Hi guys =] Another chapter here… sorry for the wait. I'm in the middle of sorting out the big revelation! =O … And it's proving a little bit of a challenge in terms of structure, so I've slowed everything down (posting chapters that is). But were growing increasingly close to discovering what the heck's going on in that head of Edwards! I hope this chapter will leave you somewhat intrigued…
Chapter 18:
It wasn't until we'd reached the vehicle that my tears subsided, and I felt as Alice abruptly rushed to my side.
"What happened!" she screeched, and from the corner of my eye I viewed her concern; her usually pink and smooth face all crumpled up like a plain piece of paper.
I went to mumble my response but Edward filled her in for me. "She fell over, she's hurt her foot. I don't think it's broken though, but it's sprained pretty badly" Edward informed our friends as he still carried me in his arms.
My lips pouted involuntarily, "You're a doctor now are you?" I muttered without having meant too. But he ignored me and went over to the truck, placing me into the passenger's seat where he sat me down.
"Oh god" I cried as my lifeless foot landed like a heavy brick on the base of the trucks surface. "What are we going to do! I can't drive now. My foot," I whined and reached down to touch my ankle, but flinched as I felt the nerve twinge.
Edward's brow puckered as he pondered our next move. And I looked up at him to where he stood beside the vehicle, from where I sat in my seat like an invalid. "Jasper, are you alright driving the Volvo?"
"Yeah, no prob's man. Piece of cake," Jasper caught the keys one-handed as Edward tossed them through the air towards him.
"Alright. You and Alice take my car, and I'll drive the truck".
I winced again as I tried to remove my sneaker. "Are you sure?" I asked frowning.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be" he answered back a little sharply, slamming the door and shutting me in. I jumped a little, startled by his dryness and looming aggression. Hard to believe that less than 10 minutes ago we'd been kissing.
Jumping into the driver's side he started up the engine. I decided to leave my foot in the sneaker. If it ever was broken, and the 'Oh so brilliant Doctor Edward Cullen's' diagnostic talents were off the ball, then removing it would surely be problematic, right? I'd sooner leave it than risk making it worse.
"Geeze, look at the gear stick on this thing" observed Edward as he whacked it into first.
"Too much for you to handle?" I went to smirk, but it came out slightly ruder than usual, due to the combination of the pain in my foot and the tainted memory of the kiss, which, was another thing all together.
"Please" he lightly scoffed, "that's not even a question. What's more to the point is, can the truck handle me?" he eyed me in a long sideways glance, and I rolled my eyes at his startling ability to switch from broody to down right cocky. It was actually incredibly annoying.
With a hand signal to Jasper, all was clear, we trundled our way towards the exit. Volvo in toe...
………………………………
I'd never been subject to such an intensely uncomfortable car trip before. Edward barely acknowledged me for the entire trip home. The throbbing in my foot failed to subside, only wearing off a little when I succeeded in keeping it still, but those moments were few and far between, due to the bumpy road and the fact that the length of time it was taking to reach Forks meant my legs and backside started to ache at the lack of movement.
And then, as if we could even handle anything else thrown our way, the trucks warning sign lit up on the dashboard, a mere hour into our drive back home.
"Oh great" scoffed Edward at the unwanted red icon which flashed at us erratically. "What the hell does that mean?"
I peered over to get a better look. "It's the gas level indicator, we've dropped below the average" I informed him before I rolled my eyes at our luck.
"Well didn't you think to put enough gas in before we even started the journey!" he snapped at me, I flinched as he directed his uncalled-for anger out on me, the invalid.
"Well yes of course I did Edward" I bit back derisively. "It's an old truck ok, it sucks up a lot of gas" I tried to argue back, but not wanting in any way to start a major brawl.
Edward on the other hand, found it difficult to maintain a calm persona. "Well that's just great Bella. You know, why couldn't you just get a normal person car like everybody else! Instead of this, hunk of metal!" he blared at me, and I found no way of answering back, I simply looked at him with hurt and astonished eyes, no way did this situation justify him yelling at me like that, before I turned away from him, focusing on the view outside my window.
I heard him exhale deeply whilst I tried to keep a hold of my emotions. Never had I seen him like this before. This was definitely a side of him I didn't like, and I wondered silently what had brought it on. One guess, the kiss probably.
"There's a service point up ahead. We'll pull in there" he thought aloud. "Phone Alice and let her know what's happening" he added mono-toned, "You can use my phone". He fumbled inside his back pocket, pulling out this thin silver item before handing it to me.
I took it without pleasantries. "How very kind of you" I muttered as I took it from his hand, searching for his contacts. 'Alice' was of course number one on the list and I promptly dialled the number.
"Hey, it's me ..." I smiled a little as concern poured out of her voice. At least one of my friends showed concern for me! "Yeah, my foot's fine … Look, we've run into gas problems, we'll have to pull in at the next service station to top up. You're free to carry on… oh ok, couldn't hold it in any longer huh?" I smirked as she informed me of her dire need for the toilet. "Alright, we'll see you in a bit then … Bye...
…She said they'll follow us there. Jaspers thirsty and Alice need's the bathroom" I told him. But all I received was a mumbled "Fine" as he responded.
Finally we pulled up onto the service stations slipway before we parked up, barely a spoon full of gas left in the vehicle as we made it. Alice and Jasper carried on around to the rest of the car park, whilst Edward filled the truck with the essential oils required in getting us home.
"Here" I handed him some cash as I wound down my window. He simply looked at it blankly before walking away though, completely ignoring my offered donation. After all, it was my gas guzzling unreliable 'hunk of metal' that had gotten us into this mess. I scoffed at his disrespectfulness for my truck; Betsy, my pride and joy. I would never want a 'normal person car', as he'd put it, Betsy and I, we'd been through a lot. I could never just give her up.
As he returned to the truck he jumped inside, handing me a bag of things he'd picked up from the gas stations convenience store.
Hand wipes (for my dirty hands), juice box, chocolate, magazine… was this supposed to be an attempt at an apology!
"What's this?" I asked dumbly. If he really did want to apologise, then he should just come right out and say it, not try to win me over with pathetic service station gifts. A verbal apology would only appease me now.
"What does it look like?" he asked, still mono-toned, wedging the key back into the engine and firing her up.
"It looks like maybe you have some explaining to do, and perhaps an apology wouldn't go amiss?" I exclaimed; stating the obvious.
He huffed as he placed his hands onto the steering wheel, staring up ahead, before he looked across at me in a long sideways glance.
Edward sighed, "I'm sorry ok? I'm sorry for yelling, I'm sorry for insulting your taste in cars, I'm sorry for…" he stopped himself. "Everything".
Everything? Including the kiss? I asked myself internally, and the knife in my gut dug that little deeper.
I shook my head miserably; "It doesn't matter", and wondered how the most perfect start to the day, in which I'd woken up to the warmth of his encircling arms, could end so badly.
"Yes it does. I was out of line. I don't even know why I …" he exhaled loudly, helplessly. And I observed from the corner of my eye as his forehead scrunched and his eyes closed shut, like he was suffering a headache or something. "I understand if you hate me now" his eyes opened. "I hate myself, if that's any consolation".
I didn't appreciate hearing that, not one bit. "I don't hate you Edward. I just …" I kept my vision on my hands.
"What?" he asked, looking me in the eye.
"Don't understand you" I told him honestly as I turned to him, and the look he flashed me was sadness followed by understanding; like he was now aware that his behaviour was becoming increasingly sporadic. I hoped he was feeling in a sharing mood. As I was very much interested in discovering the answer behind his normally-unheard-of temper.
His cell phone rang a second later, foiling any chance of him opening up to me, but Alice and Jasper waited for us on the car park, so we made our way around to meet them...
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"Is it just me, or do I sense some tension between you guys?" The ever observant Alice enquired whilst Jasper and Edward headed off to the toilets.
I awkwardly looked away from her, distracting myself by stroking my ankle. "Bella?" she pressed on. "Has something happened?"
"You mean aside from me busting my foot?" I glared at her.
"Well, yeah. You've barely looked each other in the eye since we got here. And you were both so happy this morning. What changed?"
I saw the clear concern in her face. I could never put her through half of the sadness and confusion I was currently going through, so I chose to lie; for her sake if nothing else. I didn't want to go causing a feud within our close-knit friendship group, not if I could get to the bottom of it and diffuse it on my own.
"Nothing, Alice. We're all just tired. And my foot is in agony. It's just a really bad end to a pretty great weekend. That's all."
"Ok" she nodded, but I could tell she wasn't convinced. "As long as that's all it is?"
"Yeah. Absolutely" I touched her on the arm in a hope to reassure her.
The guys returned soon after, and the journey back home commenced. A part of me had briefly wanted to swap seats with Alice, just to avoid anymore tension, but I couldn't just run away from it… how would anything get sorted if we just kept ignoring the issue?
"How's your foot doing?" Edward asked me, breaking that deafening silence.
"It hurts…" I answered after a moment. "I have this fear it's just going to drop off as soon as I take my shoe off" I joked, but with little energy.
I noticed him smile at the corner of my eye, but it wasn't that usual crooked smile I loved so much, this one was weak, like it took a lot of effort.
"God I hope not. That'll mean I'll have to keep carrying you around everywhere" he managed to smirk back.
"Are you saying I'm heavy?" I moaned, offended, but knowing he was only teasing me.
"Of course not. You're as light as a feather" he spoke sincerely, and looked across at me with soft eyes, offering me a small smile, and I found my lips curling up, ever so slightly.
Our banter dropped off after awhile, and by the time we'd reached home, I was almost ready to fall asleep.
My eyes opened wide as the engine cut off though, and for a moment I was in a daze. Perhaps I had fallen asleep? Taking in my surroundings I realised we were home and I had to admit, I was rather relieved at that.
Opening my car door I tried to move, briefly forgetting all about my bust foot, until the pain registered, and I froze on the spot as a sharp stab jabbed my foot.
Edward was suddenly at my door then, assisting as best as he could. "Try not to put weight on it" he told me carefully, as he placed an arm around my back, and I grasped his other one to hop onto the driveway. As we moved together, our faces were brought so close we could almost kiss, and my breath caught in my throat, my saliva glands starting to seep as I analyzed those soft pink lips of his.
He turned away though, and I noticed that twitch of his brow had returned. I chose to ignore it, focusing on my balance, and managing to remain standing on my one foot as he shut the door behind me. He handed me the truck's keys, of which I stuffed in my pocket, before he scooped me up, carrying me towards the house.
I was getting rather comfortable here in his arms, having experienced the pleasure several times this past week; he always seemed to lift me up so effortlessly, strong but with such grace, like he was made to carry me over the threshold.
My heart still fluttered at that happy thought, even if I was still mad at him.
We made it to the door without any further accidental crisis's coming our way, with Edward a lot more spatially aware than I am. But the door swung open before we even had the chance to knock it.
"What the hell, Bella!" Emmett did not look pleased. "What happened!" his eyes flipped erratically from me to Edward. They distinctly narrowed as they focused on Edward though.
"It's fine" I tried to calm my over protective big brother, as he threatened to transform into the Hulk's stunt double or identical twin. "It was my fault, I wasn't looking; I tripped on a root. I've just sprained my ankle... I hope" I added with dread, as Edward passed me over to Emmett's awaiting arms.
"Thanks" Emmett's gratitude could barely show from the sound of his grunt and the annoyed look that spread across his face, but it thankfully wore off as the seconds went by.
"It's, no problem. I'll just get her bags" a slightly timid Edward replied, as my big brother towered over him with me in his arms.
"Got them!" Alice's high pitched voice appeared behind him, as she held onto my things.
"Cheers Ali". And as predicted, Emmett's face no longer strained, it smoothed out into a smile at just the sight of her, (their affect on each other never failed to creep me out) whilst he grasped the bags with his free hand, juggling everything, including me, all at once.
"Did you guys at least have a good time?" he questioned us all with uncertainty. And my eyes couldn't help but glance at Edward, who in turn looked back at me. My heart sunk though as he purposely turned away, avoidably shifting his gaze elsewhere.
"Yeah … it was great" I sighed miserably; snuggling further into my brothers comforting arms. Well, if 'great' meant a total disaster…
Preview – The state of Bella's foot is revealed. Sprain or Brake? =S
And Bella confronts a shame-faced Edward. But unfortunately with news he doesn't appreciate. Has he pushed her away forever? And will Rosalie be the one to save the day? Stay tuned to find out ;)