Eden || Edward Cullen

[4] Visit

Eden woke in the emergency room. She was laying across a long white bed in a row of them, all separated by patterned curtains. She was still in the neck brace, and her head pounded uncomfortably. Tyler Crowley, a boy from Bella's government class, was in one of the beds nearby, a number of bloodstained bandages wrapped around his forehead. She could feel her own bandaging on her head, and she unconsciously raised her hand to touch them, flinching away. Even with Tyler looking worse than Eden was sure she did, he was still staring anxiously at the girl.

"Eden, I'm so sorry!" Oh god, she probably hates me-

Eden cleared her throat. "I'm fine, Tyler. Are you okay?" she asked, letting out a short gasp as a nurse began unwinding his bandages, exposing shallow slives all over his face.

I nearly kill her, and she's asking me if I'm okay?  "I thought I was going to kill you-!" Tyler cried, ignoring her words despite hearing them, "I was going too fast, and I hit the ice wrong..."

Eden flinched slightly as a nurse started dabbing at his face, watching him wince in pain. Guilt bubbled through her as she watched the teenager squirm. If she hadn't been standing there, the collision wouldn't have been so bad, and Tyler would be okay.

"Don't worry about, I'm sorry too," Eden assured him softly, looking down as she fiddled with her hands. "You missed me, anyway."

That's right... "How did you get out of the way so fast? You were there, and then you were gone..."

Eden fought a light blush, not meeting the boy's eye. "Edward- Cullen, was next to me. H-he pulled me aside."

"Cullen? I didn't see him... wow, it was all so fast, I guess. Is he okay?"

"I think so," Eden answered carefully, her quiet voice making Tyler strain to hear. "He's here somewhere, but he didn't have to use a stretcher."

I hope she doesn't have a crush on him... I-I've got to make it up to her somehow...

Eden winced, for a different reason that time, and was glad when a nurse came in a moment later to wheel her off. She had a mild concussion, an explanation as to why her head was pounding and an excuse as to why she wasn't allowed to leave yet. The nurse had firmly told her that she'd have to get checked by a doctor, and Eden was immediately filled with the woman's thoughts of Dr. Carlisle Cullen. Eden hoped it would be him, if not just for the chance to meet more of Edward's family even despite her nerves. Tyler's thoughts occupied themselves with apologies and ways of "making it up" to her, and Eden nearly felt a pang of anxiety when he vowed to take her to the upcoming prom. Without regretting it much, Eden closed her eyes, focusing on her breathing and trying to tune out the voices in her head.

Still, Eden knew the exact moment Edward Cullen came into the room.

"Is she sleeping?" his musical voice asked, and she resisted the urge to snap her eyes open; instead choosing to blink drowsily. When she looked, Edward was standing at the foot of her bed, smirking not unkindly. 

Tyler started in a rushed tone, "Hey, Edward, I'm really sorry-"

Edward raised a hand to stop him, flashing a smooth grin. "No blood, no foul."

Eden listened in to his thoughts intently, eager to hear what he was smiling about. His mind ranged from how easy it was to ignore the fresh blood when the focus is directed elsewhere, to, when he realised Eden was listening, an old nursery rhyme. Edward moved to sit on the edge of Tyler's mattress but faced Eden with a small smirk.

"So, what's the verdict?" he asked her.

Eden shifted uncomfortably, looking down. "I'm sure you already know. With your father, and all. It's... different, having so much attention." Eden laughed shortly, despite herself.