The First Drop Of Rain

Chapter two

"Come on Ari, come on!" I heard Jake's voice faintly, but it felt so far, and then I felt the pressure on my lips as air was pushed into my mouth, my nose pinched closed. The water that expelled from my lungs was salty and fishy, and absolutely awful. When I opened my eyes, there was Jake, his arms covered in blood, and his hair dripping wet. "Oh my god Ari!" He hugged me and I cried out. "I'm so sorry!" He gasped suddenly. When I tried to move I felt tears sting my eyes. "I already called your dad and Mine, yours is on the way, we're taking you to the hospital." He said calmly, he had my bag swung over his bare shoulder and his board was underneath me.

"Where's my board?" I asked with a gasping breath.

"It broke when you hit the rocks." He said apologetically. "I had to put you on mine to get you on shore."

"Does this mean no cliff jumping next week?" I asked with a choked laugh, looking down my body and seeing the blood all over my leg.

"You're crazy." He laughed and looked up just as my dad's cruiser pulled up. I could hear Maddie barking loudly, she knew I was hurt.

Before I knew it my dad was there and helping Jake pick me up. "My god Arabella." He said, grunting as he lifted me and the board with Jake.

"I'm sorry dad," I reached for him and winced. "That wave came out of nowhere, pulled me right under."

"It's okay baby, I know, come on let's get you in the car." The walk up to the car was filled with jostles and Jake nearly dropping me. Once we were there, Jake jumped in, and my dad picked me up and put me in the back, Jake holding my head and looking apologetically at Maddie who whines loudly. "Jacob, call your dad, let him know we will be at the hospital, I'll take you home tonight but your board is still at the beach." Jake nodded and pulled his phone from my bag, pushing mine back into its pocket. Meanwhile I watched my dad push on the radio and start talking. "Charlie, it's Jacks, I got her, call the hospital, let them know I'm on my way in. She's got a cut down her leg and god knows what else."

"Ssshhtt gotcha, hope she's okay. Ppt." Charlie Swan's voice broke over the radio, and my dad flipped on the siren and picked up the speed, parting traffic like Moses and the Red Sea.

•••

Once we got to the hospital we were met by a flurry of nurses accompanied by a blonde and perfect looking doctor. His jacket read "Dr.Cullen" and instantly I recognized him as Edward's dad. "Hey." I laughed, holding my side as I did. "I met your kids today." I smiled, but it left my face as soon as they moved me, I cried out and squeezed my eyes shut.

Shit shit shit shit I hate everything.

I opened my eyes and went searching the room for a familiar face, I was too scared to deal with this, and my eyes caught a face I didn't expect.

Edward's here? Didn't expect that.

I felt silly, of course I should expect that his dad was here after all. They started to wheel me away and I began to panic, searching for my father, or at least Jake. Hell even Maddie would do, they couldn't have all left me. I couldn't find them in the chaos, and my fear only began to build.

"Don't be scared, your dad's filling out papers and your friend isn't allowed any further." Dr.Cullen's voice pushed through my panicked cloud. "We are just going to clean the cut and give you stitches, X-ray your ribs because it looks like you're favoring them, and check for a head injury. Okay?" His voice was calm and steady among the other sounds that were so loud.

"Yeah." I coughed, my mouth still dry from the sea water. "I swallowed some water too." I informed them, and he nodded, informing a nurse to get fluids.