Arabella Rivera "I will have to call one of your parents to come to pick you up Arabella," The principal's words weren't a surprise, I was expecting it actually, so I just nodded. After zoning out his entire speech about no fighting in school, all I wanted to do was get away from the school. And probably my problems, but of course, that's not possible. "Don't call my father," I grumble lowly. I didn't want to face him right now. If I do, I wasn't so sure I'd hold back. It wasn't a good idea to fight my problems physically but sometimes, you need to. The principal looks at me confused. "She has daddy issues. " Gwen chuckled beside me. My grip around the arm of the chair tightens until the blood leaves my fingers. But instead of punching her, I decided to hurt her mentally. "And what about you Gwen? Where's your dad? Still haven't gotten that milk?" I spat. Gwen's dad left her mom and her, it's been a very lengthy time. Gwen turns to face me, her cheeks red and lightly bleeding from the long scratches on her face. She seethes. " Shut your dirty mouth Arabella!" I rolled my eyes. "The only dirty mouth that's here is yours. Who knows how many diseases are trapped in that thing. Probably filled with STD's too." "Arabella stop it right now!" Mr. Gibbern yelled in outrage. "That is no way to talk to a fellow student." I let out an irritated breath, rolling my eyes. "I am very disappointed with you Arabella. You've been our top student and to see you staining your record like this is very- "Are we done here?" I grumble, annoyed that I was in the same breathing space as the girl who was ruining my family. Well, my family was already ruined a long time ago, but she just added to the chaos. You couldn't really blame me for accusing her entirely. Mr. Gibbern looks at me with his nose pointing down in a disapproving gesture. I don't take his blatant judgemental eyes to heart. It must be a shock to them all that I even raised my hand. The Arabella before wouldn't heart a fly.But then again, maybe I was always this Arabella. "Look Mr. Gibbern, with all due respect, I see why you're disappointed. But don't judge me when you don't know the entire situation. I know, don't use your fists use your words is a very strict rule in the school. But honestly, I don't regret punching that smug smirk on her face- I nudged my head to Gwen, not bothering to spare her a glance. "So either you call my mother to pick me up to spare me from your unwanted comments, or I walk out and find my way home myself." I know I was crossing the line, talking to him this way. I just needed space, that's all I was asking. Having me here while feeding me his blatant disappointment wasn't helping. Mr. Gibbern leans back in his chair and sighs in defeat. "I will call your mother. You may wait outside the office." I nodded, not waiting for him to say another word and walked out of the office. "Don't bother calling my mom Mr. Gibbern, she'll not answer." Was the last words I heard before I departed out of the office. I glance at the two lonely and 'seen better days' chairs leaning on the wall. I should sit there and wait for mother, well that's what Mr. Gibbern expects me to. But I wasn't going to. I didn't want to stay here any longer. I needed to be alone. And how was I to face my mother? What would I tell her? Turning around I made my way down the empty hallway. Classes must be going on right now. I was lucky I only got off with a suspension that would only last a few days. Turning the corner I smacked into a hard chest. Warm hands shot out to stop me from falling at the impact. The touch was familiar and the scent that surrounded the male was something that lured me to sleep for many nights. I jerk away from Haiden like he burnt me and as my eyes lift to his, I noticed the look of hurt flash in the brown swirls. "Brought your bag." He whispers, handing the bag I tossed carelessly without caring where it landed. Taking it from him, I mumbled an awkward thanks. He nods and seeing that I wasn't feeling ready to face him and talk to him yet, I sidestep him. But his hand shot out and his long fingers grip my upper arm to stop me. "Wait." He croaked in a broken tone. "I told you, no more secrets last night." I looked at the far wall, not turning around to face him. The grip around my arm tightens almost painfully. "Bella please, " He pleaded and I clenched my eyes tightly. His voice was breaking the barrier I was already putting up."Haiden let go," I whispered. He was making this hard for the both of us. I just needed space to think. That's all. Him holding me and pleading wasn't helping me only adding to my dilemma. "Is that what you want? For me to let you go?" His broken voice croaks and slices through the tissue of my heart. His hold loosens until he completely pulls away. I don't answer him, completely stunned by his question. My silence may have made his mind wander to somewhere negative with his next words. "So you're just going to let your father win, just like that? You're not going to fight for us?" His words not only lit my curiosity but also made my heart drop. He had it all wrong. I wasn't giving up on us, just needed space to think. But as I turned around to tell him just that, his words clicked. Let my father win? What was that about? I hadn't told him father warned me off of him. Did father go to him himself? Did he threaten Haiden? "What do you mean let my father win Haiden? What are you not telling me?" I whispered stepping forward. Father proved to be a lying conniving cheating bastard. I was certain he would stoop as low as any other liar. Brown eyes meet mine and Haiden groans in distress. Lifting his hand to scratch the back of his head, he looks around the empty halls. " I don't want to lie to you Bella. I don't want any secrets between us anymore. I don't want to lose you because I was foolish for not telling you the truth." What had him looking so discomposed? "Your father came to me yesterday." I stilled, my heartbeat alone sounded in my ears. Did father go to him after he saw him and I last night? But that can't be right, I heard the screeching of his tires as he left. When did he have time to? "Well not to me exactly, he hadn't known I was there. Or I was the one Snake was talking about," Haiden looked at me nervously, seeming to contemplate if to tell me everything or not as his voice lowers to a whisper. But the mention of Snake made my entire body feel cold. Not from fear but the feeling of dread that crawled inside me knowing that Haiden was blatantly saying that father and Snake were acquainted. Haiden stops as if figuring I didn't need to hear more, that it would hurt me. I was tired of him making that decision for me, I need to get hurt eventually. That's why I'm human. He can't keep protecting me from the truth, from the secrets. "Haiden keep going. Tell me." I demanded. I needed to know any secret they tried to keep me away from me.Sighing heavily, he looks me dead in the eye and said. "Your dad was Snake's boss Bella. He's the one behind the drugs and the crime- That can't be right. No, he was lying. He must be lying. Father wouldn't do- "You said was Snake's boss?" My hands grip the strap of my bag as I felt suddenly faint. It was too much for me to comprehend so quickly. Knowing so much of father's secrets in one go wasn't easy. His next words made me rethink my entire life. Well the life I was forced to live. The one where he, father forced me to live. The so-called perfect life. I should've known that life was rotten from the inside. "He murdered Snake last night when he found out what he did to you Bella."