Thank you for all the encouraging reviews! Here is chapter four; I'm sorry it took me longer than usual to update.
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, or any of Stephenie Meyer's characters.
I had to jog to catch up to him. He seemed to know I was there; he didn't jump when my hand caught his elbow.
"I'm surprised you don't want to stay with her," I commented. He stopped to look at me, raising his eyebrows.
"Stay with her? You mean … I … want to leave her?" His eyes widened in what looked like shock and disbelief, as if my observation had struck home in some way. What could he possibly be hiding?
"I meant you seemed reluctant to let her out of your sight. I would think you'd wait with her in the room while they gave her the transfusion." I could feel my eyes appraising him, trying to penetrate his obvious façade.
His face relaxed into an easy smile. "I don't … handle the sight of blood very well. It makes me feel faint," he added somewhat sheepishly.
"Neither do I," I said, falling into step beside him. "Neither does Bella, for that matter."
"I know." I heard a smile in his voice.
As I looked up at him, I wondered exactly how much he did know. How well they knew each other. Was this familiarity new, meaning she didn't have much time to tell me about it, or was this something she had been keeping to herself for awhile now? She didn't usually keep secrets about mysterious friendships from me. Was it even a friendship per se, or something more? As I walked beside him, I remembered the look in his eyes as he gazed at Bell. It seemed like a look of fondness, edging towards—
"Did you want to talk to me about something?" His voice interrupted my quiet meditation.
"How did you and Bella meet?" I had originally formed the question as 'how well do you know my daughter,' but I felt that might have been too intense. If my speculations were correct, he probably got enough of that from Charlie. In case I might be wrong, I didn't want to embarrass the boy.
"Biology." He smirked. "We were partners in the phases of mitosis lab," he explained when he saw me raise my eyebrow. I was glad he elaborated; who knew how many connotations the word biology could have nowadays?
"You're in the same grade?" I asked.
He nodded. "Alice as well."
"I see." I paused to think his answer through. If they were in the same class, it wouldn't be that difficult to strike up a friendship. Though knowing Bella, I would imagine her shyness would get in the way. She was never much for socializing. I wonder what broke the ice for them…
"She had a little incident in the school parking lot with another student's van," he added nonchalantly. "It slid on the ice."
My eyes widened at the memory. "That's right! She was nearly hit … Were you the one who pulled her out of the way?"
"I was standing right next to her." He shrugged off the heroic act as if he saved her life everyday.
I remember how I begged her to come back home after Charlie called me. I had thought she wanted to stay because of Charlie, and the fact that she was already adjusted in her new school. Was Edward the reason why she said no? I eyed him carefully, seeing him in a new light.
"It looks like Bella really owes you for all you've done for her. The van, this," I gestured to the hospital walls around us. What exactly do you want in return?
He shrugged again. "I was happy to do it."
We reached some vending machines near the lobby, and I fumbled around in my purse for a dollar bill. As I waited for my potato chips, I asked him if he was hungry.
He shook his head.
I opened my mouth to tell him he should eat something when Carlisle came up behind us. "They're finished with the transfusion. You can go back in to see her now."
Edward and I headed back to the room in silence, the crunching of potato chips the only sound between us. Upon entering Bella's room, we assumed our positions on either side of her bed.
He took her hand again, angling his face away from the now empty IV bag.
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