Disclaimers: All characters of Twilight belong Stephenie Meyer. In no way do I own them. Only the character that I invented, Adaline, belongs to me.
I apologise for the initial failed upload of chapter 3. A problem occurred during the upload. Thank you for letting me know and for the reviews.
You can visit me at ko fi under the same username. I already posted the first chapter of my story: City of the dead on ko fi. Enjoy or not. Cheers
Chapter 4
The journey home was only filled with the loud noise from the truck. As soon as I had parked in the driveway, Bella rushed out of the car. I turned off the ignition and followed her into the house. I took off my coat and deposited my bag in the living room.
"Time to see what to cook for dinner." I said to myself as I checked the fridge and the pantry.
"Pasta and steak it is."
There weren't that many options really. A shopping trip was due. I put water to boil in a big pan whilst I prepped the other ingredients. As soon as the water started boiling I put in enough pasta for three servings. Bella came down just as I had finished cooking the steak.
"Go shower Addy. Let me finish dinner."
"Okay thank you. I just put the pasta in and the steak is already done. Oh and we really have to go shopping. Both the fridge and pantry are sorely lacking."
"Okay we can go tomorrow after school."
"Be careful with the boiling water." I said as I made my way up with my bag to take a quick shower.
"I will!"
I deposited my bag at my desk and went to pick some clothes. I made my way to the bathroom and hanged up my towel and clothes.
" Thank merlin I don't wear makeup. I just have to wash my face with my cleanser. No need for makeup remover and double washing."
After I finished washing my face I jumped into the shower. Fifteen minutes later I was done and you could smell the scent of lotus flower in the bathroom.
' This shower gel smells really nice.'
I had just finished putting on my clothes when I heard a bang and a shout downstairs. I flung the door open and ran downstairs.
"Bella? What's wrong?!" I asked in a panic as I arrived.
"I wasn't careful while draining the hot water and burnt myself." She said with a grimace as she put her hand under cold water.
"Let me see!"
I gently grabbed her hand and inspected it. Fortunately it was just a small patch of skin near her thumb. It was red and a little inflamed.
"Oh god Bella I told you to be careful! Fortunately it happened when you were at the sink and it was only a small part of you hand! Can you imagine if you had spilled it while carrying it to the sink?!"
The bang was from the pot falling into the sink.
I took a small kitchen towel, wet it and wrapped her hand in it to act as a cool compress.
"Anyway, thankfully it doesn't seem too serious. Put your cloak on and your shoes. I am bringing you to the hospital just in case. Just let me grab my keys and mobile."
I ran upstairs to get my things and ran back downstairs.
"Does it hurt a lot?" I asked as I dialled dad's number.
"It doesn't hurt that much. It was just a small amount of water really."
I looked at her dubiously as dad answered.
"Adaline? Everything okay?"
"Hey dad, I am just calling to let you know that I am bringing Bella to the hospital." I said to him while pushing Bella out of the door.
"The hospital?! Why? What happened?!"
"Don't panic dad. Bella just burnt herself a little while draining hot water. It is just a small patch. I am taking her just to make sure it is nothing serious."
"You sure? I can come.."
"Yes I am sure. You don't have to dad. It's okay. Anyway dinner is only half way done and I don't know when we'll finish at the hospital. So could you grab something on your way home please." I said as I opened the door to my car. Bella's truck just won't do.
"Don't worry about dinner I'll take care of it. Keep me informed okay?"
"I will dad. See you later. Cheers."
With that done I turned on the ignition and got out of the driveway.
"Thank merlin it's not raining or else this would have been hell. You doing okay Bella?"
"Yea. Sorry about that. My clumsiness just had to rear its ugly head!"
"No sorry needed. Really, one day you will make my heart stop with all your little accidents!"
Her response was to laugh at me. "Hey I am serious! You silly goose!" I said unconvincingly as I started laughing myself.
"So until we get to the hospital, want to talk about that little episode with Edward Cullen?"
"Do I smell weird?" She blurted out suddenly.
"What?! No! At least not to me. You smell like your shampoo and shower gel. You don't have body odour if that is what you are asking. Why?...Did Edward Cullen tell you that you stink?! Does you stinking to him merits a change of class and a homicidal glare?!"
"Yea exactly! I mean when I sat next to him in Biology he kept covering his nose as if he smelled something horrible! He even kept inching away from me as the class went on! For god's sake I was even glared at! I never met the guy and never talked to him even! What is his problem?!" She ranted out.
" That was really eating at you huh?" I sent her a knowing look. "Look you were never called out for stinking or whatever. And I confirm it. You smell normal. So it must be a problem specific to Edward Cullen. Maybe he is sensitive to scents and didn't like your shampoo, who knows? That doesn't excuse his poor attitude though. Don't waste your precious time and energy on such people. Just ignore him. If it continues to be a problem, ask for a change of seats. If all else fails, I'll get involved. So don't worry about it too much."
"Thanks Addy but you don't have to get involved. I'll just ignore him as you said. If it doesn't work I'll take care of it myself." She said with a shrug.
"Okay but if you need help, you know where to find me. And we have arrived." I said I got into the hospital's parking lot. Fortunately the hospital was not that far. I parked nearest to the door so we wouldn't have to walk a lot. "Let's go."
We both got out of the car and hurried inside, with me holding the front door open for Bella. There weren't that many people around. I made Bella sit down then walked to the front desk.
"Good evening ma'am. My sister burnt herself with hot water so I would like for someone to check her please."
"Good evening dear. Is it a major burn or a minor one?"
"It's a small one but I would like to have it looked at just to verify whether it is serious or not."
"Sure just fill up these forms and I'll let the doctor know in the meantime."
"Thank you." I said to her as I took the forms and walked back to Bella.
"Got to fill in the forms." I grimaced at her.
"Sorry dominant hand out of order here." She said laughing at me. She knew I disliked filling in forms.
"Yes yes laugh it off." I rolled my eyes at her.
I filled them in quickly and went to give them back to the front desk.
"Will I be able to accompany my sister inside?" I asked the lady.
"Yes you can dear."
"Thank you."
I made my way back to Bella to wait. We didn't have to wait long. A few minutes later a clear, musical voice called out Bella's name. I had to admit that hearing that voice affected me. Voices were one of my weaknesses okay! There are voices out there that you just couldn't ignore and his was one of them. His timbre was between a bass and a baritone. It just had a subtle charming and sensual tone to it. We both got up and turned to look at the person.
'Well god was not fair when he created him.' I thought to myself. 'All of him is perfect! Isn't there some kind of law out there that says you can't have both the voice and the physique?Maybe god compensated by making him have a sucky personality?'
A quick peek at the front desk lady and the nurses peeking from behind a door quickly made me doubt that hypothesis. The doctor's reaction to all this showed me that he was used to it. 'I have to acknowledge the man's professionalism in the face of all the peeping, simpering, blushing and attempted flirting.'
Yes attempted flirting, you heard right. One nurse had gathered her courage and scuttled from behind the door to ask the doctor if he needed help, interrupting him just as he was walking toward us.
'Do you have to twirl your hair around your finger and bite your lips to ask the doctor if he needs help….?And did you really have to giggle?!' I looked at her weirdly.
I mean, I understand that he was handsome with his blond hair, with strands getting in front of his face and his beautiful honey coloured eyes with a hint of blue and his straight nose and his height….okay he was attractive overall. VERY attractive.
But that was no reason to act like all your brain cells took a vacation. The doctor calmly rejected her offer and told her that he had a patient to take care of. He bid her a 'good evening' and gracefully walked around her towards us.
'Oooh burn!' I thought. Sometimes gentle was more cruel.
' Is it my imagination or did his eyes get darker?' I noticed as he got to us. 'Yes definitely darker.'
The doctor gave a quick glance at the clipboard in his hands before looking directly at my sister.
"Good evening ladies. I am Dr Carlisle Cullen. And you must be Isabella Swan?" He asked.
"Hi. Yea it's Bella actually." My sister said awkwardly. It seemed that his handsomeness and him being a Cullen destabilised her.
"Bella." He corrected with a smile. "And you are…" He trailed his words off as he looked at me intensely.
"Good evening. I am Bella's sister, Adaline." I said with a slight smile.
He confused me by offering his hand to shake. I couldn't refuse, could I? It would be rude.
'He didn't offer Bella a handshake, why me?!'
I unconsciously braced myself for the coldness and took his hand. As soon as our hands made contact I got a full body shiver. I kid you not.
'Sweet merlin, I thought that only happened in those cheesy romances!? Okay let's do as if that never happened.'
So I quickly shook his hand and tried to let go. Yes 'tried'. The good doctor didn't let go immediately and held my hands a little more than necessary.
'He sure is stronger than he looks.'
"Delighted to make your acquaintance Miss Swan." He said then let go of my hand. I swear I saw his nostrils flare a little as he was shaking my hand.
'Please don't tell me he is going to tell me I stink or behave like his son did.'
Fortunately he didn't behave differently and just asked us to follow him. Just to be safe, I discreetly sniffed myself when he turned his back to us. Nopes, I smelled good as I had showered not too long ago and my clothes smelled like laundry detergent. Bella looked at me weirdly and I sent her a 'just don't ask' look.
He held the door open for us as he let us into the examination room.
'Chivalry is not dead. Yay.' I thought to myself.
I said a quick thank you as I passed by him. Again I swear to merlin that he sniffed me!
'I take that thought back. God is fair. He made the good doctor into a weirdo who likes sniffing people.'
He told Bella to take a seat on the examination table while I went to lean against a nearby wall.
"So, Bella, let's take a look at this burn, shall we?"
Bella presented her hand to him and he removed the towel from it. He observed the burn, asked her some questions then proceeded to treat it with some sort of salve.
"The good news is that it is nothing serious. You'll just have to put some gel on it everyday and change the bandage regularly. The bad news is that you will have some difficulty in writing."
" It's okay. I'll make do. Thanks."
I frowned at her. I'll try asking her teachers if she hand use a laptop in her classes until her injury heals. Typing should be okay.
"If I may ask, how did that happen?" Dr Cullen inquired whilst he bandaged Bella's hand.
"She was draining the water after the pasta had finished cooking when her clumsiness decided to come say hello.' I informed him.
"Ah I see." He quickly finished the bandaging before giving me a quick smile.
' Wow, Colgate could hire him to publicise their toothpaste.' I thought sarcastically. Really those were some amazing teeth.
"Well Bella, please do be careful in the future. I'll prescribe you a gel that will have to be applied regularly. And do try to keep the burnt area as dry as possible."
"Thank you Dr Cullen." Bella said as she hopped off the table.
"Yes thank you doctor." I said as I walked towards my sister.
"You are both welcome." He said to us as he removed his gloves. "I'll accompany you to the front desk."
"Uh okay." Bella said awkwardly for the both of us.
He opened the door to allow us to pass, again. He then shockingly put his hands near the small of my back to guide me for a few moments. He didn't quite touch me but I could feel his hand. And merlin he smelled good.
' But no matter how good he smells this was really strange and unnecessary.'
Bella, my traitor of a sister, glanced back at me only once before proceeding to walk faster, leaving me to walk alone with Dr Cullen.
'Why little..!' I cursed Bella in my head.
I tried walking faster but Dr Cullen still kept up with me. I really didn't want to do the dreaded small talk. And if you were as emotionally constipated as I am, you would have dreaded having to talk to a near perfect stranger too.
"So Miss Swan, how are you finding Forks?"
'The Miss Swan is going to get annoying quickly, especially since there's two of us.'
"You may just call me Adaline. And to answer your question, Forks is lovely as always." I replied with a crisped smile.
'Oh here we go. Next thing you know, he'll be asking about the weather. Has this corridor always been this long?'
"Adaline then." He said with a happy smile. "As always? Did you come here often?" He continued.
"Yes I came often to visit my father."
"If I may ask, won't you miss the warm climate of Phoenix?"
"No I actually prefer the climate here in Forks. I tended to burn in Phoenix really. I'm sure my cells are thankful for the change too." I replied as we finally reached the front desk where Bella was waiting for me. She actually smirked at me! I narrowed my eyes at her in response.
"I'm sure they are." He chuckled.
I stepped next to Bella and turned to face him saying, "Thank you again Dr Cullen. It's getting quite late so we'll be taking our leave."
"Yes thank you Dr Cullen." Bella echoed.
Front the corner of my eye, I took notice of the front desk lady who was discreetly tending her neck forward to try to eavesdrop at our conversation. Dr Cullen noticed my action and glanced at the lady too. For a brief moment, I thought I detected a hint of annoyance in his expression. But his expression changed too quickly for me to be sure of that.
"No thank you needed I assure you." He said with a slight smile. "Here is your prescription Bella. Just go to the pharmacy at the front and present it to them. Please be careful in the future. Adaline, it was a pleasure to meet you. You too Bella."
This time he shook both of our hands. Bella jumped a little because of his cold hands. As for me I had become accustomed to the difference in temperature. I still got the full body shiver at his touch though and he still held my longer than necessary. His response to my deadpan stare was a mischievous smile. He then just wished us a good evening, turned around and casually walked away.
'He is unexpectedly a little eccentric… Well, whatever.'
"Let's go get your prescription Bella." I said, matching my words with my action.
I nodded at the eavesdropping lady on the way.
"Yea." She replied as she trailed behind me.
After a quick trip to the pharmacy , we were back in the car. I put on the ignition and got out of the parking lot.
'Home, sweet home, here I come.'