old her； cheered by that idea。 You can t know that。 I saw his face I could tell。 It was probably true that reading his face would have given me enough information to make that particular deduction。 All this practice with Bella was sharpening my skill at reading human expressions。 How did you see me？ I thought you were ditching。 Her face looked better the green undertone had vanished from her translucent skin。 I was in my car； listening to a CD。 Her expression twitched； like my very ordinary answer had surprised her somehow。
She opened her eyes again when Mrs。 Hammond returned with an ice pack。 Here you go； dear； the nurse said as she laid it across Bella s forehead。 You re looking better。 I think I m fine； Bella said； and she sat up while pulling the ice pack away。 Of course。 She didn t like to be taken care of。 Mrs。 Hammond s wrinkled hands fluttered toward the girl； as if she were going to push her back down； but just then Ms。 Cope opened the door to the office and leaned in。 With her appearance came the smell of fresh blood； just a whiff。 Invisible in the office behind her； Mike Newton was still very angry； wishing the heavy boy he dragged now was the girl who was in here with me。 We ve got another one； Ms。 Cope said。 Bella quickly jumped down from the cot； eager to be out of the spotlight。 Here； she said； handing the press back to Mrs。 Hammond。 I don t need this。 Mike grunted as he halfshoved Lee Stevens through the door。 Blood was still dripping down the hand Lee held to his face； trickling toward his wrist。 Oh no。 This was my cue to leave and Bella s； too； it seemed。 office； Bella。 She stared up at me with bewildered eyes。 Trust me go。 She whirled and caught the door before it had swung shut； rushing through to the office。 I followed a few inches behind her。 Her swinging hair brushed my hand She turned to look at me； still wideeyed。 You actually listened to me。 Her small nose wrinkled。 That was a first。 Get out to the I smelled the blood。 People can t smell blood。 It smells like rust and salt。 I stared at her in blank surprise。 Well； I can that s what makes me sick。 My face froze； still staring。 Was she really even human？ She looked human。 She felt soft as a human。 She smelled human well； better actually。 She acted human sort of。 But she didn t think like a human； or respond like one。 What other option was there； though？ What？ she demanded。 It s nothing。 Mike Newton interrupted us then； entering the room with resentful； violent thoughts。
You look better； he said to her rudely。 My hand twitched； wanting to teach him some manners。 I would have to watch myself； or I would end up actually killing this obnoxious boy。 Just keep your hand in your pocket； she said。 she was talking to me。 For one wild second； I thought Are you going back to class？ It s not bleeding anymore； he answered sullenly。 Are you kidding？ I d just have to turn around and e back。 That was very good。 I d thought I was going to have to miss this whole hour with her； and now I got extra time instead。 I felt greedy； a miser hording over each minute。 Yeah； I guess Mike mumbled。 So are you going this weekend？ To the beach？ Ah； they had plans。 Anger froze me in place。 It was a group trip； though。 I d seen some of this in other students heads。 It wasn t just the two of them。 I was still furious。 I leaned motionlessly against the counter； trying to control myself。 Sure； I said I was in； she promised him。 So she d said yes to him； too。 The jealousy burned； more painful than thirst。 She was just spending No； it was just a group outing； I tried to convince myself。 the day with friends。 Nothing more。 We re meeting at my dad s store； at ten。 I ll be there； she said。 I ll see you in Gym； then。 See you； she replied。 And Cullen s NOT invited。 He shuffled off to his class； his thoughts full of ire。 What does she see in that freak？ Sure； he s rich； I guess。 Chicks think he s hot； but I don t see that。 Too too perfect。 I bet his dad experiments with plastic surgery on all of them。 That s why they re all so white and pretty。 It s not natural。 And he s sort of scarylooking。 Sometimes； when he stares at me； I d swear he s thinking about killing me Freak Mike wasn t entirely unperceptive。 Gym； Bella repeated quietly。 A groan。 I looked at her； and saw that she was sad about something again。 I wasn t sure why； but it was clear that she didn t want to go to her next class with Mike； and I was all for that plan。 I went to her side and bent close to her face； feeling the warmth of her skin radiating out to my lips。 I didn t dare breathe。 I can take care of that； I murmured。 Go sit down and look pale。
She did as I asked； sitting in one of the folding chairs and leaning her head back against the wall； while； behind me； Ms。 Cope came out of the back room and went to her desk。 With her eyes closed； Bella looked as if she d passed out again。 Her full color hadn t returned yet。 I turned to the secretary。 Hopefully Bella was paying attention to this； I thought sardonically。 This was how a human was supposed to respond。 Ms。 Cope？ I asked； using my persuasive voice again。 Her eyelashes fluttered； and her heart sped up。 yourself！ Yes？ That was interesting。 When Shelly Cope s pulse quickened； it was because she found me physically attractive； not because she was frightened。 I was used to that around human females yet I hadn t considered that explanation for Bella s racing heart。 I rather liked that。 louder。 Too much； in fact。 I smiled； and Mrs。 Cope s breathing got Too young； get a hold of Bella has gym next hour； and I don t think she feels well enough。 Actually； I was thinking I should take her home now。 Do you think you could excuse her from class？ I stared into her depthless eyes； enjoying the havoc that this wreaked on her thought processes。 Was it possible that Bella ？ Mrs。 Cope had to swallow loudly before she answered。 too； Edward？ No； I have Mrs。 Goff； she won t mind。 I wasn t paying much attention to her now。 I was exploring this new possibility。 Hmm。 I d like to believe that Bella found me attractive like other humans did； but when did Bella ever have the same reactions as other humans？ I shouldn t get my hopes up。 Okay； it s all taken care of。 You feel better； Bella。 Do you need to be excused； Bella nodded weakly overacting a bit。 Can you walk； or do you want me to carry you again？ I asked； amused by her poor theatrics。 I knew she would want to walk she wouldn t want to be weak。 I ll walk； she said。 Right again。 I was getting better at this。 I held the door She got up； hesitating for a moment as if to check her balance。 for her； and we walked out into the rain。 I watched her as she lifted her face to the light rain with her eyes closed； a slight smile on her lips。 What was she thinking？ Something about this action seemed off； and I
quickly realized why the posture looked unfamiliar to me。 Normal human girls wouldn t raise their faces to the drizzle that way； normal human girls usually wore makeup； even here in this wet place。 Bella never wore makeup； nor should she。 The cosmetics industry made billions of dollars a year from women who were trying to attain skin like hers。 Thanks； she said； smiling at me now。 It s worth getting sick to miss Gym。 I stared across the campus； wondering how to prolong my time with her。 Anytime； I said。 So are you going？ This Saturday； I mean？ She sounded hopeful。 Ah； her hope was soothing。 She wanted me with her； not Mike Newton。 And I wanted to say yes。 But there were many things to consider。 For one； the sun would be shining this Saturday Where are you all going； exactly？ I tried to keep my voice nonchalant； as if it didn t matter much。 Mike had said beach； though。 Not much chance of avoiding sunlight there。 Down to La Push； to First Beach。 Damn。 Well； it was impossible； then。 Anyway； Emmett would be irritated if I cancelled our plans。 I glanced down at her； smiling wryly。 She sighed； already resigned。 I really don t think I was invited。 I just invited you。 Let s you and I not push poor Mike any further this week。 We don t want him to snap。 I thought about snapping poor Mike myself； and enjoyed the mental picture intensely。 Mikeschmike； she said； dismissive again。 And then she started to walk away from me。 Without thinking about my action； I reached out and caught her by the back of her rain jacket。 She jerked to a stop。 Where do you think you re going？ I was almost angry that she was leaving me。 hadn t had enough time with her。 She couldn t go； not yet。 I m going home； she said； baffled as to why this should upset me。 Didn t you hear me promise to take you safely home？ Do you think I m going to let you drive in your condition？ I knew she wouldn t like that my implication of weakness on her part。 But I needed to practice for the Seattle trip； anyway。 See if I could handle her proximity in an enclosed space。 This was a much shorter journey。 What condition？ she demanded。 And what about my truck？ I pulled her back to my car I I smiled widely。 I ll have Alice drop it off after school。
carefully； as I now knew that walking forward was challenging enough for her。 Let go！ she said； twisting sideways and nearly tripping。 I held one hand out to catch her； but she righted herself before it was necessary。 I shouldn t be looking for excuses to touch her。 Tha