Present- Edward

I don't remember much of the ride to the hospital. Not because I was out of it or sedated, but because I couldn't escape the look on Bella's face when she saw Jake. I will never be able to forget the haunting look in her eyes that I was trying desperately to save her from.

I came to quickly after the crash. Feeling dizzy and disoriented, but I knew instantly that I was intact. I winced when I opened my eyes all the way, my hand coming up to my head. I look down at my left arm and could feel that it was broken or at least fractured. Thank fuck it wasn't my throwing arm. Everything else seemed to be okay, but if I lost my good throwing arm I was done in the majors for sure.

The truck had come out of nowhere and I know our light was green but understanding what had happened was still kind of fuzzy. I could hear a horn blaring in the distance, I could see smoke from the front of my car, glass shattered everywhere. When I heard the scream from Bells to look out for the truck it felt like everything happened so quickly. One second, I was listening to music and bantering with Jake and the next I was peering over my shoulder at the oncoming truck, and I spun my wheel quickly to try and maintain the least amount of impact. I knew the second I made the decision to spin the wheel one way, I was sealing some sort of fate for one of my two best friends. My eyes widen and I couldn't turn around fast enough, searching her out.

"Bella!" I scream. I see her in the back seat, slumped against the door. "No, no, no." Panic is setting in as I take in the blood on her head, and her slow breathing. I swivel so quickly my head spins and I look towards my best friend, Jacob.

" Jake!" I yell but it quickly falls silent in the car. I look at Jake, tears pooling in my eyes becuase I know instantly it would be no use to yell his name. "Shit, shit, shit." Words die quickly on my lips as I take in his slumped over form, and the shock overtakes me. I can't see why or how, but I know that he's gone.

Jacob has been my best friend since before I could even talk. I don't remember a day when Jake wasn't a part of my life. He was just always there. He and I went through everything together and he was my brother. Every pain, heartache, first love and break up, getting in trouble and all the things you do as two stupid young boys. That was us. But now as I look at Jake, completely lifeless next to me. My heart breaks and I yell out as loud as I can, fists pounding into the steering wheel.

I don't know how much time after that it was until Bella woke up. I had to keep yelling at her while I fumbled for my phone and dialed in the accident. I kept her hand in mine, squeezing it and begging for her to be alright. My heart was clenching so hard, and I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that my best friend was lying next to me and he was dead. I kept thinking of Avery and how broken she would be. She was a daddy's girl through and through. But mostly I kept looking at Bella and knowing how much her world was about to turn upside down.

"I'm so sorry Bella…"

I remember looking over and seeing Bella for the first time in the cafeteria at Forks High School. We had already been in school for a little bit and sure we had heard of her, but I had yet to meet the girl who was the main topic of conversation. Here in Forks, we don't get many newcomers. Actually, I think my parents were the last ones to come along when they moved here. Mom and dad had met early in college and were inseparable after that. She was from Texas, where I seemingly picked up my southern twang, and Dad from Chicago but they both moved here when my dad got the job at the local hospital. They wanted a small-town life to raise a family in.

After they moved here, they had me and Alice a year later and our parents befriend the Black family right away. Jake and I seemed like instant buddies and you could never find one without finding the other too. Ali tagged along for a while when she was younger but as soon as she met Rosalie in Kindergarten, we finally got rid of her. Although, I won't admit to her, but I missed her tagging along for a while.

Growing up in a small town would seem miserable for some people. But for those of us who have lived here all our lives, it's all we knew and loved. Our best friends became lifelong siblings, and our home was always filled with the laughter of a bunch of rambunctious boys from school or the squeals of girls with Alice and her friends.

Once I started playing baseball as a little kid, I met Jasper Whitlock, which happened to be the cousin of Rosalie, and boy could you tell! They looked just as much like twins as Ali and I did. Jake never wanted to play sports much, he preferred reading and drawing for his craft, but he never missed one of my games. Always there cheering me on. And when he won the Art fair in 5th grade, I was there doing the same for him.

When we walked into the cafeteria Freshman year that day, I saw her first. She was beautiful and I could have spotted her out a crowd anywhere. Her long brown hair flowed in gentle curls down her back, slightly tan skin held a shiver to it, giving away that she was definitely not used to this kind of weather. And her eyes, when she looked up to quickly scan the room, they were the most beautiful brown eyes I had ever seen, but they held a lot of pain. She had caught my attention and my chest felt like it was constricting.

"Woah.." I heard Jake whistle lowly beside me. I tore my eyes off the beauty sitting alone and looked at Jake. His eyes were widened, mouth slightly agape as he looked forward. I followed his stare and it landed me right back on the brown headed girl I was already captivated by. "She's beautiful, man!" He said to me.

He was talking about my girl. Well not really my girl but I couldn't help but feel already connected to her.

Every day after that we noticed she sat alone, and Jake couldn't stop staring at her. I wouldn't admit it to him, but neither could I. She was in a few of my classes, and it was all I could do to force myself not to stare at her like some batshit crazy creeper. But my God the girl was the girl of my dreams.

"I think I'm gonna go talk to her." Jake said one day at lunch. I shook my head, sending away my thoughts and looked at him. He was staring at Bella again. I had finally learned her name and it fit her just perfectly.

"What?" I said to him, swallowing the sudden lump in my throat. "You don't know her." I said trailing off in hopes to distract him.

"I asked around a little about her. She's quiet, but people say she's really sweet and smart. And look Edward, she likes to read!" He smiled so big it almost made me join. "What other girl our age do you know that actually likes to read. We already have something in common!" He laughed, looking at me but his eyes quickly diverted back to her. The way he smiled just by looking at her I knew he was as gone as I was for her.

"Well you never know.. She may not be interested in guys right now. Or maybe she bats for the other team?" I said and he furrowed his eyebrows at me in confusion. I know I sounded weird. Normally I would be busting his balls to get him to actually talk to a girl.

"Well, I have to try." He stood up and got ready to go over there but I could see the slight shake in his hand, and the sweat on his brow. He was nervous to talk to her. He was fidgeting and almost sat back down. Jake was my best friend and if he liked a girl, no matter how big of a crush I might have had on her, well then, I would help him.

"Here." I stood up, "Let me come with you. I'll be your wing man." I chuckled and threw my arm over his shoulder before we made our way over to Bella.

Her beauty was even more outstanding when right in front of you. I was gone. Instantly gone.

I tried so fucking hard to keep Bella from looking at Jacob. When the medic arrived at my side first and after I yelled at them to take care of her first, I whispered lowly to the next one that my best friend beside me was gone and he was her husband. She couldn't for any reason see him like this. It would ruin her. She could find out at the hospital, but to actually see it for herself. No, I couldn't do that to her.

As they were lifting me from the car, I tried as hard as I could to keep my eyes on Bella. I wanted to make sure she was okay and getting the treatment she needed. I felt my entire body seize in horror when I watched her little hand clutch the tarp that was placed over Jacob before they cut her door off and I see the haunted look in her eyes when she sees him and realizes her husband was gone. My throat was chalked full of emotion as I watched her shrink back and lose the light she had in her eyes.

After that, everything was a blur. I was asked who they could call, what my name was, if I knew what had happened. I think I answered but I'm not sure. All I could think about was Bella and how I had ruined her life. I was driving the car; I had gotten us hit. Did I turn the wheel the wrong way? Was I going too fast? Could I have done anything differently?

Suddenly, I was being rushed into the hospital triage, dozens of nurses and doctors tending to me to make sure I was ok. I felt fine but was I in shock? I couldn't really think clearly or about anything at this point.

"Sir, can you hear me?" I could. But I didn't answer.

"Sir, I need you to look at me. Can you tell me your name?" Why does it matter?

"Sir?" They asked me again, a light flashing in my eyes. I looked at the nurse then, finally seeing her clearly. "There you are. Can you tell me your name?"

"Where's Bella?" I croak out. My eyes frantically start searching for her.

"Sir, your friend is in the room next to us. She's getting looked at and taken care of right now. But we have to focus on you so you can go see her, ok?" This old woman is annoyingly nice. I just want to leave and check on Bells.

"Please, I need to know she's ok. She's my best friend and I-"

"Sir, she's getting probably more care than you are right now since you yelled and scared my medics. Now, tell me your name before I write in your chart you aren't allowed to see her." She raises an eyebrow and gave me a look my mom could counter.

"Edward.. My name is Edward Cullen."

Gasps were heard from the other side of the room as more people start rushing in. They knew who I was now. Am I really that unrecognizable from the wreck? The nurse looks at me in shock.

"I'm sorry dear, I'm newer here. I didn't realize you were Dr. Cullen's son. We'll call him right away."

I knew my dad would be here in a heartbeat, he probably was already working. He would call my family and they would come rushing in. Then they would call Bella's dad and let him know. But as much as I needed my family here, there was only one person I needed them to get to the hospital right now.

"I need you to tell my dad to call someone." I lightly grabbed the nurse's arm so she could see and feel the seriousness behind my tone.

"Okay sweetheart, who?" She said kindly.

"Billy. Billy Black."

Authors Note:

Thank you so much for coming along this journey! I love writing stories about Edward and Bella!