Yes. I agree. Lauren is a bitch. This chapter you'll hate her even more. I think next chapter will do justice, Bella's not in school here. Enjoy :)
-highonair435
Chapter song: 'Not Ready to Make Nice' by the Dixie Chicks
"Bella? Bella!" an angels frantic voice whispered in my ear, like velvet. I wanted to say something, but I couldn't find my voice. My mind was conscious, but my body still wasn't.
"Can you hear me?" the angel pleaded yet again. I still couldn't say anything, couldn't move. I was being held prisoner in my own mind. YES! IM HERE! I CAN HEAR YOU! I wanted to shout so desperately. I felt like my mind was disconnected from my body, a whole different being.
I tried to move, but my tired limbs wouldn't allow it. I soon regained feeling, and I instantly regretted ever wanting to. I felt blood pounding from the back of my head. It hurt.
"Ow," I moaned. I didn't want to open my eyes, in case I was still in the classroom. I didn't want to see Mr. Walsh, or anyone else right now. I couldn't do it either way. My limbs were aching, I was incapable of moving.
"That's what I thought." His voice, amazingly, sounded like he was suppressing laughter. No, no no no no. That was not who I thought it was. Thinking that way kept me from hyperventilating, and possibly dying right on the spot.
"Bella?" he asked again. All of the sudden I felt a cool cloth on my forehead. It felt good. I tried to lift my left hand to support the fabric, but with a shock, I realized he held it secure with both HIS hands. What was all that talk about NOT trying to hyperventilate?
"She's coming around, Edward." a slightly appealing voice warned. He let go of my hand immediately. I pretended to not notice. I let my hand dangle on the side of the bed naturally.
"Oh," my voice croaked. My throat felt completely dry. I desperately needed some water.
I opened my eyes to a bright, fluorescent light. I blinked a couple of times, letting my eyes adjust. When they did, I looked around me. I cocked my head to my left, and saw Edward. He looked as godly as ever, with his hair all disheveled. His emerald eyes pierced into mine, with a hint of worry bore into them.
"Edward," I sighed. I was too exhausted to do anything else but acknowledge the obvious. He smiled at me, relieved. I felt movement to my right. I cocked my head in the opposite direction.
He was older, maybe in his early or mid thirties. His eyes were a similar green to Edwards, but they didn't hold that magnetic glow. I recognized that even from a first glance. His blond hair was combed back messily. It looked like he brushed his fingers through it a lot. Ironically enough, at that exact moment, he lifted his right hand to run his fingers through the golden locks of his hair. If I hadn't felt so parched, I could have laughed. The mystery man suddenly left the room.
"Edward," I croaked "What happened."
"You fainted in homeroom." His expression was amused.
My mind backtracked a million years behind. I remembered all the details clearly, without all that blood making me woozy. I remembered Leah walking in, with scissors? Once she placed them on my desk, I recalled feeling like Superman trapped in broom closet made of Kryptonite. Then I remembered the set up, and the whore herself.
"Lauren," I hissed. I felt a pang of anger when she had smiled at me in the classroom, the last memory I remembered. Edward rubbed my arm soothingly.
"Bella, it's alright. The whole school knows right now. Besides, there were a room full of witnesses who saw exactly what happened even clearer than you did yourself. I just feel so bad for her..." he trailed off.
"What? Feel bad for her? Do you know what happened at all?" I gasped.
"Let me finish," he insisted. "I just feel bad for her, because everyone hates her right now. Witch or not, no one deserves that amount of malice."
"Theres a reason her last name is MAL-lory..." I trailed of suggestively.
"Bella," he scolded. "I'm not saying I'm taking her side or anything, just that I feel bad for her."
I snorted. "Well, I don't. You know, in the tenth grade, we took drama classes together. The teacher made us do trust exercises, and Lauren was my partner. You can imagine what happened. The next day she was supposedly 'covered' in bruises. She blamed me for crushing her with my MASSIVE weight. For the rest of the year, they all called me fatty."
"Oh... well... that's..."
"You don't feel so bad for her now, do you?" I said smugly.
"I'm not feeling so sorry for her now, no." he grinned crookedly.
The blond doctor walked back in. In one hand, he held a stack of papers. In another, a cup full of water. I remembered my thirst, and I longed for the pain to ease.
"I assume you would like some water, Ms. Swan?" he asked me.
"Yes please," my voice cracked. He handed me the cup wordlessly. I drank it all down in a couple of gulps. When I finished, I smiled politely at him
"Thank you, Dr...umm..." I trailed off, not knowing his name. I just settled for Dr, hoping he didn't catch my flub.
"Cullen." he finished. "I'm Edwards uncle." he smiled back at me.
"Oh!" I gasped. I dropped the cup I was holding, and it rolled to the ground. I held out my hand to greet him. He shook it.
"Nice to finally meet you Mr. Cullen," I greeted. I couldn't believe I hadn't met Emmett's parents before. Then again, he never mentioned them at all.
"Please, call me Carlisle." he insisted.
"Carlisle," I grinned at him, my sudden confidence surprising me. I could feel Edwards relief at my side.
"Esme moved from Jersey to Westchester to be closer to Emmett. Carlisle works at the hospital over there now. When you were brung in, the nurse panicked. She was really young, and she didn't know what to do. So she called the hospital at Westchester," he explained.
"Oh. Well that makes sense," I concluded. I didn't even consider the possibility of how Carlisle was here at this moment. I was just grateful he was.
"Well, that's that." Carlisle began "I see no reason why you can't leave now, Bella. Though you can't go back to class. You must refrain from any physical activity and-"
"OH NO! No, no, oh no..." I panicked.
"What is it, Bella?" Edward asked, surprised at my response.
I grabbed two fistfuls of hair and moaned. "The play! They're going to kick me off. No, no NO!"
"Calm down, Bella. I will make a personal call to the school to make sure that-"
"No! You don't understand! That's my whole entire future... and... and..." I panicked. Carlisle looked at Edward for help. Edward nodded and spoke.
"Bella, no ones going to kick you off. I was at the singing auditions, remember? If they got you out, they would be stuck with Jessica Stanley for the play."
"Yes." Carlisle encouraged. "You hit your head very hard, Bella. I think they can understand you need rest."
I relaxed. This had all happened in school, anyways. If everyone knew about what happened by now, like Edward had said, then they could hardly kick me off, could they? Everyone would protest. No one was on Laurens side anymore
"I'm sorry for throwing a fit, Carlisle." I apologized. He laughed. It was strangely attractive.
"Bella, I understand. Emmett has told me all about you, and how serious you are about acting as a career. If I was your age, and I had the chance to get a scholarship to medical school, I would fight for it too." Carlisle assured. He seemed to hear me. I breathed in relief.
"You don't need to call the school for me, I'm sure even the staff has heard by now," I smiled. He handed me a slip of paper.
"You do need this slip, though Bella. They need to put that on record. I don't work here in the school clinic." Carlisle reminded me.
"Thank you Carlisle, you know, for everything." I told him gratefully.
I got up from the bed, with Edward supporting me. I got to the door.
"Bye, Bella." He said from across the room. I waved goodbye in response.
We walked out the door and into the parking lot. I headed for the sidewalk, and started to walk to the dorm. How convenient was it that today out of all days I didn't bring a car. Luck wasn't on my side.
"Bella?" Edward called from behind me. I spun around.
"Where are you going? My cars this way," he pointed at the opposite direction of which I went.
"I'm going to the dorms. I didn't bring a car today, so I'm walking."
"Didn't you just hear my uncle back there? He said you can't do any physical activity. I can't let you walk 2 miles to the dorms. So we're going in my car," he smiled. No arguing with him now. I knew I couldn't even make one mile, the way I was feeling now. I sighed and went to his side. We walked.
I saw the sun burst through the clouds. I squinted, letting my eyes adjust. Edward stopped at that same moment at his car. I paused for a moment, seeing the sun play through his bronze hair. I saw the little blond strands fluttering about. He was looking at something above my head, or at head level. I turned around to see what it was. It was a tan little Chevy, all beat up and rusty. I pulled the handle on the passenger door.
"Uh, Bella? Wrong car," Edward teased. I scowled at him. He chuckled.
"Why did you stop then?"
"I saw a bird," he said honestly. Something in his eyes told me he was lying.
"Hmm."
He stopped again at a silver Volvo. I pointed at it to make sure I had gotten the right one. He nodded his head, and laughed quietly. I giggled along with him.
I opened the passenger door and climbed inside. Once we were in, I saw his iPod lying next to a dock beside me. It seemed to be part of the interior.
"I didn't know Volvo's made iPod docks..." I thought out loud. Edward heard me.
"They don't. I got it put in for a little extra cash. It was a little expensive to do, but well worth it. I can't stand burning things on to Cd's." he answered.
"Instead of getting satellite radio, I got a touchscreen computer. The typing works on voice command." he smiled. My eyes bulged.
"Whatever happened to having a GPS?" I protested.
He pressed a button on the side of the steering wheel. A little screen popped up in the middle, on top of the small computer.
"I should have known. That's just a LITTLE expensive..." I trailed off. He smiled.
"I got it from the design of the Vantage." he explained. "I'm not very good at interior designing, so I just copy stuff."
"I bet Emmett will love this car. He'll throw his Jeep in the dumpster for a chance to ride in this. Make sure you cover up that computer. He'll be riding to school everyday in your car, watch out."
"I'll be on my guard," he promised. He put his iPod on the dock. He pressed another button on the steering wheel.
"On. Music. Artists. Breaking Benjamin. Play," he commanded, while looking straight ahead at the road.
"Show off," I muttered. He grinned deviously at me.
I sang along to the 'Diary of Jane.' He looked disappointed.
"What? Is my singing that bad?" I teased.
"No, you sing great. But, it would be nice if I found a song you don't already know."
"Good luck with that." I stuck my tongue out at him like a 5 year old. He grinned crookedly in response.
We went through "So Sick," by Flyleaf, "Last Resort," by Papa Roach, and "Electropop" by Jupiter Rising. He stopped at the end of the first chorus of each song, mad that I knew them all. I grinned at him teasingly the whole entire time. He decided to change the genre to classical.
"I bet my car you don't know this one." he muttered angrily.
"Don't bet something so big. Bet something you'll actually give me."
"Fine. If I win, then you come over our dorm and let me work on your song. Every night." he smiled. I flinched.
"Hmph. Well if I win, then I don't go over your place every night. And you give me 10 bucks." I added, suddenly smug that he was such a big spender.
"Deal." he smiled. He seemed certain that I wouldn't know this song. With his attitude, it looked like he was going to win. He worked the iPod manually, not wanting to drop any hints. When the song came on, I gasped.
I had heard it somewhere, but I couldn't exactly pinpoint where. It was familiar. I didn't know the beginning, but when the main chords came around, I knew the name of the song. It was by Yiruma.
"River Flows in You!" I gasped again. Edward looked at me with a disappointed expression. I sang along to less than half of the song, it was all I knew. The song drifted to a close. I looked over to see his face. He seemed to be thinking hard.
"Hmm. Well you knew some of the song, but not a lot of it..." he mused. "How about this? I give you ten bucks, but you come over my dorm every other night on weekdays?"
"Sounds fair," I said smugly. I was still getting my ten bucks.
"We'll start tomorrow night, then. Now get inside. I promised Carlisle I would help you get better." I looked at the window of the car. I couldn't believe we were there already, the ride seemed so short. He seemed to be waiting for me to get out of the car. I stared at him expectantly, waiting for my prize money. He raised his eyebrows at me.
"Yes?" he asked.
"I'm not going over your room if you don't fill your part of the deal first."
"Oh, fine. I hoped you would forget." he huffed. He reached into his pocket for his wallet.
"I don't exactly have the memory span of Dori, you know." I said in protest. He opened his wallet and gave me two fives. I took them smugly.
"Bye, Edward. Thanks for the ride." I smiled.
"Take care," he smiled crookedly at me.
He literally left me breathless. I stumbled out of the car, almost incapable of walking, both fives in hand. I watched the Volvo speed away, becoming a silver dot.
It was then when I went through the elevator, too dizzy to go up the stairs. Once I got to the room, I dragged myself into the shower. I appreciated the chance to wash up and relax. I winced when I massaged the shampoo on the back of my head, it stung. Maybe I really did hit it hard, to the point of bleeding. I felt the stitches Carlisle had put there. I felt another wave of hate towards Lauren. She ruined everything. Now I couldn't get to enjoy my first day of practice. She messed with everyones life, not only mine. I was glad everyone hated her now, she deserved it. I shut off the water, and changed into PJ's. I wrapped a towel around my head, not quite wanting to blow dry it.
Once I was out of the bathroom, I plopped myself on the comforting white couch in the TV area. I grabbed an aqua pillow from the floor and curled up into a sleeping position. I grabbed the remote next to me.
I turned on a mindless sitcom. An hour later, I wasn't even quite sure what I was watching. I couldn't tell if it was Reality TV or a game show. Somewhere after that point, I fell asleep.
This will be my last chapter in around a week. I need to work on a literature assignment, and hopefully I will get it done soon. School is also starting, so I won't be able to update everyday. The wait won't be as long as it was for the P.F. Changs chapter, I promise. Review! :)
