( crossfire! )¹ ─ ᵗʷᶤˡᶤᵍʰᵗ ✓

chapter sixteen.

( CHAPTER SIXTEEN )
THE PROM

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21 MARCH 2008

CARTER LAID ACROSS THE UNCOMFORTABLE CHAIRS IN THE HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM, fast asleep with a little bit of drool leaking out of the side of her mouth. They were still in Jacksonville and had been there for a couple of days. After Bella had fallen unconscious, she stayed that way and at first the doctors feared she might slip into a coma. But after running some tests they had discovered that she was still asleep due to the immense amount of stress and pain she endured, as well as the excessive blood loss.

The cover story for Bella's injuries was that Edward and Carlisle had come down to Jacksonville to try to convince the two girls to go back to Forks. So when they went to their hotel, Bella tripped and fell down two flights of stairs, going right through a window. The cover story for Carter's injuries (that were fairly minor by the time she had arrived to the hospital almost a full twenty minutes after Bella) was that she had attempted to catch Bella, but the momentum of Bella's fall caused her to fall, too-only she managed to stop herself before she fell through the window like Bella had. A part of Carter wished that she could have at least told Renee and Charlie the truth of what happened to their daughter, why she was so battered and bruised, but she knew that blaming all of her injuries on the girl's renowned clumsiness was the best option. It would protect her parents that way.

Meanwhile, Robyn had been trying to drag Carter back to Forks ever since she was cleared to leave the hospital the first night. Although, Carter refused to leave until Bella was awake and released from the hospital as well. She knew they had some things they needed to talk about. Very important things, in fact.

When Robyn had first arrived to the hospital, and after Carter finally found enough strength to return to reality after the nightmarish events with James, she had been happy and relieved to see that her niece was okay. But then she remembered what had happened between them before the two girls left for Jacksonville, and she grew stoic. Robyn was never the type to admit when she was sad or hurt, so you always had to pay attention to her actions instead. And Carter knew that everything the woman did-from not trying to give Carter a reassuring smile, to not even looking at her-that the woman was sadder than she had been in a long time and that it was all her fault.

A gentle hand nudging her awake made Carter groan in discomfort as she shifted awkwardly across the chairs. Her eyes slowly opened, momentarily blinded by the bright white lights of the hospital waiting room, before they focused on Renee, who was smiling tiredly down at her. Carter slowly sat up as she rubbed at her tired eyes and ran a hand through her dirty hair. She hadn't taken a shower in days and she knew it was now long overdue. She just didn't have the energy or motivation to leave the hospital while Bella was there to go to the hotel their guardians were staying at to take one. At one point, she almost started a fist-fight with a nurse who tried to get her to leave once visiting hours were over. After that, the nurse told all of the other staff on that floor to just let her stay, as she was too afraid to attempt approaching the young girl about the subject again.

Carter removed her legs from their position across the wooden armrests of the waiting chairs, allowing Renee to take the empty seat to her left. Carter groggily looked around the room, searching for her aunt, but didn't see her anywhere. For a moment, she panicked, her mind making her believe that James had taken Robyn from her, before she remembered that James was dead-that he was torn apart and was now nothing but ash in a destroyed ballet studio.

"She's down in the cafeteria with Charlie, sweetheart." Renee told her after taking a moment to watch the girl search for Robyn. Carter inhaled deeply and then exhaled the large breath she had drawn, leaning forward on her elbows as she placed her hands over her face and once again attempted to wake herself up more by rubbing it. Renee heard the girl mutter something incoherent under her breath. She smiled at Carter sympathetically and placed a hand on her back, rubbing it comfortingly. "I got some good news. Bella woke up about ten minutes ago. Her and Edward are talking right now, but I'm sure they won't mind you dropping in."