Adopted By The Cullen's

{Chapter 10} A Fear of Falling

Chapter 10

My head hurt. I stared at Jace and he stared back. His family was standing behind him, completely frozen. It was unnatural how still they were. It didn’t even look like they were breathing. All eyes were on me but I didn’t know what to do next. Either this was a sick joke or he was telling the truth.

I started thinking it over. How perfect he was –how perfect they all were. They’re beautiful golden eyes, and pale skin. Jace’s cold skin and his gracefulness. His predatory looking teeth and the way he always seemed to know what I was thinking. The voices in my head and the way he could make me do things I didn’t want to do.

“I have no reason to lie to you Sophie. I would never hurt you.” He whispered.  

Too much was happening too fast. I’d just lost my father. The last parental figure in my life, not including Mary because we weren’t related, and here Jace was going around telling me he’s some supernatural being that drinks blood.  It was too much to handle.

I shook my head rapidly and tangled my hands in my hair. My head was pulsing and I couldn’t breathe. It was hard to tell if it was from anxiety or if it was time to take my iron pills. I hadn’t taken them in a very long time. I started gasping for breath. I didn’t have my pills with me.

“Sophie? Sophie, what’s going on? Are you okay? Sophie I’m sorry!” Jace reached out for me. I gripped his wrist and looked up at him.

“I can’t breathe! I’m low on iron!” I coughed. My other hand was gripping my shirt.

What was weird was that I was afraid to die. A long time ago I’d stopped caring about whether I lived or not. I guess I’d just accepted that I was going to die. The cancer would slowly eat away at my heart, and I’d be out of my misery. So why was I so afraid now? The only difference was this was happening quicker than expected. But that’s life. It ends in the middle of everything.

“Iron? I don’t understand! You can’t breathe?” He asked. Jace looked to Carlisle for help. He pushed Jace out of the way and looked me in the eye.

“Are you anemic, Sophia?” He held my face in his hands. I nodded my head because I couldn’t speak. “Do you have your iron pills?” I shook my head, no. “I might have some. Put your head between your knees and take deep breaths. I’ll be right back.” Carlisle sped from the room faster than humanly possible. I started hyperventilating worse than before.  I did as he’d told me and placed my head between my knees. It was still hard to breathe but it was helping slightly. I hated being so vulnerable.

Jace sat with me and rubbed my back. I heard the familiar shake of pills in the orange container and looked up at Carlisle.

“What is your dose?” He asked. I reached for the bottle, not even thinking about my manners, and popped open the lid. I shook out a pill and swallowed it whole. Carlisle watched me carefully as I placed my head back between my knees until the pill did its magic. I dug my nails into my knees. Stupid, stupid, stupid! How could you be so stupid Sophie? I thought to myself. Jace hissed slightly, as if reading my mind.

When I could finally breathe again I lifted my head. “Thank you.” I said. Carlisle nodded his head and patted my shoulder. I tensed slightly. Jace still had his hand on my back.

“Are you okay?” He whispered. I had tears in my eyes when I looked up at him.

No I wasn’t okay. There was too much going on at one time and I couldn’t juggle it all. My father was dead and I had to help set up the funeral. I had to push the pain away and help my brother bottle it up too. I needed to tell my little sister that her daddy wasn’t coming home and do my best not to cry when I tell her. My maybe-possibly-boyfriend is a vampire –or so he tells me –and so is his family. All that topped off with that fact that I almost died from lack of iron.