neither will we。 I’m sorry to hear that。 。 。 。 Of course。 We’ll just have to do our best alone。”
Carlisle shut the phone without waiting for an answer。 He continued to stare out into the fog。
“What’s the problem？” Emmett murmured to Edward。
“Irina was more involved with our friend Laurent than we knew。 She’s holding a grudge against the wolves
for destroying him to save Bella。 She wants —” He paused； looking down at me。
“Go on；” I said as evenly as I could。
His eyes tightened。 “She wants revenge。 To take down the pack。 They would trade their help for our
permission。”
“No！” I gasped。
“Don’t worry；” he told me in a flat voice。 “Carlisle would never agree to it。” He hesitated； then sighed。
“Nor would I。 Laurent had it ing” — this was almost a growl — “and I still owe the wolves for that。”
“This isn’t good；” Jasper said。 “It’s too even a fight。 We’d have the upper hand in skill； but not numbers。
We’d win； but at what price？” His tense eyes flashed to Alice’s face and away。
I wanted to scream out loud as I grasped what Jasper meant。
We would win； but we would lose。 Some wouldn’t survive。
I looked around the room at their faces — Jasper； Alice； Emmett； Rose； Esme； Carlisle 。 。 。 Edward —
the faces of my family。
14。 DECLARATION
“YOU CAN’T BE SERIOUS；” I SAID WEDNESDAY AFTERnoon。 “You’ve pletely lost your mind！”
“Say whatever you like about me；” Alice answered。 “The party is still on。”
I stared at her； my eyes so wide with disbelief it felt like they might fall out and land on my lunch tray。
“Oh； calm down； Bella！ There’s no reason not to go through with it。 Besides； the invitations are already
sent。”
“But 。 。 。 the 。 。 。 you 。 。 。 I 。 。 。 insane！” I spluttered。
“You’ve already bought my present；” she reminded me。 “You don’t have to do anything but show up。”
I made an effort to calm myself。 “With everything that is going on right now； a party is hardly appropriate。”
“Graduation is what’s going on right now； and a party is so appropriate it’s almost passé。”
“Alice！”
She sighed； and tried to be serious。 “There are a few things we need to get in order now； and that’s going
to take a little time。 As long as we’re sitting here waiting； we might as well memorate the good stuff。
You’re only going to graduate from high school — for the first time — once。 You don’t get to be human
again； Bella。 This is a onceinalifetime shot。”
Edward； silent through our little argument； flashed her a warning look。 She stuck out her tongue at him。
She was right — her soft voice would never carry over the babble of the cafeteria。 And no one would
understand the meaning behind her words in any case。
“What few things do we need to get in order？” I asked； refusing to be sidetracked。
Edward answered in a low voice。 “Jasper thinks we could use some help。 Tanya’s family isn’t the only
choice we have。 Carlisle’s trying to track down a few old friends； and Jasper is looking up Peter and
Charlotte。 He’s considering talking to Maria 。 。 。 but no one really wants to involve the southerners。”
Alice shuddered delicately。
“It shouldn’t be too hard to convince them to help；” he continued。 “Nobody wants a visit from Italy。”
“But these friends — they’re not going to be 。 。 。 vegetarians； right？” I protested； using the Cullens’
tongueincheek nickname for themselves。
“No；” Edward answered； suddenly expressionless。
“Here？ In Forks？”
“They’re friends；” Alice reassured me。 “Everything’s going to be fine。 Don’t worry。 And then； Jasper has
to teach us a few courses on newborn elimination。 。 。 。”
Edward’s eyes brightened at that； and a brief smile flashed across his face。 My stomach suddenly felt like
it was full of sharp little splinters of ice。
“When are you going？” I asked in a hollow voice。 I couldn’t stand this — the idea that someone might not
e back。 What if it was Emmett； so brave and thoughtless that he was never the least bit cautious？ Or
Esme； so sweet and motherly that I couldn’t even imagine her in a fight？ Or Alice； so tiny； so fragilelooking？
Or 。 。 。 but I couldn’t even think the name； consider the possibility。
“A week；” Edward said casually。 “That ought to give us enough time。”
The icy splinters twisted unfortably in my stomach。 I was suddenly nauseated。
“You look kind of green； Bella；” Alice mented。
Edward put his arm around me and pulled me tightly against his side。 “It’s going to be fine； Bella。 Trust
me。”
Sure； I thought to myself。 Trust him。 He wasn’t the one who was going to have to sit behind and wonder
whether or not the core of his existence was going to e home。
And then it occurred to me。 Maybe I didn’t need to sit behind。 A week was more than enough time。
“You’re looking for help；” I said slowly。
“Yes。” Alice’s head cocked to the side as she processed the change in my tone。
I looked only at her as I answered。 My voice was just slightly louder than a whisper。 “I could help。”
Edward’s body was suddenly rigid； his arm too tight around me。 He exhaled； and the sound was a hiss。
But it was Alice； still calm； who answered。 “That really wouldn’t be helpful。”
“Why not？” I argued； I could hear the desperation in my voice。 “Eight is better than seven。 There’s more
than enough time。”
“There’s not enough time to make you helpful； Bella；” she disagreed coolly。 “Do you remember how
Jasper described the young ones？ You’d be no good in a fight。 You wouldn’t be able to control your instincts；
and that would make you an easy target。 And then Edward would get hurt trying to protect you。” She folded
her arms across her chest； pleased with her unassailable logic。
And I knew she was right； when she put it like that。 I slumped in my seat； my sudden hope defeated。
Beside me； Edward relaxed。
He whispered the reminder in my ear。 “Not because you’re afraid。”
“Oh；” Alice said； and a blank look crossed her face。 Then her expression became surly。 “I hate last
minute cancellations。 So that puts the party attendance list down to sixtyfive。 。 。 。”
“Sixtyfive！” My eyes bulged again。 I didn’t have that many friends。 Did I even know that many people？
“Who canceled？” Edward wondered； ignoring me。
“Renée。”
“What？” I gasped。
“She was going to surprise you for your graduation； but something went wrong。 You’ll have a message
when you get home。”
For a moment； I just let myself enjoy the relief。 Whatever it was that went wrong for my mother； I was
eternally grateful to it。 If she had e to Forks now 。 。 。 I didn’t want to think about it。 My head would
explode。
The message light was flashing when I got home。 My feeling of relief flared again as I listened to my mother
describe Phil’s accident on the ball field — while demonstrating a slide； he’d tangled up with the catcher and
broken his thigh bone； he was entirely dependent on her； and there was no way she could leave him。 My mom
was still apologizing when the message cut off。
“Well； that’s one；” I sighed。
“One what？” Edward asked。
“One person I don’t have to worry about getting killed this week。”
He rolled his eyes。
“Why won’t you and Alice take this seriously？” I demanded。 “This is serious。”
He smiled。 “Confidence。”
“Wonderful；” I grumbled。 I picked up the phone and dialed Renée’s number。 I knew it would be a long
conversation； but I also knew that I wouldn’t have to contribute much。
I just listened； and reassured her every time I could get a word in： I wasn’t disappointed； I wasn’t mad； I
wasn’t hurt。 She should concentrate on helping Phil get better。 I passed on my “get well soon” to Phil； and
promised to call her with every single detail from Forks High’s generic graduation。 Finally； I had to use my
desperate need to study for finals to get off the phone。
Edward’s patience was endless。 He waited politely through the whole conversation； just playing with my
hair and smiling whenever I looked up。 It was probably superficial to notice such things while I had so many
more important things to think about； but his smile still knocked the breath out of me。 He was so beautiful that
it made it hard sometimes to think about anything else； hard to concentrate on Phil’s troubles or Renée’s
apologies or hostile vampire armies。 I was only human。
As soon as I hung up； I stretched onto my tiptoes to kiss him。 He put his hands around my waist and lifted
me onto the kitchen counter； so I wouldn’t have to reach as far。 That worked for me。 I locked my arms
around his neck and melted against his cold chest。
Too soon； as usual； he pulled away。
I felt my face slip into a pout。 He laughed at my expression as he extricated himself from my arms and legs。
He leaned against the counter next to me and put one arm lightly around my shoulders。
“I know you think that I have some kind of perfect； unyielding selfcontrol； but that’s not actually the
case。”
“I wish；” I sighed。
And he sighed； too。
“After school tomorrow；” he said； changing the subject； “I’m going hunting with Carlisle； Esme； and
Rosalie。 Just for a few hours — we’ll s