CHAPTER IV ―

NOT A WORD!

𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓, Nora grabbed the grocery bag in the backseat filled with tonight's dinner. As she walked across the wet sidewalk up to the front door, Nora was already dreading the questions of how her first day went and so on. He hadn't been able to bombard her with them during the ride home, but she was sure he would now.

The door creaked behind her as she shut it, looking around her home still filled with a few unpacked boxes. "Dad?" Nora shouted, frowning. Sighing, Nora plopped her heavy backpack on the floor next to the front door, and quickly walked to the kitchen and set the paper bag from the grocery store on the counter, beginning to pull out the chicken and canned vegetables for tonight's dinner.

"There's my beautiful daughter!" William Elliot's voice rang as he came through the front door, clad in his new Forks PD attire with a bright smile. Nora's father kissed the top of his daughter's head, a small smile on her features.

"Hey, Dad," Nora greeted, pulling out a pan from the box on the floor. She really needed to unpack more, it was obvious her father wasn't going to be able to.

"How was school?" William questioned, beginning to tug off his wet jacket to hang it up. "I was surprised I didn't get a call from the school, but I suppose I might soon," he teased with a fond smile.

Nora scoffed, rolling her eyes as she began making the chicken on the stove. "We both know that I'm more graceful than Aunt June."

William chuckled. "True, but you're not exactly easy on your toes either. Especially since it's wet down here!"

"Uh, well," Nora nervously chuckled as she put the seasoning on the chicken. "doyouconsidergettinghitbyacarnotclumsy?" she rushed out, praying that her father didn't hear her, but apparently he did.

     "You what?!"  William shouted, his face pale.

"Uh, yeah," she said with a shrug. "But it was no big deal or else I would've called you." Nora's father's jaw was ticking, it was a habit he developed over the years with his clumsy daughter. And by that, Nora knew her father was getting more worried with every second. "If it counts, these angels helped me."

William gaped. "Angels?!" he shouted, grabbing his daughter's arm. "Do you need to see a doctor? Something could be seriously wrong, Nora! Why didn't you call me?" Nora could hear his tone jumping from worried to furious to sensitive to furious again.

Nora took her arm back, shaking her head. "I'm fine, and they were just really beautiful people! I think I'm just fine."

"Why don't we just take you down to Forks Hospital?" William offered. "Just to be sure with you and your clumsiness. I hear Doctor Cullen is very good." Did he just say Cullen? "I was told that he was one of the best, so I trust that he is!"

"You're going." And before Nora could argue, William had turned the stove off and quickly grabbed his daughter's pink pig slippers that were at the door, tossing them towards her and grabbing his own jacket, tugging it on and grabbing Nora's. "Here, we're going. No arguing."

Nora sighed and let her father drag her out of the house in her embarrassing pink pig slippers and her large, gray parka jacket, closing her eyes and letting herself being thrown into the leather front seats of her father's car. It only took him a second to do it and get into the driver's seat himself. "So, tell me about your day."

As her father drove fast (and slightly recklessly in her opinion) Nora decided to answer him, trying to calm her nerves by distracting herself. "Well, as I said, I met the Cullen's today and I thought they were beautiful," she blurted. William chuckled.

"I'm sure."

Nora began to imagine Doctor Cullen in her head. He had to be gorgeous, like all of the other Cullen's. And of course, he was young, which is why the Cullen's are his foster kids. Not to mention his wife had to beautiful, too. It had to be kinda genetic or something. "How were your classes?" William questioned.

"It was fine," Nora sighed. "Everyone was really nice." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the entire truth either.

Nora felt bad for her dad. She knew he hated moving as much as they did... not to mention, that he always had to move Nora around. Her dad wasn't bad looking, even for his age of 37, but he always turned away any attention from woman, claiming that Nora was more important than anything. "I'm glad it was, besides getting hit by a car! Gosh, Nora, you have to be more careful!"

The rest of the ten-minute car ride was silent, and before Nora knew it, her father parked the car at Forks Hospital. "Alright, c'mon, let's go."

...

"I can't say that I see anything wrong," the nurse spoke, checking Nora over and chuckling at her pink pig slippers. "She'll probably bruise on her back, but that's expected." She gave a small smile to both of the Elliot's. "Doctor Cullen will be with you soon, though. I'm Jenny if you need anything." Nora couldn't help but smirk as the nurse Jenny gave her father a small wink walking out.

Nora looked at her father, amusement written all over her features as William shook his head at his daughter. "Not a word, Nora Ann."

"But da-"

"Not a word!" Nora raised her hands in defense, giggling. These moments felt good, especially since the accident...

"Not a word," she repeated, silently playing with her fingers for a moment. "But if you did want to go out on a date wit-"

"Nora!" William scolded, slightly embarrassed by his sixteen-year-old daughter trying to set him up with someone! "No. I'm going to grab a coffee."

"And her number," Nora teased, watching at he left, leaving her to her own devices. Looking at the window, Nora thought about escaping. She could make a run for it, she was only a story up.

Before she could actually pursue it, the door had opened revealing a stunningly beautiful man. This must have been Doctor Cullen, Nora thought. His hair was slicked back into waves, his eyes a stunning bright gold, his nose and mouth slim with youth. Nora couldn't blame any of the nurses for liking him. "Nora Elliot," his voice a sigh and his breath swam across her face. She winced slightly. He gave her a smile, trying to make eye contact with her. "So, you got him by a..." he glanced down at his clipboard, raising a brow. "You got hit by a car?"

Nora felt stupid and embarrassed as he said it, but when she looked up, she noticed he was smiling. "I'm not exactly light on my feet."

He gave a slight chuckle, his eyes cast downwards at the pink pig slippers and he just smiled. "Very nice slippers, and no worries. The sheet here says that you feel alright?"

Nora blushed. "Uh, thank you. I feel fine," she shrugged her shoulders. "My dad was being a little overdramatic and insisted I come here to get checked out. You'll probably be seeing a lot more of me."

"Oh?" He snickered, pulling out his stethoscope and placing its cold surface on her chest. "I guess kids should be more careful these days. They should also watch where they're driving." He moved the stethoscope to her back, his thin brows creasing. "I think eighteen is a respectable age for a driver's license."

"I agree. There way too many deaths with teen drivers. It's wrong to be having so many lives taken at such a young age," Nora shook her head.

He gave her a wide smile, looking impressed. "You give a good argument, Miss Elliot! Ever thought about joining the debate team?"

"Uh, no, not really. I try not to join clubs very often, considering that I don't stay in one place for very long."

He hummed, checking over her charts once more. "It seems you're just bruised, but everything else seems fine." He smiled at her. "Your father will be relieved."

"Alright," Nora chuckled, hopping off of the seat. "Just expect to see me a lot more."

"Just wait a moment," he gave the teenage girl a kind smile. "I read in your charts that you were involved in a bad car accident." Nora swallowed but nodded stiffly. "How are you healing?"

Nora shrugged. "Fine." It was a lie and they both knew it.

"If you need anything, Nora, I'm here." Nora nodded. He patted her back, winking. "I'm just glad you're alright and do try not to get hurt."

"I'm alive and well," Nora said, finding her father down in the waiting room. "See, dad? I told you! No need to worry."

William smiled, shaking his head. "I always have to worry with you, Nora. Ever since you were a toddler! You'll understand one day. Won't she, Doctor?"

"I know my wife and I are very protective of our children," Carlisle grinned and placed his unmarked files on a nearby table. "However, I understand it was my children who hit you with their car?" A frown was placed on Carlisle's angelic features, his eyes skimming over Nora.

They hadn't hurt me, Nora thought. And they were very kind about it... or, well, at least Emmett was. "It's fine, I'm fine. No worries. It wasn't their fault, I was just lost in my thoughts."

"See? Not our fault, like she said."

The voice caused Nora to jump slightly, and spin around in alarm, although she knew who it was. Rosalie stood behind her, her hip popped out and her arms crossed her chest. Nora heard Doctor Cullen sigh in annoyance.

"What?" She snapped, brushing past Nora. "You can't get upset with Emmett because he was driving. She ran into us." As she crossed over to the room to Carlisle, her golden eyes flashed a dark color.

"Rosalie," Carlisle sighed, shutting his eyes. "Can't you wait in my office? Please?"

Nora's father was quick to interfere. "Thank you very much, Doctor Cullen." William gestured for his daughter to follow. "I'm just a concerned father. She's all I have and I'd like her to live a lot longer." William nodded towards Carlisle and Rosalie. "It was nice meeting you both."

"Thank you," Nora gave them both a tight-lipped smile as she followed her father. And out of the corner of her eye, Nora saw him whisper something in Rosalie's ear before taking her into his office. It was like he was afraid someone could overhear their conversation, Nora thought. But why?

As she glanced back once more, Nora felt herself collide with a hard wall, but when she looked to see what it was, she felt her heart skip a beat. It wasn't a wall, but a person and it just happened to be him. "Edward," she breathed. "Sorry."

He backed up slightly, his features slightly tight as he clenched his jaw. "Nora." His voice shook along with his body. "I apologize, I wasn't watching where I was going." Nora shook her head, frowning when she realized that this was the first time they spoke, the first time that she'd ever heard a word from his mouth. His voice was a lot deeper than she expected...

"It wasn't your fault, I wasn't paying attention."

"Right." He didn't say anymore and refused to make eye contact. Nora frowned.

"Uh," Nora awkwardly smiled. "Well, have a good day, Edward." He quickly passed her and Nora could tell he was holding his breath. He didn't give a goodbye or a gesture. He didn't give anything. Nora just sighed and shook her head.

...

Later that night, after her father had eaten dinner with her and went off to his night shift, she found herself sitting on her bed and staring at all the unpacked boxes beginning to be unpacked. Her eyes narrowed as they skimmed over the cardboard squares. There were twelve boxes, all of different sizes and she felt no desire to unpack them.

In fact, Nora felt like she wanted to sleep. She wanted to pull herself the rest of the way into her bed and disappeared in her covers. She wanted to be shielded away from the cold weather of Forks and the cold hands of Carlisle Cullen. She wanted her mom to still be here to see her grow up, she wanted her little sister annoying her to death...

Nora cursed herself for thinking of this now. She waited for the tears to come as she locked eyes with an open cardboard box that just happened to have a picture of her mother holding her when she was born, a bright smile on her young features. She had gone through ten hours of extreme labor with her and always swore that it was worth it. Nora yearned to be held in her mother's arms again...

Walking back to her bed, Nora flopped down on her comforter and wrapped a blanket around herself, staring out the window. She sat there for hours, just staring as the rest of the day came to an end and the moon was up. It was then she heard the front door open and shut, loud footsteps throughout the house until she heard her father go to his bedroom just down the hall from hers, the door going shut and that was it.

She felt dumb, just sitting there. It wasn't like she was depressed (was she?), she was just deep in thought. Thinking deeply was different than depression. It was Nora's way of coping. She remembered her Aunt telling her that it was completely normal and that she wasn't depressed, that she just needed to cope with the day or week and this was exactly how she did. It had been helpful, and she couldn't ask for anymore more.

Nora quietly changed out of her day clothes and into her pajamas, trying not to wake up her sleeping father. The clock read 11:42 and she snuck back into her bed without brushing her teeth. As she shut her eyes, Nora prayed silently that she could just get a full nights sleep for once.

─ ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧ ─