under my tongue. Since no one bothered pulling the curtain around to give me some privacy, I decided I wasn't obliged to wear the stupid-looking neck brace anymore. When the nurse walked away, I quickly unfastened the Velcro and threw it in the trash.
There was another flurry of hospital personnel, another stretcher brought to the bed next to me. I recognized that jig Tyler Crowley from my government class beneath the white, bloodstained bandages wrapped tightly around his head. Tyler looked a hundred times worse than I felt, but he was staring anxiously at me. I began to feel claustrophobic, and wondered if there were any other rooms they could have put him in so that I wouldn't have to talk to him. I didn't want to talk to anyone, let alone the crazy—
"Bella, I'm so sorry!" He sputtered, spraying spittle and blood.
I cringed, swallowing my rage and revulsion. "I'm fine, Tyler—you look awful, are you alright?" I feigned interest in his head-bandages.
As we spoke, nurses began unwinding his soiled bandages, exposing a myriad of shallow slices all over his forehead and left cheek. It was disgusting and I wished I hadn't asked.
He ignored me. "I thought I was going to kill you! I was going too fast, and I hit the ice wrong... ." He whined as one nurse started dabbing at his face.
"Don't worry about it, you missed me." I wished he'd forgive himself so he would stop talking to me. That way I wouldn't have to look at his face anymore.
"How did you get out of the way so fast? You were there, and then you were gone..."
"Umm... Fredward pulled me out of the way."
He looked confused. "Who is Fredward?"
"Fredward Cullen—he was standing next to me." I'd always been a terrible liar. It was one of my faults, but it was not immediately noticeable, so it didn't prevent boys at the Forks High School from popping hard ones whenever I entered the room.
"Cullen? I didn't see him... wow, it was all so fast, I guess. Is he okay?" Tyler wasn't very good at picking up that I didn't want to talk to him.
"I think so. He's here somewhere, but they didn't make him use a stretcher. Apparently he didn't need stretching."

61

Chapter 3

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