Chapter 14

The snow from yesterday hadn't stuck, but the cold was sharper this morning. The sky was overcast, a muted grey that made the air feel heavier.

I layered up — grey hoodie, sherpa jacket, loose black sweats, Air Force 1s — and met Bella in the hall. She looked half-awake, sweater hanging loose. We didn't say much over breakfast. Charlie was already out the door for work, leaving a note about icy side streets.

The truck's heater was slow again. I rubbed my hands together while Bella drove, tires crunching on thin patches of ice. She was careful on the turns, jaw set.

When we pulled into the school parking lot, I caught sight of Edward leaning against the Volvo, staring in our direction. The other Cullens were nearby — Rosalie at her Jeep, Alice beside her, Jasper and Emmett talking low. Their heads tilted subtly toward Edward, like they were already in the middle of a silent conversation.

Bella parked. I stepped out, the air biting at my cheeks. Students milled around, hurrying toward the building.

Mike Newton called out to Bella from across the lot and jogged over. "Hey, Bella," he said, smiling like he'd been waiting all morning.

She returned the greeting politely, shifting her bag on her shoulder. I stood off to the side, scanning the rows of cars more out of habit than interest.

That's when I heard it — the sharp screech of tires losing traction.

A van was sliding fast across the lot, back end fishtailing on the ice. The driver's panicked face was visible through the windshield. Students yelled and moved out of the way. One boy froze right in the van's projected path.

Without turning my head, I let a small gust of wind push against his side, just enough to make him stumble out of range. No one noticed — they were all watching the van.

Edward moved.

One moment he was at his car. The next, he was braced in front of Bella, one arm extended to stop the van. The metal buckled under his hand with a deep crunch. His other arm hooked around Bella, pulling her into him as he pushed the van away from her legs.

Bella's eyes were wide, locked on his.

I didn't move. Neither did the other Cullens — but I saw all of them watching. Rosalie's expression tightened. Jasper's jaw flexed. Alice looked from Edward to Bella, unreadable. Emmett's brows were up, but he said nothing.

Around us, the rest of the students only saw the aftermath — Edward holding Bella, the van's side dented inward. The story was already rewriting itself in their heads: lucky reflexes, a last-second dash.

Edward glanced at me briefly. My face gave nothing away.

⸻

Hospital — Rosalie's POV

The drive to the hospital was silent except for the hum of the Jeep's engine. I kept my hands on the wheel, tight enough to hear the leather creak. Edward's little stunt played over in my mind like an unshakable loop.

He'd told us to stay away from the Swan girls. He'd made a point of warning me, specifically, not to get involved. And now he was the one holding Bella in his arms in front of half the student body.

Alice sat beside me, hands folded neatly in her lap. In the back, Jasper and Emmett kept quiet.

Carlisle was already waiting when we arrived, lab coat on, the easy calm expression he wore for patients firmly in place.

Rosalie, Alice, Jasper, and Emmett followed him into an empty corridor. I didn't bother softening my voice. "She saw you," I said, flat.

"She's fine," Edward's voice came from down the hall — too casual. He was leaning against the wall outside Bella's room.

Carlisle gave me a look — not to hush me, but to keep my tone even. "We'll talk later," he said.

I folded my arms. "There were others watching. Including Aspen. And she's not exactly the type to let something like this go."

"She won't say anything," Edward said.

"You don't know that," I snapped.

His mouth twitched like he wanted to smirk but thought better of it. "I do."

I let it drop for now, but my mind was already turning over the problem.

⸻

Hospital Room — Movie Scene

Bella sat on the bed, a bandage at her hairline. Edward leaned against the wall, hands in his pockets.

"You were next to your car," Bella said.

"No, I wasn't," Edward replied.

"Yes, you were," she insisted. "I know what I saw."

"You hit your head," he said smoothly. "I was right next to you, Bella."

She frowned. "And your hand — you stopped the van."

"No one will believe you," Edward said, tone quiet but firm.

"I'm not talking about what they believe," she said. "I know what I saw."

He gave her a long look, then pushed off the wall. "You should rest."

⸻

Aspen's POV — Hallway

I was leaning against the wall just outside the room. I'd heard every word. It didn't surprise me that Edward was sticking to the lie, but I knew Bella — this wasn't going to fade for her.

Movement caught my attention. Down the hall, a small figure peeked out from an open doorway. Dawa. She stepped into the hall, glancing both ways before padding toward me in her socks. Her hair was mussed, cheeks warm from whatever blanket she'd been under.

When she reached me, she smiled and wrapped her arms around my leg without a word.

"Hey, little bear," I said quietly, crouching down. "You snuck out?"

She nodded, eyes bright. "Found you."

"You did." I lifted her up, settling her against my hip. "Let's get you back before your parents send a search party."

She giggled and rested her head on my shoulder as I carried her down the hall.

The muffled sound of voices from Bella's room faded behind us, but the weight of what happened in the parking lot didn't.