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Chapter 16
Monday morning, I woke up with a feeling of dread. I was not looking forward to having to make my way around Forks High School on crutches. I was already a show for everyone one to watch. Between being the new kid, fat and now crippled, well, there was no way I was going to stay under the radar. And then to top it off, I would be showing up to school with Emmett Cullen, a man that half the female population of Forks would give their left breast to talk. I had no clue how the hell I had gotten myself into this mess.
And honestly it was a mess. I was a mess, if I was being honest. I had no clue how to process the events of the previous afternoon. What did Jared mean when he said he had to keep me safe? What did he mean when he said he would explain everything to me?
And what about Emmett? He said he couldn't hurt me. What did that mean? What did any of it mean?
"Bells, are you awake?" Dad asked as he knocked on my bedroom door.
"No, I'm not," I answered as he opened the door to see me fully dressed.
"Sarcastic ass," he mumbled, shaking as he picked up my backpack for me. He helped me down the stairs, where he already had breakfast waiting for us.
"Thanks Dad," I said, already tired from the trip down the stairs.
"No problem, kid," he replied. "I need to figure out a way to make that easier for you."
"I could carry her," a voice said from the back door, startling us both.
"Jake, what the hell are you doing here so early and why did you just show up at my back door like some creepy stalker?" I demanded, wiping up the water I had spilled.
"I came to see if you needed help," he answered, grabbing a plate and filling it.
"And to eat my food," Dad added, taking a drink of his coffee.
"Exactly," Jake grinned.
"You're not carrying me up and down the stairs every day for the next 6 weeks. That's not a thing I'm going to let happen. I don't want to hurt you," I said, taking a bite of my banana.
"Hurt me? Bells, how the hell would you hurt me?" he asked around his bite of toast.
I looked at him, raising an eyebrow as I did so. "Does being a giant wolf boy affect your vision?"
"Yes, it enhances it. Makes me able to see things more clearly. I can hear things more clearly too," Jacob answered.
"Oh good. So, you can see that this flubber would most definitely cause you some issues carrying my up and down the stairs for 6 weeks.," I said.
"Bells, I know that Jared told you that you weight next to nothing to us. It's like picking up a single piece of wood," Jake assured me.
"I don't know how much I believe that" I mumbled, putting my banana down, my appetite leaving.
"Bells, finish your banana so you can take your meds," Charlie demanded, looking at me over his paper. There are whole newspapers online, but leave it to my father to still use an old school newspaper.
Sighing, I picked back up my food and took a small bite.
"Bells, I can prove it to you right now if you would like me to," Jacob offered, getting up and walking towards me.
"Don't you dare, Jacob Black!" I yelled, grabbing one of my crutches to use as a weapon if need be. I wasn't in the mood to play sack of potatoes with my best friend.
Jake laughed and sat back down, stealing the bacon off my plate. "And Jared could never lie to you."
"What do you mean Jared could never lie to me?" I demanded; eyebrow raised.
Jacob stopped chewing and put the stolen piece of pork back on my plate. "Oh, look at the time," he said, looking at a non-existing watch on his wrist. "Thanks for breakfast, Charlie. Have a good day at school Bells! Bye!" And ran out the back door loudly.
"Jacob Black, I know you can still hear me! You will answer that question!" I yelled after him. I looked over at my father, who was taking our plates to the sink. "Dad, do you know what Jake was talking about?"
Charlie sighed and came back to the table, taking his seat again. "Bells, I have an idea, but I don't know exactly how to explain it to you. If I did, I would because you have every right to know what's going on. But if I tried to explain it, I think it would confuse you more."
"I guess I get it. It's just frustrating because I feel like everyone knows this big thing and it's about me. I feel like I have the right to know, you know what I mean?" I sighed.
"I do. And I think that Jared would have told you yesterday, but Sam told him to leave and then you were exhausted. I think he wanted to make sure that you were well rested and in a better place before having this conversation with you, Bells," Charlie explained.
Just as I was about to respond, there was a knock at the door.
"Come on in Emmett," dad called at the front door.
Emmett walked into our kitchen a moment later, a giant grin on his handsome face. He was one of the most attractive people I'd ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on.
"Good morning, Bella. Chief Swan," he greeted us.
"Morning Emmett," dad said, shaking the vampires hand.
"Good morning," I replied, blushing at the way he grinned at me.
"Are you ready to tackle Forks High School?" he asked, laughing.
"Don't you know it. I can't wait to be stared at all day long," I sighed, standing up and grabbing my crutches. "Dad, where's my backpack?"
"Right here Bells," Charlie answered, handing it to me. I struggled to get it over my shoulders before a strong pair of hands made fast work of straightening the straps.
"There you go Bella," Emmett smiled, causing me to blush again. Stupid attractive vampires.
"Bells, if you have too much pain today, do not hesitate to go to the nurse and I'll come get you. Don't be a stubborn asshole and hurt yourself more, do you hear me?" my father demanded, causing me to smile. Moving to Forks, even with all the crazy supernatural shit, had been a very smart idea.
"I will, Dad. I promise."
"You'll be an asshole, or you'll go to the nurse if the pain gets too bad," he wondered, causing Emmett to laugh loudly.
"Jeez, thanks for the vote of confidence," I replied, offended. "I, Bella Swan, promise that if the pain gets too bad, I will make my way to the nurse and let her know that I need to call my daddy and go home," I vowed sarcastically, right hand in the air.
"That's all I wanted," Charlie smirked, coming over and giving me a short hug. "Do you need help getting her out to your car, Emmett."
"No, Chief, I think I've got it," the handsome vampire replied, guiding me towards the front door.
Charlie followed behind us as I hobbled down the front stairs, Emmett's hand on the small of my back the whole time in case I started to fall over. Which, let's face it, was a very high probability. I had no faith in myself and my ability to walk anywhere on those damn crutches.
"Have a good day, Bells," Charlie called as Emmett shut the door to his Jeep after he lifted me in.
I waved at him through the window and looked down at the contraption that was supposed to strap me in. How the hell am I supposed to hook this shit up, I wondered. What's wrong with a plain old seat belt?
"Here, let me help," Emmett offered from the driver's seat. He made fast work, fastening me all up.
"Thank you," I muttered, suddenly very aware that I was alone with one of the most handsome creatures I had ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on. And his hands had just been inches from areas of my body that one, was floppy and fat, and two, no one had ever even attempted to get close to. How the hell did I get myself into this situation, I thought, blushing once again.
"A penny for your thoughts, madam," Emmett said after he pulled out of our driveway.
"These thoughts are worth way more than a penny," I muttered.
Emmett looked over at me and raised his eyebrows, a slow grin spreading over his face. "Oh really? Please, Ms. Swan, share with the class," he insisted, wiggling his eyebrows at me.
"Stupid supernatural hearing," I muttered, once again doing a wonderful impression of a tomato with hair. "I hate that you can hear me when I whisper or muttered something. It seems unfair."
"How is that unfair?" he wondered.
"Well, I can't hear any of you when you are having your private conversations and I know for a fact that you all sit over there have super-secret spy conversations while it looks like your just sitting there in complete silence," I started.
"Super-secret spy conversations?" Emmett laughed loudly, his laugh vibrating the Jeep.
"Yes. I meant what I said," I replied, folding my arms over my chest.
"I'm sure you did. What do you think we talk about in out 'Super-secret spy conversations'?" he asked, using air quotes.
"Well obviously you are discussing the genius that is Forks High School and how every single one of the young minds that are currently here will shape the world into a better place," I deadpanned, causing Emmett to cackle.
"Shit, we've been caught!" He exclaimed, grinning. "You've infiltrated the agency. You're compromised now, Ms. Swan."
"What does that mean?" I asked, laughing.
"It means that you're one of us now and you must join the Super-secret spy conversations," he answered as we pulled into the parking lot.
"And if I don't join the conversation? What are you going to do about it?" I challenged, raising an eyebrow at the vampire that was too sexy for his own good.
Emmett grinned as he put the Jeep in park and took off his harness. He leaned over the gear shift, putting one hand on my thigh. With his other hand he gentle moved the stray hair behind my ear, his thumb gently caressing my neck. I was in complete sensory overload, and I had no clue if I'd ever be able to breathe again.
"I can think of many, many ways to get you to join the conversation. Or we can have a conversation of our own," he suggested, his thumb tracing circles behind my ear. His face was close to mine and if I leaned up just right, I would have my first kiss right there in the middle of the Forks High School Parking lot. And I honestly gave zero shits in that moment if everyone in the whole town saw.
"Emmett, Bella! I'm so glad you made it safely!" a voice suddenly said from behind Emmett, breaking the trance I had been in. I had been so close to just grabbing this man and kissing him soundly.
Emmett placed his forehead to mine and took a deep breath. "Yes Alice, we made it safely."
"Bella, we haven't officially met yet, but I'm Alice Cullen and I just know we are going to be the best of friends," the smallest vampire exclaimed, grinning widely up at me.
"Um, hi," I replied, blushing, completely overwhelmed.
"Do you need help getting down from there," Alice asked, coming around to my side of the Jeep.
"Oh, I think I can try myself. I wouldn't want to hurt you," I said, reaching for the crutches that were right behind me.
"Hurt me? Oh Bella, you couldn't never hurt me," the little pixie assured me, grinning.
"If I fell on you, I most certainly could," I muttered as I moved my body around where my legs dangled from the vehicle.
Emmett was at my side in an instant, gentle pulling me out of the Jeep and setting me on the ground. "You cannot hurt us Bella."
"Because you're, you know?" I asked, starting towards the building.
"That's one of the reasons," he admitted, his hand at the small of my back once again.
"What's the other reason?" I wondered.
Emmett moved and stood in front of me, stopping me from walking towards the building.
"Because you, Bella Swan, are one of the most caring humans I have ever had the pleasure to meet. You have one of the kindest hearts I've ever came across. You are one of the least judgmental people and you always are willing to listen when someone has something to say. You heard what I was, and you still decided to trust me, even though you barely know me. This, Ms. Swan, is why I know you could never hurt us."
"Well damn," I blurted out eloquently, causing Emmett to chuckle, before leading me toward the building and my first class of the day.
Hey ya'll. I hope you liked this chapter. Let me know what you think by reviewing please.
It was a whole lot of fun to write. Next chapter will be some quality wolf time, unless the bunnies have other ideas. And we all know those damn bunnies have a mind of their own. :) Happy Reading.