Chapter One
Ruth Cover waited at the light. Could her day get any worse? She looked at the sky, half expecting to see rain clouds, just to prove that her day could get worse. But the sky was clear and bright. It did not match her mood. She looked at the cross light. How long was she going to have to wait? There weren't any cars. Ruth tapped her foot impatiently. She turned on her ipod and turned it up loudly.
Finally the light changed to say walk. Ruth put a black, shiny boot off the curb and onto the street. Her father had just given her the boots. She had been dying for them. Ruth tossed her hair casually and made her way across.
She never saw the car. She hadn't bothered to even check for cars. She had been to busy looking at her new boots. The sign had said walk after all. She had blindly stepped into the street. Right in front of an oncoming car. Ruth turned just in time to register what was about to happen. Then what seemed like slow motion, the car hit her. She was tossed against the windshield, her head cracking it. The car screeched to a stop and Ruth tumbled to the ground.
Ruth suddenly realized she was staring at the blue sky. She tried to comprehend what had just happened. She tried to take a breath, but felt extreme pain. She moaned between clenched teeth. She heard a car door open and hurried footsteps.
"Oh, no. Are you alright?" Ruth saw someone kneel next to her and look down at her. Ruth couldn't focus on the face. She blinked. She tried to concentrate on moving her limbs, but only felt excruciating pain. She moaned again.
"I am so sorry." The masculine voice said. "Help is on the way."
Ruth was hardly listening. She tried to concentrate on breathing. Each breath was hard. She couldn't lift her right arm without gritting her teeth at the pain. She lifted her left arm slowly and the person next to her took it and gripped it firmly. It reassured her that she wasn't alone.
"I am so sorry." He said, softly. Ruth focused on his face. He was young around her age. He looked familiar too.
"Not… your fault…" She gasped.
"Shh…" He said, "Don't talk. My name is Joe."
"… Ruth." She managed. Joe's face was terrified and paled. Ruth could feel that he was shaking.
"How is she?" Another voice came. Ruth couldn't gather the strength to look to see who it was.
"Her name's Ruth." Joe said, not looking up, but keeping his eyes locked with Ruth's.
"Help is on the way, Ruth. Just hold on a little longer." The voice said. Ruth's eyes were getting heavy. She was getting tired.
"Ruth, please…try to stay with me. God, please don't let her die." Joe said, his voice choked with emotion. "Try to stay awake."
"Can't… hurts…too much." She said. She blinked several times to try to focus. Something was getting in her eyes. She automatically tried to wipe it away with her hand and yelled out at the pain. She bit her tongue then to keep from screaming. Joe's grip on her hand got tighter.
"Try not to move." Joe said. Ruth would have laughed any other time at him stating such an obvious fact. He reached over and wiped her eyes so she could see. She saw then that it was her blood that had been getting in her eyes.
"Can't…stay…awake." Ruth said. She closed her eyes and just let the darkness take her. She heard desperate pleads to stay awake, but didn't have the strength to try…
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Belle danced around her room, holding the white dress to her body. It was gorgeous. She couldn't wait to wear it tonight at the dinner. Belle Mandy was the governor's daughter. She was going to a very important dinner with her parents that night and they had bought her a new dress.
Belle glanced at the clock. In fact, it was time to start getting ready. She went and took a shower. When she got out she slipped into the flowing white dress. She pinned her hair up and added bright, sparkling jewelry. She slipped into a pair of high heels then examined herself. Not perfect, but good enough. She felt pretty and that's all that mattered.
Belle went downstairs to find her parents waiting. They both gave their approvals of the dress. Belle checked her cell for messages one more time before leaving it at home. She didn't need it at dinner. Ruth, her best friend was the only one who would message her anyway and she had plans for that night.
The dinner was beautiful. Everything was perfect and Belle enjoyed herself immensely. She couldn't wait to get home to tell Ruth everything. She ran upstairs and picked up her phone the moment she got home. She flipped open the phone and stopped short.
Ruth's mom had called Belle. Belle listened to the voicemail and dropped the phone to the floor after listening. Ruth was in the hospital. Belle looked at the clock. And that was an hour ago. Belle grabbed her car keys and ran down stairs. She grabbed her coat and flew to her car without even telling her parents where she was going. They would just assume she was going to Ruth's.
Belle drove to the hospital and tried to not speed. But she had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. She ignored it as she rode the elevator up to the emergency waiting room. As soon as she stepped into the room, she spotted Ruth's mom and boyfriend, Jason. They were sitting with some other people.
"What happened?" Belle asked as she rushed over to them. Jason stood up and hugged her. Ruth's mother looked as she had been sobbing. Another look at Jason showed he looked like he had too.
"Sit, Belle." Ruth's mother said. Belle shook her head.
"Just tell me everything." Belle insisted. She denied the knowing feeling she had.
"This is the Jonas family." Mrs. Cover stalled. She quickly introduced each of them. Belle nodded politely. She turned back to Ruth's mother.
"Tell me." She insisted.
"Ruth was hit by a car." Mrs. Cover said. Tears started falling down her face at the words. Belle remained calm. "I got the call and called you and Jason on my way here." She had to pause because she was sobbing too hard. Jason stroked her back, gently. He had his own tears.
"No." Belle said. She was starting to feel faint. Someone helped her to sit down. She hardly noticed.
"She is… in a coma." Ruth's mother choked out. Bella stared at the floor with wide eyes. "She has a several broken bones and her lungs were damaged."
Belle got up and walked out. She felt like she was suffocating in the waiting room. She stepped outside and was met by brisk cold air. She realized then that she had left her coat in her car. Her sleeveless, formal dress did nothing to protect her from the harshness of the air.
Bell closed her eyes in the moonlight and just let the cold seep into her. It felt good and it dimmed her senses. She took a deep breath of the air and it made her lungs ache. She let it out slowly.
"You okay?" Belle didn't turn to the voice or react.
"Fine." She said, simply.
"I'm sorry." Belle opened her eyes and turned to see who spoke. It was the oldest Jonas brother. Kevin, Belle thought his name was.
"It's not your fault." Belle said, stiffly. She rubbed her arms, absently.
"No…" Kevin said, quietly. He watched her. "You must be freezing."
"I can't go back in yet." Belle said, but she was starting to shiver. Belle looked out at the dark parking lot which was lit up by the full moon. She heard the creak of leather as Kevin slipped off his jacket and put it over her shoulders.
"I'll be fine." She insisted, but didn't take off the jacket. It was nice and warm. Belle rested her face against her hands. Ruth. Belle couldn't believe it. She would be alright though, right? Ruth was always the strong one.
"If you want to be alone…" Kevin trailed off. Belle shrugged.
"You are fine." She said. Kevin stayed, but neither of them talked. They each became absorbed in their own thoughts. Belle got over the shock of the event and started to become angry. She would never forgive who had done this and she would make them pay dearly.
Finally, Belle started to shiver in spite of the jacket and decided she was ready to go back inside. She shrugged off Kevin's jacket and handed it back to him before going inside. When she got back inside, Ruth's mother was gone. She had been allowed to visit Ruth. Jason had gone home. Belle glanced at her cell. It was late. She asked Mrs. Jonas to tell Ruth's mother that she had had to go home but would be back first thing the next morning.
Belle drove home and started to cry fro her best friend the moment she was back in her room. Life was so unfair.