Page 42 (1/2)
In answer, Bella only closed her eyes
I took the opportunity to examine the words marked on her limbs Two or three different pens had been used The lines weren’t all the sa was different
The only consistent feature was hoful it was DANGER someone had written And that was just about the only word in the bunch you could say in church A lot of it wasn’t coherent, whichBut even ible
As I looked her over, the creepy tingle returned to my spine Someone had done this to Bella No -- several someones It was almost impossible to picture Theyeach other on
I tasted bile iht have done to her
Shit I’d gotten Bella home safely But it occurred to me that the job wasn’t over "Bella," I whispered "Do you need to go to the police? Or the hospital?"
Her eyes flew open again "No," she ground out "They didn’t… It wasn’t about that"
"Then…" I grasped for the right question "What was it about?"
"EMBARRASSING !"
I sat back on ht to just let this go "I don’t knohat happened to you, but this is disgusting, and you need to tell someone" I slipped my iPod out of its sports sleeve I opened up the ca
"What are you doing?" she gasped, swatting at my iPod
I held it out for her to take "When you’re ready to talk, you’re going to want proof"
For the first time since I’d found her on fraternity row, she squared her shoulders Then, before I even kneas happening, she grabbedcrack as it crashed into the plaster wall Sections ofthemselves in opposite directions on Bella’s floor
"OUT!" Bella yelled She dragged herself onto her feet and pointed her body toward the little bathroom
I stood up to follow because she still looked unsteady
She gripped the door frary face toward mine "Don’t you dare follow me into the bathroo I looked past Bella into the bathrooain, this time with shocked, wide-open eyes
Fantastico I took a step back, hoping to look nonthreatening "Listen If you don’t want me here, that’s fine But who can I call for you? I don’t think you should be alone right now"