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stood and darted back down the stairs； her shoulders hunched slightly。 you。 Really。 Yes； I would really miss her； too。
It was a quiet ride to school。 Jasper could tell that Alice was upset about something； but he knew that if she wanted to talk about it she would have done so already。 Emmett and Rosalie were oblivious； having another of their moments； gazing into each others eyes with wonder it was rather disgusting to watch from the outside。 We were all quite aware how desperately in love they were。 Or maybe I was just being bitter because I was the only one alone。 Some days it was harder than others to live with three sets of perfectly matched lovers。 This was one of them。 Maybe they would all be happier without me hanging around； illtempered and belligerent as the old man I should be by now。 Of course； the first thing I did when we reached the school was to look for the girl。 Just preparing myself again。 Right。 It was embarrassing how my world suddenly seemed to be empty of everything but her my whole existence centered around the girl； rather than around myself anymore。 It was easy enough to understand； though； really； after eighty years of the same thing every day and every night； any change became a point of absorption。 She had not yet arrived； but could I hear the thunderous chugging of her truck s engine in the distance。 I leaned against the side of the car to wait。 Alice stayed with me； while the others went straight to class。 They were bored with my fixation it was inprehensible to them how any human could hold my interest for so long； no matter how delicious she smelled。 The girl drove slowly into view； her eyes intent on the road and her hands tight on the wheel。 She seemed anxious about something。 It took me a second to figure out what that something was； to realize that every human wore the same expression today。 Ah； the road was slick with ice； and they were all trying to drive more carefully。 I could see she was taking the added risk seriously。 That seemed in line with what little I had learned of her character。 to my small list： she was a serious person； a responsible person。 I added this She parked not too far from me； but she hadn t noticed me standing here yet； staring at her。 I wondered what she would do when she did？ Blush and walk away？ That was my first guess。 talk to me。 But maybe she would stare back。 Maybe she would e to I took a deep breath； filling my lungs hopefully； just in case。 She got out of the truck with care； testing the slick ground before she put her weight on it。 She didn t look up； and that frustrated me。 Maybe I would go talk to her No； that would be wrong。 Instead of turning toward the school； she made her way to the rear of her truck； clinging to the side of the truck bed in a droll way； not trusting her footing。 It made me smile； and I felt Alice s eyes on my face。 I didn t listen to whatever
this made her think I was having too much fun watching the girl check her snow chains。 She actually looked in some danger of falling； the way her feet were sliding around。 No one else was having trouble had she parked in the worst of the ice？ She paused there； staring down with a strange expression on her face。 was tender？ As if something about the tire was making her emotional？ Again； the curiosity ached like a thirst。 thinking as if nothing else mattered。 It It was as if I had to know what she was I would go talk to her。 She looked like she could use a hand anyway； at least until she was off the slick pavement。 Of course； I couldn t offer her that； could I？ I hesitated； torn。 As adverse as she seemed to be to snow； she would hardly wele the touch of my cold white hand。 I should have worn gloves NO！ Alice gasped aloud。 Instantly； I scanned her thoughts； guessing at first that I had made a poor choice and she saw me doing something inexcusable。 But it had nothing to do with me at all。 Tyler Crowley had chosen to take the turn into the parking lot at an injudicious speed。 This choice would send him skidding across a patch of ice The vision came just half a second before the reality。 Tyler s van rounded the corner as I was still watching the conclusion that had pulled the horrified gasp through Alice s lips。 No； this vision had nothing to do with me； and yet it had everything to do with me； because Tyler s van the tires right now hitting the ice at the worst possible angle was going to spin across the lot and crush the girl who had bee the uninvited focal point of my world。 Even without Alice s foresight it would have been simple enough to read the trajectory of the vehicle； flying out of Tyler s control。 The girl； standing in the exactly wrong place at the back of her truck； looked up； bewildered by the sound of the screeching tires。 She looked straight into my horror struck eyes； and then turned to watch her approaching death。 Not her！ The words shouted in my head as if they belonged to someone else。 Still locked into Alice s thoughts； I saw the vision suddenly shift； but I had no time to see what the oute would be。 I launched myself across the lot； throwing myself between the skidding van and the frozen girl。 I moved so fast that everything was a streaky blur except for the object of my focus。 She didn t see me no human eyes could have followed my flight still staring at the hulking shape that was about to grind her body into the metal frame of her truck。 I caught her around the waist； moving with too much urgency to be as gentle as she would need me to be。 In the hundredth of a second between the time that I yanked her slight form out of the path of death and the time that I crashed into to the
ground with her in my arms； I was vividly aware of her fragile； breakable body。 When I heard her head crack against the ice； it felt like I had turned to ice； too。 But I didn t even have a full second to ascertain her condition。 I heard the van behind us； grating and squealing as it twisted around the sturdy iron body of the girl s truck。 It was changing course； arcing； ing for her again like she was a mag； pulling it toward us。 A word I d never said before in the presence of a lady slid between my clenched teeth。 I had already done too much。 As I d nearly flown through the air to push her out of the way； I d been fully aware of the mistake I was making。 Knowing that it was a mistake did not stop me； but I was not oblivious to the risk I was taking taking； not just for myself； but for my entire family。 Exposure。 And this certainly wasn t going to help； but there was no way I was going to allow the van to succeed in its second attempt to take her life。 I dropped her and threw my hands out； girl。 The force of it hurled me back could feel its frame buckle behind my against the unyielding obstacle of my the two far tires。 catching the van before it could touch the into the car parked beside her truck； and I shoulders。 The van shuddered and shivered arms； and then swayed； balancing unstably on If I moved my hands； the back tire of the van was going fall onto her legs。 Oh； for the love of all that was holy； would the catastrophes never end？ Was there anything else that could go wrong？ I could hardly sit here； holding the van in the air； and wait for rescue。 Nor could I throw the van away there was the driver to consider； his thoughts incoherent with panic。 With an internal groan； I shoved the van so that it rocked away from us for an instant。 As it fell back toward me； I caught it under the frame with my right hand while I wrapped my left arm around the girl s waist again and drug her out from under the van； pulling her tight up against my side。 Her body moved limply as I swung her around so that her legs would be in the clear was she conscious？ How much damage had I done to her in my impromptu rescue attempt？ I let the van drop； now that it could not hurt her。 all the windows shattering in unison。 It crashed to the pavement； I knew that I was in the middle of a crisis。 How much had she seen？ Had any other witnesses watched me materialize at her side and then juggle the van while I tried to keep her out from under it？ These questions should be my biggest concern。 But I was too anxious to really care about the threat of exposure as much as I should。 Too panicstricken that I might have injured her myself