Loving Bella by Elizabeth Bonet (books suggested by bill gates .TXT) 📖

friends at my old school to go to the church school. Well it was my choice really. I wanted to leave. I’m just sad at all the people I’d be leaving behind.” Bella wrapped an arm around her stomach as she walked up the front porch steps. She opened the front door, silently she lopsidedly made her way to the kitchen island and plopped the fruit on the table.
“Bella, are you ok?” Natine asked as she watched her daughter peel a banana and sigh. Bella looked at her mother to acknowledge her and barely nodded. The small brunette ran up the stairs to her room. Sitting on her bed, she stared off into space. Taking a bite out of her banana she accidentally bit her lip and cursed herself silently. “Four more years… I’ll be out of High School and he’ll be back. What if he forgets me, or finds some one else…”
The thought of Mason in another woman’s arms made her heart sick. “Wait a minute.” She pieced different glimpses of memories together from what felt like ages ago. Suddenly it was there and she knew it in a heart beat. She wasn’t the only one who was after Mason. Jessica of all people had mooned over him when she thought he or she wasn’t paying attention. Now that she thought about it, she seemed to have still kept her enamoring for Mason but had also added a ‘secret’ infatuation for Jake.
When she realized what was corresponding Bella stood up with a look ready to kill.
Biting back a curse, Bella ran down the stairs and threw the door open. She looked to the sky with anger and screamed a blood curdling cry. “God I’ve tried so hard! I’ve tried to put everything in you’re hands. Why is all this happening to me? What’s your plan God? Show me, I want to know! No, correction, I need to know!” All the answer she got was a warm breeze that rustled the leaves and brushed her hair across her face, neck and shoulders.
That was all she needed for now. Dropping to the ground she sat with her legs curled up under her, and hands in front. Playing with the grass she sighed. “I’m sorry Father. I had no place to do what I just did. Especially not to you. I let my anger take control of me.” She plucked a dandelion and smiled. Fingering it’s fluffy seeds she inhaled quickly. Letting out a gusty sigh, her breath sent the seeds flying on the breeze.
“Once again Father I place it in your hands. Lead me where ever you want me to go. I’m yours.” “Bella?” The one being talked to looked over her shoulder at the sound of her mother’s voice. She solemnly looked into her approaching mother’s dark brown eyes. “Are you alright?” Bella smiled softly and shook her head. “But I will be.” Natine’s look was that of a concerned mother. She knelt carefully next to her daughter on the soft grass. “What’s up?” Natine tried to sound nonchalant as she plucked a blade of grass beneath her.
“Nothin’, I’m sorry ma but you just… wouldn’t understand…” Bella grimaced as she noticed how her mother had tried to hide her own sad expression. Clearing her throat Natine held back any emotion that threatened to escape her masked face. “Try me.”
Bella stared at her mother in shock. The older woman’s face hardened with anger, hurt, pride, and a sense of challenging in her tone. Her full bosom lifted to make her seem stronger.
“It can’t be anything worse than what I’ve been through.” Natine shot a leveling look toward her daughter. Her dark eyes flashed, the white in her hair reflected the sunlight causing her to look as if she had a halo. “Anything but.” Bella thought to herself. Just as stubborn as her mother and maybe more so, she stood up in defiance. Giving her mother a chilling glance she sucked in a breath. “You know nothing of what I’ve been through.” With that Bella flounced back into the house leaving Natine sitting in the grass, more shocked and hurt than before.

~*~*~*~*~

“It can’t be that bad!” Bella gave a sideways glance to her closest friend since the
sixth grade. Still not saying anything she wringed her hands for the 5th time in the last ten
seconds. “Is it?” Mariah asked cautiously. Bella looked blankly at the books before her.
Were she in a better mood it would have been a delight to grab a book off one of the dusty shelves before her. Only then to cuddle in a corner, whilst she unraveled a grand story for herself.
Bella huffed as she put back yet again another leather bound book. Mariah cocked her hip to the side and held her head chin jutted high. One hand rested on her thrusting hip, the other hanging limp to her side. Her manner was every bit as saucy as she could get with attitude that made Bella smile when she spoke.
“Isabella DeloBuono! You are keeping something from me! You cannot, no correction, will not stand there in front of me and not tell me what’s making that gorgeous face of yours look pitiful! Now sit down, shut up and spill! And yes I am very well aware of the oxymoron imbedded in my latter statement. Sit!”
Without ceremony Mariah placed two petite hands on Bella’s shoulders to push her into a chair with a hard thud. Bella gave a pouting look to no avail. Mariah sternly stared her friend down until she knew Bella would respond. The brunette sighed with a great heave of her ample bosom. Her eyes, once warm, became cold and guarded. But Mariah spied hurt where Bella and her strong willed self would never admit.
“Its Mason….” She whispered. Mariah automatically prepared herself for what she was about to hear. “Did he die? No, can’t be. She’s not crying… What then?” The small ebony-haired young woman bent to look into Bella’s face to read her emotions more clearly. “What about Mason?” Bella let a curse slip that she hadn’t thought to keep down, especially that they were in the library. “He lied to me, Mariah. He doesn’t love me.”
She shook her head in dismay and disbelief. Mariah stood in a stupor. Holding out a hand to the shelf to keep herself she placed a shaky palm on her stomach. “Are you sure?” The younger woman nodded. “Why?” Bella glanced up, looking as if she had battled with death itself. She dug into her purse and pulled out a piece of paper. On it, it contained a conversation of Mason and… Jessica.
“I can’t wait till you come back. I really miss you. So much it hurts.” She had written. “I miss you too Jessica, I can’t wait to see my love.” Mariah dropped the paper as soon as she had read the last word. “It can’t be… He loves you.” Bella gave a sour laugh. Picking up the paper she balled it up and sent it air born to a nearby trashcan. “Yeah?” She scoffed “Remind him of that, then tell me how it went.”
She picked up her clutch purse and flounced off as if to leave. “Wait? Where are you going?” Mariah asked, still in shock. Bella tossed her hair to add a touch of attitude to her manner. “To see someone who remembers I still exist, and loves me for that matter.” She pushed her way through the two French doors of the library to leave Mariah standing alone. “God help her. And God give Mason the strength to face what’s coming.”

~*~*~*~*~

“What is it?!” She squealed with childish delight. Jake had both hands covering her eyes and guided her to their destination. Leaving her standing, he backed away slowly, releasing his hold over her eyes. “Alright, you can take a peek.” He let out with slowly, his low voice sounding above and behind her. She giggled as she clasped her hands together in front of her. Slowly opening one eye at a time it wasn’t long before her mouth gaped and her hands flew to her mouth with a gasp.
They were in the middle of a field it seemed. The surrounding area completed covered in wildflowers and a small lake was found in the far side of the field. “You like it?” Bella couldn’t answer at first. “It’s beautiful…” She walked slowly until she was standing amongst the flowers gazing at the lake. “Where are we?” Jake chuckled, the sound warm as she felt his laugh against the back of her neck.
Wrapping his arms around her waist Jake kissed the top of her head gently. “In a secluded part of the forest a bit of distance away from my house.” “It’s lovely. And the view….” She gasped suddenly. Jake stiffened his hold as alarm pricked at the hairs on his neck. “What is it?” She turned swiftly to face him, both hands planted on his chest a mischievous gleam in her chocolate eyes.
“Bella?” She giggled softly and burrowed her head against his chest . Slowly she wrapped her arms around his waist and sighed in content. “Thank you, I love it.” Still in shock at her reaction Jake took a little bit before he returned with a fierce and longing hug. Lifting her chin with two long, and crooked fingers her caressed her plump lower lip with the pad of his thumb. Her full mouth turned up in a smile that was sweet yet seductive and he knew he couldn’t resist. Lowering his face slowly so that he could meet his lips with her own, he stopped to smile just before they met. Bella’s eyes were closed, allowing long, sooty, lashes to feather the tops of her cheeks. Her breathing labored in anticipation. Finally Jake placed a kiss to her collarbone that made Bella shudder.
Releasing a deep sigh; Bella backed away from Jacob and giggled.
Grabbing his hand she began to lead them to the lake when she tripped on a small root. Falling to the ground she pouted as she glowered at the random offender. This action drew a broad grin from Jake as he watched her on the ground. Picking up a blade of grass she stuck it between her teeth and sucked on the sweet green. Laying onto her back she held her hands together on her stomach; mindlessly playing with the silky fabric of her loose blue v-neck. She watched the clouds float above with wonder.
All the time Jake watched her from above not saying a word when he sat down next to her in the soft grass. Taking out a flute from a bag he had brought with them he played a soft lullaby to no one in particular. The mood was enchanting. Feeling Bella’s scrutiny he lowered the flute from his lips, raising a brow in questioning. “Have you ever wondered at how many more instruments and ways to play music we don’t even know of? God loves music, its beautiful and he loves all things beautiful, correct?” She turned her face back toward the sky.
“The song of a small robin per say. Its so simple yet beautiful and the simple beauty and joy in life to be procured is so complex it’s amazing to try and even fathom it. And