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〃Then why does it matter？〃 I asked； working to keep my voice severe。
〃It matters to me；〃 she said intensely。 〃I don't like to lie—so there'd better be a
good reason why I'm doing it。〃
She was asking me to trust her。 Just as I wanted her to trust me。 But this was a
line I could not cross。
My voice stayed callous。 〃Can't you just thank me and get it over with？〃
〃Thank you；〃 she said； and then she fumed silently； waiting。
〃You're not going to let it go； are you？〃
〃No。〃
〃In that case？〃 I couldn't tell her the truth if I wanted to？and I didn't want to。
I'd rather she made up her own story than know what I was； because nothing could be
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worse than the truth—I was a living nightmare； straight from the pages of a horror novel。
〃I hope you enjoy disappointment。〃
We scowled at each other。 It was odd how endearing her anger was。 Like a
furious kitten； soft and harmless； and so unaware of her own vulnerability。
She flushed pink and ground her teeth together again。 〃Why did you even
bother？〃
Her question wasn't one that I was expecting or prepared to answer。 I lost my
hold on the role I was playing。 I felt the mask slip from my face； and I told her—this one
time—the truth。
〃I don't know。〃
I memorized her face one last time—it was still set in lines of anger； the blood not
yet faded from her cheeks—and then I turned and walked away from her。
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4。 Visions
I went back to school。 This was the right thing to do； the most inconspicuous way to
behave。
By the end of the day； almost all the other students had returned to class； too。 Just
Tyler and Bella and a few others—who were probably using the accident as a chance to
ditch—remained absent。
It shouldn't be so hard for me to do the right thing。 But； all afternoon； I was
gritting my teeth against the urge that had me yearning ditch； too—in order to go find the
girl again。
Like a stalker。 An obsessessed stalker。 An obsessessed； vampire stalker。
School today was—somehow； impossibly—even more boring than it had seemed
just a week ago。 Coma…like。 It was as if the color had drained from the bricks； the trees；
the sky； the faces around me？ I stared at the cracks in the walls。
There was another right thing I should be doing？that I was not。 Of course； it was
also a wrong thing。 It all depended on the perspective from which you viewed it。
From the perspective of a Cullen—not just a vampire； but a Cullen； someone who
belonged to a family； such a rare state in our world—the right thing to do would have
gone something like this：
〃I'm surprised to see you in class； Edward。 I heard you were involved in that
awful accident this morning。〃
〃Yes； I was； Mr。 Banner； but I was the lucky one。〃 A friendly smile。 〃I didn't get
hurt at all？ I wish I could say the same for Tyler and Bella。〃
〃How are they？〃
〃I think Tyler is fine？just some superficial scrapes from the windshield glass。
I'm not sure about Bella； though。〃 A worried frown。 〃She might have a concussion。 I
heard she was pretty incoherent for a while—seeing things even。 I know the doctors were
worried？〃
That's how it should have gone。 That's what I owed my family。
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〃I'm surprised to see you in class； Edward。 I heard you were involved in that
awful accident this morning。〃
〃I wasn't hurt。〃 No smile。
Mr。 Banner shifted his weight from foot to foot； uncomfortable。
〃Do you have any idea how Tyler Crowley and Bella Swan are？ I heard there
were some injuries？〃
I shrugged。 〃I wouldn't know。〃
Mr。 Banner cleared his throat。 〃Er； right？〃 he said； my cold stare making his
voice sound a bit strained。
He walked quickly back to the front of classroom and began his lecture。
It was the wrong thing to do。 Unless you looked at it from a more obscure point
of view。
It just seemed so？so unchivalrous to slander the girl behind her back； especially
when she was proving more trustworthy than I could have dreamed。 She hadn't said
anything to betray me； despite having good reason to do so。 Would I betray her when she
had done nothing but keep my secret？
I had a nearly identical conversation with Mrs。 Goff—just in Spanish rather than
in English—and Emmett gave me a long look。
I hope you have a good explanation for what happened today。 Rose is on the
warpath。
I rolled my eyes without looking at him。
I actually had come up with a perfectly sound explanation。 Just suppose I hadn't
done anything to stop the van from crushing the girl？ I recoiled from that thought。 But
if she had been hit； if she'd been mangled and bleeding； the red fluid spilling； wasting on
the blacktop； the scent of the fresh blood pulsing through the air ？
I shuddered again； but not just in horror。 Part of me shivered in desire。 No； I
would not have been able to watch her bleed without exposing us all in a much more
flagrant and shocking way。
It was a perfectly sound excuse？but I wouldn't use it。 It was too shameful。
And I hadn't thought of it until long after the fact； regardless。
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Look out for Jasper； Emmett went on； oblivious to my reverie。 He's not as
angry？but he's more resolved。
I saw what he meant； and for a moment the room swam around me。 My rage was
so all…consuming that a red haze clouded my vision。 I thought I would choke on it。
SHEESH； EDWARD！ GET A GRIP！ Emmett shouted at me in his head。 His
hand came down on my shoulder； holding me in my seat before I could jump to my feet。
He rarely used his full strength—there was rarely a need； for he was so much stronger
than any vampire any of us had ever encountered—but he used it now。 He gripped my
arm； rather than pushing me down。 If he'd been pushing； the chair under me would have
collapsed。
EASY！ He ordered。
I tried to calm myself； but it was hard。 The rage burned in my head。
Jasper's not going to do anything until we all talk。 I just thought you should
know the direction he's headed。
I concentrated on relaxing； and I felt Emmett's hand loosen。
Try not to make more of a spectacle of yourself。 You're in enough trouble as it is。
I took a deep breath and Emmett released me。
I searched around the room routinely； but our confrontation had been so short and
silent that only a few people sitting behind Emmett had even noticed。 None of them
knew what to make of it； and they shrugged it off。 The Cullens were freaks—everyone
knew that already。
Damn； kid； you're a mess； Emmett added； sympathy in his tone。
〃Bite me；〃 I muttered under my breath； and I heard his low chuckle。
Emmett didn't hold grudges； and I probably ought to be more grateful for his easy
going nature。 But I could see that Jasper's intentions made sense to Emmett； that he was
considering how it might be the best course of action。
The rage simmered； barely under control。 Yes； Emmett was stronger than I was；
but he'd yet to beat me in a wrestling match。 He claimed that this was because I cheated；
but hearing thoughts was just as much a part of who I was as his immense strength was a
part of him