Ah； I could smell the tiny flow of Mike Newton s puncture wound。 Once； that might have appealed to me。 I knelt beside her while Mike hovered next to me； furious at my intervention。 Bella。 Can you hear me？ Go away。 She was fine。 But she wouldn t go any farther。 No； she moaned。 The relief was so exquisite that I laughed。 I was taking her to the nurse； Mike said。 I ll take her。 You can go back to class； I said dismissively。 No。 I m supposed to do it。 Mike s teeth clenched together。 I wasn t going to stand around arguing with the wretch。
Thrilled and terrified； halfgrateful to and halfaggrieved by the predicament which made touching her a necessity； I gently lifted Bella from the sidewalk and held her in my arms； touching only her clothes； keeping as much distance between our bodies as possible。 I was striding forward in the same movement； in a hurry to have her safe farther away from me； in other words。 Her eyes popped open； astonished。 Put me down； she ordered in a weak voice embarrassed again； I guessed from her expression。 She didn t like to show weakness。 I barely heard Mike s shouted protest behind us。 You look awful； I told her； grinning because there was nothing wrong with her but a light head and a weak stomach。 Put me back on the sidewalk； she said。 So you faint at the sight of blood？ Her lips were white。 Could it get any more ironic？ She closed her eyes and pressed her lips together。 And not even your own blood； I added； my grin widening。 We were to the front office。 out of my way。 Ms。 Cope jumped； startled。 my arms。 The door was propped an inch open； and I kicked it Oh； my； she gasped as she examined the ashen girl in She fainted in Biology； I explained； before her imagination could get too out of hand。 Ms。 Cope hurried to open the door to the nurse s office。 Bella s eyes were open again； watching her。 I heard the elderly nurse s internal astonishment as I laid the girl carefully on the one shabby bed。 As soon as Bella was out of my arms； I put the width of the room between us。 My body was too excited； too eager； my muscles tense and the venom flowing。 She was so warm and fragrant。 She s just a little faint； I reassured Mrs。 Hammond。 biology。 She nodded； understanding now。 I stifled a laugh。 There s always one。 They re blood typing in Trust Bella to be that one。 It ll pass。 Just lie down for a minute； honey； Mrs。 Hammond said。 I know； Bella said。 Does this happen often？ the nurse asked。 Sometimes； Bella admitted。 I tried to disguise my laughter as coughing。 This brought me to the nurse s attention。 said。 You can go back to class now； she
I looked her straight in the eye and lied with perfect confidence。 to stay with her。 Hmm。 I wonder oh well。 Mrs。 Hammond nodded。 Why did Bella have to be so difficult？ I m supposed It worked just fine on her。 I ll go get you some ice for your forehead； dear； the nurse said； slightly unfortable from looking into my eyes the way a human should be and left the room。 You were right； Bella moaned； closing her eyes。 What did she mean？ I jumped to the worst conclusion： she d accepted my warnings。 I usually am； I said； trying to keep the amusement in my voice； it sounded sour now。 But about what in particular this time？ Ditching is healthy； she sighed。 Ah； relief again。 She was silent then。 She just breathed slowly in and out。 Her lips were beginning to turn pink。 Her mouth was slightly out of balance； her lower lip just a little too full to match the top。 Staring at her mouth made me feel strange。 Made me want to move closer to her； which was not a good idea。 You scared me for a minute there； I said to restart the conversation so that I could hear her voice again。 I thought Newton was dragging your dead body off to bury it in the woods。 Ha ha； she said。 Honestly I ve seen corpses with better color。 This was actually true。 concerned that I might have to avenge your murder。 And I would have。 Poor Mike； she sighed。 I ll bet he s mad。 Her concern was surely just I was Fury pulsed through me； but I contained it quickly。 pity。 She was kind。 That was all。 He absolutely loathes me； I told her； cheered by that idea。 You can t know that。 I saw his face I could tell。 It was probably true that reading his face would have given me enough information to make that particular deduction。 All this practice with Bella was sharpening my skill at reading human expressions。 How did you see me？ I thought you were ditching。 Her face looked better the green undertone had vanished from her translucent skin。 I was in my car； listening to a CD。 Her expression twitched； like my very ordinary answer had surprised her somehow。
She opened her eyes again when Mrs。 Hammond returned with an ice pack。 Here you go； dear； the nurse said as she laid it across Bella s forehead。 You re looking better。 I think I m fine； Bella said； and she sat up while pulling the ice pack away。 Of course。 She didn t like to be taken care of。 Mrs。 Hammond s wrinkled hands fluttered toward the girl； as if she were going to push her back down； but just then Ms。 Cope opened the door to the office and leaned in。 With her appearance came the smell of fresh blood； just a whiff。 Invisible in the office behind her； Mike Newton was still very angry； wishing the heavy boy he dragged now was the girl who was in here with me。 We ve got another one； Ms。 Cope said。 Bella quickly jumped down from the cot； eager to be out of the spotlight。 Here； she said； handing the press back to Mrs。 Hammond。 I don t need this。 Mike grunted as he halfshoved Lee Stevens through the door。 Blood was still dripping down the hand Lee held to his face； trickling toward his wrist。 Oh no。 This was my cue to leave and Bella s； too； it seemed。 office； Bella。 She stared up at me with bewildered eyes。 Trust me go。 She whirled and caught the door before it had swung shut； rushing through to the office。 I followed a few inches behind her。 Her swinging hair brushed my hand She turned to look at me； still wideeyed。 You actually listened to me。 Her small nose wrinkled。 That was a first。 Get out to the I smelled the blood。 People can t smell blood。 It smells like rust and salt。 I stared at her in blank surprise。 Well； I can that s what makes me sick。 My face froze； still staring。 Was she really even human？ She looked human。 She felt soft as a human。 She smelled human well； better actually。 She acted human sort of。 But she didn t think like a human； or respond like one。 What other option was there； though？ What？ she demanded。 It s nothing。 Mike Newton interrupted us then； entering the room with resentful； violent thoughts。
You look better； he said to her rudely。 My hand twitched； wanting to teach him some manners。 I would have to watch myself； or I would end up actually killing this obnoxious boy。 Just keep your hand in your pocket； she said。 she was talking to me。 For one wild second； I thought Are you going back to class？ It s not bleeding anymore； he answered sullenly。 Are you kidding？ I d just have to turn around and e back。 That was very good。 I d thought I was going to have to miss this whole hour with her； and now I got extra time instead。 I felt greedy； a miser hording over each minute。 Yeah； I guess Mike mumbled。 So are you going this weekend？ To the beach？ Ah； they had plans。 Anger froze me in place。 It was a group trip； though。 I d seen some of this in other students heads。 It wasn t just the two of them。 I was still furious。 I leaned motionlessly against the counter； trying to control myself。 Sure； I said I was in； she promised him。 So she d said yes to him； too。 The jealousy burned； more painful than thirst。 She was just spending No； it was just a group outing； I tried to convince myself。 the day with friends。 Nothing more。 We re meeting at my dad s store； at ten。 I ll be there； she said。 I ll see you in Gym； then。 See you； she replied。 And Cullen s NOT invited。 He shuffled off to his class； his thoughts full of ire。 What does she see in that freak？ Sure； he s rich； I guess。 Chicks think he s hot； but I don t see that。 Too too perfect。 I bet his dad experiments with plastic surgery on all of them。 That s why they re all so white and pretty。 It s not natural。 And he s sort of scarylooking。 Sometimes； when he stares at me； I d swear he s thinking about killing me Freak Mike wasn t entirely unperceptive。 Gym； Bella repeated quietly。 A groan。 I looked at her； and saw that she was sad about something again。 I wasn t sure why； but it was clear that she didn t want to go to her next class with Mike； and I was all for that plan。 I went to her side and bent close to her face； feeling the warmth of her skin radiating out to my lips。 I didn t dare breathe。 I can take care of that； I murmured。 Go sit down and look pale。
She did as I asked； sitting in one of the folding chairs and leaning her head back against the wall； while； behind me； Ms。 Cope came out of the back room and went to her desk。 With her eyes closed； Bella looked as if she d passed out again。 Her full color hadn t returned yet。 I turned to the secretary。 Hopefully Bella was paying attention to this； I thought sardonically。 This was how a human was supposed to respond。 Ms。 Cope？ I asked； using my persuasive voice again。 Her eyelashes fluttered； and her heart sped up。 yourself！ Yes？ That was interesting。 When Shelly Cope s pulse quickened； it was because she found me physically attractive； not because she was frightened。 I was used to that around human females yet I hadn t considered that explanation for Bella s racing heart。 I rather liked that。 louder。 Too much； in fact。 I smiled； and Mrs。 Cope s breathing got Too young； get a hold of Bella has gym next hour； and I don t think she feels well enough。 Actually； I was thinking I should take her home now。 Do you think you could excuse her from class？ I stared into her depthless eyes； enjoying the havoc that this wreaked on her thought processes。 Was it possible that Bella ？ Mrs。 Cope had to swallow loudly before she answered。 too； Edward？ No； I have Mrs。 Goff； she won t mind。 I wasn t paying much attention to her now。 I was exploring this new possibility。 Hmm。 I d like to believe that Bella found me attractive like other humans did； but when did Bella ever have the same reactions as other humans？ I shouldn t get my hopes up。 Okay； it s all taken care of。 You feel better； Bella。 Do yo