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〃No； Rose； I think it really will be okay；〃 Alice said。 〃It's？firming up。 I'm
ninety…three percent sure that nothing bad will happen if he goes to class。〃 She looked at
me inquisitively； wondering what had changed in my thoughts that made her vision of the
future more secure。
Would curiosity be enough to keep Bella Swan alive？
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
35
Emmett was right； though—why not get it over with； either way？ I would face
the temptation head on。
〃Go to class；〃 I ordered； pushing away from the table。 I turned and strode away
from them without looking back。 I could hear Alice's worry； Jasper's censure； Emmett's
approval； and Rosalie's irritation trailing after me。
I took one last deep breath at the door of the classroom； and then held it in my
lungs as I walked into the small； warm space。
I was not late。 Mr。 Banner was still setting up for today's lab。 The girl sat at
my—at our table； her face down again； staring at the folder she was doodling on。 I
examined the sketch as I approached； interested in even this trivial creation of her mind；
but it was meaningless。 Just a random scribbling of loops within loops。 Perhaps she was
not concentrating on the pattern； but thinking of something else？
I pulled my chair back with unnecessary roughness； letting it scrape across the
linoleum； humans always felt more comfortable when noise announced someone's
approach。
I knew she heard the sound； she did not look up； but her hand missed a loop in the
design she was drawing； making it unbalanced。
Why didn't she look up？ Probably she was frightened。 I must be sure to leave
her with a different impression this time。 Make her think she'd been imagining things
before。
〃Hello；〃 I said in the quiet voice I used when I wanted to make humans more
comfortable； forming a polite smile with my lips that would not show any teeth。
She looked up then； her wide brown eyes startled—almost bewildered—and full
of silent questions。 It was the same expression that had been obstructing my vision for
the last week。
As I stared into those oddly deep brown eyes； I realized that the hate—the hate I'd
imagined this girl somehow deserved for simply existing—had evaporated。 Not
breathing now； not tasting her scent； it was hard to believe that anyone so vulnerable
could ever justify hatred。
Her cheeks began to flush； and she said nothing。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
36
I kept my eyes on hers； focusing only on their questioning depths； and tried to
ignore the appetizing color of her skin。 I had enough breath to speak for a while longer
without inhaling。
〃My name is Edward Cullen；〃 I said； though I knew she knew that。 It was the
polite way to begin。 〃I didn't have a chance to introduce myself last week。 You must be
Bella Swan。〃
She seemed confused—there was that little pucker between her eyes again。 It
took her half a second longer than it should have for her to respond。
〃How do you know my name？〃 she demanded； and her voice shook just a little。
I must have truly terrified her。 This made me feel guilty； she was just so
defenseless。 I laughed gently—it was a sound that I knew made humans more at ease。
Again； I was careful about my teeth。
〃Oh； I think everyone knows your name。〃 Surely she must have realized that
she'd become the center of attention in this monotonous place。 〃The whole town's been
waiting for you to arrive。〃
She frowned as if this information was unpleasant。 I supposed； being shy as she
seemed to be； attention would seem like a bad thing to her。 Most humans felt the
opposite。 Though they didn't want to stand out from the herd； at the same time they
craved a spotlight for their individual uniformity。
〃No；〃 she said。 〃I meant； why did you call me Bella？〃
〃Do you prefer Isabella？〃 I asked； perplexed by the fact that I couldn't see where
this question was leading。 I didn't understand。 Surely； she'd made her preference clear
many times that first day。 Were all humans this incomprehensible without the mental
context as a guide？
〃No； I like Bella；〃 she answered； leaning her head slightly to one side。 Her
expression—if I was reading it correctly—was torn between embarrassment and
confusion。 〃But I think Charlie—I mean my dad—must call me Isabella behind my back。
That's what everyone here seems to know me as。〃 Her skin darkened one shade pinker。
〃Oh；〃 I said lamely； and quickly looked away from her face。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
37
I'd just realized what her questions meant： I had slipped up—made an error。 If I
hadn't been eavesdropping on all the others that first day； then I would have addressed
her initially by her full name； just like everyone else。 She'd noticed the difference。
I felt a pang of unease。 It was very quick of her to pick up on my slip。 Quite
astute； especially for someone who was supposed to be terrified by my nearness。
But I had bigger problems than whatever suspicions about me she might be
keeping locked inside her head。
I was out of air。 If I were going to speak to her again； I would have to inhale。
It would be hard to avoid speaking。 Unfortunately for her； sharing this table made
her my lab partner； and we would have to work together today。 It would seem odd—and
incomprehensibly rude—for me to ignore her while we did the lab。 It would make her
more suspicious； more afraid？
I leaned as far away from her as I could without moving my seat； twisting my
head out into the aisle。 I braced myself； locking my muscles in place； and then sucked in
one quick chest…full of air； breathing through my mouth alone。
Ahh！
It was genuinely painful。 Even without smelling her； I could taste her on my
tongue。 My throat was suddenly in flames again； the craving every bit as strong as that
first moment I'd caught her scent last week。
I gritted my teeth together and tried to compose myself。
〃Get started；〃 Mr。 Banner commanded。
It felt like it took every single ounce of self…control that I'd achieved in seventy
years of hard work to turn back to the girl； who was staring down at the table； and smile。
〃Ladies first； partner？〃 I offered。
She looked up at my expression and her face went blank； her eyes wide。 Was
there something off in my expression？ Was she frightened again？ She didn't speak。
〃Or； I could start； if you wish；〃 I said quietly。
〃No；〃 she said； and her face went from white to red again。 〃I'll go first。〃
I stared at the equipment on the table； the battered microscope； the box of slides；
rather than watch the blood swirl under her clear skin。 I took another quick breath；
through my teeth； and winced as the taste made my throat ache。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
38
〃Prophase；〃 she said after a quick examination。 She started to remove the slide；
though she'd barely examined it。
〃Do you mind if I look？〃 Instinctively—stupidly； as if I were one of her kind—I
reached out to stop her hand from removing the slide。 For one second； the heat of her
skin burned into mine。 It was like an electric pulse—surely much hotter than a mere
ninety…eight point six degrees。 The heat shot through m