Descent

CHAPTER 15

I felt like a zombie the rest of the school day. Mentally I wasn't there and time seemed to pass on without me because before I knew it I was being picked up by my dad.

He was there as soon as the bell had rung. I wasn't willing to bet my life on if he even left at all.

I rubbed the back of my neck as Seth talked my dad's ear off. I welcomed his chatter because it kept the attention and questions off of me. 

I could almost feel Edward's arms still around me and the softness of his breath against my skin. It had felt like a soft, wintry, breeze against my blistering heat.

"Yeah, I'm going with this girl Angela." Seth continued babbling. I was in the far off land day-dreaming about Edward.

My skin felt like it was singing inside of me, bursting alive. I could feel vibrations coming off of it as it hummed. I rubbed my arms to alleviate the antsy feeling it was giving me and I saw my dad cast a sidelong look at the action.

His eyes squinted but he didn't say anything and let Seth continue carrying the conversation. "I think I have mentioned her a time or two." Seth pondered. "Anyway, there is this...."

My mind wandered in and out as I dazed. I was ignoring the discussion, the concerned glances, and the fact that I completely failed at pushing Edward away.

I was supposed to create distance between him and I, not get closer.  I closed my eyes. The worst part was the closer we got the more I wanted.

And more I couldn't have. I was drunk on Edward. My body craved him in ways I couldn't understand.

"Bella," My father jolted me. My eyes flew open and I looked around bewildered to see that we were no longer moving, but instead were parked at the hospital where my mom worked.

Had I dozed off? I didn't feel like it. My body felt restless. I turned to where my father and Seth, who was leaning over the center console stared at me in concern. How long had they been trying to get my attention?

"Are you okay?" Seth asked and to my ears it sounded like he was in a tunnel. 

There was that question again. And the more it was asked the worse I felt.

I was dizzy, my hearing felt impaired, and I was losing all kinds of hours today.

"Do you want me to run in and get mom?" He asked.

My eyes flared in understanding. "Oh right." Mom. I remembered now. We were picking her up after school. Dad hadn't wanted anyone riding home alone. "I got it." I said more confidently than I felt.

I scurried out of the car disoriented but the muggy weather outside helped to clear the fog taking over my brain.

The inside of the hospital hurt my eyes. It was so white and bright and I felt overly sensitive to it today.

I stumbled over a medicine cart that I hadn't seen and cursed as it hit on the side of my ribs that still ached something fierce. I wanted to scream in frustration as I clutched my side.

I gritted my teeth hard to keep calm but I felt on the verge of a meltdown. A lot of feelings were resurfacing today and it irritated me to have to deal with them.

I just wanted my ribs to heal so I could stop being reminded of what happened to them. I wanted everyone to quit looking at me like I wasn't okay because I needed to be okay. Didn't they understand every time they asked me how I was that it was killing me inside. I was dying it felt like.

I wanted all the memories of being scared or wondering if I was going to die to stop overwhelming me. I just wanted it all to stop.

"Bella?" A voice asked behind me making me jump. "Is that you?"