(12) Secret

I went over the choices in my mind could I pull through this? Was I strong enough? The only decision was I had to be. I mustered all my strength and held on. I felt Edward pushing on my chest and it was concave, it hurt badly. One thing they don't tell you about CPR is that it's painful, the bruises alone would be ugly. I struggled to yell, STOP, but my mouth had dirt or sand in it maybe both.

I even tried to pick up my hand to use the universal gesture of backing off. But my hands didn't want to cooperate. I tried to kick my feet up or simply move my head but it felt like I had a weight on my body. Edward leaned down and blew air in my mouth. I tried to move my lips to kiss him but they were frozen.

I pushed inward and felt the iron grip release from my body freeing me. I immediately leaned forward and threw up the salty water. It burned coming up my throat and through my nose. I gasped and coughed feeling my chest heave in and out.

Edward had his hands holding my back supporting me. Alice knelt beside me and moved my hair away from my face. Edward picked me up and cradled me. I was peaceful and alive. Then I started shaking. I felt my body trembling with shivers. My clothes were soaked and no heat was available. Edward was stone cold next to me.

I whispered hoarsely, "I'm cooollllddd." I tried to talk louder than I did but Edward could hear me regardless.

"Oh, I'm sorry Bella." He gently laid me on the sand and took off his jacket. Jasper took off his jacket too and he draped both of them over me. I instantly smelled Edward's scent filling my eager lungs. Then a different smell mixed in with the aroma. The new smell was woodsy and very piney. It was as if I walked through a forest and got tree sap on my skin and the smell lingered. It was a good smell but I wish Edward's fragrance wasn't tainted.

Although I was grateful for the extra jacket because I started warming up. Edward scooped me off the ground and walked effortlessly across the uneven sand. We went to the parking lot now empty except for a few vans with teenagers and hippies lingering. I saw Alice's Porsche highlighted by the overhead lamp.

Alice opened the passenger door and Edward slid me in the seat. I gripped his collar tightly. "What are you doing?"

"Bella, Alice is going to drive you the hotel so you can rest. Jasper and I will follow." He bent to kiss my forehead and brush my cheekbone with his hand.

"How will you follow?" I asked skeptically because there was definitely more traffic in LA then Forks.

"Don't worry about that. I will be near trust me." He implored and knelt beside me. He smiled and made sure the jackets were snuggled around me.

"What happened to me how long was I out?" I asked even though I knew or had a feeling about what happened to them.

"There will be time to catch up with everything including why you were dancing on a bar." He winked his eyes and kissed my fingers.

"Maybe we should just forget about it." I said quickly and hoped my expression didn't betray me.

"Alice take her to the Ritz Carlton it's on Sunset Blvd." Edward said to his sister as she slid in the driver's seat. Alice nodded and turned on the car. Edward gently shut the door and I rolled down the window. He leaned a little closer to me with his face full of worry.

"I thought we were going back to Forks." I said and weakly put my hand out the window to hold his hands. He saw me try to put my hand and leaned closer to grip my hands. He rubbed them furiously and it felt so good.

"Yes we are. I have to change our flights to a later time. I want you to rest." He said gently and continued to rub my hands. He started rubbing my forearms and I was beginning to get really warm but not from the friction.

"What about Charlie? He's going to be worried." I said and knew that Charlie would not approve of me spending the night with Edward in a really expensive hotel. I was almost giddy with excitement at being alone with him in the hotel room.

"Alice will take care of it. Now please let Alice take you so we can get you out of those wet clothes." He insisted and Alice nodded her agreement. I sighed and shook my head yes. He leaned into the car again and kissed my lips so gently like a feather brushing the skin. His mouth was firm and intoxicating to feel raising a multi-hue of emotions I missed when he kissed me that way.

He kissed me one last time lingering then pulled away. Alice waved him off and Jasper stood beside Edward. I looked at Edward as we backed out of the parking space. I missed him already so much it hurt. I definitely had issues with being separated from Edward maybe Alice was right we needed to practice distance. Nah, I knew he would be in my life forever.

"Are you okay, Bella?" Alice asked and looked at me. She was tuning the radio to find a decent station on the California radio frequency. She settled on an easy listening song and put it on in the background. I leaned my head back and breathed evenly.

"Yeah, just a little frozen. Some girls night, huh? It didn't exactly go as planned. I mean some of the things that happened were downright bizarre. I cannot believe I danced on the bar. Not in a million years could I picture myself doing that." I sighed and closed my eyes the music was making me sleepy.

"You were exceptionally great tonight. I mean it Bella. I am proud of you. The carefully planned Bella was nonexistent tonight. I liked that you let go. You were amazing. I was so scared when you fell off the pier." She said then abruptly stopped. She closed her mouth and suddenly began concentrating on her driving which wouldn't appear out of the ordinary except she didn't need to look quite that hard at the road.

I looked at Alice but she refused to make eye contact with me. I kept looking and saw her glance at me sideways.

"Alice what are you not telling me?" I demanded and looked at her. I saw her shift her eyes and drive to the red light.

"I can't tell you just leave it at that." She turned on the blinker and waited for the light to change. I stared out the window considering how to play this game. I could plead with her but I didn't think that was going to work. Guilt was always a fun motivator but I didn't think she would fall for it. I could try to trick it out of her but she was way to smart for that. I was using my brain so hard that I thought it might fall out. What could I say? Could she even be reasoned with? I think I could get her with an exchange of information. Something so good that she would have a hard time passing up.

"Edward told you not to tell me." I guessed and sat in the seat patiently waiting for her to reply.

"Yes." That's all she said. She's good.

"Why is that?" I asked and folded my hands in the jackets. They felt so good that I almost hated getting rid of them.

"He didn't think you needed to know." She admitted then stopped she probably thought she said too much.

Crap. I wanted to know what happened on that pier. I wanted to know really badly. The need was dire so strong that it was painful to sit in the car with Alice there telling me nothing.

"Alice," here it goes "did you ever find out who told Rosalie about her G phone you broke that she found on the floor in the living room." I let the words sit in the car. I remember that day specifically because Edward said Rosalie went on a rampage. She was hollering at everyone trying to figure out who broke her phone. I didn't understand why she got so mad she could simply buy a new one. I guess reprogramming applications was a pain in the butt.

"Nooo." She muttered and narrowed her eyes at me. "I couldn't get a proper reading when I was trying to find out who was the rat. The stories kept changing it was extremely frustrating."

Hah, I knew it was frustrating because she was use to knowing everything and she couldn't figure out who told on her. I kept my smug smile on my face.

"Would you like to know? Edward told me." I said and looked at her. She let a huge sigh and looked extremely conflicted.

"Yes or no, Alice? Were almost at the hotel. You know what I want." I said and gave her a little smile.