Old Soul

Chapter Fourteen: The Aftermath

When I'm finally released from the hospital, it feels like I've entered a weird, dreamlike world, in which I'm treated like a porcelain doll, easily breakable and to be handled with care. Even Will has been less boisterous than usual, a surefire sign that things are different.

"Not you too." I groan when Emmett shows up on my doorstep the Wednesday after I was attacked. My parents insisted I take at least a couple of days off, along with the insistence that I see a therapist when we find one. Forks itself doesn't have any therapy practices, and my mom has been busy looking for a nearby option. I wanted to drive myself today, but Emmett has thwarted that plan.

"Concussion, remember?" He reaches out and messes up my hair before sliding his hand down so my cheek is in his hand.

"I was cleared, remember?" I reach up and attempt to reach his hair to muss it up, but I'm too short. He laughs and bends over, letting me get my revenge on his curls.

"Carlisle thinks it'd be best if you don't drive for a bit," He adds after I close the door behind me. "Besides, are you that desperate to get away from me?"

"No, it's not that," I pause. "I just want my life to get back to normal. I'm not breakable." Emmett quirks an eyebrow at me.

"By human standards, I mean." I clarify. Emmett picks me up and carries me over to the Jeep. He tosses my cane and backpack in the back seat before crossing around to the driver's side.

"Raquel—let your body heal itself. And you don't need to prove you're a badass. You did that when you fought with that piece of—"

"Then you'd think people would treat me like the badass I am." I grumble, crossing my arms.

"I do." I look at him and raise my eyebrows. "Do you want to exhaust yourself before you even get to school?"

"No." I admit reluctantly. "Oh, we're supposed to present our Spanish presentation either today or tomorrow. I have it on a flash drive. You're doing even slides, I'm doing odds."

"Should we try to do it tomorrow? So we can practice?" The grin on his face gives away his flirty agenda.

"Sorry, I'm too delicate to go on dates." I sniff.

"Okay, no dates." He looks serious, steeling himself against my rejection.

"I don't mean not ever, you know that." I put a hand on his arm, worried he couldn't tell I was teasing. He turns into the school parking lot and glides into the space my car is usually in. He gets out, grabbing my stuff and helping me out before handing it to me.

"I know," a giant grin lights up his boyishly handsome face. "I just wanted to hear you say it." He ducks out my way, so quickly it almost looks like he used vampire speed.

"Emmett!" I shout after his retreating form, chasing after him as quickly as I can with a cane. "Get back here!"

I can hear his laugh, ringing across the parking lot. He obeys me, and I'm slightly surprised. He keeps himself out of the range of my cane.

"Yes?" His eyes sparkle with amusement.

"That wasn't nice." I frown, reproving.

"I'm sure you already have a plan for your revenge. Do you want me to carry your stuff?"

"No, I got it."

"Then I'll see you at lunch."

"I might sit with Angela and Jess. They've been dying to talk to me, now that Bella's accident has fallen to the back burner in terms of new gossip."

"I can still wave at you, right?" I roll my eyes.

"You can. Maybe if I'm feeling charitable I'll wave back."