Chapter Three

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Bella let's out a frustrated cry, debating punting the baby down the hall as she paces in front of the crying toy. She's tried everything. Feeding, burping, rocking and diaper changing. Not to mention the lack of sleep is really taking a toll on her. She doesn't understand what she's doing so wrong.

Tears well up in her eyes from frustration as she picks the baby up and begins to pacing with it. She stares up at the ceiling to stop the tears from falling. Get it together, she scolds herself, willing the tears to stop. Quickly she let's the ones in her eyes fall, wiping them away as she pats the baby's back.

Other girls in her class have named their babies. And they frown at her for calling hers an 'It'. Naming it seems pointless to her. It also makes it too personal, naming something means attachment. That's why her parents never let her name the strays she brought home because they always had owners looking for them. It's a toy, and she's not seven. Those girls are the type of people that are meant to be parents. Bella doesn't ever see herself being a mother. She's not meant to be a mother.

Especially when she can't even properly take care of a toy.

"Go away, Hale Nathan." She rolls her eyes as Hale Nathan approaches her, his face stoney as usual.

But, something flashes in his eyes when she addresses him. And she doesn't miss it. He stops in front of her, looking down at her with the baby. She stares at his chest, glaring, hoping that if she looks hard enough he might disappear. Their last encounter is still fresh in her mind. And she had spent five minutes in the mirror this morning making sure her jeans made her butt look big.

Not that she cared what he thought.

"You gonna keep standing there or let me help?" His voice is husky, deeper than usual and slightly raspy. It sent a shiver down her spine, but she pushes the feeling away. Bella debates, looking at the baby on her shoulder.

"Fine." She hands him the baby and almost immediately Hale has it calm. He sways as he holds it and Bella does her best not to gawk. "I... What the actual fu--I tried that!"

Hale smirks, his full lips curling with a teasing glint in his eye. And damn, Bella had never seen anything more attractive in her life. "Sometimes it takes a man's touch."

Bella scoffs, snapping out of her thoughts, she crosses her arms over her chest. Hale eyes glance down at the movement before quickly moving back to meet Bella's. She narrows her eyes, but brushes it off and turns around, mumbling, "Nothing good ever comes from a 'man's' touch."

Hale stares at her butt when she bends over to grab the baby bag, completely missing the comment she made. "Why do you keep showing up anyway? You stalking me?"

Hale tips his head back and laughs in Bella's face, "Stalk you? That would mean I have the slightest interest in you." He wipes his face clean of emotion, because if he didn't, it would be easy to tell he's lying, before saying, "And I don't."

"Sure you don't." Bella replies back with a roll of her eye, but she takes him seriously. There really wasn't anything interesting about her. Especially not for a boy as mysterious as Hale. That's how she's managed to get through high school, by not catching the interest of anyone.

"Okay, maybe a little." Hale admits, holding the now sleeping baby out to Bella. Her brows shoot up as she takes the toy back, squatting down to secure it in the car seat.

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