A/N: Hi my dear readers! Hope you enjoy the story thus far. Sorry for not replying to any reviews, I always read all of them, feel my heart melt, and by the time I want to reply, something else came up. Thanks for the love!

Enjoy.

Chapter 4

It was only when it was almost midnight that I received a text from a number that I didn't have in my list of contact. I already knew who it was from and my heart did some strange things at the detailed, lengthy text.

11:54
Hi my knight in shining armour! I'm exhausted. First a doctor called me to his room to check my foot and ankle. I nearly kicked him in the face from reaction to the pain! Then he made a call, where I heard him say that he needs pictures because he suspects a fracture. Then I wait for hours until the radiologist comes to make pictures. Half an hour later, the doctor walks in, only to say that they accidentally made pictures of my ankle instead of my foot. Since the pain's in my foot, I needed new pictures. My ankle was clear of any breaks, btw. A gazillion minutes later, the radiologist walks in again and makes the correct pictures. And at last, after waiting for another decade, the doctor walks in with the horrible news that I have a fracture in my smallest metatarsal bone, do I spell that correctly? I'll need a cast up to my knee for at least a week.. This thing weighs a freaking ton, Bella. And the cherry on top of the pie is that I must give myself an injection with an actual needle every day until this cast is off to prevent blood clots. That's where you come in, my doctor new friend. I need you to give me those shots. I CAN'T HANDLE THE SIGHT OF BLOOD. Will you help me? :)

Her message, even though so very long, brought a strange smile on my face. Her evening sounded more horrible than mine as I had to deal with Mr Grey. First I added her number into my list of contacts, then I typed her back a reply.

11:59
Hee Alice. I wouldn't mind to help you. It depends on when and where, but if you live close by, I could visit. Did you get home safely?

00:06
I wouldn't want you to do all the hard work! I can come by your place, if that's okay with you. Or I can visit you at your workplace. And yes, my brother's driving me home right now.

00:09
Of course, just let me know when you need to come by. I'm free from work the following two days.

Tonight I decided not to study, but watch a movie instead. I deserved a break.

I didn't watch movies very often, and some people would find my taste in movies a bit odd. I decided I was in the mood for Black Snake Moan and remembered my dad. This movie was one of his favourites as well.

In exactly three weeks, it would be Christmas Eve. The day he died.

"Hey. Oh, you look so sad with those crutches."

"I hate them. My muscles ache all over my body."

She wore a right read coat with a black hat and gloves. The cast was huge indeed.

"How did you get here?" I wondered.

"I took a cab."

She stepped forward with the crutches slowly and I shut the door behind her.

"I haven't eaten yet and I cooked tons of food. Sit down and I'll grab us both a plate."

"Oh, no, I just ate, thank you."

This morning, I texted Alice my address so she could come by whenever she could. She told me that her first and only injection had been at the hospital in the evening, so her second one should probably be in the evening again. However, when I asked her to come have dinner with me, she declined. I knew she would, but that didn't mean I wouldn't try.

Mentally ill or not, I made food enough for both of us and I hoped she'd have a few bites.

"I couldn't stand to eat while your hands are empty. Please, I insist you try my cooking."

"But..."

"Full stomach or not, one bite can never hurt. You can't deny, can you?"

Especially since she didn't even know what a full stomach felt like. Yes, I was being pushy, but I didn't have anything to lose. Alice was still a stranger, but she was also innocent with now a foot injury. Her bone broke from a simple twist of the ankle. How could that have happened? Unless her bones were very brittle. If I could make a guess, I'd say anorexia had something to do with that as well.

"And if you hate the food, just let it sit on the plate. I can eat the rest some other day."

I'd experimented on a vegetable and beef noodle soup. It tasted nice, but the colour was gruesome. It was a very dark brown. The smell did make a lot up for it.

"The sight's not so nice," I said with a disgusted face. "I definitely lose points on that, don't I?"

Alice stared at the soup with blank eyes.

"It tasted alright when I tried it during cooking it. I made it with some teriyaki sauce and oyster sauce. And soy sauce."

As a bowl stood before both of us, I was the only one eating. Alice stirred hers a few times, sniffed at it, but never took a bite or a sip.

"Do you miss school or work because of your broken foot?" I asked between sips and bites.

"Oh no, I don't... I mean, I go to college, but I hate all my classes. So, I'm not really missing anything."

"Why not switch classes to ones you like better?" I asked simply.

She shrugged, muttering, "I already feel it has no use. That I've fallen behind too much."

"It's never too late to catch up. I study here almost every day. I study before work, after work, on my days off. My social life is nearly non-existent, but it's effective when you need to get work done."

"I get that," she said, glancing around my small apartment. "The atmosphere here is amazing. I could study here for hours."

"True, it's small, but the light is good with the big windows. And it's very quiet here and the view's not so bad."

"You're so lucky to have this place," she said with a smile. "I'm jealous."

I scoffed, because this was just a small apartment. She was wearing brand clothes and somebody who could afford taxi's, her own Kia and who knew what else had some money behind their pockets. Why be jealous of a small, for her easily affordable apartment?

"Do you live on campus or at home?" I asked her.

"Home," she said. "With my parents."

Her voice changed a lot. It sounded depressed. I took a deep sigh and decided I wasn't ready for that conversation.

"You want to change classes, right?" I asked.

She nodded slowly.

"Do you know what strikes your interest most?"

"I love the arts," she said, a twinkle shining in her eyes. "All kinds, like musicals, fashion and paintings. I know it's not much of a career-"

"It is," I insisted with quick nods. "If that makes you happy, it definitely is very much of a career."

"My family doesn't agree," she said with a shake of her head. "They especially don't like the fashion world so much."

"What's wrong with it?"

"They say it made me... That it made me... Sick."

I looked at the table between us, quietly pondering what to say next. I looked up at her carefully, only to find her eyes cast to the left.

"And did it?" I asked her.

"No. I don't know. I'm not sure... Maybe a little."

"But now, you're unhappy. You picked college over fashion, somebody else over yourself. Isn't that also unhealthy? So if choosing someone else's happiness over yours makes you unhealthy, why continue doing that?"

"It's complicated."

"It's not. For example, you could take courses in management and economics, so maybe you can become a manager someday of a fashion business. I'm sure you have broader imagination than I do-"

I stopped talking because of her hard scowl which made me insecure.

"Anyway," I muttered. "Sorry...I just think anyone should aspire to become happy. Like Beyoncé said in her song."

She nodded, but then scoffed.

"Pretty hurts," she said, naming the title of that song.

I nodded. "It sure does, doesn't it?"

"Oh, Bella," she cried out with teary eyes. "I think you... Yes, it is."

She nodded to herself, while I wondered what she was talking about.

"You're like a gift from heaven. You have so much great energy. Can I please use your laptop? I need to do something right now, before I chicken out."

"Sure, let me get it for you."

I unplugged my laptop and placed it on the table before Alice, as she started with dead focus. I gave her as long as she needed, while I finished my soup, then fetched my own homework. I reread my notes and tested myself with my own made flashcards.

Occasionally I looked up to watch Alice, but her eyes remained on the computer. Sometimes she clicked, sometimes she typed and sometimes my curiosity got the best of me and I almost asked her what she was doing.

After nearly half an hour of silence, I'd reread most of my notes. I got up and brought my empty and Alice's full bowl to the kitchen, where I threw the uneaten soup back into the skillet.

"How's everything going?" I asked as I turned my head and tried to peek at the screen of my laptop.

Alice squeaked, turning her head to the kitchen with a broad smile.

"I did it. I signed out of college and I sent an e-mail to the art school. I told them that I'm still interested in their program and asked if they're still willing to take me in."

"Willing to take you in?"

She seemed so vulnerable in that moment as she raised her eyes, stood on her feet and came to stand before me in the kitchen.

"In August, I arranged a very serious dinner with my parents and siblings. I told them about my plans, ideas, exact locations and dates, costs, just to let them know I'd done my research and that it was real. I told them that if I was accepted into art school, how would they feel about that. They all told me the same thing. They said that they wouldn't allow me to go ahead with my plans. They would force me to decline the acceptance. At some point, I stopped hearing them because it hurt too much."

"Alice, I'm so sorry. That's so terrible."

She nodded, sniffing once.

"Here's the thing," she said, as tears already fell.

It broke me to see her like this.

"When I arranged that dinner for my family, I so much hoped that they would give me their approval. It would have been amazing if they told me they would be very happy for me if I got accepted to art school. Because then I could've told them the best news ever. After their approval, I could've told them that I was accepted to the program. In New York. A number one art school. They chose me. Me... I never expected that."

Her eyes were filled with sadness. My heart swelled when I heard her amazing news. Momentarily I even forgot her family's disapproval. A dream come true was worth gold. And health wise, it was the best decision to make.

"Neither did I expect them to be so reluctant and against my plans. I was so upset, I couldn't tell them the truth. They already made it clear what they thought of art school. I declined NYU's offer."

My heart broke for Alice. The moment that had been her dream come true was taken away from her by her parents. Nobody deserved that. Your parents should be there for you, no matter what.

"You did that...for your parents and siblings?" I asked her in shock.

She nodded.

"But what if they-"

She shook her head hard. "I know them too well. Even if they knew that I was accepted, they still wouldn't approve. They don't care. I couldn't take one more rejection coming from them. I decided to decline without them even knowing I was accepted for real."

"For whatever it's worth, I do approve. If you have something that calls you, you should do it, no matter the cost."

"Even if it makes your family upset?"

I didn't have a family.

Instead, I said, "I don't think your family is upset at art school in general, maybe just that part where they think that it made you sick."

"That night, it sure felt like they hated everything about art school."

"You got in once," I told her matter-of-factly. "You'll get in again. It's not important what somebody else's opinion is."

Before Alice called a cab, I gave her the injection. That was of course the reason for her visit. I offered to drive her home, but she wouldn't have it.

However, our endless talk about random subjects had brought us closer to each other. At times, I almost told her about Jacob, but I thought it'd be too soon to tell her about my ex. Alice had this way with people that made them talk. At some point, she asked about my parents, but I couldn't tell her the details. I only told her that they both passed away.

As for my own plans, I told her I was still looking around. I was too uncertain to tell her I was in fact trying yet again to get into medical school. But I had a feeling that she knew about my plans, even if I hadn't told them.

When she drew her black, oversized sweater up, I noticed her very flat stomach. I'd given myself these same shots when I'd broken my hand, so I knew you only needed to pinch some belly fat and press the needle straight in.

After I saw her flat belly, I knew how severe her anorexia was. I understood why her parents and brother were so nurturing toward her. I could relate to the dangers that the fashion world something brought. Models who couldn't fit the clothes, were sent straight home.

That frightened me more than ever. What if I steered her into a very dangerous direction? What if my advice lead her to death?

As she hopped on her crutches to the taxi, I felt my heart pound hard against my chest, because I feared for the poor girl's life.

Alice was a ticking time bomb.

That night as I laid down in bed, I thought of Mr. Grey and that, as guilty as it made me feel, I felt sad not to have seen him again. Or to have given him my number. I had a dream about him, one where I was content with him. We both sat on a bench. He told a joke, I believe, and I was leaning against his upper arm, laughing. The first snow appeared and I had this thought that shocked me the most. I thought how for the first time since a long time I would finally feel whole again at Christmas Eve, with Edward Cullen.