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I watched her body stiffen when she caught sight of the boy waiting for her。 She
froze for a moment； then relaxed and moved forward。
〃Hi； Eric；〃 I heard her call in a friendly voice。
I was abruptly and unexpectedly anxious。 What if this gangly teen with his
unhealthy skin was somehow pleasing to her？
Eric swallowed loudly； his Adam's apple bobbing。 〃Hi； Bella。〃
She seemed unconscious of his nervousness。
〃What's up？〃 she asked； unlocking her truck without looking at his frightened
expression。
〃Uh； I was just wondering？if you would go to the spring dance with me？〃 His
voice broke。
She finally looked up。 Was she taken aback； or pleased？ Eric couldn't meet her
gaze； so I couldn't see her face in his mind。
〃I thought it was girl's choice；〃 she said； sounding flustered。
〃Well； yeah；〃 he agreed wretchedly。
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This pitiable boy did not irritate me as much as Mike Newton did； but I couldn't
find it in myself to feel sympathy for his angst until after Bella had answered him in a
gentle voice。
〃Thank you for asking me； but I'm going to be in Seattle that day。〃
He'd already heard this； still； it was a disappointment。
〃Oh；〃 he mumbled； barely daring to raise his eyes to the level of her nose。
〃Maybe next time。〃
〃Sure；〃 she agreed。 Then she bit down on her lip； as if she regretted leaving him a
loophole。 I liked that。
Eric slumped forward and walked away； headed in the wrong direction from his
car； his only thought escape。
I passed her in that moment； and heard her sigh of relief。 I laughed。
She whirled at the sound； but I stared straight ahead； trying to keep my lips from
twitching in amusement。
Tyler was behind me； almost running in his hurry to catch her before she could
drive away。 He was bolder and more confident than the other two； he'd only waited to
approach Bella this long because he'd respected Mike's prior claim。
I wanted him to succeed in catching her for two reasons。 If—as I was beginning
to suspect—all this attention was annoying to Bella； I wanted to enjoy watching her
reaction。 But； if it was not—if Tyler's invitation was the one she'd been hoping for—
then I wanted to know that； too。
I measured Tyler Crowley as a rival； knowing it was wrong to do so。 He seemed
tediously average and unremarkable to me； but what did I know of Bella's preferences？
Maybe she liked average boys？
I winced at that thought。 I could never be an average boy。 How foolish it was to
set myself up as a rival for her affections。 How could she ever care for someone who
was； by any estimation； a monster？
She was too good for a monster。
I ought to have let her escape； but my inexcusable curiosity kept me from doing
what was right。 Again。 But what if Tyler missed his chance now； only to contact her
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later when I would have no way of knowing the outcome？ I pulled my Volvo out into the
narrow lane； blocking her exit。
Emmett and the others were on their way； but he'd described my strange behavior
to them； and they were walking slowly； watching me； trying to decipher what I was
doing。
I watched the girl in my rearview mirror。 She glowered toward the back of my
car without meeting my gaze； looking as if she wished she were driving a tank rather than
a rusted Chevy。
Tyler hurried to his car and got in line behind her； grateful for my inexplicable
behavior。 He waved at her； trying to catch her attention； but she didn't notice。 He waited
a moment； and then left his car； sauntering up to her passenger side window。 He tapped
on the glass。
She jumped； and then stared at him in confusion。 After a second； she rolled the
window down manually； seeming to have some trouble with it。
〃I'm sorry； Tyler；〃 she said； her voice irritated。 〃I'm stuck behind Cullen。〃
She said my surname in a hard voice—she was still angry with me。
〃Oh； I know；〃 Tyler said； undeterred by her mood。 〃I just wanted to ask you
something while we're trapped here。〃
His grin was cocky。
I was gratified by the way she blanched at his obvious intent。
〃Will you ask me to the spring dance？〃 he asked； no thought of defeat in his head。
〃I'm not going to be in town； Tyler；〃 she told him； irritation still plain in her
voice。
〃Yeah； Mike said that。〃
〃Then why—？〃 she stared to ask。
He shrugged。 〃I was hoping you were just letting him down easy。〃
Her eyes flashed； then cooled。 〃Sorry； Tyler；〃 she said； not sounding sorry at all。
〃I really am going to be out of town。〃
He accepted that excuse； his self…assurance untouched。 〃That's cool。 We still
have prom。〃
He strutted back to his car。
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I was right to have waited for this。
The horrified expression on her face was priceless。 It told me what I should not
so desperately need to know—that she had no feelings for any of these human males who
wished to court her。
Also； her expression was possibly the funniest thing I'd ever seen。
My family arrived then； confused by the fact that I was； for a change； rocking
with laughter rather than scowling murderously at everything in sight。
What's so funny？ Emmett wanted to know。
I just shook my head while I also shook with fresh laughter as Bella revved her
noisy engine angrily。 She looked like she was wishing for a tank again。
〃Let's go！〃 Rosalie hissed impatiently。 〃Stop being an idiot。 If you can。〃
Her words didn't annoy me—I was too entertained。 But I did as she asked。
No one spoke to me on the way home。 I continued to chuckle every now and
again； thinking of Bella's face。
As I turned on to the drive—speeding up now that there were no witnesses—
Alice ruined my mood。
〃So do I get to talk to Bella now？〃 she asked suddenly； without considering the
words first； thus giving me no warning。
〃No；〃 I snapped。
〃Not fair！ What am I waiting for？〃
〃I haven't decided anything； Alice。〃
〃Whatever； Edward。〃
In her head； Bella's two destinies were clear again。
〃What's the point in getting to know her？〃 I mumbled； suddenly morose。 〃If I'm
just going to kill her？〃
Alice hesitated for a second。 〃You have a point；〃 she admitted。
I took the final hairpin turn at ninety miles an hour； and then screeched to a stop
an inch from the back garage wall。
〃Enjoy your run；〃 Rosalie said smugly as I threw myself out of the car。
But I didn't go running today。 Instead； I went hunting。
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The others were scheduled to hunt tomorrow； but I couldn't afford to be thirsty
now。 I overdid it； drinking more than necessary； glutting myself again—a small grouping
of elk and one black bear I was lucky to stumble across this early in the year。 I was so
full it was uncomfortable。 Why couldn't that be enough？ Why did her scent have to be
so much stronger than anything else？
I had hunted in preparation for the next day； but； when I could hunt no more and
the sun was still hours and hours from rising； I knew that the next day was not soon
enough。
The jittery high swept through me again when I realized that I was going to go
find the girl。
I argued with myself all the way back