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he must not have said anything。 All of them raised an eyebrow at this news。 Maybe you re not as scary as you think you are； Emmett said； chuckling。 I could have frightened her better than that。 I rolled my eyes at him。 Wonder why ？ silence。 He puzzled again over my revelation about the girl s unique I don t know。 I felt my body go rigid。 Try to look I bet We ve been over that。 She s ing in； Alice murmured then。 human。 Human； you say？ Emmett asked。 He held up his right fist； twisting his fingers to reveal the snowball he d saved in his palm。 Of course it had not melted there。 He d squeezed it into a lumpy block of ice。 He had his eyes on Jasper； but I saw the direction of his thoughts。 So did Alice； of course。 When he abruptly hurled the ice chunk at her； she flicked it away with a casual flutter of her fingers。 The ice ricocheted across the length of the cafeteria； too fast to be visible to human eyes； and shattered with a sharp crack against the brick wall。 The brick cracked； too。 The heads in that corner of the room all turned to stare at the pile of broken ice on the floor； and then swiveled to find the culprit。 They didn t look further than a few tables away。 No one looked at us。 Very human； Emmett； Rosalie said scathingly。 wall while you re at it？ Why don t you punch through the It would look more impressive if you did it； baby。 I tried to pay attention to them； keeping a grin fixed on my face like I was part of their banter。 I did not allow myself to look toward the line where I knew she was standing。 But that was all that I was listening to。 I could hear Jessica s impatience with the new girl； who seemed to be distracted； too； standing motionless in the moving line。 I saw； in Jessica s thoughts； that Bella Swan s cheeks were once more colored bright pink with blood。 I pulled in short； shallow breaths； ready to quit breathing if any hint of her scent touched the air near me。 Mike Newton was with the two girls。 I heard both his voices； mental and verbal； when he asked Jessica what was wrong with the Swan girl。 I didn t like the way his thoughts wrapped around her； the flicker of already established fantasies that clouded his mind while he watched her start and look up from her reverie like
she d forgotten he was there。 Nothing； I heard Bella say in that quiet； clear voice。 It seemed to ring like a bell over the babble in the cafeteria； but I knew that was just because I was listening for it so intently。 I ll just get a soda today； she continued as she moved to catch up with the line。 I couldn t help flickering one glance in her direction。 She was staring at the floor； the blood slowly fading from her face。 I looked away quickly； to Emmett； who laughed at the now painedlooking smile on my face。 You look sick； bro。 I rearranged my features so the expression would seem casual and effortless。 Jessica was wondering aloud about the girl s lack of appetite。 hungry？ Actually； I feel a little sick。 Aren t you Her voice was lower； but still very clear。 Why did it bother me； the protective concern that suddenly emanated from Mike Newton s thoughts？ What did it matter that there was a possessive edge to them？ It wasn t my business if Mike Newton felt unnecessarily anxious for her。 Perhaps this was the way everyone responded to her。 Hadn t I wanted； instinctively； to protect her； too？ Before I d wanted to kill her； that is But was the girl ill？ It was hard to judge she looked so delicate with her translucent skin Then I realized that I was worrying； too； just like that dimwitted boy； and I forced myself not to think about her health。 Regardless； I didn t like monitoring her through Mike s thoughts。 I switched to Jessica s； watching carefully as the three of them chose which table to sit at。 Fortunately； they sat with Jessica s usual panions； at one of the first tables in the room。 Not downwind； just as Alice had promised。 Alice elbowed me。 She s going to look soon； act human。 I clenched my teeth behind my grin。 Ease up； Edward； Emmett said。 the end of the world。 You would know； I murmured。 Emmett laughed。 You ve got to learn to get over things。 a long time to wallow in guilt。 Like I do。 Eternity is Honestly。 So you kill one human。 That s hardly Just then； Alice tossed a smaller handful of ice that she d been hiding into Emmett s unsuspecting face。
He blinked； surprised； and then grinned in anticipation。 You asked for it； he said as he leaned across the table and shook his iceencrusted hair in her direction。 The snow； melting in the warm room； flew out from his hair in a thick shower of halfliquid； halfice。 Ew！ Rose plained； as she and Alice recoiled from the deluge。 Alice laughed； and we all joined in。 I could see in Alice s head how she d orchestrated this perfect moment； and I knew that the girl I should stop thinking of her that way； as if she were the only girl in the world that Bella would be watching us laugh and play； looking as happy and human and unrealistically ideal as a Norman Rockwell painting。 Alice kept laughing； and held her tray up as a shield。 be staring at us。 The girl Bella must still staring at the Cullens again； someone thought； catching my attention。 I looked automatically toward the unintentional call； realizing as my eyes found their destination that I recognized the voice I d been listening to it so much today。 But my eyes slid right past Jessica； and focused on the girl s perating gaze。 She looked down quickly； hiding behind her thick hair again。 What was she thinking？ The frustration seemed to be getting more acute as time went on； rather than dulling。 I tried uncertain in what I was doing for I d never tried this before to probe with my mind at the silence around her。 My extra hearing had always e to me naturally； without asking； I d never had to work at it。 But I concentrated now； trying to break through whatever shield surrounded her。 Nothing but silence。 What is it about her？ Jessica thought； echoing my own frustration。 Edward Cullen is staring at you； she whispered in the Swan girl s ear； adding a giggle。 There was no hint of her jealous irritation in her tone。 Jessica seemed to be skilled at feigning friendship。 I listened； too engrossed； to the girl s response。 He doesn t look angry； does he？ she whispered back。 So she had noticed my wild reaction last week。 Of course she had。 The question confused Jessica。 I saw my own face in her thoughts as she checked my expression； but I did not meet her glance。 I was still concentrating on the girl； trying to hear something。 My intent focus didn t seem to be helping at all。 No； Jess told her； and I knew that she wished she could say yes how it rankled inside her； my staring though there was no trace of that in her voice。 Should he be？ I don t think he likes me； the girl whispered back； laying her head down on her arm as if she were suddenly tired。 I tried to understand the motion； but I could
only make guesses。 Maybe she was tired。 The Cullens don t like anybody； Jess reassured her。 Well； they don t notice anybody enough to like them。 They never used to。 Her thought was a grumble of plaint。 But he s still staring at you。 Stop looking at him； the girl said anxiously； lifting her head from her arm to make sure Jessica obeyed the order。 Jessica giggled； but did as she was asked。 The girl did not look away from her table for the rest of the hour。 I thought though； of course； I could not be sure that this was deliberate。 It seemed like she wanted to look at me。 Her body would shift slightly in my direction； her chin would begin to turn； and then she would catch herself； take a deep breath； and stare fixedly at whoever was speaking。 I ignored the other thoughts around the girl for the most part； as they were not； momentarily； about her。 Mike Newton was planning a snow fight in the parking lot after school； not seeming to realize that the snow had already shifted to rain。 The flutter of soft flakes against the roof had bee the more mon patter of raindrops。 Could he really not hear the change？ It seemed loud to me。 When the lunch period ended； I stayed in my seat。 The humans filed out； and I caught myself trying to distinguish the sound of her footsteps from the sound of the rest； as if there was something important or unusual about them。 How stupid。 My family made