Chapter 3
I dread the drive to school that day. I even considered faking sick and staying home. That morning all I thought that I should be afraid of was the drive on an ice-glazed road, which I was sure I was deeply inept at. I stared out at the snow covering the frozen grass, and decided it was then or never. The freezing temperatures weren't something I could avoid forever.
I'd actually come to find I didn't mind the cold as much as I originally thought. It was new, yes, but sometimes the way the freezing air filled my lungs was refreshing. Invigorating even. What was less exciting than I'd expected though, was my drive to school. Curiously I'd made it to school with barely a swerve. Was I under some weird spell that suddenly made me NOT the most clumsy person alive? Is that why Edward suddenly deemed me more worthy than the dirt under his $200 honey suede boots? Finding this extremely unlikely, I went to investigate the culprit of my luck. It was then I'd discovered what I first missed among my anxiety about the drive. The snow chains. Charlie had put snow chains on my tires at some point in the night and i'm so overcome with simultaneous affection and guilt that tears threaten to fall down my cheeks. I glance around to ensure that nobody was seeing my miniscule emotional breakdown over what should just be considered something a parent does for their child. Just when I start to think nobody had noticed, my eyes fall on Edward standing next to his siblings, his head turned my way. As soon as our eyes meet, he quickly looks at Alice with some sort of concern in his face. I let my gaze linger on his face for a moment, before looking back down at the chains in admiration. I just hear the faintest of squeals before i'm being slammed into the ground, my head bouncing off the pavement. There's a series of larger squeals and bangs, and I hear a voice groan "Oh come ON." Then it's over and i'm seeing spots and I almost can't breathe because there is something heavy lying on top of me and then i'm being helped up and the thing crushing me was Edward Cullen. Of course it's Edward. Edward?
"Are you alright?" he asks, his eyes scrutinizing my face and body. I step back, looking around and taking in the event that took place in what must've been a matter of minutes. We were between Taylor's van and my truck. The van was totaled, it was back corner of my truck was smashed into the side of it, and I was overcome with the realization that its cause was almost me. I look back at Edward, my mouth agape, his eyebrows still concerned.
"I'm f-fine." I stammered, "I'm fine." I said again, surprised at the truth.
"Are you sure? You hit your head pretty hard." he gestured towards the side of my skull that hit the ground. As he did, an aching feeling crept up my neck, reaching towards a stinging feeling on my scalp. I pressed a gentle palm to the area and grimaced. "That's what I thought." Edward said, and it almost sounded like he was chuckling. Confused, I looked again at the impression in the van, and noticed the shape of the deeper impressions in the center.
Hands.
I blinked and looked back towards Edward, remembering the last moment i'd seen him before now. "How did you get over here so fast?" I asked him. His face fell noticeably, his eyes turning cold.
"What do you mean Bella? I was right next to you." he spoke in a hushed tone, moving closer to me as if it was a secret. Screams and shouts are filling the air now as the onlookers to the accident get closer. I shake my head, trying to clear it.
"I saw you." I try to shout, but there are people surrounding me now. "You weren't-" but it's useless, i've lost sight of him as my vision is bombarded with concerned faces, their voices all mixing together into incomprehensible panic. I'm being pulled on, away from between the vehicles. I hear sirens and i'm practically dragged towards the source of them. I look around for Edward and can't find any of them. The Cullens aren't there, from what I'm able to see.
I'm rushed to the hospital, although they gratefully let me sit in the front seat when I insisted I was alright. A police car is following us to the hospital and i'm certain it's Charlie. Arriving, there's a short moment of urgency before i'm let out of the ambulance and into the ER. There's shouting and my suspicions are confirmed as Charlie is pulling me into a hug, panicked, questions of concern pouring out of his mouth. There's a nurse tending to my head as he's looking over my face for any signs of pain. Suddenly, his face twists in an effort not to cry.
"I thought it was you," he sobs, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes. "When they said-..and your name.." He blinks back tears, "I was so scared it was you."
I reach out and squeeze his arm, giving him a reassuring smile. "I'm fine dad." He nods a few times and lets out a heavy sigh. As the panic left his face his, it also left the words and the meaning of them began to come together. "What did you think was me, Dad?" I prodded, and Charlie's eyebrow's knit together, I could see the wheels turning in his head as he contemplated telling me what I didn't know.
"Bells," he said, and let out another deep breath. "The boy who was driving the van-"
"Taylor?" I asked, suddenly very alert. I'd failed to wonder about the other person involved in my near death accident. "Is he okay?" Guilt took root in the pit of my stomach as Charlie looked down at the floor in response. The tears that had been threatening to fall were becoming a promise. He looks back up to me and answers.
"No, no he isn't, Bella. The way it looks like the van hit your truck…...it pushed the side so far into the van." He shook his head as my hand flew to my mouth in shock. "They got here as fast as they could, I had to do 80 just to keep up behind you all. But….." Charlie runs a hand through his hair, as if he was in disbelief, "it was too late. They tried. I know they tried." He comes towards me again and wraps me in another hug, kissing the top of my head. "I'm sorry Bells. I'm so glad you're okay."
My head is spinning. I'm doing my best to keep my hands from shaking.
It was almost me.
It was almost me.
It could've been me.
Why wasn't it me?
Just as i'm thinking the last, our hug is interrupted by the doors to the ER opening and one of the most beautiful men i've ever seen glides through the front door wearing a white coat, which was my only reminder that I had not been suddenly transported to some immersive fashion show where they'd turned every rock in the northern hemisphere to find the most attractive male model they could. This had to be Dr. Carlisle Cullen. He wears a simultaneously solemn and friendly expression that I was sure only his chiseled features combined with kind golden eyes could manage.
"Chief Swan," he said, laying a light hand on my dad's back in greeting, and nodded at me, "This must be Bella. How are you feeling?" he directs the last question towards me, while taking a noticeably gentle step in my direction. I shake my head.
"I'm alright. I feel completely fine." It should've been me. Dr. Cullen nods, and removes a small flashlight from his pocket.
"May I?" he motions the flashlight towards my eyes and I nod before he shines a light in my eyes.
I was told I was fine, which I knew. I was told I was lucky to still be there, which I wasn't sure of. Was it luck? As Charlie drove me home, I thought of the hand prints I knew I saw, and the pale eerily similar siblings that'd quickly become unseen.