Paralyzed

Chapter 7-An Awkward Conversation

Bella's POV

When I went back to school, almost no one knew about the incident with Jessica, which I was grateful for. I didn't want anymore attention then necessary. Jessica, on the other hand, could not be more obvious about hating me. While she wasn't exactly mean to me, she just pretended I didn't exist, for the most part. Most of my other friends were confused by this, but I just assured them that there was nothing wrong, just a little argument with Jessica. Luckily, they still talked to both of us normally. As for Edward, he was more relaxed around me than he had been on the first day, but we still didn't talk much. This all changed during lunch though. 

I was just sitting at the table with my friends, a little ways away from them, head down and picking at my food. This was because they were talking to each other, and I didn't feel like joining their conversation, even though they kept trying to include me in the conversation. I was deep in thought, thinking about how I was so ignorant to Jessica's rage that day, when her cold voice interrupted me.

"Isabella-" she began stiffly.

"It's Bella," I interrupted her.

"Bella. Someone is calling you."  Jessica informed me in a cold, flat voice. Looking up, I see Edward Cullen beckoning me to his table.

"Thank you." I say, my tone just as emotionless as hers. Setting my lunch tray on my knees, I roll my wheelchair over to Edward's table.

"Hello," he greeted me calmly.

"So . . . what did you call me over here for?" I asked, jumping straight to the topic.

"Nothing much. You were looking a bit lonely and dejected back there." Edward answered. Remembering the last real conversation we had, in the hospital, my curiosity spiked. He was obviously trying to hide something  that day, and the events of that day just didn't add up. You don't get fresh air unless the conversation is tiring, which I had a safe assumption that it wasn't. He and his family were laughing, having fun before my 'accident'. No humans were physically as cold, or as hard as Edward was when I crashed into her. No way was an adopted family all so similar. His adopted parents and adopted siblings were all as beautiful, pale, graceful, and had the same mesmerizing golden eyes as him. That couldn't be a coincidence. I was determined to find out what Edward and his family was hiding, no matter the cost. I opened my mouth, about to ask many, many questions, when the bell signaling the end of lunch rang. Darn it! I thought. Together, we walked to biology and finished another normal day of school.

Edward's POV

Bella is out of the hospital and back at school. Thankfully, no one, besides Jessica, her mom, and the teachers, seem to know that I saved Bella, or else there would've been some questions. Usually, I am a very convincing liar, but this time, Bella just didn't believe me. I don't know if this is because she just naturally isn't very trusting, or I am not trying hard enough. Maybe I was too shaken by the incident to think of a convincing lie at the time, or maybe I just wanted her to know our family's secret, because I didn't really want to lie to her. I know she would have interrogated me in the hospital, but luckily her mom came in and I went out. Recently, I haven't talked to her much, for I am afraid that she will start questioning me about why I was outside and how I saved her. Over time, hopefully, she will stop being so curious and let this topic go, just this once. Rose, Alice, and Em don't understand. I could hear them thinking how foolish I was saving her, if she had been more clear-headed at the time, and with enough research, she could find out our secret. Jasper is the only one of us who understands me, because he can feel the feelings I have for Bella. Carlisle and Esme just plain stayed out of this argument, though I could hear their slightly disapproving thoughts.

Looking up, I saw Bella sitting with her friends, but with a few spaces between her and the person sitting closest to her. I saw their feeble attempts to include her in the conversation, but she just sits there dejectedly and picks at her food. Not wanting to see her so lonely, I beckon her over. Jessica saw me, and walks over to Bella.

"Isabella-" she begins stiffly, looking like she'd rather be anywhere else in the world than talking to Bella. I was surprised by the use of her full name, because while they may not be friends, they should be able to address each other normally. Even the teachers don't call her by her full name

"It's Bella," Bella interrupts. 

"Bella. Someone is calling you." Jessica informed her in a cold, flat voice. I could literally feel the cold radiating from her words. When she looked up at me, I beckoned for her to come sit with me.

"Thank you." she says, her tone just as emotionless as Jessica's. I was truly surprised, Bella was usually such a sweet person. Her emotionless tone just showed how much the other girl had hurt her emotionally. Setting her still full lunch tray on her knees, she rolled her wheelchair over to my table.

"Hello," I greeted her.

"So . . . what did you call me over here for?" she asked, jumping right into the conversation.

"Nothing much. You were looking a bit lonely and dejected back there." I answered. She gave me a searching look, questions written all over her face. I sighed, and waited for the torrent of questions to start. After about a minute, she opened her mouth, about to ask a million questions, when the lunch bell rang. We quickly gathered our stuff and walked to biology together. Once it was over, I breathed a sigh of relief. Another day passed of successfully avoiding Bella's questions.