the slides of onion root tip cells into the phases of mitosis they
represented and label them accordingly。 We weren't supposed to use our
books。 In twenty minutes； he would be ing around to see who had it
right。
〃Get started；〃 he manded。
〃Ladies first； partner？〃 Edward asked。 I looked up to see him smiling a
crooked smile so beautiful that I could only stare at him like an idiot。
〃Or I could start； if you wish。〃 The smile faded； he was obviously
wondering if I was mentally petent。
〃No；〃 I said； flushing。 〃I'll go ahead。〃
I was showing off； just a little。 I'd already done this lab； and I knew
what I was looking for。 It should be easy。 I snapped the first slide into
place under the microscope and adjusted it quickly to the 40X objective。
I studied the slide briefly。
My assessment was confident。 〃Prophase。〃
〃Do you mind if I look？〃 he asked as I began to remove the slide。 His
hand caught mine； to stop me； as he asked。 His fingers were icecold；
like he'd been holding them in a snowdrift before class。 But that wasn't
why I jerked my hand away so quickly。 When he touched me； it stung my
hand as if an electric current had passed through us。
〃I'm sorry；〃 he muttered； pulling his hand back immediately。 However； he
continued to reach for the microscope。 I watched him； still staggered； as
he examined the slide for an even shorter time than I had。
〃Prophase；〃 he agreed； writing it neatly in the first space on our
worksheet。 He swiftly switched out the first slide for the second； and
then glanced at it cursorily。
〃Anaphase；〃 he murmured； writing it down as he spoke。
I kept my voice indifferent。 〃May I？〃
He smirked and pushed the microscope to me。
I looked through the eyepiece eagerly； only to be disappointed。 Dang it；
he was right。
〃Slide three？〃 I held out my hand without looking at him。
He handed it to me； it seemed like he was being careful not to touch my
skin again。
I took the most fleeting look I could manage。
〃Interphase。〃 I passed him the microscope before he could ask for it。 He
took a swift peek； and then wrote it down。 I would have written it while
he looked； but his clear； elegant script intimidated me。 I didn't want to
spoil the page with my clumsy scrawl。
We were finished before anyone else was close。 I could see Mike and his
partner paring two slides again and again； and another group had their
book open under the table。
Which left me with nothing to do but try to not look at him…
unsuccessfully。 I glanced up； and he was staring at me； that same
inexplicable look of frustration in his eyes。 Suddenly I identified that
subtle difference in his face。
〃Did you get contacts？〃 I blurted out unthinkingly。
He seemed puzzled by my unexpected question。 〃No。〃
〃Oh；〃 I mumbled。 〃I thought there was something different about your
eyes。〃
He shrugged； and looked away。
In fact； I was sure there was something different。 I vividly remembered
the flat black color of his eyes the last time he'd glared at me — the
color was striking against the background of his pale skin and his auburn
hair。 Today； his eyes were a pletely different color： a strange ocher；
darker than butterscotch； but with the same golden tone。 I didn't
understand how that could be； unless he was lying for some reason about
the contacts。 Or maybe Forks was making me crazy in the literal sense of
the word。
I looked down。 His hands were clenched into hard fists again。
Mr。 Banner came to our table then； to see why we weren't working。 He
looked over our shoulders to glance at the pleted lab； and then stared
more intently to check the answers。
〃So； Edward； didn't you think Isabella should get a chance with the
microscope？〃 Mr。 Banner asked。
〃Bella；〃 Edward corrected automatically。 〃Actually； she identified three
of the five。〃
Mr。 Banner looked at me now； his expression was skeptical。
〃Have you done this lab before？〃 he asked。
I smiled sheepishly。 〃Not with onion root。〃
〃Whitefish blastula？〃
〃Yeah。〃
Mr。 Banner nodded。 〃Were you in an advanced placement program in Phoenix？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well；〃 he said after a moment； 〃I guess it's good you two are lab
partners。〃 He mumbled something else as he walked away。 After he left； I
began doodling on my notebook again。
〃It's too bad about the snow； isn't it？〃 Edward asked。 I had the feeling
that he was forcing himself to make small talk with me。 Paranoia swept
over me again。 It was like he had heard my conversation with Jessica at
lunch and was trying to prove me wrong。
〃Not really；〃 I answered honestly； instead of pretending to be normal
like everyone else。 I was still trying to dislodge the stupid feeling of
suspicion； and I couldn't concentrate。
〃You don't like the cold。〃 It wasn't a question。
〃Or the wet。〃
〃Forks must be a difficult place for you to live；〃 he mused。
〃You have no idea；〃 I muttered darkly。
He looked fascinated by what I said； for some reason I couldn't imagine。
His face was such a distraction that I tried not to look at it any more
than courtesy absolutely demanded。
〃Why did you e here； then？〃
No one had asked me that — not straight out like he did； demanding。
〃It's… plicated。〃
〃I think I can keep up；〃 he pressed。
I paused for a long moment； and then made the mistake of meeting his
gaze。 His dark gold eyes confused me； and I answered without thinking。
〃My mother got remarried；〃 I said。
〃That doesn't sound so plex；〃 he disagreed； but he was suddenly
sympathetic。 〃When did that happen？〃
〃Last September。〃 My voice sounded sad； even to me。
〃And you don't like him；〃 Edward surmised； his tone still kind。
〃No； Phil is fine。 Too young； maybe； but nice enough。〃
〃Why didn't you stay with them？〃
I couldn't fathom his interest； but he continued to stare at me with
perating eyes； as if my dull life's story was somehow vitally
important。
〃Phil travels a lot。 He plays ball for a living。〃 I halfsmiled。
〃Have I heard of him？〃 he asked； smiling in response。
〃Probably not。 He doesn't play well。 Strictly minor league。 He moves
around a lot。〃
〃And your mother sent you here so that she could travel with him。〃 He
said it as an assumption again； not a question。
My chin raised a fraction。 〃No； she did not send me here。 I sent myself。〃
His eyebrows knit together。 〃I don't understand；〃 he admitted； and he
seemed unnecessarily frustrated by that fact。
I sighed。 Why was I explaining this to him？ He continued to stare at me
with obvious curiosity。
〃She stayed with me at first； but she missed him。 It made her unhappy… so
I decided it was time to spend some quality time with Charlie。〃 My voice
was glum by the time I finished。
〃But now you're unhappy；〃 he pointed out。
〃And？〃 I challenged。
〃That doesn't seem fair。〃 He shrugged； but his eyes were still intense。
I laughed without humor。 〃Hasn't anyone ever told you？ Life isn't fair。〃
〃I believe I have heard that somewhere before；〃 he agreed dryly。
〃So that's all；〃 I insisted； wondering why he was still staring at me
that way。