Hillary's POV
"How are you feeling today?" Was the first thing I heard once I had taken my seat in the first period. I sighed and dropped my bag onto the floor without care for whatever was inside, I don't even remember half the shit I put in there, my phone might even be lost in there somewhere.
I glanced at the Cullen next to me, he was obviously waiting for a short answer from me, and that was all he was gonna get, "fine." I grumbled under my breath, leaning my arms onto the table and trying to get some rest before the class started.
My eyes were closed but I could feel the gaze he was giving me which made me open my eyes just to glare at him. He didn't look away, instead, he chose to stare at my cheek. I narrowed my eyes as a thought came to my mind, he could see my bruise. I quickly covered my face with a hand and grabbed my bag, dashing past the teacher and out the door.
"Where do you think you're going?" I heard him call after me but I ignored him and made a beeline to the toilets. How could I have been so stupid as to let my makeup come off? Now Cullen will tell his siblings and then I'll be the talk of the town, the girl who lets herself be abused by her own father.
I burst through the door to the girl's toilets and grabbed onto the closest sink to keep me from falling to my knees. My breathing was rapid as I was on the verge of a panic attack that I was trying so hard to control. I felt the tears make an unwelcome appearance in my eyes but I would never let them fall.
I looked up, into the mirror before me. I saw a broken girl staring back. She was pale with bags under her eyes, a hand was placed on her cheek that was hiding a probably very noticeable bruise. She looked terrible.
I took my hand away and stared at the fresh mark my dad gave me. My makeup must have come off during our walk to school, I wasn't used to the crap on my face so I continuously rubbed my face to get rid of the constant inches.
I let out a huff that almost could have sounded like a growl, out of annoyance. I had messed up for the thousandth time this week.
As I stood there I began to calm down, I stopped thinking about dad, Martha, or Cullen. I stopped thinking altogether and slid down the wall, I had a clear view of the door, of whoever might walk in on my breakdown.
I was surprised nobody had opened the door and walked in, but I spoke too soon as I watched the door swing open slowly without complaint. The girl looked familiar with her black hair and pink glasses. A camera hung by her side and books were clutched to her chest like they would protect her from anything.
She stopped and stared at me with wide eyes. I probably looked like a mess, my knees hugged to my chest and a huge black and yellow mark covering the right side of my face as if it always belonged there, I despised it.
She stepped forward cautiously, worry in her eyes, "oh my gosh, are you alright?" She looked shocked and surprised. I let her crouch next to me, too tired to protest against it.
"I'm fine," I mumbled, my eyes suddenly feeling very heavy in my head like someone suddenly put a sleep spell on me. I glanced up at her curiously, "what's your name?"
She looked at the watch wrapped around her wrist before sighing and sitting down, her back against the wall, "Angela Weber." She answered quietly, her eyes falling to her hands which played with the corners of her books.
"Hillary Swan, but I guess you already knew that, huh?"
She nodded in response and silence was placed upon us once again. It seemed she had forgotten about why she was so worried a second ago and instead basked in the silence with me.
I let out a heavy sigh and leaned my head back, letting it bang onto the wall like a bowling ball hitting the barriers of a bowling lane, I had lost once again and I didn't really care.
"Is something bothering you? Would you like to talk about it?" Angela asked, turning her head to look at me with another look of worry.
I chuckled bitterly, "I don't tell my secrets to strangers, no offence." I let a rare smile slip.
Angela smiled back, "no I get it, I wouldn't want some stranger knowing my secrets either. Sorry, I asked." Her gaze fell to the ground once again.
I breathed out a short laugh, "you have secrets?" I teased nudging her shoulder with mine. She chuckled and nudged me back.
"Yes, of course, I do. Everyone does." She told me as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, and it was. Everyone has their own secrets they never share with anyone unless they trust them with their life and that can be hard to find. I haven't found that person yet and I don't think I ever will.
The girl next to me suddenly jumped in her seat on the floor to face me with a giant grin that almost blinded me, "let's make a pact." She almost squealed in excitement.
I raised my eyebrow at her sudden behaviour, "a pact?" I ask with uncertainty.
Her grin never faltered, "yeah, if we become friends then we can tell each other our secrets so we can take the burden off."
My reaction was silence as I thought it over, I didn't know how to respond to something like this. I guess I took too long because it looked like she was about to take her offer back with sadness and embarrassment swimming in her eyes before I opened my mouth to finally speak, "your not just trying to trick me into being friends with you cause you don't have any, are you?" I tried to lighten the mood and it worked as she laughed, the embarrassment was gone.
"No, I have friends you know." She smiled, "I just want to get to know the real you, the one that I'm seeing right now." I watched her shrug nonchalantly and I couldn't help but think she was the sweetest and most kind-hearted person I have met here, she was like a fallen angel come to make me happy again. She might not succeed in making me happy forever but I could feel it right now and I had to say, it felt nice.
I hid my smirk behind my hair as I looked away, "I don't know." I said with a deep dramatic sigh.
"Oh come on, it's not like we're getting married. It's just two strangers becoming friends so we can share the burden of our darkest secrets."
This made me chuckle and roll my eyes with amusement, "alright fine," I gave in, "Martha's not going to like this."
Angela squealed loudly like a little school girl and grabbed onto my arm to hug it, I gave her a weird look but she ignored it as she began to help me to my feet, "now let's get you cleaned up."
Martha's POV
School went on as usual. Constant stares, not so quiet whispers of gossip and more untrue rumours. People really didn't know how to change or be interesting, did they?
I walked down a hallway, teenagers lining against the walls with their friends and at their lockers. Some stopped to look at me walk while others ignored everything around them, I wish everyone was like that.
I blew out a loud breath and unlocked my locker with subtle difficulty, having to bang on it so it would open. I aggressively took out the books I needed and shoved them into my open bag. I was done, I wanted to leave.
"Hi, Martha." A small voice spoke making me jump, although not visibly. I turned around to face a very short golden-eyed Cullen who wore a hundred-watt smile that could've made anyone melt. I looked behind her to see another Cullen, her brother. The one who always looked like he was having a migraine.
I narrowed my eyes in confusion, "Hi. .?" I said more like a question. Why was she talking to me? I didn't exactly have a reputation for being warm and welcoming or even the littlest bit kind.
Her eyes seemed to lighten at my response like she was suddenly the happiest person on earth that I had answered her. She gave her brother a short glance over her shoulder before turning back to me, the boy frowned deeply back at his sister.
"I'm sorry my family never had the time to introduce ourselves. I'm Alice and this is my brother, Jasper." She said, her voice was much more sweet and dainty than Rosalie's but still sounded just as nice.
I nodded, pulling the strap of my bag further onto my shoulder, "Yeah, I know. You guys are the centre of attention here in Forks." I huffed a short laugh to hide my feelings of disdain and awkwardness.
Alice chuckled sweetly, "it seems you and your sister are the same." And she was right about that, although none of the things people said was nice and I had no doubt that Alice and her family had heard some things.
I didn't respond, instead, I nodded and turned my gaze down the hall in embarrassment and shame. I didn't want this small pixie of a girl, who only reached the height of my chin, to be caught up in the bad side of gossip as well.
Jasper seemed to catch onto my behaviour and grabbed his sisters arm, "Alice, we should go." It wasn't a suggestion as he gripped her arm tightly.
Alice sighed, casting her eyes to the floor, "well, I hope to see you around Martha." She gave me a small smile before the two siblings turned to walk away, disappearing into the sea of students. I couldn't help the frown that stayed glued to my face in thought, what a strange little girl.
•••
I sat quietly, eating what I had got from the cafeteria, it was all tasteless anyway. I watched people around the room, not paying attention too much until someone suddenly sat in front of me.
I looked up into the eyes of my sister. I was beyond surprised to see a smile playing on her lips, my mouth hung open in shock.
Hillary chuckled, "close your mouth, you'll catch flies." She told me, reaching over to close my gapping jaw.
"What has you in a good mood?" I asked suspiciously with a raised eyebrow.
She shrugged, "I might've made a friend." She said, "do not get all protective and shit on me, I don't wanna hear it." Her smile turned into a scowl as she finished her sentence.
My eyes widened, "who?" I asked, leaning in.
"Her name's Angela, and she's a sweetheart so don't scare her off." I rolled my eyes at her demands. I was so happy to see my sister actually made a decent friend, now I felt like I was out of the loop but I couldn't have Hillary all to myself forever.
"Is she that nerd girl who hangs with the annoying kids?" I questioned, turning my eyes to the table I was asking about. A group of boys and two girls. The boys were rowdy and loud, throwing food at each other and laughing about it. The girls quietly talked, though the one with the glasses didn't seem to be too happy in the group, she was obviously the odd one out.
Hillary nodded, looking over her shoulder too, "yeah. I don't know, she looks like one of us."
I shrugged and went back to picking at my food. I wouldn't say she was one of us, an outsider, but she did look unhappy and we were always unhappy.