𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐮𝐦 | 𝐜.𝐝 𝐟𝐟

𝙖 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙚.

They put me in the emergency room, a long room with a line of beds separated by pastel-patterned curtains. It comforted me, knowing there was a small resemblance to the hospital wards in Hogwarts.

A nurse put a pressure cuff on my arm and a thermometer under my tongue. Since no one bothered pulling the curtain around to give me some privacy, I decided I wasn't obligated to wear the stupid neck brace anymore. When the nurse walked away, I quickly unfastened the Velcro and threw it under the bed.

There was another rush of hospital personnel, another stretcher brought to the bed next to me. I recognized Tyler Crowley from my lunch table beneath the bloodstained bandages wrapped tightly around his head. Tyler looked a hundred times worse than I felt. But he was staring anxiously at me.

"Zayra, I'm so sorry!"

"I'm fine, Tyler," I quickly reassured, "you look awful, are you all right?" 

Nurses began unwinding his bloodied bandages, exposing a myriad of shallow slices all over his forehead and left cheek. He ignored me. 

"I thought I was going to kill you! I was going too fast, and I hit the ice wrong..." He winced as one nurse started dabbing at his face.

"Don't worry about it; you missed me."

"How did you get out of the way so fast? You were there, and then you were gone..."

"Umm... Cedric pulled me out of the way."

He looked confused. "Who?"

"Edward," I corrected myself, "Edward Cullen — he was standing next to me." I think my lying skills were passable.

"Cullen? I didn't see him... Wow, it was all so fast, I guess. Is he okay?"

"I think so. He's here somewhere, but they didn't make him use a stretcher."

I knew I wasn't crazy. What had happened? There was no way to explain away what I'd seen.

They wheeled me away then, to X-ray my head. I told them there was nothing wrong, and I was right. Not even a concussion. I asked if I could leave, but the nurse said I had to talk to a doctor first. So I was trapped in the emergency room, waiting — and harassed by Tyler's constant apologies and promises to make it up to me — to be released. No matter how many times I tried to convince him I was fine, he continued to torment himself. Finally, I closed my eyes to ignore him. Out of sight, out of mind.

"Is she sleeping?" a genial voice asked. My eyes flew open. I want him in my sight.

Cedric was standing at the foot of my bed, smirking. I glared at him. He should be on the beds as well.

"Hey, Edward, I'm really sorry —" Tyler began.

Cedric lifted a hand to stop him, "No blood, no foul," he said, flashing his brilliant teeth. He moved to sit on the edge of Tyler 's bed, facing me. He smirked again.

"So, what's the verdict?" he asked me.

"There's nothing wrong with me at all, but they won't let me go," I complained. "How come you aren't strapped to a gurney like the rest of us?"

"It's all about who you know," he answered. "But don't worry, I came to spring you." He better have.

A doctor walked around the corner, and my mouth fell open. He was young, he was blond... and he was handsomer than that dummy Lockhart. He'd put Lockhart to shame. He was pale, though, and tired-looking, with circles under his eyes.

"So, Miss Freed," Dr. Cullen said in a remarkably appealing voice, "how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," I said, for the last time, I decided.