Thank you to all who have reviewed. It warms my heart and tickles my toes! This chapter will give you a little insight into how Bella's mind is working. I hope it clears some things up about the emotional mess she seems to have become. Enjoy!

I do not own Twilight, blah, blah, blah.

Chapter 14

The Game

BPOV

I turned the key and opened the door. I gave a quick wave to Edward letting him know I was in and then walked in, closed the door, and locked it. Then I slid down the door and collapsed against it. The day had been exhausting, mentally. My body and mind had been on a roller coaster that left me wanting Edward in the worst way one moment to screaming vile obscenities at him the next. I can't even imagine what he really thinks of me.

Probably that you're bipolar.

Up until I met Edward, my life had been good. I had Charlie, good friends, and a great job that I loved. It was quiet, predictable, comfortable. Now, I don't know what the hell I'm doing, ever. My emotions have been all over the place and I've been doing things so out of my character, like lashing out at people for absolutely no reason. I never know what I want anymore. I like Edward, no I hate Edward, no I think I love Edward, no he's just a friend, I think.

Get a hold of yourself, girl!

I hadn't been feeling in control of myself for a while. That's an understatement; I didn't know who the hell I was anymore. But the little display I put on in the car was the limit. I just couldn't take feeling psychotic any longer. This is where I probably got the courage from because, once again, spilling my guts to a potential love interest is something the normal me would never do.

But I did in anyway. I laid all my fears out to him. Told him how inadequate I felt just being around him. Let him know that I wasn't the type of girl that would be okay with being his Forks fuck buddy. Admitted that I was falling for him and how it terrified me to the core.

I had been brutally honest, with him and with myself. I basically gave him an ultimatum, full fledge relationship or nothing. I hadn't come right out and said it, but I forced him to look at his life and think about where I would fit in, which of course was nowhere. It was my subconscious way of being in control of my self and my life again.

You in control? Keep dreaming.

I don't know exactly what I was expecting, but I know I wasn't expecting him to say he had feelings for me as well. And he didn't say it in a positive way. He sounded like someone was standing there with a gun aimed at his head. It would have been better if he had told me that I was right and thanks, but no thanks.

But he planted that seed. That miniscule seed of information that gave me the tiniest shred of hope. Then I got scared that my little soap box speech destroyed that little shrivel of optimism. At that moment the thought of him telling me that there could never be anything between us was more than I could bear. So I backed up, gave him an out. Before Edward could say anything at all I stated that all I wanted was to be friends.

What have I done?

He seemed okay with that. If friends were all we were meant to be, then I could live with that. It was better than nothing.

Liar!

Realizing I was still sitting against the front door, I got up and decided to get ready for bed. I was beyond tired and didn't really want to wake up on the floor in the morning in a puddle of my own drool because I hadn't made it up the stairs.

I put the leftovers Esme sent home with me in the fridge, turned off the kitchen light, and went upstairs. After changing into sweats and going through my nightly routine of teeth brushing and face washing, I got into bed replaying my conversation with Edward. Part of me was disappointed that it didn't seem like he wanted me in a romantic way, the other part of me was ecstatic that he was at least still willing to be my friend after I had gone all Brittney Spears on him.

I decided to send him a quick text message to reaffirm our agreement.

Goodnight, friend. –B

Almost instantly I got a text back.

Goodnight to you, friend. –E

I flung myself back onto my bed. Who was I kidding? I didn't just want to be his friend. I knew he was dangerous for me, but I craved him. I craved his touch, his attention, his love. It was too late for me. I was in too deep.

Doesn't matter, Swan. You are just friends. That's your doing.

It was true, it was my doing. And so I would have to try and live with it.

o~o~O~o~o

The next morning I woke up to my cell phone ringing. I looked at clock to see that it was 7:45 in the morning. Who the fuck would be calling me this early the day after Christmas? I looked to see who it was. Alice…of course. I hastily flipped it open and answered it.

"Do you know what time it is? This better be good, Alice."

"Well aren't we in a fine mood this morning Miss Swan. Good morning to you too."

"Why are you calling me this early?" I just wanted for her to get on with it so I could go back to sleep and ignore the reality of the life I had created last night.

"Well, no one else is awake and I thought since you're always up by now for school that you would be today as well." I could almost hear her pout.

"I only get up this early because I have to. I'm on vacation." I wasn't being very nice to her. She didn't deserve my grumpiness. "I'm sorry Alice, I just haven't had my coffee yet. What can I do for you sweetie?"

"Nothing. Just wondering how the rest of your Christmas went." The girl was fishing for information. What she really wanted to know was what went on between Edward and me.

"Well I left your house pretty late so I can honestly say that I just went to bed when I got home." I was giving her nothing.

"Bella, you know what I mean."

"Clearly I don't." This was getting fun, at least for me it was.

"Fine, I'll just ask. Did you and Edward get along last night?" She put an emphasis on the get along part.

"Why, what did he say?" I wasn't about to say anything until I knew what he had said to her.

"Nothing. He's still asleep. I'm not allowed to wake him until ten o'clock, at least that's what the note on my door said." I'll give him credit, Edward was a smart man. I was stupid enough to answer my phone at 7:45.

"We got along just fine, Alice. He drove me home, that is all."

"Ummhmm." Since when are thirteen year olds the experts on relationships?

"I don't know what you are thinking in that pixie little head of yours, but I can assure you that Edward and I are just friends."

"Whatever you say, Bella." I was just about to interject when she completely changed the subject. "So are you coming to the game tonight?"

"Oh, I totally forgot. Yeah, I'm going. I'm working the door." With everything clouding my head I forgot that the Forks High basketball team had a game tonight. A few years ago I had taken on the responsibility of selling tickets at the door. Being a small town, the school was the focus of the community. Everyone went to the games, even if they didn't have a kid on the team. All of the Forks High sporting events were well attended because it was something to do. Selling tickets was a way for me to see kids and parents long after I had them in class whether it be on the court or in the stands. I only had to be at the door until half time and then I could become a spectator for the rest of the game. It was great. Emmett was on the team and Rosalie was a cheerleader, so no doubt the Cullens would be there.

I wonder if Edward will be there. Stop it, stop it, stop it! You are not supposed to care!

"Okay, well I guess I'll see you tonight then." Alice was obviously done prying for information.

"See you tonight, Alice, bye."

Since I was awake, no thanks to Alice, I decided to get up and make some coffee. It was early and I recognized the need for a distraction from thinking about Edward. When I got downstairs, I found one.

Every year I was amazed at how everything could go from looking beautiful and magical before Christmas to looking old and tired the next day. There was something that happened at midnight December 26th that changed the way everything looked to me. Yesterday, my house had a warm glow that was inviting and festive. The tree looked alive and full with my collection of ornaments and strand after strand of twinkling lights. The faint smell of home baked sugar cookies and evergreen was intoxicating and it lingered with each breath.

That was yesterday. Now it was all just…yuck. I wanted it gone and my house to be back to normal. So that was my distraction. By four in the afternoon, all traces of Christmas had been removed. The decorations were all packed away in boxes in the attic and the tree was out on the curb ready to be picked up by the trash. Even the snow had melted making yesterday another holiday memory.

Pleased with my work, I made my way upstairs to shower and get ready for the game. I was going to be sitting for the first half of the game so I wanted to be comfortable, however, I was going to be seeing a large percentage of the student body and their parents and did want to look presentable. I settled with jeans, my converse sneakers, and a long-sleeved Forks High Warriors t-shirt. I pulled my hair into a pony tail and applied a little make up.

I had to get to the school a little early so that I could get the money box and the tickets out of the office and set up by the door. As I was getting ready, Rosalie came to say hi. She had gotten here early to warm up with the rest of the cheerleading squad. I always admired the way she carried herself. Yes she was blond, beautiful, and head cheerleader, but she never acted conceited and treated everyone with kindness, no matter their gender, appearance, or level on the social ladder.

"Hey, Miss Swan. Looking foxy tonight." Seeing her in her uniform made her comment seem absolutely ridiculous. She was still by far more pretty and graceful than I could ever dream of being.

"Hi, Rosalie. I could say the same to you. How's Emmett feeling about the game?" We were facing off against a team from the reservation a few miles away from here. It was a non-league game and we hadn't played them before.

"He's pretty confident they're going to win, but I don't know. Have you seen these kids from La Push? They're huge. In any case, he's wearing the socks." She said this with the fakest smile on her face indicating her displeasure.

Emmett was superstitious and believed that if he washed his socks, he wouldn't play well and the team would lose. He hadn't let Esme wash them since the beginning of the season almost two months ago. He wore them to every practice and every game, each time drenching them in sweat. The whole family was disgusted. Esme wouldn't allow them in the house. Rosalie wouldn't allow Emmett to touch her if the socks were anywhere near. One time when I was bringing work to Alice, I noticed this horrible dead animal smell as I waited for someone to answer the door. When Esme greeted me, I mentioned the smell thinking that something had died underneath the porch. She just shook her head and motioned towards a tree about forty feet away where the socks were hanging. Forty feet and the stench was as strong as if they had been hanging off my nose!

"Well, if the visiting team passes out from the smell, we'll at least get the forfeit." I tried to make light of the situation, but it was past that and I knew it. It was just getting down right gross.

"I swear, if I ever get the nerve to touch them, I'm going to burn them." Rosalie was dead serious.

"Well let me know how that works out for you. Good luck tonight."

"Thanks. We're doing our half-time routine tonight. Try to take a peek if they unchain you from the table. See ya, Miss Swan." She turned and headed into the gym with the rest of the cheerleaders.

It wasn't long before people started to line up to get into the game. I would accept their money and give them a ticket. A few people I didn't know, but most I did. They were former students or families of former students. It was nice to converse with them for a brief moment about what was going on in their lives. Doing this helped me stay connected and I enjoyed it immensely.

It had been so busy for awhile that at the first break I decided to organize the money box a little. That's when I heard it.

"Three adults and two students please." There was a hand holding a twenty dollar bill in front of me. On his wrist was a watch that I would recognize anywhere. My eyes follow his arm until they get to his face. There were those brilliant green eyes. The ones I could get lost in forever.

He's a friend. He's a friend

"Th-that will be eight dollars." I took in the sight before me. Edward was wearing loose fitting jeans that hung low on his hips. He had on a Forks High t-shirt that looked like it belonged to Alice. It clung to his skin, accentuating ever ripple, every muscle in the most attractive way. He had a knit beanie cap on his head, pieces of his disobedient bronze hair sticking out in various places.

He's just a friend. He's just a friend.

I gave him the tickets and the change. "Thanks, Bella." He smiled and stared into my eyes a little longer than necessary…for a friend. I broke the gaze as I saw something bouncing behind him.

"Hi Alice, Jasper. How's it going? Where are your parents?"

"Hi Miss Swan. They're parking the car. They'll be here in a minute. You're looking lovely tonight. Isn't she Edward?" What the hell was she doing?

"Yes, a vision of school spirit." That was it, nothing else except more staring. Alice and Jasper both giggled and headed into the gym. I thought Edward would follow, but he didn't move. He just kept staring and slowly I was getting sucked in.

Just. A. Friend.

"So what's with the hat?" I needed to take the focus off me.

"You like? I'll let you in on a little secret." He leaned down to whisper in my ear. "I'm incognito." His breath was warm against my skin and I closed my eyes to take in his scent. He smelled like the forest with a hint of mint. I could feel my mouth salivating involuntarily.

Just a fucking friend.

He pulled back and I quickly opened my eyes so I didn't get caught inhaling his essence. "Do you think its working?" He was serious. He really thought that just because he wore a hat that almost covered his hair that he wouldn't be recognized.

That's so adorable.

What I really wanted to tell him was that if he wanted to be inconspicuous maybe he shouldn't have worn a shirt that was two sizes too small for him, but then I would have had to admit that I was looking.

So not doing that.

"As a friend I feel I have to tell you that I think you'll be disappointed. You've already been recognized and the game hasn't even started yet." I nodded over to a group of moms who had obviously identified him and were now giggling like a bunch of school girls. He glanced over and smiled given them even more reason to swoon.

"Dang, I thought for sure this would work. Do you have any other suggestions, friend?" He was being so seductive I wondered if he had remembered that we indeed were going to try the friend route. Either he forgot, or he was just toying with me.

Well, we can't let that happen now can we?

"Actually I do." I motioned with my finger for him to lean down so that now I was whispering in his ear. "Go home." Shocked he immediately stood up and looked at me with a hurt expression. He essentially thought I meant it.

"Geez, I was just kidding. Don't look at me like I shot your dog." I was trying not to laugh without any success.

"That was not a very friend thing to do, Miss Swan. I think I'm going to go find Alice and Jasper, you know, my real friends." Without another word he turned and started heading towards the gymnasium. Just then Esme and Carlisle walked in the door catching the tail end of Edward's rant.

"Hi, Bella. What was that all about?" Carlisle asked looking confused.

"Oh, nothing. Edward is just being a big baby." I yelled loud enough for Edward to hear me. He never turned but waved his hand in the air as if to dismiss me. Esme, Carlisle, and I all couldn't help but chuckle. Carlisle tried to hand me money but I shook my head. "Infantward already paid for you guys. You're all set."

"He was not supposed to do that." Esme was already heading into the gym to give him a piece of her mind.

"See you at half-time, Bella." Carlisle called back as he tried to catch up with his wife who was on one serious fucking mission.

"Sure thing, enjoy the game." I said as I accepted money from another group of people.

It was difficult for me to see what was actually going on in the game from my little table by the door, but I was able to hear most of the action. It was getting really tense in there. I gathered from what I heard and from people at the snack bar that the La Push team was good, and big, but our boys were holding their own. The excitement level was so high that the gymnasium itself seemed to be alive, have a pulse, and it wasn't even half-time yet.

Finally, somewhere between the second and third quarter I gave up. I grabbed the money box and the tickets and headed to the gym. Anyone coming to the game now got to keep their two dollars. I wanted to see what was happening.

I stepped just inside the gym and assessed what was going on. Our boys were down by three points and there were a little over two minutes left in the second quarter. I couldn't believe we were that close. To say the other team was huge was an understatement. They were fucking ginormous! I don't think there was one of them that were less than seven feet tall. Even Emmett looked tiny next to them.

I loved high school basketball. It was so pure. These kids didn't play for money, fame, or coverage time on ESPN. They played because of their unconditional love for the game. In this world where professional sports are so tainted by negative role models, steroids, and greed, watching high school kids give everything they got to win was quite refreshing. You couldn't watch them without wanting to support them and cheer them on to victory.

I scanned the crowd. The atmosphere was electric. Everyone was on their feet hanging on ever shot made. It didn't take long to find Esme, Carlisle, Alice, Jasper, and Edward sitting not too far from the door.

I smiled as I watched Edward. He was so caught up in the game. He cheered when the Warriors would make a basket and give Jasper a fist bump. He yelled at the ref saying that he needed some glasses when he made a bad call. He would chant 'defense' with the crowd and commiserate with some nearby parents about how physical and aggressive the other team was being. Once he even made eye contact with Emmett and shouted 'Yeah, dude, you're the man' as Emmett gave him a thumbs up. Edward was thoroughly enjoying himself.

And that just makes him even more sexy. Like I didn't have enough to block out already.

They had saved me a seat so when the ball was in play at the other end of the court I quickly made my way to them. "Hey, guys. Good game so far, huh?" I sat in the available seat next to Jasper.

"Yeah, I just hope they can take the lead before half time. It'll give them great momentum going into the second half." I just looked at Edward as he said this plain as day. He saw my confused expression. "What? I have season tickets to the Lakers. I know what I'm talking about."

I was about to make some smart-ass comment but was distracted by what was going on in front of me. The ball got loose and there was a scramble for it. The ref called it a jump ball and possession went to the Warriors. They had six seconds to make it down the court and try to score. A three point basket would give them a one point lead going into the locker room.

I watched the clock as one of the boys dribbled the ball down the court. It was passed around a couple of times before landing in Emmett's hand. The crowd was counting down the clock. "Three…two…"

As the time ended on the clock, Emmett effortlessly made a shot that went directly into the net. It was a two point shot. The game was tied. The crowd went wild as both teams headed towards the locker room for half-time.

Just then, Rosalie and the cheerleaders took the court and performed a flawless half-time routine complete with dance, stunts, and tumbling. They were awesome.

"If I could do high school over again I would most definitely be a cheerleader." Surprisingly that came from Edward's mouth and Jasper, Alice, and I all looked at him in shock.

"Dude, that is just so…not cool." Jasper had a disgusted look on his face. "Cheerleading is for girls."

"Yeah, Edward, that surprises me coming from you." Alice said tentatively. She didn't want to insult him if he was being serious.

"Lifting cute girls in short skirts over my head for hours at a time would have probably been the manliest thing I could have done in high school. I see it as a missed opportunity." I couldn't argue with Edward's logic there.

Jasper had a pensive look on his face. "I kind of see your point, Edward. Maybe I'll…" Alice didn't let him get any further.

"On that note, let's get some snacks, Jasper. You guys want anything?" Edward and I just shook our heads as the two left the gym. Esme and Carlisle had already left and were talking to some of the other parents.

"I need to go put this stuff in the office. Are you going to be okay if I leave you here?" I didn't feel comfortable carrying around all of the ticket sales money.

"Yeah, I'm good. I'll save our seats." Edward smiled reassuringly.

"Okay, be back in a sec. Don't miss me too much." I turned and started walking away. I couldn't be sure but I almost thought I heard him mumble something like 'I already do' but I wasn't going to let my mind wander.

When I got back to the gym, I walked in to see Edward had been ambushed by some of the La Push cheerleaders. He looked extremely uncomfortable as they kept getting closer. Up until now, most people had left Edward alone. There was a buzz that he was here, that was undeniable. I had heard everyone whispering about it in the lobby. However, everyone in Forks also knew what originally brought him here and how he and Alice maintained a friendship. They all just wanted her to get well and be happy. It was probably the reason why they respected Edward's space and just let him enjoy the game with Alice, in peace. These La Push girls, however, knew nothing of this so they had no problem trying to get his attention. There were four girls surrounding him, like wolves closing in on their prey. They kept getting closer and closer until Edward was backed up against the bleachers and there was no where for him to go. The gym was still pretty empty that I could hear part of the conversation.

"So Edward, if you're going to be in town a few days, maybe you and me, or some of us, could get together and have some fun." I couldn't fucking believe my ears. This little tart, whose name I figured out was Leah, was basically offering herself and her friends to Edward. She couldn't have been more than sixteen years old for crying out loud! The horrified look on Edward's face mirrored exactly what I was thinking. I was just about to go rescue him when a flash of blond stormed by me.

"Edward, I've been looking everywhere for you. Fraternizing with the enemy I see." Rosalie quickly put herself next to Edward and put her arm around his waist. A look of relief washed across Edward's face. He put his arm around her shoulder, in a death grip I might add, and kissed her temple. They all just stared, shocked out of their minds.

"Hi, Rosie. I'm sorry; these ladies were just introducing themselves." The glare on Rosalie's face said it all. She wasn't afraid of them and she wasn't going to let them mess with Edward.

"Well, I'm sorry girls, Edward here is not interested. So you can just take your skanky little asses back over to your side the court and stay there like good little doggies. Okay?" Before they could answer, Rosalie guided Edward out of their clutches and back to where he had been sitting.

I made my way over to where Edward and Rosalie were sitting. "I leave you alone for one minute and the wolves descend. Rosalie, you were spectacular." I usually didn't applaud bitchy girl confrontation, but this was an exception.

"Thanks again, Rosalie. It was getting a little uncomfortable for my liking." Edward still seemed rattled by what had happened. In his world he was used to things like that all the time, but here, he seemed to relax more than normal. It caught him off guard.

"Not a problem. Listen, I gotta go. Cheer duty calls. Take care of him, Miss Swan. I can't promise I'll be there to save him a second time." Rosalie bounced off the bleachers, gave the La Push cheerleaders a look from Hell, and then made here way over to the rest of the squad. The teams come out of the locker room and began to warm up. The crowd started filing back into the gym.

The second half started and the two teams picked up where they left off before half-time. The back and forth scoring was very intense. Everyone could feel that if either team let up their assault even the tiniest bit, the other team would capitalize on it and win the game. As the buzzer signaling the fourth quarter was about to begin, you could see the fatigue starting to set in for both teams. All of them were tired, but you could see it in their eyes, no one was giving in. The crowd on both sides cheered trying to will them their energy.

About half-way through the third quarter, one of my former students came and found me. "Hi Miss Swan."

"Hi, Rebecca, it's nice to see you." I couldn't believe she was already a sophomore.

"It's nice to see you too. Hey, someone said that you might have a key to the office. I left my books in there and my mom is here to pick me up. Could you let me in?" I wanted to ask her if she could wait until the end of the game, but the nervous look in her eyes told me that her mom wanted her to go now. Not wanting her to get in trouble, I told her it would be no problem and then followed her out of the gym. She was so appreciative, I was glad I could do this for her, even if it meant missing the end of the most exciting game of the year.

By the time I got back, there was twelve seconds left on the clock. La Push was down by two points and had called a time out that was just ending. I decided stand just inside the door until the game was over. I looked over to where I had been sitting to see that Edward was looking at me and smiling. I smiled back thinking that he must be the most perfect looking man in the world. I faintly heard the buzzer indicating that the game was about to resume, but I didn't care. I just wanted immerse myself in Edward's smile even if it was only for a few moments.

But the smile did not last. In fact his face started to contort into a variety of emotions; shock, horror, panic. It was the fact that I was gaping at him. We were supposed to be friends and I was gaping at him like he was a piece of meat.

Good fucking going. He's disgusted and you're pathetic.

I felt my face drop at the realization that once again I misread Edward's emotions. Now he was screaming something at me. Was he pissed? I tried to make out the words. It looked like he was screaming 'watch out'.

Watch out for what?

Just as that fleeting thought left my head, my eye caught something big and orange out of my peripheral vision. I looked over to see what it was and then my face exploded. I felt my knees buckle out from under me as my head hit something hard and my body hit the floor. Then nothing but black. Was I dead?

EPOV

Who knew high school basketball would be so fucking exciting? The Lakers were great, but this was beyond great. These kids had been playing their hearts out the entire game and every second had been thrilling. I was a little nervous at first. My disguise was a bit lame and Bella's mockery of it reinforced that point. I really wasn't in the mood to sign autographs and take pictures. However, to my surprise, I found that most of the Forks townsfolk pretty much left me alone to enjoy the game with the Cullens in peace. That is outside of the little La Push cheerleader debacle of course. I owed Rosalie big for that one.

I was really into the game and having a great time. I was also enjoying the casual time I got to spend with Bella. We, well she, had decided we should be friends, but I don't think either of us could deny the sexual energy that existed between us. It was all innocent flirting, but I knew in my mind I wanted more. I just yet hadn't figured how I was going to make Bella Swan mine.

I was disappointed when Bella left to let a student into the office. I wanted her there with me at the end of the game to share the excitement of it all. Hopefully, the Warriors would be able to hold the other team off for twelve seconds resulting in a victory for the home team. A celebratory hug would have been very nice. But when she came back to the gym, Bella didn't come back to sit on the bleachers. Instead she opted to stand just inside the door. I caught her eye and smiled. She smiled back. My heart squeezed a little in my chest.

At that moment, a lot of things happened at once. Bella continued to smile at me, which was nice. On the other hand, she wasn't paying attention to the game. When the buzzer went off, a La Push player at the other end of the court was passed the ball and the clock started counting down the seconds. He was immediately swarmed by three warriors trying to prevent him from passing. In a desperate attempt, the La Push player threw the ball as hard as he could towards the basket, but was way off target.

I saw it coming. I tried to warn her but the deafening roar of the crowd made it impossible for her to hear me. Just as Bella turned her head away from me the basketball smashed into the side of her face. The brute force of it made her stumble back and hit her head against the concrete wall. Instantly, her knees buckled and she fell to the floor.

The buzzer went off indicating the game was over and the Warriors won, but everyone just stopped. The players, the crowd, the referees, everyone, just stopped. Not a sound was made as they all watched in horror Bella's crumpled form on the ground, not moving.

"Bella!" I screamed breaking the silence and then everyone went into action. The referees were the first ones to get to her and were trying to assess the situation. Emmett grabbed a towel off the bench and sprinted to her side. A couple of parents who obviously knew her were kneeling next to her, calling her name, trying to get her to wake up. I jumped over several kids just trying to get out of the bleachers. Carlisle was right behind me.

I got to the doorway of the gym in record time and tried to make a break in the circle that had formed around her. I wanted Carlisle to be able to get to her as fast as possible, but I also wanted to see her for myself. What I saw made my heart break. The side of her face was bright red and already starting to swell. Blood was trickling out of her nose onto the towel that Emmett was now holding up to her face. Her lip had also been split and she was bleeding from that as well. The thing that scared me the most was that she was still unconscious. I forced my way through the crowd and kneeled beside her. I took her hand and held it. It was all I could do. I never felt so helpless in all my life.

The circle had made room so that Carlisle could work. Jasper ran to the car and got his medical bag. As he began checking her vitals and looking at her wounds, I could tell he was concerned. I took a moment to take in the rest of the scene. Not one person had left. The crowd seemed to be hanging on Carlisle's every move. The referees stood near by waiting for instruction on how they could help. The team and the cheerleaders sat all together on the court holding hands. Some of them were crying. Even the other team hadn't left yet. I was overwhelmed at the concern they all had for Bella. I saw how she interacted with them. The relationship she had with her students and their families did not end when they left her classroom. This school, this town loved her. I hated to admit that I was a little envious.

Carlisle reached into his bag and took out some smelling salt. He waved it around her nose and instantly she reacted to it. Her eyes fluttered opened and she looked like she had no idea what happened. "Bella, honey, you got hit by the ball. Don't move. I think you might have a concussion. We're going to get you to the hospital and get you all checked out. Esme called Charlie. He's going to meet us there." Carlisle put his hand on her shoulder to emphasize the fact that he didn't want her to move.

I continued to hold her hand. She turned her head slightly and a slow smile formed at her lips. I think she was delirious.

"Edward?" She spoke softly.

I leaned down so I could hear her. "Yes, my Bella?"

"Did we win?"

I love high school basketball so this chapter was really fun for me to write. What happened to Bella really happened to someone during a game at my school. Very scary! Anyway, take the time and review please. Nurse Edward's POV is next!