was holding me against the side of his body in an iron grasp。
〃Be careful；〃 he warned as I struggled。 〃I think you hit your head pretty
hard。〃
I became aware of a throbbing ache centered above my left ear。
〃Ow；〃 I said； surprised。
〃That's what I thought。〃 His voice； amazingly； sounded like he was
suppressing laughter。
〃How in the…〃 I trailed off； trying to clear my head； get my bearings。
〃How did you get over here so fast？〃
〃I was standing right next to you； Bella；〃 he said； his tone serious
again。
I turned to sit up； and this time he let me； releasing his hold around my
waist and sliding as far from me as he could in the limited space。 I
looked at his concerned； innocent expression and was disoriented again by
the force of his gold…colored eyes。 What was I asking him？
And then they found us； a crowd of people with tears streaming down their
faces； shouting at each other； shouting at us。
〃Don't move；〃 someone instructed。
〃Get Tyler out of the van！〃 someone else shouted。
There was a flurry of activity around us。 I tried to get up； but Edward's
cold hand pushed my shoulder down。
〃Just stay put for now。〃
〃But it's cold；〃 I plained。 It surprised me when he chuckled under his
breath。 There was an edge to the sound。
〃You were over there；〃 I suddenly remembered； and his chuckle stopped
short。 〃You were by your car。〃
His expression turned hard。 〃No； I wasn't。〃
〃I saw you。〃 All around us was chaos。 I could hear the gruffer voices of
adults arriving on the scene。 But I obstinately held on to our argument；
I was right； and he was going to admit it。
〃Bella； I was standing with you； and I pulled you out of the way。〃 He
unleashed the full； devastating power of his eyes on me； as if trying to
municate something crucial。
〃No。〃 I set my jaw。
The gold in his eyes blazed。 〃Please； Bella。〃
〃Why？〃 I demanded。
〃Trust me；〃 he pleaded； his soft voice overwhelming。
I could hear the sirens now。 〃Will you promise to explain everything to
me later？〃
〃Fine；〃 he snapped； abruptly exasperated。
〃Fine；〃 I repeated angrily。
It took six EMTs and two teachers — Mr。 Varner and Coach Clapp — to shift
the van far enough away from us to bring the stretchers in。 Edward
vehemently refused his； and I tried to do the same； but the traitor told
them I'd hit my head and probably had a concussion。 I almost died of
humiliation when they put on the neck brace。 It looked like the entire
school was there； watching soberly as they loaded me in the back of the
ambulance。 Edward got to ride in the front。 It was maddening。
To make matters worse； Chief Swan arrived before they could get me safely
away。
〃Bella！〃 he yelled in panic when he recognized me on the stretcher。
〃I'm pletely fine； Char — Dad；〃 I sighed。 〃There's nothing wrong with
me。〃
He turned to the closest EMT for a second opinion。 I tuned him out to
consider the jumble of inexplicable images churning chaotically in my
head。 When they'd lifted me away from the car； I had seen the deep dent
in the tan car's bumper — a very distinct dent that fit the contours of
Edward's shoulders… as if he had braced himself against the car with
enough force to damage the metal frame…
And then there was his family； looking on from the distance； with
expressions that ranged from disapproval to fury but held no hint of
concern for their brother's safety。
I tried to think of a logical solution that could explain what I had just
seen — a solution that excluded the assumption that I was insane。
Naturally； the ambulance got a police escort to the county hospital。 I
felt ridiculous the whole time they were unloading me。 What made it worse
was that Edward simply glided through the hospital doors under his own
power。 I ground my teeth together。
They put me in the emergency room； a long room with a line of beds
separated by pastel…patterned curtains。 A nurse put a pressure cuff on my
arm and a thermometer under my tongue。 Since no one bothered pulling the
curtain around to give me some privacy； I decided I wasn't obligated to
wear the stupid…looking neck brace anymore。 When the nurse walked away； I
quickly unfastened the Velcro and threw it under the bed。
There was another flurry of hospital personnel； another stretcher brought
to the bed next to me。 I recognized Tyler Crowley from my Government
class beneath the bloodstained bandages wrapped tightly around his head。
Tyler looked a hundred times worse than I felt。 But he was staring
anxiously at me。
〃Bella； I'm so sorry！〃
〃I'm fine； Tyler — you look awful； are you all right？〃 As we spoke；
nurses began unwinding his soiled bandages； exposing a myriad of shallow
slices all over his forehead and left cheek。
He ignored me。 〃I thought I was going to kill you！ I was going too fast；
and I hit the ice wrong…〃 He winced as one nurse started dabbing at his
face。
〃Don't worry about it； you missed me。〃
〃How did you get out of the way so fast？ You were there； and then you
were gone…〃
〃Umm… Edward pulled me out of the way。〃
He looked confused。 〃Who？〃
〃Edward Cullen — he was standing next to me。〃 I'd always been a terrible
liar； I didn't sound convincing at all。
〃Cullen？ I didn't see him… wow； it was all so fast； I guess。 Is he okay？〃
〃I think so。 He's here somewhere； but they didn't make him use a
stretcher。〃
I knew I wasn't crazy。 What had happened？ There was no way to explain
away what I'd seen。
They wheeled me away then； to X…ray my head。 I told them there was
nothing wrong； and I was right。 Not even a concussion。 I asked if I could
leave； but the nurse said I had to talk to a doctor first。 So I was
trapped in the ER； waiting； harassed by Tyler's constant apologies and
promises to make it up to me。 No matter how many times I tried to
convince him I was fine； he continued to torment himself。 Finally； I
closed my eyes and ignored him。 He kept up a remorseful mumbling。
〃Is she sleeping？〃 a musical voice asked。 My eyes flew open。
Edward was standing at the foot of my bed； smirking。 I glared at him。 It
wasn't easy — it would have been more natural to ogle。
〃Hey； Edward； I'm really sorry —〃 Tyler began。
Edward lifted a hand to stop him。
〃No blood； no foul；〃 he said； flashing his brilliant teeth。 He moved to
sit on the edge of Tyler's bed； facing me。 He smirked again。
〃So； what's the verdict？〃 he asked me。
〃There's nothing wrong with me at all； but they won't let me go；〃 I
plained。 〃How e you aren't strapped to a gurney like the rest of
us？〃
〃It's all about who you know；〃 he answered。 〃But don't worry； I came to
spring you。〃
Then a doctor walked around the corner； and my mouth fell open。 He was
young； he was blond… and he was handsomer than any movie star I'd ever
seen。 He was pale； though； and tired…looking； with circles under his
eyes。 From Charlie's description； this had to be Edward's father。
〃So； Miss Swan；〃 Dr。 Cullen said in a remarkably appealing voice； 〃how
are you feeling？〃
〃I'm fine；〃 I said； for the last time； I hoped。
He walked to the lightboard on the wall over my head； and turned it on。
〃Your X…rays look good；〃 he said。 〃Does your head hurt？ Edward said you
hit it pretty hard。〃
〃It's fine；〃 I repeated with a sigh； throwing a quick scowl toward Edward。
The doctor's cool fingers probed lightly along my skull。 He noticed when
I winced。
〃Tender？〃 he asked。
〃Not really。〃 I'd had worse。
I heard a chuckle； and looked over to see Edward's patronizing smile。 My
eyes narrowed。
〃Well； your father is in the waiting room — you can go home with him now。
But e back if you feel dizzy or have trouble with your eyesight at
all。〃
〃Can't I go back to school？〃 I asked； imagining Charlie trying to be
attentive。
〃Maybe you should take it easy today。〃
I glanced at Edward。 〃Does he get to go to school？〃
〃Someone has to spread the good news that we survived；〃 Edward said
smugly。
〃Actually；〃 Dr。 Cullen corrected； 〃most of the school seems to be in the
waiting room。〃
〃Oh no；〃 I moaned；