "After a month of abuse I ran. I ran all the way to Dad. He protected me as best as he could, but my uncle found me and I was kidnapped by him. After Dad found me I was kidnapped again, but this time John was with me." She wiped away a few tears but more streamed over her cheeks in their place.
"It's okay Bella, you don't have to say anymore. Our time is almost up." The therapist said as she wrote down some things in the file she had started for Bella.
Bella wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and stood up, "Can I go?" She asked.
"Yes. Your next appointment is next Tuesday."
"Thanks." Bella walked out the door, and she walked toward home.
When she reached the small house she pushed the door open and in the sitting room John and Mary were kissing. Bella made a gagging noise, "Get a room!" She shouted with humour in her voice. She ran off to her room.
Having talked about her mum and what happened when she was younger opened her eyes once again to how terrible her life was. She had no mum or dad. She definitely didn't have any siblings. She was alone. She began to feel sorry for herself. The knock at her bedroom door jerked her from her thoughts, "Bella?" Mary's voice asked.
"Come in." Bella called whipping away tears she hadn't noticed were falling down her face. Mary opened the door and smiled at her.
"How was your first therapy session?" She asked.
"Fine I guess."
"Want anything to eat, I'm gonna start on supper." Mary asked. Bella nodded.
"Pizza sounds good right now."
"Alright pizza it is. Then you have to take a shower and head to bed you have school in the morning." That's what they thought, but Bella, Gracie, and Maggie had other plans. Over the last year Bella and Maggie had become better friends, mainly because Bella started skipping school. Tomorrow they were going by the docks, to the arcade, and just anywhere they could get away from the world.
"Yeah."
Mary made pizza and after supper Bella took a shower, "Good night, John. Good night Mary." She called from her room. She turned off the lights and pulled out her phone.
Hey ready for tomorrow?
BMH
Yeah! How about you?
MA(Maggie Allen)
Can't wait!
BMH
Me neither!
GT (Gracie Turner)
Well see you tomorrow! Night Gracie. Night Maggie.
BMH
Night Bell
GT
Night Bell
MA
Bella turned off her phone and put it on the charger. She set it down on her bedside table and went to sleep.
>>>THE NEXT DAY<<<
Bella woke up to her alarm blaring in her ears. She turned it off and got dressed. She ran out of her bedroom and into the kitchen. John was sitting at the table drinking his coffee and reading the paper. Bella made herself some toast and sat down witha cup of tea. She ate in silence and when she was finished she set her plate and cup in the sink. She grabbed her backpack and put her money and her school books inside, she had to make it seem as though she was going to school, "I'm riding my bike to school." She called as she ran to the front door.
"Alright." John said as she opened the door. She hopped on her bike and rode towards Maggie's house.
When she reached Maggie's she saw the blond sitting on the porch steps with her backpack over one shoulder, "Hey Mags!" Bella called to her. Maggie looked up and smiled.
"Hey Bell!" She waved as she got up. She hopped on her bike and they rode to Gracie's.
When they reached the blond's house she was sitting on her porch steps playing a game on her phone, "Hey Grace!" Bella and Maggie called together. They looked at each other and giggled. Gracie looked up and smiled, putting her phone away.
"Hey guys. Ok where to first?" She asked as she too got on her bike.
"Wanna head to the docks?" Bella asked as all three began to ride along the sidewalk.
"Sure lets ride girls!" Maggie exclaimed with a giggle. They all laughed and began to ride to the docks.
When they reached the docks they climbed off of their bikes and sat on the edge of the dock with their legs hanging off the edge. That's when Bella remembered, "Crap!" She exclaimed catching the attention of her friends.
"What?" They asked in sync.
"I forgot to turn in that note saying that I was going to be gone today. John's sure to find out that I'm not at school now." She panicked.
"Hey hey it's okay you don't have to face him until later today. You'll be off the hook for a little while." Maggie assured her and they got up and rode around town, avoiding their parent/guardian's houses. They rode to the candy store.
"Shouldn't you kids be in school?" The cashier asked as he rang up their candy.
"We're home schooled. Today we have the day off." Bella lied as she paid for her candy. She took the candy after thanking the cashier. Gracie and Maggie paid for their candy and followed her out the door. Bella placed a lollipop in her mouth, Gracie chewed some taffy, and Maggie ate some licorice.
"What do you want to do now?" Gracie asked Bella.
Bella shrugged, "I don't know."
"Lets head to the arcade." Maggie said as she began to ride with the licorice hanging out of her mouth. Bella and Gracie laughed and began to follow her. They reached the arcade and they rushed inside. They each had a bunch of coins to play games with. Bella went straight for ski ball, Maggie went for the claw machine, and Gracie went to the Pac man game.
"Yes!" Maggie exclaimed as a stuffed hedgehog was dropped into the prize slot. She reached down and grabbed it. She walked over to see what Bella was doing with the stuffed toy in her hand. Bella was potentially beating the game when Maggie walked up behind her, "I won you something." Maggie said as she held out the toy. Bella finished the ski ball game and looked in Maggie's direction. She looked at the toy and smiled.
"Why?" She asked taking the hedgehog into her hands.
"Because after today you're probably never going to skip school again. And I wanted to give you something to remember this by." Maggie explained.
"Well if John finds out I was with you guys," Bella looks at Gracie playing Pac Man, "you're gonna be in trouble too." She says.
"Yeah I didn't think about that."
"Hey lets play a game." Bella says walking to a two player car game. She sat down in one seat and Maggie sat in the other. They put their coins in the slots and the game started. Bella held onto the steering wheel with the hedgehog in her lap. She turned the steering wheel right then left. Maggie was doing the same. Soon Maggie crossed the finish line first and won the game. Gracie walked over and watched as Maggie won.
"You're pretty good Mags." Gracie complimented.
"Thanks."
They stayed at the arcade for hours playing games and laughing at each other failing. Bella looked at the clock, "Crap! We gotta go! Like now!!" She almost screamed. They all ran out the door to their bikes and rode as fast as they could home. They each went their separate ways and soon Bella was alone riding home. She had her hedgehog toy in her backpack with her school books and her phone. Her feet peddled fast as she neared home. She rode into the yard and dropped her bike. She rushed in and tried to be quiet and sneak into her room, but she wasn't so lucky.
"Where in the bloody hell have you been!?" John asked loudly causing Bella to wince.
"At school." She tried to lie but John saw right through it.
"Really because the school principal called me and told me you weren't at school. Bella I'm going to ask you once more. Where were you?!" He asked again. Bella tried to move away from him but he caught her wrist, "Bella, answer me." He warned.
"I w-was with my friends." She said quietly ans she looked down at her hands.
"Sorry I didn't catch that." John said looking down at her angrily, it was clear that he was pissed.
"I was with my friends." She said louder as she looked up at him.
"Where were you Bella? You're not answering my question."
"We were at the arcade." She said.
"Why weren't you at school Bella?" He asked.
"Why do I have to tell you? You're not my father, stop acting like you are." She said slightly yelling the last part.
John looked slightly hurt but quickly put on a stern look, "I may not be but I did promise your father that I would watch over you." He said sternly.
"I don't care about a promise you made to him it's not like you even care anymore!" She cried, "You've moved on already!"
"Bella stop shouting." John said calmly as he reached out to hug her.
She backed away, "No don't touch me! Leave me alone!" She shouted and ducked away from the hug and ran to her room. She slammed the door and fell on her bed in sobs. She cried for what felt like hours until she heard a knock on the door, "Go away!" She sniffled.
"Bella it's me." Mary's voice said.
"Come in."
Mary opened the door and stepped in. She closed the door and sat on Bella's bed, "John tells me you skipped school."
"Yeah so?"
"And that you yelled at him." Mary tells her.
"Yeah." Bella said not looking at the blond woman.
"Bella, you know you can talk to me if you ever need to."
"I don't wanna talk."
"Okay. But if you ever want to I'm heres." Mary assured her.
Bella didn't say anything and Mary took the hint and got up and left her room.
A/N Hey hope you liked the long chapter. Long chapter after a long wait. Please, please, pretty please give me your input. I am happy to any advice and constructive criticism, just don't be mean about it. Anyway see y'all later. Toodles