Oh, Baby! #Wattys2020

Chapter Twenty Two

Warning, use of inappropriate homophobic term, I do not condone the use of this term, but it is part of the character.

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Dom wasn't actually upset, he just looked like it to scare Hale and Bella. He thought it was cute, just like everyone else. Except maybe Hale, he was mad that Mia had her first kiss so young and kept ranting about how boys are so nasty and all that to Mia. She eventually grew tired of it, not seeing the big deal and ran off to play. Everything ran smoothly after that, they had cake and s'mores, set up the tents for the sleepover. The night came to a close after that and Hale drove Bella home.

"Thank you for your help with the party." Hale pulls into her driveway, putting his car into park. Bella unbuckles her seatbelts, brushing her hair out of her face.

"You don't need to thank me, I enjoyed it." She dismisses his thanks as they both get out of the car. Hale unbuckles Abbey's car seat from the back, walking around his car with her.

"Still, I appreciate it. I'm glad Mia loves you." He smiles, walking up the drive behind Bella.

"She's adorable." Bella smiles in return, she stops on the porch, turning to take Abbey from Hale. Instead she meets his lips and everything else melts into the background. His kiss is gentle, but full of passion, as if he's trying to convey all of his emotions in that one kiss.

They pull away as they both run out of air. Bella tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, grabbing the handle of Abbey's carrier. "We are almost done with this baby assignment, can you believe it?"

"Doesn't feel like it's been a month already." Hale shrugs, he feels as though just yesterday he bumped into Bella on the stairwell. He cringes at how rude he had been.

"Time flies when I'm with you." Bella teases, the cheesy line hanging in the air as a semi-truth.

"You better go in before I take you back with me."

"Good night Hale."

"Good night Bella."

He waits until she's safely inside to leave the porch before he goes back to his car. His phone rings in his pocket, he pulls it out of his pants, sticking his keys in the ignition. He narrows his eyes, a sinking feeling in his stomach as the preview shows an unknown number. It was easy to forget about the messages, he brushed them off, but they never truly left his mind. And just when he was getting some peace, he receives another one.

Unknown number

She's pretty, I was beginning to think you were a fag.

Hale's blood runs cold as he throws his door open again, his eyes wildly searching around. He reasons that there's no way his step dad would do something so risky. Hale swallows hard, he might have seen the live stream. He might have seen the media. Anything. Hale doesn't want to think that he's here. Outside her house somewhere. He shudders, unsure what he should do. There's no way he could stay without telling her she's in danger. And if he does, would she stay? Would she decide he's not worth it? She's already been harassed by paparazzi for him, thrown into a spotlight he knows she's not comfortable with.

Unknown number

Are you scared yet?

Hale trembles, his body reacting with the same fear he did when he was younger. He was scared. And he hated it. What was he going to do if his step dad tried something on Bella? He wanted to think that he would fight him. He's a lot older now and a lot stronger than he was when he was little. But Hale knew deep down that he would freeze, he would freeze up in fear, let the demons and the memory of his step dad brings coil their way around him. He would let them suffocate him and he would lose Bella, because he's still haunted by the fear of his childhood.