Jacob's visit had really given me plenty of things to consider. His departure gave me no time to ponder over the question that consumed my very mind, though: Could Edward Cullen really be a vampire?
I was fascinated by the idea of it and very scared. Vampires were something to be scared about, but somehow he must have found a way to control his blood-lust. If the legends were true, that is. The most probable solution to my problem with understanding his strangeness was that he was just that: strange. There were many illogical and gaping differences between any legend I'd ever heard about vampirism and reality, whatever reality really was.
He and his family most likely had a gene defect and very hard bones plus cold skin. Maybe the doctor hadn't lied and his hands weren't always this cold. Maybe Edward's hands were cold because he was fearful for my life? Maybe, I was just paranoid.
The differences in their outward appearance could be genetic, again. Possibly, the myths on vampires were even based on people like them, whom society didn't quite understand, but didn't dare to ask about. Prejudices came to be this way: Someone judged another person based on observations or other people's opinion, not on knowing them personally.
My spinning thoughts were disturbed at once when I heard someone argue right in front of my door, though. "Listen to me! You are not going in there! I talked to her already and she understands that I can't tell her.", Edwards voice sounded in an angry, hushed whisper. They apparently didn't know that the door to my room wasn't sound-proof like most others or were under the impression that I was fast asleep. Funny that he didn't know, his father was a doctor here and he had brought me to my room himself. Hadn't he heard the nurses passing outside my door earlier? I could hear their conversation, or rather argument, as clearly as if they were standing in my very room.
"I thought you confirmed her suspicions and promised to tell her! Now you'll have to tell her eventually, as much as you're opposed to the idea. I can feel that she won't let this go easily! What were you thinking? Exposing us like this, but not following through? I didn't like your idea of letting her think she'd imagined things. That would've kept her quiet, though it would have been dangerous on her mental health. Even she thought that!", the other voice argued in a slightly louder voice. I didn't recognize him at all, but it had to be one of Edward's siblings due to their familiarity with each other and with the secret involving their whole family.
"I only had her well-being in mind!", Edward defended himself, actively interrupting his brother. There was a pause and suddenly he spoke again. "I know that. Dilemma doesn't even begin to cover it!" The other person interrupted him quickly. According to my assumption about him being part of the Cullen family, it had to be the shy, curly-haired blonde or the intimidatingly muscular, more outgoing one.
"Would you let me phrase my thoughts in my own words for once? You know that I don't like your snooping around when I'm angry!", one of the brothers yelled, though in a hushed tone. The two of them were quite opposite in complexion and behavior. Blonde and dark hair, lean and muscular, shy and outgoing. Brothers couldn't be more different. This one paused for a moment while Edward muttered "Fine" and then continued. I wondered which one it was.
"You care for her and you can't stay away. All of us consider leaving the last option, too. We've been here for such a short period of time, it would be a waste. But if she finds out herself, without proper guidance as to the matter of us being not harmful at all, it would be too late to leave. We'd have to silence her and no one wants that, especially not you or me.
"Your idea of leaving her in the dark backfired, too. She's a clever one and not easily afraid, so she will figure it out. The only question is when. Since she associates with the Quileutes, it'll be sooner rather than later. You know that. You also know that one of us has to tell her. And though you know her the best, you still oppose to telling her? She probably has most of it figured out already. You don't want to tell her, I'll do it. Where's the problem with that?", he inquired. Edward didn't answer his question at first, so he added full of mock humor "I'm finished with arranging my thoughts into a proper little speech. You may answer now."
Finally, Edward answered "She doesn't trust either one of us and you the least. You didn't even talk to her yet! Now is just not the right moment." Again, a pause. "You could try that, but I highly doubt it'll work.", he seemed to answer an unspoken question.
"Fine. But I still don't like it.", Edward's voice sounded again. "Yeah, okay, I know. I'm familiar with your thoughts on the matter. Trial is okay, but we don't need error!"
It really confused me how I didn't know the other person's behavior. Maybe his face was as easily readable as mine, but I couldn't follow the last piece of conversation at all. The first part had at least informed me that there really was a secret and that Edward wasn't the only one who found it disturbing and also dangerous to have others know.
His brother had unknowingly confirmed my suspicions that Edward had never meant for me to know their secret. Just wait and see, I will find out!, I thought as the people in front of my door walked away. One of them lingered a little while longer than the other, but then abruptly left.
I only now understood that Edward's brother had been planning on telling me their secret this very minute and lingered behind just now considering to confide in me. If only Edward hadn't caught him in the first place! I would have known by now which brother it was and I'd know the blasted secret!
I still cursed my bad luck while I endured my last visitors. Okay, there weren't too many of them because the hospital had a policy called '4 a day' that was usually dreaded; but very welcome to me in my current state of confusion and exhaustion. They made exceptions for large families, though. Since I didn't have a large extended family, this generosity luckily didn't apply to me.
Since Dr. Cullen had insisted on counting his son as a regular visitor and Charlie and Jacob had already visited, only one more visitor was allowed. So it was actually just one more visit that I spent pondering on the past argument. It was by a devastated Tyler. He said almost the same things Charlie had stated earlier, being: Tyler was an idiot, Tyler should be arrested, Tyler had almost murdered me, I got so lucky (which he was glad about), he was so sorry.
I totally understood his urge to apologize. After all, I didn't want to be in his place. I'd rather have a leg injury and confusing thoughts about myths and the supernatural than live with his guilt. The other students and my father had probably already given him a hard time about the incident. Though I understood his concern and guilt, I couldn't take it any longer. So I settled on letting him off the hook .
"Look, Tyler, I know you didn't do this on purpose. It was just an unlucky incident. It would have taken a Physics professor to calculate that your van would slip and slitter into the parking lot. You couldn't even really see me." When he tried to protest, I silenced him.
"Yeah, I know that you were being reckless with the new van, but don't go on the whole guilt trip because of it. I know that you never meant me harm and you hardly caused me any. I could as well have slipped on the wet lot, so don't worry. Please. I forgive you, so forgive yourself for my sake.", I finished tiredly. And surprisingly enough, Tyler did as I said. He nodded, his troubled face calmed down and he smiled. "My car isn't even damaged. It really is a wonder that nothing worse happened. You seem to have your own angel of protection."
Named Edward? No, I don't think so. He was fate's tool, maybe.
With this being said, he apologized once again, but then left me alone. Finally! It wasn't long until I surrendered to a deep, dream-less sleep, even with all the confusion going on today. All the happenings had taken a toll on me. The most enjoyable part of the day had actually been the drive to school and when Jacob had visited me. He was always good company and seemed to know, somehow, when the time for serious conversation or for playing around was.
The rest had been bad. The expectation of death, the attention, the leg injury. Immediately followed by many visits, mysteries, blaming Tyler and dealing with guilt. The argument had been too much for my brain to take.
Who was the mysterious brother?
…
Who do think the mysterious brother is? Please review and let me know what you think about my changes I made on Edward's behavior!