The Learning Curve: Chapter 50

Edward Cullen's Volvo

I was definitely sweating more than could be considered normal on the way to Edward's house, but he was kind enough not to notice. On top of the nervousness about meeting his mother, I felt terrified that something would happen during the drive. Alice told me her dream had been of me alone in my truck, but still, I was scared. Alice had a similar dream years ago that no one paid attention to, and it happened. Alice had been traumatized for a long time.

"Bella, seriously, it's going to be fine," Edward chuckled, watching me chew on my lip out the corner of his eye.

"I know," I lied.

His head turned to look at me fully, and that was the exact moment when I saw the deer leap through the trees.

"Edward!" I screeched.

His eyes went wide as he looked forward, and he tried to slam on the brakes and swerve left at the same time.

The next second was a blur, and then we made impact with a tree. My seatbelt caught me across the chest as I was thrown forward, and I saw Edward's forehead hit the steering wheel with a loud, dull noise. The airbags came out not half a second later, and we were pushed back into our seats.

I looked at Edward. He was conscious, but there was blood running down into his eyes from his forehead.

"Oh God, Edward," I gasped. The usual nauseating dizziness came over me at the sight of his blood, but I fought it back. I sucked in deep breaths and struggled out of my seatbelt so I could get to my backpack where my cell phone was tucked away.

"I'm fine, Bella," he said, but he didn't sound fine. "Are you okay?"

"I'm totally fine," I said, finally getting to my cell phone. "You're bleeding a lot, though. We have to get you to a hospital."

"Just call my house," he murmured, slightly slurred. "We're really close. My mom can take me."

I shook my head and dialed 911. I wasn't taking any chances with this.

The operator promised an ambulance was on it's way and instructed me to do what I could to staunch the bleeding.

I found a package of Kleenex in my purse and pressed the whole wad to his head, willing him to be okay. This was my fault, I knew. If I'd just driven myself, or told him I couldn't come today... He'd been hurt in my place, and that felt too awful to fully express.

At Edward's mumbled urging, I did call his house and explained frantically what had happened. Minutes later, Esme Cullen arrived in a black Mercedes and rushed out without cutting the engine.

I'd seen Esme Cullen before, but she seemed even more beautiful than ever today - and she was going to hate me for what I'd caused today.

She flung open the driver side door and took in the scene - Edward, bloodied and disoriented, and me, with my bright red wad of tissue and blood on my hands - literally and figuratively.

"Ohh...oh, honey," she breathed. She didn't have time for much else because the sound of sirens interrupted, and we waited for the ambulance to pull up behind us.

The next few minutes were chaotic. I was allowed to get out of the vehicle on my own, but because Edward had hit his head, he was led into the ambulance on a stretcher with a brace around his neck.

Esme squeezed my shoulder. "Go with him in the ambulance, okay?"

I gaped at her. "But don't you -?"

"You need to get checked out, too. Besides, if I go with him, you'll be stranded here. Go on, honey," she urged. "I don't want him to be alone."

I nodded dumbly and hurried into the ambulance just as they were getting ready to shut the doors.


A/N: Happy Saturday. (ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!)