g for。 So are you going out again？ Jessica demanded。 He offered to drive me to Seattle Saturday because he thinks my truck isn t up to it does that count？ Hmm。 He sure is going out of his way to well； take care of her； sort of。 There must be something there on his side； if not on hers。 How could THAT be？ Bella s crazy。 Yes； Jessica answered Bella s question。 Well； then； Bella concluded。 Wow Edward Cullen。 Yes。 Whether she likes him or not； this is major。 I know； Bella sighed。 The tone of her voice encouraged Jessica。 She must realize Wait！ Jessica said； suddenly remembering her most vital question。 kissed you？ Please say yes。 And then describe every second！ Has he Finally she sounds like she gets it！ No； Bella mumbled； and then she looked down at her hands； her face falling。 It s not like that。 Damn。 I wish Ha。 Looks like she does to。 I frowned。 Bella did look upset about something； but it couldn t be disappointment like Jessica assumed。 She couldn t want that。 Not knowing what she knew。 She couldn t want to be that close to my teeth。 For all she knew； I had fangs。 I shuddered。 Do you think Saturday ？ Jessica prodded。 Bella looked even more frustrated as she said； I really doubt it。 Yeah； she does wish。 That sucks for her。 Was it because I was watching all this through the filter of Jessica s perceptions that it seemed like Jessica was right？
For a halfsecond I was distracted by the idea； the impossibility； of what it would be like to try to kiss her。 My lips to her lips； cold stone to warm； yielding silk And then she dies。 I shook my head； wincing； and made myself pay attention。 What did you talk about？ Did you talk to him； or did you make him drag every ounce of information out of you like this？ I smiled ruefully。 Jessica wasn t far off。 We talked about the English essay a little。 I don t know； Jess； lots of stuff。 A very little。 Oh； c MON。 I smiled wider。 Please； Bella！ Give me some details。 Bella deliberated for a moment。 Well okay； I ve got one。 You should have seen the waitress flirting with him it was over the top。 But he didn t pay any attention to her at all。 What a strange detail to share。 I was surprised Bella had even noticed。 seemed a very inconsequential thing。 Interesting Hmm。 That s a good sign。 Was she pretty？ Must be a female thing。 It Jessica thought more of it that I did。 Very； Bella told her。 And probably nieen or twenty。 Jessica was momentarily distracted by a memory of Mike on her date Monday night Mike being a little too friendly with a waitress who Jessica did not consider pretty at all。 She shoved the memory away and returned； stifling her irritation； to her quest for details。 Even better。 He must like you。 I think so； Bella said slowly； and I was on the edge of my seat； my body rigidly still。 But it s hard to tell。 He s always so cryptic。 I must not have been as transparently obvious and out of control as I d thought。 Still observant as she was How could she not realize that I was in love with her？ I sifted through our conversation； almost surprised that I hadn t said the words out loud。 It had felt like that knowledge had been the subtext of every word between us。 Wow。 How do you sit there across from a male model and make conversation？ I don t know how you re brave enough to be alone with him； Jessica said。 Shock flashed across Bella s face。 Weird reaction。 Why？ He s so What s the right word？ What does she think I meant？
Intimidating。 I wouldn t know what to say to him。 I couldn t even speak English to him today； and all he said was good morning。 I must have sounded like such an idiot。 Bella smiled。 I do have some trouble with incoherency when I m around him。 She was almost unnaturally selfShe must be trying to make Jessica feel better。 possessed when we were together。 Oh well； Jessica sighed。 He is unbelievably gorgeous。 Bella s face was suddenly colder。 Her eyes flashed the same way they did when she resented some injustice。 Jessica didn t process the change in her expression。 There s a lot more to him than that； Bella snapped。 Oooh。 Now we re getting somewhere。 Really？ Like what？ Bella gnawed her lip for a moment。 I can t explain it right； she finally said。 But he s even more unbelievable behind the face。 She looked away from Jessica； her eyes slightly unfocused as if she was staring at something very far away。 The feeling I felt now was loosely similar to how it felt when Carlisle or Esme praised me beyond what I deserved。 Similar； but more intense； more consuming。 Sell stupid somewhere else there s nothing better than that face！ body。 Swoon。 Is that possible？ Jessica giggled。 Unless it s his Bella didn t turn。 She continued to stare into the distance； ignoring Jessica。 A normal person would be gloating。 Maybe if I keep the questions simple。 Ha ha。 Like I m talking to a kindergartener。 So you like him； then？ I was rigid again。 Bella didn t look at Jessica。 Yes。 I mean； do you really like him？ Yes。 Look at that blush！ I was。 How much do you like him？ Jessica demanded。 The English room could have gone up in flames and I wouldn t have noticed。 Bella s face was bright red now I could almost feel the heat from the mental picture。 Too much； she whispered。 help that。 Shoot！ More than he likes me。 But I don t see how I can What did Mr。 Varner just ask？ Um which number； Mr。 Varner？ I needed a minute。 It was good that Jessica could no longer quiz Bella。
What on earth was that girl thinking now？ More than he likes me？ How did she e up with that？ But I don t see how I can help that？ What was that supposed to mean？ I couldn t fit a rational explanation to the words。 They were practically senseless。 It seemed I couldn t take anything for granted。 Obvious things； things that made perfect sense； somehow got twisted up and turned backwards in that bizarre brain of hers。 More than he likes me？ Maybe I shouldn t rule out the institution just yet。 I glared at the clock； gritting my teeth。 How could mere minutes feel so impossibly long to an immortal？ Where was my perspective？ My jaw was tight throughout Mr。 Varner s entire trigonometry lesson。 I heard more of that than the lecture in my own class。 Bella and Jessica didn t speak again； but Jessica peeked at Bella several times； and once her face was brilliant scarlet again for no apparent reason。 Lunch couldn t e fast enough。 I wasn t sure if Jessica would get some of the answers I was waiting for when the class was over； but Bella was quicker than she was。 As soon as the bell sounded； Bella turned to Jessica。 In English； Mike asked me if you said anything about Monday night； Bella said； a smile pulling at the corners of her lips。 I understood this for what is was offence as the best defense。 Mike asked about me？ Joy made Jessica s mind suddenly unguarded； softer； without its usual snide edge。 You re kidding！ What did you say？ I told him you said you had a lot of fun and he looked pleased。 Tell me exactly what he said； and your exact answer！ That was all I was going to get from Jessica today； clearly。 Bella was smiling like she was thinking the same thing。 Like she d won the round。 Well； lunch would be another story。 I would have better success with getting answers out of her than Jessica； I would make sure of that。 I could hardly bear to check in occasionally with Jessica through the fourth hour。 I had no patience for her obsessive thoughts of Mike Newton。 I d had more than enough of him in the last two weeks。 He was lucky to be alive。 I moved apathetically through gym class with Alice； the way we always moved when it came to physical activity with humans。 She was my teammate； naturally。 It was the first day of badminton。 I sighed with boredom； swinging the racket in slow motion to tap the birdie back to the other side。 Lauren Mallory was on the other team； she missed。 Alice was twirling her racket like a baton； staring at the ceiling。 We all hated gym； Emmett especially。 Throwing games was an affront to his personal philosophy。 Gym seemed worse today than usual I felt just as irritated as Emmett always did。
Before my head could explode with impatience； Coach Clapp called the games and sent us out early。 I was ridiculously grateful that he d skipped breakfast a fresh attempt to diet and the consequent hunger had him in a hurry to leave campus to find a greasy lunch somewhere。 He promised himself he would start over tomorrow。。。 This gave me enough time to get to the math building before Bella s class ended。 Enjoy yourself； Alice thought as she headed off to meet Jasper。 Just a few days more to be patient。 I suppose you won t say hi to Bella for me； will you？ I shook my head； exasperated。 Were all psychics so smug？ You might FYI； it s going to be sunny on both sides of the sound this weekend。 want to rearrange your plans。 I sighed as I continued in the opposite direction。 Smug； but definitely useful。 I leaned against the wall by the door； waiting。 I was close enough that I could hear Jessica s voice through the bricks as well as her thoughts。 You re not sitting with us today； are you？ tons she didn t tell me。 She looks all lit up。 I bet there s I don t think so； Bella answered； oddly unsure。 Hadn t I promised to spend lunch with her？ What was she thinking？ They came out of the class together； and both girls eyes widened when they saw me。 But I could only hear Je