Chapter 9
I felt so pathetic, having Edward carry me to his house.
He brought me to Esme, and once he left, she lifted my dress so she could take a look at it on the couch. When she pulled back the dress, I almost passed out. A huge, and I mean huge, bruise covered my entire hip.
"How did this happen?" Esme asked in motherly shock and concern.
"I… I just tried to hip-check Edward. As a joke. I mean… I didn't…"
Emse's smile reassured me that she wasn't mad. "But how could just that cause this kind of bruise?" I didn't know why, but something about Esme's tone told me that she somehow knew, that she understood and that this made sense. But I was clueless as ever. How could just hip-checking Edward give me that bad of a bruise?
"I have no idea."
"Well one thing is for sure… you aren't trick-or-treating tonight. I'm not so sure about letting you go to Twilight, either."
"No, I want to go," I begged.
"Bella, can you even stand up?" she asked. I looked away. "I'm sorry, honey." Esme brushed my hair back. "It's not fair to Edward," I said softly, "because he won't go without me."
"That's Edward's choice," Emse told me. "I have a feeling that Edward would enjoy a quiet night with you more than one at a loud club."
"But Rose and Alice and Emmett and Jasper…"
"I'm sure Edward told them already."
I sighed. "Just my luck, I guess."
"Why don't you go upstairs with Edward?" Emse suggested. "I'm sure you two can find something to do."
I nodded. "I might need some help, though."
Emse smiled. "Edward!" she called.
Edward was down the stairs faster than I've ever seen him. "Bella, I'm so sorry!"
"Edward," Even just his name made me smile, "it isn't your fault." It looked like he had been crying, but his eyes were still matte, there were no tear paths.
Edward shook his head. He scooped me up again, being careful not to touch my injured hip. Wordlessly, he carried me upstairs and into his bedroom. I couldn't help but let my mind wonder to places it shouldn't be. Edward placed me gently on his perfectly made bed, and turned on some music. It was a CD I didn't recognize.
"Bella," he leaned down next to me, "are you in pain?"
"No Edward. I'm fine. It's not your fault… I was just being stupid."
Edward bit his lip so hard that I swore he must have drawn blood. "No. It's my fault."
"How is it your fault?"
"Have you ever noticed that I never bruise?" Edward sounded almost angry. He utied his cape and let it fall to the floor. "How I've never been cut? How I've never broken a bone?"
"I never really paid attention."
"Have you paid attention to the fact I'm always over 50 degrees below normal human temperature?" Edward shattered his stereo to the floor. I winced. "I'm a vampire, Bella. I'm a monster."