It was absolutely77 silent for one long second or two before the screaming began. In the abrupt bedlam, I could hear more than one person shouting my name. But more clearly than all the yelling, I could hear Fredward Cullen's low, frantic voice in my ear.
"Bella? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." My voice sounded strange. I tried to sit up and realized he was holding me against the side of his rock-hard body in an iron grip.
"Be careful," he warned as I struggled, but was no match for his buff buck bod. "I think you hit your head pretty hard." I wanted to hit him pretty hard!
I became aware of a throbbing ache centered above my left ear.
"Ow," I said, surprised.
"That's what I thought." His voice, amazingly, sounded like he was suppressing laughter. What was he laughing at?
"How in the... " I trailed off, trying to clear my head, get my bearings. "How did you get over here so fast?"
"I was standing right next to you, Bella," he said, his tone serious again. I couldn't believe my ears.78
I turned to sit up and this time he let me, releasing his unbelievably tight hold around my waist and sliding as far from me as he could in the limited space between the van and my truck, both of which had recently collided. I looked at his concerned, innocent expression and was disoriented again by the of his gold-colored eyes. What was I asking him? What was he trying to tell me?
And then they found us, a crowd of people with tears streaming down each of their cheeks, shouting at each other, shouting at us.79
"Don't move," someone instructed.
"Get Tyler out of the van!" someone else shouted. I wondered why people were always telling each other what to do.80
77. With Absolut.
78. Bella would rather question her ears than the words that come out of her almost-boyfriend's mouth.
79. Bella and Fredward were not shouting at anyone.
80. Please see discussion question #2.