wear the stupidlooking 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 Xray 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 tiredlooking； 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 Xrays 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； covering my face with my hands。
Dr。 Cullen raised his eyebrows。 〃Do you want to stay？〃
〃No； no！〃 I insisted； throwing my legs over the side of the bed and
hopping down quickly。 Too quickly — I staggered； and Dr。 Cullen caught
me。 He looked concerned。
〃I'm fine；〃 I assured him again。 No need to tell him my balance problems
had nothing to do with hitting my head。
〃Take some Tylenol for the pain；〃 he suggested as he steadied me。
〃It doesn't hurt that bad；〃 I insisted。
〃It sounds like you were extremely lucky；〃 Dr。 Cullen said； smiling as he
signed my chart with a flourish。
〃Lucky Edward happened to be standing next to me；〃 I amended with a hard
glance at the subject of my statement。
〃Oh； well； yes；〃 Dr。 Cullen agreed； suddenly occupied with the papers in
front of him。 Then he looked away； at Tyler； and walked to the next bed。
My intuition flickered； the doctor was in on it。
〃I'm afraid that you'll have to stay with us just a little bit longer；〃
he said to Tyler； and began checking his cuts。
As soon as the doctor's back was turned； I moved to Edward's side。
〃Can I talk to you for a minute？〃 I hissed under my breath。 He took a
step back from me； his jaw suddenly clenched。
〃Your father is waiting for you；〃 he said through his teeth。
I glanced at Dr。 Cullen and Tyler。
〃I'd like to speak with you alone； if you don't mind；〃 I pressed。
He glared； and then turned his back and strode down the long room。 I
nearly had to run to keep up。 As soon as we turned the corner into a
short hallway； he spun around to face me。
〃What do you want？〃 he asked； sounding annoyed。 His eyes were cold。
His unfriendliness intimidated me。 My words came out with less severity
than I'd intended。 〃You owe me an explanation；〃 I reminded him。
〃I saved your life — I don't owe you anything。〃
I flinched back from the resentment in his voice。 〃You promised。〃
〃Bella； you hit your head； you don't know what you're talking about。〃 His
tone was cutting。
My temper flared now； and I glared defiantly at him。 〃There's nothing
wrong with my head。〃
He glared back。 〃What do you want from me； Bella？〃
〃I want to know the truth；〃 I said。 〃I want to know why I'm lying for
you。〃
〃What do you think happened？〃 he snapped。
It came out in a rush。
〃All I know is that you weren't anywhere near me — Tyler didn't see you；
either； so don't tell me I hit my head too hard。 That van was going to
crush us both — and it didn't； and your hands left dents in the side of
it — and you left a dent in the other car； and you're not hurt at all —
and the van should have smashed my legs； but you were holding it up…〃 I
could hear how crazy it sounded； and I couldn't continue。 I was so mad I
could feel the tears ing； I tried to force them back by grinding my
teeth together。
He was staring at me incredulously。 But his face was tense； defensive。
〃You think I lifted a van off you？〃 His tone questioned my sanity； but it
only made me more suspicious。 It was like a perfectly delivered line by a
skilled actor。
I merely nodded once； jaw tight。