〃Hey; I didn't see you there;〃 he mumbled。 〃I guess I'll see you around;
Bella。〃 He stepped back; waving halfheartedly。
I smiled。 〃Yeah; I'll see you later。〃
〃Sorry;〃 he said again before he turned for the door。
Edward's arms wound around me as the next song started。 It was a little
uptempo for slow dancing; but that didn't seem to concern him。 I leaned
my head against his chest; content。
〃Feeling better?〃 I teased。
〃Not really;〃 he said tersely。
〃Don't be mad at Billy;〃 I sighed。 〃He just worries about me for
Charlie's sake。 It's nothing personal。〃
〃I'm not mad at Billy;〃 he corrected in a clipped voice。 〃But his son is
irritating me。〃
I pulled back to look at him。 His face was very serious。
〃Why?〃
〃First of all; he made me break my promise。〃
I stared at him in confusion。
He halfsmiled。 〃I promised I wouldn't let go of you tonight;〃 he
explained。
〃Oh。 Well; I forgive you。〃
〃Thanks。 But there's something else。〃 Edward frowned。
I waited patiently。
〃He called you pretty;〃 he finally continued; his frown deepening。
〃That's practically an insult; the way you look right now。 You're much
more than beautiful。〃
I laughed。 〃You might be a little biased。〃
〃I don't think that's it。 Besides; I have excellent eyesight。〃
We were twirling again; my feet on his as he held me close。
〃So are you going to explain the reason for all of this?〃 I wondered。
He looked down at me; confused; and I glared meaningfully at the crepe
paper。
He considered for a moment; and then changed direction; spinning me
through the crowd to the back door of the gym。 I caught a glimpse of
Jessica and Mike dancing; staring at me curiously。 Jessica waved; and I
smiled back quickly。 Angela was there; too; looking blissfully happy in
the arms of little Ben Cheney; she didn't look up from his eyes; a head
lower than hers。 Lee and Samantha; Lauren; glaring toward us; with
Conner; I could name every face that spiraled past me。 And then we were
outdoors; in the cool; dim light of a fading sunset。
As soon as we were alone; he swung me up into his arms; and carried me
across the dark grounds till he reached the bench beneath the shadow of
the madrone trees。 He sat there; keeping me cradled against his chest。
The moon was already up; visible through the gauzy clouds; and his face
glowed pale in the white light。 His mouth was hard; his eyes troubled。
〃The point?〃 I prompted softly。
He ignored me; staring up at the moon。
〃Twilight; again;〃 he murmured。 〃Another ending。 No matter how perfect
the day is; it always has to end。〃
〃Some things don't have to end;〃 I muttered through my teeth; instantly
tense。
He sighed。
〃I brought you to the prom;〃 he said slowly; finally answering my
question; 〃because I don't want you to miss anything。 I don't want my
presence to take anything away from you; if I can help it。 I want you to
be human。 I want your life to continue as it would have if I'd died in
nieeneighteen like I should have。〃
I shuddered at his words; and then shook my head angrily。 〃In what
strange parallel dimension would I ever have gone to prom of my own free
will? If you weren't a thousand times stronger than me; I would never
have let you get away with this。〃
He smiled briefly; but it didn't touch his eyes。 〃It wasn't so bad; you
said so yourself。〃
〃That's because I was with you。〃
We were quiet for a minute; he stared at the moon and I stared at him。 I
wished there was some way to explain how very uninterested I was in a
normal human life。
〃Will you tell me something?〃 he asked; glancing down at me with a slight
smile。
〃Don't I always?〃
〃Just promise you'll tell me;〃 he insisted; grinning。
I knew I was going to regret this almost instantly。 〃Fine。〃
〃You seemed honestly surprised when you figured out that I was taking you
here;〃 he began。
〃I was;〃 I interjected。
〃Exactly;〃 he agreed。 〃But you must have had some other theory… I'm
curious — what did you think I was dressing you up for?〃
Yes; instant regret。 I pursed my lips; hesitating。 〃I don't want to tell
you。〃
〃You promised;〃 he objected。
〃I know。〃
〃What's the problem?〃
I knew he thought it was mere embarrassment holding me back。 〃I think it
will make you mad — or sad。〃
His brows pulled together over his eyes as he thought that through。 〃I
still want to know。 Please?〃
I sighed。 He waited。
〃Well… I assumed it was some kind of… occasion。 But I didn't think it
would be some trite human thing… prom!〃 I scoffed。
〃Human?〃 he asked flatly。 He'd picked up on the key word。
I looked down at my dress; fidgeting with a stray piece of chiffon。 He
waited in silence。
〃Okay;〃 I confessed in a rush。 〃So I was hoping that you might have
changed your mind… that you were going to change me; after all。〃
A dozen emotions played across his face。 Some I recognized: anger… pain…
and then he seemed to collect himself and his expression became amused。
〃You thought that would be a black tie occasion; did you?〃 he teased;
touching the lapel of his tuxedo jacket。
I scowled to hide my embarrassment。 〃I don't know how these things work。
To me; at least; it seems more rational than prom does。〃 He was still
grinning。 〃It's not funny;〃 I said。
〃No; you're right; it's not;〃 he agreed; his smile fading。 〃I'd rather
treat it like a joke; though; than believe you're serious。〃
〃But I am serious。〃
He sighed deeply。 〃I know。 And you're really that willing?〃
The pain was back in his eyes。 I bit my lip and nodded。
〃So ready for this to be the end;〃 he murmured; almost to himself; 〃for
this to be the twilight of your life; though your life has barely
started。 You're ready to give up everything。〃
〃It's not the end; it's the beginning;〃 I disagreed under my breath。
〃I'm not worth it;〃 he said sadly。
〃Do you remember when you told me that I didn't see myself very clearly?〃
I asked; raising my eyebrows。 〃You obviously have the same blindness。〃
〃I know what I am。〃
I sighed。
But his mercurial mood shifted on me。 He pursed his lips; and his eyes
were probing。 He examined my face for a long moment。
〃You're ready now; then?〃 he asked。
〃Um。〃 I gulped。 〃Yes?〃
He smiled; and inclined his head slowly until his cold lips brushed
against the skin just under the corner of my jaw。
〃Right now?〃 he whispered; his breath blowing cool on my neck。 I shivered
involuntarily。
〃Yes;〃 I whispered; so my voice wouldn't have a chance to break。 If he
thought I was bluffing; he was going to be disappointed。 I'd already made
this decision; and I was sure。 It didn't matter that my body was rigid as
a plank; my hands balled into fists; my breathing erratic…
He chuckled darkly; and leaned away。 His face did look disappointed。
〃You can't really believe that I would give in so easily;〃 he said with a
sour edge to his mocking tone。
〃A girl can dream。〃
His eyebrows rose。 〃Is that what you dream about? Being a monster?〃
〃Not exactly;〃 I said; frowning at his word choice。 Monster; indeed。
〃Mostly I dream about being with you forever。〃
His expression changed; softened and saddened by the subtle ache in my
voice。
〃Bella。〃 His fingers lightly traced the shape of my lips。 〃I will stay
with you — isn't that enough?〃
I smiled under his fingertips。 〃Enough for now。〃
He frowned at my tenacity。 No one was going to surrender tonight。 He
exhaled; and the sound was practically a growl。
I touched his face。 〃Look;〃 I said。 〃I love you more than everything else
in the world bined。 Isn't that enough?〃
〃Yes; it is enough;〃 he answered; smiling。 〃Enough for forever。〃
And he leaned down to press his cold lips once more to my throat。
===========================================================================
Acknowledgments
A huge thank you to:
my parents; Steve and Candy;
for a lifetime of love and support;S
for reading great books to me when I was young;
and for still holding my hand through the
things that make me nervous;
my husband; Pancho; and my sons; Gabe; Seth; and Eli;
for sharing me so often with my imaginary friends;
my friends at Writers House;
Genevieve GagneHawes; for giving me that first chance;
and my agent Jodi Reamer; for turning the most
unlikely dreams into realities;
my editor Megan Tingley; for all her help in
making Twilight better than it started out;
my brothers; Paul and Jacob; for their expert advice on all
my automotive questions; and my online family;
the talented staff and writers at fansofrealitytv。;
particularly Kimberly 〃Shazzer;〃 and Collin 〃Mantenna〃
for the encouragement; advice;
and inspiration。