Chapter 32: Chapter 32 – Hundred-Year-Old Children

FORKS COMMUNITY HOSPITAL

“I am sorry…” Tyler sobbed through the bloodied scars on his face – the broken glass of the van hadn’t been kind to its driver. “I am so fucking sorry – I don’t know what I was thinking.”

The Teenager’s sobbing hadn’t stopped in the thirty minutes since the accident occurred.

Bella lay unconscious in the bed next to Tyler.

Bella appeared as she always did – pale, fragile, a silent sort of undeath, and with a very conspicuous bump at the back of her head.

Of course, though this was how Bella usually looked - when in a hospital bed - it gave Tyler the impression that he had left the girl an inch from death.

The nurses frowned as they restrained Tyler…

Too much moving around would undo the painfully woven stitches on his arms, forehead, and back.

Needless to say, Tyler’s condition was worse than Bella’s but just the mere possibility of what had almost happened made Tyler regret enough to castrate himself.

And there was reason to worry.

Forks was a tight-knit community most of the time, and Charlie Swan was necessary for the community so everyone favored him one way or another.

Especially amongst the older families who had been in Forks for a considerable time.

As professional as the nurses were, they couldn’t help but glance at Tyler – the black kid – suspiciously from time to time, wondering in the back of their minds if he meant to kill Isabella.

A rejection gone wrong?

Homecoming is in two months, right?

I know we shouldn’t let his kind go to Forks!

Tyler was not Edward – he couldn’t read thoughts, but sometimes when the thoughts were powerful enough, even a normal person could see a little.

The Teen was traumatized, blaming himself, being blamed by his caretakers, and watching the death-like state of the girl affected by his blunder.

Tyler became dazed.

Tyler’s mother, silent in the midst of her sobbing son, sighed in helplessness.

Her thoughts were similarly chaotic since she had seen Tyler adding the canisters to the van, but she neglected to mention anything about it.

And if being blamed for Bella’s condition wasn’t enough, Tyler knew he would soon be blamed for Xavier’s condition.

Unlike Bella, who had been saved by Edward, Xavier was supposedly filled with shrapnel from the exploded canisters.

To add to that, about two other students had minor shrapnel injuries – nothing major, but just as bad.

“I am sorry… Bella, please wake up!” Tyler pleaded in weakening whispers.

The nurses in the room sighed – they had done all they could to reassure Tyler, especially because – in their professional opinion – what afflicted Isabella Swan was just exhaustion.

She had been overwhelmed by the accident.

Who wouldn’t – seeing their death so vividly?

BANG

Then came Charlie Swan.

Everyone in the room sucked in a breath of cold air.

Charlie Swan had shed the illusion of the forever-tired, seemingly lifeless small-town cop at that moment – instead, the burning fury of a father who had almost lost a child reared its head.

It reminded everyone that Charlie Swan wasn’t a local hero for nothing.

Charlie was the one who discovered Blue was killing local pets…

To this day, everyone asks the question – how many more dogs would Blue have killed before graduating to human beings?

And if the rumors were to be believed, Young Blue started his serial killing journey with none other than his mother and little sister.

Nobody talked about it much, but everyone in Forks remained grateful.

Charlie all but flew into the room, levitating to Bella’s side, but as soon as his eyes met Tyler’s, the direction of The Police Chief abruptly changed.

The next second, Tyler was held against the wall, Charlie’s large hands twisting the soft fabric of his shirt.

‘Charlie is stronger than he seems…’

“Do you have any idea what you almost took from me?” Charlie yelled at the top of his lungs. “DO YOU!?!”

The Nurses who were somewhat responsible for protecting patients didn’t dare stop Charlie.

The emotion in The Police Chief’s voice caused a ripple in everyone’s hearts.

Charlie’s pain originated from somewhere deeper than anyone could guess, and Tyler genuinely believed he deserved all the punishment coming his way… so, he didn’t put up much of a fight to be released.

The conclusion was definite in the end – what type of idiot adds nitro canisters to the back of a van?

It was a question Forks High School would have to answer in the coming week – did the students of the school not understand the concept of the Center of gravity?

“You could have killed my little girl!” Charlie forced Tyler as if wanting to push the teen through the wall. “My girl, Tyler! My fucking daughter. What were you thinking?”

SOB

SOB

SOB

Tyler couldn’t respond to Charlie’s emotional rant… between his own choking sobs, and all-consuming guilt, Tyler couldn’t react too much.

The nurses finally reacted and forced Charlie to release Tyler’s baggie and bloodstained shirt.

GROAN

An awakened Bella caused a gentle shift in the mood.

And true to her awkwardness, the first words out of Bella’s house invoked pity and rueful smiles.

“Ugh… uhm… where am I?” She questioned.

“Bella… honey?” Charlie slid to Bella’s side as if a ghost, taking her hands onto his own. “Can you hear me, honey? Can you?”

“Dad?” Bella was startled by Charlie’s actions – she groaned. “What’s with all the bright lights?”

“Turn the lights off!” Charlie panickily yelled.

The nurses withheld the laugh bubbling in their throats.

“Her eyes will adjust to the lights,” A nurse replied. “Bright lights are normal after a bump on the head. If anything, that means she’s going to be just fine, but just in case, Dr. Carlisle is coming over to take a look at her.”

“Xavier… Xavier…” Bella muttered in a daze for a couple of seconds before her eyes widened to the extreme. “XAVIER! Dad, where is Xavier?”

Nobody knew where the fragile girl found her strength, but she was already standing before anyone could stop her. It was thanks to Charlie’s proximity that he was able to catch her as soon as she tripped.

Bella realized her legs felt wobblier than usual.

“Dad…” Bella’s eyes reddened.

“I know… I know, honey…” Charlie responded.

He had indeed heard that Edward was the one who pushed Bella out of the van’s way, and Xavier was the one who stopped the subsequent explosion from harming the students.

More importantly, Xavier protected Bella.

Though, Xavier couldn’t throw the canisters far enough and got caught in the explosion.

From the information Charlie had gotten thus far, Xavier was the most heavily injured of the five students affected by the explosion.

“Xavier is fine… Xavier is fine,” Charlie didn’t know what else to report.

Thankfully, the door opened at that moment, causing Tyler’s sobbing to cease.

A peaceful atmosphere embraced the chaotic room.

“I heard the chief’s daughter was here,” Charlie entered the room with a swagger no one could copy.

Confidence in each stride and a level of body control that was unheard of.

To Bella, Carlisle seemed the opposite of Edward – Edward always seemed ready to pounce, albeit hesitant while Carlisle had no need to pounce – he seemed like someone who made things come to him.

Carlisle extended a hand, greeting Charlie.

The men shook hands.

“She hit her head pretty hard,” Charlie hurriedly explained, hoping nothing was wrong.

“Hmmm…” Carlisle examined Bella, taking a sniff of her scent – it was indeed sweet, making him see why it was difficult for Edward to resist. “Nice to meet you, Isabella.”

Carlisle was handed the chart by a nurse, and he proceeded to read the material, reaching a conclusion in an instant, but pretending to read a bit longer anyway.

By the time Carlisle had finished examining her chart, Bella’s mind was fully present, and she could wait for the opportunity to ask about Xavier.

“Well, Bella…” Carlisle retrieved a light from his doctor’s coat. “Looks like you took quite a spill, how do you feel?”

“Bella… I’m sorry!” Tyler hurriedly peeled the curtain raised between his and Bella’s beds. “I really don’t know what I was thinking.”

Bella saw Tyler’s wounds and couldn’t help but think she got the better end of the deal, almost being crushed between two cars. Sure, she would have died, but her face still would have looked Bella-ish, unlike Tyler’s.

“What the heck, Tyler?” Bella felt as if she had seen a ghost. “Did you get run over by the car you were supposed to be driving?” She joked.

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Charlie always knew when something was bad because Bella would try to joke about it. Now that The Police Chief looked at Tyler’s face, he also couldn’t help but wince.

“I am so sorry, Bella…” Tyler repeated.

“It’s okay, Tyler…” Bella grumbled, not enjoying all the sappy feelings floating around. “I am fine, minus a little headache.”

“NO, it’s sure as hell not okay,” Charlie amended Bella’s written statement immediately.

“Dad, it wasn’t his fault,” Bella argued.

“Would you mind remaining still so I can check your eyes?” Carlisle interrupted.

Bella allowed herself to be examined with a familiarity that showed every few tumbles from being clumsy required hospital visits.

“You might experience some post-traumatic stress, some disorientation but your vitals are good,” Carlisle moved on from the eye examination and ran his fingers through Bella’s hair, stopping when she winced – he withdrew his hand. “No signs of deeper head trauma so I will recommend something for the pain, Nurse Glenda will help you with a Band-Aid, and –”

“Wait…” Bella frowned. “Won’t a part of my head need to be shaved to apply the Band-Aid and cream?”

“So, you are aware of the procedure for a bump,” Carlisle smiled.

“Familiar enough to know that the pain relievers and the commitment to sleep on one side of my face will be enough for most doctors…” Bella voiced.

“Thankfully, I am one of those doctors,” Carlisle's smile somehow turned even gentler. “Just the pain medication and nobody will shave your head as long as you don’t come back with swelling from sleeping on the wound, deal?”

“Deal!” Bella voiced with conviction, and when Carlisle conceded, she quickly inquired. “And what about Xavier?”

Carlisle frowned, not knowing what to say for a couple of seconds.

“Please, doctor,” Bella pleaded.

“Mr. Aionios has been transferred to private care at his parent’s insistence. There was light scarring on his face and some of his body,” Carlisle explained the pre-arranged lie.

“What?” Bella was startled. “Is that bad or?”

“Relax, Isabella. I personally signed Xavier’s transfer papers, and I promise I wouldn’t have signed a transfer paper if the patient wasn’t absolutely stable – it would be against the law,” Carlisle joked. “You need to pay attention to your own recovery – things like these tend to leave scars, mental ones if not physical. Xavier’s parents simply want him close for a week or two.”

“Is a week or two all it’s going to be?” Bella inquired.

“That’s about how long it takes to heal,” Carlisle commented, placing Bella’s chart on the nearby table. “As for how long it takes him to return – that is something even I don’t know.”

Bella nodded.

“Thank you, Carlisle,” Charlie voiced.

Carlisle nodded and departed.

“He could have helped Xavier…” Bella muttered, thinking back to the way Edward had somehow arrived at her side from across the parking lot.

“What is it, Bella?”

“Nothing…”

Bella’s mind sunk into thought, ignoring Charlie’s worried gaze. The more she thought about the incident, the more she could solidify a timeline of events.

Though she could not see what happened to Xavier from behind the van, the gasps of the students were enough to tell her some things, especially their shrieks of horror at the end.

Xavier had taken the brunt of the explosion.

Bella’s thoughts proceeded until Charlie had guided her out of the patient’s ward, and into the corridor.

“I gotta sign some paperwork,” Charlie repeated, knowing Bella hadn’t heard him the first time since she was in her thoughts. “You should probably call your mom and then head to the front desk to comfort Angela.”

“You told mom?” Bella was peeved and used the fact that Charlie had called her mom to hide the fact that she was really peeved about Angela crying on behalf of Xavier.

Wasn’t she more qualified?

After all, they did secretly kiss…

Bella made the call on Charlie’s phone as she made her way to the stairs, heading to the receptionist’s desk downstairs.

---------------

Bella pushed open the door and exited the stairs – it would have been easier to take the elevator, but speaking with her mom on an elevator that may have her classmates was more embarrassment than she could bare.

Bella was greeted with murmurs as she joined the crowd of students in the waiting area.

What surprised the teenager the most was the presence of The Cullens mingling with the students, concern on their faces for Xavier’s condition.

It almost felt like a skit to Bella.

Edward’s eyes locked with Bella’s as soon as she made her presence known – not many people had noticed her, but as someone specifically searching for her, he noticed.

Bella felt her breathing still.

The two sides of her mind went to war – a side worrying about Xavier’s condition, and another side wondering if life would be less complicated if Xavier – the person who complicates her feelings – was no longer around.

Bella shook her head free of such thoughts as deformed as they were.

By the time the teenager came back to her senses, Edward already stood in front of her, watching her every action with a playful smirk.

“How did you get to me so fast?” Bella’s mouth moved before her mind.

“I was standing right next to you, Bella,” Edward’s reply was practiced down to the last wrinkle of facial doubt. “You bumped your head pretty hard.”

“I know what I saw…” Bella whispered. “And that’s not even what I am worrying about…” she stated.

“What are you worried about?” Edward wrinkled his nose, not following her train of thought.

He was finally contented thinking that he would at least understand her current thought, but as the conversation progressed, he realized she was never willing to conform.

All of her thoughts should be on answering the mystery of him, but somehow, someway, something else weighed on her mind.

“Why didn’t you help Xavier?” Bella spoke once again without much thought. “You got to me so fast, basically caught the van trying to crush me, but you couldn’t do anything to help him?”

Her tone was blaming.

Edward took an aggressive step forward, invading her personal space, and he felt somewhat appeased when he noticed she leaned into the breach.

If he was not misreading that, it meant she didn’t mind his presence.

“I saved your life by demonstrating something that shouldn’t be possible, but somehow, you only care about Xavier’s safety?” Edward basically growled.

“Of course, I want to know how… and why? And… and…” Bella stammered as the thought she pushed away kept trickling back in, but she couldn’t relent. “But the most important thing is making sure Xavier is alright. I can find out whatever is happening later.”

Edward knew the explanation was logical, but he also knew that Bella tricked herself into believing it exactly because it was a logical, easy answer.

To the vampire, the truth was as plain as day – Isabella Swan had developed a crush, perhaps even something deeper.

The mere thought threatened to drive Edward to insanity, and for a split-second, he regretted saving the teenager to begin with… but it was only for a split-second.

A derisive smirk etched itself onto Edward’s face.

“You guys are close, huh?” He mockingly questioned.

Feeling challenged by Edward’s tone that indicated something more, Bella felt the impulsive need to defend the relationship she shared with Xavier…

It was chaotic, impulsive, and betray-full, but she could not deny there was a suppressed sparking burning quietly between the two of them.

A kiss here – near sex there…

“We are closer than most realize,” Bella admitted, much to Edward’s chagrin.

“Then, why didn’t he tell you to fake cry as he told Angela?” Edward spat and felt a hint of exhilaration when he saw Bella’s uncertainty.

“What are you talking about?” She frowned, a sinking feeling in her heart.

Bella’s eyes drifted to Angela – she was surrounded by many students who kept offering words of comfort, and every now and again, Alice or Emmet would offer a couple of words themselves.

Bella felt as if the entire scene was wrong… and upon closer inspection, she saw it…

As someone intent on competing for Xavier’s interest against Angela, Bella had subconsciously and consciously identified Angela’s traits – what made her tick, what made her cry, what did she do when she cries?

One thing remained true – whenever Angela was feeling distressed, she would rub her right shoulder for comfort.

On her right shoulder, as Bella recently discovered, were shallow teeth marks gifted by Xavier in a particularly intense bout of sex. Angela often bragged about it, especially to Jessica who had no similar marks.

“You see it, don’t you?” Edward gloated. “So, you just need to ask yourself – how can you be important to Xavier when he is fine but doesn’t even trust you enough to tell you not to worry.”

Tears welled up in Bella’s eyes…

Before Edward could apologize, Bella slumped her shoulders, blended into the crowd of students largely unnoticed, and disappeared toward the entrance of the hospital.

“You went too far…”

Not knowing when... Alice had appeared at Edward’s right, and like always, Jasper followed not long after.

“I know…” Edward wore a painful frown. “I was just so jealous.”

“You are still an emotional child,” Alice sighed, ignoring Edward’s glare. “Being what we are, we naturally think ourselves superior, but the truth is, we were frozen at the mental age of when we are changed. It takes more than a hundred years for the immaturity to fade away.”

“You’re saying we are hundred-year-old children?” Edward mocked.

“Yes. This shows in other covens, but it's not prevalent in our coven because Carlisle and Esme were changed as adults, I can see future versions of myself and adopt their maturity, while Jasper is the height of emotional control - when it comes to matters outside of blood,” Alice explained. “But you, Rosalie, and Emmet have some maturing to do. I guess it’s best it happens now than later.”

“What happens next?” Edward inquired after some hesitation.

“Give the girl some time and then apologize,” Alice turned to walk away, but added a bit of advice before she department. “You are first and foremost, a gentleman – it’s what a gentleman would do.”

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