The Legacy of Bella Goth

CHAPTER 1 In which Bella meets the residents of Apple Hills

Bella Goth sat among a mess of items she hadn‟t yet sorted into boxes. She had too many books and too much makeup, but couldn‟t decide which to get rid of.

After Don had helped her escape Pleasantview and Mortimer Goth, Bella had moved to Strangetown. Unfortunately, here they had heard rumours of her mixed up life, and didn‟t like the sound of her reputation. Now she was going to move where the grass was greener. Where no one knew who she was.

Thinking of Don, Bella smiled. People often said that she was cheating on Mortimer, but it wasn‟t true. They were simply good friends. Don, after all, had his eye set on Nina Caliente, but Bella was sure that by now that had probably changed.

There was the beep of a horn, and Bella looked out of the window to see the moving man. “Shoot,” she said, looking around at the mess on her floor. She scrambled to her feet and quickly stuffed everything into a box. She looked around the old living room, and took a deep breath as she left to start her new life.

When Bella arrived at her small new home, she decided to phone Don. Slowly, she punched in the number she still remembered and nervously waited for him to pick up.

“Hello?” “Don? It’s Bella.” “Wow! Haven‟t spoken to you since... Well, since... you know. Since you left.” “Yeah, I know. So... so how are you doing?”

“I‟m doing great! You‟ll never guess... I... I‟m married to Nina! And we have a son named Nicolo.” “You? Married? But you’re a romance sim!” “Yes. I know. I don‟t need you to remind me – the whole of Pleasantview‟s being doing it since I got married.”

“But enough about me! How are you?” “I’m fine...” “Where are you now?” “I shouldn’t say.” “Oh c‟mon, Bells! It‟s not like I‟m going to tell Mortimer that!” “I guess... But... Phone conversations can be tracked and stuff...”

“You phoned me. That could be tracked!” “Oh, fine! I’m in Apple Hills.” “Never heard of it. Oh, I have to go Bells. Nicolo‟s starting to cry... Nice talking to ya. Bye!” “Bye, Don.”

“Who was that, Don?” Nina asked. “Bella,” Don replied shortly. “Bella Goth?” “The one and only!” he laughed. “Where... where is she?” “Apple Hills. I helped her escape from Mortimer.” Nina gulped. “Escape?”

“But... My sister... Dina‟s married to him... Is he evil or something?” “Nina, you silly! Bella just didn‟t like him, that‟ all!” “Oh. You‟re sure?” “Certain!” “Ok.”

Bella sighed as she almost tripped over the ladder laying across the main room. What would happen if Mortimer found out where she was? Would he come and find her, and if he did, what would he do to her?

Since Bella had arrived, a newspaper had been delivered.

She looked at the jobs section, but there was nothing she really wanted to do.

Three people walked onto her lawn, and being a sociable person, Bella went to greet one of them.

“Hi, I‟m Bella!” she said to a pale, blonde girl. “Uh... I‟m Claire...” she said in a off-hand way. “That‟s er... Elise and... Corey...”

“Maybe you should talk to them instead... I‟m er... I... I‟ve got to go...” So Claire left, leaving Bella feeling confused.

Bella decided to approach the man. “You must be Corey, right?” “Sure am! You‟re Bella?” “Yeah...”

“Sorry about Claire, she‟s just jealous of my amazing good looks!” Corey laughed. “Right,” Bella replied, not wanting to tell Corey that actually he wasn‟t her idea of „good-looking‟.

“Bella do you want to go out with me?” Corey said seriously. “What?” Bella laughed. “Corey, I only just met you!”

“Oh. Ok,” Corey said in a sad voice. “It‟s just that I... I‟ve never had a girlfriend before.” “Oh, Corey! I‟m sure there‟s someone out there for you,” Bella said awkwardly. “I‟d... I‟d better go and see Elise now...”

Bella found that the woman named Elise had invited herself into her house. “Hi... Bella?” “That‟s me! You‟re Elise?” “Yep!” “So... Do you know any cute guys?”

“Haha, there‟s sort of a shortage of unmarried men here in Apple Hills, Bella. Unless of course you want Corey slobbering all over you...” Elise laughed. Bella pursed her lips. Not many men, eh? Sensing her disappointment, Elise said, “But if you want we could take a trip to Pleasantview sometime?”

Bella‟s inside‟s squirmed at the name of the place. “No thanks, I... uh... I don‟t like long journeys,” she lied. “Ah, never mind,” Elise said.

“Hey, are you free this weekend?” Elise said. “Yeah...” Bella said cautiously, hoping Elise wouldn‟t suggest a trip to Strangetown. “Cool! How about you come over to my place on Saturday? I‟m having a barbeque... you never know, you might someone!”

“I‟d love to come!” Bella smiled.

“That‟s great! I‟ll see you there, then! Saturday, eleven o‟clock, ok?” “Yes!” Bella laughed. Elise checked her watch, and said, “It was lovely meeting you, Bella! I have to go now though, or I‟ll end up being late for work... not that it‟ll be the first time!” She grinned and left, leaving Bella alone once more.

Before Bella knew it, it was Saturday. For a single woman, Elise‟s house was massive, but beautiful.

Bella found Elise round the back, cooking hotdogs. “Hi, Elise!” “Bella!” said Elise, turning around.

“You know I said I‟d invite some guys?” whispered Elise. “Yeah?” “Try Amin.”

“The one sitting by the pool.” “Ok, cool.”

“D‟you mind if I sit here?” Bella asked. “What?” Amin said. “Oh, no. It‟s fine.” “Cool. I just interrupted a deep thought, didn‟t I?” Amin only sighed. “I‟m Bella. So, tell me about yourself,” Bella suggested.

Amin muttered something to himself, then said, “How about we just say that I was born and bred here in Apple Hills?”

“Nothing else? Just the basics?” “Just the basics. I‟m not someone who likes to go into details about my life.”

“Hey, what about you? You‟re new here, you must have had a more interesting life than me!”

“I don‟t really-” “Oh, come on! What are you? A criminal or something?” “No, but-” “Then whatever you don‟t want to tell me can‟t be that bad!”

“I... got divorced and decided to move away,” Bella said. It was close enough to the truth. “Right,” Amin said. He didn‟t believe her. Trying to change the subject, Bella said, “It‟s hotter here than Strangetown!” “Oh, so you‟re from Strangetown, are you?” Amin said. Bella cursed silently under her breath. How had she let that slip out?

She got up and moved towards the pool. “Wait! Where are you going?” “Calm down! I‟m only going for a swim!”

Bella jumped in, relaxing as the cool water soothed her burning skin.

“I saw you talking to Amin just now...” said a woman who swam towards Bella. “Yeah, so what?” “If you‟re trying to get close to him, don‟t bother. He hasn‟t been in love for years.”

“Thanks for the advice, but I don‟t want to get close to him. We were only talking,” Bella said. The only problem was, she didn‟t even convince herself. She swam away from the girl.

Bella laughed as Amin belly flopped into the pool.

They played Marco Polo, and talked for a bit.

But then Amin got out. “Amin? Where are you going?” “I‟ve got to go... erm... I‟ll... I‟ll call you.” But it didn‟t sound like he would

Bella sighed. It was late afternoon, so it would probably get dark soon and she‟d have to leave. So much for finding „that special someone‟.