🌟She's Special🌟

Inhaling

A/N: This first section was so beautifully written with the help of LaurenLove18 ! TYSM for writing this and definitely check out her amazing books (especially Saving Myself), you'll certainly enjoy them! ;)

My Bedroom (Home) (Bella's Perspective)
I was fed up of being ignored. Seeing my backpack in the corner of my bedroom, I started packing it up with clothes. Mom and Elliot didn't pay attention to me at all. It was now all about Leia and Noah. After I had packed up, I took out my phone. Ringing Auntie Amanda, she picked up.
"Hi, sweetheart. What's up?" I then cried my eyes out.
"Mom and Elliot act like I don't exist Auntie. I'm so invisible... it's so stupid. I love Leia and Noah.. but I would like some attention as well." Auntie Amanda asked if she could come over.
"Of course you can. I'll see you soon." Mom then called me. Opening my bedroom door, she looked at me.
"Can you tell me why you've been in your bedroom for so long?" I shrugged my shoulders.
"Is that all you have to say?" Quickly going to my bedroom, I checked that my backpack was still there. Heading downstairs, dinner was on the table.
"Hey Bells." Noah smiled at me. I stayed quiet.
They were both very annoying and I wanted to go to Auntie Amanda's.
"So Leia. Could you tell us what you're doing at school?" She told us about English, playtime and art class.
"It's really fun Mommy." Noah then spoke about how skateboarding was keeping him busy.
"Bells?" Mom always knew when something was up. So did Elliot. Why couldn't they just leave me alone already?! The doorbell then rang.
"I'll get it." I snapped at her again.
"Hi, Amanda. Is everything ok?" Mom excused herself as I took my plate over to the sink.
"Bella is not nice anymore Elliot." She folded her arms.
"Leia! Just stay out of it. I'm going to stay with Auntie Amanda." Storming out of the kitchen, Elliot followed me.
"Is this true?!" I was now trapped.
"Yes, it is Mom. Both you and Elliot have forgotten me! That's why I called Amanda in the first place!" I then started to cry, punching the pillows that were on the sofa.
"Just leave me alone!" Mom looked at Elliot...
"Bells.. just talk to me. I'm here."
"No, don't touch me."
"Bella-"
"No, I don't want to talk to you, you're not helpful! You never recognize when something's wrong!!" I looked at the front door. Just do it, just leave. I made a mad dash for the front door, only to be stopped by Amanda and my Mother. She held me in a therapeutic restraint, and my eyes welled with tears.
"Let's all take a deep breath. Let's just relax."
"Amanda, I can't relax, she just tried to-"
"Elliot, remember we're de-escalating the situation."
"Leia, Noah, go downstairs please."
"But-"
"I'll let you have gummy worms if you go. Go on." When they were away in the basement, Mom told me to go into the living room. I curled up into a ball and cried as I heard them talk downstairs.
"Yelling is just going to make this ten times worse, we need to be calm. She's in some pain, and it'll only get worse if we don't figure out what the problem is." They all came upstairs and sat down.
"Bella, can you tell me why you called me over here?"
"I wanted to go by your place."
"Why, honey?"
"Because they didn't notice."
"Bella, you're 13 you can speak properly."
"Because I had a panic attack, and I don't want to stay here anymore!"
"You had a panic attack?" I nodded.
"Oh no, honey when was this?" Mom came over and hugged me.
"Like half an hour ago, while you guys were hanging out."
"Can you tell us what triggered it?"
"No, I don't want to. I'm tired of thinking about it, it just makes me sick at this point, I just want this week to fly by already."
"Alright, we're not going to force you, but you can't try to run out of the house the way you did, that isn't safe, you could get hurt!" Elliot said before giving me a kiss.
"I think that you should spend the night at Amanda's so that we could all get a breather, and tomorrow we'll have a serious conversation about this. Is that fair?"
"Yes,"
"Go pack your bag."
************
The Car (West 90th Street) (6:37 PM) (Amanda's Perspective)
"Hey Bella, before we get to my place, do you want to talk about what's wrong?"
"Yes, I just didn't want to talk to Mom about it."
"I thought that you guys agreed that you'd be more open, it doesn't look like a whole lot has changed." I said truthfully.
"You're right, I still hide things from her."
"Why is that?"
"I don't know, it's like ever since I turned 10, talking to Mom got harder because I started to feel uncomfortable, and it just got worse over time. Every time something's wrong I just don't talk about it. I use my CBT techniques, and sometimes it works..."
"What about the other times?" I asked. It was silent.
"You don't want to talk about it?" She nodded.
"I think you and your Mom would benefit from a therapy session together. When's the last time you guys have done that?"
"I don't know...Since I was like 6 maybe."
"I'll talk to your Mom about that. I feel like you guys need to learn where to meet in the middle, set boundaries for these types of things. But, we can talk more when we got to my place."
"Are Jesse and Billie home?"
"Jesse is at a sleepover, but Billie is home with our nanny at the moment. She'll be super happy to see you I bet." I smiled. Bella did too, establishing a calm mood for the evening.
"So Bella, is there anything that I could do to help?"
"I'm not sure at the moment." She said while getting out of the car.
"Alright, well Billie and I are ordering Chick-Fil-A, I suppose you don't-"
"Yes I do, Aunty 'Manda." She said while rolling her eyes. I unlocked the door to my apartment and I could hear Billie run towards the door.
"Bella! Hi, Bella!" She hugged her and showed her all of her new toys.
"They're so cute. Do you want to play house?"
"Yeah!"
"Alright, let me just get settled and I'll play with you." She took off her jacket and shoes, washed her hands, and sat in the living room. She looked so happy, playing with Billie and all, this is what she needed. Peace and quiet, space to breathe, not Liv badgering her the moment she gets upset about something, wanting to know what's wrong. I love Liv, but the way she's been handling Bella these days doesn't sit right with me, she treats Bella as if she's still that little girl fresh out of the warehouse. But at the same time, I don't blame her. Bella's turning 14 this year and teens are unpredictable, there are so many things that Bella doesn't tell Liv, and she reacts that way because she has nothing to go off of. But, she needs to find different ways to get to the root of the problem, and Bella needs to learn how to communicate better.
"I'll be the Mommy, Bella. You are the baby!"
"Cool!" I'll talk to her later.
**************
Our Family Room (7:34 PM) (Olivia's Perspective)
"You tired?" I asked Leia as she stopped playing with her doll.
"No."
"Come here, baby girl." I sat her in my lap and put her hair into two low puffs. She began to sniffle quietly and I stopped.
"Leia, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" She wiped her tears sadly and soothed herself by laying her head on my chest.
"Why did Bella try to run away?"
"I-I, I don't know pumpkin."
"I don't want her to go."
"She isn't going anywhere, I promise."
"I want Bella to be happy and come home." She hugged me and I rubbed her back.
"She'll be home tomorrow, it's okay, it's okay." But it wasn't. The fact of the matter is, I have a daughter who, despite all of the progress we've made, still isn't being open with me. Is there something that I'm doing wrong? Is there something that Bella is hiding? Is there a reason why she's scared to open up to others?
"Nu-uh," Leia said.
"What do you mean?"
"It's not okay." Even my 6 year old knows. I promised to make a better environment for these girls, but I doubt I'm doing just that.
"Mommy and Daddy are going to work to make everything better, so this doesn't have to happen again. Can I ask you a question?" Leia nodded.
"Do you feel happy living with Mommy Livia?" She smiled.
"Yes, I feel really happy! Sometimes there are bad days, but living with you is better than being with other Mommy."
"Mommy, don't cry!" She hugged me and I couldn't help but smile.
*****************
Amanda's Bedroom (9:21 PM) (The Upper West Side) (Bella's Perspective)
"Camping with me tonight?" Amanda asked me as I sat on her bed.
"Yes, ma'am!" I put my phone down and stared ahead at her tv, where TLC was playing.
"Aren't these reality shows kinda cheesy?"
"Kind of, but they are entertaining."
"You have a point."
"Bella, can we talk for a moment?"
"Sure, but can we keep the tv on?"
"If you want."
"Why did you have a panic attack? What brought it on?" I sighed. I didn't want to get into it. I dread opening up more and more.
"Bella, you can tell me."
"It's because of those application results. I'm worried about them. I don't want to be a failure, Aunty."
"A failure? Where are you getting this from?"
"Well, I don't even know what I want to be when I grow up. And, what if I don't get into a really good school either?" I told Aunty Amanda everything that I was feeling.
"Bella, you're not and never will be a failure! There's nothing wrong with not knowing what you want to be, you still have time. We'll help you all through the way, and I'm positive you'll get into very good schools, you have such amazing grades."
"I still worry though."
"Why?"
"Because bad things always happen to me. Dr. Johansson says to not have that mentality and write my future, but I don't know."
"She's right, you can write your destiny. I know that when you were younger, bad things happened to you that were out of your control. But now you're older and you have control over your destiny, if you do the right things and listen to us adults, you'll grow up to be a wonderful and successful woman, trust me."
"I do. I'm also noticing that you're avoiding calling me a young woman because I haven't gotten my period yet." I noted playfully. Amanda laughed and rolled her eyes.
"I'm so proud of you for being honest with me. Why can't you be this way with Liv?" She asked. I don't want to talk about it.
"You don't have to tell me if it's that personal, but Liv is arranging a therapy session for the two of you tomorrow. You should tell her about it then."
"I think that's a good idea. Aunty Amanda?"
"Hm?"
"How about we watch some cheesy reality shows?" I asked with a grin.
"I knew you had it in you!"