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id slowly； staring at the lemonade bottle； tracing its lip with her littlest finger。 If you could warn me beforehand the next time you decide to ignore me for my own good？ Just so I m prepared。 She wanted a warning？ Then being ignored by me must be a bad thing I smiled。 That sounds fair； I agreed。 Thanks； she said； looking up。 with my own relief。 Her face was so relieved that I wanted to laugh Then can I have one in return？ I asked hopefully。 One； she allowed。 Tell me one theory。 She flushed。 Not that one。 You didn t qualify； you just promised one answer； I argued。 And you ve broken promises yourself； she argued back。 She had me there。 Just one theory I won t laugh。 Yes； you will。 She seemed very sure of that； though I couldn t imagine anything that would be funny about it。 I gave persuasion another try。 I stared deep into her eyes an easy thing to do； with eyes so deep and whispered； Please？
She blinked； and her face went blank。 Well； that wasn t exactly the reaction I d been going for。 Er； what？ she asked。 She looked dizzy。 What was wrong with her？ But I wasn t giving up yet。 Please tell me just one little theory； I pleaded in my soft； nonscary voice； holding her eyes in mine。 To my surprise and satisfaction； it finally worked。 Um； well； bitten by a radioactive spider？ ic books？ No wonder she thought I would laugh。 That s not very creative； I chided her； trying to hide my fresh relief。 I m sorry； that s all I ve got； she said； offended。 This relieved me even more。 You re not even close。 No spiders？ Nope。 And no radioactivity？ None。 Dang； she sighed。 Kryptonite doesn t bother me either； I said quickly before she could ask about bites and then I had to laugh； because she thought I was a superhero。 You re not supposed to laugh； remember？ I pressed my lips together。 I ll figure it out eventually； she promised。 And when she did； she would run。 I wish you wouldn t try； I said； all teasing gone。 Because ？ I owed her honesty。 Still； I tried to smile； to make my words sound less threatening。 What if I m not a superhero？ What if I m the bad guy？ Her eyes widened by a fraction and her lips fell slightly apart。 And then； after another second； I see。 She d finally heard me。 Oh； she said。 I was able to tease her again。
Do you？ I asked； working to conceal my agony。 You re dangerous？ she guessed。 Her breathing hiked； and her heart raced。 I couldn t answer her。 Was this my last moment with her？ Would she run now？ Could I be allowed to tell her that I loved her before she left？ Or would that frighten her more？ But not bad； she whispered； shaking her head； no fear in her clear eyes。 don t believe that you re bad。 You re wrong； I breathed。 Of course I was bad。 Wasn t I rejoicing now； that she thought better of me than I deserved？ If I were a good person； I would have stayed away from her。 I stretched my hand across the table； reaching for the lid to her lemonade bottle as an excuse。 She did not flinch away from my suddenly closer hand。 She really was not afraid of me。 Not yet。 I spun the lid like a top； watching it instead of her。 My thoughts were in a snarl。 Run； Bella； run。 I couldn t make myself say the words out loud。 She jumped to her feet。 We re going to be late； she said； just as I d started to worry that she d somehow heard my silent warning。 I m not going to class。 Why not？ Because I don t want to kill you。 It s healthy to ditch class now and then。 No； I To be precise； it was healthier for the humans if the vampires ditched on days when human blood would be spilt。 Mr。 Banner was blood typing today。 Alice had already ditched her morning class。 Well； I m going； she said。 always did the right thing。 She was my opposite。 I ll see you later then； I said； trying for casual again； staring down at the whirling lid。 And； by the way； I adore you in frightening； dangerous ways。 She hesitated； and I hoped for a moment that she would stay with me after all。 But the bell rang and she hurried away。 I waited until she was gone； and then I put the lid in my pocket a souvenir of this most consequential conversation and walked through the rain to my car。 I put on my favorite calming CD the same one I d listened to that first day but I wasn t hearing Debussy s notes for long。 Other notes were running through my head； a fragment of a tune that pleased and intrigued me。 I turned down the stereo and listened to the music in my head； playing with the fragment until it evolved into a fuller harmony。 Instinctively； my fingers moved in the air over imaginary piano keys。 The new position was really ing along when my attention was caught by a wave of mental anguish。 This didn t surprise me。 She was responsible she
I looked toward the distress。 Is she going to pass out？ What do I do？ Mike panicked。 A hundred yards away； Mike Newton was lowering Bella s limp body to the sidewalk。 She slumped unresponsively against the wet concrete； her eyes closed； her skin chalky as a corpse。 I almost took the door off the car。 Bella？ I shouted。 There was no change in her lifeless face when I yelled her name。 My whole body went colder than ice。 I was aware of Mike s aggravated surprise as I sifted furiously through his thoughts。 He was only thinking of his anger toward me； so I didn t know what was wrong with Bella。 If he d done something to harm her； I would annihilate him。 What s wrong is she hurt？ I demanded； trying to focus his thoughts。 It was maddening to have to walk at a human pace。 I should not have called attention to my approach。 Then I could hear her heart beating and her even breath。 As I watched； she squeezed her eyes more tightly shut。 That eased some of my panic。 I saw a flicker of memories in Mike s head； a splash of images from the Biology room。 Bella s head on our table； her fair skin turning green。 Drops of red against the white cards Blood typing。 I stopped where I was； holding my breath。 blood was another altogether。 Her scent was one thing； her flowing I I think she s fainted； Mike said； anxious and resentful at the same time。 don t know what happened； she didn t even stick her finger。 Relief washed through me； and I breathed again； tasting the air。 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 lit