Aria's Twilight

Safe

3rd pov

Aria carefully made her way across the icy parking lot toward Bella's truck, boots crunching on the thin layer of frost. She waved goodbye to Angela, who stood near the school doors, then glanced across the lot—and froze. Edward was watching her, standing a little apart from the crowd, his golden eyes sharp and unreadable. She smiled and waved, and he returned the gesture with that same quiet intensity.

Then came the screech of tires—a sound that made the hair on Aria's arms stand on end.

Her head whipped around just in time to see a grey van spinning wildly, the panicked face of Tyler Crowley reflected in the windshield as he struggled to control the wheel. The vehicle seemed to slow as if the world itself had gone into slow motion. Aria's breath caught in her throat.

She closed her eyes, bracing for impact—but the collision she expected never came. Instead, a powerful force slammed into her side, pinning her to the icy ground. When she opened her eyes, her head pounding, she saw him: Edward Cullen, towering above her, his hands still pressed firmly against her small body to shield her. Topaz eyes met her green ones, and for a heartbeat, neither spoke.

Edward inhaled her scent, subtle and intoxicating, and felt the quick rise and fall of her breaths against his face. A shiver ran through him at the closeness, and Aria's pulse raced in response. Their moment was broken by the screech of metal and glass as the van slammed into the back of another car. Edward reacted instantly, pulling Aria into a tight protective ball beneath him as shards of glass rained down.

The van continued its deadly path, and Edward's hands pressed against its sides, pushing it away with superhuman strength. Two deep handprints etched themselves into the metal as the vehicle skidded past, finally coming to rest.

Aria's wide green eyes stared up at him, heart still hammering. The parking lot was silent, the frozen calm only broken by the sudden, collective scream of the students witnessing the scene. Edward noticed her teeth chattering from the cold and, without hesitation, removed his coat, draping it around her smaller frame.

The movement snapped Aria out of her daze. She trembled, tears spilling freely down her face, and buried it in Edward's shoulder. His cold fingers threaded gently through her curls, careful of the bump forming at the back of her head. He didn't mind the wetness of her tears; his focus was entirely on her safety.

Voices called out, yelling for help. Students rushed forward, pulling a dazed and injured Tyler from the damaged van. Edward lifted Aria from the icy ground, his protective presence unshakable. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly, the words suddenly inadequate.

Tears streamed freely now, and Aria clung to him, sobbing into his chest. He held her steady, stroking her hair, whispering calm reassurances she couldn't yet hear.

Once the scene was secured, Aria was bundled into an ambulance with Bella riding in the back, and Edward sitting silently in the front. Tyler, his own injuries evident, was loaded onto a gurney in the same vehicle. The ride was tense, punctuated only by Aria's soft, shivering breaths and Bella holding her hand tightly.

At the hospital, Aria was wheeled into a room, an ice pack pressed against the back of her head. Tyler lay nearby, blood from a cut above his eyebrow and other minor injuries smeared across his face. The silence was shattered by the double doors swinging open. Charlie Swan, pale and frantic, rushed in, eyes scanning his daughters.

"Baby girl! Are you alright? Bella, are you okay?" His voice cracked with worry.

"Daddy, I'm fine," Aria whispered, her voice muffled against the sheets.

"We're fine," Bella added firmly.

Tyler, guilt written across his young face, looked toward Aria again. "I—I'm so sorry, Aria. I tried to stop, I swear."