When I wake up in the morning I notice that I can't hear the familiar sound of rain. I look out of the window and see a blanket of snow. Snow day! Snow fight! I smile at the thought of how excited Mike must be right now. I finish breakfast and step out the door, take my first bold step – and slip and land on my butt. Of course. I forgot the frozen rain would turn our driveway into a skating rink of sorts.

I slip and stumble till I reach my truck and haul myself in. On the way to school I think of the day ahead, of Mike and Jessica and all my other friends, and on a sourer note, of Edward Cullen who's a contact-wearing-liar and unchangeable-biology-lab-partner.

I get out of the truck and notice that my tyres have chains around them to prevent skidding in the snow. Another sign of dad's affection. A sad piano composition plays in my head as I stare at these silver chains that are a symbol of love. My sentimental moment is interrupted by someone whose jeep is skidding loudly on the ice. Obviously he doesn't have the type of dad who gets up extra early to put chains on his tyres.

But before I can appreciate my dad some more I notice that the jeep is skidding in my direction, heading straight for me. I can't move and I can't think. All I can do is let out a strangled scream. Suddenly something knocks me to the ground and my head is immersed in pain. The van is inches away from me now, and Edward Cullen is suddenly crouching over me. I'm too busy worrying about my impending death to worry about him, though.

In a sudden movement he manages to pull my body away from the path of the van, seconds before it crashes into the side of my truck. I'm too overwhelmed to think. My brain has never had to cope with a near-death experience before.

Everyone around us is yelling but their voices seem as if they're coming from far away. Edward says something but I don't hear it. I'm still too shocked. "Wha-?"

"I said, are you alright?" he asks.

I nod dumbly. The pain in my head is worsening. "Ow," I mumble.

"That's what I thought," he says in an amused voice.

I'm instantly offended. I almost died and this arrogant guy feels self-satisfied because he managed to guess that I would be in pain after. Good job, buddy. I want to tell him this but he's busy calling for help. I notice that his family is looking at us with disgust and anger. What's wrong with them? Are they seriously openly expressing anger that I didn't die? I've never even seen these people before I came here; they have no right to hate me so much. I want to give Edward a message to pass on for them too but he's disappeared.

How did he get over here so fast? I wonder. Everyone else had been rooted to their spots. I decide to stop wondering. Arrogant or not, Edward Cullen just saved my life and I'm not going to sound ungrateful by questioning it. However he did it, I owe him a big one.

The person in the van turns out to be a guy called Tyler. The ambulance is on its way to get both of us. My dad arrives on the scene, worry lining his face. He makes a few calls and then holds my hand as we wait. Silence has descended over the parking lot, broken only by the sound of a few people softy crying.

The stares are a bit awkward when I get onto the stretcher but hey, the hospital staff is just doing their job. I can hardly yell at them for giving me proper medical care after a near-fatal accident just because I don't want my high school peers to see me on a stretcher. I smile at the nurse helping me up and then try to smile at the faces I see around me. I hope they see it at as a reassurance that I'm fine and not as a sign of oncoming dementia.

Edward comes along too, sitting in the front of the ambulance, and I think this is odd till I remember his dad's an important doctor at the hospital. Also, he saved my life and I guess he wants to come along to ensure the hospital takes proper care of me and doesn't let his effort go to waste.

Tyler and I are rushed to the emergency room as soon as we get there. We get treated for our wounds and Tyler uses the time to apologise profusely. "I thought I was going to kill you! I was going too fast, and I hit the ice wrong…" he says despairingly. I assure him that aside from a few scratches and a headache I'm completely fine, but it wouldn't hurt to put tyres on your wheels next time, would it? "Yeah of course, of course," he says, embarrassed. I don't mean to shame the poor guy; he probably feels terrible already but I have to mention it, just to make sure this never happens again.

"I'm just glad you escaped before it hit you," he says.

"Edward Cullen saved me, actually. I would've been hit if it wasn't for him," I tell him. I give credit where it's due.

"Wow, is he okay?" Tyler asks.

"Yeah, I think so. I mean, he must be if they didn't bring him in with us."

I'm wheeled in for an X-Ray. No concussion, the doctors tell us, and dad and I both sigh in relief.

Back in the emergency room I wait for a doctor to come see me. Edward comes in and Tyler apologises to him. "No blood, no foul," Edward says magnanimously. There actually is blood on me and Tyler but I decide not to point that out.

"So, what's the verdict?" Edward asks me.

"No concussion, thankfully. I need to talk to a doctor and then I can go home," I say. I notice that Edward didn't bother to ask Tyler what his verdict is, so I go ahead and ask him. Tyler says he might need stitches on some of the cuts. Damn, I'm really lucky to have such few injuries.

Just then the doctor walks in. Edward and he exchange a glance, a look which can only pass between people who know each other well. So this is Edward's father, then. He asks me how I'm feeling and I tell him I feel quite alright. When Dr. Cullen touches my head I notice that his fingers are cool. Probably the result of being in an over-air conditioned environment all day. Doesn't the head doctor at least get to call the shots on air conditioning temperature at this hospital?

After giving me a few more instructions Dr. Cullen finally says that I'm free to go. I wave goodbye and wish good luck to Tyler, who's still waiting. I stop to talk to Edward before I enter the waiting room. "I haven't properly thanked you yet," I begin. "Thank you so much. You saved my life. 'Thank you' barely covers it, but it's all I have."

He smiles at me. "You're welcome, Bella. It was nothing."

"Oh it was hardly nothing! You reacted so fast-"

"Presence of mind and fast reflexes is all it was, seriously," he says, his voice quieter now.

I decide to drop it and go back to being grateful.

As soon as we step into the waiting room we're engulfed by loud voices. It startles me at first; the last time I heard so many voices at once a large van was seconds from crushing me. It takes a few moments to realise that these voices are happy, not scared.

I'm surprised, touched and a bit flattered to see how many people waited for me. I take my time to individually thank everyone and tell them what the doctor said. They sat in this dreary waiting room for an hour for me, this is the least I can do. All my friends get hugs, extra-long ones for Mike and Jessica.

I call mom as soon as I get home. I don't want her to worry any longer. She's pretty frantic, like any mom would be after learning that their child nearly died. I try to calm her down by pointing out that I didn't die, so it's all good for now. We exchange at least thirty I-love-yous before I put the phone down.

I actually tell my dad that I love him, too, before bed. I could've easily died today; I wouldn't want it to be without my dad knowing that I love him. He gets a little teary eyed when he says it back and he tucks me into bed like he would've when I was a child if mom hadn't taken me away.

As I lie there, trying to fall asleep I replay the surreal events of the day in my head. I'm lucky Edward was around to save me. I'm suddenly very grateful to be alive and tucked into my warm bed.