Chapter Seven
Pep Rally
Alice

"So, he's really arriving today huh?" Edward asked me as we sat next to each other at the lunch table.

"Edward, for the last time calm down." I giggled. "Thomas and I are just going to be friends, that's all." I spoke soundly.

"Alright." Edward sighed, still worried.

"Is that him?" Emmett asked and I turned around to look towards the cafeteria doors.

A tall, dark skinned, long black haired boy had just walked into the cafeteria. He looked so out of place, so bored to be here, and my heart hurt for him knowing how much of a hard transition this would be for him. He was beautiful, don't get me wrong, but my god of a boyfriend outshines him any day.

"Yes, that's Thomas Black." I nodded. "He's going to be in our Biology class and my gym class last period."

"You're going to be alone with him?" Edward asked worriedly.

"Calm down." I told Edward, acting playfully authoritative. "He's just a friend."

"Then, what about the whole being happy and living a long life with him thing?" Emmett asked.

"That's just if something goes horribly wrong." I shuddered.

"Like what?" Edward asked.

"Like...your death." I sighed. "Which I haven't seen!" I quickly added. "Or if you for some reason decide to leave me or something else terrible that I don't wish to think about. Stuff like that." I nodded as the bell rang. "Let's get to class."

Biology was boring, the only thing really noticeable was that Thomas had smiled at me as he walked to his seat at the back, causing a jealous flare from Edward.

"Are you sure everything's going to be okay?" Edward asked me as we stopped outside the gym doors.

"Positive, see you after class." I giggled and entered the gym.

After getting dressed out I headed into the gym where Tom was quick to come up to me.

"Hey, you're Alice Brandon, right?" He asked me.

"Yes, and you're Thomas Black." I nodded. "But I'm gonna call you Tom." I giggled and he smiled brightly.

"Okay, Tom it is then." He chuckled. "You know, our dads are actually old friends. Apparently we used to play together all the time when you guys still lived in Forks." He smiled down at me.

"Yeah, yeah, I remember that." I smiled. "Good old Forks, Washington, I haven't been there since I was nine." I laughed.

"Yeah, I'm going to miss my cousins." He sighed.

"Well, I'm sure they'll miss you too." I smiled reassuringly at him.

"Yeah, well, I guess I'll talk to you later." He smiled at me as the coach called for our attention.

By the time Friday rolled around, the entire town new Edward and I were dating, much to Tom's dismay. Everyone was caught up in rumors. Most people thought that Edward was just taking pity on me because of my mother, others thought that I had my claws so deep into him that he just couldn't get away, and most of the guys thought that I was just really great in bed.

"Honestly, I don't know how much longer I can take hearing all of these disgusting thoughts about you." Edward grumbled at lunch one day as he shredded his apple.

"Just ignore them, I do." I giggled.

"Do you know what most of the boys are thinking about you?" He asked seriously.

"That I must be good in bed because someone like you would never date someone like me otherwise." I nodded. "Yes, I know what they're thinking, I hear them say it all the time in the hallway, and it doesn't bother me."

"Why not Alice?" Emmett asked confused and then leaned across the table towards me. "Are you actually good in bed?" He smirked and Edward kicked him from underneath the table.

"Emmett." I groaned. "It doesn't upset me because I know it's just petty gossip, I've heard way worse. Plus, being with Edward and hanging around all of you makes everything worth it." I smiled and Rosalie rolled her eyes, the first reaction I've gotten out of her in a week.

"You're so naïve Alice, you know that, right?" Rosalie scoffed.

"Probably." I shrugged, surprising her as the bell for the assembly rang. "I've got to go get changed, see you after the pep rally." I smiled and Edward kissed my head before I rushed off to the gym.

I changed into my cheer uniform quickly, tied my hair up into a ponytail, put on my cheer bow, and walked out into the gym where some of the other girls were already waiting.

"She's such a slut! Sleeping with him just to keep the title of his girlfriend...so pathetic." Allison sneered and my heart sank.

A girl I've defended countless times, a girl I thought was sweet and kind and different from the others, is just as mean and vicious as the rest.

"I'm sad to hear you think that's the truth." I spoke suddenly, surprising myself.

"Oh! Alice!" Allison cried in surprise and turned to face me. "I-I wasn't talking about you." She smiled forcibly.

"Of course you weren't." I smiled back, showing my anger through my eyes. "Let's get in formation." I addressed the girls and turned to stand on my spot.

I put a wide smile on my face and searched the crowd for Edward and his siblings. I finally found him and Emmett sitting almost directly across from where I was standing, and as soon as I made eye contact with them, a real smile spread across my face. Edward winked at me and the music for our cheer routine started.

We did our flips and turns and our dance break perfectly before getting in formation for our flying routine.

I put my feet into the girl's hands and the second Mindy's hands touched my shoulders to support me, I was pulled into a vision.

Blood, staining the gym floor, seeping from my head as I stared blankly up towards the ceiling.

They're going to drop me.

Panic bubbled up in my chest as I was launched into the air, knowing I was about to be injured and could do nothing to stop it. I did my flips, the crowd went wild, and the next thing I knew I hit the gym floor.

My skull cracked against the hard floor, pain radiated through my entire body, and I felt dizzy and nauseous as I stared up at the ceiling, the fluorescent lighting burning my eyes.

The screaming started then.

People started to crowd me, asking if I was okay, and soon Edward was right beside me begging me to answer him.

I couldn't speak or move, I wanted to answer Edward, I wanted to get up and finish the pep rally, but I just couldn't make anything work.

Thomas was beside me too, worried just as much as everyone else. After a few minuets the coaches came and made everyone back away from me, everyone except Edward and Emmett who somehow convinced the coaches they had to stay with me.

The paramedics arrived after what seemed like years and loaded me onto a stretcher very carefully. Edward instructed them to take me to the hospital Carlisle works at and told me that he would see me there soon.

The entire ambulance ride was spent with the paramedics asking me different questions, that I could hear and understand but I couldn't respond too.

"This doesn't look good Henry." One of the paramedics sighed.

"Yeah, it doesn't. But Doctor Cullen is one of the best." Henry, I assumed, answered the first paramedic.

We finally arrived at the hospital and I was quickly rushed into the ICU, where Edward and Carlisle were waiting the second the doors opened.

"Alice, can you hear me?" Carlisle asked but I still couldn't say anything, so instead I looked up and back down.

"Yes? Does that mean yes?" He asked hopefully and I repeated the same gesture.

"Thank god!" He sighed in relief. "I need her to get the works, immediately, this is a high priority case." Carlisle instructed to his nurses, who quickly wheeled me away to get a CT and X-rays.

After a long few hours of test and scans and more test Carlisle finally came to my gurney with a tired but hopeful look on his face.

"I've got good news and bad news for you Alice. The bad news is that you're going to need some serious surgery to fix your neck and head, but the good news is that I'm hopeful you will make a full recovery. Edwards in the waiting room, I'm so sorry he's not allowed in the ICU, but your father just arrived and will be here shortly. I'll take you up to surgery in twenty minuets." Carlisle smiled softly at me. "I'll see you very soon sweet Alice." He squeezed my hand and left my makeshift room.

Not even two minuets later my father opened my curtains, a strained look on his face.

"Good god Alice, how much trouble have you gotten yourself into now." He grumbled and sat in a nearby chair. "I was busy at work and I get a phone call from that no good boy of yours telling me you're in the ICU getting treated for serious injuries. What did you do?" He asked me sternly, but I couldn't answer him.

"I'm waiting." He stressed. "Have you gone deaf or something?" He yelled.

"What is going on in here." Carlisle stepped inside suddenly, a worried look on his face.

"I'm Alice's father, she's not answering me, she's being a stubborn kid again, it's nothing really." My father waved him off, expected Carlisle to back down like everyone else does.

"Alice is unable to speak at the moment, she can hear you perfectly well. I'm taking her up to surgery right now, you're free to leave or wait in the waiting room if you choose to do so." Carlisle spoke gruffly as he pushed my gurney down the hall, surprising me.

"Don't worry Alice, I'll take care of you." Carlisle promised me as he pushed me into the surgical suite. "I'll see you soon Alice." He told me as a nurse slipped a anesthesia mask over my face and my eyes fluttered closed.