So, here we are ... starting a new story. I'm dreaming that it's summer time and the favorite thing about summer time, besides the longer days and warmer weather is the return of my favorite show, So You Think You Can Dance? I love it ... the beauty, artistry and athleticism is amazing. Plus, the music they play? Damn ... makes me happy.
Now, I'm doing something that I normally don't do, having multiple POVs in one chapter. I have done it other stories, but during situations where it was like the climax or the epilogue, because it's not something that I like to do. I will be sticking with Edward and Bella. However, when I was planning out this chapter, and the subsequent chapters, the story would mainly revolve around Bella. As much as I like to focus on her character, I do want to make sure I include Edward in the mix. Soooooo, I could have done two shorter chapters or combine them into one longer chapter. I'd figure you'd like longer chapters with a combination of EPOV/BPOV.
You're welcome. *Snorts*
On that note ... onto the story.
Chapter Eight: Someone to Watch Over Me
EPOV
"What's with the scowl, Edward?" Emmett asked, sipping his beer. "Did someone piss in your Cheerios? Your girl did great! She was a favorite and ..."
"She did phenomenally, Emmett, but we had a moment interrupted by her best friend," I grumbled. "I was going to kiss her when Rose burst in, talking about spending some time in the pool."
"I'm assuming you didn't kiss her," Emmett said, arching a brow.
"You assume correctly," I sighed. "I was this close, Em. This CLOSE." I held up my fingers millimeters apart.
"It doesn't surprise me that Rose ruined the moment," he spat. "She is a total diva and a nosy busy body. I don't like her."
"Rose? She's not too bad and totally not a busy body. She's got shitty timing, but she's not a diva. She's hard as nails and Bella's best friend. They have been through a lot together. The diva, however, that would be Alice Brandon," I deadpanned.
"True," Emmett replied. "She's been nothing but a pain in the ass to her cast mates. Bella, in particular, is dealing with the brunt of her divaness."
"She told me," I frowned. "Alice is so fucking manipulative. I'm afraid that she's going to do something to Bella. Sabotage her or ruin her chances to win."
"Have you expressed your concerns to Alistair?"
"I told him about Alice during callbacks, but he said that regardless of her character, she was a hell of a dancer," I sighed. "I'm not going to deny her talent, but I just hope that Bella doesn't get burned by her."
"From what I've heard, Bella ain't taking shit from Alice," Emmett snickered. "But, I'd keep a close watch on her, just to be safe."
I nodded. "Who do you think is going to be eliminated tomorrow, Em?"
"I don't know. There were a few performances that were subpar. Chelsea and Ben's jive was awkward. They had no chemistry and neither one of them looked comfortable with the choreography," Emmett said, sitting back on the couch. "But, I think the worst couple was Kate and Garrett."
"Their Broadway number was a hot mess. I can't believe that Garrett dropped her," I shuddered. "They are beautiful dancers and it was shocking to see them look so disjointed."
"It was a difficult lift. I'm surprised that Spencer put such a challenging lift into the choreography," Emmett said. "During the first week?"
"I guess they're weeding out the weak links," I suggested.
"One thing for certain, Bella is not a weak link," Emmett smirked. "Everyone loved her. I listened to the crowd as they left and almost all of them are voting for Bella and Tyler. She has this innocence about her that appeals to almost everyone in the audience and out there in their living rooms. On top of that, she's sweet and genuine." He got up and stretched. "I'm going to head home. Thanks for the beer, Eddo."
"No problem. I only get them for you," I snorted. "I usually avoid drinking, especially if I'm going to dance."
"Such a goody-goody," Emmett teased. "I'll see you tomorrow. Do you want to drive over together for the results show?"
"You just want to ride in my car," I chuckled. "That's fine."
"Sweet!" Emmett sang, hopping up from the couch. He danced out of my apartment, waving as he shut the door.
Once he was gone, I used a burner cell I'd purchased to vote as many times as I could for Bella and Tyler. I knew I was biased and probably breaking the rules, but they were amazing and deserved as many votes as possible. After that, I went into my bedroom and sent Bella a brief text. I knew that she'd probably crash after spending some time in the pool or the hot tub. The adrenaline tended to wear off quickly after performing. I knew all too well how exhausted I was after each performance show.
The stress of performing in front of a live audience, making sure that you got your choreography right and connecting with your partner, it was borderline unbearable. The biggest stressor was not showing your nerves. Maintaining your composure in front of the cameras and the audience were shockingly tiresome.
The following day, the results show, was a different kind of stress. You had another group number. Depending on the show, it would be with the entire cast or a gender-specific piece. Then, you'd find out the results, discovering if you were safe or in the bottom three. If you were in the bottom three for each gender, you had to dance for your life. The judges would save four dancers, sending two home. The judges would take into account the feedback from the choreographers, the performance from the night previous and the solo. However, once the top ten dancers were chosen, it was solely based on audience votes. The judges couldn't save anyone.
As I got settled in my bed, my cell phone chirped with a new message. It was a picture of Bella with Rose, Jacob, Jasper and a few other of the top twenty dancers. They were all in the hot tub, posing for a selfie. My eyes were on Bella in her skimpy bikini. My dick hardened, seeing so much skin. Along with the picture, Bella sent me a message.
Celebrating the first performance! Thank you for being there tonight. It meant the world to me ~ Bella xx
Shaking my head and trying to calm my body, I responded back to her. You were fantastic, angel. I'm so proud of you and I can't wait to see you tomorrow. I know that you will definitely be safe ~ Edward xx
I wanted to say something about the kiss that almost wasn't, but decided against it. Bella did it for me. She sent me a picture of her puckering her lips. Wishing you were here ~ Bella
Oh, you have no idea, pretty girl. NO idea.
xx SYTYCD xx
BPOV
"We should have gone to bed earlier," Rose hissed, walking up the stairs. "Tomorrow is going to suck. We have rehearsal for that hip hop group number at nine."
"It's only midnight," Kate said. Kate was a contemporary dancer. She was partnered up with a fellow contemporary dancer, Garrett. They had had a rough night. Garrett had dropped her in one of the lifts for their dance. Kate had a huge bruise on her hip and we spent most of the night in the hot tub, soothing our sore muscles. "Besides, if I had to guess, most people saw my epic fail and I'm sure as hell not going to make it. I may as well take advantage of this posh pad for as long as I can."
"Don't say that," I frowned. "You never know. You may get a ton of votes or you're in the bottom and the judges save you."
"Meh," Kate shrugged. "I'm happy to make it this far. I even got a battle scar." She reached her room, opening the door. "I'm okay with that. But, tomorrow is a new day and we'll see what happens. See you tomorrow."
"Good night, Kate," Rose said. The door quietly shut and Rose turned to me. "Do you need me to act as your bodyguard from Bitch Queen?"
"Nah. She said she was going to get her beauty sleep. I'm going to quickly hose off the chlorine and then go to bed," I said, hugging my best friend. "Love you, Ro."
"Love you more, Bells," she said, ducking into her own room.
Blowing out a breath, I slid into my bedroom. Alice was snoring, loudly. I grabbed my pajamas, using the light from my cell phone to maneuver around the room. Keeping the light on, I slipped into the bathroom and took a cursory shower before going back into my bedroom. I barely made any noise. Alice, thankfully, was still asleep and I crawled into my bed, drifting off into a deep sleep.
However, my sleep was interrupted at just after four in the morning. Alice was banging around the room, singing loudly to her iPod. After fifteen minutes, I sat up, glaring at her. "Do you mind?!" I barked.
She turned to me, pulling out her earbuds, smiling at me evilly. "You didn't last night," she snapped.
"I was quiet. I didn't make any sound," I growled. "I kept the lights off, UNLIKE YOU. I used my cell phone flash light and I didn't ..." I threw up my arms, grabbing my pillows and a blanket off the bed. "You are such a bitch, Alice. A backstabbing, petty bitch. You only worry about yourself and I can't stand it."
"Feeling's mutual," Alice smirked. "And no matter where you go, I'll follow you. You disturbed my beauty sleep and I'm repaying the favor."
I fell back onto the bed, covering my face with the pillows. She continued banging in the room and I tried, unsuccessfully, to get more sleep. Around eight, Alice finally went into the bathroom to take a shower. I managed to get some few moments of rest before the alarm went off. Begrudgingly, I got up and got dressed in some comfortable clothes. I used Angela and Rose's bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. Going downstairs, I made myself a strong cup of coffee. Jasper was downstairs making his breakfast. He ate cheesy eggs and bacon every morning. "You look like hell, Little Bell," he said. "Eggs?"
"No thanks," I said, gripping my coffee mug like it was a lifeline. "I'll stick with my usual breakfast of yogurt and granola. And thanks for the compliment, Mr. Whitlock."
"Would you rather I sugarcoat? You're a vision of loveliness with your black circles under your eyes and rat's nest atop your head," he snickered. I gave him the finger. He rolled his eyes, turning back to his breakfast. "Did you get any sleep last night?"
"Not a lot," I sighed. "Your girlfriend decided to get up at four in the morning and was singing at the top of her lungs."
"So that's why the dogs were howling at o'dark thirty," Jasper laughed. "And she's not my girlfriend. She's cute, but crazy. Completely certifiable."
"Crazy is putting it mildly," I deadpanned. "An epic bitch is more like it."
"Why don't you talk to Alistair, ask to switch rooms?" Jasper suggested, plating his meal and handing me my Greek yogurt and granola. "What she did to you was uncalled for."
"Thanks. She decided to be loud all because I came into the room just after midnight. I thought she was asleep, Jasper. She was fucking snoring," I sighed, making my breakfast. "I didn't make any fucking noise and didn't turn on the lights. I was the picture of quiet as a church mouse and she ..."
"She's a backstabbing, manipulative little girl, Little Bells," Jasper murmured. "We all see it."
"Maybe I'll talk to Alistair after tonight's results show," I shrugged, "If Alice is still on the show, you know?"
"Yeah," Jasper said, hugging me before he tucked into his meal. We finished our breakfast and went upstairs to get ready for our day at the studio. We had a rehearsal for the hip hop routine at the top of the results show, followed by hair and makeup for the hip hop routine. We'd perform it and then we'd get ready for the actual show. If we were in the bottom, we'd have to dance for our lives. We had to give the producers our music when we arrived to the studio if we were in the bottom.
Alice had our room locked when I got upstairs. My keys were inside. Grumbling, I knocked on Jane and Jessica's door. They let me inside and I got into my room through the bathroom. Alice gave me a snide look, "Forget something?"
"Fuck you," I snapped back, picking up my bag, cell phone, and keys and slipping my shoes on. She laughed, almost pushing me over when she stomped past me. I bumped my knee against the doorjamb, causing me to bite back a groan. Blowing out a breath, I followed her downstairs and got into the waiting van. I sat in between Tyler and Jasper. Jasper put his arm around me, shooting Alice a harsh glare. She pouted, curling up in the backseat of the van and leaning against the window. I felt a little vindicated that Jasper took my side.
Arriving at the studio, we met up with the pair of choreographers, Tabitha and Napoleon, who had created the dance for the result's show. We reviewed it and then did a full run-through, marking camera angles. Felix was the center of the performance, acting like the leader of our group of undead dancers. It was a fun, sexy dance drawing on all of our strengths. However, I was clumsy during the rehearsal. My exhaustion caught up to me and the slight bump to me knee caused me to be very stiff. The choreographers gave us a break for lunch. I took my bag and decided to take a nap. I'd eat something later. I needed to sleep more than anything.
xx SYTYCD xx
EPOV
I walked into the studio. Emmett and I were there to help out Tabitha and Napoleon with their final rehearsal for their group number. When we got there, all of the dancers were around the stage eating lunch. I found Rose with Jacob and Jasper, eating their soup and sandwiches. "Hey guys," I smiled, sitting down next to them. "Have you seen Bella?"
"She's taking a nap," Jasper explained. "Her roommate was being rude this morning, getting up at the crack of dawn."
"Ugh, Alice," I groaned. "Why is she pulling this shit?"
"I can only imagine," Rose snorted. "She's also been texting all lunch, wearing that sneaky, smarmy smile."
"Is it even her phone?" I asked. "I wouldn't put it past her to use someone's phone to fuck with Bella."
Rose arched a brow, shooting up and stomping toward Alice. Alice got up, picking up her garbage and pocketing the cell phone. Rose ran to catch up to her. They talked and their conversation was heated. Alice produced her cell phone, sneering angrily at Rose. With another snide comment, Alice stomped away and disappeared backstage. Rose walked back, sitting down and pinching her nose. "She said she was talking to her sister, Cynthia," Rose spat, disbelief coloring her tone. "I honestly think that she's hiding something."
"I wouldn't put it past her," I sighed. "Do you know where Bella's at?"
"Sleeping in one of the men's dressing rooms," Jacob answered. "She knew that Alice wouldn't go in there. Apparently, it smells like feet in there."
"Thanks," I said, getting up and walking backstage. Alice was tapping on her cell phone, the conniving grin firmly planted on her face. I strode past her. "Alice."
"Cullen," she growled. "Just can't stay away?"
"You can say that," I said, arching a brow. "Who are you talking to?"
"Cynthia. My sister," Alice said, putting her phone away. "What's up with everyone asking me who I'm talking on my cell phone?"
"I don't know. You just seem like you're up to something," I suggested. She shrugged. I turned on my heel, slipping into one of the men's dressing rooms. I closed the door, checking to see if Bella was inside. Sure enough, she was curled up on one of the nasty couches underneath her fleece. She was sleeping deeply, snoring quietly. I brushed my fingertips along her cheek, but decided to leave her be since she probably got such little rest. With one more look at her, I ducked out of the dressing room and walked back out to the house.
Emmett and I stayed, watching the final run-through after lunch. Bella was not all there and she struggled to do the routine. She was a featured dancer, but not like the night previous. I was concerned for her. "Emmett," I hissed. "I'm worried about Bella."
"Me, too, but she'll pull it together," Emmett said soothingly. "She's probably just groggy."
I nodded, watching as my dream girl struggled to get through some simple steps. A few more run-throughs and the dancers were sent to hair and makeup. Emmett and I went up to the offices to change into our clothes that we'd brought for the results show. A few makeup artists evened out our skin tone since we were sitting in the audience. Emmett bitched about wearing foundation. We headed to the house, watching as the crowd filtered in. A half hour after the crowd came in, the lights went down and the hard-hitting sounds of Marilyn Manson filled the studio. Bella looked much better for the actual performance. Her movements weren't as choppy and she hit all of her marks.
An hour later, the stage was reset and the opening music for the results show. Every danced onstage and were smiling for the cameras. Chloe walked in the middle of the group of dancers, grinning. She thanked them and they went off stage. Turning to the judges, she asked them how they thought the first night of competition went. I barely paid any attention, but the one constant was the praise for Bella and her performance.
The judges finished their appraisal and the cameras cut off for a brief commercial break. After that, a recap of the show from the night previous was shown to the audience in the house and on the televisions for the people watching in their homes. After the recap, Chloe called out the first six dancers. Four dancers were safe, including Alice and Jacob. Damn it. Two were in danger of going home. The next act, six more dancers were called out and it included Bella. It was no shock that Bella was deemed safe while Kate and Garrett were in the bottom. The final four dancers were called out after the next commercial break and Jasper and Jane were safe while her brother and Angela were in the bottom.
The six of them danced for their lives and then a group from Mia's ballet company performed while the judges deliberated on who to send home. Just before the end of the show, the judges came back and decided to send Kate and Garrett home. Their performances in the group numbers as well as their performance the night previous and their solos today were not strong enough for them to continue in the competition. The video montage of their 'best bits' rolled. Two minutes later, Chloe thanked everyone who voted and the results show was over.
xx SYTYCD xx
BPOV
I was wiping off the heavy stage makeup in my dressing room with fellow cast mates. Alistair knocked on the door. "Hello?" he called, smiling warmly. "I wanted to check to see how everyone is doing?"
"Good. Better than the other girl's dressing room," Angela said, her nose wrinkled. "How's Kate?"
"She's upset but she expected it," Alistair said. "One of the choreographers from the show has already approached her and Garrett, asking her to dance in their company. She's going to do it. Garrett is on the fence, though."
"Well, that's good news for her," I said, turning to face Alistair.
"How about the rest of you? Are you excited about next week's show?" he asked, his blue twinkling. "I can't wait to see what the choreographers come up with."
Alice was quiet, meticulously scrubbing her face. However, from the pinched look in her eyes, she was stewing. It was going to be another long night. "Alistair, do you think I can speak with you for a moment? Privately?" I asked.
"Of course, Bella. Let's go up to my office," he replied, helping me off the stool and guiding me out the door. We went outside and into the rehearsal building. Riding up the elevator, we sat down in a cushy office. "What's up?"
"I was wondering if I could switch rooms," I murmured. "Alice and I, we do not get along. She's just rude and only thinks of herself. I could move into Kate's old room and Alice can have the room to herself."
"What has she done?" Alistair asked, his brows furrowed. I described everything she'd done, from her bitch fest about the side of room she was on to her shenanigans this morning. He pursed his lips, obviously not happy with her behavior. "If anything, you should be the one to stay in the room and Alice should move."
"You and I both know that she'd have a bigger bitch fest if she did. I'm willing to do it. I just can't have another night like last night. You saw how I danced during rehearsal," I frowned. "And tonight, I was a hot mess."
"You are exaggerating," Alistair snickered. "Now, you have some downtime tomorrow before you meet with your choreographers in the afternoon. If you want to switch rooms, I'm not going to stand in your way. Though, you know my opinion about who should move."
"I just wanted to make sure it was kosher. I'll talk to Kate and swipe her keys before she leaves," I smiled. With a wave, I left and went back to my dressing room. It was empty, save for my belongings and my cell phone on the counter of the dressing room. I picked it up. It was in my bag and not on the counter. As I was leaving, I ran into Kate. I hugged and congratulated her on her position in the new group. She smiled happily. Then, I asked if I could get her keys since I was moving into her room. Kate nodded, handing them over since she was packing her belongings tonight and staying in a hotel, catching an early flight out of LAX. She had to sublet her apartment and make new living arrangements in New York.
Walking to the van, I was happy to see Edward there, chatting with Rose and Jasper. When he saw me, his face broke into a sexy, crooked grin. I floated over to him and eagerly accepted his warm, strong embrace. "Hey, Angel," he cooed, his cheek resting on my head. "You did wonderfully tonight. Are you thrilled you survived to the next round?"
"Hmmmm, yeah," I said, pressing my face to his shirt. He smelled so good and I felt so protected by his hug. "Though, I wasn't very angelic in tonight's performance."
"We all were a little devilish and undead," Rose snickered, looking at the two of us fondly. I went to move away, but Edward kept me close to his body. "What did Alistair say about the room switcheroo?"
I held up Kate's keys. "I can move in tonight," I smiled. "I just need to tell Queen Bitch. Is she on this van?"
"Nah, she went on the other one. For all I know, she is bleaching all of your clothes," Rose snorted. "We should get going, Bells." She clambered into the van, leaving the front seat for me.
"I wanted to talk to you earlier, but you were taking a nap," Edward said, tucking a rogue hair behind my ear. "Rose told me about what Alice did. I'm glad that you're switching rooms."
"Me, too. A week with her was a week too much," I grumbled. "Are you helping this week with the choreography?"
"With the jive and foxtrot," he replied, threading our fingers together. "Any chance you're doing those?"
"Nope. I got jazz this week," I said, reveling in the softness of his hands and the comfort I felt with him. "Perhaps we can have lunch together?"
He narrowed his eyes, a coy little grin spreading over his face. "I'm the guy. I'm supposed to be asking you out, pretty girl," he teased.
"You want to ask me out?" I flirted, looking up at him through my eyelashes.
"I want to do more than that, Bella," he said, one of his hands cupping my cheek. "But not here, in front of your roommates. And when I do take you out, it will be more than just lunch. I do believe I owe you a ride on the Pacific Coast Highway." He gathered me in his arms again. I snuggled closely to his warm, muscular body. "Sleep well, angel. I'll see you tomorrow." He picked my wrist, kissing it and helping me into the car. The driver took off and I waved at Edward as we left the studio.
Once back at the house, I gathered my bags and began packing. Alice watched smugly as I moved up a floor into Kate's old room with Maggie. She was sad to lose Kate, but happy that I was moving in. We had formed a close friendship during the callback process. After I was settled, Maggie and I went to sleep. Apparently, Alice's antics woke most everyone in the house.
The next day, some of us worked out while others went grocery shopping. I decided to do the latter since my food was disappearing despite the fact it had my name on it. When we got back, I kept my non-perishable food in the bottom drawer of my dresser and the other food in one of the crispers of the fridge.
In the afternoon, we went to the studio and had our first rehearsal for our next week of competition. Tyler and I were working with Sonya, who was quirky, unique and a brilliant choreographer. I loved her sense of style and all her tattoos, though I was a chicken, too afraid to get one. As a choreographer, I was so challenged by the movements and the concept of the piece. Tyler didn't like it since it was so different from his style.
After breaking for dinner, we worked with Travis for the opening number for the performance show. It was a jazz/contemporary hybrid that used music by one of my favorite bands, OneRepublic. The concept was simple, but effective with the music. I loved the intensity of it and I knew it would become one of my favorite pieces of the show. We were taking a fifteen minute break after we had learned the first half of the piece. Alice gave me a harsh glare, picking up her cell phone and walking out of the room. I sat down with Rose, Jasper and Alec, sipping some water.
"I've noticed that Alice hasn't been clinging to you like a spider monkey," Alec teased Jasper. "Has she given up?"
"I don't know. I think she knows she crossed a line with the crap she pulled with Bella. Most everyone in here has been ignoring her," Jasper shrugged. Turning to me, he asked, "How's Maggie?"
"She's awesome," I replied. My new roommate gave me an enthusiastic thumbs up as she chatted with her fiancé on the phone. "Much better than the old one."
Clapping and getting our attention, Travis barked, "Okay, guys," Travis called. "Let's run this from the top and then we'll finish up the choreography tonight."
We clambered to our feet and took our places. Alice ran in, tossing her phone into her bag and gave me a wicked grin. I ignored her, figuring it was the best strategy for dealing with her. The music began and we ran the dance up until where we stopped, which was just past the middle point. Travis worked us to the bone, teaching us the remaining parts of the choreography. By the end of our rehearsal, I was drenched and exhausted.
Travis wasn't done.
Oh, no. The slave driver still had more planned for us.
"I want to run this at least five more times before you're free to go. Tomorrow you have another rehearsal with your choreographers and then you're going to learn the results show dance," Travis said. We got to our starting positions and we ran the dance.
However, during the fourth run-through, Alice bumped into me, causing me to land awkwardly on my bad knee. "Oooops, I'm so sorry," she said, her eyes glinting mischievously as her hands hovered my body.
"You did that shit on purpose," Jacob snapped. He was behind me, preparing to lift me in the choreography.
"I did not. How dare you presume?!" she snarled. "I slipped on some of your sweat, you mangy dog!"
"Alice, that's enough," Travis said sternly. "Accidents happen." He crouched down next to me and gave me a sympathetic smile. "Can you bend it?"
"I'm afraid to," I whispered. "I came down hard on it and I can already feel it swelling."
Travis waved down a medic and I was examined. "I think our best bet is to get it checked out. I'd rather err on the side of caution," Gabby, the medic, said. "I don't feel any broken bones, but there could muscular and tissue damage."
"Can I come with her?" Rose asked.
"She's my best friend and she is well aware of my previous injury. I had torn my ACL, MCL and meniscus previously," I explained. Gabby nodded and I was loaded up on a stretcher. Rose was prattling on the phone, speaking to someone, but I couldn't tell who. I was answering questions from the medic about my knee surgery and its subsequent long recovery. When we arrived at the hospital, Edward was waiting there. I was afraid to be in the hospital, but knowing that he was there made everything a little better.
xx SYTYCD xx
EPOV
I was sitting on my couch, reading a book when my cell phone rang. I didn't recognize the number, but the number was from Seattle. I picked it up. "Hello?"
"Edward? It's Rose," she said. "There's been an accident."
"What happened?" I asked, my heart stammering against my ribs. "Is Bella alright?"
"She fell and botched up her knee. We're getting in an ambulance heading to Cedar-Sinai," she explained. "I know she's freaking out, Edward. She may not be showing it, but on the inside I can imagine that she's afraid that she'll not be able to continue in the competition."
"I'm on my way, Rose," I barked, shooting up and heading down the parking garage. I drove the few short blocks to the hospital, waiting for the ambulance to arrive. When they did, Rose smiled, but it was Bella's look of complete relief that made my heart swell. "Angel," I said, walking to her and taking her hand. "Are you okay?"
She didn't answer, but I could see the tears in her eyes as she nodded. She gripped my shirt, pulling me closer to her trembling body. I wrapped her into an embrace.
"Sir, unless you're family, you can't be in here," the nurse said snidely.
"Back off, Nurse Ratchet. She's his fiancée. She's a dancer and can't wear her ring all of the time," Rose bitched.
The nurse narrowed her eyes, but let me into the emergency department. Bella handed the nurse her insurance card and began filling out the paperwork. She was barely hanging on by a thread. Once she finished her paperwork, she handed it to another nurse who had taken Bella's blood pressure and temperature. Walking away, we had a few moments to ourselves. "What happened, angel?" I asked, sitting next to her on the tiny gurney.
"Alice stumbled and we fell. I landed on my knee hard," she said, curling to my side and idly playing with the hem of my t-shirt. "The sound of my leg hitting the wooden floor reverberated throughout the room. Even over the music."
I removed the icepack on her leg, seeing that it was very swollen and bruises had begun to form. "Bella, did Alice do this intentionally?" I asked, anger seeping into my tone.
"She said something about slipping on some sweat," Bella said, putting the icepack back on her knee. "Who knows if she did it intentionally or not? All I know is that it hurts and I'm terrified that ..."
"You won't be going home, angel," I said, cupping her chin and forcing her to look up at me. "Worst case scenario is that you are out for this week and you are automatically in the bottom two the following week. Too many people love you, including all of the judges."
"I'm just so over this, the injury and constantly being in pain. I hate being so weak," she growled.
"Bella, you're not weak," I said, holding her tightly and kissing her hair. "You're the strongest woman I know."
"Who can't fucking walk at the moment," she snorted. "Sorry. Just having a pity party."
"You're entitled," I quipped, running my fingers through her ponytail.
A doctor walked in and he gave her a pleasant smile. "Isabella Swan?" he asked.
"Yeah," she replied.
"I'm Dr. Kim. I spoke with Nurse Gedrin. She told me that you took a fall?"
"I did. I'm competing in So You Think You Can Dance, and we were rehearsing. A colleague slipped and stumbled against me, causing me to fall, hard on the floor," she explained.
"I see that you've had some pretty extensive reconstructive surgery," Dr. Kim said, flipping through the chart. "I have a phone call into your doctor in Seattle. I went to undergrad with him and is the best when it comes to your type of injury."
"That's why I used him," Bella nodded. "My dad did his research when I was first injured almost four years ago." She pouted slightly, her cheeks paling. I threaded my fingers with hers, trying to give her as much support as I could. "What's the plan for this?"
"I want to run a few tests. X-rays and an MRI," Dr. Kim explained. "I think you might have just bruised the bone, but we'll take a closer look. Are you pregnant?"
"No," she said, blushing. I kissed her wrist, imagining what she'd look like if she were pregnant. Gah, Edward, you are such a fucking girl. "How long will these tests take?"
"You should be home by no later than one in the morning, if there's no back up in the radiology suite," Dr. Kim said. "I'll put these orders in. Do you need something for the pain?"
Bella nodded, shifting on the gurney. "Nothing too strong. Some Advil?"
"Nurse Gedrin, can you get Ms. Swan 400 mg of ibuprofen?" Dr. Kim asked the nurse. She nodded, leaving for a few moments, returning with a small cup and some water. Bella took the medication and they left to put the orders into the computer.
"I'm not going to get any sleep tonight. I don't know how I'm going to get up to my bedroom," she said, frowning. "I'm going to be useless at rehearsals tomorrow."
"Bella, you may not be cleared to dance tomorrow," I said softly. "And you can stay with me, pretty girl. At least for tonight. I have a spare bedroom with a queen sized bed."
"I don't know if it's allowed," she argued.
I held up a finger, dialing Alistair's number. He picked up right away. "Edward? I can't really talk now. I just heard from Travis that Bella was injured!" he prattled.
"She is. I'm with her at Cedar-Sinai," I explained.
"Oh! Great!" Alistair chuckled. "Is she okay?"
"We just met with the doctor and she's getting some x-rays and MRI," I explained. "If she gets the all-clear, I'm going to take her back to my apartment with me. I don't think she'll be up for climbing stairs for at least a day or two."
"Of course! Take care of that girl. I don't want her to be eliminated. I have extremely high hopes for her," Alistair cooed.
Bella took the phone from me, shooting me a scathing look. "I'm not going to get in trouble, am I?" she asked.
I heard Alistair's tinny voice and he put her at ease, saying that she take care of herself. If need be, she would take the week off and then be in the bottom two the following week, reiterating what I had just said. She didn't seem convinced, but she acquiesced and handed me back the phone when Nurse Gedrin came back.
"She's heading to get the scans done, Alistair," I said.
"Keep me informed," Alistair replied, a smirk clear in his voice. I rolled my eyes, hanging up the phone and following the nurse who was pushing Bella in a wheelchair. Her hand found mine, threading our fingers together. I kissed her knuckles and waited outside while she got the x-rays done. After about fifteen minutes, she was taken into the MRI suite after she handed me her zip up hoodie and necklace. The MRI took about an hour and by the time she was done, she was exhausted.
Nurse Gedrin wheeled us back to the small room and we waited for Dr. Kim. I sat next to Bella on the gurney and she used my shoulder to snooze on. An hour after that, the doctor came in, popping in the films into the light box. "I've got good news," he said. Bella perked up and listened intently. "There's no damage to your old injury. However, you do have a bruised bone."
"Can I dance?" she asked.
He looked at her, his brow arched over his round frames. "You can't dance tomorrow. You need to give the bone a chance to heal. See how it feels in two days. If it's still tender, you can't participate, at least not this week. If you do dance, you have to wear a brace to provide extra support."
She nodded, tears gathering in her eyes. "Thank you."
"Isabella, this is good news," Dr. Kim said, rubbing her arm.
"I know," she replied, a few tears falling down her cheeks. "I'm just ... being a girl. An overemotional, overtired girl."
"Well, you go on home," Dr. Kim smiled, handing her the discharge papers. "Oh, and I voted for you, so did my girls." That got Bella to smile and blush furiously. "I hope you win, Isabella."
"Thank you, Dr. Kim," she said. He nodded, and beckoned for Nurse Gedrin to bring over a wheelchair. Helping Bella into it, we rolled back out of the emergency room. Rose was waiting, coming and hugging her friend fiercely.
"I'm going to get my car," I said. "I'll pull up, okay?" Rose nodded, sitting and talking to Bella. I jogged out to the parking garage and paid the attendant before stopping at the exit for the emergency room. Rose helped Bella into the front seat and then clambered into the back.
"I have to go back to the house. Nigel sent me a text," Rose grumbled, showing me the text from the director. "I still have rehearsal at the break of dawn, but Bella has the day to rest and then get reevaluated by the doctor to see if she can perform."
"Okay," I said, driving away and to the mansion. Rose got out of the car and darted inside. She came back a few moments later with a small overnight bag. She smiled at me, waggling her brows. I rolled my eyes.
Bella was down for the count, leaning against my arm. I drove us to my apartment and parked my car. Wiggling my arm out from Bella's grasp, I grabbed her bag and slung it over my shoulder. Walking around the car, I gently picked her up. She was still asleep, not even waking when I lifted her from the car. She snuggled against my chest and sighed contentedly. I carried her up to my apartment. Once inside, I placed her on the bed in the guest room. I went to go and Bella grabbed my arm. "Stay?" she pleaded, her chocolate brown eyes impossibly sad.
"I will, angel," I whispered. "Let me lock up and I'll stay with you."
She nodded. "I just don't want to be alone. My dad was always there for me and tonight ..." she sniffled.
"I'll be right back. I promise," I said. I turned and locked up my apartment. Kicking off my shoes, I went into the guest room. Bella was asleep but the pain of the loss of her father as well as the pain from her knee was clear on her face. I gathered her tiny body into my arms and held her closely. "I'm here, angel. I'm not going anywhere."
"My Edward," she sighed, tightening her arms around me.
"Yours," I whispered in the darkness. Always, I added mentally as I drifted off to sleep.
A/N: So this chapter got away from me. I wanted to keep the chapters of just being rehearsals and performances, but Bella's injury had to happen. Building up the drama between her and Alice. Did she intentionally bump into Bella? Or was it truly an accident. Anyhow, up next will be the continuation of this week's show. Will I do a chapter for each show? Meh? We'll see. But, up next will be the top eighteen dancers. Below are the dancers. The ones that were eliminated are crossed off.
WOMEN
Alice Brandon (Latin)
Rosalie Hale (Hip Hop)
Angela Weber (Ballet)
Jessica Stanley (Jazz)
Kate McGovern (Contemporary)
Bella Swan (Contemporary)
Jane Volturi (Latin)
Chelsea Brill (Latin)
Tia Senna (Latin)
Maggie McAllister (Crump/Hip Hop)
MEN
Jacob Black (Contemporary)
Jasper Whitlock (Tap)
Ben Cheney (Hip Hop)
Mike Newton (Jazz)
Tyler Crowley (Latin)
Garrett Gregory (Contemporary)
Alec Volturi (Latin)
Felix Lester (Hip Hop)
Demitri Chesterton (Contemporary)
Nahuel Garza (Hip Hop)
Leave me some loving!
Songs listed in this Chapter:
"The Beautiful People" District 78 Remix ~ Marilyn Manson
"Love Runs Out" ~ OneRepublic