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change。〃
My eyes narrowed。 〃Don't hold your breath。〃
He was laughing when the nurse came in； brandishing a syringe。
〃Excuse me；〃 she said brusquely to Edward。
He got up and crossed to the end of the small room； leaning against the
wall。 He folded his arms and waited。 I kept my eyes on him； still
apprehensive。 He met my gaze calmly。
〃Here you go； honey。〃 The nurse smiled as she injected the medicine into
my tube。 〃You'll feel better now。〃
〃Thanks；〃 I mumbled； unenthusiastic。 It didn't take long。 I could feel
the drowsiness trickling through my bloodstream almost immediately。
〃That ought to do it；〃 she muttered as my eyelids drooped。
She must have left the room； because something cold and smooth touched my
face。
〃Stay。〃 The word was slurred。
〃I will；〃 he promised。 His voice was beautiful； like a lullaby。 〃Like I
said； as long as it makes you happy… as long as it's what's best for you。〃
I tried to shake my head； but it was too heavy。 〃'S not the same thing；〃
I mumbled。
He laughed。 〃Don't worry about that now； Bella。 You can argue with me
when you wake up。〃
I think I smiled。 '〃Kay。〃
I could feel his lips at my ear。
〃I love you；〃 he whispered。
〃Me； too。〃
〃I know；〃 he laughed quietly。
I turned my head slightly… searching。 He knew what I was after。 His lips
touched mine gently。
〃Thanks；〃 I sighed。
〃Anytime。〃
I wasn't really there at all anymore。 But I fought against the stupor
weakly。 There was just one more thing I wanted to tell him。
〃Edward？〃 I struggled to pronounce his name clearly。
〃Yes？〃
〃I'm betting on Alice；〃 I mumbled。
And then the night closed over me。
===========================================================================
EPILOGUE：AN OCCASION
Edward helped me into his car； being very careful of the wisps of silk
and chiffon； the flowers he'd just pinned into my elaborately styled
curls； and my bulky walking cast。 He ignored the angry set of my mouth。
When he had me settled； he got in the driver's seat and headed back out
the long； narrow drive。
〃At what point exactly are you going to tell me what's going on？〃 I asked
grumpily。 I really hated surprises。 And he knew that。
〃I'm shocked that you haven't figured it out yet。〃 He threw a mocking
smile in my direction； and my breath caught in my throat。 Would I ever
get used to his perfection？
〃I did mention that you looked very nice； didn't I？〃 I verified。
〃Yes。〃 He grinned again。 I'd never seen him dress in black before； and；
with the contrast against his pale skin； his beauty was absolutely
surreal。 That much I couldn't deny； even if the fact that he was wearing
a tuxedo made me very nervous。
Not quite as nervous as the dress。 Or the shoe。 Only one shoe； as my
other foot was still securely encased in plaster。 But the stiletto heel；
held on only by satin ribbons； certainly wasn't going to help me as I
tried to hobble around。
〃I'm not ing over anymore if Alice is going to treat me like Guinea
Pig Barbie when I do；〃 I griped。 I'd spent the better part of the day in
Alice's staggeringly vast bathroom； a helpless victim as she played
hairdresser and cosmetician。 Whenever I fidgeted or plained； she
reminded me that she didn't have any memories of being human； and asked
me not to ruin her vicarious fun。 Then she'd dressed me in the most
ridiculous dress — deep blue； frilly and off the shoulders； with French
tags I couldn't read — a dress more suitable for a runway than Forks。
Nothing good could e of our formal attire； of that I was sure。 Unless…
but I was afraid to put my suspicions into words； even in my own head。
I was distracted then by the sound of a phone ringing。 Edward pulled his
cell phone from a pocket inside his jacket； looking briefly at the caller
ID before answering。
〃Hello； Charlie；〃 he said warily。
〃Charlie？〃 I frowned。
Charlie had been… difficult since my return to Forks。 He had
partmentalized my bad experience into two defined reactions。 Toward
Carlisle he was almost worshipfully grateful。 On the other hand； he was
stubbornly convinced that Edward was at fault — because； if not for him；
I wouldn't have left home in the first place。 And Edward was far from
disagreeing with him。 These days I had rules that hadn't existed before：
curfews… visiting hours。
Something Charlie was saying made Edward's eyes widen in disbelief； and
then a grin spread across his face。
〃You're kidding！〃 He laughed。
〃What is it？〃 I demanded。
He ignored me。 〃Why don't you let me talk to him？〃 Edward suggested with
evident pleasure。 He waited for a few seconds。
〃Hello； Tyler； this is Edward Cullen。〃 His voice was very friendly； on
the surface。 I knew it well enough to catch the soft edge of menace。 What
was Tyler doing at my house？ The awful truth began to dawn on me。 I
looked again at the inappropriate dress Alice had forced me into。
〃I'm sorry if there's been some kind of mismunication； but Bella is
unavailable tonight。〃 Edward's tone changed； and the threat in his voice
was suddenly much more evident as he continued。 〃To be perfectly honest；
she'll be unavailable every night； as far as anyone besides myself is
concerned。 No offense。 And I'm sorry about your evening。〃 He didn't sound
sorry at all。 And then he snapped the phone shut； a huge smirk on his
face。
My face and neck flushed crimson with anger。 I could feel the
rageinduced tears starting to fill my eyes。
He looked at me in surprise。 〃Was that last part a bit too much？ I didn't
mean to offend you。〃
I ignored that。
〃You're taking me to the prom！〃 I yelled。
It was embarrassingly obvious now。 If I'd been paying any attention at
all； I'm sure I would have noticed the date on the posters that decorated
the school buildings。 But I'd never dreamed he was thinking of subjecting
me to this。 Didn't he know me at all？
He wasn't expecting the force of my reaction； that was clear。 He pressed
his lips together and his eyes narrowed。 〃Don't be difficult； Bella。〃
My eyes flashed to the window； we were halfway to the school already。
〃Why are you doing this to me？〃 I demanded in horror。
He gestured to his tuxedo。 〃Honestly； Bella； what did you think we were
doing？〃
I was mortified。 First； because I'd missed the obvious。 And also because
the vague suspicions — expectations； really — that I'd been forming all
day； as Alice tried to transform me into a beauty queen； were so far wide
of the mark。 My halffearful hopes seemed very silly now。
I'd guessed there was some kind of occasion brewing。 But prom！ That was
the furthest thing from my mind。
The angry tears rolled over my cheeks。 I remembered with dismay that I
was very uncharacteristically wearing mascara。 I wiped quickly under my
eyes to prevent any smudges。 My hand was unblackened when I pulled it
away； maybe Alice had known I would need waterproof makeup。
〃This is pletely ridiculous。 Why are you crying？〃 he demanded in
frustration。
〃Because I'm mad！〃
〃Bella。〃 He turned the full force of his scorching golden eyes on me。
〃What？〃 I muttered； distracted。
〃Humor me；〃 he insisted。
His eyes were melting all my fury。 It was impossible to fight with him
when he cheated like that。 I gave in with poor grace。
〃Fine；〃 I pouted； unable to glare as effectively as I would have liked。
〃I'll go quietly。 But you'll see。 I'm way overdue for more bad luck。 I'll
probably break my other leg。 Look at this shoe！ It's a death trap！〃 I
held out my good leg as evidence。
〃Hmmm。〃 He stared at my leg longer than was necessary。 〃Remind me to
thank Alice for that tonight。〃
〃Alice is going to be there？〃 That forted me slightly。
〃With Jasper； and Emmett… and Rosalie；〃 he admitted。
The feeling of fort disappeared。 There had been no progress with
Rosalie； though I was on quite good terms with her sometimeshusband。
Emmett enjoyed having me around — he thought my bizarre human reactions
were hilarious… or maybe it was just the fact that I fell down a lot that
he found so funny。 Rosalie acted as if I didn't ex