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I stared at her frozen for half a second before fear set in. "Bella," I said, keeping my tone calm and modulated. Kneeling beside her on the steps, I pried her hands away from her side. "Is it your ribs? Something else?"
"My ribs," she admitted miserably, refusing to meet my eyes. Bella was hiding something.
Very gently, I ran my hands over her side. She flinched, drawing back a little. "I'm sorry, sweetheart." I couldn't stand the thought of causing her pain, but I needed to know the extent of her injuries. And then she and I were going to have a talk.
"I think they're just bruised," I said. "But I want to have a closer look in the house. Come on, let me help you up."
She grimaced as she took my hand and gingerly made her way up the steps and into the house.
I sat her down on the couch in the living room, noticing she was still avoiding my gaze. Hurt that she didn't feel she could talk to me, I started to raise the hem of her shirt.
A very nasty purple splotch was well on its way to forming across her ribs. I inhaled. "You've got a nice bruise there," I said, "and what looks like a cracked rib."
I flashed into the kitchen and back again with a pack of ice. "Here, I'm going to put this on it."
She flinched a little and then relaxed. "That feels better," she said, sinking back into the cushions.
"What about your head?" I asked suspiciously, remembering the headache she'd had earlier.
"I kind of got hit with the volleyball," she admitted.
After I made sure she didn't have a concussion, I got her another ice pack for her head.
"Bella, please tell me what happened."
Her eyes settled guiltily on my face at last. "Gym did. First I managed to get smacked in the head with the volleyball. Then I tripped and fell right in front of someone, and they tripped over me. Hence, the bruise. They let me out then."
A perfectly logical explanation, especially considering Bella's inability to walk in a straight line without falling down, but I still had the feeling she was hiding something from me.
"Hmm. Maybe I can pull some strings and get off of gym on the days Edward and the others can't be there."
"No," she said quickly – too quickly. "It's okay, really. I don't mind."
Now I was really sure something was wrong, but it could just be Bella's stubbornness. It would definitely embarrass her to be given a slip off of gym just because she was clumsy.
"If anything like this happens again, I'm going talk to the principal," I warned her. "It's not worth getting hurt over."
"Carlisle, can you – " she blushed.
"What?" I asked, concerned.
"Could you not let Edward know about this?" she asked. I frowned. "I mean, it's so hard to get him to go hunting anyway….if he knew I'm afraid he would never go."
Her concern was valid, I knew. Edward was too overprotective of her for his own good. He'd starve himself if the rest of us didn't step in and force him to go.
"Very well," I said at last. "I can keep him out of my head…if you can promise to tell me if anything – no matter how minor – happens to you again."
"It gets kind of embarrassing," she said.
I had to laugh in spite of myself. "I know, Bells, but I don't want you to feel you can't talk to me. I love you."
She blushed again. "I love you too," she said, and hugged me. I hugged her back, careful to jostle her injured ribs.
"Do we have a deal?"
"Yes," she said reluctantly.
Bella:
I had a problem.
He suspected something was up, I knew it. And I also knew if Carlisle found out, the rest of them would. Anything they did to interfere would only make it worse – I knew that from my experiences in Phoenix. Not to mention Edward would smother me. I'd never peel him off of me again.
I sank back into the depths of the couch, glad the ice had eased the ache. I would probably be back to normal by tomorrow – again, speaking from experience.
"Something wrong?"
I blinked. "No, sorry. I was thinking about something, I guess."
"I was asking if you wanted some hot chocolate?"
"Oh, that'd be great. I can get it though," I offered automatically as he got up.
"No, you stay put. Doctor's orders," he commanded with a grin.
I smiled back and returned to wondering what I was going to do tomorrow. Edward would not be back until the day after, and now Carlisle was on the watch. He didn't have to work at all tomorrow and I was expected back here after school.
"Here we are," he said. "Careful, it's hot."
"Thanks," I said, reaching out for the steaming mug.
He sat back down beside me. "Are you sure you don't want to stay here tonight?" he asked.
"I'd love to," I said, "but I haven't cleaned house in two weeks. The bathroom is probably ready to grow legs and walk away. I think I'd better give it a quick run-though before Charlie gets home Thursday."
"Don't over do it," he said, frowning. "You need to rest."
"I will," I assured him. "I'm just going to do light things. Hey, quit frowning, you're going to get wrinkles."
"As if," he said, grinning.
I elbowed him. "Old man."
The rest of the evening went by in a blur of laughter and safety, and I managed to push my fears about school to the side. At least until I was home in my own bed, staring up at the ceiling and wondering if I would survive the next day.
I overslept the next morning. I had time to drag a brush through my hair and grab a bagel on my way out. Angela was coming by to pick me up, and I was surprised she wasn't already waiting. I wasn't worried though – she was always very prompt.
To my horror it wasn't Angela who pulled into my driveway a few minutes later. It was Mike.
"Hey, Bella!" he hollered, rolling his window down. "Ang is out sick today – her mom called to ask if I could give you a ride instead. Hop in!"
Numbly I did, thinking one thing and one thing only. Jessica is going to kill me.
Next chapter, Carlisle will find out about the bullying...in the WORST possible way. Stay tuned!