Chapter 4

BPOV

I had completely forgotten the other thing I wanted to ask James. I found him at school to ask him, but every time I got around to it, he automatically switched the subject, like he knew what my question was. I needed to ask him, but I just couldn't. He would always ignore me.

Someone walked up to me and tapped my shoulder. I turned, and I was confused. What could one of James' friends want to talk to me about? "Um, hello." I said, and I could hear the meticulousness in my voice.

"Um, hi." He said, his voice wavering slightly. "I'm Mike, one of James' friends." Like I already didn't know that. "He wanted me to give this to you." Mike – I think that was his name – shoved a note into my hand and all but ran away. I tried hard not to laugh at his misgivings and instead opened the note. "Bella:" it said.

I am really sorry about this, but I am leaving. I have to. I think I will be back soon, but I can't be sure. I will try and explain everything when I return. Until then, your friend,

James

His handwriting was beautiful, yet his message was spontaneous and uncalled-for. How could he just abscond and pretend that none of us – his friends and I – even mattered at all. I needed answers, and if he wouldn't give them to me, I had only one other option; I needed to get into the hospital.

***

I knew it was a dim-witted, brainless, unintelligent, unwise, foolish, silly, and a million other things, but it would have to work. I stood at the back of my car and tried to convince myself to walk out into the parking lot.

Suddenly, a massive van was coming towards me, and the parking lot was utter chaos. I screamed as loud as possible, but no one heard me. No one saw me. At the last second, I jumped into the bed of my truck. The van crashed into the side of the truck and then spun, hitting the back as well. I was thrown around and I hit my head on the extra tires and tools I stored there.

The van kept spinning, kept hitting my truck. I was bruised and battered but, on the bright side, I would reach my goal and get some answers. I braced myself as the van hit the truck one last time and came to a screeching halt.

I wasn't terribly hurt, but the shock of the incident made me shake and my world went black as someone yelled, "Call 911!"

__________________________________________________________________________

I woke up in the hospital, happy that I had reached my goal, but cringing because of my terrible headache. Charlie was there, and, surprisingly, so was James. Ugh. It was a repeat of my first time here. Once again, Dr. Cullen was there showing other doctors x-rays of my head, but Edward was nowhere in sight.

"Hey, Bella." Charlie said. He smiled and turned to Dr. Cullen, leaving James to talk to me.

"You can never manage to stay out of trouble, can you?" He asked. I laughed, and then remembered why I had wanted to end up in the hospital. I hadn't planned for James to be there and Edward not to, but I guess this would work just as well.

"I have a question," I started. James' smile turned into a frown. I ignored it and continued. "About what happened in the cafeteria the other day? The worker fell, and you and Edward were suddenly there helping him. How? How could you possibly have been so far away and then the first ones there?" I was talking fast, I could hear the nervousness in my voice, and so I shut up, waiting for a response. He stood there, an odd look on his face. It seemed like he was conflicting with himself. Finally, he smiled, as if coming to a conclusion.

"Bella," he said, "You really need some rest. You hurt your head pretty hard and you are sort of babbling." He smiled, and I wondered if he just randomly thought of that excuse. He smiled wider, thinking he had tricked me.

"I saw you." I said assuredly. "You and Edward were nowhere near the dude, and before he fell half an inch, you were there helping him up!" I said, nearly yelling, and willing to o so if it was necessary. The door opened, and in walked the person I wanted to see only if James wouldn't give me any answers.

"What's going on?" Edward asked coolly. James gave him an odd look, and Edward turned in mid-step and dashed out of the room. Great. He knew what was going on. But how? James turned back to me, a cheesy smile spread across his face in a struggling attempt to fool me again. It SO was not working!

"Well, bye!" he said, and dashed out just as fast as Edward had. I was utterly alone, hadn't gained any answers, and thought of millions of more questions. I was pathetic, and I knew it. My plan had failed, yet another one was taking shape in my head. I knew being smart would pay off sometime!!!!