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y examined it。 She started to remove the slide； Do you mind if I look？ Instinctively stupidly； as if I were one of her kind I reached out to stop her hand from removing the slide。 For one second； the heat of her skin burned into mine。 It was like an electric pulse surely much hotter than a mere niyeight point six degrees。 The heat shot through my hand and up my arm。 She yanked her hand out from under mine。 I m sorry； I muttered through my clenched teeth。 Needing somewhere to look； I grasped the microscope and stared briefly into the eyepiece。 She was right。 Prophase； I agreed。 I was still too unsettled to look at her。 Breathing as quietly as I could through my gritted teeth and trying to ignore the fiery thirst； I concentrated on the simple assignment； writing the word on the appropriate line on the lab sheet； and then switching out the first slide for the next。 What was she thinking now？ What had that felt like to her； when I had touched her hand？ My skin must have been ice cold repulsive。 No wonder she was so quiet。 I glanced at the slide。 Anaphase； I said to myself as I wrote it on the second line。 May I？ she asked。 I looked up at her； surprised to see that she was waiting expectantly； one hand halfstretched toward the microscope。 She didn t look afraid。 Did she really
think I d gotten the answer wrong？ I couldn t help but smile at the hopeful look on her face as I slid the microscope toward her。 She stared into the eyepiece with an eagerness that quickly faded。 her mouth turned down。 The corners of Slide three？ she asked； not looking up from the microscope； but holding out her hand。 I dropped the next slide into her hand； not letting my skin e anywhere close to hers this time。 Sitting beside her was like sitting next to a heat lamp。 I could feel myself warming slightly to the higher temperature。 She did not look at the slide for long。 Interphase； she said nonchalantly perhaps trying a little too hard to sound that way and pushed the microscope to me。 She did not touch the paper； but waited for me to write the answer。 I checked she was correct again。 We finished this way； speaking one word at a time and never meeting each other s eyes。 We were the only ones done the others in the class were having a harder time with the lab。 Mike Newton seemed to be having trouble concentrating he was trying to watch Bella and me。 Wish he d stayed wherever he went； Mike thought； eyeing me sulfurously。 Hmm； interesting。 I hadn t realized the boy harbored any ill will towards me。 This was a new development； about as recent as the girl s arrival it seemed。 Even more interesting； I found to my surprise that the feeling was mutual。 I looked down at the girl again； bemused by the wide range of havoc and upheaval that； despite her ordinary； unthreatening appearance； she was wreaking on my life。 It wasn t that I couldn t see what Mike was going on about。 She was actually rather pretty in an unusual way。 Better than being beautiful； her face was interesting。 Not quite symmetrical her narrow chin out of balance with her wide cheekbones； extreme in the coloring the light and dark contrast of her skin and her hair； and then there were the eyes； brimming over with silent secrets Eyes that were suddenly boring into mine。 I stared back at her； trying to guess even one of those secrets。 Did you get contacts？ she asked abruptly。 What a strange question。 eyesight。 Oh； she mumbled。 No。 I almost smiled at the idea of improving my I thought there was something different about your eyes。 I felt suddenly colder again as I realized that I was apparently not the only one attempting to ferret out secrets today。 I shrugged； my shoulders stiff； and glared straight ahead to where the teacher was making his rounds。 Of course there was something different about my eyes since the last time she d stared into them。 To prepare myself for today s ordeal； today s temptation； I d spent the entire weekend hunting； satiating my thirst as much as possible； overdoing it really。 I d glutted myself on the blood of animals； not that it made much difference in the face of the outrageous flavor floating on the air around
her。 When I d glared at her last； my eyes had been black with thirst。 Now； my body swimming with blood； my eyes were a warmer gold。 Light amber from my excessive attempt at thirstquenching。 Another slip。 told her yes。 If I d seen what she d meant with her question； I could have just I d sat beside humans for two years now at this school； and she was the first to examine me closely enough to note the change in my eye color。 The others； while admiring the beauty of my family； tended to look down quickly when we returned their stares。 They shied away； blocking the details of our appearances in an instinctive endeavor to keep themselves from understanding。 Ignorance was bliss to the human mind。 Why did it have to be this girl who would see too much？ Mr。 Banner approached our table。 I gratefully inhaled the gush of clean air he brought with him before it could mix with her scent。 So； Edward； he said； looking over our answers； didn t you think Isabella should get a chance with the microscope？ Bella； I corrected him reflexively。 five。 Actually； she identified three of the Have you Mr。 Banner s thoughts were skeptical as he turned to look at the girl。 done this lab before？ I watched； engrossed； as she smiled； looking slightly embarrassed。 Not with onion root。 Whitefish blastula？ Mr。 Banner probed。 Yeah。 This surprised him。 Today s lab was something he d pulled from a more advanced course。 He nodded thoughtfully at the girl。 Were you in an advanced placement program in Phoenix？ Yes。 She was advanced then； intelligent for a human。 This did not surprise me。 Well； Mr。 Banner said； pursing his lips。 I guess it s good you two are lab partners。 He turned and walked away mumbling； So the other kids can get a chance to learn something for themselves； under his breath。 I doubted the girl could hear that。 She began scrawling loops across her folder again。 Two slips so far in one half hour。 A very poor showing on my part。 Though I had no idea at all what the girl thought of me how much did she fear； how much did she suspect？ I knew I needed to put forth a better effort to leave her with a new impression of me。 Something to better drown her memories of our ferocious last encounter。 It s too bad about the snow； isn t it？ I said； repeating the small talk that I d heard a dozen students discuss already。 A boring； standard topic of conversation。 The weather always safe。
She stared at me with obvious doubt in her eyes an abnormal reaction to my very normal words。 Not really； she said； surprising me again。 I tried to steer the conversation back to trite paths。 She was from a much brighter； warmer place her skin seemed to reflect that somehow； despite its fairness and the cold must make her unfortable。 My icy touch certainly had You don t like the cold； I guessed。 Or the wet； she agreed。 Forks must be a difficult place for you to live。 Perhaps you should not have e here； I wanted to add。 Perhaps you should go back where you belong。 I wasn t sure I wanted that； though。 I would always remember the scent of her blood was there any guarantee that I wouldn t eventually follow after her？ Besides； if she left； her mind would forever remain a mystery。 A constant； nagging puzzle。 You have no idea； she said in a low voice； glowering past me for a moment。 Her answers were never what I expected。 They made me want to ask more questions。 Why did you e here； then？ I demanded； realizing instantly that my tone was too accusatory； not casual enough for the conversation。 The question sounded rude； prying。 It s plicated。 She blinked her wide eyes； leaving it at that； and I nearly imploded out of curiosity the curiosity burned as hot as the thirst in my throat。 Actually； I found that it was getting slightly easier to breathe； the agony was being more bearable through familiarity。 I think I can keep up； I insisted。 Perhaps mon courtesy would keep her answering my questions as long as I was rude enough to ask them。 She stared down silently at her hands。 This made me impatient； I wanted to put my hand under her chin and tilt her head up so that I could read her eyes。 But it would be foolish of me dangerous to touch h