Twilight Fire and Ice

Jail Time

The next morning I was waken by Alice who helped me to get showered and dressed. After I was ready for school I ate breakfast. When we were all in the garage, getting ready to load up in the vehicles, I noticed Edward was back.

"Hey," I greated him.

He looked to be in a pensive state before I addressed him. But he was quick to acknowledge me and even smiled.

"Good morning, Sophia." He chirped.

His unnaturally good spirits through me off. Every time I met Edward he seemed so sullen.

"You seem to be in a good mood today."

He scrunched up his face as if this was news to him. "Yeah, I believe I am." He replied before turning and walking over to Esme. They began a brief conversation and then he climbed into his car and left.

Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett were next. Followed by Ben and myself. Just like last time we rode together, it was in silence. I didn't even bother commenting on his driving. But I was thankful when we arrived at school in one piece. Especially since the roads were extra slick with ice.

"Looks like your sister is here." Ben said as he pulled into the only open spot, beside her truck.

"She got that thing fixed?" I questioned in disbelief.

"She has been working at Mike's families store. They pay decent wages to their employees. Plus, she said she was sick and tired of your care. I believe she called it a converticrap."

I clenched my fists. My car was not crap. It was amazing! It was beautiful, unlike that eyesore of a truck she had.

"I can't wait to drive my car again. When I get out of this chair I-" I paused, not bothering to finish my thought because it was crap. I was never going to drive again because I was never going to walk again.

I looked down, staring at my hands as I wringed them together. Then Ben's hand was on my leg. I couldn't feel it though. I could only see and try to remember what it felt like to be touched.

"Things will get better," he said to me in the gentlest of voices.

I wanted to lash out at him and call him a liar. I wanted to hit him and tell him that his words were stupid and a waste of precious breath but all I did was let tears fall from my eyes.

"We should do something tonight," he added.

I turned to look at him. "Like what?" I asked, wiping my eyes.

"We can go to the restuarant at the top of the Space Needle in Seattle. It will be nice, you and I dressed up and on a date."

"A date?" I repeated.

"Yeah, isn't that what a boyfriend and girlfriend do?" He flashed me a crooked smile.

"We aren't."

"Last night-"

"Last night, Ben.... Last night I had just officially started the beginning of my life as a cripple. Having sex was the only way I could feel normal and pretend I was still able to walk. I don't want to have a boyfriend. I'm happy just being me... Well I was."

"So you basically used me?"

I crossed my arms. "No differently than you did those other women you screwed around with."

"This was your virginity, Sophia. How... Why would you give it up to someone you didn't love?"

"Why would you!" I snapped back.

He paused and in the next moment his face darkened. "I did. She died a long time ago, from the spanish influenza. We talked about getting married when she got better and going off to college together. The next morning she was dead." Ben's lips pressed into a hard line before he opened up the door and slide out.