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 completely 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 complained. "How

come 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?"