Good and Evil *Bella*

[Bella Harris]

"Why don't you?"

Bella looked down at the ground, "I'd love to, but I...I just can't." She said. Hopefully he would understand, she would love to have another job. Anything but performing for drunk, old men. Even if it was just performing, anything but what she was doing now. She felt embarrassed, and ashamed of her job. Oh well, at least she wasn't a prostitute, that was the up side of the situation.

"Whats so bad about here?"

She sighed, "Its for personal reasons, I guess that's why I don't like it. That and the food isn't as good, and the drinks aren't as strong." She said, with a small laugh as she followed him. Its been forever since she's had a good conversation, and she didn't want to let this one go.

[Mike D. Greaser]

"I'd love to, but I...I just can't."

Mike decided to press the manner and continued to question her. "And whys that, love?" He asked blankly. Mike wasn't one to back down and when he wanted to know something, he would know it. It was either you told him, or he made you. Mike was willing to stay with this girl all day if that meant he got what he wanted. He would rather her just tell him, but he would wait.

"Its for personal reasons, I guess that's why I don't like it. That and the food isn't as good, and the drinks aren't as strong."

Glancing to his right, where she stood, Mike smirked at her. She was quite an interesting character. One minute she was happy and the next she was sad. Mike wondered what she'd gone through to make her this way, obviously something. "Wanna make those personal reasons less personal?" Mike questioned, well more stated.

[Bella Harris]

"And whys that, love?"

Bella sighed, he wasn't going to let this go. What Edward didn't know wouldn't hurt him. She wouldn't mention him beating her, no, if she mentioned that he would kill her. But what harm could come if she just confided in one person? She took a deep breath, "Someone forces me to work at the pub. I hate it, but I can't quit. If I could, then someone wouldn't be forcing me and I would be free." She said.

"Wanna make those personal reasons less personal?"

She held her breath, she couldn't tell him everything. She was walking on eggshells with just telling him why she had to work at the pub. "Force." She said, "I get forced to do a lot of things I don't want to do." That was all she could tell him without risking both of their lives. Hopefully he would understand what she was saying, it was doubtful...but she was hopeful.

[Mike D. Greaser]

"Someone forces me to work at the pub. I hate it, but I can't quit. If I could, then someone wouldn't be forcing me and I would be free."

Mike glanced at Bella sympathetically. He wondered what it was like to hang around people who were their own person, who made their own decisions, and not be able to be like them. She wondered who it was that was forcing her to do this. A mother? An Aunt? A dad or uncle? At times, Mike liked being an orphan, but then he would always find himself missing them.

"Force." She said, "I get forced to do a lot of things I don't want to do."

Mike looked over at her and let his anger out. "Why don't you run away?!" Mike took a deep breath and turned back to the street. They were walking down the street aimlessly, no destination in mind. Mike sighed and continued walking.

((RAWR, that was awful. sorry))

[Bella Harris]

Bella could almost feel his eyes burning through her soul. She glanced down, crossing her arms over her as if to prevent him from looking further into her. She was embarrassed of the life she led, she hated it. That's all that could describe her life was hate. She wondered what it was like to have the love and support of a family. Her parents loved her, but it seemed like they were too busy or didn't care.

"Why don't you run away?!"

"You know what?" She said, "I would, I would love to run away. Too bad I would probably get caught. And its sorta hard to run away when you don't even have freedom in your own home!" She exclaimed. Her uncle kept the door to her room locked, and he did something to the windows so they wouldn't open. It was almost like prison, it was horrible torture. He went out of his way to make her life a living hell.

[Mike D. Greaser]

"You know what?" She said, "I would, I would love to run away. Too bad I would probably get caught. And its sorta hard to run away when you don't even have freedom in your own home!"

Mike didn't flinched as she started to yell at him. A few people stopped and stared, but before long they were gone. No one cared about two street rats, even if they were yelling or making a scene. Several merely rolled their eyes and continued to walk. They didn't care about anything but themselves and their money.

He looked at her and rolled his eyes. "Don't go back home, just leave now..." She could do it, he would help her. The fact that he was even offering to help her was strange for Mike. He wasn't being nice, just trying to help and maybe she could help in a way.

{That was short...}

[Bella Harris]

"Don't go back home, just leave now..."

Bella felt as if she had the wind knocked out of her. She took a few deep breaths as she thought over his words. Just leave now? Abandon her family, her horrible lifestyle...her uncle? Could she do that? She wanted to do it, but she didn't want to run the risk of getting caught. If he ever found her, he would kill her and find out who helped her and then kill her. "Will you help me?" She asked, nervously. She wouldn't do this without help.

She was excited, finally she would escape and be free. She would have freedom again. She could love living again. Edward wouldn't have control over her, and hopefully he wouldn't find her.

But, there were things that needed to be worked out. Where would she stay? Would she continue working at the pub and on the streets as an artist? The artist thing she didn't mind at all. It was that horrible pub she had to perform at, she hated it. "Mike, where would I live at if I ran away?" She asked.

[Mike D. Greaser]

"Will you help me?"

Glancing at her, Mike saw the pleading in her eyes. She needed help, Mike knew that. But what if people found out that Mike had helped a random girl. Would they think him soft? Or would they laugh at him? After a few moments, Mike decided he didn't care. It would only add to his mysteriousness. "Yeah... whatever you need. I'll help."

"Mike, where would I live at if I ran away?"

Mike shrugged. "There are plenty of places. Lodging houses, alley's, orphanages." Mike knew the latter might not go over well. Orphanages were bloody awful, Mike knew that. He'd had a couple of friends that lived in one. They hated it. They felt boxed in and trapped. No freedom, no life.

[Bella Harris]

"Yeah... whatever you need. I'll help."

Bella breathed a sigh of relief, she could do this. He would help her. She would leave Edward forever, she could finally have freedom. She could finally fulfill her dreams. Too bad she didn't have any, her only dream was either dying or getting away from Edward. She didn't have the dream of getting married or becoming successful like other girls her age did. She just wanted to get away and leave him forever. She could finally have hope again. "Thank you so much." She said, she was near tears. She would be able to get out of the misery she's been putting up with for so long.

"There are plenty of places. Lodging houses, alley's, orphanages."

She froze, she could never go to an orphanage. For starters, she had living parents and she wouldn't be able to lie about that. They would somehow find her parents, and she's get in trouble for leaving. She had no clue what a lodging house was, but she heard some boys talk about it. And an alley? She could possibly do that, just until she could save up enough. "Don't laugh at me, but what's a lodging house?" She asked. It was a dumb question, but she's been sheltered for a long time. She didn't know half of the stuff someone her age would normally know.

[Mike D. Greaser]

"Thank you so much."

A smirk slowly began to form on his face as he replied, "Don't get all mussy on me..." He was happy to help her, but he didn't want a big deal made of it. Mike wasn't a cold hearted person, but he wasn't a nice person. She was lucky he was helping her. But, hey, maybe he would get something in return. It was just one more person on his side.

"Don't laugh at me, but what's a lodging house?"

Mike looked at her and chuckle ever so slightly. She'd never heard of a lodging house? Has she ever heard of a newsie. "Ever heard of newsies?" Mike couldn't believe he was actually telling her to become a newsie. He hated them, after all. But he didn't really know where else for her to stay. An orphanage would be an easy way for her to get caught by the people she was running from. And an alley, that was not the safest place to be at night, in New York.

[Bella Harris]

"Don't get all mussy on me..."

Bella frowned, "I'm not. I'm just showing my appreciation." She said. "My family is probably not home. So that will make it easier on us for me to get out of there." She said, speeding up her pace. The sooner they got there, the sooner she could leave. That's how she saw it.

"Ever heard of newsies?"

She could feel her cheeks burn, she felt embarrassed of her very sheltered lifestyle. "Sorta." She said, "I'm so sheltered, I don't get to see anything. I've heard of them once or twice before. So a lodging house is like a boarding school without the school?" She asked, thinking she had a good idea of what it was. She could pretend to be anything as long as Edward was kept far, far away from her.

[Mike D. Greaser]

"I'm not. I'm just showing my appreciation."

Mike chuckled, "Well, okay," he replied sarcastically. Mike was actually enjoying helping her. It was fun to convince people to do something drastic. Bella had always been under the rule of someone in her house, but now she was going to be free. This wasn't the first time Mike had convinced someone to do something either completely stupid or completely logical.

"Sorta. I'm so sheltered, I don't get to see anything. I've heard of them once or twice before. So a lodging house is like a boarding school without the school?"

Mike chuckled and nodded. "Yep, that is basically it. But I wouldn't suggest staying at a lodging house. Newsies are bloody awful..." Mike suddenly had an idea. Right now, he had one spy in Brooklyn and that was it. If she was to become a newsie in one of the other boroughs, that would definitely help him. Maybe he would ask her later what she thought.

[Bella Harris]

"Well, okay,"

Bella smiled, and continued to walk down the streets with him. She was leading the way to her apartment. It was about two or three in the afternoon. Her father would be working, her mother would probably be at someone's house and her uncle was either at a bar or was somewhere else. She could have the house to herself to escape. All she needed were her clothes, her other pair of shoes, and a few other random things. Hopefully it would work, and all would go well.

"I live right down this street." She said to Mike, making sure he was following her. She wouldn't do this without help, she had to have the security. She didn't want to get caught, and she didn't want him or her to get in trouble.

"Yep, that is basically it. But I wouldn't suggest staying at a lodging house. Newsies are bloody awful..."

"Oh really?" She mused. "What's so bad about them?" She asked. Some of the newsies she met were liars and mean. But some were nice, and would help her out if she was lost or something. Then there were the ones that thought they were all tough and everything. Ugh, she couldn't stand those ones. Especially the girls that were around her age, and tried to act all tough. She found that hilarious.

They turned onto the street where some apartment buildings were. Her family lived in a nice apartment, because they were pretty rich. You wouldn't know that looking at Bella, she had a few nice things but her uncle mainly made her wear rags. She pulled her key out of her pocket, unlocked the door, and looked around. Nobody was home, thank God. She opened it more, letting herself and Mike in. "Keep quiet, don't touch anything, and follow me." She whispered.

She scurried off to her room, which was about the size of a nice closet. She opened the door, and grabbed a pillowcase that was under her bed. She only had a bed, a dresser, a piece of glass that worked for a mirror and her art utensils were shoved into a corner. She opened the top drawer of the dresser, and pulled out some clothes, stuffing them into the pillowcase. She opened the one underneath it and did the same. She didn't want to take her entire wardrobe with her, she just needed a few things. One or two dresses, a shirt and a skirt. Because she already had the clothes on her back. She grabbed her other pair of shoes by the dresser and threw them into the bag. "Okay, I'm ready." She said to Mike.

She walked into the kitchen, she couldn't just leave her parents. Or could she? Yes, she could. It was their own fault for not noticing, its their fault they let Edward move in, it was their fault. She took her key and placed it on the table, sighing. This was for real, she would finally leave this nightmare. It would be done with once and for all. She would finally have the freedom she has longed for for so long.

Then, the door opened. She froze, No. She thought, this isn't supposed to happen! The plan was falling down around her feet. She prayed it wasn't him, anybody but him. She held her breath as the person looked around the door.

It was Edward.

He glared at her, and then at Mike. "Well, it seems my Bella has a friend. What have I told you about bringing people here?!" He exclaimed, coming closer to her so his face was a few mere centimeters away from hers. She tried not to breath, he smelt horrible. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking." She said quietly, but she knew it wouldn't work. He grabbed her shirt, and brought her closer to him. All she could think about was Mike watching this. He now knew who it was and what was going on.

Tears began to form in her eyes and he threw her down onto the cold floor. "Of course you weren't thinking, you never think. You're an airhead just like your father!" He yelled, as he kicked her. She bit her lip, holding in the cry she was about to let out. She felt embarrassed that Mike had to witness this.

Thankfully Edward went easier on her than he usually did. He threw a candlestick at her, and it hit her back. She cried silently, as he picked her up by her hair. "Let this be a warning to you." He spat. "You are mine. If you bring someone here next time, I'll kill you both." He punched her in the face, and then threw her to the hard, cold floor again. He looked at Mike, "And you, if you ever tell someone of what you just saw. I'll come after you and kill you." He then stumbled off out the door.

Bella helped herself up, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I am so, so sorry you had to see that." She wanted to leave now more than ever, and she was determined she would. Today was the last time she would let him abuse her, she was going to get out of here. She wiped some of the blood off of her face, and tried to stand up unsuccessfully.

[Mike D. Greaser]

"Oh really? What's so bad about them?"

What's so bad about them? Mike scoffed. "They are loud, annoying, and they don't listen to anyone else but themselves." This was Mike's way of saying they didn't listen to him, without releasing to much information. Newsies were people that were self absorbed and not trustworthy. Why Mike wanted to rule them was beyond him, now it was more of revenge for him. He wanted to show them that you can't go through life and not encounter people who were going to try to take what was theirs. In a way, he was doing them a favor. Mike smirked at this thought.

"I live right down this street."

Mike nodded and matched her fast pace. She obviously was urgent to get this over with. What was she so afraid of? They would get out her stuff and get out of here, and she would be free. They had to stay calm, though. They couldn't get sloppy just because they were nervous. Mike wasn't nervous, just worried about her.

The turned and came upon an apartment building. Surprisingly, it was very nice. Mike hadn't expected that, especially after all Bella said. She made it sound like they were poor and someone in her family was forcing her to work for money they needed; but from what Mike could see, they didn't need money. She unlocked the door and let them in; before checking to make sure it was safe.

"Keep quiet, don't touch anything, and follow me."

He nodded and followed her. When they arrived at her room, Mike was surprised at what he saw. It was tiny. It looked like something someone would use for a storage place. How could a family with so much money and such a big house put their daughter in a closet? Was she adopted? Mike's eyes followed her as she gathered her things, which wasn't much.

"Okay, I'm ready."

Mike nodded and stepped aside for her. As she brushed passed him, Mike surveyed the room once more. He shook his head and turned to leave. Right as he did this, he heard the door open. Was Bella leaving him? He rushed to the main room and found Bella, and someone else. A man, that looked to be around 40, entered the building. He sent an icy glare toward Mike and then turned to Bella.

"Well, it seems my Bella has a friend. What have I told you about bringing people here?!"

The next moments seemed to go by in a blur. As her uncle beat her, Mike wanted to intervene, but Bella didn't call for him. She obviously thought it would be better if he stayed out of this. So many times, Mike felt himself taking a step forward, ready to pounce. Just standing there, watching her be beaten to a bloody pulp, made Mike feel powerless. Why didn't he just jump in and beat this man? Because he could call the police and have Mike arrested for kidnapping and breaking and entering. Mike remained where he was, terror stricken.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. Of course you weren't thinking, you never think. You're an airhead just like your father! You are mine. If you bring someone here next time, I'll kill you both."

As he threw her to the floor, Mike growled. He'd had enough. Why didn't she fight back? She could take him! Mike clenched his jaw and ran to her side. Her uncle had stopped beating her and Mike decided to let him leave. It would be better that way. "And you, if you ever tell someone of what you just saw. I'll come after you and kill you." Mike rolled his eyes and focused his attention to the girl lying on the ground.

I am so, so sorry you had to see that." [/u]

She got up herself, and Mike stood as well. "Listen," he said as he helped her get her balance. "I'm not usually the one to give charity. In fact, I rarely give people something without getting something in return. But what is happening to you isn't right, and I'll be damned if I sit around and watch it!" This was just like Mike. Two different sides. One was the side that fought for injustice, the little people. And then the other side, the side that wanted to destroy the newsies. But they sort of went hand in hand. Mike wanted to defeat the newsies because of how they walked all over people. And because he hated them.

By this point, Mike had gathered her things that had fallen to the floor. He place a gentle hand on her the small of her back and lead her toward the door. "We are leaving, now." It wasn't up for argument, Mike was making her leave.

{Very good. You get a penny!}

[Bella Harris]

"They are loud, annoying, and they don't listen to anyone else but themselves."

Bella smiled. She did get annoyed by their loudness sometimes. And then when she would be painting, they would run into her things and make them fall over. Most of the time they would laugh at her ruined paintings and then run away. A lot of them didn't listen to her, and thought they were the greatest. "I've met a few like that." She said.

"I'm not usually the one to give charity. In fact, I rarely give people something without getting something in return. But what is happening to you isn't right, and I'll be damned if I sit around and watch it!"

She looked up at him feeling shocked. He didn't leave her, he was going to help her. Was she really going to get the freedom she longed for? Was this her dream coming true? She wiped the tears off of her cheeks, and some of the blood off of her face and smiled. He was going to help her! She couldn't believe it, someone was going to help her. She had to repeat that over and over in her mind. She didn't believe it. "Thank you." She said in a wobbly voice, trying to hold back the sobs that she suppressed when Edward was near.

"We are leaving, now."

She took a deep breath. This was it. Finally, no more Edward. No more beatings. She nodded, and let herself be led to the door. They walked out of the door and tears of joy came to her eyes. The emotion of knowing she was never going back was overwhelming. "Where are we going?" She asked Mike. She didn't really care as long as they were away from her old home.