Sunrise, for the First Time
Disclaimer: Blah blah, I don't own stuff by Stephenie Meyer, including Twilight characters or titles or copyrights or dowries, which is remarkably unfortunate, considering making money off of wasted time would be a very lucrative profession for me.
Chapter 2: Visitor
When I awoke, I kept my eyes closed. I could tell that I was in my bed, and that sunlight was streaming through the window. So I had at least slept through the night. I felt a raw ache in my throat and realized I was thirsty. I was lying on my side, and my arm had fallen asleep under my body. But nothing could compare to the debilitating pain I felt in my heart and in my gut, which threatened to pull me in from the center so that I collapsed in on myself. If only I could just collapse into nothingness, and maybe then I wouldn't hurt anymore.
Someone sat on my bed, and cold hands pressed lightly onto my forehead. My heartbeat quickened.
"Bella," a high, clear voice that was full of sympathy spoke softly, "Bella, it's Alice. I have some water for you."
I opened my eyes and gazed at her, her slight build, her marble skin, her caring smile. I felt my eyes tear up.
"How can I possibly have any tears left?!" I croaked in frustration.
Alice chuckled politely and helped me to sit up, handing me a glass of water. "Edward gave me your message; I was already on my way here because… Well. I thought I might be able to help Charlie, but as it turns out, I can help you instead, and that's…" she sighed. "Bella, you don't have to tell me, but why on earth would you do something like that? Risk your life, after Edward's tried so hard to keep you safe?" She looked at me imploringly, and I sputtered, nearly dropping the water glass onto the bed.
She swiftly caught it and sat it on the bedside table while I continued to gape at her.
"Edward?" I said, suddenly furious, and even more furious that my poor, overwrought voice couldn't adequately express my frustration, "Edward's tried to keep me safe? Edward hasn't even been here! If I were only worried about Edward, I'd have killed myself ages ago."
Alice's eyes searched my face, taking in a view that I was sure was astoundingly pathetic: blood-shot eyes with dark circles beneath them, untamed hair, tear-stained cheeks. "Oh." She said simply, and her eyes adopted that far-away look they got when she was "seeing" something.
Then she wrinkled her nose and abruptly stood. "Your friend is here, the werewolf. I'll let him take care of you. I have to go." She started to leave, then hugged me, "But I'll be back, Bella. I've missed you." She smiled and sailed out the window before I could even respond.
Jake knocked on the door. "Bella? Are you awake?"
"Come in, Jake," I said lifelessly. He walked in, then stopped, breathing in sharply.
"Has that filthy bloodsucker been here? I can smell him! Where the hell is he? I'll kill him, I --"
"Jake, it wasn't. It was Alice, not him."
He started, then seemed to notice my bedraggled appearance. "Well," he said, changing his tone, "Time to get up. I'll head downstairs and whip us up some breakfast, or lunch, as it were --" I looked at the clock. 1:14 p.m. Figures. "So you can go ahead and get dressed. Deal?" He said, and started to leave; then, thinking better of it, he turned around and ripped the covers off my bed. He smiled ruefully and walked out the door.