stacked them into a pile。 He handed them to me； his face hard。
〃Thank you；〃 I said icily。
His eyes narrowed。
〃You're wele；〃 he retorted。
I straightened up swiftly； turned away from him again； and stalked off to
Gym without looking back。
Gym was brutal。 We'd moved on to basketball。 My team never passed me the
ball； so that was good； but I fell down a lot。 Sometimes I took people
with me。 Today I was worse than usual because my head was so filled with
Edward。 I tried to concentrate on my feet； but he kept creeping back into
my thoughts just when I really needed my balance。
It was a relief； as always； to leave。 I almost ran to the truck； there
were just so many people I wanted to avoid。 The truck had suffered only
minimal damage in the accident。 I'd had to replace the taillights； and if
I'd had a real paint job； I would have touched that up。 Tyler's parents
had to sell their van for parts。
I almost had a stroke when I rounded the corner and saw a tall； dark
figure leaning against the side of my truck。 Then I realized it was just
Eric。 I started walking again。
〃Hey； Eric；〃 I called。
〃Hi； Bella。〃
〃What's up？〃 I said as I was unlocking the door。 I wasn't paying
attention to the unfortable edge in his voice； so his next words took
me by surprise。
〃Uh； I was just wondering… if you would go to the spring dance with me？〃
His voice broke on the last word。
〃I thought it was girls' choice；〃 I said； too startled to be diplomatic。
〃Well； yeah；〃 he admitted； shamefaced。
I recovered my posure and tried to make my smile warm。 〃Thank you for
asking me； but I'm going to be in Seattle that day。〃
〃Oh；〃 he said。 〃Well； maybe next time。〃
〃Sure；〃 I agreed； and then bit my lip。 I wouldn't want him to take that
too literally。
He slouched off； back toward the school。 I heard a low chuckle。
Edward was walking past the front of my truck； looking straight forward；
his lips pressed together。 I yanked the door open and jumped inside；
slamming it loudly behind me。 I revved the engine deafeningly and
reversed out into the aisle。 Edward was in his car already； two spaces
down； sliding out smoothly in front of me； cutting me off。 He stopped
there — to wait for his family； I could see the four of them walking this
way； but still by the cafeteria。 I considered taking out the rear of his
shiny Volvo； but there were too many witnesses。 I looked in my rearview
mirror。 A line was beginning to form。 Directly behind me； Tyler Crowley
was in his recently acquired used Sentra； waving。 I was too aggravated to
acknowledge him。
While I was sitting there； looking everywhere but at the car in front of
me； I heard a knock on my passenger side window。 I looked over； it was
Tyler。 I glanced back in my rearview mirror； confused。 His car was still
running； the door left open。 I leaned across the cab to crank the window
down。 It was stiff。 I got it halfway down； then gave up。
〃I'm sorry； Tyler； I'm stuck behind Cullen。〃 I was annoyed — obviously
the holdup wasn't my fault。
〃Oh； I know — I just wanted to ask you something while we're trapped
here。〃 He grinned。
This could not be happening。
〃Will you ask me to the spring dance？〃 he continued。
〃I'm not going to be in town； Tyler。〃 My voice sounded a little sharp。 I
had to remember it wasn't his fault that Mike and Eric had already used
up my quota of patience for the day。
〃Yeah； Mike said that；〃 he admitted。
〃Then why —〃
He shrugged。 〃I was hoping you were just letting him down easy。〃
Okay； it was pletely his fault。
〃Sorry； Tyler；〃