suddenly warm； so I knew we were inside。
〃Oh my；〃 I heard a female voice gasp。
〃She fainted in Biology；〃 Edward explained。
I opened my eyes。 I was in the office； and Edward was striding past the
front counter toward the nurse's door。 Ms。 Cope； the redheaded front
office receptionist； ran ahead of him to hold it open。 The grandmotherly
nurse looked up from a novel； astonished； as Edward swung me into the
room and placed me gently on the crackly paper that covered the brown
vinyl mattress on the one cot。 Then he moved to stand against the wall as
far across the narrow room as possible。 His eyes were bright； excited。
〃She's just a little faint；〃 he reassured the startled nurse。 〃They're
blood typing in Biology。〃
The nurse nodded sagely。 〃There's always one。〃
He muffled a snicker。
〃Just lie down for a minute； honey； it'll pass。〃
〃I know；〃 I sighed。 The nausea was already fading。
〃Does this happen a lot？〃 she asked。
〃Sometimes；〃 I admitted。 Edward coughed to hide another laugh。
〃You can go back to class now；〃 she told him。
〃I'm supposed to stay with her。〃 He said this with such assured authority
that — even though she pursed her lips — the nurse didn't argue it
further。
〃I'll go get you some ice for your forehead； dear；〃 she said to me； and
then bustled out of the room。
〃You were right；〃 I moaned； letting my eyes close。
〃I usually am — but about what in particular this time？〃
〃Ditching is healthy。〃 I practiced breathing evenly。
〃You scared me for a minute there；〃 he admitted after a pause。 His tone
made it sound like he was confessing a humiliating weakness。 〃I thought
Newton was dragging your dead body off to bury it in the woods。〃
〃Ha ha。〃 I still had my eyes closed； but I was feeling more normal every
minute。
〃Honestly — I've seen corpses with better color。 I was concerned that I
might have to avenge your murder。〃
〃Poor Mike。 I'll bet he's mad。〃
〃He absolutely loathes me；〃 Edward said cheerfully。
〃You can't know that；〃 I argued； but then I wondered suddenly if he could。
〃I saw his face — I could tell。〃
〃How did you see me？ I thought you were ditching。〃 I was almost fine now；
though the queasiness would probably pass faster if I'd eaten something
for lunch。 On the other hand； maybe it was lucky my stomach was empty。
〃I was in my car； listening to a CD。〃 Such a normal response — it
surprised me。
I heard the door and opened my eyes to see the nurse with a cold press
in her hand。
〃Here you go； dear。〃 She laid it across my forehead。 〃You're looking
better；〃 she added。
〃I think I'm fine；〃 I said； sitting up。 Just a little ringing in my ears；
no spinning。 The mint green walls stayed where they should。
I could see she was about to make me lie back down； but the door opened
just then； and Ms。 Cope stuck her head in。
〃We've got another one；〃 she warned。
I hopped down to free up the cot for the next invalid。
I handed the press back to the nurse。 〃Here； I don't need this。〃
And then Mike staggered through the door； now supporting a sallowlooking
Lee Stephens； another boy in our Biology class。 Edward and I drew back
against the wall to give them room。
〃Oh no；〃 Edward muttered。 〃Go out to the office； Bella。〃
I looked up at him； bewildered。
〃Trust me — go。〃
I spun and caught the door before it closed； darting out of the
infirmary。 I could feel Edward right behind me。
〃You actually listened to me。〃 He was stunned。
〃I smelled the blood；〃 I said； wrinkling my nose。 Lee wasn't sick from
watching other people； like me。
〃People can't smell blood；〃 he contradicted。
〃Well； I can — that's what makes me sick。 It smells like rust… and salt。〃
He was staring at me with an unfathomable expression。
〃What？〃 I asked。
〃It's nothing。〃
Mike came through the door then； glancing from me to Edward。 The look he
gave Edward confirmed what Edward had said about loathing。 He looked back
at me； his eyes glum。
〃You look better；〃 he accused。
〃Just keep your hand in your pocket；〃 I warned him again。
〃It's not bleeding anymore；〃 he muttered。 〃Are you going back to class？〃
〃Are you kidding？ I'd just have to turn around and e back。〃
〃Yeah； I guess… So are you going this weekend？ To the beach？〃 While he
spoke； he flashed another glare toward Edward； who was standing against
the cluttered counter； motionless as a sculpture； staring off into space。
I tried to sound as friendly as possible。 〃Sure； I said I was in。〃
〃We're meeting at my dad's store； at ten。〃 His eyes flickered to Edward
again； wondering if he was giving out too much information。 His body
language made it clear that it wasn't an open invitation。
〃I'll be there；〃 I promised。
〃I'll see you in Gym； then；〃 he said； moving uncertainly toward the door。
〃See you；〃 I replied。 He looked at me once more； his round face slightly
pouting； and then as he walked slowly through the door； his shoulders
slumped。 A swell of sympathy washed over me。 I pondered seeing his
disappointed face again… in Gym。
〃Gym；〃 I groaned。
〃I can take care of that。〃 I hadn't noticed Edward moving to my side； but
he spoke now in my ear。 〃Go sit down and look pale；〃 he muttered。
That wasn't a challenge； I was always pale； and my recent swoon had left
a light sheen of sweat on my face。 I sat in one of the creaky folding
chairs and rested my head against the wall with my eyes closed。 Fainting
spells always exhausted me。
I heard Edward speaking softly at the counter。
〃Ms。 Cope？〃
〃Yes？〃 I hadn't heard her return to her desk。
〃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？〃 His voice was like melting honey。 I could
imagine how much more overwhelming his eyes would be。
〃Do you need to be excused； too； Edward？〃 Ms。 Cope fluttered。 Why
couldn't I do that？
〃No； I have Mrs。 Goff； she won't mind。〃
〃Okay； it's all taken care of。 You feel better； Bella；〃 she called to me。
I nodded weakly； hamming it up just a bit。
〃Can you walk； or do you want me to carry you again？〃 With his back to
the receptionist； his expression became sarcastic。
〃I'll walk。〃
I stood carefully； and I was still fine。 He held the door for me； his
smile polite but his eyes mocking。 I walked out into the cold； fine mist
that had just begun to fall。 It felt nice — the first time I'd enjoyed
the constant moisture falling out of the sky — as it washed my face clean
of the sticky perspiration。
〃Thanks；〃 I said as he followed me out。 〃It's almost worth getting sick
to miss Gym。〃
〃Anytime。〃 He was staring straight forward； squinting into the rain。
〃So are you going？ This Saturday； I mean？〃 I was hoping he would； though
it seemed unlikely。 I couldn't picture him loading up to carpool with the
rest of the kids from school； he didn't belong in the same world。 But
just hoping that he might gave me the first twinge of enthusiasm I'd felt
for the outing。
〃Where are you all going； exactly？〃 He was still looking ahead；
expressionless。
〃Down to La Push； to First Beach。〃 I studied his face； trying to read it。
His eyes seemed to narrow infinitesimally。
He glanced down at me from the corner of his eye； smiling wryly。 〃I
really don't think I was invited。〃
I sighed。 〃I just invited you。〃
〃Let's you and I not push poor Mike any further this week。 We don't want
him to snap。〃 His eyes danced； he was enjoying the idea more than he
should。
〃Mikeschmike。〃 I muttered； preoccupied by the way he'd said 〃you and I。〃
I liked it more than I should。
We were near the parking lot now。 I veered left； toward my truck。
Something caught my jacket； yanking me back。
〃Where do you think you're going？〃 he asked； outraged。 He was gripping a
fistful of my jacket in one hand。
I was confused。 〃I'm going home。〃
〃Didn't you hear me promise to take you safely home？ Do you think I'm
going to let you drive in your condition？〃 His voice was still indignant。
〃What condition？ And what about my truck？〃 I plained。
〃I'll have Alice drop it off after school。〃 He was towing me toward his
car now； pulling me by my jacket。 It was all I could do to keep from
falling backward。 He'd probably just drag me along anyway if I did。
〃Let go！〃 I insisted。 He ignored me。 I staggered along sideways across
the wet sidewalk until we reached the Volvo。 Then he finally freed me — I
stumbled against the passenger door。
〃You are so pushy！〃 I grumbled。
〃It's open；〃 was all he responded。 He got in the driver's side。
〃I am perfectly capable of driving myself home！〃 I stood by the car；
fuming。 It was raining harder now； and I'd never put my hood up； so my
hair was dripping down my back。
He lowered the automatic window and leaned toward me across the seat。
〃Get in； Bella。〃
I didn't answer。 I was mentally calculating my chances of reaching the
truck before he could catch me。 I had to admit； they weren't good。
〃I'll just drag you back；〃 he threatened； guessing my plan。