girl moved？ That didn t seem likely； as Jessica was still babbling to her。 I looked up to check； feeling offbalance。 Checking on what my extra hearing could tell me it wasn t something I ever had to do。 Again； my gaze locked on those same wide brown eyes。 She was sitting right where she had been before； and looking at us； a natural thing to be doing； I supposed； as Jessica was still regaling her with the local gossip about the Cullens。 Thinking about us； too； would be natural。 But I couldn t hear a whisper。 Inviting warm red stained her cheeks as she looked down； away from the embarrassing gaffe of getting caught staring at a stranger。 It was good that Jasper was still gazing out the window。 I didn t like to imagine what that easy pooling of blood would do to his control。
The emotions had been as clear on her face as if they were spelled out in words across her forehead： surprise； as she unknowingly absorbed the signs of the subtle differences between her kind and mine； curiosity； as she listened to Jessica s tale； and something more fascination？ It wouldn t be the first time。 We were beautiful to them； our intended prey。 Then； finally； embarrassment as I caught her staring at me。 And yet； though her thoughts had been so clear in her odd eyes odd； because of the depth to them； brown eyes often seemed flat in their darkness I could hear nothing but silence from the place she was sitting。 Nothing at all。 I felt a moment of unease。 This was nothing I d ever encountered before。 Was there something wrong with me？ I felt exactly the same as I always did。 Worried； I listened harder。 All the voices I d been blocking were suddenly shouting in my head。 wonder what music she likes maybe I could mention that new CD Mike Newton was thinking； two tables away fixated on Bella Swan。 Look at him staring at her。 Isn t it enough that he has half the girls in school waiting for him to Eric Yorkie was thinking sulfurous thoughts； also revolving around the girl。 so disgusting。 You d think she was famous or something Even Edward Cullen； staring Lauren Mallory was so jealous that her face； by all rights； should be dark jade in color。 And Jessica； flaunting her new best friend。 What a joke Vitriol continued to spew from the girl s thoughts。 I bet everyone has asked her that。 But I d like to talk to her。 more original question Ashley Dowling mused。 maybe she ll be in my Spanish June Richardson hoped。 I ll think of a tons left to do tonight！ Trig； and the English test。 I hope my mom Angela Weber； a quiet girl； whose thoughts were unusually kind； was the only one at the table who wasn t obsessed with this Bella。 I could hear them all； hear every insignificant thing they were thinking as it passed through their minds。 But nothing at all from the new student with the deceptively municative eyes。 And； of course； I could hear what the girl said when she spoke to Jessica。 I didn t have to read minds to be able to hear her low； clear voice on the far side of the long room。 Which one is the boy with the reddish brown hair？ I heard her ask； sneaking a look at me from the corner of her eye； only to look quickly away when she saw that I was still staring。 If I d had time to hope that hearing the sound of her voice would help me pinpoint the tone of her thoughts； lost somewhere where I couldn t access them； I was instantly disappointed。 Usually； people s thoughts came to them in a similar pitch as their physical voices。 But this quiet； shy voice was unfamiliar； not one of the hundreds of thoughts bouncing around the room； I was sure of that。 Entirely new。 Oh； good luck； idiot！ Jessica thought before answering the girl s question。
That s Edward。 He s gorgeous； of course； but don t waste your time。 He doesn t date。 Apparently none of the girls here are goodlooking enough for him。 She sniffed。 I turned my head away to hide my smile。 Jessica and her classmates had no idea how lucky they were that none of them particularly appealed to me。 Beneath the transient humor； I felt a strange impulse； one I did not clearly understand。 It had something to do with the vicious edge to Jessica s thoughts that the new girl was unaware of I felt the strangest urge to step in between them； to shield this Bella Swan from the darker workings of Jessica s mind。 What an odd thing to feel。 Trying to ferret out the motivations behind the impulse； I examined the new girl one more time。 Perhaps it was just some long buried protective instinct the strong for the weak。 This girl looked more fragile than her new classmates。 Her skin was so translucent it was hard to believe it offered her much defense from the outside world。 I could see the rhythmic pulse of blood through her veins under the clear； pale membrane But I should not concentrate on that。 I was good at this life I d chosen； but I was just as thirsty as Jasper and there was no point in inviting temptation。 There was a faint crease between her eyebrows that she seemed unaware of。 It was unbelievable frustrating！ I could clearly see that it was a strain for her to sit there； to make conversation with strangers； to be the center of attention。 I could sense her shyness from the way she held her fraillooking shoulders； slightly hunched； as if she was expecting a rebuff at any moment。 And yet I could only sense； could only see； could only imagine。 There was nothing but silence from the very unexceptional human girl。 I could hear nothing。 Why？ Shall we？ Rosalie murmured； interrupting my focus。 I looked away from the girl with a sense of relief。 I didn t want to continue to fail at this it irritated me。 And I didn t want to develop any interest in her hidden thoughts simply because they were hidden from me。 No doubt； when I did decipher her thoughts and I would find a way to do so they would be just as petty and trivial as any human s thoughts。 Not worth the effort I would expend to reach them。 So； is the new one afraid of us yet？ Emmett asked； still waiting for my response to his question before。 I shrugged。 He wasn t interested enough to press for a more information。 should I be interested。 We got up from the table and walked out of the cafeteria。 Emmett； Rosalie； and Jasper were pretending to be seniors； they left for their classes。 I was playing a younger role than they。 I headed off for my junior level biology class； preparing my mind for the tedium。 It was doubtful Mr。 Banner； a man of no more than average intellect； would manage to pull out anything in his lecture that would surprise someone holding two graduate degrees in medicine。 Nor
In the classroom； I settled into my chair and let my books props； again； they held nothing I didn t already know spill across the table。 I was the only student who had a table to himself。 The humans weren t smart enough to know that they feared me； but their survival instincts were enough to keep them away。 The room slowly filled as they trickled in from lunch。 I leaned back in my chair and waited for the time to pass。 Again； I wished I was able to sleep。 Because I d been thinking about her； when Angela Weber escorted the new girl through the door； her name intruded on my attention。 Bella seems just as shy as me。 I ll bet today is really hard for her。 could say something but it would probably just sound stupid Yes！ I wish I Mike Newton thought； turning in his seat to watch the girls enter。 The empty space where her Still； from the place where Bella Swan stood； nothing。 thoughts should be irritated and unnerved me。 She came closer； walking down the aisle beside me to get to the teacher s desk。 Poor girl； the seat next to me was the only one available。 Automatically； I cleared what would be her side of the desk； shoving my books into a pile。 I doubted she would feel very fortable there。 She was in for a long semester in this class； at least。 Perhaps； though； sitting beside her； I d be able to flush out her secrets not that I d ever needed close proximity before not that I would find anything worth listening to Bella Swan walked into the flow of the heated air that blew toward me from the vent。 Her scent hit me like wrecking ball； like a battering ram。 There was no image violent enough to encapsulate the force of what happened to me in that moment。 In that instant； I was nothing close to the human I d once been； no trace of the shreds of humanity I d managed to cloak myself in remained。 I was a predator。 that truth。 She was my prey。 There was nothing else in the whole world but There was no room full of witnesses they were already collateral damage in my head。 The mystery of her thoughts was forgotten。 Her thoughts meant nothing； for she would not go on thinking them much longer。 I was a vampire； and she had the sweetest blood I d smelled in eighty years。 I hadn t imagined such a scent could exist。 If I d known it did； I would have gone searching for it long ago。 I would have bed the pla for her。 I could imagine the taste Thirst burned through my throat like fire。 My mouth was baked and desiccated。 The fresh flow of venom did nothing to dispel that sensation。 My stomach twisted with the hunger that was an echo of the thirst。 My muscles coiled to spring。 Not a full second had passed。 downwind from me。 She was still taking the same step that had put her As her foot touched the ground； her eyes slid toward me； a movement she clearly
meant to be stealthy。 mirror of her eyes。 Her glance met mine； and I saw myself reflected in the wide The shock of the face I saw there saved her life for a few thorny moments。 She didn t make it easier。 When she processed the expression on my face； blood flooded her cheeks again； turning her skin the most delicious color I d ever seen。 The scent was a thick haze in my brain。 I could barely think through it。 My thoughts raged； resisting control； incoherent。 She walked more quickly now； as if she understood the need to escape。 Her haste made her clumsy she tripped and stumbled forward； almost falling into the girl seated in front of me。 Vulnerable； weak。 Even more than usual for a human。 I tried to focus on the face I d seen in her eyes； a face I recognized with revulsion。 The face of the monster in me the face I d beaten back with decades of effort and unpromising discipline。 How easily it sprang to the surface now！ The scent swirled around me again； scattering my thoughts and near