Chapter 21

Broken and New Promises

Ed POV

"Edward!"

Amber screeched through the hallways. I looked up from my locker, no one was there

"Edward!"

I heard it again, I slammed my locker shut and went towards the voice.

"Edward!"

Her voice was frantic and uneven. I ran harder, knowing it had to deal with Bella. Finally, two hallways down, I found Amber. Jacob had her crushed to his chest. I glared at him. "What the hell, Jacob?"

His eyes grew wide. "No man! You got it wrong! It's Bella. In the lunchroom. I'm just holing this little tyke, so she doesn't try and do something stupid." Jake explained quickly.

I shook my head, frustrated. "Why is Bella in the lunchroom? She was supposed to wait for me?"

Jacob shook his head, readjusting a scrabbling Amber in his arms. "I don't know man. But it looked as if her and her friends were about to jump the queens..." he voice trailed off.

I was half way down the hall by the time he stopped. Fight? Fight the queens? Mallory and her...well...whores? Damn it! I thought running as fast as I could in tennis shoes. The squeaks and the poundings of my heart were the only noise I heard till I came to the cafeteria doors.

"You stupid bitch!" I heard from the outside of the doors. Bella!!!

I shoved the two double doors open, and stalked over to the crowd. Jumping on the table nearest the crowd, I peered over all the heads.

Tina had Caroline Stanley on the ground, coughing frantically to get the bloody taste out of her mouth. Ray was trading licks with Bonnie Weber. Blood running down her eyebrow. Bonnie looked pretty bad; nose cracked, lip busted open and a black eye. I looked for Emma, but she was no where so be seen.

Bella...I was seeking Bella. I found her pummeling Lauren's face in. Jessica at the sidelines, was talking to a few guys, gesturing to Bella and her arms.

"Edward!" I looked over my shoulder at the voice. Ethan, Adam, Robin, and Emma walked in and over to me. "What's going on?"

I shrugged. "All I know, is that your girls are kiling the queens of the school!"

"That's Be-!"

"AHHH! SHIT!" Bella's blood-curdling scream cut Emma's remark off. It rang through all the shouts and cheer-ons. Crowley and Newton grabbed her fore-arms. Skin-to-skin contact and now, her monster was coming out.

"Shit! Bella!" I hollered shoving and pushing my way into to center of the crowd.

Bella fell with a heavy thud, hitting her head hard on the tile. Blood. Lots of it pooled around her head.

"Stop!" Emma yelled from behind me. They didn't. Lauren wiped the blood from her nose and laughed, kicking Bella in the face. Blood gushed from her nose and ran down her face.

Emma flung herself as Lauren. Knocking them both down beside Bella. "You stupid fucking bitch! Stop hitting her! You don't know a god damned thing about her! Stop it!" They both continued yelling profanities and hitting one another.

I looked around for Ethan and Adam. Robin had fled to get the principal when Bella fell to the ground. Ethan had Newton on his knees, hair in one fist, and his other, punching his already bloody face. Crowley was swaying back and forth and side to side as Adam punched him over and over again in various places.

"Bella," I chocked out coming toward her. I sat at her side, carefully peeling her soft brown hair away from her face. "Oh Bella. Come on, baby wake up. Get up!" I heard a few footsteps coming toward us.

"EVERYONE STOP!" Principal Tony yelled through a megaphone.

Immediately everyone stopped. Adam side kicked Crowley one last time, he flew to the floor face first. Ethan brought Newtons face down to his knee and threw his aside as if he was nothing but trash. Well, not much thinking has to be done on that part... I thought.

They both grabbed their girlfriends. "Put me down, Adam! I am about to whup this girls ass!" Emma screamed trying to break from Adam rock grasp.

"Let me go, Ethan! You better let me go!" Tine screeched clawing to get at Lauren. "She hurt Bella, Ethan! Bella, ok?! I fucking need to do this!" Her voice broke and she slowed her struggles. "She hit Bella. Made her bleed. More than she needed to." Everyone was silently watching the couple as Ethan sighed, pulling his girlfriend into his chest. I ran my fingers through Bella's soft hair.

"Don't you think she's gone through enough!?" Ray screamed her body crushed against Robin's chest. Tears were streaming down their faces.

"Someone take her to the nurses office," Principal Tony said quietly.

Ethan had told Robin to do it, because he had Tina to worry about it. And Robin had Ray. They both looked at me. "Can you do it?"

I didn't say anything. I weighed my options. She was probably going through an attack right now, I'm sure. But what if, me touching her makes it ten times worse? She needed medical attention. That much I was sure of. And her laying here, was not going to help. Slowly, I slid my arms underneath her legs and underneath her back. "Come on," I whispered to her. She felt so light, that I had to look at her every few minute to make sure I hadn't dropped her.

About three doorways away from the nurses office, she started opening her eyes. "Bella?" I asked peering down into her eyes. She didn't answer, but snuggled deeper into my sweater that cover my chest. A faint smile spread across my face.

"Mr. Cullen, set her over there, please?" Nurse Cameron said sweetly.

I nodded and reluctantly laid her on the plastic covered bed. Ethan and Robin both came in next, needing some assistance for Tina and Ray.

I called Carlisle and asked him to come done. "Its pretty bad, Carlisle." I said before he agreed to come down and help out. I sat down beside Bella, stroking her hair. " Dr. Cullen is on his way," I informed her friends, they nodded staring at Bella.

"Where is she?" Amber busted through the door, blonde hair flowing everywhere, blue eyes frantic and half-crazed. "Where is she? Where's Bella? Why are you touching her? What the hell, Edward? I thought you knew the rules by now; no touching Bella or me! I thought your smart ass knew this shit by now! Why is her face pouring blood? Why am I the one to learn everything last?!"

Tina, who had laid her head against the wall she was sitting against, closed her eyes in frustration. "Jacob! Just your friggin' girlfriend up, before I make her!"

"Shut up, Peterson!" Amber screamed hoarse from crying. "What the hell happen-?"

"Amber! Shut the fuck up!" Ethan yelled getting up from his spot beside Tina. Getting closer to Amber than her liking. "We all want to know just what the hell happened, alright? All we know, is that Emma came to us and said, 'Bella, Tina, and Ray are about to fight the queens of the school! Ok? So stop being such a bitch and let everyone rest in peace!" Amber shied into a corner; shrinking down, hyperventilating.

"OK, Ethan! You made you point! Go to Tina now! Leave Amber alone!" Jake suggested getting in-between them.

I turned back to Bella, only to find Amber had crawled up on the bed with her. She put Bella's head in her lap and gently stroked her matted hair from her face. "Amber?"

She looked at me, tears glistening in her eyes. "All she wanted was a day to be normal. To be normal girls, with normal problems. We can't even do that for one friggin' day!?"

Everyone stayed silent. Jacob stayed by Amber, stroking her hair and face. "It's ok," he whispered softly every now and then.

Carlisle came in a few minutes later. He took a look at the girls. Then went to work on the snobs first. After he had finished them he made conversation with the girls. What happened? Who started what? Who threw the first punch? Where did they learn how to fight the way they did?

When he finished them, he got a page. "Dr. Snow's daughter just went into labor and I need to be there to deliver." he began packing up the stuff I wouldn't need. "You'll need to finish her."

"Are you serious?" I asked seriously hoping he wasn't.

"Yes, Edward! Now I have to go," he said exasperated. "You know how to do everything. Plus, you've been begging to come to work with me. This is your first test. Have fun!" With that he left the room and the building.

After ten minuted if thinking and fighting with myself, I finally picking up a warm towel and started wiping the caking blood off her angelic face.

"Be careful..." Amber cautioned for the twentieth time since I had started. "Please, be careful..."

"Amber! I'm pretty sure he's being careful! Shut the hell up!" Tina yelled from her spot on the floor, waking Ray and Emma. Carlisle had given them for the pain that made them a bit drowsy. They wouldn't leave till Bella was clean, awake and safe.

"Hush you two!" I ordered still being careful with Bella. "If she wakes up, and I'm touching her...it could be bad." I whispered the last part. They were quiet after that.

Once I cleaned her face, you could see her injuries. I was tempted to let Alice and Rose get a hold of Lauren and her skanky followers. Her soft pale face was bruised all over, her full bottom lip, was split in half, thanks to Lauren's foot, her right eye was swollen shut, too. "Oh Bella..." I whispered softly cupping her cheeks. "I'm so sorry."

"What? What? Wha...Oh my god!" Amber cried coming beside me. "Bell...oh no!" Tears trailed own her face. "I'm sorry Bella. I promised you...i promised you and I broke it. I'm sorry," she sobbed holding Bella's hand the entire time I was stitching Bella's lip. "I'm sorry, B."

Just as I snipped the green thread from the needle, her eyes began to flutter. I backed away. She groaned. Everyone jumped to their feet and rushed near the bed. "Did I kick her ass?" was the first thing to come out her mouth.

Everyone chuckled nodding. She began to sit back up, but Ethan gently pressed her back down. "Oh no you don't. You might have a concussion or be very dizzy if you get up too fast." he cautioned pulling a soft curl from her face.

She nodded leaning back down. Her eyes ran across the room. First they landed on Tina. "Tina...what the hell happened to your ankle?" she asked her voice groggy.

Tina scowled. "Caroline got some jocks to stomp on my ankle til I screamed for mercy. Never did. The entire time, I was giving her a pain makeover!" she smiled evilly.

Bella then looked at Raychel. "Dude, Ray what the hell happened to you? Your clothes are just...not you. And your face? What the hell did I miss?"

Ray licked her busted lip. "Bonnie has pretty good right hook, but this shit ain't over. No way in hell is this over..."

"Ray...trust me, she ain't even worth it." Bella said queitly to her steaming friend. I smiled smally agreeing with her knowledge. It was like she could sense where I was in the room and that I was smiling. She smiled too as she turned to me. "Hey..."

Ethan, Tina, Adam, Emma, Robin, and Ray left, leaving us with Amber and Jacob. "C'mon Amber," Jake whispered kissing her temple. "I'll take you home and make you a nice bed on the couch..."

"Love you, Amber." Bella croaked as Amber kissed her forehead.

"I know, Bella. Love you too. See ya later." she replied softly before giving me a warning glance.

Jacob clasped me on the shoulder. "Be careful with her. We all can see that you love her already..." he said queitly in my ear.

I didn't attempt to deny it. I knew I didn't love her, but I definetly cared for her. I liked her more than a friend should. I cared about her more than a friend should. But, no, I hadn't fallen for her...yet.

They left, giving Bella and I some privacy we didn't ask for. "So...how am I, doc?" she asked suddenly, breaking the silence bar.

I smirked. "I'm no doctor, but let me see what we have here..." she smiled smally, then wince at the pain. "Yeah...as much as they brighten my day, you can't smile till those come out. Okay?" She nodded bringing her fingers to her bottom pouty lip. "I'm sorry, Bella." I apologized sincerely, my vision burning.

Her eyes glazed over. "Hey..." she reached her hand out to touch me. I moved toward her by a step, her fingers grasped my coat. "Don't...don't be sad," her voice small and innocent. "It wasn't your fault, honey."

I smiled. "I know...I just wish I could have done something," she shook her head slightly. "Your beautiful face looks like nothing more than a plum, your lip is busted, your nose is cracked, and your teeth went through your tongue."

she nodded lifting herself up slowly. "Its ok if I sit up right?" she asked uncertainly. I nodded stepping closer in-case she toppled over. "It was Ethan who carried me, right?" she asked rubbing her forehead.

I began to tell her no, but stopped short. If she found out that it was someone that can't touch her, she could possibly go into a freak attack. She might not trust me anymore. I didn't want to lose her, when I just got her. Even if its not the way I want her, I still have her trust and that's enough for me. If she became scared of me, I'd have to watch from afar as she shied away from every male. Scared of all their movements. Never touching again. Never loving again. Never...living again.

So, I did what was best for both of us. "Yeah, he was worried about Tina, but they both knew that you needed more help than she did. I helped her instead." I lied. It felt wrong and I tried my hardest not to show it through my eyes and voice.

She smiled sadly. "This is why I never told them." a few tears rolled down her cheeks. "I didn't want them hurting because of me. Now look at them-."

"Happy as can be, with their significant others. Knowing, that their baby Bella is in safe hands. And those hands...are mine." I intrupted her self-abuse. I smiled crookedly, hoping it would work.

Success!

A small giggle escaped her busted lip, then another. "Ok...I know I'm being stupid, but," she smiled at me, I cast a questioning glance at her. "I'm safe, here in your hands?"

I sighed relieved. I hopped up on the bed, right beside her. She didn't flinch away. "Of course you're safe here with me." I said softly wanting more than anything to run my hands through her hair one more time. I turned my body towards her and looked deep into her eyes, willing her to trust me. "Bella...I don't know what they did to you, but Bella, I will never ever hurt you." she gasped lightly in shock at the sound of my conviction. "I promise!"

Now you guys really can't be mad at me anymore, can you? Look at that, two chapters in two...three hours. That's good!

~!LSTYD!~