A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed/favorited/followed! A couple of you guys guessed right about what Renee said to Bella at the hospital! All mistakes are mine. I hope ya'll like this chapter! It's an important one!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

"I'll make the most of the minutes and love with no regrets. Let's take our time, say what we want. Use what we got before it's all gone, cause no, we're not promised tomorrow." – Meghan Trainer

Chapter 9

BPOV

November 2008

Walking into my house after being in the hospital all day, I should have felt relieved, but I didn't. I was completely wound up and nervous. After Renee threatened me not to say anything about what really happened in the hospital, I thought for sure that she and Phil would come up with some sort of plan to make sure I keep my mouth shut. And yet, neither one of them have said anything or done anything out of the ordinary.

I slowly cooked dinner with my one hand and throbbing head. I feel like I am walking around eggshells around Renee. I don't want to piss her off any more than she already is. If they are going to hurt me or threaten me, I wish they would just get it over with. I don't like playing the waiting game.

The pain in my head is getting more and more intense but I can't take any more pain pills. I've already reached the maximum you're allowed to take within 24 hours. Carlisle said if I take more than six in one day then I can go into a coma and possibly die. Maybe that's what I need to do. Save up some pills and kill myself. It's not like anyone would miss me. I'm sure Renee and Phil would be overjoyed. They wouldn't have to ever put up with me again. I wouldn't ever have to put up with them again. I would never feel pain again. They couldn't hurt me anymore if I were dead. I wouldn't feel anything. I would never have to go to school again and see everyone. I would never see Tanya again. I would never see Jacob or Seth or Edward again.

Edward. I would never see him again. My heart breaks a little bit at the thought. I would never see the one person in the whole world that I care about. The last memory he would have of me is me in that hospital bed. Maybe that's for the best. Maybe I can just make a clean slate. He can have his normal life back and not be dragged down by some pathetic excuse for a girl anymore. It's not like he really cares about me anyway. But if he didn't care about me, why would he stay at the hospital all day with me and risk not being able to play tonight if he didn't care? Why would he give me his food every day at lunch if he didn't care? Why would he look at me the way he does if he didn't care? Why would he treat me so good and nice if he didn't care about me?

I stare up at space for 20 minutes trying to answer all these questions. Should I kill myself? Could I do that to Edward? No. He means too much to me for me to leave him behind. Even if I don't mean anything to him, he is still the best thing to happen to me. He treats me like I am the best damn thing to ever happen to him. Even though I know it's the other way around. I can't do that to him, even if it would end my suffering. I won't do that to him or to myself. He's too important. I don't want his last memory of me to be on that hospital bed and then dead a few hours later.

I'm broken out of my inner monologue when I hear Phil walks in the door. I'm just now setting the fried fish and salad on the table when he says, "You caused quite a scare for your mother today. She thought you had done something stupid like tell that idiot of a doctor that you got hit this morning. But I know you wouldn't do that." He grins wickedly. "You're too much of an idiot to talk to the doctor. You don't even talk to me or Renee. I know you're never going to tell anyone about what goes on in this house now, aren't I right?" I shake my head yes in hopes of placating him. "That's a good little bitch. Now hurry up with this damn food. I'm starving." With that I turn to the refrigerator and grab him a beer as he heads to his chair and flat screen. I sigh in relief that he didn't decide to hit me or threaten me once more today. I have a little reprieve.

The weekend goes by fast – faster than normal. Neither Renee nor Phil mention the accident and I don't either. If they aren't going to yell at me about it, then I'm not going to bring it up.

When Edward pulls up the driveway on Monday morning, I can't help but feel a smile break across my face. He gets out of his car and comes up to me and hugs me as best as he can with my sling on. I don't flinch at his touch at all. Instead, I hug him back just as forcefully. I've needed this. I needed him. I need the reassurance that there is someone out there that cares about me. All the negative thoughts about killing myself immediately are erased from my mind with one simple hug.

"I missed you, Bella. I am so sorry about what happened on Friday. You don't deserve to be like this." He gestures to my elbow. I am overwhelmed by the sincerity in his words, in his voice. He really does care about me.

I smile at him and I bury my head in his chest. I don't know who was shocked more, me or him. I pull away awkwardly and meet his eyes.

"Come on, let's go to school."

It's not until we are walking to biology that people start coming up to Edward.

"Nice job, man, way to kick their asses Friday night!" A guy named Tyler Crowley came up to him and said. They did that weird "bro hug" thing and he walked away.

What was he talking about? Edward was with me all day Friday.

Another guy, Ben Cheney, came up and said, "I always knew you guys had in it you. I never doubted you guys for a second!"

Again, I'm completely confused. Had it in them for what? Doubted what?

Emmett, Jacob, and Seth came up to us next. "Edward, man I can't tell you how many people keep coming up to me and talking about the game Friday night."

The game! Of course. I should've known. Oh shit! I forgot about Edward's game! I didn't go to it. Dammit! Well, maybe he knew that I wouldn't be able to sneak out because of my elbow and head. Maybe Edward won't be too upset that I didn't go. What am I thinking? He probably didn't even realize that I wasn't there.

I look up to find Emmett staring at me playfully. "Our favorite little quarterback was distracted on Friday night. I'll give you one guess as to who his mind was on all night instead of football." He looks at Edward pointedly and I blush. He can't be serious. "Yeah, that's right, Bella. We could barely get him to get his mind off of you. I don't know how many times I heard him say, 'Do you think Bella's okay? Should I just leave and go find her? What if something happens to her and she doesn't call? What if she lost my dad's number? Maybe I should just go guys. Are you guys going to be pissed off if I leave early? She could be in pain right now.'" I looked up at Edward in shock. He really said all those things? He spent his entire game worried about me? I feel tears prick the back of my eyes, but I don't let them fall. He cares about me. He really cares about me.

"I thought we all agreed that we weren't going to tell people about that, guys." Edward chuckles nervously, glancing down at me. His hand moves from his side to the small of my back. It's a sign of comfort. He always seems to realize what I need, when I need it.

"Yeah, we did, but it is way more fun this way." Jacob says and the three of them burst out laughing as Edward flips them off, a shit – eating grin on his face.

Edward looks down to me and says, "Come on. Let's get to class and leave these idiots." He guides me with the hand that is still placed on my back.

In class, Edward and I pass notes like we always do.

I'm sorry I missed your game Friday night. I wrote.

He glances at me, a weird look on his face. You had just gotten out of the hospital, Bella. I wasn't expecting you to be there.

But, I told you I was coming. Accident or not, I should've been there. It was a big game and you shouldn't have been worrying yourself over me. I'm not worth it, trust me.

Anger flashes across his face as he reads what I put.

The bell rings, signaling then end of biology. Edward grabs me by the hand, careful not to yank me because of my elbow, but still forcefully enough to let me know he means business. He leads me to a semi – secluded part of the hallway where no one could hear or see us.

"What the hell are you talking about, Bella? Don't feed me this 'I'm not worth it' crap! I've heard it all before and it's nothing but a bunch of bullshit!" I flinch at his words. I've never seen him so angry. For a split second, I am concerned that he might hit me. But, all of my fears go away when his face softens. "Bella you are worth it, okay? You're worth more than you know. You're worth it to me. Do you believe me?" He stares at my face intently.

I don't know what to say. Part of me truly believes that he is telling me the truth, but the other part of me knows that it's not true. I'm not worth it. Not to him or Phil and Renee, not even to my real parents. My entire life I have lived by the saying "You are a worthless piece of shit." For 15 years, that is all I have heard from everyone in my life. I can't just start believing that someone else thinks differently. It's too painful to let myself hurt like that.

Edward is looking at me expectantly. I slowly lift my head to face him. I muster up all the courage in my body and say, "I can't." I speak so quietly I didn't know if he heard me or not.

Then his face contorts in pain as he says, "Bella…" He presses his forehead against mine. I don't flinch because part of me knows he would never hurt me, physically at least.

The way he says my name makes my heart constrict. My breath gets caught in my throat as we just stare at each other in the hallway. It felt like we were staring at each other for years, but I know it was only for a few seconds. In those sweet seconds, my gaze was trapped with his. It felt like it was him who held me to the ground, not gravity. It felt so perfect, so right. But just as quickly as it came, it went.

The moment was lost as we both turn to hear Emmett's boisterous laugh from down the hall. It broke the moment.

"Come on, I don't think Mr. Molina will be too happy about us missing two days in a row of his class." We walk down the hall to Mr. Molina's class and right as we are walking in, Edward grabs me to hold me back.

"We are not finished with that conversation yet, Bella." His expression is completely serious and I know there's no way I'll be able to ignore it later.

What he does next surprises me. He looks me in the eyes to make his point clear, then he presses his lips to my forehead.

This is the second time he's done that to me.

Why is he doing that? Does he really like me like that? Even though I basically freaked out on him when he actually kissed me at the football game all those weeks ago? Do I like him like that? Am I even capable of liking someone like that? I am just barely getting over the notion that he might actually want me as a friend, but as a girlfriend? Is that even possible?

Yes. It is. It's the reason my stomach turns to butterflies every time he looks at me the way he does. It's the reason I didn't kill myself on Friday night, because of him. He's literally the only thing I have worth living for right now. I can't believe it. I, Bella Swan, have found someone on this earth that I like and that possibly likes me back! I can't help the giddy feeling inside my chest as Edward and I walk into math. I like Edward Cullen.

A/N: So what did ya'll think? Was it good? Was it bad? Did you expect any of it? Yes, I know this one is shorter than the last one, but this was the best place for me to stop and set up for the next chapter. Don't worry, I already have the next chapter written, so no more late updates! Please remember to review and tell me what you think! See ya'll next week.