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；〃 I said； working to hide my irritation。 〃I really am going
out of town。〃
〃That's cool。 We still have prom。〃
And before I could respond； he was walking back to his car。 I could feel
the shock on my face。 I looked forward to see Alice； Rosalie； Emmett； and
Jasper all sliding into the Volvo。 In his rearview mirror； Edward's eyes
were on me。 He was unquestionably shaking with laughter； as if he'd heard
every word Tyler had said。 My foot itched toward the gas pedal… one
little bump wouldn't hurt any of them； just that glossy silver paint job。
I revved the engine。
But they were all in； and Edward was speeding away。 I drove home slowly；
carefully； muttering to myself the whole way。
When I got home； I decided to make chicken enchiladas for dinner。 It was
a long process； and it would keep me busy。 While I was simmering the
onions and chilies； the phone rang。 I was almost afraid to answer it； but
it might be Charlie or my mom。
It was Jessica； and she was jubilant； Mike had caught her after school to
accept her invitation。 I celebrated with her briefly while I stirred。 She
had to go； she wanted to call Angela and Lauren to tell them。 I suggested
— with casual innocence — that maybe Angela； the shy girl who had Biology
with me； could ask Eric。 And Lauren； a standoffish girl who had always
ignored me at the lunch table； could ask Tyler； I'd heard he was still
available。 Jess thought that was a great idea。 Now that she was sure of
Mike； she actually sounded sincere when she said she wished I would go to
the dance。 I gave her my Seattle excuse。
After I hung up； I tried to concentrate on dinner — dicing the chicken
especially； I didn't want to take another trip to the emergency room。 But
my head was spinning； trying to analyze every word Edward had spoken
today。 What did he mean； it was better if we weren't friends？
My stomach twisted as I realized what he must have meant。 He must see how
absorbed I was by him； he must not want to lead me on… so we couldn't
even be friends… because he wasn't interested in me at all。
Of course he wasn't interested in me； I thought angrily； my eyes stinging
— a delayed reaction to the onions。 I wasn't interesting。 And he was。
Interesting… and brilliant… and mysterious… and perfect… and beautiful…
and possibly able to lift fullsized vans with one hand。
Well； that was fine。 I could leave him alone。 I would leave him alone。 I
would get through my selfimposed sentence here in purgatory； and then
hopefully some school in the Southwest； or possibly Hawaii； would offer
me a scholarship。 I focused my thoughts on sunny beaches and palm trees
as I finished the enchiladas and put them in the oven。
Charlie seemed suspicious when he came home and smelled the green
peppers。 I couldn't blame him — the closest edible Mexican food was
probably in southern California。 But he was a cop； even if just a
smalltown cop； so he was brave enough to take the first bite。 He seemed
to like it。 It was fun to watch as he slowly began trusting me in the
kitchen。
〃Dad？〃 I asked when he was almost done。
〃Yeah； Bella？〃
〃Um； I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to Seattle for the day
a week from Saturday… if that's okay？〃 I didn't want to ask permission —
it set a bad precedent — but I felt rude； so I tacked it on at the end。
〃Why？〃 He sounded surprised； as if he were unable to imagine something
that Forks couldn't offer。
〃Well； I wanted to get few books — the library here is pretty li