Another chapter, longer this time! Hope you like it! Remember, most main events in Twilight are happening in this story(although some are changed slightly to better fit the storyline), so can you guess what happens in this chapter? I bet you'll love me for this.
Disclaimer: The only things I own are some unfinished manuscripts and my imagination. Not Twilight. Sad, isn't it?
I woke up realizing how much I detested the winter. The cold air, the snow and the ice. The snow wasn't all that bad until it melted in your socks. Then it sucked. And the ice didn't help my clumsiness. If anything good came of it, it meant I could grab onto things outside for balance without looking like an idiot.
I was walking carefully towards Edward's car, holding onto Edward's arm for dear life. He just smiled down at me, obviously finding my current situation amusing. I let go so he could go around to the driver's side, and I was two steps away from the door when I slipped, falling on my ass. Edward was next to me in a flash, asking if I was okay.
"I'm fine, I just fell. It happens all the time." He scooped me up into his arms and carried me to the passenger door, which he opened without putting me down, and placed me carefully on the seat, closing the door as he went around to the driver's side. I watched as he got in and cranked the engine over.
When he pulled out of the driveway, the Jeep following us once again, he said, "Are you sure you're okay?"
"There was ice. Besides, you've seen me fall while walking. How is this a surprise to you?"
He sighed, and I glanced at him. He didn't say anything, and after a moment my gaze wandered.
"Holy shit!" I yelled, after seeing the speedometer. He was driving almost fifty above the speed limit!
"What? What, Bella?"
"Slow down! We're going to crash and die!"
He seemed to relax, as if he had thought there was a greater danger. "Bella, my whole family drives like this. Didn't you notice when you were riding in Rosalie's car?"
How could he be so nonchalant? Sure, if the Cullens weren't human, maybe they could walk away, unharmed. But I couldn't.
He seemed to know what my train of thought consisted of, because suddenly he asked, "Do you trust me?"
"Of course."
He seemed satisfied with my answer, and the rest of the ride was silent. He pulled into a parking space, and suddenly I remembered I hadn't given the office back my slip from yesterday, that had been signed by all of my teachers.
I waited for the rest of my siblings to walk over to Edward and I, then explained that I had to go give the office the signatures. "Do you want me to come with you?" Edward suggested.
"It's fine. I'll be right back!" I said, already picking my way carefully between what few cars were already parked. I ran across the final aisle for cars to drive through in the parking lot, and blew into the office, eager to get out of the cold.
The secretary looked up, surprised at my sudden entrance. "I forgot to hand in the slip with the signatures on it yesterday. Sorry." I explained, handing the paper to the red-haired woman. "It's fine, dear. Thank you for handing it in." she replied, another fake smile on her face.
I turned to leave, shivering as I stepped back into the cold. I began to walk across the aisle again without looking, not hearing any cars coming, but when I was halfway across, a deafening screeching sound filled the air.
I looked in the direction of the horrible noise, and saw a van coming straight for me, out of control. The driver was desperately trying to stop. I'm sure for a moment I looked like a deer in the headlights, but I soon attempted to run, only to fall flat on my face. I could hear the van coming closer, and I wished I wasn't so damn clumsy. If I hadn't fallen on the ice, I would be out of the way, safe on the sidelines.
Just as the screeching became impossibly loud, I felt myself being moved. I was pulled quickly out of the way, and my head cracked sharply on the pavement. Someone swore next to me, and I was aware that strong, cold hands were keeping me pinned to the ground.
Soon, I could hear multiple voices, and I opened my eyes, struggling to turn my head towards the sound of my family.
"No, Bella, don't move. I think you might have a concussion." Edward's musical voice commanded, close to my ear.
I let him hold me there until I saw them push through the crowd that had gathered, with Rosalie and Emmett in the front, and Alice and Jasper coming in a close second. Rosalie rushed over to me, wide-eyed, and began patting my arms, legs, and the top of my head, probably trying to make sure I was okay. Alice and Jasper looked horrified, and Emmett was looking dazed, just behind Rosalie.
Edward was still holding me, except he had moved his arms to around my waist, so I could move around a little. I could hear sirens wailing in the distance, getting closer every second. I would not let them put me on a stretcher. That would embarrass me more than when Cameron had sung that song at my school formal three years ago.
The ambulance pulled up next to us, and they were pulling a stretcher with them. "No. I am not getting on that thing." I said. "I'm perfectly fine."
"Please, Bella?" Edward pleaded, his eyes smoldering. For a moment, I forgot to breathe. I couldn't deny him if he did that.
"No fair," I whispered.
"I think she might have a concussion. She hit her head pretty hard on the pavement." he said to the paramedics, and I glared briefly at him. Traitor, I thought.
Once I was situated on the stretcher and in the back of the ambulance, we sped away to the hospital. I was vaguely aware of the paramedics doing preliminary checks on me, and they were done by the time I was pulled into the hospital, still on the stretcher. I sat up as soon as the nurses stopped bustling about me, and saw my siblings come into the room. Carlisle rushed in soon after, holding a clipboard.
"Do you feel nauseous or tired?" he asked, concern in his eyes.
"No, I'm fine. Edward over there just overreacted." I replied, rolling my eyes.
He began feeling along my forehead. "Tender?" he asked.
I winced when he got to the spot where my head had hit the tarmac, and he smiled apologetically.
"Are doctors allowed to treat their own family?" I asked.
He chuckled. "No, so don't tell anyone that you're my daughter."
I waited until he was done with his examination before jumping down to the floor. I stumbled, and I hoped he knew that it was because I was a klutz as he put his hand on my arm to steady me.
"If it hurts you can take some painkillers." he said, as I walked out the door with my siblings by my side.
"Do I have to go back to school?" I asked. I wasn't all that eager to face the gossip and buzz produced by the accident. Luckily, the owner of the van hadn't been hurt, and the van had in fact stopped a few yards past where I had been on the ground, so there would be one less thing for everyone to talk about.
"I don't think you have to. Half of the school is in the waiting room, anyways." Alice said, grinning at my unease.
I walked into the waiting room to go out to the parking lot, and suddenly I was bombarded with questions.
"Are you okay?" said someone I didn't know.
"Are you coming back to school?" asked the girl that always tried to talk to me in Trig, but ended up having a monologue. I think her name was Jessica.
"What happened before I got there?" Undoubtedly a gossiper.
"No hard feelings, right?" This was the van driver.
I ignored all of them, concentrating just on getting out the door. Edward's arm was around my waist, guiding me towards the exit, and Emmett was to my left, with Jasper behind me, like a police escort.
Once we got home, I flopped onto the couch as I looked back over the facts in my head about the Cullens. Pale. Fast. Inhumanly graceful, and beautiful. They never ate anything, and all of their eyes were a golden color. Possibly other abilities, since sometimes one of them would do something that seemed random, but I was sure wasn't, now that it had happened multiple times.
Esme had sat on the other end of the couch, at my feet, and Alice and Rosalie were sitting against the front of the couch. Edward was sitting on the arm of the couch near my head, playing with my hair, and Emmett and Jasper were setting up a game on one of their consoles.
What was pale, quick, beautiful, and didn't eat anything, or at least not regular food, and looked like a human? There was only one thing I could imagine them being that fit all of the characteristics, except one. Vampire. They were all vampires. But they had golden eyes, and vampires were rumored to have red eyes. And I hadn't spotted any protruding fangs, although those could easily be hidden. The odd thing was, I didn't care. They could be anything, and I would still love them, as they loved me.
I love how Edward sort of replaced Charlie when they were walking out of the hospital. I need cookies!